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Heat. Heat. Heat. Yes. Oh, that's The special school this special meeting of the school board of Broward County, Florida is now called to Order. Dr. Hepern, are there any items to be added to the agenda? >> Good morning, chair. No items to change.
>> May I have a motion and a second to close the agenda? >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. All in favor of closing the agenda, say I. >> All those opposed, say no. The agenda is now closed. May I have a motion and a second to approve all final orders? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon.
Is there discussion? >> All in favor of approving all final orders say I. I. Those opposed say no. All final orders have been approved. I now declare the special school board meeting adjourned. >> Cue the music. Welcome to today's regular schoolboard meeting. This regular meeting of the
school board of Brower County, Florida is now called to order. Our primary focus is to create a safe and productive environment for all participants. Please be reminded of the exit doors that are clearly marked for emergency exiting. While in the boardroom, refrain from obstructing the exit doors. All attendees must occupy a seat with the
exception of media. Once the boardroom has reached its seating capacity, attendees will be directed to a designated overflow area. Upon the activation of the fire alarm system, please exit the room in an orderly fashion and continue to exit the building and remain outside until the authority that has jurisdiction is
deemed the building safe to return. Thank you for your cooperation. Board member Holes will now introduce his school to lead us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Dr. Holes. >> Thank you. At this time, it is my honor to welcome the Piper High School Gerot TC who will present the colors and lead
us into the pledge of allegiance. Time arch left turns freeze it arm the pledge. Ready begin. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Order arms. Right turn. March. Mark,
Mark. Madame chair, so I can give the students credit, I'd like to recognize their names if you don't mind for just a minute. Okay. So parti who participated today are Tierston Porter uh battalion commander uh and cadet of the quarter,
Nia Bines, battalion executive officer and recipient of the Broad County Public Schools outstanding senior leadership award. uh Camille Russell, battalion human resource officer and twotime Broward all county band selectee and Taylor Hollowman drill and color guard
officer in charge and cadet of the quarter. These outstanding cadetses are part of the Piper High School community led by principal Matthew Lewis and are under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Dexter Gamage. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Board member Hixon has requested a moment of silence. Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. Good morning. I would like to take a moment to honor the life and memory of Paul Ko, a dedicated educator and colleague who passed away suddenly a
few weeks ago. Paul was a kind and gentle soul who was always eager to help others. He was thoughtful in the small ways that mattered most, remembering birthdays, important dates, and always taking the time to check in on the
people around him. Paul truly loved his career in education and found great purpose in his work as an ESC counselor, supporting students at Plantation Park self-contained EBD cluster and Steven Foster Elementary. He cared deeply about the students he served and built
meaningful relationships with them and his colleagues, many of whom he considered close friends. Outside of school, Paul was a proud University of Florida alumnist and an enthusiastic Gator fan, something he carried with great pride. Paul's kindness, warmth,
and dedication to helping others made him a lasting made a lasting impact on the lives of the students and colleagues who knew him. He will be deeply missed by his school community and by all who had the privilege of calling him a friend. I respectfully ask that we take
a moment of silence in the memory of Paul Ko. Thank you. Thank you. Board member Saba has requested a moment of silence. Mr. Sea. >> Thank you, Chair. Uh it is with heartfelt sympathy that we pause to
honor the life of Miss Judith Franco, a cherished language arts teacher at Tquesta Trace Middle School. Miss Franco passed away on February 14th, 2026. She is lovingly remembered by her two adult children as well. It's by the countless
students, colleagues, and friends whose lives she touched throughout her career. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and to our entire Toquesta Trace Middle School community. May they find comfort, peace, and strength during this difficult time. Please join me in a
moment of silence in her memory. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. The superintendent released a revised agenda with certain changes for this meeting and published it on the school district's website. He has further revisions. Dr. Hepern. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I have further
revision for item H2, the employee, Daryl Malone, has submitted his resignation, the district will change the reason for his separation from termination to resignation. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> The chair finds pursuant to section 120.525 Florida statutes that good cause
exists for such changes and accepts the revised agenda. May the chair have a motion and a second to close the agenda? >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Rupert. All in favor of closing the agenda, say I. >> I. I. All those opposed say no. The
agenda is now closed. May the chair have a motion in a second to approve the minutes for the following meetings. February 10th, 2026, special meeting, expulsions. February 10th, 2026, regular school board meeting. February 17th, 2026, special school board meeting. March 3rd, 2026, special school board
meeting. >> So moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Rupert. Is there any discussion? All in favor of approving the minutes as listed or amend uh as listed say I. >> I. >> Those opposed say no. The minutes are
approved. As we prepare to begin our regular schoolboard meeting, we are reminded that our vision is 100% proficiency for our all our students. As an A-rated school district, our vital task is to sustain this achievement. We will continue educating all students to reach their highest potential. Our theme
this year is believe, empower, achieve. One Broward. The chief of staff and the communications officer pulled the board of any agenda items they wish to address in advance of the meeting. The following consent items have been identified for discussion. H1, H2, H4, H5, B1, A3, F2,
and M1. At this time, may the chair have a motion and a second to pass the consent items that have not been pulled for discussion, which are H3, A1, A2, C1, F1, 01, and O2. So moved. >> Second. Moved by Dr. Zean, second by
Miss Hixon. Are there any registered speakers on the items that have not been pulled for discussion? >> No speakers. >> All in favor of approving the consent items that have not been pulled for discussion say I. >> I. >> Those opposed say no. >> Items pass unanimously.
Could I have a motion and a second on H1? >> So moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on H1. one registered speakers, Yuri Martinez. >> If you heard your name, please approach the mic. >> You may approach the podium.
>> Nope. >> Sorry. >> Um, can I give a copy? Can I give a copy? >> Mr. Mr. Sullivan, if you can grab the >> Yeah, I just wanted to say she is probably here for H2 and not for H1. I'm
sorry. >> H2. >> Please distribute the statement. Go ahead, Miss Martinez. Go ahead. Good morning, members of the board. My name is Yuri Diaz. I am in my 34 years of teaching. I had not been the subject
of formal complaints, written reprimands or allegations of misconduct. I find myself sitting here in a position of first instance defending myself from allegations against me after a long career without disciplinary history. Prior to April of 2025, I am here both
to address the excessive excessiveness of the suspension and lack of due process throughout the investigatory phase and the procedure at the school. On January 9th, 2026, the female student at issue was transferred to my class, but admin neglected to provide me with an IP and a 504 plan. I was told nothing
about her. I will not repeat my short exchange with her upon entering my classroom, but s suffice to say that it was not the exchange written by the mother. I emphatically challenged the notion that a brief exchange was responsible for exacerbating the child's
anxiety disorder and consequently force forcing her to leave school. Pointedly, the mother made the complaint on January 22nd in the early morning. Sometime thereafter, at about 10:30 a.m., the student's 504 plan was emailed to me. Thereafter, the mother sent the phone complaint in an email at around 12:30
p.m. The student never returned to my class. In summary, I did not make the offense of a statement, nor did I have any prior knowledge of this student having an anxiety disorder. Admin gave me the due process letter that a complaint was filed against me, and I was told not to speak in to witnesses.
Thereafter, my superiors obtained written statements from the students in the classroom. The written statements included students who were absent in the stated and they stated that they knew and stated that they knew what they knew because the students were gossiping about the situation. State statements
from students that they did not match what the mother wrote in her email at all and statements from students that match that the mother had with had written in her part. Notably, the only other adult in the room, a behavior technician, was not questioned about what he heard. Additionally, admin
mentioned during the due process that the student was in my classroom on January 20th when this happened and student was not in school that day. Admin said the student withdrew the same day parent sent the email and I used in an appropriate tone of comments. What is what is this? How is this measured in an
email sent by the parent? Afterwards, when the students had provided their statements, I asked if any of the students knew of the whereabouts of the student at issue, as I had not been told she withdrew until January 26, 2026. F. Furthermore, the students offered that she left the school because of what I
said to her. I wonder where they had heard that she if if she only showed up one day on January 6. At that point, to my understanding, the investigatory phase was over. I did not stop the discussion for that reason, nor not
out of an intention to commit wrongdoing. However, this past week, a student of mine asked me if he if everything was okay because he was called down during study hall to provide a statement. Where is this statement? Thereafter, I was told that I was being suspended without pay for three days
based upon the statements against me among other things to be addressed furthermore in the statement. Yet, I know that the other adult >> Please yield the mic. Thank you. Ju >> just to confirm these speakers comments were on H2. >> Okay. Thank you. Board member discussion
on H1N. >> Thank you. I just wanted to congratulate we have 44 retirees and one stands stands out. I think all of us would like to say thank you so much to Mary Moulder for the job that she's done for the many
years that she's been here. Those will be some big shoes to fill. I think she has a couple more days left. Um, but just wanted to give as the wellness committee chair, thank you to Mary Moulder for all that she does for our students and wish her good luck and
and good fortune in her new journey. Thank you. Thank you so much. Any other board discussion on H1? All in favor of H1 say I. >> I. All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. I have a motion and second
on item H2. Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Rupert. Public comment on H2. >> No speakers. >> Um, board member comment, Mr. Sea. >> My issue has been resolved. Thank you. >> Any other board discussion on H2?
>> All in favor of H2 say I. >> I. All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion and second on H4? >> Moved by Dr. Dr. Zman, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on H4. >> No registered speakers. >> Miss Bowman.
>> Thanks, Chair. Um, so I just had a question about uh this um down at the bottom. Let's see. It says um and this is just kind of arbitrary so I
don't know if this matters or not but it says that you have to be able to assist individuals or objects weighing 135 pounds or more and then be able to drag or carry individuals or objects
weighing 135 pounds or more. So um how much more are we talking about? >> Dr. He >> Chief Greger. >> Good morning. Mike Gregory, chief safety security officer. Thank you for the question. And that was update to
language that uh was outdated as far as uh physical standards for employees in the police department. Uh these were taken from the Bard County Police Academy standard for all police officer candidates that go through the process. And the weights uh involved there is to
uh at least cover a child or someone larger. If they need to do a rescue recovery of someone in a disaster or a critical incident, they could carry them andor drag them to safety. >> So, okay. I mean, it just seems rather
arbitrary because I get a 135 lbs like if you if that's the standard, but you could weigh 400 lb. So I mean is that what the expectation is or is that >> as a minimum? >> Okay. All right. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Any other board member discussion?
>> All in favor of H4 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion? A second on H5. >> So move. >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean. Second by Miss Thompson. Public comment. >> No register speakers. >> Board member comment. Dr. Zean. >> Thanks chair so much. Um this item
before us today is um to set calendars for staff. Um there are lots of interesting things in here um you know that uh kind of repeat what we've done for a long time in Broward County. I don't have any objection to this particular item, but I do want to point
out that we're in the middle of fiscal crisis. We're in the middle of all hands on deck. We're in the middle of uh making sure that um we are able to um in some sense make structural changes in Brower County to make sure that kind of we tilt the ship toward winning the
hearts and minds of parents and students every day of the week. Um this item is really about uh staff working uh includes uh a calendar that has staff having Fridays off in the summer. Uh for the staff that are listed here, I understand that it makes a lot of sense.
I think they might actually get more work done doing four 10-hour days than otherwise. But I'm still uh just opposed to the idea of having administrative leaders making a lot of money who have huge responsibilities in this district uh not being here on Fridays during the
summer. Um I don't know uh when we get to decide that, but Mr. Superintendent, is there going to be an item before us that talks about the summer schedule for senior administrative staff in Ber County? >> No. there. Um, Dr. Lozano, this covers everybody,
correct? >> Correct. >> Yes, sir. So, there won't be an additional >> This does cover everybody. It's not clear to me that the item does. >> Uh, I I uh cannot sell Fridays off to my neighbors. >> Uh there are no uh private sector
organizations uh that work less than a billion hours a week. Uh particularly at times of crisis, particularly at times when structural changes are needed. Um, I hope that sometime in the future we decide to change the schedule to make sure that we're reflecting the community's needs for real change and
for the hard work that comes in over the summer. The summertime is a time of no students in schools, time of great thinking, easier to coordinate because uh we have uh folks around that we need to coordinate with out of the 4,800 administrative people that work in Broward County. Um, so uh I'll find a
way to put together some ideas on that and I'll bring it back to the board at another time. Thanks, chair. >> Thank you. Any other board member discussion, Miss Rupert? >> Um, thank you, Madam Chair. Um, through the superintendent, I was um I thought that there was going to be a change to
this particular item. Um, did that happen? >> Go ahead. >> In reference to the request from >> Lisa Maxwell, >> correct? that was done yesterday in a memo to revise was completed and it was
adjusted and fixed on this item. >> Okay, so it's fixed. >> It's fixed. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I just had a quick question, Dr. Heburn. Um, with the with the Fridays off in the summer, does that translate in into any savings for the district?
>> Um, thank you for the question, Chair. Yes, it does. That translates to about average of about 1 uh 4 million uh per summer. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other board discussion on the item? Miss Hixon.
>> Um Dr. Heepern, could you explain where that savings comes from? >> Uh mostly from utility costs and shut down the district. Any other board discussion? All in favor of H5 say I. I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion and a
second on item B1? >> So move. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on B1. >> No comment. >> Board member discussion. Miss Hixon. Thank you. Um, so I brought this item
forward because for a long time educators have believed, I don't know where the information came from, but that steps was taken away because of the state. So in conversations with teachers
across the county, they kept asking me about steps. So, I did a little research on it. had a discussion with the superintendent um and some other people to to ask what could we possibly bring back some kind of step program so that
teachers would be able to have um some kind of stability and know when they were going to have different increases throughout their pay throughout their career and pay because as you know I have bugged about this since the day I
got here that I wanted us to bake in salary to our budget and we just have never gotten there. So, this is another way to try to do it. It is to ask the superintendent to explore. It's not to make steps right now, but to bring back to us what a structured step salary
would look like or step salary step schedule would look like for teachers. Um, you know, what that would be budgetwise. And we do have some employee groups who are still on steps here. There are two counties, if I'm not mistaken, in the
state that do have steps. I know it gets complicated because of the paper performance. Um, so this really is just to ask superintendent to look into it and see if that's something that we can do moving forward. So I hope that you will support me in this.
>> Thank you. Board member comment. Miss Thompson, >> I guess what would be your expected uh deadline or timeline? >> It's on there. July Sorry, I didn't see it prior to this meeting. >> Yeah, I know it came late at. So, the
the expectation, the ask is to bring back something to the board to look at by July of this year >> so that we could do something for next school year >> to this is to the superintendent. Is that a reasonable timeline with everything else we're trying to
currently figure out? >> Yes. So, we will do our research um get all the legal ease around this language and u possibly also reach out to the school districts that are doing this and see how they're accomplishing this and and bring back the information um because it it it pretty much um talks about bringing back information and
possible um recommendations to so >> and it would be to a workshop. >> Uh yes, we can add it to a workshop. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thanks. Um, uh, chair, I'm wondering if, uh, the superintendent or the CFO has
some comment about, um, I love studying everything. It's always good to learn, you know, about alternatives. Uh, it's always been my working understanding though that pay for performance, while it doesn't explicitly say you can't have steps, is an alternate pay
compensation structure to steps. Steps are an automatic pay raise. I was a government employee for 20 years. I had steps. I love them. You know, they're great. To Mr. Hixon's point, they allow you to plan and predict. There are some districts in Florida that have lots of money. You know, I just ran into a superintendent last week that had $und00
million sitting around and didn't know what to do with it. It's great. I wish I lived in that county. It'd be a different different world, you know. Um, and there's even some districts just immediately to the north that have a different tax structure and they have a 9% uh fund balance right now in Palm
Beach County. again, different financial structure, different budget environment. In Broward County, we don't have that. And um it's my understanding uh that if you're going to pay people for performance and put them into three bands and assign payraises based on
those bands, those different u uh performance levels, pay for performance means you can't have an automatic pay raise. So, uh, I don't want to spend staff time doing this if it's diametrically opposed to what we have to do by statute. And that's always been my
understanding. It's not like it says you can't have steps, but if you do pay for performance, that's the opposite of pay for tenure, which is steps, what steps are. So, can somebody explain to me, Mr. Mr. Superintendent or from your staff like whether or not these are really two alternates that can't exist at the same
time uh or is this worth studying because it's something we can have together? >> Um I think uh from my understanding you can't typically have both in the environment, right? You you you choose one or the other and most of the the
districts around the state chose what we're uh actually implement. I think it does um offer an opportunity for us to do research and come back with some information for the board for further discussion on some next steps and also
work with BTU on on this also. Right. Here's here's kind of what I I only see as a feasible solution though, which is if we do steps, we're going to start teachers at $35,000 a year and give them guaranteed pay raises every year. or we can start a mid-50 and they can come in and there's a pay for performance and
they make, you know, based on what their evaluated uh performance is. The state law, Mr. Superintendent, isn't the state law pay for performance? Isn't that mandated in Florida? >> I I am not sure. M Dr. Lozano, if you can um provide some details on the
specifics of of that >> step salaries are not mandated in the state of Florida. >> I asked if pay for performance was mandated. As of right now, it is. >> Yes, it is >> correct. >> Thank you very much. So, I um I enjoyed
the steps when I had them as a federal employee. You know, it did help us plan and I know that federal employees started at a paid level that was significantly lower the market because we bought into a system where we would make more over time. I don't think that's feasible. Like, we don't have this this Mr. Superintendent will
generate no new revenue for Broward County. Is that correct? Like if we shifted to a step a pay for 10ear system. >> That's correct. >> It would not generate any more money. So you still got to take the $1.2 billion of comp and we got to squeeze it into a system that gives us the greatest outcomes. And I don't know that steps
are feasible if by law we have to do pay for performance. And if that means sure let's let's look at steps but that would mean that our starting salary may be so low in order to get raises. I mean, I I don't understand how you can how I don't understand how this could be done in
Broward County. Um, but I'm always interested in learning more about it. Maybe there's something, you know, as a result of this that, you know, is different than what we thought. But every time I've talked to people about this, uh, it's just been you can have A or B, but if you have steps, you've got to do something dramatically different
um, uh, about, um, you know, how you compensate people. Uh, I preferred this philosophically to pay for performance. I think it's not a perfect system, but it does allow us to differentiate uh payraises for people that are perceived and and assessed at doing a greater
level of performance. Thanks, Chair. >> Miss Hixon, >> thank you. I just want to there's it's a state law that we have to start teachers at a certain pay rate. So, there's I just want to clear that up. There's no way that we're going to do anything that starts a teacher at less than what the
state requires. I did run this past um legal and they and our general counsel that's coming in from Lee County, they just went to this in Lee County. So, she's very familiar with what the legal pieces look like. Um and again, it was just to ask the superintendent to
explore it um so that we can be sure that we are because we know this year we're not giving our teachers a raise and I don't want to be in this position um again. So, I've run it through FSBA. I've run it through legal uh run it through a couple of different places. So
there's nothing illegal about this and I really would just like our staff to look and see. It may be that it's a hybrid between paper performance and step where there's a salary range or things of that nature there. I don't know the answer,
but I I know that we have to be doing something different and I would like to be able to explore what that looks like. >> Thank you, Mrs. Alhida. Are we already doing steps in the contract? >> There's a Go ahead, Dr. Lozan. You can
expand a small group of teachers that are actually still on steps. >> Your professional services contract, but as far as every teacher receiving steps, that is not part of our collective bargaining agreement at this time.
>> And so, uh, if we explore this and we work with the Broward Teachers Union, is this something that has to be negotiated? That is correct. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other board discussion on this item?
All in favor of B1 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. >> Uh item passes with one dissenting vote from Dr. Zean. Could I get a motion and a second on item A3? >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixen. Public comment on A3.
>> No, ma'am. Board member comment. Dr. Zean. >> Hi. Thanks much. >> Thank you. >> Um uh this item uh includes a data sharing agreement that includes sharing uh the
names of teachers and students with uh an organization. I'm curious, Mr. Mr. Superintendent, do we need to do that while we're also providing unique uh identifiers? >> Um, thanks for the question, Dr. Zema. I have uh Dr. Con provide some details on on this item. >> Uh, good morning uh Dr. Zean. Good
morning, board. Dr. Con, chief academic officer. Yes, there are certain data that uh is required. So, this particular program is a state approved program. It's the only state approved program for high dosage tutoring. The data sharing agreement is a companion to conmingo and
varsity tutors. And so the state requires that the University of Lasser provide an efficacy study on the impact of highdosese tutoring. So that's why the data sharing agreement is in place. Mr. Superintendent, does this data sharing agreement include the sharing of
names of students and names of parents with uh through the University of Florida with um vendors? >> Go ahead, Dr. >> It does not. It's it includes student data such as grade level, course enrollment, performance, demographic
data, program participation, >> Dr. Zean, are you done with your >> No, I'm not. I just want to get a page number. Um on page 13, exhibit D, uh it says data fields requested. It
includes student first name, student last name. It includes parents first name, parents last name. Why are there checks in the column on page 13 if we're not providing these data to uh through the University of Florida to vendors? So those are the the the the
requirements of the study but the information is not shared to third party. Um uh is God can you expand on that? >> Hello Gaby Moa director of secondary learning. Thank you for the question. It does include first and last name Dr.
Zeman. That's that's for the New Worlds Reads project and I believe that's why they send books to students and parents at their houses so they need the names and address so they can actually send books and the rest of the names are needed for rostering purposes only.
Um I'm going to let the board make up their own mind on this but I'm not interested ever in sharing parents' names uh to the University of Florida to con vendor XYZ or to university ABC.
uh that is uh information that uh is just unnecessary for any research. They have unique student identification number that means it's unique. They can identify every uh student. Um I'm particularly troubled by uh the fact that you know this data sharing
agreement um says that parents names are provided uh for uh distribution of information on state initiatives. Um, I just uh I see no compelling reason to give up the names of our students or parents unless
um you know I I just I'd have a hard time kind of imagining kind of what kind of data sharing agreement I'd like to have for people to do research on high dose tutoring. I mean that's fine. every day. Uh there are data breaches in in the real world and a data breach that
gives up the names of our students and their addresses and the parents' names is just not worth the value of this study. And so, um I hope that the board thinks really hard about this. I have three kids in Brower County Schools. The fact that my children's names would go to other people outside Brower County
Schools bothers the hell out of me. And so, uh, it's just not something I don't want my name and I don't want the names of my kids to be shared with University of Florida, with Lata, with Khan Academy or with varsity tutors as so that they can do an
efficacy study. If they want to do an efficacy study, they can study the results and they can have a unique student identification number. Uh, beyond that, uh, this is just not something I can support. Thank you. >> Dr. Zimman, would you like to make a motion? >> I was going to wait for discussion. Okay. I'd like to have that
>> Mr. Seivera. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, I echo Dr. Zeman's concerns, but I I think this goes a little deeper. Um, it's not only names and last names and and mailing addresses. It's email addresses and phone numbers.
Um, and I I don't think this is information that should be floating out there in cyerspace and potentially be accessible to to vendors or or worse a hack or anything of that nature. Um, Mr. Superintendent, is this agreement unique
to the University of Florida or do similar agreements like this exist with other um universities or vendors in which we are actually giving out parents' names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses uh along with students first and last names? >> Dr. Con.
>> So there are uh cases where that is happening. But I'll share uh something around this particular agreement. Um the majority of the large school districts are part of this initiative. So this is not unique to Bard County because this is the only state approved u grant that
is being funded. Uh the state requires that the University of Alasker who was approved through the state and the only state provided grant grantee to do the efficacy study because they're looking at particularly how high dosage tutoring is impacting. And so this is really
about measurement of student outcomes, program evaluation, and to provide some recommendations to districts as districts lose funding and look at opportunities to expand outreach to families. Uh last year we did have varsity tutors here. Uh we did share
with varsity tutors uh certain student information because they were tutoring our our students. Uh they did one-to-one stu uh tutoring in in in classrooms where it was face toface on a computer. Uh, so it's not unusual that that information is shared because these are
teachers that are working with other students. >> So I I I want to be clear. Um, I'm not against the program or the benefits of the program. What I have concerns with is exhibit D, right? What's listed in exhibit D is
part of this exclusive data sharing agreement and the comprehensive nature of the data that is being shared should this agreement ultimately be passed. This isn't a program issue. This isn't a tutoring issue. This isn't even a University of Florida issue. Despite my
feelings about the University of Florida, um this is strictly are we allowing our parents personal data to be out there to vendors and in cyerspace. And I think the things that are included in this
list with an exhibit um exhibit D here um I don't think they're necessary. I certainly understand the need for the names, but a lot of this other stuff here, including phone numbers and email addresses, I think is too uh expansive.
Um I've got some real concerns with this. And um I think I know how I'm going to vote. I'm interested to see if my colleagues have any other comments. Uh Mr. Superintendent, I would like a followup on this. I want to know how many other
um vendor agreements that we have that have something similar to this where we're giving this much information out to third parties. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other board member discussion before I go back to Dr. Zean?
>> Thank you, Chair. Uh I came into this meeting thinking this was a bad idea. I'm sitting here and thinking this is a horrific idea. I've done dozens and dozens of of studies. I've done hundreds actually of studies and in none of these have I ever
gotten a data sharing agreement that gave the names and extensive information as Mr. Sea pointed out about parents and teacher. It's very different by the way to be doing tutoring and needing the names of students. I mean that's great. Like I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Zean. I'm here as your tutor. Nice
to meet you, Sally Jenkins. That's great. Um, but in all of our contracts there's an agreement about destroying data that you have that is PII or otherwise restricted data. There's FURPA that restricts us from sharing information. There is zero need for this
information to do an e efficacy studies. Zero. You have a unique identifier. You can track people by unique identifier forever. In fact, some studies require us to generate new unique identifiers. So, um, the risk of this data breach,
the risk of this information with phone numbers of parents and students being released, um, uh, is whatever it is, it's a real risk. And the value to Broward County Schools of participating in this is zero.
There's no value in the efficacy study uh, having names in it. If it has unique identifiers, it can tell you whether or not highdose tutoring works simply based on unique identifiers. So, I'm surprised this got to the board. Um I I just don't think it makes any sense. Um and what
I'd like to do, chair, is make a motion to lay this on the table until our next scheduled regular school board meeting. Uh and see if the staff can uh renegotiate this, I suspect. And I'll just end it there. Thank you. >> Second. Um, would you mind just uh a
like rewarding your motion to postpone it to April 7th, which is then our next regular school board meeting? >> I'd love to. Yes, I may. >> I'd like to make a motion to lay this on the table until April 7th. >> Postpone. Postpone. Laying it on the table. >> I apologize. Yeah, postpone this. It's
still early. It says daylight saving time is below. Dr. Z, if um if Dr. Con may provide some information before >> Yeah. Let me just finish. So, the motion was to postpone till April 7th. Seconded by Mr. Seivera. Thank you for saving me chair. >> Thank you. So, exhibit D is not the
entire uh agreement that we're speaking to. The exhibit D that I think Dr. Zean and Mr. Sea are responding to. This is an optin for parents who want to have the new world's reading uh initiative part of it. So, parents actually have to
sign up and they have to share that information with them. So this is different than the the data sharing agreement that is part of it. So I just want to be clear this is no different than if um Dr. Hoess you own a tutoring company. When parents come to you they
sign up for tutoring. They give you their information they give you their student records. This is the same thing. So the new world reading directory allows parents to opt in sign up give their information to participate in this. This is although it's bundled as part of the data sharing agreement is a
separate component of it. So the data sharing agreement that Lasser is doing is all that de deidentified data that we're referring to that keeps the safety that you're referring to Dr. Zean. But this exhibit D for New Worlds is for parents to opt in and sign up for
tutoring which is why they will have to get the books sent to them. They would register for it. They would get the hours and so forth. Um public comment on the motion >> board member discussion. Dr. Holes.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Dr. Conn, the the data that Dr. Zean um board member Zemen and board member um have been concerns with as far as dulging certain information.
Are you saying that based upon They're concerned that that's not the data that will be shared. >> Correct. >> So what exactly will be shared?
>> So it's going to be student grade performance, uh teacher data, uh school performance data, uh classroom data, all of those other nondidentified data components that will be available to uh the Lasser Center. So they can compare
like and unlike compare other districts who are also in the same cohort. So they're just comparing student uh data information by grade level by um by content area because they're doing math and ELA. Uh so it's really more the
information they're looking at to compare results from one school, one student to the other student. >> I understand that. But in terms of identification of the students whose data are being shared, what identification are we sharing in addition to sharing their data? Because
Dr. Zean mentioned why do we need to use names and emails and all these things? Why can't we use some identifier that's abstract that cannot be used by any other entity instead of having all this personal information out there? So I
hear what you're saying in terms of the data that we are collecting but what are we dulging in terms of student identification >> just the grade level the performance the content area >> okay so are we giving students names >> no
>> so we're not giving students names >> so how do we are we having any identifying number to determine students >> yes >> so names are not going to be given >> that's correct Okay. And so I I'm I'm
misunderstanding the comments from Dr. Zemen and board member Caa as far as what they're believing to be shared. And what you're saying there's there's a contradiction >> because they're looking at uh item D. Item D is a separate piece which allows
parents to sign up and register for separate tutoring that allows them to uh opt into it. >> Okay. So, just for the record, you're saying should we vote on this item? We're not sharing students names.
>> Is that correct? >> Unless the parent opts into the new world reading program, >> right? Well, that's a that seems like an additional addendum, but this item is based upon data sharing with University of Florida. That's correct.
>> So, with with this item and what we're voting on today, >> are we sharing students names? Not for the lassenger piece, but if parents opt in, then they would share. >> Okay. >> D. Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Bullman. >> Thank you. Um, so to the point I'm looking at exhibit G and all of this information is listed again as um on page 24.
So I guess it's G5 says receiving parties redisclosure of disclosing parties education records. So how does that fit in? So if you if you're looking at uh exhibit G, it does highlight a new world
reading uh as part of that and it refers to exhibit D which is kind of the been the discussion that we've been having that it highlights um well it it highlights
five different programs >> you referring A through E. >> Yeah. So A1 lists five programs. >> Okay. So that says D. I Well, it just at
the bottom here it lists out let's see those five programs are listed again in 3A1. >> Yeah. So those are the various programs under uh the Florida tutoring advantage uh is one of them. Early learning,
professional learning. These are all part of uh what districts could have opted in in terms of when they wrote the grant. And so what the um University of Florida through the state of Florida, these are the things that districts could have signed up to say, "Hey, we want in-person tutoring. We want virtual
tutoring." Uh and so these are just some of the these are the top five that >> right but to my colleagueu's question about um the information that's collected. So five one under exhibit G says receiving party
will redisclose the following education record records to LARA to ensure student eligibility matching to service tracking student progress and data cleaning. And that lists all of the things that we're having a concern about
the um names, date of birth. Yeah, I would I would say that that again refers to one of the five at the very top uh under A1 receiving party to provide professional development disclosing staff for
programs listed. And again, this particular section is referring to professional development. Okay. I mean, um, I'll have to read it more closely so that I have a better idea of what what that what it's saying.
>> Mr. SA, >> I'd like to go after Dr. Zean if possible. >> Dr. Zean, >> thanks so much. I I'm just going to read this and and what my motion suggests is we postpone, sit down, think about this, and bring an item back um either that
doesn't uh uh share this data or explains it in a much better way. But the item says Broward County School Board is the disclosing party. And then at multiple times in the agreement, it says the disclosing party will release the data as shown in exhibit D. So to
the public, uh, these explanations that go beyond what's written are not apparent to them. They read this and they go, "Wow, that's my phone number is being released." So at a minimum, I think we need to bring this back, rewritten, and let's think a little bit about uh this and let's make sure that
we're crystal clear with the public uh that this is an opt-in. Um, and then we can let the board decide at that point when there's better understanding by this board and by the the public of what's being released. What is in this is alarming. at at what's written in the item. I want to be clear about that. The
item says the disclosing party will send to the receiving party, the University of Florida, these items as exposed in exhibit D. If that's not the case, if it's an optin, I'd like to have very clear explanation of that in the item and the motion to postpone it will allow
you to do that. Uh, Mr. Superintendent, are there any damages that would happen to us or to the study people if we postpone this to the 7th of April? Go ahead, Dr. Cohen. Um, and because if we postpone this, we also have to postpone another item on the agenda, too. Thank
>> So, this is again a companion item to um the Khan K con Khan High School V Khan High School agreement and Khan Middle School. So, last month the board approved Khan High School and Varsity. These are companions to both of those.
uh and if this data sharing agreement isn't approved uh because this award happened late October uh we will lose the funding for uh this particular initiative with the state. >> So just to be clear this item was
brought to us today with um uh a mandate to either pass it or lose funding. Is that correct? So this so we we actually went to the board uh past Khan High School, past Farscy Elementary. The data
sharing agreement was is a component or a condition that the state requires the University of Florida to have as part of the efficacy study. >> I really would like my question answered. The board was brought an item that we either pass or we lose funding
for this uh for this initiative. Is that true? I'm sorry, Dr. Zan. Can you repeat? >> This item was brought to the board today with a mandate to either pass or to lose funding. Is that true? >> It's not a mandate, Dr. Zean. Uh we we
know that the the the thing is uh because fast PM2 already came out. uh what the state wants us to do is really take a look at the starting point of fast PM2 and high dosage tutoring because we won't have enough window of time between fast PM2 to fast PM3 to
really conduct an efficacy study. So that's really why I think there's um a sense of urgency but I I believe if we we can go back to uh the University of Lasser and see if they can tweak the agreement uh to make sure that it represents it. But these are your
typical agreements that all of the districts have already provided. These are not different agreements. These are the same kind of data sharing agreements that each uh University of last year is doing the same agreements with all districts. Uh so we'll go back and see if they can tweak some of those things,
but I don't know if uh Miss Jack Adams uh wants to weigh in in terms of the agreement uh and uh if there are if there were any alarms based on what her team reviewed. Dr. Zean, I don't I don't have anything to add. A lot of the questions that
you're asking are programmatic in terms of whether or not the agreement is legally sufficient. It is legally sufficient. >> Right. There's an exception to Furper that allows us to release all data in in the event of a study. That's fine. And I'm I'm I have the floor if you don't mind. Mr. Superintendent, was there any
restriction to you bringing this item in January of this year? Go ahead, Dr. um Con. I'm thinking PM2 data, correct? >> Yes. >> Right. But I I just want to be crystal clear because I'm over this. I'm over the mandates. I really am. I I'm over
items that don't describe what really happens. I'm over the the mandates of past this or else some crisis is going to happen. We could have passed this in January knowing that PM2 is last week. So, let me ask this again, Mr. Superintendent. Could we have brought
this item in January? >> All depends on the workflow. >> As with all items, depends on the workflow. >> Thank you, Chair. >> Mr. Sever. >> Thank you. I I I just want to make sure that uh we're clear on a couple things
because we're talking about opt-ins and and opt outs. The way I read this agreement, okay, specifically sections three and four on page two of the agreement, once this is signed, BCPS, which is identified as the
disclosing party, has to share with the receiving party, which is the University of Florida, the data set out in quote exhibit DFNG. So the way I read this is once this is signed it says will share not may or we
have the option it's a will. So once this agreement is signed the data is being transferred right which obviously when you're transferring that type of um sensitive information we like to think and we hope that there are safeguards and guard rails in place to
protect the data but the data is being transferred immediately. Now, this whole thing about you have to opt into the program or opt out, let's be honest. If a parent wants to to sign up for this program with their kid, they're probably not reading all of the fine print and they probably have no idea that this
information is getting transferred to some other whoever it's going to, right? And I think we have an obligation to protect the information that's been entrusted to us by virtue of the fact that we are educating these kids. So, I I appreciate
Dr. Con the the whole opt-in and opt out aspect of this, but I I think the reality is probably 95% of the parents who will come into this program probably won't know that their email addresses and phone numbers and home addresses are being shared with third party vendors.
So, I I I have some some some issues with this. I am in support of the motion. I think this needs to be tweaked a bit. Hopefully, we can still work something out on this that doesn't require giving up all of this sensitive information of our parents and that this
this program can be can be utilized and and we can use the funding for its intended purposes, but I've just got too many issues with exhibit D to be comfortable with improving in this current form. Thank you, >> Miss Jack Adams.
One thing I wanted to make sure that I referenced was uh when I indicated that this agreement is legally sufficient is that there are certain exceptions to FURPA. In this case, there is a reference it's on page 20 of 25 that uh
this particular entity is a school official. So there are you either require consent from the parent to disclose uh information or there's another exception to furpa and in this case I I do see a furpa exception which
is school official. >> I appreciate that. For the record I wasn't suggested suggesting that the document was legally insufficient. I'm aware. I mean, you can contract for most things in this country and in this state, right? And and that's fine and I appreciate that.
>> That doesn't mean I have to be comfortable with giving out this sensitive information of my parents. >> That is correct. >> Just because it's legally sufficient doesn't mean that I have to support it. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Thank you. >> One other thing um I would like to just point out and this was not in response to your statement. This is just in
general is that um there is a also a provision within the contract uh that allows for safeguarding uh safeguarding uh the confidentiality of education records that's on page uh 21 of 25.
So uh education records is listed there, IT security records is listed um and as well as liability for the vendor if those safeguards are not. and I certainly appreciate that. But you know what the best safeguard is? Not giving
the information in the first place. Thank you, >> Mrs. Alvade. >> Yes. So on page two, section 4 to Mr. Sea's point, the data to be shared. I think the issue is what I'm hearing is
exhibit D you're saying is an optin by the parent, but based on what it says here on page two, the data would be shared and it doesn't mention anything about a parent opting in. So, I would
like to make a substitute motion to delay this to later in the meeting today allow Miss Jack Adams to figure out what can be added to section 4 to speak to having exhibit D
speak to the opt-in of the parent and if that would cure the issue with um that my colleagues have with this item. >> Second. Second >> motion made uh by Mrs. Alhadaf to table this item till later in the meeting so
that Mrs. Jack Adams can figure out uh parent opt-in language seconded by Miss Thompson. Public comment on the motion board member discussion on the motion. Dr. Zean, >> just what I'm worried about because I'd be happy to get this done today. That'd
be wonderful. This is a structural issue with this contract. It's a structural issue with all 25 pages. is I just did a quick search. There is no word opt in either the summary or the data sharing agreement. So this was built in a way so it's going to be difficult by the end of
today to do this. If we can do it great because that way we get both right. We get a a correct optout. I'm not sure that there's enough hours in a day for the lawyers and the programmers to get this done. This is like a really big rewrite. This looks to me like two weeks worth of work, not one day. But I'm happy with the substitute motion if in
fact it can be done. Uh, chair, if we push this, I'm sorry. If we actually do table this uh with Miss Aladev's uh motion and it comes back and the staff is not ready to proponent, the item will come back and we can then move to other motions at that time. >> Correct. >> Thanks so much. Appreciate your motion,
>> Mr. Cera. >> Through the general counsel, this agreement, I'm assuming, has already been approved by the University of Florida's trustees. Correct. >> Yes, it has been signed. if if we're making changes to it, we have to go back to them and say, "Hey, we're making changes this." I don't think I I I
appreciate the the idea from Miss Aladev, but I mean, I don't think this is something we can do today. I mean, even if even if we change it, the University of Florida and their legal team is going to have to review it and and approve it. So, unless you can change it, get them on the phone, have them review it, and then present it to us probably at like 8:00 tonight. I
think that's the only way this gets done tonight. the changes that are being described are factual and so I can only make changes to legal and so the facts need to be added in and then I would legally review that and then the opposite um the uh University of Florida
would have to agree to it. >> So in your professional legal opinion can you physically do today what what board member all is asking? >> No. Okay. >> Thank you >> Dr. Hus. >> Thank you madam chair. So, um, it
appears based upon Miss Jack Adams comments, uh, given to board member Seivera that this is not doable today as far as the motion. Um, so I have another question, Dr. Heepern. Um this
particular item is to approve um an efficacy study um for UF um funded programs for Broad County Schools. If in fact this item
comes back and it's not approved, what is the impact? Does it mean we will not have an efficacy study but the programs continue or will the programs discontinue? Is it contingent on us conducting the
efficacy studies? >> Go ahead, Dr. Co. >> It's contingent on us having the efficacy study. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, I had some comments.
I am a little frustrated because, you know, this board has said over and over again in the past few months that we are not interested in sharing this kind of data. In fact, it's in our legislative platform. Um, so I appreciate that, you
know, there were board walkarounds done around this whole initiative, but um the the idea that this was not a flagged issue for staff um at all levels. Uh when it comes to sharing this
kind of information when we've, you know, again, we've said this repeatedly publicly in the last few months that we do not want to share this kind kind of information. Um, and we've taken a formal vote on it as well. Um,
I I appreciate the the piece about how perhaps this is contingent on an opt-in, but I'll just tell you from my experience um, in the classroom,
we had students sign up for things like Khan Academy or or had students sign up for things and we had, you know, it was part of the kids' homework to have their parents parents sign them up um or have their parents opt in. So, because we
were told, and I don't know, I don't know if uh this was accurate or not, but we were told that the district wanted us to be using that program and they were checking reports to see that we were using this program every week. Um, so I, you know, I I appreciate the
idea of a parent opt-in, but I think the way it plays out in our classrooms may be a little bit different. Um, and and I I also appreciate or I I recognize that you said there are other districts, all districts that are
are doing this in the state. Um, I think this is such a new issue that people, especially parents that I talk to, parents of very young children who are very concerned about. And I think it's important to note that, you know, just because all districts or
other districts are doing it, it doesn't mean that we should be doing it. And I think that this is an issue that's going to grow over time. Um that people are going to bring more awareness to uh that maybe, you know, a lot of people aren't
paying attention to at this moment. Um so I I share the frustration around like if we don't pass this, we lose funding. Um, and I think there needs to be a lot more due diligence in educating the board
about these things. Um, especially when we've made it very clear that this is a concern of ours. Um, so I I think we've been put in a very difficult position today with this this item. Um, and I will just say again, and
I I don't know if it matters that that it's being said, um, but we are not interested in sharing this kind of student information or parent information. We're just we we don't want to do it. So, as contracts are negotiated moving forward, that should not be included. I don't know if we need
to take another formal vote on that if it's, you know, we voted on our legislative platform. Any other board member comment, Miss Hixon? Thank you. I'd just like to ask Miss Jacques Adams about this because I know she is the stickler about data sharing
um in many of the contracts that we have. So, can you kind of weigh in on on the discussion that's being had here? >> Thank you, Miss Hixon through the chair. Um one thing that um I wanted to impress
upon everyone is that as a part of the program whenever uh the staff has a contract um and that contract supports a program there are times in which the vendor requires
certain information in order to contractually perform the responsibilities under the contract. And so certain uh information is required whether it be uh education records, security records. Uh each time
those types of private records are required, one of two things um happen. Either we receive consent by the parent. Um and if there is an exemption, then that exemption would be applied in this
case school official. So each time education records are required under the contract in order for that vendor to perform their duty, we either get consent or it falls under an exemption. So that applies to well security um
would not be um any type of consent, but I'm just strictly talking about education records. So if across the board education records would not be something that we would provide to those
vendors, then that may affect whether or not the vendor can perform. So I just wanted to caution like a a blanket straight we don't share education records that may affect uh certain
programs that academics has and other departments has. Uh and then one more thing with each um sharing of education records we always have safeguarding that's required and safeguarding includes things like if
there is an investigation as a result of breach uh the vendor is required to participate in that investigation. It includes payment of penalties. Um it includes um uh compliance with furpa which is
incorporated into our Florida statutes. It includes a lot of safeguards to ensure that if there is any type of breach uh the vendor would pay. Also there are provisions in the agreement relating to third-party vendors. oftentimes vendors need to share um that
data with third parties in order to uh comply with the their responsibilities under the contract that is explicitly stated in the agreement. It's stated who the um the vendor or the party will
share that information with and it also indicates that they accept responsibility for that third party. >> Um are you done missing? >> Okay, Mrs. Ala. >> Yes. So, uh, Miss Jack Adams, I heard
your response and I think, hey, why not try you have lawyers, not you're not the only lawyer here working on this. We had nothing to lose. Um, and we delayed this to the end of the meeting and your
lawyers try to make this happen and then we voted on later today. I don't see why we just don't try. Um, my other question is how much funding are we going to lose? >> Mr. Borah,
>> it's a total of about $1.3 million in funding. In terms of licenses, if you price out the licenses for Khan Academy for high school at $10 a license and the elementary varsity tutors, varsity tutors is pricing it at their retail price at about $750,000 or so. But
that's retail. So it's But if we had to purchase it on our own, that's how much these services would cost if we purchased it out. If we went out and bought it. >> Okay. So if I'm understanding this correctly, if we vote no on this today, we lose $1.3 million. Is that correct, Dr. Heburn?
>> We're not sure we'll lose the money right now. I know that UF definitely wants a data sharing agreement going forward. if it doesn't go forward during this school year, those programs will be taken away for sure because they need the FAQ study to to happen. So, they're waiting for this data sharing agreement
to go through. Um, what we can think about doing guys is maybe parsing out the new world reading initiative from this agreement and then bringing the new world reading UF data sharing agreement back and just leaving the lasser tutoring agreement here with the data
sharing and just kind of bifurcate this agreement if it's amanable to Miss Jacqu Adams as well and just remove the new world reading and only bring you guys the lassener stuff forward and so we can rework the new world reading because in exhibit D it's the new world reading
initiative that requires the addresses and the email addresses and the phone numbers. So I'm thinking that may be a solution also. >> Is Miss Jack Adams is that a solution? >> So everything that's being stated is factual. So I can't opine on anything
factual. Um there is a whether or not it can be bifurcated, separated, you know, taken out. How does it, you know, affect the the overall contract? I can't state that as I sit here right now. I do have an attorney that can be able to look at
it, but um in terms of the negotiations, her opinion as well was because of the amount of time it took for the agreement to come back that may not be a possibility for this to happen today. We can make an attempt,
but I just want to manage expectations because if it takes two or three weeks to get the agreement back from University of Florida, you know, and no one is available to talk about any of the changes that are being made. I just I just don't want to make promises that
certain things will happen when it depends upon not only receiving factual changes from staff, but also receiving a response from University of Florida. Do we have time to extend this to uh later
in in the month to vote on this? Is that allowable under this agreement? >> We can u we can reach out to the University of Florida to see if there's a possibility of us bringing this forward to the next board item. Uh will that have an impact on uh funding or
services? So we can we can certainly verify. >> Okay. So I believe we should do two things. Have that conversation Dr. Heppern today. Also, Miss Jack Adams, see if the lawyers can fix the language
and have the conversation with the school and bring it back to us later in the board meeting and then if worst case scenario, we have to vote it up or down at the end of the day today. >> So I want um through the chair, I wanted
to clarify that. >> Hold on a second. Miss Thompson, >> I guess I'm confused because we have other data sharing agreements in our district and also we have complained to Miss Jock Adams about data sharing
agreements with other nonprofits that haven't been going through. So I guess I don't understand my colleagues concerns with this agreement that they don't have with like Boys and Girls Club or other places that are tutoring like services
that we are sharing agreements with. And so I guess I obviously we want to be protective of our our parents data. I don't think any of us want to go against that. Um,
but I'm I'm having trouble seeing the concerns of my colleagues and I would like to move forward with this. Um, I'd also like to call the question. All in favor of calling the question say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. >> What are what are we calling the
question? >> Substitute motion. >> Mrs. Okay. >> Roll call. >> Roll call on the motion. School board membersh. >> I'm sorry. I call in the question. >> Yes.
>> Miss Bowman. >> No. >> Sea. >> Hixon. >> Yes. >> Honest. >> Yes. >> Leonardi. >> Yes. >> Rupert. >> Thompson. >> Yes. >> Zean,
>> yes. >> 81. All in favor of calling um of the substitute motion to t this item to later in the meeting say I. I. >> All oppose say no. >> No. >> Um substitute motion passes with one
dissenting vote from Dr. Zean. Um now is the time of the meeting where we've split the general public speakers to incorporate a morning session. Each registered speaker is reminded to present their agenda comments in
accordance with policy 1020. First up, we have Trudy Germanovich. Go ahead. >> I'm waiting for a few people. >> Please proceed with your comments. >> My name is Dr. Trudy Germanovich. I think the district staff must be
tonedeaf since they went to WLRN and the Suns Sentinel and made a big deal about how great students were doing on the second tests. the students should show dramatic improvement on the second test and they'll show even more improvement on the third. That's because they
actually have been taught the standards. How stupid that was. If the district ever looks at the comments on social media, you'll find that parents don't care about the tests. They said that under the comments in these articles.
They actually said they were considering taking their child out of Broward schools because of the overemphasis in testing. During a prior meeting, many parents expressed why they believe the district should give teachers back the ability to
decide when and how they assess their students in the classroom. Teachers said, "Why should I ever write another comment when they won't listen to us anyway?" that they re they being referred to are upper level administrators not administrators
usually at the school. If you look at the statistics from principles they mirror the belief there are too many mandates by upper level administration teachers off also often lamented that upper level administrators are out of touch with the reality in many
classrooms. They only seem to care about the data being collected and not the actual individual children with whom these teachers work every day. Teachers need to have their autonomy reinstated. Let them be the decision maker as to
when and how assessments will occur in their classroom. As Carolyn Darcy said, teachers and parents have consistently expressed concern that te students are losing valuable classroom time to testing at the elementary level. Instructional time is critical for
direct teaching, guided practice, and intervention. Most importantly, we ask that instructional time be protected so we can focus on teaching and supporting student growth. The district should stop requiring tests, assessments, or other
data collection devices that are not mandated by state statute. That's important. It may provide various assessments and give teachers the discretion of when and how they should be used with individual
students. Allow the professional teacher in the classroom to be the ultimate decision maker as to how she or he implements the state standards. Give them back their autonomy we had since the 1960s
when I began my teaching career. It's in your hands to allow teachers the time to actually teach. Thank you. >> Thank you, Josh Jameson. >> Alan Bumbberg. Morning.
Uh my name is Alan Bumbberg. I'm here on behalf of Goldstein Kite Environmental, a principal for which appeared before this board on June 18th of 2024 to present an unsolicited offer to acquire a non-performing contaminated site owned by the district on the corner of South
Hiatus Road and West Broward Boulevard and Plantation. That offer still stands almost two years later because inexplicably the property still has not been put out for RFP. Notwithstanding the critical budget crisis facing this board, which I know will be a subject of quite a bit of
conversation today, Goldstein Kite Environmental is in the business of acquiring, cleaning up, and redeveloping contaminated sites. This type of property is frankly in our wheelhouse, and we have vast experience with the serious contamination issues associated with this property. Critically, we have
the ability to remove, excuse me, to move very quickly on highly impacted properties just like this one and are willing to close this transaction in 30 days, subject only to clean title. No other approvals would be necessary. Our offer would put several million dollars back into your budget in one month's
time and relieve the district of the annual financial burden of having to carry a vacant parcel that will never be built as a school due to the environmental issues. It would also immediately eliminate a contingent remediation liability sure to cost the district millions of dollars in the future. We've written to district staff
at least six times since appearing before this board 21 months ago, and every reply states that the staff continues to conduct the necessary due diligence. And one would think that after two years of due diligence is more than enough, especially when this board is struggling daily with the painful
decisions to close and sell schools and lay off thousands of employees. We request transparency as to why this process has not moved forward and again commit to bringing the district a clean offer and a quick closing. One final point, your last buyer was in contract for more than three years before cancing
this contract. Again, we will close in one month. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Alyssa Cartahana. >> Good morning. My name is Alisa Cartahenna and I am a speech language pathologist with Broward
County Public Schools. I am a direct hire and I've proudly served this district for the past 26 years. I previously spoke before this board regarding the SLP stipend and I appreciated your support. For the past eight years, I also worked in the AMM
program which unfortunately closed due to budget constraints. After my position was eliminated, I interviewed for and was hired on the spot for a position at Central Park Elementary. Shortly thereafter, my principal told me
I was only a possible hire and repeatedly tried to persuade me not to accept the position. I wanted that position because some of my students are now placed in that school and I wanted to provide them um
continue um consistency. Since then I have not received the support I need and I have been been met with comment um I have and received the support that I need and I have met and I have been met with a lot of opposition.
I have experienced bullying and intimidation since the end of last year. I do not have time to list every instance today, but I will provide a detailed follow-up via email. Right after my hire, I was asked to return to Central Park after the school year had closed and explained to my
principal why people were saying I'm difficult and argumentative. I assured her that I always advocate for students and as long as we work collaboratively and resolve issue issues internally, there will not be no need to escalate matters.
When I started at Central Park, I requested a case load and was only given an email from the previous SOP with the first names and grade levels on it. Organizing a full co case load of 140 students between only one and a half
SLPs is not sustainable. I worked tireously to ensure that each student received the services they need. I even completed an audit because last minute evaluations and IEP meetings were coming at me and I wanted to be prepared
as possible. I had more difficulty with the ESPC specialist at the school as well. She was not organized. She did not use Outlook for meetings. She scheduled meetings that were not on my case load. And everything was last minute. Fix
this. Fix this. Fix this. As the situation escalated, I requested medical accommodations. And during a meeting with your district personnel, I was told I only brought chaos to Central Park Elementary,
I was also told that if I didn't meet my deadlines, I would be written up. I was granted several accommodations, including using Outlook, which is standard for everybody, ample notice for
meetings. I was granted assistance with scanning and copying and >> Thank you. I was also asked that they would >> Thank you, Dr. Hepern. Could you have Dr. Lozano um address the the employee
in the at in the outside room? Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Lozano. >> All right. Now, I will turn it over to the superintendent for his report. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning everyone. As you're aware, Bart County Public Schools recently implemented
Microsoft co-pilot across our district, becoming the largest educational system in the world to deploy this technology districtwide. This milestone reflects our commitment to innovation and ensuring that our staff and students have access to cutting edge tools that support teaching, learning, and
operational efficiency. To give you a closer look at how this technology is already being used across our schools and departments, we have a short film highlighting Microsoft co-pilot experience in BCPS. Special thanks to Microsoft for sponsoring the film. Triil for their amazing production and clarity
innovations for crafting a powerful customer story. Beacon, if you can roll the tape, please. It all started with the big problem. >> Broward County Public Schools. We've been facing some budget challenges and that comes from decline in enrollment. We had to figure out a way to make ends
meet to make sure that we're sustainable for the future. >> Through the innovative use of Microsoft Copilot, we looked for where was the greatest spend and clearly facilities represented tens of millions of dollars in gains. For example, there were hundreds of air handlers that were
operating inefficiently across our district that might cost $12,000 a year to continue operating in degraded state. Co-pilot has our foundational AI was critical for realizing inefficiencies at scale and it was instrumental in us being able to make decisions about where
to correct and spend money. We feel confident that a very conservative savings would be in the $40 to $50 million range over a 5year period. That is a critical piece to sustaining operations and ensuring the world-class delivery of services to our students. It's not only about the fiscal savings as much as it is the learning
environment in school. Those environmentals are very important to success as well. >> It's created an environment where we can adopt additional AI solutions for our entire organization and in our classrooms that drive student performance. Our Microsoft 365 co-pilot
deployment of 20,000 licenses was deployed to our staff and teaching and learning community. With Microsoft 365 co-pilot, I noticed that I could do assignments very quickly, just a few seconds, some of them. Now I'm able to reinvest that time and pay more attention to those students who need
differentiated learning. Also, I can challenge the students more. I created an AI agent basically to help seniors who need to meet graduation requirements. It will tell you what class to take, how to enroll, and if you're not in this class by the certain amount of time, it will email you, your parents, and your guidance counselor.
>> Microsoft Co-Pilot and other tools will give students the opportunity to be detectives of their own knowledge seeking that will take them to the next level of study, their career. They can do that through artificial intelligence and safely. We're educating students
about AI in their education using AI, right? So that's really unique to the K through2 setting. I think it's going to be a really successful part of our generation's entry into the workforce because we're going to be ahead of the game when it comes to that adoption. >> Co-pilot is going to help you create
better insight which equates to action immediately to find the information that you need. We're on a brink of a technology revolution and AI is definitely the catalyst for that. So it is so important that we expose our students to tools like Microsoft 365 C-pilot. So they're not just surviving
in the future. They're actually leading the future. All right. That uh video will be posted on our platform. So feel free to uh repost. um little lag there um in the um in the video, but nonetheless, we'll see it on
our uh social media platform and be send it out as a presser to any local news outlet that wants to show it. Also, this is just the beginning of how we'll leverage co-pilot to streamline operations, support our educators, and enhance student learning and outcomes across the district. Additionally, it
has been a very busy month across Ber County Public Schools, and we would like to share a few highlights from around the district. Beacon, if you can please roll the tape of the highlights this month. Thank you. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. And thank you to Brier County Public Schools, Dr. Heperin for doing this day of service and love so that we never forget. >> Good morning students, staff, guests,
visitors, and volunteers. This is your superintendent, Dr. Heburn. Words cannot express the tremendous grief our students, employees, families, school district, and community have endured as a result of the tragedy that occurred at
Marjgery Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14th, 2018. We acknowledge the resiliency and strength of our families, students, employees, first responders, volunteers, and community partners. At this time, we
pause to honor those we remember. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, before I close, I want to give a huge shout out to our partners um who are able to facilitate many of the exper experience experiential learning opportunities that
you saw on the video. Um really engaging activities um for our students to really learn about options that they have in the future post secondary. Um so huge shout out to Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance u Career Source um Broward um Children's Services Council for Read for
the Record and definitely our district staff for helping to coordinate all those activities. That's my report, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. I'll just take it a point of privilege. I uh I had the the honor of visiting the AI Academy at Nova High School yesterday. So I recognized Mr.
Abbrontes in the video um and many of the students, Sophia, Miguel. Um really cool stuff going on. I'm looking forward to our workshop on that um in the summer. Uh we'll now go to our updates. So we have BEF. Do we have Oh, go ahead,
Mrs. Alf. Yep. Um, in regards to the efficiencies and energy savings that we'll see, uh, are we are we seeing money coming back with the energy savings and are we also doing solar paneling? >> Yes, we are seeing money coming back and
we are definitely um, I don't know if we've actually installed, but it is in the works for the solar panel. Yep. And so there's some options there working with FPL and some other companies. >> All right. Yep. >> Thank you. only took seven and a half years. >> Yeah. >> All right. BF,
>> good morning everybody. Um, James Knap, president and CEO of the Broad Education Foundation. Just wanted to give a quick update. We uh we currently have uh given out up to this point a little bit over $1.4 million worth of school supplies
back to teachers this year. So far, we're looking at this year to be a little bit over 2.3 million, which will be a record for us, which we're excited about. Um, every single uh, schoolboard member will have a breakdown of the teachers and schools actually taking advantage of them in your district,
which has never been done before. So, you'll actually be able to go in and see who in your district's actually taking advantage of it. The reason for that being is we want to make sure that we're actually getting this across the entire district, not just in in specific uh, compartments. So, we've also started a delivery system where they can actually
put uh orders in online. We have an app and different things like that. So, we're we're excited about that. We had our uh idea expo. Next year is going to be uh Idea Expo 30, which is crazy to think about. But this year, just thank you to so many schoolboard members who who attended. We had um close to 300
teachers that came and um and had an opportunity to learn from each other and and do things that were just a little bit outside of the general curriculum and really expand their knowledge base um with each other. So, we're excited about that. We're continuing to assist those uh teachers that are going back
into the classroom with assistance for their school supplies because we understand that that's not uh always the easiest thing to do as as you're getting being asked to go back into the classroom. We want to continue to assist with that. And we have the upcoming teacher hoot nanny which is uh is is kind of a celebration for all those
teachers who received teacher grants um this year. I think we've given we're going to be giving over about $280,000 worth of teacher grants back to teachers this year as well. So just wanted to say thank you so much and we've got some upcoming large grants that we'll be uh we'll be here with with some uh large
check presentations I think in the next two schoolboard meetings. So we'll be excited about that as well. Thank you. Thank you. Broward County Council PTAs, PTSAs. I know they sent us a email with their report. >> Employee union groups. We have BTU.
>> Anna Fusco, Bower Teachers Union President. I'm going to piggy back off of James at Broward Teachers Union is has been and will continue to be as uh the good Lord helps us out with making sure we have a an amazing membership which we do. The Broward teacher
membership is is um large and thriving. And we are always happy to um through great avenues in our budget to be able to donate um money that we see and you guys always hear. I'm glad that they give the reports. It goes back into the schools. It goes back to the educators.
It goes back to the students. So, and we'll be at the next event, the Hoot Nanny. Um, it's a fun event. You get to hear and see everybody that has um, uh, written and gotten grants and how they utilize it and so forth. So, I want to
puddle jump to some other business. I mean, um, the items are coming. I'm going to talk again on the items, but I get this time to to reiterate. I'm really looking forward to board members up there uh
talking real strong and fruitful about our medicines. It shouldn't matter what medicine is it's called. It shouldn't matter what it does. It's a medicine that gets prescribed by their doctors and people
need it. they're using it and whatever it's doing to make them thrive and feel better and and and lots of medicines when you take them gateway to help you stop other medicines. We need to hear and see people that are healthy and
strong and not be full of um stress, anxiety, and other things. And whatever can help them get there to feel better, I'm asking you guys to reconsider and bring back the meds. We've got a real um strong medicines out there that are
helping people with anxiety, thyroid, and of course the weight loss that people are saying that if I've not heard anything more than ever than other than get me a raise, honestly, this is more than get me a raise. I want our meds back. And Broward Teachers Union and I
you can go and and check with HR and and deal with benefits and so forth. We're working really hard and strong to make things work with the insurance. We understand that there's a lot going on. We know that there's some, you know, turmoil in in budgets that's happening
and you guys are trying to figure it out every which way. But I have to ask again and again, please don't take it on the backs of the employees. Let's look at some programs. So get some things that we know that are here, we've used, we need, what we think we need and kind of
move them and figure out how to maybe push them aside or whatever consultants we have that we might be able to push them off to the side and bring things back into the schools. You you guys just stood up there and said how we've moved those test scores, how we've got the best graduation rates going on, we've
got an A-rated district, things are happening in our schools. Bring more back into the schools. look at getting rid of some departments. You know, we know educators are going to have to get back in classrooms. There's a lot of things going on, a lot of work to plan. Can you guys really talk stronger about
it on doing it that way? And let's keep our benefits strong. We know that the district pays a lot, almost $1,000 a month per employee. We get that. Well, I get that. But we need everybody to get that and work together
on how to make it to where keep our benefits strong. It's best insurance around. People don't know it until they need it. And I hear always when people have gotten cancer, heart conditions, uh all kinds of things are like, "Oh my
god, I'm so glad we have this Etna insurance that we know we've got these co-pays. We know we've got these deductible, but we're being taken care of." And to hear that a meds getting taken away. I don't care what med it is. I don't care. I'm not using any. I'm not on them. I don't need to use them or be
on them to understand that people need them. When we went through CO, I was blessed. Thank you, Lord. I didn't catch CO. I didn't need to know or feel or understand to have CO to have empathy and sympathy the people that have gotten it or have it or got it that they need
to be taken care of. So, that's where I stand with that. And let's talk about the um we got some impact bargaining going on. Your team is amazing. We worked out some great situations with our six schools. I don't like any schools closing whatever the reason rationale of why you guys decide it's going to happen and I'm going to talk
about this 3,000 mark thousand here thousand next year thousand please look at your statutory rights of how and got to you superintendent make sure it's all there Adams can help you guys with that but to have this projection of a thousand a year that's a strong strong
strong thing to put out there and that talk that's going to be a strong plan so we need to know sooner than later who these 3,000 people are and I need to hear it strong how it's not going to impact educators. I just don't see that possible. I'll talk again on those items. Thank you.
>> Thank you. BPA ESMAP. >> Okay. Phy Copa PBA. Okay. Could I get a motion and a second on item F2?
>> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on F2. >> No comment. >> Board member comment. I have Miss Hixon. I don't know if it was F2 or FF2 that you didn't want to speak to. >> Yeah, F2. I do F2. I don't >> Got it. Thank you, Miss Hixon.
>> Thank you. Um, so I have a question for the superintendent because it's come up about budgets in the last couple of weeks or so. Can you please explain to us about the acceleration money, which would be the cape, the AP, the ACE
funding, things of that nature? Can you explain to us how that money comes in? How do schools ask for it? How does it go back to the schools? And how do we keep track? And the question really is
if I am a school and I've earned $400,000 in Kate money, but I haven't spent all of that Kate money this year. Let's say I spend a 300,000 of it. Is that $100,000 available to me in the
next year when I have other things that would meet the or the requirements, I guess, that the district has in terms of what I can use that money. >> Yep. Um great question. Um uh Miss Hixon, let me take a a go at this. So just first of all, how you we earn the
money? The money is earned for successful um or satisfactory testing or or for ACE AP um IB and also some industry certification tests. There are some CTE courses that
don't have industry certification um tests that actually uh um garner additional um revenue from the state. Um and so um we we only get a pocket of money. We don't uh as unlike years past
where we for every student we got money now it's a specific amount of money no matter how many kids we're testing. So, our acceleration program has expanded tremendously, but we're not getting uh the same amount of money that correlates to the expansion anymore. Uh so, fast
forward, um schools would usually um um receive the uh some of those funds um small percentage or so would go back to the district um and schools would use those funds to support certain program and scaling, upscaling, uh buying new equipment or whatever the case may be.
um due to the change of how that money is actually um um actually gained by the district regardless of how much you expand as far as students and roads program having success successful completion. Uh we've decided uh uh due
to especially due to our budget situation to to centralize u the funds in making sure that we're being uh very financially responsible with the money. it if the money is not totally used this year because we've uh uh sent
information to principles. We have um um the CTastase department really talking with the principles. We have the lead principles actually talking with their colleagues and making a list of specific needs. If the money is not spent this year, it's parked in our in our general fund. Um it is going to be used for the
intended purpose, which is to support accelerated programs for those specific schools. Um, a a good example of that, if a school earns $400,000, let's say they make a a request to use the money for some program, but the the
team that's working with them is letting know that program really doesn't have any value due to the number of students through the through the uh feeder pattern. Um, they'll work with that school to identify programs that support the feeder pattern, support uh value to the school and and ultimately to the
students. Um, and they may not spend all of that money. um while building that program that that money is parked until it needs to be used for a specific program and for that specific school um or to support other programs in the district i.e. usually a middle school
and their feeder pattern things like that. So hopefully um that kind of clarifies a bit. >> Okay. So and when we talk about the general fund, it isn't that money went to the school and then we're taking it back and putting in our general fund. I like to
use this explanation. When we get paid for direct deposit, it goes into our checking account. Correct. And then we distribute it out from there. So it's not as if we're taking it and putting it in to pat it. Everything starts in our general fund. Correct. >> So since it's not being used, it's
sitting in the general fund until it is moved out into the schools that >> Correct. And that's for all of our dollars that we collect. >> Okay. Right. I just want to be clear. I have a second question and I I hope that we can do this. So, is there a way to
make a dashboard that would track acceleration funding requests? So, in other words, how much does a school garner? how much did they request and how much was actually provided to them
on something that would be public facing so that we could be very transparent with what money came in, what money is going out to the schools and so we can kind of get rid of this idea that people think the district is stealing the money
from the schools and not providing the services that they need because that's really what the conversation is right now. >> No, absolutely. I know Mr. Davis and um Miss Johnson are actually working on a dashboard uh for that sake, not just for accelerated funding, but just all of our
budgets across the board so that the public is well informed as well as our employees in the district and and at the school because a lot of people really don't understand um school district budget or school budgets. It is a a complex thing because it's just not we're you know we're not uh uh garnering
revenue from selling something, right? We're getting various levels of funding from state, federal, and also um local efforts. So, they're in the works actually designing a a dashboard. >> So, when do you think that dashboard would be available for specifically the
accelerated funds? >> Um I'll have to check with um the team just to see where they are um and figure out what the project timeline looks like. >> Okay. And if you could give us a followup as schoolboard members to maybe maybe it's not on a dashboard yet, but
in an Excel sheet so that we could kind of see for the last year or two what what has been asked for, what has gone out and you know what we what's sitting in. >> So we'll definitely give you the ask and all of that for this year. The past few
years that's hard to track. >> That's fine. Just this year. >> Yeah. And just also to be clear, no teacher bonuses have been affected, right? >> Teacher bonuses are something that we're required to um to give. Yes. Perfect. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Rupert. >> Thank you. Um Dr. Heepern, what is the current midyear uh net position for our fund balance?
Go ahead, Miss Johnson. >> Good morning, superintendent, board members. >> Morning. >> I'm Romanire Johnson, CFO. Our net position, if you look on well, it's 2.42% of our sign and under sign.
>> Okay. And I know that we talked about this a little bit last time um publicly, but I still getting questions about this. So, um just to make sure that um nothing counts against us during this
part of the cycle. It's not until the final end of the year, which we will be um at that point. I think 3.08 is what we're projecting. >> Yes, we're >> okay. So, um I and I I don't know what a better way is to actually give an
example of this, but we have to be able to um make it more people friendly. So, I and I don't know what that looks like. Um but the explanations almost beg more questions at times. So, I don't know if you have any ideas.
>> There's a slide in the packet in the budget to show the net position as of January 31st and our projected as of June 30th. >> Right. and and I certainly can go through that easily, but a after a few years and a couple minutes being here.
Um, I can do that, but the general public cannot. So, they it's a lot. It's in there. They're not going to read all those pages. So, just something moving forward just to make it easier for for the public to see so they can actually count it out. Um, and I was also
wondering if at the beginning of the month and the end of the month up until we we end this year if there could be um updates maybe a dashboard if we're doing a dashboard aspect of that so people can see okay this is where we are this month
and at the end of the month we're here. It's just an extra an extra look to just really to kind of follow the steps to get us past that 3% to the 3.08. Um, people like to see movement. Um,
I think that was it. Just give me one sec. Yep. Yep. That that was it. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thanks, Chair. Uh thank you again CFO
for this report. Um it is a state mandate to put these things together. So on a monthly basis we do inform the public of things. The tables are difficult to digest for a lot of people. Uh but um we continue to put out the information. What's really useful is this board passes a budget every year.
Uh it's put into place uh sent to the state and then every month we show any changes that have to happen as a result of of that budget. So you get both the details in a tabular form um and you can get more uh in the future. The role of this board though um in being
responsible for budget is always an interesting one. Some boards uh have policies about um sharing uh information related to finances. Um we don't we don't have our own explicit policy for that. It's something that we might want to think about in the future. There's
two questions though that keep coming back to Miss Hixon's point about carryover. I think Mr. Superintendent, I'd ask for a follow-on about what our policy is for carryover. Full stop. There's a lot of government agencies that operate on fiscal years and they
have rules about things like carryover. Um, most districts in the United States don't understand what carryover is. You get money for a year. Uh, you expend that funds. There's always an interesting relationship between the districts and the schools in terms of how much you get. Um, but that gets
sorted out. you get a budget and then you execute those funds during the year. If that's not our policy, it'll be interesting. Um, but I just want to kind of point out that carryover funds are kind of an interesting and novel concept used in Broward County uh as opposed to
used uh in the other large urban districts in the United States. The second followup, Mr. Mr. Superintendent asked for is really um a little bit geeky, but I'm curious about the ingredients of the fund balance. Um I would love to get a follow on if I could, Mr. Superintendent, on
what we put into the assigned and unassigned or the fund balance and what we could put into the assigned and unassigned. And so if there's any adjustments that we could make, I think this board uh would like to be aware of those uh so we can go forward. I also want to point out that Broward County
has absorbed some pretty big hits in the last month or at least the month before this report. The third calc for FTEEs in Broward County eliminated $28 million from our budget. Uh there's other pluses in the budget that are coming due in the next month. So hopefully we'll we'll get some balances. Mr. Superintendent, do
you have any doubt that we'll end uh the fiscal year above 3% and our assigned and unassigned uh balance is common referred to as the uh fund balance? >> No doubt, sir. Yeah, that's critically important. I want the community to know that too. Uh the superintendent and CFO
work daily uh whenever shocks happen, whenever there's a flood and money has to be spent, whenever there's uh recalculation of of staff expenditures or FPNL rates go up. Budgets are fluid things in a district just like they are at your home. You know, we all budget
for a water bill and then the water bill comes in a little higher. Uh these are all things we have to adjust to and that's what we do here uh as well. So, I appreciate these monthly reports. I look forward to them maybe being more consumable by the public so that we can make sure that they understand what's going on. And I'd love to kind of
address forever this idea of carryover balances. It's uh very complicated to school staff um but it's not something that is standard in in other school districts and I'm curious whether or not we can identify, you know, kind of a policy ourselves for uh carryover funds in Brower County. Chair, thank you very
much. >> Thank you, Miss Hixon. Thank you. To to piggy back off of Dr. Zemen's questions about carryover funds. The there's another question going around. So, some people call it accountability funds. The superintendent called it school
improvement funds, but the the schools used to receive that and then in 2021 it was vetoed by the state. So, the schools had a chunk of money that they put aside to do I'm going to use an example. There's a school that uses $3,000 every
year for a program they buy for their after care program for tutoring. So they've they have $15,000 left. They've done it over F. So they're figuring five years they'll be able to use that $3,000. There's about 2 million left
districtwide and they're being told that after this year they can't have that accountability funding. It's not we're not going to carry it over. So in this particular instance they were saving it because they knew they weren't getting any more money for that. So, is that
something that we need to address as a as a board? Is that something you'll do as the superintendent? But so, um the great question, Miss Mixon. So the budget team is actually putting together a document um for school uh advisory
council sachs so they have a clear understanding um and also everybody so that everybody can speak common language as well too because I hear accountability I hear this type of fund and so we'll uh have everybody using the same common language and terms for the
specific types of funds and then let everybody know what carries over what doesn't what hasn't the district received due to changes and laws over the past 5 to 10 years. So once that once that comes out from the budget team, it should be coming out sometime this week. Um it'll provide some
clarity. Um and then uh Miss Johnson and I can sit down and look at any funds that have been sitting in sack for quite some time. Um and talk to the principles and they can talk to their sack teams to figure out what next steps, right? What funds do they actually need? What were they trying to hold on to for whatever
purpose? So, I I don't want to answer that question right now until we actually sit down and go through all because all of this is surfacing the past couple of weeks and we want to have the budget team dive in and see what's actually what um and see what's in those
uh uh uh SAC internal funds um and figure out what next steps work best for the school. The SAC as because I know SAC uh supports schools and our students at our schools too. So, they're not going to be automatically taken back. >> I I don't know what this year I don't
know what they're saying as far as taken back, right? I I because I hear if I talk to one person, it's a different term. I talk to another person, it's a different term. So, I want the budget team to go through all of those items. Uh come up with uh utilize the correct common terms so we can know what people
are talking about. So, that's why I can't that's why I don't want to answer that question because I don't want to confuse anybody. I want to make sure we get the right information. >> I hear what you're saying, but as a school board member, I if they've put that money aside because they're
supporting our students with it. I want to be part of that conversation. I think it should be up to the board where that money goes or we don't want it to go anywhere. It should stay with the schools. So, I just want to be very clear that >> if it's already sitting in their
accounts, I don't know how we would take it once we find out anyway. Once we find out what said money is, >> okay, >> and if this is common across the whole entire district, it may be one or two schools saying, "Hey, we've been holding on to this," but the rest of the schools are doing something totally different.
So, we need some um uh accurate information. Um so, you'll bring it back and we'll bring that information back. So, >> nothing is set in stone, right? >> No, we're doing the research and and coming up with the information. Yep. >> Thank you, Mrs. Alada. So the carryover funds being brought
back to the district from the school to Mrs. Hixon's point that school was saving the money year after year after year for a specific project. If the money is going back to the district, I believe the money should still have the
allocation connected with that specific school, even though it's with the district when the time that the school can now do their project, they should be able to pull the money from the district to apply it to their project.
But again, I don't fully understand the we that's why we're doing our research, finding out what money is in all of our school sack funds and seeing what because I hear part peacemail things and they're totally different from whoever I talk to. So, I will feel more
comfortable with us doing our research, finding out what money is sitting in these specific accounts, bring that information back, and then we can have a discussion. >> Okay. Looking forward to the conversation. >> Thank you. Any other board discussion, Miss Rupert?
>> Thank you. Um, the superintendent and I already discussed an issue at one of my schools where the same thing happened. So, I just wanted to be on the record and say I'm hoping sooner than later we can have that conversation because um we have our school leaders that are saving
that money for new programs and um especially to pull up their enrollment. We really have to make sure that the school is rewarded for actually being diligent with their money. So, thank you so much. Any other board discussion?
All in favor of F2 say I. >> I. All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion in a second for our time certain items O18 and RR2? Moved by Miss Thompson, second by Mission. Public comment on those items.
>> Yes, madam chair. We have two public >> or would you like me to turn it over the superintendent first? >> Couple speakers. >> Oh, sorry, Madam Chair. We have two public speakers. Joe Cox, >> Sher Brown, and President Anna Fusco.
>> So, if you heard your name called, please approach the mic. Andre, could you read those again, please? >> Yes. Joe Cox, Sherry Brown, President Anna Fusco. >> Good morning, Chair Leonardi, members of the school board, and Superintendent
Heburn Joe Cox, president and CEO of the Museum of Discovery and Science. Uh, thank you so much for the opportunity to speak today and thank you for your continued support of the museum over the last 50 years. 50 years we've worked together to
bring hands-on science learning to students across our community in whatever form it happened to be in. Today, as you launch the Broward Powered by AI initiative at MODS, we're preparing to launch a supporting
initiative called critical thinking in the age of AI for elementary learners. Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life. It is shaping how information is created, how we learn, and how decisions are made.
The question we face is not whether young people will encounter AI. The question is whether they will understand it. Our goal is simple important. We want Broward County students to grow up seeing AI not simply as a cheat code and
not as something to fear, but rather as a human created tool that requires critical thinking, creativity, and responsibility. Together with Brow County Public Schools, we're building infrastructure that introduces AI literacy for students
in preK through fifth grade. This initiative will reach students in three ways and we aim to launch for the upcoming school year. First, our STEM mobile outreach program will bring AI learning experiences directly to schools
across Broward County, allowing students to explore concepts such as pattern recognition, prediction, and how machines learn. Critical skills to learn before they log into AI. Second, students visiting the museum on field
trips will participate in new AI maker workshops where they can design, experiment, and reflect on how artificial intelligence can support human creativity and problem solving. But those are both skills that are
needed. Third, and most importantly, we'll work closely with the district to provide professional learning opportunities for teachers, giving educators practical tools and classroom resources to help students use AI responsibly and thoughtfully.
This work aligns closely with the district's vision where artificial intelligence can support personalized learning and instructional excellence. By connecting the district's work with the museum's hands-on learning experiences, we can ensure together that
AI becomes a tool that strengthens education rather than distracting from it. At the museum, we believe that one of the most important roles museums play is helping communities interpret complex new ideas. Together, we'll ensure the
next generation doesn't simply use AI, they'll understand it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next speaker. >> Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair, Leonardi, and the school board members
and Dr. Heburn and staff. Many of you I've worked with for many years. Uh my name is Sheri Brown Grovener. I'm vice president of community impact at Community Foundation of Broward. On behalf of our board of directors and CEO, Dr. Jenner Jennifer Flannry Anderson, we would like to express our
excitement and support of the Broward Powered by AI initiative. Our partnership and joint leadership in advancing innovation, learning, and community engagement have deep roots stemming from our collaborative work
that began in 2010 through 2021 to improve middle school student outcomes as a strategy to increase graduation rates. This work became known as reimagine middle schools and was woven into the district's strategic plan. The Community Foundation of Broward infused
over $8 million in that initiative. About half of that was directed to nonprofits working within the schools under the guidance of the principles and about half was directly uh distributed and awarded to the Bard School District to launch project-based learning and to
establish community liaison positions within schools. Fast forward to today, the Community Foundation of Broward in the school district have been collaborating and have co-invested in a gender achievement gap study with
Hannover Research over this past year. And the research has uncovered that a gap exists where boys are lagging behind girls and subpopuls of boys are considerably further behind. We are so proud to share that these results are
shared at the same time of this board reviewing and passing the resolution in support of Broward County Public Schools advancing education powered by artificial intelligence initiative. Adoption of AI is custom will allow for
customized curriculum and lessons to meet the unique needs of students and it couldn't come at a better time. We are grateful that two of our community's most active and generous philanthropists, Wayne and Lucricia Weiner, who were sitting over to my
left, stepped up to support Broward Powered by AI to integrate Magic School into the district. They have a deep passion for helping to make transformational projects and and initiatives come to life. Simply in
their words, Lucricia and I are thrilled that the students and teachers in Broward public schools will soon be benefiting from AI. Thank you to Dr. Fabian Conn for your innovation, intelligence, and resilience
in making Broward AI a reality with the adoption of Magic School. And to Dr. Shie Wilson who has been steadfast in supporting this effort and of course to you Dr. Heburn for your vision and your commitment to advance AI in public
schools. We are on the right track. The community foundation is here to continue to support and we thank all of you for your partnership and we will be powered by by AI into the future. Thank you very much. >> Next speaker, President Anna Fusco. Oh
boy. >> Anna Fusco Broward Teachers Union President Ditto and Ditto on the speakers before me. Um, obviously I rise in favor of having this program come into it and it's amazing that our amazing educators that are sitting right
here in the room right there beside Dr. Con and Dr. Wilson because of that group has what made Dr. Cohen and Dr. Wilson shine to to bring it forward. So, I'm not going to talk much because I have other items to speak on. I think this is
a given that you guys are going to hear a lot of input. I see well obviously I see some shirts up there matching and um you know with the purple. So, take your time, whatever questions, other things you need to do to get the full input of it and let the community hear that we're
just bringing more greatness to keep our A-rated schools A-rated. So, please vote in favor of this. That concludes registered speakers. >> Thank you, Dr. Hepern. >> All right. Good morning, uh, Madam Chair, members of the school board,
colleagues, and members of Broward County Community. Today is a very special moment for Broward County Public Schools. Today, we celebrate Broward Powered by AI Day. If I can please get the humans in the room who are actually in the loop to stand if you have one of
those shirts on. Thank you. A day that represents both the incredible work already under underway across our district and the exciting future ahead for our students and educators across Broward County Public Schools. We're embracing a bold vision for what learning must look like
in the years ahead. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and extended reality are transforming the world around us, reshaping careers, industries, and the skills our students will need to thrive. Our responsibility as a school system is not to react to
these changes, but to lead them. Through Broward Powered by AI, we're building a thoughtful, responsible, and strategic approach to innovation. One that strengthens teaching, expands learning opportunities, and prepares students for a future that continues to evolve. Our district's AI vision outlines how
outlines how these technologies are not about replacing great teaching. They are about amplifying it, supporting educators, and expanding what is possible in classrooms across Broward County. Over the past year, Broward has already taken historic steps. We have launched one of the largest AI
implementations in public education with Microsoft co-pilot. Introduce immersive learning opportunities through VR and XR initiatives such as Prism's VR and develop a comprehensive framework for ethical and responsible AI integration that protects students privacy while
preparing learners to engage with AI critically and responsibly. But today marks another significant significant milestone. Today we celebrate the generous support of Wayne of Lacricia Weiner whose extraordinary gift will help accelerate this work across our district. Their investment will support
the implementation of Magic School AI platform bringing powerful instructional tools directly into the classrooms while also supporting AI instructional leaison, teacher professional learning and parent engagement opportunities across Bard County public schools. This
generosity reflects something powerful. A shared belief that innovation in public education matters and that when schools, community leaders, and philan philanthropic partners come together, we can transform opportunities for students. Wayne and Lacricia, on behalf
of the school board, our educators, and the more than 250,000 students we serve, thank you for believing in this vision and for investing in the future of Broward County. Today's celebration is not an ending. It's the beginning of phase two of B of of Broward powered by
AI, a new chapter that will expand teacher training, deepen AI literacy for for families, and strengthen partnerships with community organizations such as the Community Foundation of Broward and a Museum of Discovery and Science who are already collaborating with us to expand AI
learning opportunities across our community. Together, we are building something remarkable. A school system where innovation is responsible, where teachers are empowered, where students are future ready, and where Broward County continues to lead the nation, preparing young people for the world ahead. Thank you. And now, at this time,
I will turn it over to Dr. Conn. >> Thank you, uh, Dr. Headburn and board. And so, over the past year, we worked intentionally to build coherent and responsible approach to artificial intelligence in our classrooms. I had an opportunity to to walk this item to uh
each of the board members that requested and and got some really great feedback. So, I appreciate the feedback and we're building on that. We look forward to June where we're bringing uh our power by AI uh uh workshop uh in terms of what our next steps is and this is the
evolution of that next step. And so uh as we kind of look at how we prioritize educators first and strengthen instruction, we want to ensure that these technologies ultimately improve outcomes of students. And so as you saw from our fast PM uh 2 data uh we are
accelerating. And so this particular launch will continue to help us to accelerate uh and through bar powered by AI we're equipping teachers with the tools, the training and the support necessary to integrate AI in ways that personalized learning, expand access to
high quality instruction and more importantly prepare students for the demands of the increasing technology in a driven world that we live in. And so I'd like to also echo uh that with the addition of Magic School AI made possible by the generosity of Wayne and
Lacricia Wener. Thank you. This will help expand this work uh districtwide. And so our approach is simple. It is to support uh AI instructional leaison to help other teachers. It is to provide very deep uh teacher professional learning. It is to
engage parents in a thoughtful way around AI ethical uh discourse and to make sure that AI literacy is built in at the ground and ensuring that educators and families alike understand how AI can be used responsibly to
support student success. And just as importantly, this work reflects the principles outlined in broad power by AI resolution that you'll hear. It's a commitment to ethical implementation, human oversight, and ensuring that AI enhances teaching and learning without
ever replacing the most key member of the school, which is the educator. So again, thank you Wayne and Lucricia for your generosity and on behalf of the students, teachers, and parents, thank you. Thank you uh for this generous donation. All right. Uh board member discussion on
these items. I have Miss Pullman. Thank you, chair. Um and thank you for the presentation. This is so exciting for Broward County Public Schools. Um I can't express enough how grateful we are
to have this gift to Mr. and Mrs. Weiner. Um it really puts us at the forefront of the AI revolution and um I think you know instead of just being competitive which we are this is um
allowing us to really make leaders of our students and because of the size of our district it really um will impact so many people in Brower County that it's going to just radiate out and I think
the impact of this gift is uh going to be more immense than we can really comprehend right now. So I thank you to the community foundation, thank you for doc to Dr. Cohen for all your work, Dr. Wilson, um mods, I look forward to that
partnership as well. Um and just thank you for giving us this opportunity to lead in Brower County. It's amazing. >> Thank you, Mr. Seivera. I also want to thank uh Mr. and Mrs. Weiner for your generous donation. Um
I think with this whole AI, it uh it can be scary and exciting at the same time, right? This is a relatively new technology that a lot of us uh are kind of finding our our footing with. Um I'm not the most techsavvy person in the
world. I'm the first to admit it. and my kids remind me of that all the time. Uh, but even I have started playing with the chat GPTs and the Grocks of of the world to try to figure out what's going on because I don't want to be left uh in the uh in the dust, so to speak. So, um
I'm proud to support this. I think it's a good thing for uh for our students, for the county. Uh I want to thank everyone who made this this this happen. I realize that this was a a total team effort. Uh and whoever made the shirts, thank you for those. Uh, I appreciate the gesture of giving me a large, but I
haven't worn a large t-shirt in a long time. But I still thought it was a nice gesture. I'll try to put it on without embarrassing myself when we ultimately take the picture. But, uh, thanks to those for all involved. I think this is a great step and, uh, certainly shines a positive light, uh, on the district and,
uh, us being the trailblazers of the AI front in the public school systems in this country, not just the state, right? The country. So, uh, proud to support this and I want to thank everybody who's involved. Thanks, Thank you, Dr. Holes.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, I echo um the comments of uh board member Bulman. We are certainly on the forefront of embracing technology. Um that puts us ahead of many other districts. As board
member Sea mentioned, we are trailblazers. I am highly supportive of this and I am just so proud of the work that we're doing in staying ahead of the game so we can be competitive as we move towards the future. Uh Dr. Fulton, Dr.
Conn, uh Mr. Davis and the team as well as our teachers and staff, we are so grateful and uh for your diligent effort for the work that you've put into this. And I can say as a district, we are so proud of how we're doing academically
and the the the strides that we're making. And so I will continue to reiterate that we are one Broward. We are proud of Broward. I am proud of Broward. We do have some challenges and we're going to get through all of that. But there are so many great things that
we're doing and I'm just proud to be a part of this district. Thank you all for what you do. Appreciate it. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. Um I want to reiterate my colleagues thanks and appreciation to
the wieners and to mods um for also doing a companion exhibit to to the our changing future. I did have some questions related to the impacts to students because I have a lot of I've heard a lot about how this is going to make our teachers lives easier and I
would really like to hear um what work we've done with students, what is our plan and then also from our student advisor about the impact of this um item. >> Go ahead Dr. Con. >> So great question uh Miss Thompson. And
so this is a you know in working with um the wieners and really looking at AI nationally from other districts and how other districts are implementing AI. We are a leader uh in the district and if you uh take a look at the um executive
summary uh for the magic school you'll see that fundamentally we are capturing and looking at AI in two spaces. one is around teacher time because we hear so often teachers don't have enough time and so what we're doing to really uh
look at our return on investment is we're going to measure uh how much time is reclaimed through the use of AI in the tools that it provides and so there are targets there's a logic model there's a reporting feature there that we'll be uh bringing forward and you'll actually get more of this when we come
back in June uh in the next phase of our workshop around AI I believe that's in June The second part which is critically important it advances our academic plan around uh making strides and improvement with our subgroups and so that really talks about improving instructional
differentiated using MTSS and so we'll be looking at that and supporting that while this is uh while this is here today there are many teachers already using magic school AI uh the free version of it we have some uh anecdotal
survey data of uh how it's making a a unique difference in those lives of those those teachers and those students. So, we do have that data that we'll also be bringing back uh in June to kind of speak to how the that that piece and that efficacy study is really helping
improve that. And so, really, it's going to one help uh in those two specific areas. Uh but then I think when we start to look at the student impact because we we're going to do a slow roll out for students uh only because we want to make sure we do it right. uh we'll start to gather some additional data in terms of
savings and time and making sure that students are using it responsibly and um and so one of the other things that I I I thought was important and I think this may have been Miss Aladaf in our in our one-on-one we talked about making sure that we create an opportunity for parents to engage in this through parent
universities and I think that was you missardi uh around making sure we create baseline courses for teachers in terms of the e efficacy of looking at AI in the study of that and making sure that they understand how to use AI. So, there's really a lot of different ways that
we're going to be kind of looking at AI uh as we move forward uh coming in June. >> So, I appreciate that answer. However, I want to specifically focus on students. How are we having students engage with AI? How are we going to have them
actually be uh trailblazers into their future career? Like what what input have we gotten from students? Do students know that we have AI? >> Like a really a student >> focused answer would be great. >> So yes, students do know that we have AI
in the tools. And so I will tell you that it it is slow because it's it depends on the teacher. Um we do use AI through our workforce programs because it's embedded in there. So students are having the opportunity through workforce acceleration to implement AI through
career industry uh certification. So that's happening already. it's part of uh that program. So when we take a look at just the programmatic pieces that where AI is already embedded, they're seeing a lot of success in terms of acceleration and growth and achievement.
So it's already happening. Uh not so much yet at the elementary level because we are again just being very cautious in rolling it out at the at the student level because the teachers have to make sure that they get trained on it. So but at the secondary level it's more prevalent.
>> Okay. I would like to see well one I have concerns about it at the elementary level but I would like to see in the workshop coming back an actual academic plan of of what students are learning how it's being incorporated in the classroom how we're rolling it out because at the end of the day I think
it's important that we're saving teachers time and making their day easier but we also want to make sure our students are walking away with the skills to succeed in a very different future than what we are living right now. Um, I would like to shift and ask our student advisor's perspective on
this. Thank you. >> Good morning through the chair, Lannon Spelberg, student adviser to the school board. Thank you, Miss Thompson, for the question. Um, you know, I I definitely echo some of Dr. Con's comments. Uh, and we've had students involved in the AI
task force now for work that's been uh going on for uh over two years. Uh, what what I will address is certainly what uh Dr. Con said about the slow roll out uh agree with that in terms of the district resources. However, it's also important
to look beyond uh what the district is offering when it comes to co-pilot and internal AI resources. It's good that there's a slow roll out uh with that to make sure it's done right, especially when it comes to co-pilot 13 plus. Uh but we also have to address the fact that we're living in a world where
there's non Broward schools AI resources, right? students are having access to uh different AI resources beyond copilot, chatgpt, gemini, etc. Uh and there's there's currently um with all due respect limited guidance uh
on how to use that, when to use that. Uh and that's something that the AI task force has tackled. Uh I believe that we've developed a strong product uh for something that, you know, will be ready to go out to students. Um but we have to look beyond just those internal resources. When it comes to the co-pilot
access, that's something that uh we would like to increase our collaboration uh with staff on to ensure that students know that they have access to it. Uh that is something that in school visits that we've done uh we have gotten a lot of good feedback with. And the the final
point I'll give uh is it's important that as a district we emphasize that AI is here to supplement not supplant. Um, you know, we cannot have a a reality where students are submitting AI work as their own. Uh, the code of conduct addresses it as a as a cheating minor
incident. Um, but there is a lot of great things that can be done with AI as a supplemental resource. Uh, and it's really important that we involve students at the table to look at what that supplemental resources. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I will just echo uh Mr.
Spelberg's comments. I think and it's the same when we discuss cell phones about how cell phones are tools that we need to incorporate into our daily lives. AI is a tool that we need to make sure that people know how to utilize. Um, I'm incredibly excited. I hope none of these comments uh make it seem like
I'm not, but I just want to make sure that we are training our students to use this tool appropriately and they are um incorporated into this process because at the end of the day, that's why we're here is to train our students. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Dr. Aziman. >> Chair, thank you very much. Um, I uh have spent a few thousand hours playing around with AI. Uh, it came out eight days. Chat GPT was released eight
days after I joined this board. And so, it's synonymous with um time-wise at least with being here to watch us. It was 1196 days ago. Fabian. Sorry for calling you by first name. This is personal. Your work to lift this
district would not have been uh wasted. It was not in vain. You've lifted up an entire district. And your passion and your effort related to this is really really remarkable. And I just want to say that upfront. It's a a team effort to get it done. But it takes
a leader who has the vision and understands things. One of the things Dr. Con understands is AI plus HI equals total I. HI being human intelligence. Uh the idea that AI is going to replace human is decades in the future. What we
call artificial intelligence barely passes the touring test. We kind of look at it with one eye closed and say gosh that's what a person would have done. But in reality it's a technology just like the internet is a technology. or as Miss Thompson says, the advent of personal devices like phones and iPads,
they're all technologies. And as we absorb these technologies, I think principles like AI plus HI equals total intelligence are very important. And to the superintendent and Dr. Con's credit, they have kept that uh front and center. So you'll see on our t-shirts, you know,
that there's a big call out to I am the human in the loop. Um, very very important to keep track of that now that we're almost 1,200 days into the world with AI. The world already changed in ways that we can't go backwards on. It's spiraling
quickly toward a 4-day work week or a three-day work week. It's spiraling dramatically to change, Dr. Heeper, our needs to to teach different skills and to teach them at different depths so that we fully take advantage of it. To Miss Thompson's point, I'm going to tell a story about my
daughter, which is just terrible to do in a public setting, but we played putt putt golf. We're trying to figure out who wins. My sixth grade son goes through and adds it all up. My eighth grade daughter, click, co-pilot. Dad, you won by two strokes.
Eighth grader knew the power of AI using the co-pilot license on her phone from Broward County Public Schools. was able to do something instantaneous and much more accurately than my son, the math geek who actually made a math error adding up all these numbers. A lot of numbers in a in a pup golf store to
imagine a world in which magic school with 80 tools for teachers, 50 tools for individuals, co-pilot, lots of training and professional development and AI liaison is going to be the whole answer is just not true. It's the beginning of an answer of a comprehensive solution of what we're going to do. What's left to
do to the to anybody listening? We still don't know what skills we need to teach kids in a world with AI. We continue to teach them skills from an agrarian world, maybe a manufacturing world, but we haven't made the shift to say what
competencies are so important. We need that. We need to make the changes. 1200 days ago, we started a world with AI. Uh we have not appreciably, Dr. Heburn, changed what we teach, but we have to change what we teach. things like critical reason, math skills, um logic
skills, the ability to make sense of data. Where do we teach the ability to make sense from data and analytics? That is the coin of the realm for Landon and all his colleagues. And we have to make that turn and we have to make that turn as fast as possible. To Miss Thompson's
point on technology, the technology is actually the easy part. The HI is the hard part. What do we teach? How do we teach it differently? What do schools look like in a world with AI? Was Maria Monasuri right? And you self-promote yourself because some kids
in sixth grade can program AI a lot better than juniors and seniors because they've had it longer and they got it at a time where their brain was still forming um and they're able to do that. Last point to the wieners, you have set a standard for generosity
with this district. I hope it's a standard that lots of other members of the Broward County community uh do it. This is going to mean the world of difference. To be honest, we didn't have $2 million to spend on AI. We had a couple shekels, maybe five shekels. We
didn't have a lot. And the critical thing is you got to buy this stuff in big amounts. You know, you got to do everybody, right? We don't want to do a school then call it an AI school like some districts are doing. We don't want to have an AI lab like in some library at some middle school and and call it that. AI is baked into our tools. Our
kids need to understand it. And with your gift, we're able to roll out 130 tools to 250,000 people. And I guarantee you something. By the way, the parents are using it at home. I have heard from so many parents that grab their kids' laptop with Copilot and they're working
on stuff at home. And uh I'm just uh overwhelmed with your generosity. I hope it is a standard for other people to follow. Uh but what you have done has literally changed your community. And that's kind of what you look for when you're figuring out how to be philanthropic, but you've done it and uh
uh you know, I'm in awe of your generosity. Thank you very much. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you, Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. And first I want to thank the community foundation, the wieners, mods, our staff for bringing this forward to
us because artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of the educational landscape. Tools designed specifically for educators such as Magic School AI have the potential s to significantly support both teachers and students. I
say this all the time. For decades, our school system has largely followed a model designed during the industrial revolution. One teacher delivering the same instruction to a large group of students at the same pace. While our educators work incredibly hard to
differentiate instruction, the reality is that time and resources often limit how personalized learning can truly be. Using AI, teachers can respond to students needs in real time rather than waiting for the next unit or grading
cycle. And some of you that are have been here a while will remember the Marzano model. And uh this kind of follows along. That was a dirty word back then, but I was a Marzano instructor for a long time. And this was really the the the piece behind it was
being able to differentiate learning for students so that they learn at a pace that makes sense for them. So AI tools can change what we do today. They allow teachers to quickly generate differentiated lessons, scaffolds for
struggling students, and enrichment for those who are ready to move ahead. Instead of spending hours creating materials, teachers can spend more time doing what matters most, working directly with students, facilitating deeper learning, and building
relationships. However, as a district, we must approach this thoughtfully. AI should never replace the role of a teacher. Instead, it should ser it should serve as a tool that supports great teaching, reduces the workload, and helps us better meet the individual
needs of every student. Our responsibility as a school board is to ensure we put the right guard rails in, clear guidelines for responsible use, protocols for student data, as we've talked about a lot today, and professional development so educators
can use the tools effectively. Can't tell you how many times as a teacher in a classroom, this great idea came out, no one trained us on it, and if you didn't put the work in yourself, the students never really gained what they needed from it. So, I love the professional development piece of this
because it really, really is what's going to make it effective. So, if we implement responsibly, AI has the potential to help us move from a one-sizefits-all model of education towards a system that truly supports personalized learning for every student.
And I, for one, am very excited to be on the forefront of that. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Rupert. >> Thank you. Um it I don't hope it doesn't feel redundant, but I want to thank everybody that's here. Um and especially
for for the wieners and um for mods and and our staff. So it it's it's exciting. Um we of course will never never be able to have the growth that we've gone uh gotten in the last few years uh without
the educators in the classroom. So um they will always be there. what their role will be is uh facilitator. And uh for our students um the key
parts of learning for them will be adaptability. Um they'll still need a heart. So to be able to to work through that and to have a voracious appetite for knowledge and adventure, it's it's absolutely amazing right now to think
about what all is going to happen. And as a a mom of three entirely different crazy kids, one's an elementary school teacher, uh, one is a graphic artist, and he continuously
updates his his portfolio, and he's always going on and and adapting and finding new programs to help him do his work to be smarter. And uh my oldest son uh this is he's 33 and um he's been
everything from a cell phone tower engineer to a hydraulics mechanic for forklifts because those are jobs you never could think about 10 years ago. It wasn't on the top of the list. And he gets paid
more than the other two combined. So jobs that our kids don't even know exist yet will be there for them. And we will have to make sure that we do have that teacher in the classroom. We do have those students and we're showing them
that heart matters in this world. Um and really help them get to where they're going to be. It's so exciting. I wish I was 20 years younger, but uh thank you all so much. I really appreciate it. >> Thank you, Mrs. Zelda.
I'm very excited about this. Thank you so much for your donation. Thank you for everyone that is making this happen for our school district. I think we we come to a point that we need to find a way to blend the AI with what we're doing now.
And I I want to make sure that our students aren't just solely relying on the AI to to do the work for them. That they they still have the information that they need to have. Uh being able I I heard that they were getting rid of
clocks on walls because kids can't read the clock and to tell what time it is. Like these basic life skills our students need to have to they have to have them. um cursive, being able to to sign your name, knowing how to address
an envelope and where the stamp goes. These are basic life skills. So even though we have AI and it's going to be amazing and it's going to really take us beyond, we still need to have the foundation in the in those life skills. I want to bring the board's attention to
to page three. So the the spending authority is for the next three years. I won't be here, but you need to make sure that you are putting money away within the budget so after these three years, you'll be able to continue this forward.
Thank you. Thank you. And I'll close this out. Um I just wanted to give one last applause standing ovation to the wieners to mods community foundation but the wieners for their contribution. public education thrives because of
people who um are willing to support it. Um I think we'll see the impacts of your generosity for many generations to come. So I just am very grateful to you and I know this district is as well. Any other
board discussion on this item? >> Dr. Zean? >> Yeah, just a quick one. Uh, I'd ask uh your permission for us to take a picture with the whole audience. >> Yes, I was going to recess after. >> That's wonderful. Thank you. >> All right. All in favor of O8 and RR2 say I.
>> I. >> All oppose say no. Items pass unanimously. We will now recess the meeting for a brief photo. >> Thank you. Maybe they read it afterwards. It all started with the big problem. Broward County Public Schools. We've
been facing some budget challenges and that comes from decline in enrollment. We had to figure out a way to make ends meet to make sure that we're sustainable for the future. >> Through the innovative use of Microsoft C-Pilot, we looked for where was the
greatest spend and clearly facilities represented tens of millions of dollars in gains. For example, there were hundreds of air handlers that were operating inefficiently across our district that might cost $12,000 a year to continue operating in a degraded
state. Co-pilot as our foundational AI was critical for realizing the inefficiencies at scale and it was instrumental in us being able to make decisions about where to correct and spend money. We feel confident that a very conservative savings would be in
the $40 to $50 million range over 5year period. That is a critical piece to sustaining operations and ensuring the world-class delivery of services to our students. It's not only about the physical savings as much as it is the learning environment in school. Those
environmentals are very important to success as well. It's created an environment where we can adopt additional AI solutions for our entire organization and in our classrooms that drive student performance.
>> Our Microsoft 365 co-pilot deployment of 20,000 licenses was deployed to our staff and teaching and learning community. With Microsoft 365 Copilot, I noticed that I could do assignments very quickly, just a few seconds, some of
them. Now I'm able to reinvest that time and pay more attention to those students who need differentiated learning. Also, I can challenge the students more. I created an AI agent basically to help seniors who need to meet graduation
requirements. It'll tell you what class to take, how to enroll, and if you're not in this class by the certain amount of time, it'll email you, your parents, and your guidance counselor. Microsoft Co-Pilot and other tools will give students the opportunity to be
detectives of their own knowledge seeking that will take them to the next level of study, their career. They can do that through artificial intelligence and safely. We're educating students about AI in
their education using AI, right? So, that's really unique to the K through2 setting. I think it's going to be a really successful part of our generation's entry into the workforce because we're going to be ahead of the game when it comes to that adoption.
>> Co-pilot is going to help you create better insight, which equates to action immediately to find the information that you need. We're on the brink of a technology revolution and AI is definitely the catalyst for that. So it is so important that we expose our
students to tools like Microsoft 365 C-pilot so they're not just surviving in the future, they're actually leading the future. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. All
right, we are back. This school board meeting is reconvened. Could I get a motion and a second on item M1? >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zeman, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on M1. >> No comment. >> Board member comment, Miss Bulman. Thanks ch Thanks chair. Um so I really I
really like this we're using our space and creating partnerships. Um so I just wanted I wanted to point that out. Um and I think it' be great if we could do more of these. I just had a question um I guess for the superintendent about um
this follows our policy. I know so this is it's okay for us to do this. And then um just a technical question. My I when I was reviewing the lease, it looks like this is a they're renting the class room, one classroom for two times
per week. Is that >> That's correct. >> Okay. So, um in a case like that, is that classroom reserved for them exclusively for the entire week and has all their stuff in it or is it a classroom that can be used for somebody else at a different time?
>> So, I'm going to ask Dr. Cannon who actually oversees the operations over at Broward Estates to give some context to that please. >> Hello everybody. Lori Canning, executive director for family and community engagement. It does not mean that they exclusively have that space. They will
start by using it two days a week, but it can be a shared space as well. >> Great. So, um I I I love this and thanks for uh putting that deal together. Thank you, Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. Um, and I did already ask
staff and get a follow-up, but I just wanted to ask it in person. So, we had a lengthy conver conversation when we were in our legislative our delegate legislative meeting about not doing in kind and that we needed to make sure we
were not in a financial situation to be giving things away for a dollar or things of that nature. and this agreement, although I don't disagree with it. I'm just I just asking um if we could explain why this is an inind
um lease with this organization. >> Thank you, Dr. Wanza. >> Thank you. Um good. What time is it? Morning. Um Valerie Wanza, chief strategy and innovation officer. So, thank you Mr. Tixon for the question. as um noted in the board follow-up that was
completed, policy 8020 allows us to monetize what the um the contributions of this indivi of this entity. So when you look at the staff time and the resources that they're going to provide as it relates to counseling services um for students and families and we took
that dollar value that was utilized per policy um that gives uh you know the superintendent the authority to um have this agreement situated for inind solely because the services that they are providing are at no charge to the families that will be receiving the
services. >> Okay. Thank you. So it I think that's important to distinguish because we want to be sure that people who are leasing our facilities are paying for that. This is a unique situation because they're actually
providing services at no charge to our students and so that's why we're doing inind but we don't want to make this a practice moving forward. So I just wanted to be clear about that. So thank you. Thank you, Dr. Holes.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Dr. Wza, you answered one of my questions um that there's no charge to the families. Um and uh like board member Hixon, I'm not a a an a fan of totally inind um you know, I don't mind a sort of a hybrid
approach where there's a a a lower than market rate charge in combination with incind services, but I understand this particular situation. Uh so, Dr. Fulton. I just want to for the sake of the public, this particular service that's been provided at Broward Estates uh
early learning center. Um there has been a needs assessment to determine that this service is needed there and um if you could expound on the number of uh early childhood students that will be taking advantage of this service um that
we're that's being provided. >> Thank you, Dr. Holes. I'm going to have Dr. Cannon go ahead and respond to your questions. >> Thank you, Dr. Holes. Yes, when we first started the redefining effort for Broward Estates, we met with partners, we met with the city of Lauder Hill, we met with the community on partnership
planning meetings starting on April 3rd. And then I know in May on May 20th when we had the board workshop here, we presented what our focus areas would be, including early childhood services and mental health services. This is the first leasing agreement that will be
brought and that focus is mental health services for infants, toddlers, and families with young children. And it will be provided at no cost to families within Broward Estates and also families at the surrounding schools and within the community. We don't have a a
specific number of how many will be participating, but we know that it will be open to families within the community and families at the school. >> Okay. So, Dr. Dr. Canon, based upon your um
needs analysis uh determination um and I know you don't have a specific number, but it appears that this is going to be one classroom, right? Is it one classroom, Dr. Wanza? >> So, they are leasing a classroom two
nights a week. >> Okay. So, Dr. Canon, do you have um an estimator as to based upon your overall perception of what the needs are of how many students approximately will enroll?
I know you don't have specific numbers. >> I know that in their projection for that inind cost analysis, they projected 20 families per month that they would be able to service. >> Okay. And and this will begin when? >> As soon as we pass our lease.
>> As soon as we pass. Okay, great. And my last question is, um, Dr. Wanza, how did we come up with this inind amount? If you could break that down for me as far as the 1,048. I know it's for staffing, uh, but but how did you come up with
that >> specific number? >> So, they they looked at the personnel costs for them to staff the actual two days, two two nights a week in one building for the four hours per day. And then you take that and multiply it by
what would be like four day um uh four weeks. So a a month's worth of time to come up with what would be um the considerable um staff cost to apply to what would in in our realm what would be
a rent cost. So they looked at their personnel costs to staff the um services two nights a two excuse me four hours two days a week and then that's how um Mr. Akabuso's staff did the computations.
>> Okay. So do we have information on that in on their overall um how they come up with the cost? Do we have do did they provide that to us? >> So I can have Mr. Akabuso provide that in a more detailed followup but but that
is the um those are the calculations that are used to determine um >> correct but they come up they came up with this calculation we didn't correct >> correct well what well correct because it's based on how they you know pay their employees what would be comparable
to pay >> okay >> but we can give you a more detailed you know >> dollar analysis if that's what the board chooses >> and is this amount comparable to what the market rate would be if we were to lease the space.
So, I will um have Mr. Akabuso answer that, but I I believe it is, but I don't want to I I will have him give a more detailed analysis for that one classroom two nights a week if that entity just decided that they wanted to go through
Facilitron for 4 hours and what other discounts they may get because you can't get discounts in Facilitron. So, we can do the sideby-side analysis. >> Okay. Um yeah, I would love to see that information because if we're doing inind um lease arrangements, then to me it's
important that it is comparable to what the market rate would be if we had leased those spaces out. And I appreciate this company coming in. Um but I just want to make sure that what we're doing for one, we're doing for all. So So I think um so I certainly appreciate um the questions from the
board and we will provide that. But if you will, you know, late later in the agenda, the board will be asked to consider item MM1, which is not in kind, and it does have a dollar amount associated with it that an entity is going to pay the district to use the space.
>> Okay. All right. Thank you. Appreciate it, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thank you, Chair. Uh, couple issues to follow on with Miss Hixon's really important point about our policy. Chair, is it our policy that in the disposal of surplus property, we are going to
um either get uh market price upon a sale or market lease upon a rent. >> That was my understanding, but I will defer to Dr. Fton. Mr. Aquabus, >> good. Good morning, chair. I've been
here. Um Dr. Um Zan regarding your question um schoolboard policy 8030 governs the sale of real properties both line and building definitely we have to do comps per state law you have
to do an appraisal if you have a property valued between $100,000 and $500,000 you have to do one appraisal um valued above $500,000 you have to do two per scuba policy you have to do three if there's some kind differential. So yes,
we have that to go to the markets. >> The reason I asked chair is um I read 8030 this morning to prepare for this item. >> Sure. >> And sometimes we say things and sometimes we put them in our legislative agenda and sometimes they become a de
facto policy without actually becoming policy. And so I believe Miss Hixon's description of the policy is exactly what we have stated as our expectation. Uh but I would like us to consider whether or not we want to actually make that part of our former policy. The reason I think it would be valuable to
pull that up and go through the rulemaking process with 8030 is that um there's an opportunity every time we dispose of property to be able to use our policy and say I'd love to uh have you know uh company X or or do good
organization Y or local government Z come in and and use this land or or buy it. Uh but we have a policy that we'll only dispose of property at market rate for sale or market uh lease if it's being rented out. Right now that's not written into our policy. We have a
wonderful policy for appraisals and process and for selling. Uh but we can sell u at appraised value uh for specific properties. We don't have a part that says we have to lease at commercially leased rates. I think that it should also include for exceptions like this. like here's somebody that's
coming in and doing great things for a community that really needs the services that are provided. Um and it makes great sense. So um just for us to think a little bit about chair I'll do some more research on it and bring back u some ideas for us to consider at our next meeting on the 7th. But I think that we need to be careful about what's policy
and what is just said so many times that we think um it's the way that that uh things get done. There's a bigger point to that too, though, which is whether you're talking about carryover money or prescription drugs or healthcare benefits, it's all the same amount of money. And if if we're going to be uh
serious this year about reducing a thousand positions and balancing the books, which we have to, you know, with two years of huge uh enrollment declines, uh all of those things matter and our practice uh and our policy may have a little bit of a gap between the lip and the cup and we need to be
careful about it. Last point on this item, if this uh facility is taken over by an organization, a government organization whose job it is is to do wraparound services and social welfare programs um and we we allow that organization to take over this facility,
do we have the right to terminate this agreement? >> So um >> so the answer to your question is yes, but I but I want to draw a clear distinction between 8020 and 8030. This is done under 8020 which is not um we we
haven't disposed of the Broward Estates property. So I I just want to draw that distinction so that um no one you know had walks away with anything different. The district still owns and operates programming um all types of resources
provide services to students. So we haven't disposed of the Broward Estates property. If we were to get into a place where we're now going to dispose of the property, then that would call into 8030. But um but I'll let Mr. Akabuso
answer. This is a three-year agreement, and I know that we do have language. Um so, Mr. Akabuso, you can speak to the language around um termination of an agreement if the district so chooses to do something different with this property. Um, in this case there's uh in
the in the board item in the actual agreement 3.06 is the termination clause. This is a schoolboard template for the lease. Um, so each party shall give uh 30-day calendar written notice if you choose to terminate. And so we
have that under 3.06. >> Terrific. And just to be clear, Dr. on my comments were about 8030 and about our belief sometimes that we have policies in place, but they're not actually in our policies and and the the the the legal standing of policies is
very high. Um, and we strive very hard to accommodate policies and I know the staff's very careful to check items to see if they are aligned to policies and when they're not, we have to be conscious about any exceptions. But the 8030 uh policy is where we would codify
that we sell things at market prices or lease at market value. Uh and I think it's important to have that in our books uh over time. And I'll bring uh I'll bring some thoughts back to that at our next uh school board meeting. Thanks, Chair. >> Thank you. Any other board? Um I had Miss Bulman who wanted to speak on this
again. >> Um I think that uh Dr. uh clarified just for the record. I think there were two different things are happening here. One is when we are getting rid of a property, like if we're getting rid of an entire school, that's
a totally different situation than renting a room. And having the opportunity for um in kind for them to use the room, I think that that's something that is very useful for our students and for our community that we're servicing. So, I like seeing that.
Um as long as they're accountable and I think that the way that the lease is set up makes them accountable to show that they're providing the services. So in um I appreciate that this uh arrangement that you guys have made. So thank you.
>> All right. Any other board member discussion on M1? All in favor of M1 say I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a Oh, hold on. So this will be the part of the meeting where we will consider all the open
agenda items. The following open items have been identified for discussion. AA1, BB1, DD5, FF1, FF2, GG1, GG2, GG3, JJ18, MM1, O1, 34, 5, 6,
11, 12, 14, 17, 18, um, which we already did. R, and R1, and we already passed RR2. At this time, may the chair have a motion and a second to pass the open items that have not been pulled for
discussion, which are DD1 2 3 4 6 JJ 1 through so JJ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 and O2 78 9 10 13 15 16 and double P1 2 3 and five. >> So moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Rupert. Are there any registered
speakers on >> Are there any registered speakers on the items not pulled for discussion? >> One registered speaker on DD2, Jackie Lusk. >> Chair, may I request that DD DD2 be pulled?
>> Sure. Uh, so I will remove DD2 from the list that was not pulled and add it to the list that is pulled. >> Chair point of order for AA1 since I believe it's a companion item. Should we
wait until that item comes back? >> AA1 was pulled. So, >> but it's a staff had said it's a companion item to A3. So, should they come back together or >> Yeah, I mean, it's pulled, so it's not
We're not passing it right now. >> Okay. All right. Could I have a motion and a second or there are no registered speakers since Mr. Sea just pulled DD2? >> No speakers. >> All right. Um, all in favor of proving approving the open agenda items that
have not been pulled for discussion, say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. All right. Items pass unanimously. Um, what is the companion item for A1 again? >> A3.
>> A3. Oh, we'll we'll come back to that. So, could I get a motion and a second on BB1? >> So, move. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on BB1. >> Double B1. >> Yes. >> Okay. We have three registered speakers.
I'm sorry, four registered speakers. Cassandra Tusant, Dr. Trudy Germanovich, Pete Tingum, President Anna Fusco, if you heard your name, if you can please proceed to the podium. Hello members of the board. My name is
Cassandra and I'm speaking on BB1. Um, I'm speaking because I'm just a little concerned about the thousand uh staff member number. Uh, only because I worry that um more staff will be cut and it will affect the ability for the district
to run as efficiently as possible. Um, I just want to make sure that the necessary I'm so sorry. The necessary um um work that's being done in the district is being done with people who are as experienced as possible and can
pass down institutional knowledge that is pivotal and ensuring that the district runs as smoothly as possible. Um, I do believe, you know, every older person I've ever worked for has um definitely influenced me and ensured that I knew how to do my job as good as
possible. Uh, so I just worry about these staff cuts and how they'll impact the classroom down the line. And I just want to make sure that none of the jobs being done in the district won't be passed down and filtered down to principles, assistant principles, and then later down the line, um, teachers.
Uh, I'm not too sure what positions are being cut and how that works. And I'd love to learn more about it by having discussions with y'all down the line. Uh, but these are just some of my concerns. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Trudy Germanovich followed by Pete
Tingum. >> Uh my name is Dr. Trudy Germanovich. And as most of you know, I've been around for quite a while watching these meetings and coming to these meetings. And I've watched the district staff grow enormously
over the years. And the student population has been going down and yet the district staff is going up. That's all you have to say. I think this is a good plan. You have to obviously
take each case independently. However, the teachers in the classroom are the ones that you should say, okay, is this important to that teacher in the classroom. That's the only thing that
matters. Nothing else. Is it important to the teacher in the classroom? So, please, as you make these cuts, which you should, because the district's in financial need, do it quickly. I don't know
whether even you should speed up this process, but I do appreciate that two board members brought this forward, and I believe you should all agree with it. Thank you very much. >> Thank you.
Good morning. My name is Pete Tingum. I'm the executive director of SMAB. First of all, I'd like to commend the board for the advanced initiative on AI. And I especially like the comment Dr. Zean made, AI plus HI equals the total
intelligence because this is coming and we do need to prepare for it. I know when I was in school two millenniums ago, uh a teacher said 90% of the jobs that will happen in the
next 5 years don't exist today and I think we need to plan for that. I am here to speak with respect to the proposed thousand person per year for three years
um elimination. I just want you to know that I've received over two dozen calls in the last three weeks from high level staff members that are providing important input to you regarding regarding state,
federal, and other programs and they're very concerned about not knowing when their job will be held or not renewed. And what I have suggested to them is there are 31 municipalities,
Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Miami Dade County, which all have positions very similar to the type of work they're doing now. And I think you should consider that about letting people know sooner rather than later so
they can pursue these other opportunities. Your lack of speed in this could cost you a number of employees. I'd also like you to consider that every time you request a report, every time you need some information,
ask that person if they're a member of the ESMAB employee group. And I think you'll be surprised at how much you depend on these support people. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Our last regus. Anna Fusco, teachers union president.
It's it's a catch 22. I'm a union president. I stand to protect people to have fair working opportunities and keep their jobs. You know, I we want to know and need to know every piece that's going to happen. But obviously if this is an item that we have a board member
directing the superintendent to come up with a plan a th000 employees this year a thousand next year and a thousand in the third year that's got to connect with closing of schools. It it's inevitable.
So that needs to be the a stronger faster better plan so not just employees of Brower County Public Schools know and understand the community. We they need to know what the real impact is going to be and how it's going to happen sooner
than later. Um I can't imagine and I'm going to keep saying it because you're going to be if this passes creating this plan how it cannot would not impact
a teacher. If you're closing schools we're showing a decline of students. I mean, I hate to say it out there in the universe all the time. We know what's happening. We we all really need to know where where are these employees coming from. We're the
largest group in the school district. We have 12,000 600 teachers. That's just teachers. That doesn't include my 3,000 that are our BT Broward teachers union with our paras. Those are the teacher assistants and the
classroom assistants, the behavior techs and so forth like that right there. That's 15,000 employees only have 25,000. Where is it coming from? We know in every piece of Brower County Public Schools, every group
struggles with having enough employees from the teacher component, the parah component. You heard about from one of our SLPs. You outsource that, but we have to say what department has gone from
keeps growing. That's on you guys. So, who's going to help create this plan with the superintendent? Is it going to be outsourced? Is it going to be people here, the same ones that have been here
for 30 years themselves? That's to be a conversation. Where's it going to come from? Who's going to help? What business sense is it happening? How does it impact the budget? Who is going to be in the budget to make this happen? All of this is huge. Nobody wants to lose a
job. Everybody wants to know, is it me? Are you going to specify a time frame? Lots of things like that. You have I think it's going to be a ginormous discussion. I'm not sure why this is a an item and it didn't get workshopped. I guess it's being pushed through because
there's a need of saving a lot of money. >> Thank you. Board member discussion. Dr. Hoes. Thank you, Madam Chair. So um uh part of the concern I believe in our
district is um it appears that our teachers um are always on the forefront of consequences um as it relates to student decline. So whenever we have uh decline in the number of students and which
we've had significant decline in the number of students we automatically reduce the number of teachers. The problem is we have not done the same with non-eing staff over the years in the past 10 to 15 years. As a result, um
we are over staff, not over staff as it pertains to teachers because teachers are the first to go unfortunately when we have declining enrollment. Um, so this item is to look at how the district
can uh get back onto a stable financial path where we can properly compensate our teachers and staff, where we can improve our services, we can attract talent, and
so on and so forth. So, Dr. Heburn, are we in a financial deficit at this time? Yes, we're definitely have a a budget shortfall. >> Okay. Are we overstaffed? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Have we reduced non-eing staff in the same proportion as we've done teaching staff over the last 10 to 15 years as a result of declining student enrollment? >> No, we have not. >> Okay. Would you agree that the district did
not respond efficiently over the last 10 to 15 years to reduce non-eing staff with declining enrollment as we've done with teachers? >> I concur. >> Okay. If we reduce if we reduce uh staff by up to 3,000
in the next three years, approximately how much will the district save? Um, Miss Johnson, what's that? About probably overund probably over 250 million. 3,000 staff members. 3 250
million. >> Oh, yes. >> Okay. So, you said over 250 million. >> Okay. And And what is our current um budget shortfall? >> Um, right now 90 million and walking into another 90 million.
>> Okay. So, Dr. Dr. Heburn, would you say that had the district respond efficiently over the last 10 to 15 years where we were reducing staff as student enrollment declined that we probably would not be in the position we are we are in currently financially?
>> We will not be having this conversation right now. >> We would not be having a conversation. Okay. So, what I'll say is I run a small learning center. If I have 300 subjects and I lost a 100, I would have to reduce my teaching staff. I would also have to
reduce my support staff for my teachers. It works the same in a big organization. Now, what I would not do, however, is not wait until I lose a 100 subjects to get rid of onethird of my staff. I would do it progressively as I lose my
students. The problem is where we are today in Brock County Schools. We've been losing students for the last 10 to 15 years, but we have not reduced our non-eing staff. So, while our school district is performing well academically, we have serious financial
concerns. I mentioned this before that we must be resolute in taking action to put our district on a more stable financial path where we can properly compensate our teachers and staff and efficiently meet the needs of our students. Our
expenditures exceed our revenues with one of the major reasons being that we are heavily overstaffed. Our school district is currently facing significant financial challenges due to years of not intentionally aligning staffing levels
with declining student enrollment. As enrollment has decreased, staffing levels have not been adjusted proportionally, resulting in the district being significantly overstaffed and labor cost exceeding what is necessary to meet operational needs. By
reducing staffing to better align with student enrollment and models used by other districts, we will be better positioned to operate more efficiently. This approach will also help the district provide improved compensation for teachers and staff while addressing
our financial challenges. At present, the district expenditures exceed incoming revenues, leaving us operating at a deficit of millions of dollars. It is the district's responsibility to take action now to address this issue and put us on a more sustainable financial path
that supports both students and staff. This will likely impact mostly non-instructional staff, non-eing staff. As a past practice, when student enrollment declined, we also proportionally reduce the number of teachers. But we have not done the same
with non-instructional staff. Therefore, after losing over 40,000 students, we still have approximately the same number of non-eing staff. This was not an effective or responsible approach. In my opinion, it culminated in the financial
concerns we are facing today and it is time to fix it. We should look at all non-eing positions starting from the top and continue proportionally across job levels. And this problem did not start here. This problem started many years
ago and it culminated into where we are today in the financial concerns that we have. So, I'm hoping the board will be able to support this so we can get back on a better financial path as we are academically and three years from now we can as a district uh resolve those
issues and be a toprated district in the nation. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Sea. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, I'm in support of this and I've been on record before, excuse me, acknowledging my support of
this because to me this is not some sort of complex mathematical equation. Our enrollment numbers have been going this way while our district staff numbers have been going this way. that is not a
sustainable financial business model. We do need to take action and I'm very very hopeful that when the superintendent does come back with his ultimate plan, it is something that can be executed swiftly and efficiently and
that we're not going to be um dillydallying with these decisions uh once it is in fact identified uh who the superintendent believes should be part of this um ultimate plan.
I do want to say something to the members of the public and I also want a commitment uh from you Dr. Hepern as we move forward. Whatever plan you come up with cannot should not and must not include
teachers under any circumstances. We must not lose a single teacher over this. We have far too many staff members that you can take into serious consideration to meet your 3,000
um employee threshold that do not involve our teachers. So, I'm willing to support this as long as I have your commitment, Mr. Superintendent, that whatever plan you have will not subject a single teacher
to potentially being part of this 3000. That being said, I like what I'm hearing from the numbers uh on this. If I heard correctly, if we go through with this reduction
over the course of the three years at a,000 a year, this district will save approximately $250 million. Mr. Superintendent, can any of that um $250 million in savings be used to
implement raises for our teachers in future budgets? >> Yes. Um majority of the personnel are purchased out of or funded out of general um dollars. So, yes. So, just so we're clear, by reducing certain district level staff members,
we'll be able to save enough money to actually give raises to our teachers who are woefully underpaid in this district and have not had a raise in >> are we going on three years now? >> Yep. >> I lost track. >> Cost savings can be used for for >> raises. So,
>> yeah, I'm sure we got a we got a raise. Yeah. >> Let me put it this way. A viable raise >> or an or annual raise. So, so I'm hopeful that with this money coming up, this $250 million, we can actually put
some dollars backs in the pockets of our teachers and this can all come full circle. So, I'm I'm very interested in seeing your plan on this when it's ultimately um put together. Um I'm in support of this and I hope that we I'm
going to be optimistic. I hope that we surpass the 250 million. I hope maybe it's closer to 300 million. That's going to be the positive energy that I'm putting out into the universe on this. Thank you, >> Miss Jack Adams. >> Hi. I just wanted to clarify that um our
office, the office of general counsel, um reports directly to the board. Currently, we have uh positions that are open because we are short staffed. And I just wanted to make sure that it was clear to the public that this endeavor does not include our office. Our office
is required pursuant to two policies to legally review certain um matters that come before the board and we cannot be short staffed. So, I just wanted to clarify for the public that um our office is still advertising those
positions and we're still seeking to uh shore up our office and ensure that we provide a high level of service to staff as well as the board. >> Miss Hixon, >> thank you. I I just I have a I guess I
first I have a question for Dr. H whenness and then I want to address something Mr. Sea said. So Dr. Hoess in your plan where it says a thousand positions per year for three years does that not include teachers are you're not
specifying in here who those thousand people are? So can you be specific as to what the expectation is here? >> Understand. So over the years um teachers are automatically reduced with declining enrollment um or the teach the
number of teachers in the district goes down when the number of students decline. So this particular what what has been happening is that we have not been intentional in reducing the number of non-eing staff. It has only seemed to
primarily affected our teachers. So when we lose enrollment uh we ended up not requiring the same number of teachers. So in this particular plan uh as we move forward we need to um sort
of um realign our non-eing staff in terms of their reduction with how we've been reducing the number of teachers based upon decline enrollment. And when we look at the numbers and my questioning that I've asked um it
appears that the non-eing staff uh that we could reduce that by up to 3,000 over the next 3 years to balance out proportionally with how students have declined over the years. So teachers are automatically
um not um I mean teacher numbers decline as student volume declines. But we've never um aligned that with reducing the number of non-instructional staffing. So this item is ensuring that
that we get the district back on path where the non-eing staff uh that we are over staffed by um will be where it's supposed to be. And going forward uh beyond the three years, we'll continue to reduce if we're declining in
enrollment the number of non-eing staff with how we would have reduced the teachers based upon declining enrollment. But this is not impacting teachers. The item is separate from because teachers were automatically impacted. >> Okay. I guess kind of the point that I
just wanted to make. If students enrollment is declining, naturally teacher numbers will decline because you need less teachers if you have less students. So this is in addition to that. >> Correct. Because we as a district, we've
been reducing the number of teachers automatically, but we've not done the same. >> Yeah. Thank you. So I just needed that clarification. I'm not I agree 100% we have to decrease um our non-eing staff as as well. I'm just not sure how
comfortable I am with giving an actual number. So, I'm not sure how I sit with this, but it does say to to develop and present a plan. Um, so to the superintendent, do you feel as if a thousand per year for three years is
something that is I don't know if doable is the right word, but does that align with where you were heading in this? So, we know we need to downsize not just this year but for subsequent years um because it just haven't been tackled. So, what we'll do, we'll do our uh due
diligence and creating a plan, working with the third party that we're working with also um and come up with a plan that does not um endanger the operations, essential operations of the district and also the support that our schools are receiving just to make sure
that we're we're not um declining in the level of service that's being provided to to students and families. So I I still like because you didn't really answer. You don't know whether it would be a thousand a year. I'm very nervous
about that number. >> But I understand the spirit of the uh >> right as as do I. But I I don't know how comfortable I am with the number of a thousand per year because we're directing him to that. That's what we're expecting him to do, right? I know it's
a plan, but I don't know. I would rather it say not not a number personally and I understand why because you want to make sure it's going that direction but what if the third party finds out that based
on all the data they get that it's 800 or it's 500 or it's 700 not a thousand we gave a direction to do a thousand and I I it bothers me when we give direction and then it doesn't get followed so So,
I'm kind of in a space here where I don't know that I like the the number a thousand. >> So, board member Hicks and I I will let the other board members speak, but I may be able to make a minor change that would satisfy that. >> Perfect. All right. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Spelberg. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and good morning or good afternoon, everybody. Again, um I just wanted to address one of the some of the comments that have been made. Uh and I hope this is okay. This is probably out of order for me, but if it's okay through uh you, Madam Chair,
I'd like to ask the superintendent how many additional positions the district has added in safety and security and mental health over the past 10 years. >> Um, we've added quite a few. I don't have the specific numbers, but it's it's definitely hundreds.
>> Thank you. That's my point, >> Miss Rupert. >> Thank you. Um, I have a few questions. Like my um excuse me, like my colleague, uh, Miss Hixon, um, the delineating of a thousand people over a three-year period
instead of a specific dollar amount. Um, you can cut 1,000 people who are making 20,000 a year or you could cut 1,000 people making a 100,000 plus a year. Um, and why does this not specify if it
includes attrition or not? Those are questions. I don't know. Through the superintendent. >> It's I think those are questions for >> Dr. For Dr. Hois. That's not my um my item.
>> Okay. So, the item implies from from top down across the district. That's non-instructional, non-eing. Um now in terms of attrition um I believe I would like to pose that question to Dr.
Heburn. Um as we look at attrition versus staff that we may have to lay off um how do you see achieving um a thousand? Uh I know your plan is a thousand the upcoming year but in
subsequent years um year two and three um how do you see that being possible? Um will attrition need to be a part of that to make that possible? >> Um attrition is a sticky subject because a person could leave a position that the
district actually needs. Um so I think it's more about uh evaluating the service models across the district or how we provide services to schools or or if it's another department providing a service to another department. So need to look at how we're providing service
and seeing where we can uh make cuts in personnel that are uh employed by us. Um it's >> it's a plan, right? It's a it's yeah it's a plan coming back with all that information and um seeing how we can provide the same level of service if but
greater level of service u as we move forward as a district um by also downsizing um staff that are on employed by us. >> Correct. So there could be positions um as far as attrition that may not necessarily be needed and there are some that will be needed. So, board member
Rupert, he would bring back a plan that would include all of that and it would include employees from top down across the district that are non-eing staff. >> Okay. Um,
that that's great. Um, however, not having a specific dollar amount is important in this. You know, I actually I don't feel very comfortable asking questions to my colleague. It just seems awfully weird for me. It's like I'm
either going to support it or not support it. But I really it's I I love that you brought this, but this is where we have conversations. Uh I just feel weird have asking you for for these answers, but um the superintendent
deferred to you. So, okay. Um, I I think the board should weigh in on what the money number is and to give direction uh when we're a little bit closer. And I don't mean closer as in um
you know it's we've all heard April that we're this you know we'll be finding out in April. April. So, um I'm not think I I don't mean it to be, you know, rushing it, but however, the
sooner we can actually come to a a consensus on, you know, we're looking to to save $250 million over the next three years or we're, you know, we haven't I have not had those conversations um wi
with the superintendent yet or with my colleagues. So, I think that's going to be part of bringing this back, if it's a workshop or whatever it's going to look like. Um, I'm very alarmed at um how we're going to do it um within the scope
of equity, not you know what I'm saying, right? I I just want to make sure that everyone is treated fairly and that it's important and integral. And I've said this last
time or it was the meeting before that that the one question for me is how does your everyday job affect our students, our community and our staff, but first our students. The closer that you are to
having impact on our students, we want to keep you close. So that's that's just my philosophy that way. And I know that we're student centered, but there are a lot of variables that we need to know before then. And I don't know what the
correct um stance is to take on this. I just I'm telling you I'm uncomfortable that we don't have a specific dollar amount. Um I'm uncomfortable uh that, you know, we now have a a thousand people as what we've heard and it could
be more, you know. So, I think those those answers need to need to be somewhere. Do I support you bringing this forward and giving uh the superintendent um direction? Absolutely. I just don't think we even are let in enough to know
what that looks like to give him direction on what to do. I mean, we need to know exactly how much money we need to do in a three-year period of time, you know. um and and have have that laid out to
us. Um and to know once again um you know does it include attrition or not? Um, and if we're saying that we're not going to be cut cutting educators or educator
professionals, uh, our support professionals, um, where do the job >> I don't know. It it's it's a big decision. I you know it's it's a very big decision but um I want to make sure
that it we have the lens of equity and we have um the absolute promise to do what's best for our students and our community in Broward County and that those are be be my goals as as you know as well as the
board that way. So, um, I have a lot more questions about this running through my head, but you know, I think I've clearly stated a few times now the same thing, so you know where I'm at and um, I do appreciate having this conversation brought to us. So, thank
you. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. Um, I first want to just reiterate um, some of the comments I've made in the past when we discussed this is that the district people that work in this building, our district
staff help run the system just like our teachers and our par profofessionals and our social workers. And when we talk about impact to students, we so we have to have an HR system,
right? We are a huge organization. So we have to have those people even though they don't necessarily impact students on a on the way that we would traditionally think. Same with our budget department. We have to have people that are running our financials even though you wouldn't necessarily
they say they impact our students on a day-to-day basis. So, I just want everyone to know, similar to when we're discussing closing schools, that it isn't because of the school not excelling or the the families don't feel
at home or the the experience that students are having there. It's because of this financial situation that we are looking at making these extreme cuts. And I want staff to know that they are valued and appreciated no matter what department they are working in. Um, and
I also want to reiterate Mr. Spelberg's point that the district level staff also includes our safety and a lot of our mental health professionals. So, when we're looking at reducing district people, that includes those what I would
say are incredibly important um, positions as well and to be mindful about that. Um, I do want to correct the record about raises. Um, could we get just a brief summary of the raises we've been able to
give over the last five years? >> Go ahead. U Dr. Lozano. >> Yes, we could put that together for you quickly. >> Okay. Um, and then I had a question about the district level staff. How many of these positions are funded out of
general fund? Go ahead, doc. >> Which positions? >> The district level staff. So, central office, non non school-based. >> Let me pull that up. >> It's about 4,400. I confirm with uh our chief financial officer.
>> Okay. And then um I think I I also have while I do think we need to start being forward planning and planning out multiple years, I have concerns about giving a specific number because I feel like other than this this year we have
committed to a thousand positions. But going forward saying a thousand positions every time um I'm not comfortable with that. But I am comfortable with the idea of having a long-term strategy moving forward. Um,
and then I also share um, Miss Fuk Miss Fusco's concerns about who's creating this plan. Um, and I would like the superintendent to give us an overview of if this passes, who he would have on his team and also who is the third party
that you keep referencing. >> Yeah, this is something we won't go it alone. Um, we have uh, historical knowledge. we have our own internal data um in our HR database and you know uh can talk to our employees and leaders uh about you know the value proposition to
the district and also our students but we right now we're working also u with MGT um who is a a national u consultant in various um areas of of of public or government um entities not
just school districts who are assisting us um with analyzing um benchmarking our staffing um and giving us keen insight um to assist us with next steps. >> Okay. And then when you're considering reductions in staff, how is student
experience, student support in um mental health being weighed into your district? >> Yep. It's at the top of the priority to ensure that we're not diminishing services that are essential to schools and students, especially diminishing um um experiences, student engagement
opportunities, um those things. Okay. And then um I I think as the item is written, I'm not comfortable supporting it because of the very specific numbers involved. However, if there is a change
to that I could reconsider. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thanks, Chair. Um and thanks for Dr. Holdens for bringing this. Um, I'm not exactly sure what talk to give, but I'll start with a math talk. Um, if
we aligned general fund position to our enrollment, we would reduce Broward County School general fund positions by 4,72. So, to Dr. For wholeness, I will say thank you for only asking for a three-year plan to do 3,000 when the
appropriate staffing level would be reduced by 4,72. Now, why is that the point? The point is for every student and for every school and for every unit of production, there are people involved to make that
production work. Our base number has gone from 10 years ago 221,000 to next year being projected to be 173,000. So our job is to serve 173,000 students.
And when we do not reduce staff proportionally, we are not serving those students. We are using a model that was appropriate 10 years ago to serve students today. So let me switch to the next speech. Are
we here to serve students or not? Well, a a a bureaucracy that is loaded with people that that is perfectly willing every year to reduce teachers every time we go down 25 or 30 students, we lose a teacher position. But we don't lose a in
fact when you take out the losses in teacher. We've actually grown non-eing positions over the last 10 years. So, are we here to serve students or not? In three years, a plan to reduce a thousand a year is not getting to the
472 positions that we would reduce if we wanted to have the right mix of resources to the outcomes that we're trying to achieve. So, I think it's an appropriate plan. I want to point out a second thing. You guys own the budget. A plan says, "Hey, here's a thousand.
you don't like these, come up with something else that's equal to the money or cut it to 800 or cut it to 637 or whatever you'd like to do. But if you don't have a plan at the end of the year, then I'm just kind of don't want to hear any more whining about teacher pay
because that's what it would be. You either stop talking about paying people well or you start doing things so we have money to do that. It's just that simple. So I want to pay teachers more. I want to pay educators more. I think everybody
that works here needs to have some kind of increase in their pay every year. It's immoral to me to have years where there's a 0% raise and zero bonus. And so I fight very hard to find money to pay. And no, I'm not done this year. I I still hope even though uh it's
desperate, I hope that somehow at the end of the day we can find the 90 million we have to and more uh so that we can do more. Anybody want to know the equivalent number of schools we would close if we had this number of student decline? >> 45 45 this year. You're so close, Miss
Roert. Thank you. Um we have done seven or nine depending on how you do the math. Um so that's not 45. And that's really important because every school comes with a bunch of positions that you got to have just to open a building. And those positions are incredibly
expensive. And so, uh, our our mission is how do we take all the money and put it together into different buckets so we can get things done. To Dr. Holes's credit, there's two buckets on people. There are a bucket called instructors and instructional staff, however you
want to define that, and everybody else. And what Dr. Holes is saying, which is just taking up the superintendent on his commitment for this year, which is show me a thousand for this year. And by the way, I want to see a thousand the next year, and I want to see a thousand next to be presented to the board. The critical part of this resolution is
direct the superintendent to develop and present a plan that reduces by 1,000 to the school board of Broward County. But we cannot build up a plan to Miss Rupert's point. I don't think we have the staff to go if they walked in and said 630 positions and we said, "Oh no,
we have to find some money for raises. We need 830." We don't have that staff. But we do have the ability to look at a thousand and reduce it to 630, right? Right. We could look at some things that that risk is too much. Hey, I don't want to uh to Landon's point, no no cuts maybe to mental health, maybe no cuts, I
don't know, whatever we want to do. We have the staff and the ability intellectually to reduce a plan. We don't have an ability to build a plan because none of us have a budget staff to my knowledge. And so, um, you know, we can propose things to the superintendent. This is I think a very
very modest plan compared to the 4,72 positions we legitimately should be reducing today so that to peak ting's excellent point. We give them notice of positions are going away because we'll get attrition and we'll have positions that go away and then we have the big
mix as people who lost a job and they're no longer a position to fill get to fill some and apply for the jobs for which there's attrition. So there's a big mix that needs to go on and just to be right with our people, we should tell them as early as possible. But it is legitimate issue. It's actually a slow roll issue
to ask for 1,000 over 3 years when you realize that 4702 is really the appropriate number that we should be reducing general fund staff. Um I don't know why we haven't done it. Uh it was real easy to let teachers go. Uh it's been really difficult to let non-teers
go or for staff outside of a school. Um it's I'd never felt that it was the right decisions as we went along and I voted that way uh every year for the past three years. U but now um you know this has come home to roost and so either we pass this item as written and
we get a plan and we tell the public we're serious about getting right with them and making sure we serve students or I don't want to hear any more about teacher compensation. I don't want to hear any more about educator compensation because this is where our money goes. Our money goes to people and if we're not going to cut people,
there's no way to cut a contract and, you know, tiptoe around utility bills and put LED lights in schools and save any kind of money like we need to uh to continue to pay our teachers. And my belief is that we've got to every year make sure that we give our educators some form of raise. Um, and this is this
is an excellent idea um to ask the superintendent to do it and it fulfills our obligation. I think just to be clear, chair, does this obligate us to reduce positions by a thousand in any year? Dr. Holus. >> So, the intent >> the intent of the item is to have the
superintendent um bring to us a comprehensive staff in alignment plan. um that where the plan would be presented um that would include
reducing staffing by a thousand per year for 3 years. So the main point of the item is to bring a plan to us um that would consider reducing staffing up to a thousand per year.
Now Dr. Zean, the superintendent may present a plan and he may come back to us with a th00and for the second year, a thousand for the third and he may create challenges. He may um convey challenges uh of reducing staffing up to a thousand
but at least at that time we can entertain those challenges and determine what's a good number. But the intent of the item is to bring an aggressive plan of a thousand per year back to discussion and then at that point we can
decide based upon the superintendent's recommendation what would be a a good number. >> And my last point is it's really nice to say this sounds very aggressive but this is to make up for 10 years of not doing this year by year by year. Every year we
should have been looking at positions and justifying them as we build this model for what resources we need to really serve our students. We did not do that as a school board. We did not do that as a district. And so we are where we are. But the uh the accounting does not lie and the accounting says that we
should be reducing general fund staff by 4,700 in two positions. this plan, this request for the staff to bring us a plan to look at and think hard about and figure out what to do, um, is actually a pretty conservative plan. It doesn't get us to the numbers that we'd like. It
actually puts more positions, a percentage of positions outside of schools than it does inside of schools and the reductions. Um, I look forward to seeing this plan this year and I hope that we can continue to u to get a a substantial plan like this uh every year for our consideration. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you, Miss Pulman. Thanks chair. Thank you Dr. Zean for your comments. Um I uh I appreciate Dr. Holdness that you brought this and um first of all I'm looking forward to the staffing plan for next year
that's being brought in April. I think that's going to be a good start and um kind of see what what we're looking at. I I read this item with a little bit more flexibility, I guess, and I don't know if that was intended um because I
think that going through the exercise of it will put us in a position where we can see what's feasible and what's not feasible. And I think it's going to help um design the model that we're going to have moving forward. So, are we married to a thousand a thousand a thousand? I
would read it as no because you know maybe some of these things are not feasible or maybe we can reduce even more. I we don't we don't know right now. I think you have to go through the exercise to see where we're really at. And to Dr. Zean's point, I
mean I I'm not really sure how you got that math. Maybe that was like your daughter doing a little AI on the putt putt course and she came up with that. But um it might change moving forward too depending on how we see the school
district and how we model it moving forward. So I mean I so I think I think this is an opportunity for us to really put things um on the right and going in the right direction and looking at this you know if it comes to the point if you
are going through this exercise and we can't cut 3,000 over the next three years I it's good for us to know that now so that we can plan accordingly. into Landon's point, obviously we've been adding positions um that are also very important and
valued and value to our students. So, um I my question is we have a on the on the item you have a May 12th deadline and right now we're working on next year's plan. So, do you do Dr. Dr. Heburn, is
May 12th a feasible deadline to put something like this together or >> I didn't notice the date. Thanks for pointing that out. Yeah, May May is not going going to work because we're actually working on this year working with our consultant. We have a lot of action steps to do working with our own
employees as we help them transition for those who are going to be impacted. So, um a date um in the summer uh would be more feasible and I think it provide more discussion for the board also. Um we're because we're going to have a lot of things between now and May um that's
going on not just for staff also for the board as items come up and workshop items come up. >> So what do you think a good >> um >> date would be >> what you say >> oh you moved it up no
>> summer yeah um I'll probably say uh uh sometime in June or July. Yeah, we we have a lot of things in motion with our current staff to write this with this amount of downsizing that we're doing this year that's never happened in this district before. We want to do that with
with a lot of care and purposefulness to help our staff transition appropriately. So, I don't want um us working on another plan interfering with what we need to do for our employees right now. >> Yeah. And I and I I think that that's important to take into consideration because we are going to be making cuts
this year which is going to actually impact people. It's not just theoretical. So I think that we definitely need to put a lot of resources into um doing that the right way. >> Um would Dr. Holes would you be opposed to extending your deadline to the
summer? >> No, that's fine. And I have probably another amendment at the end. So yeah, that's well >> received. So, so, um, I, you know, I'll wait to hear your amendment, but I appreciate you bringing this. I think it's important and I think it's great that we're as a board looking forward
like this. I think we need to keep doing this with many facets of how we're addressing the school district and how we're moving forward and this is a great start. So, thank you. >> Thank you. I have um Mrs. Alv. Yes, thank you. So, I'm a little
perplexed about this item because if we didn't have a superintendent that was already addressing this, then absolutely I think Dr. Dr. Holness that we would bring something like this forward, but Dr. Heppern is already talking about
this. He's already addressing it. It was previous to superintendent for the last 12 years that haven't been addressing this, right? So, we know that our staffing and positions have gone like this. Our enrollment has gone like this
and and we never had a superintendent that was doing something about it. So, I think it's wrong to micromanage Dr. Heepard on this. I don't think it's right that we're dictating how many positions, why we're even talking about the number of positions. It it should be
financial financial. It should be a number, right? Because each position is not equal. So, vote no. Thank you, Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I just um trying to figure out how I could get to a point. So, I do
also like the idea that it's a number, not like a a money number as opposed to number of positions. But would you be open since you're looking at some amendments instead of saying reduces the total number of SBBC employees by at
least 1,000 to change it to say up to 1,000 because that way because when you say at least your direction is no less than a thousand. I mean, that's what it says. So, if we changed the wording a little bit and said up to a thousand, you he
knows what the goal is, but it it would be okay if it fell below that based on the information. >> Madam Chair, if you don't mind. So, actually, board member Hixon, you must be reading my mind. That's a part of my amendment in addition to another little
piece that I need to mention. Yep. >> All right. Um, Dr. Hoes. >> Um, thank you. So, um, board member Bulman, the June date is fine for me. Um, when is the board meeting in in June?
>> Thank you. >> If we're talking about the workshop, um, it would be June 16th. >> Okay. So, um, Dr. Heburn, June 16th is is okay. As far as an amendment to the date, >> I'm thinking of the run a show right
now. Um U Dr. Lozano know you the one your team is intimately involved with Career Source and uh what we're doing for our current employees. Just want to make sure that we're not um doing two things at once because I really want to put the right amount of care into addressing the
needs of our employees that are impacted with the downsizing. So does the June 16th work or do you need a July date? the June 16th for which specific >> for for bringing back the plan for um that we're going to work on for
downsizing over three years. I just want to make sure that what we're developing this plan is not going to interfere with what we're doing for our our current employees. >> I'd recommend sir the July 21st workshop only because that would get us past uh
to our next uh school fiscal year. >> Okay. >> I concur. >> Okay. So, Dr. Heburn. Um the plan that you're bringing to us in April um will include a possibility of reduction of a
thousand staff. Is that correct? >> Yeah. And that's for this upcoming year. >> This upcoming year. Okay. So, I am okay with the July 21st and um I'd like to make an amendment because I I certainly would like the superintendent to move forward in subsequent years up to three
years to to bring back a plan as to how we can sort of rightsize the staffing um and we can have an idea as a board what that looks like going forward. So, I'd like to in addition to amending the date to July 21st of my motion my item um to
also include up to 1,000 in the second and third year but no less than 500. Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Second. A motion made by Dr. Hol second by Miss Hixon. public comment on the motion. >> Uh my name is Trudy, Dr. Trudy Germanovich, and um I disagree with both issues. I believe you're you're doing the thousand already. That's in April.
Why can't the rest of the plan come back in May? I'm sorry, but I've watched this board, you, not the previous boards, put lots of things in the middle of summer when everybody's gone so that maybe
nobody will make any waves about it. I don't like it. You're the way you're doing it is you're not being you're not including the public. You're saying, "Oh, we got to do it for for the staff." Well, you are doing it for the staff. If
you're doing it right now, you're letting them know a plan is coming and the plan should come in May. Sorry. >> Can I have the exact motion repeated, please? The new amendment, >> Madam Chair. Okay. So, the new amendment
to the original item is that um a th00and for the first year and the second and third year up to a,000 but no less than 500. Okay. I think there should be a plan put in
place not wait till June to have this workshop. Um July. Oh, it was July. Wow. Okay. Well, I don't know how that got approved. >> I mean, you got to work a little bit quicker. People need to know if they have jobs. We've got two surrounding
counties that are financially fine. >> Um, I agree with Trudy. Lots of things have happened with this particular board. Even the new three that have been added, elected, and appointed. Um people
have been here multiple years, not just one, not just six months, maybe one person up there. Um and is continually to make some actionable conversations. So people need to know what's happening
and I do question about not just asking who got raises and promotions and bonuses of just the educators, multiple people and ask how the departments have grown. >> Thank you. Any other public comment on the motion? >> Four member comment. I have Miss Hixon.
>> Thank you. Just to be clear, the thousand that are being affected this year comes to us in April. >> That that is correct. And if I >> I think there's some confusion. >> Yeah. There and I was um going to clear that up. The for the upcoming school year on the April 14th workshop, we'll
be discussing that plan as well as the uh org chart changes that we'll make. um to bring a plan in May. Also, number one, we have tons of staff that are going to be impacted by the current plan that we're going to bring. Um and this
is the first time the district has um embarked on something this large to rightsize at at at that scale. Um I think probably ever. um and to bring a plan in May for subsequent two years with specific positions.
um that just doesn't bode well for a system uh where we're trying to maintain effective um support and whatever people departments that they service to tell
employee in May that hey in the next two years you may not be here or the next it's it's is it's not the um um cadence that we want to take. Um and so number one care for the employees that going to
be impacted for this year talk about this uh this additional part of the plan in um uh July so that we can have a good discussion and know how we're going to move forward um and you know uh people will be paying attention um because they
know about the discussion that could ultimately impact them in in the first place. So, >> Miss Thompson. >> Uh, thank you s uh Mr. Heum for clarifying. I do I I and appreciate Dr. Holes for you changing your motion
because I very much wanted to support the long-term plan to it. And I just want to clarify that the reason that we would move it is to be respectful to the staff to around a thousand people who are going to lose their job. And if you are if we have speakers who are
concerned about public opinions not being included, then we could move it to August where everyone is back. However, I trust the superintendent's judgment to do this in a respectful way to make sure that the people who are losing their jobs are taken care of in the best way
that we can and to rush that pro process is disrespectful. So, thank you for changing your motion, Dr. Honess. I'm excited to support it. And thank you, Dr. Halper for clarifying why it is best to be done that way. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Um I haven't gotten a chance to speak on the item yet. Um so I just I had a few things I wanted to to point out. Um to to your point, Dr. Pepper and saying specifically which positions like
two years from now we will eliminate. Um I I think is a little concerning to me because won't we need to like see the impact of the changes that we're going to be making to this org chart >> and and how the district, you know,
works that out and and so I I I Yeah. >> Yep. Correct. Um and you know we we've gone through the difficult task of closing schools and identifying schools and having a list. Uh so you know one of the the concerns of the board is always about teachers and students and the
level of uncertainty which leads to other things to have our employees have a high level of uncertainty which will definitely lead to all kind of other things that will impact operations of the district. I I I can't do that. >> Okay. Okay. I can't bring a um talk
about that plan prior uh in in May or anything like that. >> Thank you. Um real quick, uh the student advisor brought up um how we've had to increase mental health and safety and security positions um quite a bit in recent years. I would really like a
followup on that um with those specific numbers. Um because while I understand we are overstaffed, I think some of that doesn't take into account like state laws that have passed and the the security measures we put in as well as
the the necessary u mental health professionals that we've hired in order to deal with the unique mental health crisis our students are facing um in this generation. And then the the last piece I wanted to address, a comment was
made that we are that we've decided to outsource our SLPs. Now I remember maybe two or three years ago we had very big discussions um on our SLPs. We we you know decided to increase pay and things
like that. So I would like to know in order to to make sure that we're not that we're reducing the outsourcing of that service. So, I would like a followup on that. >> If I may, chair, I can give you that follow-up right now. We had a robust discussion um either last summer or last
spring about SLPs and the amount of money we're spending on that contract to contract out the services for SLPs. It was directed um by the board for the um ESC staff to create a three-year plan, which they created and submitted. Um and they have ever since been uh trying to
aggressively hire um SLPs that that work for us so we can lower the cost instead of contracting out. Uh so it is a difficult task because a um you know we we hire SLPs but a large number of them still work for contracted companies and
they're difficult to recruit and also retain. So it is a three-year plan and they've submitted it. we can resubmit that plan, but the the uh ESC team um is working diligently on um hiring um our own SLPs. >> Got it. No, you don't have to resubmit the plan. I I know that we had um some
pretty extensive discussions about it as a board. I was I was just interested in like what the results of that plan are, how those are fleshing out. Um but I'm glad we were able to correct the record for that. Thank you, Miss Rupert. Um
I have a a question. Uh it was before my time I think 2008 when the economy you know had a big bump. Um I distinctly remember hearing of layoffs um mass
layoffs at that time. So I think the conversation about um what were the parameters that they did that before, what were the effects of that happening um you know scaling down, scaling up, whatever it may be. But it
seems to me if we had that and we certainly have historical knowledge out here uh with people that have worked for us for a long time. Um Dr. Dr. Heperin, have you had a conversation with any of your um tenur
employees or chiefs that can give us any guidance at this point as to how it was done? Was it was it enough? Was it not enough? And were you aware that they did that? >> Um I know um I haven't had a conversation specifically uh with
anybody in BCPS about 2008, but um every every school district across the country and especially Florida pretty much leveraged the the same strategies. um that was changing um uh the number of courses you're teaching during the day. So, you didn't need as many teachers as
you as as you had during that era. Um it was cutting back specific types of services and it was also strategic um layoffs too. U but um I can find our our historians um here in BCPS that can uh probably shed some light on some specific
strategies that that were used back then. >> Right. That would be that would be really good. Um I I I can see one who doesn't want her head up but uh Dr. Wanza no Mark Dorset >> Mark uh Dr. Fulton Dr. Wanza I think uh
half of the people at the in front of me was was here during their time. Well, I I for one would certainly want to have a um a conversation about that because it's it's something that was part of our organization and how it was handled is
you know was it a best practice was it not um and I don't believe after that there were any other layout so there has been a long time but my point is there is historical knowledge to see how it went down and um what was what was
accomplished from is you know what were those be best best practices also um just kind of a side side thing here um I think when you when we talk about multi-year staffing alignment plan we really need to have the uh the number of
consultants on which who we employ and how many uh consultants do we have on the district what is their salary and what can we bring in um to this district so uh those I mean in in-house and and
not uh consultants. I think the two conversations can happen together because if we can cut the consultants and uh the money goes down then the number of uh staff should not have to be drastically done that way. Um and those
are two points I guess for me. So I'd appreciate a followup on both those. Thanks >> Miss Bowman. Thanks, Sher. Um, so as we continue to talk about this, I think we can see that this is going to be a complicated
situation and I don't want to um to detract by doing this um from the work that's being done right now to do to plan for next year. Um, and I appreciate you reducing the numbers. Um but I do I think you know what we're
looking at moving forward again is a model like a how you know a model where we can kind of stream up line up and down depending on what our enrollment is and what our needs are. So I think that's I think that would be the
best way to approach it because we don't you know has been pointed out by my colleagues we don't know what's what it's going to look like in year two and year three to really reflect it. you know, we could have more students, we could have less. Things could change. We don't really know what um what our budget's going to be. So,
that's what I would like to see. I mean, incorporating in what everyone else has said, but I think, you know, a model where we're not and we're also not scaring everyone that works here because having people >> create their own
um you know, create a plan that removes their own job doesn't seem to be a really attractive proposition for getting anyone to you know, to uh participate in the day-to-day working. So, um I I really support um a staffing
model, like really looking into that. I think that that would that's flexible and I think that that would be the best way to approach it instead of like a number or a budget number because we don't know what our budget's going to be. So then we can so that that so that
we can use it moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Alhadaf. So, I think that we shouldn't be tying the superintendent's hands. I think allow him to do his job. He is doing it. It's not like he's saying no.
He's doing the job. So, let him do the job. Don't dictate year 1, year two, year three. No. He needs that flexibility not to have his back against the wall to a plan that was set today on
March 10th, 2026. Things are going to change and you the health for this school district. We are at a boiling point. Water is boiling and it's boiling over and our staff needs to know that they have job security in year two, year
three. But it has to there has to be a natural cadence to it. And to put the superintendent with back against the wall to a staffing plan for from two three years from now, I think is wrong. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean.
>> Thank you. Um, you know, it's uh not uncommon for organizations to do multi-year budgeting. And I think just to be clear, uh, chair, could the superintendent in the year 2 discussion, uh, that happens, uh, later this summer, could the superintendent propose,
um, uh, positions in general terms rather than specific positions by position number? For example, could he say we think we can reduce uh this group of employees by 10% and we can reduce this group by 10% and things like that?
Would that fulfill the um um uh requirement that is in today's um proposed item from Dr. Holmes? >> I think that's up to Dr. Holes. >> Yes, that that would be perfectly fine with me. Um you know, the item is just
to present a plan of at least 500 students up to a thousand 500 staff up to a thousand. Um and it could be generalized. It doesn't have to be specific. Um, but it gives him direction and it gives us an idea uh where we will be the second and third year.
>> And Dr. Heepern, if I might uh ask you through the chair, do you believe that we're on a declining trend in employment uh for the next three years in Broward County Public Schools? >> Yes. >> Thank you. And uh to Miss Alad's point, which I'm very very sensitive about, I've been in a government job where
there were dramatic reductions in the DoD budget. And so we were all scared and we were scared for five years about reductions. One of the things we knew though is where the reductions were going to come and so to the people who are in positions for which there is a reduction and and I just hypothetically
said 10% Dr. Heepern so we had a number out there um you know that that the 90% of the people um who feel like they're doing a great job and performing at a high level will feel fine. The people who are not in a bucket where they're included which in this case is going to be teachers. Our teachers are determined
by the number of students we have. Uh they're not going to feel that. So there is some humanity in just letting people know kind of what the plan is so that they can make plans and I love that. You know, if you're in a if you're in a group um I know there's been some discussions about whole functions um
being centralized or being outsourced. Um it's good for people actually to know that, you know, that's under discussion. They can make individual decisions along the way that are good for them and uh and I respect that very much. Um chair, do I still have the floor? >> Yeah. >> May I call the question, please?
All in favor of calling the question say I. >> I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. >> All in favor of the motion say I. >> I. >> As amended >> as said the motion >> as amended. >> No. There you made a motion to amend the item. So we're voting on the motion to
amend the item. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All in favor of the motion say I. >> I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. >> No. >> Roll call. >> Roll call on the motion. School board members Bowman. Yes. >> Sea. >> Yes.
>> Hixon. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Leonardi. >> No. >> Rupert. >> No. >> Thompson. >> Yes. >> Zean. >> Yes. >> Aladev. >> No. >> Passes. 63.
>> Any other comment on the item as amended? All in favor of the item as amended say I. I. >> All oppose say no. >> No. >> Roll call. >> Roll call on the mo motion >> on the item.
>> I'm sorry. On the item uh school board members uh school board member Sea. >> Yes. >> Hixon. >> Yes. >> Holiness. >> Yes. >> Leardy. >> No. >> Rupert. >> No. >> Thompson. >> Zean. >> Yes. >> Aladv. >> No.
>> Bowman. >> Yes. 63 >> passes. >> All right. BB1 passes 63. Could I get a motion and a second on DD2? >> So move. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on DD2. >> Jackie Lasco.
>> Thank you. This was a special order item for 11:00 a.m. Um, in 2019, students and staff who are deaf and hard of hearing came to district leadership with a request. They felt unsafe because they couldn't hear emergency alarms or announcements such as if they were alone
in a restroom or classroom or with a deaf teacher and deaf students unaware that a lockdown or evacuation might be underway. They asked for visual emergency alerts so that they would have the same vital minutes to respond in an emergency as their peers. 7 years later,
that basic safety request still isn't fully resolved. The story of this project is not just about technology. It's about what happens when planning is unclear, oversight is inconsistent, and the voices of the end users are not fully included. I'm sorry, there's quite
a lot of disturbance up on the deis. Can we just stop the clock so folks might actually listen to me? I've waited three hours. Thank you. It's really disrespectful. >> Please continue with your comments. One of the most striking things in the report is that the very people who rely
on this system, deaf and heart of hearing students and staff were never interviewed. And yet, page 14 lists one of the audit objectives as being to quote ascertain whether the substance and intent of the epic installation is being achieved. The report itself
identifies stakeholders as the students and staff in the four program schools, the ESE department and it names me too as chair of ESSE advisory. None of those voices appear in this audit and the executive summary states under the heading of stakeholder engagement and
input not applicable. Of the four people who were interviewed, one was by their own admission irrelevant and disconnected to this project and another, the fire chief stated that he had not evaluated any of the DHH school sites that installed this system. It
also states that BCPS user and stakeholder groups were actively engaged in the project and it lists this under the headline of an assumption on page five rather than evaluating its veracity by speaking to those stakeholders. If the purpose of this audit was to look
back and learn some lessons for the future, then we've missed one right there. There are also important questions about how the project unfolded. The board was originally told the system would be the alertus mass notification system in a budget request December 2022. But what was ultimately
installed was an entirely different system and the audit does not explain how that shift occurred. It also indicates that there were critical issues such as how the system interacts with the fire alarms that were only discovered after the system had been purchased and was being installed. And
despite the reports confidence in ongoing support systems, teachers are still reporting outages and unresolved tickets today, including one that has been waiting more than a month. I'd like to draw attention to the two public comments submitted on the public comment portal from due to two deaf teachers to
feedback on that. I uh sent some questions to some board members on this yesterday. I hope you will answer um them. But I want to be clear, the system makes a real difference when it works properly and we certainly got more than we asked for. Also, there were individuals in the district who worked
hard to move it forward, including the project manager, Lim Moscow. But when it comes to student safety, learning the entirety of what went wrong with this project and not just some of it is going to be more constructive than not. Thank you. >> Thank you. Board member comment, Mr. Sea.
Thank you, chair. Um, Mr. Superintendent, I have some concerns uh that we just uh heard from the speaker specifically in regards to the stakeholders being a part of this and being interviewed. Um, what did that process entailed if any? And um, do we
know the specific uh, individuals who are part of that process? Um, >> that's a question for the chief, Mr. Magley. Good afternoon. Um earlier today, uh just as a point of reference, Mr. Harvey was here who conducted the audit, but he
left um earlier, uh based on the time certainty, uh thing relative to the stakeholders and who was who was engaged with him. I know he spoke with when he speaks to the stakeholders a number of the staff particularly in uh the safety
and security group and um also in IT. So relative to the community and the folks uh the users uh the people that gained the most from that I don't have direct detail on that interaction. This engagement centered primarily on installation and selection of the
equipment and it it tracked the uh the progress that the project's made for it not necessarily the performance of the units in the sense that way. Um certainly I think that that's a relevant thing going forward to include in anything that would be uh evaluated and
I'm not sure if groups uh particularly uh those groups I mentioned are monitoring performance and assessing the the effectiveness of that. This thing look uh this particular audit looked at things from design to procurement to installation to inspection.
>> Are you satisfied with the results outlined in this audit? based on the the scope that was conceived. Unfortunately, I can't say that I was involved in the scope of that review. I would think that to have a uh future
engagement of this nature, it would be critical to see that the selections particularly with systems we are using currently would be uh important to determining what the specifications and the things for the equipment moving forward and whether they were effective
would be crucial. Mr. I I know you're in this role in a in a newer capacity >> and congratulations by the way on the uh on the recent appointment. Um what was your office's involvement in uh all of
this? >> So the initial engagement was conceived um through our office prior to my arrival. Uh scope was allocated uh an external firm was engaged and they performed the audit. >> So you really had no involvement. You're just kind of reading this after the
fact. >> That would be accurate. >> Okay. Are there any additional or particular highle concerns that you have that you need to make this board aware of? >> No, I would say that to to the concern I I think people should be assessing and on a continual basis whether the system
is functioning as it was intended and effectively uh providing what it was suggested that it would provide. Uh so that I think is ongoing regardless uh audit or no audit. So I don't know if anyone else can answer those who
regulate that on a daily basis as to what measures are being done to do that but I think it's essential. So that I would lend specifically to how that system has been uh implemented and followed. >> Thank you. Thank you chair. >> Mr. Rupert.
>> Thank you. I have um some follow-up questions to ask so we can get it answered later. Um when it refers to the audit um there what I read through was that the the substance and intent of the epic
installation is being achieved or not that was left out of the consideration. So for scope, so for next time, um I would I would hope that that's in there because um it was part of the other contract. Um why was an evaluation of
the project's operational efficacy not part of this audit? >> I know it's unfair to ask you, Mr. >> No, it's not. I mean based on what I know and and again as I tried to explain and I understand that we want a full and robust understanding of how the system is working and affected. The scope of
this audit was to see if they were going to meet their budget time frame if they were going to have it installed in the timely fashion relative to the start of that school year and those things were achieved. Now we can look and reflect on whether the scope should have gone further or maybe based on the timing
been adjusted to include some of those those considerations. But based on what it started out to be, I think they achieved that. But I see that it, you know, it doesn't necessarily cover everything that might be essential to us moving forward as the district and being able to see whether that's effective.
>> Thank you. Um, and did did the um the audit include um how we wound up with the epic system instead of the second half of the alert? I'm not really sure on how that was
selected. It was noted that there were a number of different classifications in the procurement of these particular um pieces of technology, but I don't know the detail of how that particular item was selected. >> Okay. What what I would like to see moving forward is that there was a an
evaluation part of it and um how how was Epic picked instead of doing the second part of alertus and how is it procured purchased without being fully evaluated first. So um those are those are key key
decisions. Mr. Maggley. >> Yes ma'am. I wanted to lend it to the fact that like again I'm the procurement group was involved in this um in the selection of those things and the process that took place. I can't say that that did not occur. I just don't know the details of particularly how they assessed and selected that
particular item. >> Right. And and the reason I asked this is if I can remember correctly this odyssey for our our DHH oh my gosh I always say this wrong. Sorry. DHH
um students and faculty members um seven years ago. So that is a very long time to wait uh for safety and um confidence in being in a in a school boardowned
building uh for both staff and for students. So I think we can do a lot better than this. Um, I know that you weren't in that process over there, but it just to me it's it's important that we have the scope and everything clear right up point and
definitely at the very least know we need to talk to the end users, which would be the students and staff themselves. So, I think definitely lessons learned on this. Um, but I just want to say I'm very sorry for the DHH community. um we've let you down and um
we will do better. So, thank you, >> Mrs. Ala. >> When does the this contract end or expire? >> Dr. Heep, >> Mr. Mag, are you aware when the contract expires? >> I'm not aware of when it concludes.
>> I had to follow up with you on that one. >> Okay. Well, my reasoning is um because we we implemented this before we implemented the wearable panic button. So, my questions are I'd like to see an
analysis of the two because maybe this now is duplicative what we have now with the wearable panic button and the strobe lights and taking over the prethium boards. So, I'd like to see if that if if we can I don't know. Maybe there
needs to maybe it's a great system what we have now or maybe we can not do away with that system here and just go with what everybody is using with the wearable badge. >> Okay. Now, I understand your question, Miss Al thought you were talking about
the actual audit team that did the audit. Go ahead, Chief Gregory. >> Mike Gregory, chief safety and security officer. Uh so that feature of alerting in a panic situation is just one option of a list of features with the um audio enhancement product and that's one that
we've chosen not to activate and use because we do have strategics throughout the entire school. So the systems are built to work together and not compete. >> Right. But my question is when the alert system is over in the contract, do we need to still continue it? Do you mean
the uh the audio enhancement product? >> Yes. >> That is our current product moving forward to replace uh outdated and legacy uh intercom systems. >> So, okay. I just would like to have a better understanding of the the systems,
the two systems, if they're duplicative, and then when that if you're telling me that we need it for these schools, there's a reasoning behind it, then fine. But then maybe we don't need it and we can just use the Centics,
>> right? No. Well, currently the the audio enhancement solution that's being installed is a full-blown intercom system. It replaces the speakers uh throughout the school as well as it enhances the classroom experience for all students with speakers in class and the teacher instructor wearing a
microphone to help improve hearing for everyone not just uh the DHH community. So uh that is the product that we use now not just in the four DHH schools but in all the schools that we have that uh
need intercom replace uh intercom system replacements. That's the system that we put into those schools, not as a part of the alerting panic alerting system, but as a part of the overall general intercom/speaker um PA system in the school.
>> So, are those schools currently now do they have the wearable panic button? >> Yes, they do. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other board member comment on item DD2? All in favor of DD2 say I. All oppose
say no. Item passes unanimously. We will now recess this school board meeting for 30 minutes. Lou, baby. Hey, I blue. All right.
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reconvened. Could I get a motion and a second on DD5? >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on DD5. >> Any public comment on DD5? >> No comments. >> Miss uh Miss Rupert is
not here. Does anyone else want to speak to DD5? Miss Rupert can approach the deis, please. You ready? Okay, I did ask this ahead of time and I'm sure that uh I got the answer, but I have not been on my computer. Um, so my
question was, did Charles Drew ever reconcile their cash exception? That was my question. >> Dr. Folton, >> Mr. Maggley. >> Um, one moment.
>> Sorry. >> Excuse me. Uh, I'm going to have Nikia Goldburn, who is the director over that section. >> Thank you. >> Hello. Hi. Um, that would be a corrective action that staff would have to resolve. we're not they would have to answer as to whether or not they've put
in um you know done their corrective action with regard to the cash. >> Oh, so what we could do is follow up. So if it is a corrective action uh typically the regional offices will be the ones that will follow up to ensure whatever
was written in there is um done to fidelity >> and then when they do the additional audit it is our expectation that it will not be another audit exception. >> Okay. Um, I only I only asked it because normally it it says um you know that
there was a a recommendation and then they followed it or they followed up with it. So I I just missed that part. So um I appreciate if you got me a follow-up. >> Absolutely. Thank you. Any other board discussion on DD5? All in favor of DD5 say I. >> I. All post say no. Item passes
unanimously. Could I get a motion a second on FF1? Moved by Dr. Zean. Second by Miss Roupert. Public comment on FF1. >> No comment. >> Board member comment. Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. As I'd like to do every month, just want to say thank you to the grants department. This month we have a
total of $1,472,650 that are included in this item. So, thank you so much to everyone for all the hard work that goes into bringing this money to our district. >> Miss Rupert, thank you. Um, and on the same vein, uh, I want to thank you, uh,
the Seinal Coconut Creek Education Foundation for the grant for Lions Creek Middle Students to have face-to-face one-on-one counseling. So, thank you. Any other board member comment on FF1. >> All in favor of FF1 say I. >> I. All post say no. Item passes
unanimously. Could I get a motion, a second on FF2? >> Second. >> Moved by Miss Hixon, second by Dr. Zean. Public comment on FF2. One registered speaker, Alan Bumbberg. >> I don't see him in the audience.
>> Board member comment. Miss Rupert. >> Any other board member comment on FF2? All in favor of FF2 say I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Um, could I get a motion, a second on GG1? >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss
Rupert. Public comment on GG1. >> No comment. >> Board member comment. Miss Hixon. >> Just a quick question. Miss Jacques Adams, are these items GG1, 2, and three, are they all for you for the contracts for the cadre councils that
you we were discussing before? >> One of three are >> Okay. Um and it is the Grey Robinson. >> Okay. So what is the what is GG1 is that for a specific
>> So um all of them are primarily for labor and employment. >> Mhm. Um that's the that's the area of expertise um that um our office does not have and to a minor extent they may do
some contracts as well specifically related to labor and employment and or other matters related to labor and employment but the primary uh firm that is handling uh the contracts as as we discussed is Grey Robinson.
>> Okay. But they are all for cadre. Yes. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Glad to see it come forward. >> Any other comment on GG1? >> Madam Chair, >> Dr. Hoes. >> Okay, Mr. Jack Adams, these positions are are not additional positions, right?
These are positions that are um open positions that you need. So specifically, these are cadre attorneys that we uh normally hire to handle matters that are outside of our
expertise or um outside of our capacity. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other board member comment on GG1? All in favor of GG1 say I. >> I. >> All post say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion to second on GG2?
Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Ruper. Public comment on GG2. >> No comments. >> More member comment. All in favor of GG2 say I. >> I. >> All post say no. Item passes unanimously. Can I get a motion a second on GG3?
>> Moved by Dr. Zean. Second by Miss Rouper. Public comment on GG3. >> No com. No comment. >> Four member comment. All in favor of GG3 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. A motion and a second on JJ18.
Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on JJ18. >> No comment. >> Board member comment. Dr. Zean. >> Thank you, Chair. Uh, every once in a while, uh, in reviewing, uh, the agenda item, there's this thing that just kind of jumps out at me and
says, is this really consistent with where we're at, uh, as a district? And this one jumped out big time. Uh, this is an item to spend $840,000 this year on three scoreboards. And uh I was a tremendous beneficiary in
high school of having, you know, great fields and great coaches and scoreboards and things like that. And so I have tremendous value in in these items in general. I don't think this is the right thing to do this year. This is almost a million dollars. It's something that we can uh push off uh while we're getting
through this fiscal crisis and and do it in a year or two from now uh as we need more. Second issue that I have is I don't think scoreboards are the current technology that we need anymore. Uh you know you go to a a very small division three college and they have monitors. uh
many of the monitors even rolling monitors so that you can roll them from the football field to the girls soccer game to the debate club to carline and they're um wonderful technology and I think in 2026 we want to get away from kind of traditional scoreboards and move
to monitors u you know just as fast as we can. Um so for those two reasons I won't support this today. Um, I just want to make sure that the community understands that while I love athletics and I love our athletes and I love what we're doing, um, I'd rather push this off for a year or two until our uh,
finances stabilize. >> Any further board member comments on JJ18? U, board member Bulman. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, to to Dr. Zean's point, I guess um, that would be for Mr.
Dorset. Um, are there alternatives that were looked into to traditional scoreboards? >> Mark Dors said, task assigned chief operating officer. Uh, no, we didn't uh
look into any different type of schoolboard. We wanted to stay with the type of traditional school board. We did meet with the athletics department and this would be considered the the standard now for high school uh
scoreboard for football fields. So that's why this is the only option we have at this point. But if it's the will of the board, we can take it back and look at another option. >> Yeah, because I I definitely support um enhancing our football fields. I think
uh yes, I actually think it attracts students when you go out. I think with the, you know, putting in the new turf and everything, it really makes everything look fantastic. And then to have the new scoreboards, I think will um just further enhance the look of what
kind of what is expected in a high school football field. But I um I wouldn't be opposed to exploring a different option if that I what's the timeline that we would have to um
like what to to have these up and running for football season for next >> well. Uh I think two of them are you know we we we replaced the fields and um the scoreboards weren't weren't working. But I just want to to let the the the
board know that this is we're using capital funds for this. This is not a general fund u obligation here. So so um we do we we uh we're using capital funds for this. But again, we can go back and
look at the possibility if the board um uh like for us to look at a different model to use going forward. But this is the this is what people are using. Oh, this here has a question too over here. >> Um through the chair, if I'm correct, I
believe that we actually decided that all of our schools were going to get scoreboards, our high schools, if I'm correct. >> And that we did make this decision while we were in a financial crisis if I'm correct as well. >> Yeah. The only question I'm having I'm
asking is whether there's um technology that ex if we're purchasing um scoreboards and there's something that Dr. Zean was mentioning that there's some better technology that we should be looking at and we're in a uh you know
we're looking at something that's more traditional where we could be using something more flexible. That's the only question I have. I support getting the scoreboards. I just was if this is the best. >> Well, I don't I don't know if it's better technology. It's different
technology. Uh it it it um I I think the better technology is the traditional schoolboard. It's a video board is what we're looking at. So, it's it's it's it's different technology than the the mobile u um uh monitor that Dr. Zean
speaks of. >> Okay. I support them, you know. Miss Hixon, >> thank you. And to Jir's point, I think we we already agreed to put scoreboards in. This is just asking for additional correct funding based on you going out
and getting the actual like what it cost to put it in. We we already voted and agreed that we were going to put scoreboards in. Is that correct? >> Yes, that is correct. Uh the board did agree uh to fund a school board at the
amount of $600,000 a piece uh per year for the next couple of years. Uh the money that we're using for that are the the smaller scoreboards, the baseball, the softball scoreboards, the the the ones and the basketballs. So smaller
ones like these, the scoreboard that we're referring to here, they're the football score schoolboards. of caution. It has to require wind load calculations. It's a different uh process than than the uh smaller
scoreboard for like the gym or or or baseball softball field. >> And would this scoreboard be similar to what they have at PMPO Beach High School? >> Yes. Very similar to to the PMPO Beach model. >> All right. Thank you. Any other board
member discussion on this item? >> All in favor of JJ18 say I. I. >> All oppose say no. >> No. >> Um item passes with one dissenting vote from Dr. Zean. I get a motion and a second on MM1. >> So moved.
>> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on MM1. >> No comment. >> Board member comment. Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I just want to say very glad to see that we're getting money from a lease. Um it's 106 a little over
$106,000 per year. So, I just would ask the superintendent, what are we doing to get more um more items like this to the board? >> More to come as we start moving um staff around. We'll learn more about that in
in the um next workshop about staff placement and freeing up space so we can actually leave space. This this uh is an uh this isn't a new opportunity. Um this has been an ongoing um u partnership um with Broward County Public Schools and
in Toyota and also um some other various um automotive groups as well. >> Excellent. And I to to the point not just leasing but so very happy to see it's in a seatase or or a workforce program and I know we have an item
coming up to to expand those as well. So I any way that we can continue to get certification and workforce education for our students, for adult students, um, and and be able to get
money from the partners through that. I think we should be doing as many of these as possible. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. I just had a question about leasing the what happens to the income and does it go to the district or
does it stay in the school especially as we go not only this contract but we move to lease some of our closed school spaces where is that money going to go >> it goes to the general fund
even though this is a it wouldn't be >> No we don't allocate money like that it's it's a bucket of money far as FFP it just go to the come in general for facility rental. >> So my understanding when I've asked this before is that it's not general fund.
It's >> no. So selling is capital leasing. >> Leasing is operating. >> Okay. >> Any other board member comment on this item? >> All in favor of MM1 say I.
>> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion, a second on O1? >> Moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Uh, public comment on O1. >> No comment. >> Board member comment. I have Mr. Ca.
>> Thank you, chair. Just want to uh echo what's been said by this board before about how valuable uh educational and what a just overall great experience the um Rally to Tally program is. Um, for those of us who were fortunate to take
part in it uh earlier this year, myself included, I I think the kids had a really really good time, um, I think that uh was able to open doors for them that they otherwise may not be able to u have walked through. Uh, our legislators
uh were very gracious with their time. They accepted a lot of meetings. They were engaging with the kids. They answered questions. There were capital tours. It was just an overall great experience. We were also fortunate enough to get a tour and a speech at the Florida Supreme Court which I know a lot
of the a lot of the kids really really enjoyed. So I'm a huge fan of this program. Uh I think it provides sort of firsthand view about how our legislative process works in our form of government here in the great state of Florida. And uh I'm hoping that we continue this
program for uh for years to come so the kids get the uh the benefit of these tours and these trips. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thank you, Chair. Chair, um, is this, um, when what time of the year does this rally for tally for new Flidians happen?
When do the our scholars go up to Tallahassee? >> Dr. Hburn, >> Mr. Sullivan. >> Uh, yes. And then Miss Sadala will jump in because she'll give the exact timing. Um, and I just want to um for Mr. Sea, uh, the trip you're talking about is separate apart from this. Um, this is
outside of of that uh, capital day. So I'll let Saladella talk about rally Italy. >> Begin mic please. >> Oh, I think it's on now. There we go. Good afternoon everyone. Vicki Sadala, director bilingual Esau. So normally we try to take this field trip with our
students sometime in December. This year we had a couple of little uh delays. So, we already have some tentative dates set for May to make sure that we get them on this trip this school year. >> Terrific. And chair, um, I love this program. I love making a big deal about
these students. I love extending it uh beyond uh the senior year. What I don't appreciate is kind of the the statement in the item that says if we don't do this, we're going to jeopardize continued Title 3 and immigrant support funding. Isn't it quite possible that if
we didn't do this extension of the close-up thing, we could spend Title Three money on other things for other for for these scholars? >> Correct. So, we write this activity into the grant, and if we don't approve it, then we would have to go through the whole process of amending the grant and removing the activity, which as you said
is so valuable for our students. So, we would just have to uh do an amendment and repurpose those dollars for something else. >> Terrific. Again, I'm I'm I'm there's this continued like problem that I have with uh mandates. >> You know, this is a school board with
statutory authorities, including like approving things like this. And when a mandate comes, we don't have any authority. It's either do this or the funding goes away or do this or that. So, is it possible uh chair that for part of the grant application process that permissions of the board could
happen before the grant was submitted? Um, I would be a little concerned about uh I mean I I hear your point. I would be a little concerned about the board getting involved in operations, but um I'll defer to Miss Jack Adams or Dr. Heburn
on that >> um through the chair. I I believe that would be infringing because there are deadlines that are associated with applications and if it was necessary to go to the board to apply um staff may miss the deadline.
>> Thanks chair. Uh I I withdraw my concern but at some point um maybe we need to mark these items you know school board not relevant. Okay. Because what happens is that we apply for funds. They're either going to be used for that or not. and then you
come to the board and ask for approval. It doesn't feel like like we're relevant in in that process. And I'm fine with this. This program actually is a world-class program, but um I I don't uh I don't appreciate the process that just
kind of sidelines us and it it's great to apply for grants and it's great to do things like this, but either we have the authority to approve this or we don't. And it just feels like we don't in this case. Thanks, chair. >> Any other board member comment? All in favor of O1 say I.
>> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Motion and a second on O3. >> So moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on O3. >> President Anna Fusco. I currently do not see her in the audience.
She's not here. No other comments. >> No comments. >> Okay. Um, board member comment. I have Miss Bulman. >> Thank you, chair. Um, I just wanted to say thank you for this item to Miss Johnson
and to everybody that worked on this. I think this is a great example of problem solving, thinking outside the box to find solutions to some of the issues that we're having right now. And um
and so I am happy that we will be having these other options to save money and to provide better benefits to our employees. So I I really just can't thank you enough for um putting this together, both of you. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I also wanted to um say thank you for bringing this forward. It's it's a great way to not only save money, but to give better services to our to our staff. But I have a question. It'll seem
off kilter maybe here, but I had to find a place where we were talking about spend authority. So, I have asked this question many many times about spend authority and it it always frustrates me. So, I'm going to ask the superintendent if it's something that we
can change because I had a long conversation with Dr. Wansza about this when we were talking about her item. So, we do spend authority because someone thinks that it's going
to cost, let's say, a million dollar and then they find out that it only costs $800,000 and so $200,000 gets tied up in spend authority that's not available to other people. So, and then if they use a
million.2, they have to come come back to us anyway. So why do we continue to do spend authority? Can we and I I believe it's not in policy, it's just in practice that we've been doing. Can we do budget authority, which was Dr. W's
term, I don't know where it came from, but where they're giving us exactly what they think they're going to spend. That's what we approve. And if they have to spend more than that, they come back to us so that we are not tying up unnecessary money
and contracts based on what might be needed. Superintendent Dr. Heburn. >> Yes. So yes, we can do that. Um I I'm I'm hearing it's not so much about the nomenclature, more so about the action is what I'm hear actually hearing. You
call it spend authority, budget authority. You're asking us to be as precise and accurate as possible about what we expect to spend, >> right? Because what we hear oftent times is, "Well, we're asking for the spend authority, but we might not use it all."
Well, that that's great, but whatever you're not using, we've put aside because we've said this is what we're going to allow you to spend on it, and then it doesn't allow us to spend in other places. So, if we called it a budget authority and then if they had to
spend over that, they're going to have to come back to us regardless and then they would come and ask for more budgeted. >> Yep. We we can we can change the nomenclature. But as far as the um the actionable things that we're doing,
we're as we do our agenda prep and going over these items, we are sending things back for folks to uh go over historic to show data that shows historical spend or to um um give details about the items they're going to spend the money on so they can actually give a more precise
and accurate number so we don't have to have these type of conversations for things that we've been using for over a certain amount of time. >> Right. Then there's there was a new contract that was going to come to us and when someone complained about what the cost was, they said, "Well, we might not use it all." Well, then that's not
what should have been brought to us. So, my we can my colleagues can weigh in. But if it's budgeted authority, that's exactly what you think. I mean, you know, close to what you think it is. And if you have to spend more than that, you're going to come back and ask for
more budget authority, not just spend authority. >> I don't know if my doctors do. >> Go ahead, doc. My bad. Doing your job now. >> Are you the chair now, too, super? I love it. That's awesome. Thank you, chair. I wasn't going to talk until she
addressed me. Um, I just want to be clear about the mechanics of the budgeting, though. um a item comes, they're buying computers, they're 250 bucks a piece, they think they're going to buy 10,000 of them. They do the math, they say that's it, but we're going to
go 10% over that just in case, you know, with breakage is the wrong rate or something like that, right? Um my understanding is spend authority is actually not what's reserved in the budget. So, superintendent, when we come and ask for what we think we're going to
spend plus 10% in spend authority, what is what is actually what's the mechanics of of of the hold that's put on the obligation? You know, when you think about funds being set aside for something? Is it what the estimate is or is it the spend authority that's actually set aside?
So right now we're working based off of what the actual spend authority is is because we're trying to get people to actually calculate and be as precise and accurate as possible. Sure. Right. And if we need more, we come back to the board. No, no longer about asking for this exorbitant amount. >> No. And then
>> that never should have happened. I'm I'm comfortable with that. >> What I'm not comfortable with is coming back if it's, you know, um, you know, some reasonable amount above and beyond it, which I thought was what spend authority gave you. It's it said, you know, we think it's 10,000 and the breakage is going to be 3%. Oh, the
breakage was 4 and a half%. We need a few more to serve our students. I don't think the board needs to be tied up on these things. It's why we've been trying to give you authority, which it turns out we didn't really do. And and this ties back to spend authority. We said we gave the superintendent $100,000 of spend authority on construction items, right?
>> But then it comes to find out if we didn't already approve the spend authority, he can't even do the $100,000. So, our agenda just gets bigger and bigger and bigger and our meetings get longer to do things that are, you know, uh the code went from white plates to red plates, which cost extra $4 per outlet, but there's like
900 outlets in a school. So, now it's less than 100,000, but it's above spend authority. And that could take two months to get to the board. And then we yell at Mark and his friends for not getting stuff done, but we don't provide the efficiency to get things done. So, I just want to make sure that if we're
going to be accurate about it, that we also make sure that we give the superintendent latitude to spend a little bit more money, including breaking the spend authority if we have to in order to actually do things to get things done, which is what we want. We really want those white plates to be red
plates that goes with code, but you know, $3,600 ought not to come to the board. Like, that's just a normal, you know, cost of doing business, a mistake. So, I I like the idea, Miss Hixon, of of being as accurate as possible, but I also like giving the superintendent and
staff kind of the ability when there are things that happen out of their control to do it. So, it's almost like there's a an estimate and then there's like, yeah, but we're not sure about the 3% breakage. It might be four and a half. If it is four and a half, we need an extra half a million dollars for all the
laptops in the district. I wonder if we could do both of those things. Mr. Superintendent, >> it sounds like the latter is the uh the will of the board. If you want to add a certain percent um of overage over the spend authority, um that gives us the leeway to continue to get the work done
to purchase what's what's necessary without coming back to the board with for such a small amount for an ass. >> And is your CFO comfortable with having both kind of an expected amount and a and a spend a budget authority that is slightly higher than the than the precise estimate? We're okay to move in
that direction. I guess the the question from my for myself to the board is is the board okay with that? >> I I just feel like we we demand speed, right? We want agility and speed and and you know going from 3% break to four and a half. I'd like to give you the authority, >> you know, to to move within that kind of
decision space. Um, and so I would prefer to have like an estimate, but then a, you know, a budget estimate and then a spend authority that is just, you know, within a management control allows you to do it. Um, because I I I don't know how you operate an organization
without some kind of latitude on on very specific things. If it's a contract for services and you're going to pay an auditor 60,000 to do an audit, that's it. It's 60 grand. Do not exceed that amount. That's easy. If we're buying laptops or we're buying some construction material and we're priced
something and then the price goes up 3%, uh, you wait two months to get back to the board, a month to put together the item, a month to get an agenda, and then we yell at you about not getting stuff done. So, I want to I want to make sure that we're being reasonable about things um so that we can meet the expectations
the community has for speed. >> Missen, were you done with your comments? >> Yeah. Well, I they could put that as part of the budget authority where here's what the total is, here's what would be in ex, you know, 4% or whatever
you're and put it in the budget authority, but not have this. You're talking about minimal amounts of money. You're not talking about $500,000. I want that to come back to us. I don't want to give 500,000 over the what they
need and then they have that spend authority. So I just want to rein it in and not they have to come back when they exceed what it is regardless. So love it. >> Yeah, I think we're talking the same. >> Um Miss Rupert,
>> my question was answered. Thank you. >> Miss Thompson, >> I'm good. Thank you. Uh, Miss Fusco, would you like to approach the mic? >> Three minutes. >> Sorry, asked twice in the restroom. Anna Fusco teachers union president. Um, I
appreciate the dialogue and conversation about spending authority. I think when there's any type of budget, there should be some guidelines and rationale of who and how um the superintendent can spend, but you have to give them some leeway to be able to make some operational
decisions and um good decision-m on your part of what that dollar amount is. The community appreciates it. I know um the employees of Brower County Public Schools appreciate hearing that kind of conversation. I want to get back to the situation about um which is O3 the
medicine and insurance piece um since it's on topic about spending authority and giving authority and talking and asking for um what we're doing in our insurance and how we spend it. I know that you guys have total control the
school board of how we use our insurance. You can call Etna and dictate every piece of information. You get to even call Etna and ask exactly who's using what. I hope you don't do that,
but I know you can because you're the owner of the insurance. 100%. Making that clear. We all know that. And the nine of you have the authority to make sure that you want your employees taken care
of. You've already set the tone. You're going to be losing definitely up to a thousand employees this year, possibly up to a,000, no less than 500 within the next two years. So, anywhere from a,000 to 3,000 employees to make it
more enrichment and better for the employees that you have. You even said we're going to release 3,000 up to 3,000 employees, but we still want to be able to make it where people want to come work here. I mean, it's kind of hard to say, let me go to an organization that is getting rid of employees, but here
nor there. But one piece that you guys made sure over the years, some of you that have been sitting here longer than most, but a lot of you are in your second term, okay, that come work for Broward County Public Schools because of
great schools and great benefits. And one of the biggest pieces to have employees come to Broward County Public Schools is the insurance benefits for everybody. And to keep people healthy and happy, they have to have the means
to be able to get to use their insurance. So I told you you have a a a effort for me Broward Teachers Union to work diligently with the Office of Benefits and Dildra and Row to figure out to move forward on getting insurance
better and the understanding of what we have and how to how of what payments are and so forth. But I'm asking somebody to make some motion up there and someone second it to bring back the meds and then let's go forward and have great strong conversations on making our
insurance keeping our insurance amazing. >> Thank you. Any other board member discussion on O3 which is health insurance cost reduction implementation services. Miss Hixon,
>> just based based on the public um comments, can can Miss Johnson maybe explain what this item is? Like what what are we paying the consultant $120,000 to do because it's I don't know if it's
particularly clear what our end goal. We know what our end goal is, but I don't know based on the contract if that's something everybody would understand. >> Dr. Heer, >> go ahead. Mr. Johnson, >> do you chair? Um, this is to hire
consultants to do a RFI or RFP to carve our service under Etna current plan. It does not change our plan, but it lowers the cost. So one of the carve out items is looking at claim fee optimizations
for our claims because our claim costs are too high. Looking at weight loss drug cost optimization that means to bring the drug weight loss drugs back and lower the cost on those drugs and to look at pharmaceuticals across the board and to lower those costs on
pharmaceutical drugs. >> Thank you. So this is we are hiring a consultant to bring back all of those items to us and once they bring that back we would be able to move forward with the things that you just listed
based on the vote from the board. >> That is correct. >> Thank you. >> Any other board member comment? All in favor of O3 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion a second on O4? So move
>> second >> moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on O4. >> No ma'am. >> Board member comment. Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I just want to say this is um very a great item. Glad to see it. And
how do we move this? How do we accelerate it? This is for Atlantic Tech. How do we get more of these apprenticeship programs at Sheridan, at McFatterder? Are we planning on using some of our um unused school spaces to
enhance this? What is kind of the plan to accelerate what's happening in this great item? >> Tumor. Um yes we are um based on our last workshop when we brought the technical
colleges to the board to talk about our um our plan for the future. It's all about expansion and acceleration. So we're we're looking for opportunities wherever we can to expand and to um build these um programs because uh they they are amazing and they um provide a
tremendous service to the community. >> Yeah. And you the reason I ask is because we hear a lot. I don't know if other board members do, but when I go in the community, they they're like, "It'd be great if you had apprenticeship programs." I'm like, "But we do, and they're amazing. We have lots of them."
So, I I just want to acceler accentuate this for the public to know we do have many apprenticeship programs and that it's something that we are moving forward to to increasing. So, thank you. >> Yes. Any other board member discussion
on O4? All in favor of O4 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. >> Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion to second on O5? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on O5.
>> No comment. >> Board member comment. Miss Hixon. Thank you. It's like the Hixon show today. Um I just have a a quick question. Very excited about this. I know there's a lot of schools who do participate in the dual enrollment with Emory Riddle um
middle and high school. So my question is does this contract and include the new program that's happening at Coral Springs High School? Are they part of this agreement? >> Hi there, Lai Formosa, career technical adult and community education director. Yes, Coral Springs High School is a part
of that Embry Riddle program. We have 12 high schools and 13 middle schools participating. >> Excellent. Thank you so much, Miss Rupert. >> Thank you for that. Um, it's a wonderful program. Um, but I wanted to take a
little side trip. Um, I wanted to ask the superintendent uh about Space Florida. So, I I keep asking and I know you're working on it and I want to give you the opportunity. So, um, Broward will be the first district to do this. So, um,
>> Miss Formosa. >> Yes. So, we just signed anou with Space Florida. So, we are in the process of regionalizing the program. So, we're going to be taking a look at two central area, north area, and south south area schools that offer industry certifications that are aligned to Space
Florida so that we can do a full roll out and marketing plan starting this year for next school year. >> Awesome. Very good to hear. Thank you. >> Any other board member discussion on O5? All in favor of O5 say I. I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes
unanimously. Could I get a motion a second on O6? >> So move. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Uh public comment on O6. >> No, ma'am. >> Board member comment, Mr. Severa. >> May be passed. >> Miss Rupert.
>> Yep. Thank you. Um what data is determining which school playground time to fix it and the order of service for this? Miss Washensky. >> Good afternoon. Alison Washinsky, director of environmental health and
safety. Um, so we're working through inspections of all of the playgrounds and as we uh identify issues or items that need work orders or vendor support, we are we are working through that to get the estimates and everything. So,
we're we're moving as fast as we can. >> Thank you. Um, and I is it part of the FCA or uh No, >> not at this point. >> Okay. And um are we primarily talking elementary school, right? >> Oh, yes.
>> Yeah. Um and um I would like to see um some sort of determination or a time at least to see when are we going to have them all reviewed, when is that process happening? because uh I know in my district there's many that we can't
use just like everybody else's district. So um this has been a an issue not only for um mental health benefit but physical benefit for our students. So I appreciate your work. >> Thank you. And we we hope to uh move that forward and be able to provide you
with a better schedule with with something that is will be coming to the board in the next couple months. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. Thank you, chair. Um, first I want to say thank you for including playground shades because
I think as we are progressing in this world, it's very important that we're have some sun protection. Um, and then I wanted I had two questions. one because we are consolidating Sunshine into
Fairway. I would like to make a motion to move Fairway Elementary up to um this year so that the kids going into the new school will have a brand new playground.
>> Second public comment on the motion. Brower, teacher Jingan president. I'm in favor of any school getting a proper playground and having a new playground. You should throw in uh Bthun that hasn't had a playground in 15 years. These kids
play in dirt. If you don't know that, I don't know how that's still acceptable. But I appreciate um uh schoolboard member Thompson of wanting to, you know, make it more presentable, encouraging, enticing for our community to know that
we understand a school's closing. We want to get them into another school. And if we can highlight things that we're doing to build up our schools, even though that we're closing schools, it should give us an opportunity to be able to take care of the ones that we
have and um help them grow. So, I hope that everybody's in favor of what it would take to be able to get that situation over at um uh Fairway uh to get it done. So, um, please vote in favor of that and also have some
conversations if you can add into it any other schools that don't have shade or don't have playgrounds because it's only going to get hotter here in South Florida. >> Thank you. >> Any other public comment on the motion? Board member comment on the motion. Mrs. Alada,
>> does the motion does it add to the list or does it just bump someone that's on the list off the list? Mark doors said chief operating officer task assigned. So right now fairway is in the design
phase. It was supposed to be done in 2026. We're still working on schools on 2025. So that is in the design phase and we're hoping to get the plans out of design and into permitting uh relatively soon. So that one is in the works right
now. So then is this motion necessary? >> Yes, >> I would say yes because I would like it done >> when these kids come. >> So is that are you saying because it's
impermitting that's not possible for the kids who had their school closed and have to go to a new school >> to have it by August 2026. that that might be an aggressive schedule to get it done before the beginning of the school year because again it's going through permitting
right now. Um I I I believe Allison, you can correct me if I'm wrong. Uh after permitting it's going to be about 6 months for construction. Um so um it may not be ready before the start of school, but they the the kids will be able to
play on it during the school year. So by September. >> Um Allison, >> I would like a firmer date on this because we are closing a school. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Any other board member comment on the
motion? >> They didn't answer. >> Yep. Go ahead, Miss Wachensky. Um, so I will have to probably give you a board followup on the exact schedule um, and get the information from the vendor
who's been selected for that specific playground, but it is on the schedule as part of the DEFP um, to be installed in 26. Okay. And then I had another question surrounding because there was board consensus to move forward with some
changes at Glades to make it into a K through8. When would be the appropriate time to include that playground into the DFP or is that coming back at a later date? >> Okay. Uh Mark Dorset again, chief
operating officer, task assigned. Uh right now is the if if if it's the will of the board, it would be a perfect time because we're going through our DEFP process right now. So, if that is going to be considered uh uh a priority uh for
the uh the new K8 at at Glades Middle, this would be the time to request the funding for that. >> So, since we've had previous discussions where that process will take one to two years, where do you think that would fit into this schedule?
>> I I don't think that that would be one I don't think it'll be two years. uh probably maybe a year out um uh for the uh construction of just the playground at that at that uh facility. Now the other portion would be to >> Yeah, I'm including the other portion
cuz I don't want to change a plan like I don't want to do it next year and then the school is not even going to be ready for two years. So I'm asking for your recommendation of where that would fit into this. >> Okay. So So I would say two years out. >> So 27.
>> Yes. So I would like to make a motion to add Glades to >> No, the current motion on the floor. We still have to vote on your first motion. >> I have another motion after that. >> Are you done with your comments >> with fairway? Yeah. >> Okay. >> It would be >> any other board member comments on the
motion for fairway. Um I guess I I had some questions about like the feasibility of doing that. You know, I I hear you, Mr. Dorset, that you you think that might be a bit aggressive. Um, it seem Hel help help me
understand because it seems kind of wild that it would take six months to build a playground. Um, so help me understand why it takes so long. >> And that's the uh the timing that we're we're getting from the vendors based on all of the things that they have to do
with the soil sampling and so forth and so on. That's just their timeline uh timeline for construction for for a playground. And I want to just clarify the everything to be done in 2028, not 2027. 2027 is next year, so 2028 for
everything at Glades. >> Okay. Um, in your professional experience, does is the the time that it's taking to build these playgrounds uh comparable in like the county, and the cities? Is that
generally how long it takes? Well, our our process uh we do have a more um defined process, if you will. It may take us a little bit longer than it would a city uh because of our procedures and the requirements and
everything that we have to go through. So it it I don't know the timeline for a a project to be done in the city, a playground to be done in the city, but um with uh going through the architectural review, the drawings and
everything, submitting for permits and so forth, uh uh and getting everything, it it it'll be about a six months process for construction. >> Got it. Is there a way to speed that process up without compromising like the safety and integrity of the project?
Well, again, what we would pro we would have to do and and I'll get what Allison and the vendor that that's going to construct the the playground and we'll have that discussion to see if there's a way we can do it with um um a help from
the building department to make sure that we don't violate any any requirements that we need. So, it's going to have to be some conversations we have with the building department and and the playground vendor and so forth. >> Um, I guess to the maker of the motion,
I I want to support the motion. I also don't want to put unrealistic expectations on staff. And so, I'm wondering like if we pass this motion and then they don't make it happen, what happens?
I'm annoyed, but I know I mean if it's because of permitting. >> I mean, you can't speed up per but I would like a commitment that you will do everything absolutely possible so that the kids who lost their home and their school will have a new playground.
>> We will definitely investigate that. Um I I don't want to make a commitment just yet. I I I need to talk to to the powers the the uh appropriate uh people before I make that commitment because if I if I make that commitment I want to be able
to to stand by that. So I want to make sure that I get all the information that I need. >> Mrs. Alhad. >> Yeah. So when we talk about timing and I hear this very frequently that it's in the building department. It's in the
building department. So my question Dr. Hein are we analyzing the what is happening in the building department whether it's appropriately going through the work or there's delays or is there a reason but
to really pick that apart in the building department because it just seems like every time I ask a question it's in the building department. >> Yeah. So um you know when they when they design these projects there is time
embedded in the in the timeline for back and forth. When you the design plan goes to the the the building department for permitting. They they are going they may send it back several times until the design is up to uh um um specs for current requirements. So there's always
time built in for that because there's going to be back and forth. So it's it's not that the building department is holding it up. and they're ensuring that it meets all requirements um for for the county and for the school district. >> Okay, let me say this in a different way. Is there a way that we can look
into the efficiencies of the building department that could possibly speed up the building department to make it more efficient so that the outcomes that things are faster? Whether it's they need to be more technology than paper driven, maybe they need more staff, I
don't know. But I think this board would like to know what that answer is, how it could be more efficient. >> It's the latter. They need more staff. So, that's part of uh some of our plans as as far as when we rev up our capital program that you guys uh will review uh after we come back from spring break.
That's part of um accelerating some of the work. And so, we do use an outside um support uh uh contracted support to assist the building department for many of the um uh reviews that they have to do. But for internal, it's about we we
need to rev up the amount of staff that we have. Is the building department still paper driven or are we pivot to electronic? >> Um, I think they are pivoting but a large amount is still paper. Go ahead, Mr. Dorsa. >> Yes, we are pivoting. We we're just uh
in the process of of acquiring licensing for the new software for the the permitting process uh to be uh um um implemented. So, we're really really close to doing that right now. >> Okay. Do we know, Dr. and how uh quickly
we'll see that process. >> Um we can follow up. I I don't know off the top of my head, but we can follow up. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other board member comment on the motion? All in favor of the motion say I. >> All oppose say no. Item uh motion passes
unanimously. Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. And then so if I'm understanding correctly, FY28 would be the right place to put Glades. >> Yeah. Uh if we're talking about the construction, >> just the playground, >> the playground, the playground, we can
accelerate that. That would be done before 28, >> but the construction that that we discussed, it would not be done until 28. >> But so what So my train of thought here is I don't want to prioritize a playground at a school that won't be used for those ages until it's ready.
>> Correct. >> So like when would you suggest that it gets added in so that we can be in compliance with Florida building regulations, which I can't remember what they're called right now. Um, so after everything's ready to open,
when should the playground be? >> It it can it can be done simultaneously once we get everything uh in place. Um, you know, that can be done simultaneously with the construction of the the the renovation of the building. So, it can happen all at the same time.
>> So, that would be FY28. >> 28. Correct. >> Okay. So I would make like to make a motion to add glades to the list for FY28. Um that way when it becomes a K through8
it is in compliance with whatever the requirement thing is called. Thank you. >> Second public comment on the motion >> board member comment on the motion. Miss Hixon, >> I have a question. Did we actually vote
as a board to move Glades to a K8 or is that coming back to us? I don't remember. >> I believe we we made that direction in a workshop. I can't remember if we >> Go ahead, Dr. Wza. >> Thank you, Dr. He.
So, um we haven't done the formal process like we did in redefining where we did like um this past um school year and last school year, but as a part of the conversation when um and I forget the actual item number that it was voted down um this
school year to actually expand the elementarymentaries to K8s and uh do something with the boundary for new Renaissance and Glades. The conversation at that time was to um come back in a year which we would do in this process
and actually um it would the Mrs. Thompson talked about how working through her community uh there was more of a um desire for Glades to become the K8 realizing that um we would then have to you know do something with a couple
of the elementary schools. So that's what's going to be a part of you're going to see um in the May 20 I think it's May 12th board workshop when we start the planning and talking about next school year is where we will get that final direction from the board on that but but the board did have
conversation. the board um expressed its respect for the work done by Miss Thompson in her in her district and that being the direction um for staff to look to go as we bring proposals for the upcoming school year.
>> Okay. Thank you. So based on that information, I just I don't think it makes sense to add a playground to a school that's not an elementary school yet. So, I would prefer to wait to do that till there's a formal vote because
we know lots of things change in between and once there is a final vote about it becoming an elementary school then we can go and and add it on there. I just don't think it makes sense to do it right now because it's it's not an elementary school, it is a middle
school. So, thank you. Any other board discussion? All in favor of the motion say I. I. All oppose say no. No. >> Uh motion passes with one dissenting vote. Miss Hixon. >> Um we're back to the item. Miss
Thompson. >> I yield the floor. >> Mr. Rivera. >> Nothing for me. Thank you, Miss Rupert, for covering my areas of inquiry. >> All right. Anyone else on O6? All in favor of O6 say I.
>> All oppose say no. Item passes unanim or as amended. Uh item passes unanimously as amended. Um could I get a motion or a second on O1? Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on O1. >> No comment.
>> Four member comment. Um uh as I mentioned last week, uh Dr. Hepern and I visited Rickard's Middle School and something that we heard from the staff pretty overwhelmingly was the need for more um portable space, modular space. that I'm wondering um if we are
uh accounting for that in this item. Dr. Heburn, >> go ahead, Mr. Dorsep. >> Yeah. Uh yes, we are accounting for that. We're looking to uh add uh like we suggested a a um a classroom and a group
restroom were the two items that uh and this this this uh item would um support that. >> Got it. And would the classroom be what would the classroom be for? Like an actual class or other uses? Well,
>> the um community wanted just an open classroom in the event something happened. They wanted someplace to congregate or whatever. So, we were just going to uh put a classroom, a a building the size of a classroom there.
and the the um the uh staff can decide how they want to utilize that space, but they did mention something about uh during the PE time when it rains, they have no place to go and those kind of things. They wanted the the the building
uh almost the size of the band room that we were in. So, that's what we were looking at. >> Got it. Um so, hopefully if this item passes, we will be able to deliver on those asks. Yes, I will be working with Sonia Coley um um staff to to get that
on the way to see if we can go ahead and do that and get that for the school. >> Got it. Another issue that was flagged for me when I was there was that the school counselors don't have any confidential space to meet with students one-on-one and deliver counseling and things like that. Um so I'm wondering if
that's something that we can contemplate as well. >> We can definitely look at that during during the process. >> Got it. Okay. Um, any other board comment on O11? Dr. Zeman, thanks >> chair. Um, for piggybacks, you know,
it's wonderful. It's very quick. Um, uh, it's a award already competed in another district. How many piggybacks did we look at before we selected the one uh that we used in this particular item? And I'm sorry I missed it, but I think it's from Swany County. Yeah.
>> Uh, how many piggy bags do we look at uh to find the best one for Broward County for this particular product? >> The reason why we went with this piggyback was because it was twofold. This is actually the company that we're renting the portables for for for
Parkland um um Markham and uh the ones at at Rickards right now. The same company that uh that's using that's that that has the rental on these units. We're using the same company. We wanted to
stay uh within the use of that that that agreement to to to utilize this one. That's why we're doing this one. >> Terrific. And I'm curious though specifically about my question. I understand you want to use a vendor and that's uh you know that I can understand there's some strong reasons for it. How
many piggyback contracts did you look at that that vendor has when you considered using the one from Swany County? Let me um I will refer that question to Sonia to see if she uh contacted any vendors. >> Good afternoon. Sonia Kohley, executive
director, Office of Capital Programs. We actually did not look at uh any other companies. We were again extending the original um since we had mobile modular out there and we had an original uh piggy back with Swany, we decided to go
with the and extend it with them. >> So, we did not look at any others. >> Terrific. Um in general, uh I understand pbacks. I It bothers me because we're not competing it. We're not saying we want something and we get things, but it's fast. And if there's a piggyback
out there that's really good and maybe someone bid it several years ago and the prices haven't been able to inflate for for uh because the contract they they had, uh we can actually save money sometimes for doing piggyback. But if we piggyback after looking at one contract, there's no understanding that this
contract is better than any of the dozens of other contracts that we've had. So, um I I'll keep asking about this, but I hope, Mr. superintendent that we uh Mrs. Superintendent this time miss superintendent uh whether Dr. superintendent, whether or not um you
know, we think a little bit about this in our procurement space. We've got to justify other people's money all the time, you know, uh we all do it with our personal finances. It seems to me like we ought to do it with other people's money, which is make sure we get the best deal on a piggyback. So, in the future, uh I will not be able to support items that come before this board that
don't have no piggyback competition. We ought to look around and find the best deal we have for the county. Thank you. >> Any other board member comment? All in favor of O11 say I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Can I get a motion or a
second on O2? >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Thompson. Public comment on O2. >> One registered speaker. President Anna Fusco. >> Okay, I got them mixed up. This is the one I should have talked on, but I guess I was feeding the seed. By the way, Anna
Fis teaching your president for our health insurance and keeping our employees in good um healthy conditions. Um you know, we're you've talked about plans of um letting go, thousand
teachers this year, up to a thousand next year, and up to a thousand the following year. There's lots of components with uh situations happening, closing of schools, people moving around. a lot of people under severe stress, high anxiety, pressure, all kinds of things. And then let's tie into
some other type of health ailments, however they get them. Um, being out in the community, sometimes from in our schools, you know, illnesses arise and it's very important that we make sure that we, you know, that they stay healthy. And we've all said it, the the
health plan that we have is amazing. If people do get some type of unfortunate illness or even worst case scenario an illness and so forth, we have the best possible um places to go and doctors to see to get the treatment. But you talked
about that our CFO talked about when changing of monies and so forth that the plan doesn't change. But I have to stand people corrected. When you take things away as medicines, that's part of the plan. And then when you take medicines
away while people already enrolled in October, not knowing that things were going to be taken away, they were counting on certain meds. Again, I don't care what type of med it is. I don't care if it's a medicine that helps heal a paper cut quickly because
teachers endure thousands of paper cuts a day amongst our 12,600 teachers. I'm trying to make a point. You're not doctors. I'm not a doctor. I don't need to be on a medicine to understand why people might need a medicine. But I could tell you one thing that I've
learned through this process by medicines being taken away because you guys decided it. I've learned so much and got to meet so many different people out there and their rationale why they take the med and why they need the med. It doesn't matter if it's the weight
loss med, the anxiety med, the um thyroid med. I heard there's another one for osteoporosis. Whatever it is, it helps inflam inflam inflammation that keeps them healthy so they're not getting out of stress level that could cause other things of high blood pressure, hypertension, heart
conditions, and I don't care what anybody says. Three S's cause cancer, and stress is the biggest one besides sugar and salt. I'm making it clear to you guys that people are beating down my text messages, phone numbers, um,
emails, Instagram, Facebook, whoever they can reach out to me, you know, meeting me in on in on in schools, meeting me in in in the community, meeting me in stores, saying we need all of our meds back. So, I'm asking you guys to make this motion to bring back meds and let's work to getting other
cost effective with our health insurance. >> Thank you. Any other public comment? >> No comments. >> Board member comment, Mr. Sever. >> Thank you, chair. Um I I've got a question on this proposal that's in front uh of the board this morning or this afternoon,
excuse me. The um agreement between the school board and Etna has uh already been um uh finalized and put into proper form. If I'm not mistaken, this is now asking us to
vote on a proposed amendment to an exhibit D which is entitled pharmacy service and fee schedule to the master services agreement. Um my question chair uh or perhaps to the deputy superintendent is if this board does not
vote to approve this amendment for the pharmacy service and fee schedule to the master service agreement what happens to the viability of the master service agreement that is currently in place between Etna and this district. >> Uh Dr. Fulton although that may have
refer to the interim general counsel >> miss Jack Adams >> so from I don't understand is there a can you repeat the question >> sure so we have a mass I I believe let me use the proper terminology here we
have a master services agreement with Etna there are exhibits to that agreement correct Okay. Before this board, it's asking us to approve the amendment first. It's entitled first amendment to agreement specifically to
exhibit D of the main contract and exhibit D to the main contract is entitled pharmacy service and fee schedule to the master service agreement. You with me? >> Yes.
>> Okay. So, if this board, hypothetically speaking, excuse me, if this board votes uh against the amendment to this exhibit D, what's in front of it today, what happens to the overall agreement? Is it
still a viable agreement or is it wholly dependent on this amendment to exhibit D? So I'm going to answer um generically but if you want fact specific what will happen then um staff will need to answer. So whenever you have a contract
and you are seeking to amend it and you do not amend it then whatever that proposed amendment um is does not happen. Now it's not a straightforward
matter. So it all depends upon the underlying facts of what you're trying to amend. So in terms of the specifics of this particular agreement, what would happen if the amendment to this agreement did not move did not move forward would be a question that staff
would have to answer. >> Miss Jack Adams, I'd very much like to know the answer to that. So if we can, Deputy Superintendent staff, I would greatly appreciate it. >> Miss Johnson, do you want Dr. Ogbone? Okay. Thank you.
>> Good afternoon, Dr. Dildra Marchin Oburn, director of benefits and employment services for the district. So, Mr. Sea. In answer to your question, hypothetically, if the board decides not to vote this item up, then the current
exhibit D, well, the current exhibit D would remain in place and the pharmacy um fee schedule would not be changed and also the
drug that is referenced in the um contract. would remain in place. >> So, just for the I guess the the benefit of of people who
maybe don't read contracts every day, there's currently an exhibit D in place that's part of the master contract. Correct. >> That is correct. And we are now being asked collectively as a board to amend that version of exhibit D and replace it
with the version that is in the um in the agenda package today. Correct. >> That is correct. >> Okay. So the version that is in front of us today if hypothetically speaking is rejected the contract would still remain in place but the original version of
exhibit D would also remain in place. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. >> Oh, >> I'm good. >> You're good, Miss Hixon. Thank you. I I just have a couple of
questions for staff. So, can you tell us how many employees are impacted by this change and what would be the cost savings to the district if we were um to vote this item up?
>> Dr. board >> through the chair. Approximately 2 2216 employees um are impacted and the net savings uh is approximately $12 million. >> Thank you. So, and we have a total of
25,000 employees. Is that correct? >> Approximately benefit eligible employees. Yes. >> And how many people take advantage of our insurance? I would say approximately 23,000.
>> Okay. So this is about 10%. >> Yes, >> approximately. Thank you. >> Close. Yes. >> Any other board member comment on this item? All in favor of O2 say I.
>> All oppose say no. No. >> Uh item passes with two dissenting votes from Miss Rupert and Mr. Seivera. >> Could I get a motion in a second on O14? >> Second. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss
Rouper. Public comment on O14. >> No comment. >> Uh board member comment, Miss Bulman. >> Sorry. Yes. Um I I had a >> Could we have decorum in the audience, please? >> Go ahead, Miss Bulman.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Sorry, I was just looking for my note on this. Um okay, so my my question I think uh Miss Hixon kind of addressed this earlier. Um, and so it's just about the
I guess I'm I'm I guess I'd like to know what the mechanics of this are because it's asking for an amount that goes through June 2027. Right now, we have budgeted from February to June 2026, but then it's
asking for more. So, how does that how does that work? Can we can we approve spending that isn't in the budget yet? >> I'm conf I'm just confused about the way it's put together. >> Mr. Dorset.
>> Yeah, the the amount we were requesting was for the five months uh for now. I I think that was the original amount uh to carry us through the end of the year and then we would have to come back u after the fifth month.
So the so the ask would really be for 192 930 not for >> that puts you at about 6 >> yes >> 12 >> 613 the the way that it's written on the executive summary.
>> Yeah. The the >> Oh m to revise. Hold on. >> I can't hear you. >> Yeah. the the the amount uh uh for for the the the from February to June would be 1929 uh 930.
So on the executive summary because I'm looking at the memo to revise but it still has it on there. It's still asking for $420 420,70 for July 2026 to June 2027. So that
should that be >> removed until we come back? >> If I understand it correctly, um the way that we have revised the executive summaries is to do the budget for each school fiscal year >> for the one year. >> So from now up until June 30th completes
this fiscal year of school year 26. So that's the 192,930. And then uh when we go into fiscal school year 27, which is July 1 until June 30th of 2027, that's the $420,70
that we're asking for because we're we're no longer crossing fiscal year. So there was a contract that we had for three years. It was asked to break it up every year. So you can see what the ask is because we only fund the budget every year, >> right? So, I guess the question is if we
haven't budgeted, we don't have a budget yet. We haven't budgeted it. Is this something that we can do here? Um, >> so we're basically approving not only for the rest of this fiscal year, but we're approving for next fiscal year. Is
that I mean, are we doing is this normally what we're doing? So yes, to your question and but we're trying to make it a little bit more transparent to break it down by each fiscal year so you can see what the actual hit to the for this one here is the general fund would be every school
year instead of looking at it as overall. >> So right now >> and for the record I approve of making sure that the air quality is good in our school. So I'm not objecting to the use I was just I was trying to read it properly. Yes. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Any other board comment on O14?
All in favor of O14 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion in a second on O7? >> So moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean. Second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on O7. >> No comment.
>> War member comment. Mr. Sea. >> Thank you chair. Um appreciate the opportunity to speak on this. Um I I'd like a little bit of of clarification. Um, first and foremost, the uh amount of money that we continue
to spend um on school buses, while certainly I I I understand the need, uh we want to keep our kids safe, we want to keep them comfortable, but as we face the declining enrollment numbers that we continue to face, it seems like our bus
um maintenance and aotment fees continue to increase. I remember not too uh distant uh in the past we were facing a request for like $80 million and in buses that I was like vehemently
against. I I'm now looking at this asking for uh almost $6 million uh for vehicle maintenance. Um, I'm wondering if I can hear from staff, um, the necessity for this at
this point, uh, and just confirmation that in fact this is not like some type of upgrade or new purchase. This is to keep our fleet operational and safe. >> So, all of the above, but I'm going to have Dr. Wansa go into a little bit detail, but if you also notice in the
executive summary, we did a lot of background homework. So to make sure that we were doing our due diligence to ensure the amount that we're asking for, it was actually an accurate amount to make sure that our tires were being rotated and changed properly and also vehicle maintenance could stay on the
regular track. So Dr. Wes, if you can add to that, please. >> Sure. Thank you, Dr. Fulton. So um doc Mr. Sea, thank you for the question. Um Valerie Wanza, chief strategy and innovation officer. So, the the ask before the board today, just so that we're clear, and this goes back to Miss Hixon's comment earlier, this isn't an
ask for additional funding. This isn't this is an ask to um spend the money that is in the already allocated budget for transportation and fleet services. And I also want to u make sure that um
to your point, Mr. Sea, not only the board, but the public is aware this is for more than just school buses. This is for the driver's ed vehicles. This is for um our service vehicles that PO uses to go out and um repair schools, you
know. So, it it it's the yellow fleet, which is the buses that everyone knows, coupled with what we affectionately call the white fleet. So, um and and this is for more than tires. This is parts, tires, and it's really to keep those vehicles maintained. It is not asking
for any new bells and whistles, if you will, but it's to ensure the safety of the vehicles that we have on the road each and every day. >> Thank you for that. >> Thank you, Chair, >> Miss Hixon. Thank you. And this just kind of goes to my point about budgeted
authority versus spend authority. So, we already gave them the the ability to put that money aside, but now they have to come back to us to ask if they can spend it. If we've put it aside for budget, they should be able to spend it. That's
really why I think it makes more sense to this is your budget. If you spend beyond what we've agreed as your budget, then you have to come back to us to ask us for more money. But we do this whole spend authority thing and then they have to come back and ask us can they spend the
money we said that they could spend. So in terms of Dr. um Zean talking about wasting time and stuff that that's some of the other pieces of spend authority that that just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. So thank you. Any other
board member discussion on O7? >> All in favor of O7 say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Could I get a motion and a second on R1? >> So move. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on RR1.
>> No comment >> for member comment. Miss Bulman. >> I'll start in the back of the list. Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. Just a second, please. I think I would like staff's opinion on the resolution language and how we can
make sure people understand that there won't be a repeat of what happened with the last resolution last referendum >> through the chair. >> Yep. >> All right. So, uh, the referend the this
resolution is basic the most important part of the resolution is the ballot language. That's what the voters are going to see and that's what we sent over to the county to direct them to place it on the on the ballot. After this vote, the board will workshop the intended allocation and then they will
will vote on that in a later board meeting to formalize the intended allocation. in that vote, it'll be a lot easier for the board to restrict the supplement uh payments. The challenge with the ballot language is you only have 75 words. Uh we did try to make it
a little um tighter than last time around. Instead of saying staff, I believe we have um teachers, uh school-based, and support staff. I think >> Miss Rupert.
>> Um, yes, I look forward to that that conversation, Mr. Sullivan. Um, I had tried to bring a B item, but it just was too busy to pull together in the last two weeks. So, but I was working on it. Um, and I look forward to uh making sure
that it is uh more stringent and definitely leaves no room for for wiggling. So, thanks Dr. Hornes. >> Madame Chair, I had the same concern, so I'm good. Thank you.
>> Mr. Cera is not here right now. Miss Bulman, are you ready to speak to it or do you want me to? >> Dr. Zean, >> thank you so much, Chair. I'm ready to talk to this item. This is um a life or death situation for us to be
honest with you. The funding that comes through this referendum is what keeps our uh educators kind of reasonably well compensated. Not compensated what they deserve, not compensated what we'd like to give them, but but reasonably well compensated. And
chair, right now, I think we have a limit, an upper limit to um our instructional staff of $12,000 per year. Is that correct what we use this referendum money for? >> I believe so, but I'll defer to you, Dr. Heburn. That is correct.
>> Thank you. And it's been my pleasure to kind of spend the last few years talking to people in the community and I'll tell you what I've learned loud and clear like over and over again, which is Broward County supports increasing educator pay.
And so I've drafted a motion that would change the wording uh slightly to make it very very clear to the public that what they're voting on will increase educator pay. And I think that um the workshop we still have to do on the
allocation of the 100% will be a great and rich conversation. Um but I'm kind of focused right now on getting 50% plus one vote. And the best way to do that is to give the people what they want and to make it crystal clear um what we're
going to spend this money on. Um so if I could uh chair, I'm just going to move right into a motion. I'd like to um make a motion to replace the current language and item RR1 for what goes on the referendum. After conversations with Mr.
Sullivan and Dr. Hepburn, uh they invited a rewrite and so I've rewritten it. And what my motion will do would be replace that language with the following language uh label uh for the title funding educator pay school safety and mental health services and related
expenditures through a 1m property tax levy and then the body uh making some changes. The changes include to recruit and retain teachers and essential educators improve school safety and enhance mental health services. Shall the school board continue to levy a 1
mil advalorum property tax from January 27th to December 2030 to fund additional pay for teachers and essential educators, fund school safety personnel, and fund mental health services for public and charter schools. Um because
I'm a student of my colleagues, I've printed one of these things out so that we can read it. Uh um and I will thank doc Dr. Hill for printing it out for me. Thank you, Dr. Hill. Um but um my my point in rewriting this and again this is after talking to Dr. Hepper and Mr.
Sullivan was to make this language crystal clear to the voters that this this one mill that we're asking them to sustain is primarily going to be spent on teachers and that's what we did last time. We spent um let me just ask the
superintendent. Mr. Superintendent we had an obligation to spend at least 75% of the previous referendum money on teachers. What percentage of it roughly did we spend on teachers over the past four years? >> 75% per year. >> At least 75, right? I'm I'm not sure.
Exact. Ma'am, do you do you have another number that's better than 75 or is that about right? >> That's super. So So we did that >> based on charts. >> The only thing I would say that it wasn't just to teachers, it was se at least 75 towards compensation which included a multitude of
>> I'm I'm with you. But here's my rub. The people want teachers and educators to get this money. They've been crystal clear about that. That means they're going to vote if we put that as the lead item. And so when we lead with safety and security, which is essential, mental
health, so essential, and then say uh educator salaries third, we're diffusing kind of the message. And I don't want to do that at this time. these funds, $375 million to to the school district, only 300 stays with us because we have to give 20% uh to the public charter
schools, but $300 million is a makeorb breakak amount of money. We've got to write this in a way uh that ensures the maximum chance of of pay. And so this is my draft. Make it better if it's possible to do that. But my motion chair
is to replace the current language for the ballot with this mallet uh this language that's in the second half which I've already read. Thank you. >> Second. Um Miss Jack Adams, before we go to public comment on the motion, I >> I wanted to ensure that our outside
counsel Bob Gang had a chance to review this. Uh this language is critical the way that it is phrased. Um, and so I just want to ensure that any rewrite of it is approved by our outside
council. >> So is that possible today? >> I can reach out to him, but I did not know that there was going to be a change to this language. Uh, is he aware of the change to this language? >> Not that I'm aware of. I found out about
this as you did. >> Okay. So, I'm I'm not objecting to any changes. I just want to make that clear. I just want to ensure that our outside council who has specialized knowledge in handling these types of things had a chance to legally review this because he
reviewed the prior version. >> Just real quick, is there public comment on the motion >> or member comment? Mr. Sea, >> Miss Jack Adams, I'm I'm I'm I'm wondering is this I I I'm I'm looking at it. I'm going to I'm going to study it a little bit harder and I've made some
highlights, but um I kind of like what I see. My only concern is we can't vote on something and then outside council comes back and says, "Oh, no, it's it's, you know, it's missing a word or it's missing a comma or something. Who knows?" And then we've now wasted what and we've got to come back at another
meeting. Uh, I guess my first question is number one, can we get an answer in the next Well, unfortunately, this is like the last agenda item that we're doing. >> It's not, but >> it's not. Okay. Can we get an answer by the by the end of the day? >> Yeah. >> If I may, >> Mr. Sullivan.
>> Yep. He's pretty responsive to us. So, uh, once we finalize the language, uh, we're emailing him now. He's pretty responsive. We'll give him a call. So, I think it's it's doable. I, you know, not an attorney, so I'll, you know, put that disclaimer. I counted the words, so
we're definitely within the word count. Um, and it has all the terminology from the first one. We would run it by him, but I don't see any glaring challenges. But there
there is an impact to I believe there would be an impact of how you worded it as it relates to essential educators which is fine. It's uh if the board wants to do that but I don't believe you like the transportation workers the food workers
the facility workers >> clericals but which obviously that's the prerogative of the board. I just wanted to point that out. I I I guess is it is it worth having this conversation now when we don't know the answer from outside counsel because
I mean we're going to spend time on this now and if he doesn't get back to us today I don't I don't see how we can vote on something that's not approved by outside counsel. So I'm almost um >> Do you want to call the question? >> Well no I'm almost wondering is it is it better to just can we pass this item and see if we can get a response if we've
got two other agenda items to do. >> You mean table >> or table? Um, >> can we table it? >> Do I need to make a motion to table it? >> If I may. Um, before we table it, can we at least get the finality from the board on the proposed language? That way we can
>> so we can converse with them. >> Suggestion is to um amend it with the language that you want and then table it. >> Okay. I I have no opinion one way or another on Dr. Zean's language. I'm I'm reading it and I it it reads fine. Again, I'm not suggesting that it's
going to pass, you know, constitutional muster or whatever our lawyers are looking at, but uh I'm satisfied with the with the words as they're imputed on this piece of paper. >> Miss Hixon, >> thank you. Um I I like the change. I
think funding educator pay to start off with 100% gives a whole different connotation than funding school safety. Although I know we it's all important. I think it's important you start off that. I just have to Mr. Sullivan's point a
couple of suggestions. So, um to recruit and retain teachers and essential employees because educators is >> like um teachers assistants, you know, teacher aids, things of that nature, but doesn't include the bus
drivers and the all of those people who I believe we also would like to include. So I would say essential employees not educators. And then where it says to fund additional pay for teachers and instead of essential ed educators, I
would suggest and staff that directly impact students because that's what I think are I don't know how many words we are here so I may have added too many but I think the whole point of what we've said over and over is that the
money should only go to people who directly impact students and I think that needs to be written. written in the in the um ballot wording. So, I don't know if I'm off there or not, but >> are you making a substitute motion?
>> Well, or unless I don't know, friendly amendment. I don't I guess we're not allowed to do that. So, substitute motion to change the wording in the first sentence to essential employees and then the second um to fund additional pay for teachers and staff
that directly impact students. I didn't count the words. >> If if I may, um Mrs. Sullivan, correct me if I'm wrong, maximum of 75 words, correct? >> Uh yes, >> what we're at. >> And Dr. Zean just informed me that this
his is at 63 words. So, just an FYI. There's plenty. It's because it really just adding three words to it. >> I have you on the list. >> So, >> thank you. >> That was my intent. So, if you don't mind, I could um make that uh amendment.
>> Yeah, that's fine. >> Which three words did you want to add? >> So, well, I want to get rid of essential educators where it says additional pay for teachers and instead of essential educators, say staff that directly impact students.
or it could say essential staff if you want. >> What's that? >> I'd rather be really specific with the voters. Um essential is so vague. I think it I like your original language. If you don't mind, I would make that change. >> Right. And then the other one. So, >> could you just read it back to me one more time? Staff.
>> So, additional pay for teachers and staff that directly impact students, fund school safety personnel, so forth. And then the other suggestion was instead of essential educators, essential employees
because food service, bus drivers, those aren't educators. >> And I intended it not to be for them. >> So part of this is to be honest with our voters, >> but I >> I'm not done. Just let me finish because there's a real intent behind this. I just need to explain it.
Um, our county has been loud and clear about wanting people in schools uh to get additional pay. Um, if in fact we do this, the amount that's available for those people that are the
direct beneficiaries of the referendum would be significantly higher than it is right now. So, we collect $300 million. you know, you're in the 15 to $20,000 15 to $18,000 per employee range. Not 12,000 max all the way down to 500 for
the newbies, but 15 to 18,000 per every employee that touches students, works in schools, the ones that you describe, the teachers and staff that directly impact students. So that's 13,000 teachers um and other people working largely in schools that directly impact the
students would get significantly more money than we give them right now. That frees up the opportunity for the administration and the school board to work to find efficiencies to pay the bus drivers and to pay people that are not turn correct. But now our pool of people that we're working on are the same pool
of people that need to help us find efficiencies out of the system. So it's the business lines. And so the intent is with this wording to give the people what they really really want, which is to reward the people that are working on our school sites. But it doesn't exclude anyone else from getting a pay rate. It
just means we have to find efficiencies or increases in property tax values or increases in money from the uh required local effort or from the state or through grants to in order to pay uh the business line folks as opposed to those that go to work every day in a school site.
So, let me just ask superintendent. Um, right now, do the bus drivers, the cafeteria workers, do all of them get money from the se from the referendum? >> Yes, that's correct. >> Right. So, my concern is they do directly impact students. If we don't
get them to school, if we don't feed them, they I think we're going to have a hard time getting this passed if you don't include those people. And >> and we should have that debate. Uh, so I think I'll leave my uh motion as is and
uh I I'm I'm not hard over that mine version is even better than yours. It's just one that reflects what the voters have told us that they care about and it maximizes a chance of winning the referendum. And so I'm going to propose that to the board. I think that as an amendment, you ought to propose yours as
well. And we should have a good and honest debate about that. >> Awesome. So, I'll make a an a motion um to make the wording to say to recruit and retain teachers and essential employees, improve school safety, and enhance mental health services. Shall
the school board of Broward County continue to levy a 1 mil adorum property tax from January 1st, 2027 through December 31st, 2030 to fund additional pay for teachers and staff that directly
impact students, fund school safety personnel, comma, and fund mental health services, comma, for public and charter schools. Substitute motion made by Miss Hixing, seconded by Miss Rupert. Public comment on the substitute motion.
>> Okay. Anna Fusco, teaching and president. Essential employees is too broad. That's how we got into this mess. Sorry, Debbie. I love you, but let's be real. It's only going to get passed because I I did the working out in the
streets knocking on doors for teachers. I agree. There's tons of employees and support staff that need to reap the benefits of the referendum. And I think that that piece can be worked out, but once you put that word essential, now
that can mean anybody. It can mean them sitting here. They're essential. You guys create the narrative to make them essential every minute. You didn't care about the 10% about the medicines. All of a sudden, you want to care about other employees. I'm at a loss right now. Totally at a loss. So I
think that it it shouldn't pass with this amendment and go back to teachers and as an Annifus teachers you can say forever the support staff that works with the students and that I think would would win and generate besides teachers.
>> Thank you. Any other public comment on the motion or member comment on the motion? Miss Hixon. So, I just want to point out that I did say in the in there that it was staff that directly impacts students. That's in the wording. It's
just in the bottom part of the sentence. So, I'm fine if there's a different way to say that. But if you say essential educators, when you say staff that directly impact students, it doesn't include the other people that I believe we want to
include. Thank you. Yeah. So the the only change so the change is to say to recruit and retain teachers and essential employees. And then the other change is to say >> to fund additional pay for teachers and
instead of saying essential educators say staff that directly impact students. I think that somewhere has to be in here to get to where we want to be about this money should only go to people who directly impact students. And maybe it
says up there retain teachers and staff that directly impact students and instead of essential employees. If that if we have enough wording to do that, I'm happy to to change it to that. >> If I may, >> Mr. Sullivan.
>> Um I think if you add that second part to the first part, we're going to be over the words. And I think the important part of what we're actually going to use the funds, the wording where it says to fund uh everything after that is the important part of who's actually going to get those funds.
Uh we just also speak to Mr. Gang and he's standing by to approve the new language. >> Mrs. Alhadaf. >> Uh yes. So I don't agree with the motion. staff that directly impacts students. I mean, how do you define that? I think everybody is directly
impacting students. >> So, I think it's too broad. >> If I miss Mr. Okay, maybe and I'm not an English major, okay? But um I'm I'm taking a hard look at this and and now perhaps
I've confused myself, which incidentally wouldn't be the first time, >> but the way I read this, if we break this this paragraph in half, right, the first part of the paragraph is talking about recruiting and retaining teachers,
essential employees, improving school safety, and enhancing mental health. It's kind of giving like a foreshadowing of what we're trying to do. >> The the problem is or not the problem, but the reality is the way this is written is the only thing that the money
is being spent on are the items that occur after the words to fund. Right? So thank you. So a as this is written now it's talking about what our intention are about recruit. We want to recruit.
We want to get essential people. We want to improve this. That's great that we want to do those things, but the way this is written, the only thing that the money can be used is to fund additional pay for teachers and if we were to accept the the motion on the floor, staff that directly impact students,
fund school safety personnel, and fund mental health services for the public and the and the charter schools. So the stuff in the beginning about recruiting and and retaining um I I don't know that that falls into what's actually being funded. So if
that's the intent of this board, I I think this needs a complete um rewrite because again the only thing that the money is being spent on under the current version of um Dr. Zeman's uh proposal is pay for additional teachers
and staff that directly impact students. the funding of school safety personnel and the funding of mental health services. That that's those four those four categories are the only thing that the dollars are being spent on. The way I read this, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe our
general counsel can tell me I'm crazy, but that's that's how I read this. So, I just want to make sure that my my colleagues understand uh what's currently before it in this in this version, which obviously I realize we still have to vote on, but that's what's being proposed. Thank you. Other
board member comment. Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, should we um agree with the language from board member Hixon in terms of to fund additional pay for teachers and staff
that directly impact students? Um Dr. Hepern, should this pass through the voters when it comes to us? Right. Um, how much latitude do you have as a superintendent after the voters pass
this to determine staff that directly impact students or is this too broad? >> No, that would be determined in another uh workshop by the board as far as where exactly the money um would go as far as
personnel who do you specifically pay. >> Okay. So, if this goes out to the voters and it it it passed with the language that board member Hixon um you know has developed here. Um when it comes back to us at a workshop, the
board will now have the right to determine who is defined under staff that directly impact students. >> Correct? >> So, we as a board could come back to a workshop and determine who gets the money. >> Correct. Okay. So then it wouldn't
matter if the language seems to be general because when the funds are approved, we can then have a discussion in a workshop and determine the staff that we will give the money to. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. So I am okay with with the
language from u board member Hixon. Um I'm also concerned a little bit though in the prior current wording it mentioned essential instruction instructional programs for public and charter schools. Um so with the current language Dr. Heburn from what you
interpret, how will essential instructional programs be affected if it's not within the proposed language from board member Hixon? >> John has his hand up. >> Go ahead, Miss Sullivan. So in the original language that was uh
a carryover from the previous two referendums. >> Uh previous boards had that um although I don't think we actually utilized it but it was it did give the board greater flexibility of using referendum funds as relates to essential instructional
programs. >> Okay. So so um Mr. Sullivan, did even though we had the flexibility to use the funds for essential instructional programs, did we ever use it for that? >> No. >> Okay. So, it was just in the language, but we never used it.
>> Correct. >> Okay. So, another concern, I know it mentioned to improve student achievement. Um, did we ever use prior referendum funds uh to fund um improvement of student achievement? I would say indirectly you did because we
used it to compensate teachers and help with recruiting and retaining. >> Okay. So that would go back to compensating teachers, right? >> Yes. But the first the first part of the of the ballot question in both versions of uh the proposed and Dr. Zemens and u
modified by Miss Hixon. Um the first part is really you're you're telling the why, >> right? >> And then you're asking what it's going to be used for. Got it. So, I don't see a problem with board member Hixon's motion because we can come back as a
board in a workshop and discuss which staff would be directly would directly impact students. So, who should get the funding? So, I am perfectly okay with board member Hixon's motion. >> Miss Bowman, >> I'm a little confused at this point.
This is going around. I'm trying to type it out. Okay. So the the the change in the language that you made. Okay. So there's a couple questions that I have about this that I'd like to discuss. One is um I think language that said that it
impacts students directly >> staff that directly >> okay staff that directly impact students. And the reasoning for that is that in the discussions and the issues that have come about
that's what people we said we only wanted the money to go to staff that directly impacted students and every staff does not. That means school-based people who are there every day impacting students directly. I mean everyone.
>> So that so I like the language that says schoolbased and I would maybe put that back in there. I'm just wondering when you're saying it's broad to say it impacts I would it be too narrow to say work directly with
students? >> It's the same thing. >> Yeah, I think >> well it's not because I mean you you know you're d you're impacting a a student. I mean, I guess we could come up with some examples that I don't have off the top of my head right now where you're enhanc where you're um impacting
a student. Like if you're not working directly with the student, but you're creating programming that the student is benefiting from or you're you know, things like that. That's not a person that we want to have on there. Okay. So I think if that's the case,
um I think that we should and say retain um recruit and retain teachers and staff who work directly with students and that we should um and
fund additional pay for teachers, schoolbased employees and employees who work directly with students. So I have it's not I I have it counted out. I mean I So I haven't >> I'm I'm okay with
>> you're okay with changing it. >> Yeah, because it would just instead of saying and staff that directly impact students and staff that work directly with students. So you're adding one word. >> I have I have I'm trying to type it. Read it >> directly
with students. >> Hold on. I don't know if it says the exact same thing that what what you said. >> Yeah. No, >> but I can type out mine and then you can look at it. Yes. I'll share it with you. >> So, I'm okay with changing my motion,
>> Miss Thompson. >> I just think it's better how Mrs. Hixon has it just in a purely when you read it when you're thinking about directly impacts is a stronger word. Not that I really want to get into all this, but
it's a stronger word. I think it's more persuasive than works directly with students. So, my preference would be to go with Miss Mrs. Hixon's wording of it. And then also, as a board, when it comes back to us, we
can ensure that what that means that it wouldn't be programmatic staff potentially, it would only be people at the school or mental health professionals, our social workers, etc. Can we have the schoolbased? Do you have that in there? I didn't school based
staff that directly impact students. >> I also have concerns about that because social workers are considered >> but they directly impact >> but it then you're saying two different things in the sentences. >> Yeah, you're adding >> I think if I may
>> they contradict them. I I think if we go back to schoolbased and again it's the prerogative of the board but you would be then again excluding the the bus drivers >> but they directly impact I was I was thinking >> security each other
>> can't just say schoolbased >> and you can't say >> so Miss Thompson are you done or >> I'm just against the schoolbased sentence part. >> Okay. Um, I'd like to make some comments. I I hope
that all of my colleagues who had issues with the language uh con, you know, shared those concerns with staff be beforehand before this meeting. Um, that's why, you know, staff reaches out to do uh their agenda item meetings. Um,
I I don't know. So, I I appreciate like the shortened language. I'm always for shorter ballot language. Um, I can say I I don't know that I can support either of these motions. I think to Mrs. Alhidef's point, when you say directly impact students, you have attorneys in
the general counsel's office that do work that directly impact students, and we took a vote to not give them uh to amend all their contracts in order to stop them from getting the the referendum supplement. Like, they are working on lawsuits that directly impact
students. Um, it feels like a little bit silly to be, you know, picking apart words like this when, uh, you know, again, we we could have shared all of these concerns with staff beforehand.
Um, I actually don't have an issue with the idea of school-based. Um because when I when I saw that I had the same concern that Miss Thompson did, which is like what about our employees that um don't you know that are our school social workers? They're not based
in any single school and Mr. Sullivan, what was your response to that when I asked you about that? >> Uh we have in the original uh item it also says and support staff. >> Right. So before we did meet with the
board and we did hear the board's concerns. Uh so that's why we added schoolbased and support staff. Originally it said uh the in the current ballot measure says for teachers and staff. There was no schoolbased or uh
support. >> Yeah. I mean I I I I'm just feeling a little bit um confused about the conversation in general because you know we are we have been informed over and over again that this this resolution comes to us. We vote on it. We have a
workshop to codify or to to identify the groups of employees that that we intend to receive this money and then we codify that in a vote. So, you know, I I again I support like the shortened
language. Um but to be picking apart these words, I don't think is a the best use of our our time. But I would support um some I guess shorter version of the original language or just the original
language that staff has proposed to us. Any other board member comment on the substitute motion? Miss Bulman. >> Um, so I I don't disagree with you and I think we were agreeing on to a in a
broad aspect. I like Dr. Zean coming back and putting the teachers first um on the lead sentence if we're looking at the original language um because I think that does say what is
the most important part of this referendum and the reason why we're going out for it. So I do agree with that. Um, and I really if if everybody agrees that support staff does the job that we're looking for to be and we can vote on it um
when we allocate then I support that as well. And the real, you know, on the original um language that we had, the only real issue that I had or question was about essential instructional programs um and
if that was going to be over broad for our purposes, but if we can also you do that in the um when we workshop it, then that's okay as well. So, >> Mrs. Aladv,
>> yes. So, I support the original language. Um, I beg to differ with my my colleague in that that school safety and mental health services is the most important part because if your children don't come home alive, then nothing else
matters. Anyone else on the substitute motion? All in favor of the substitute motion say I. >> I. All oppose say no. No. >> No. Roll call. >> Roll call on the motion. School board members Hixon.
>> Yes. >> Honus. >> No. >> Leonardi. >> No. >> Rupert. Thompson. >> Yes. >> Zean, >> no. >> Aladev, >> no. >> Bowman, >> no.
>> Sea, >> no. >> 36 fails. >> Back to the motion. Miss Sixon, you still have the floor. So, this is Dr. Zeman's motion. >> Oh, okay. I'm good.
Dr. Honess. >> Um, Madame Chair, am I able to make a substitute motion? >> Sure. >> Okay. I'd like to make a substitute motion that we we um keep the original language with the exception of removing improve student achievements which is
the third line and removing essential removing the last part that says and essential instructional programs for public and charter schools. Could you keep four? Just so you want to you want to remove and essential
instructional programs. You need I think you need to keep the four public and charter schools. >> Oh, just essential instructional programs. Sorry. So, and essential instructional programs. Uh to remove that portion and to remove improve student achievement since that's
redundant um as John uh Mr. Sullivan mentioned and to keep everything else with safety as priority um the way it's written. >> Um and just to be the English teacher in the room, could you add and before
school-based and support staff? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> English teacher. >> Um second public comment on the substitute motion. >> Can you repeat the substitute motion in clarity?
So it was to um remove on the the it starts in the second line in the paper that we have but yeah okay let me read it out to enhance school safety and mental health services recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and essential employees. The previous
language said improve student achievement. Dr. Holes is removing that part. And support critical school operations. Shall the school board of Broward County levy continue to levy a 1m mill advalorum property tax from January 1st 2027 through December 30th 1st 2030 to fund school safety officers
mental health services increase compensation for teachers school-based and support staff the previous language said and essential instructional programs where he Dr. Holiness is removing that for public and charter schools. So he's removing and essential
instructional programs and removing improve student achievement but all of health and safety and stays in correct. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. So Anna Fusco the B teaching and president
we know wording matters because it all makes it clear on how the money is separated to fund for uh recruiting and retaining the employee. The health piece um which is the mental health and we
know definitely you guys all don't care about employees um you know health yet you show that when you're willing to take away medicine. I'm going to keep putting that in there every chance I get. The seven of you what you did. Um, but mental health is very important for
everybody and uh obviously safety and security. I uh respect the the strong comment that um school board member Alidaf said about there's nothing else matters if our our students aren't safe and and don't get home safely. So, we
need to make sure that that is never ever, you know, treated lightly. Um let's see what you guys talk about in your debate for this um new uh amendment. >> Thank you. Board member discussion on the substitute motion.
>> Mrs. Alhad, >> could staff speak to the essential instructional programs? >> Uh yes through the chair. Um we again that was uh part of the last two ballot measures. Uh so it's a whole it's a uh
carryover from from that and it was really to give the board greater flexibility in using the funds if needed. Uh but we never used it for those um for that for those items. So if the board removed it there is no actual impact. It just limits our ability to do
anything in that regard in the future. >> Can you give some examples of how it could be used for essential instructional programs? >> The the language is pretty vague. So I think it gave you a lot of flexibility as long as it had to do with uh instruction.
>> Can you just give two examples? >> Uh I Ready um AI textbooks. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I had a question actually. Um we are still paying out money to we're we're paying out the charter school
settlement. Would this change in language impact our ability to do that? Uh >> no, but um also there's no impact because it the payments would be done by the time this referendum was instituted. >> Got it. >> Any other comment? Dr. Hornet.
>> Okay, Madam Chair. Um and maybe I can I can get um I would love to get further input from maybe board member Alhade and board member Hickan. one who wants to comment, but I know that the original language says school safety officers and
the proposed language had said school safety personnel. So, I don't know if there are if we say school safety officers if we're excluding some other school safety um staff. So, um that we would want to include here. So, um uh I
I know this is uh um a concern that all of us embrace and and certainly I I respect the opinions of board member Alhadf and board member Hixon as well. if if that language needs to be changed to say school safety personnel versus
school safety officers. >> If I may, there's a um the reason why we put school safety officers because each school needs to have one and that could either be an SRO or a guardian and we currently use those funds to fund those positions. >> Okay. So, John, u Mr. Sullivan, um are
there any other school safety staff besides school safety officers where we need to say school safety officers and personnel? I see what you're saying. Yes. So I think you should >> Yeah. Our security >> Yes. So school safety
>> so safety personnel um gives a little bit more wider breath to include >> so would personnel cover school safety officers and every everyone else under school safety staff. >> Yes, that's a good catch. >> Okay. All right. So, um, Madame Chair,
um, my motion is to in is to say school safety personnel as opposed to school safety officers because it would be inclusive of officers and other school safety staff. >> Got it. So, um, >> it's after the December 30th date to
fund school safety. >> Okay. School safety personnel. Okay. >> Yeah. Any other comment on the substitute motion? Mrs. Alhadv, >> sorry, just to go back to that essential
instructional program. I mean, I think leaving it in just gives you more flexibility in the future. And and then I think it's also important to keep the improved student achievement in there because it just gives the everyday citizen a better understanding of what
we're we're trying to do, why we need this funding. >> Okay. So, the reason I um Madam Chair, may I Okay. The reason I've decided not to include those because in my prior questioning, uh Mr. Sullivan mentioned that even though it was in the
referendums before that we did not actually use funding for essential instructional programs. And secondly that improving student achievement is redundant as it would imply if we're um funding teachers then we would certainly be improving student achievement. So I
didn't want to create a level of redundancy and at the same time I didn't want to include language in there that we've never used before which would be essential instructional programs in the prior referendums. Right. But it's limiting you from doing
in the future by taking it out. >> Um, I understand, but it appears it it wasn't needed in the past. Um, Dr. Hepern, in the past, we did not use the prior referendums for essential instructional
programs. Um, do you anticipate that funding will be needed for those purposes? me. Go ahead, Miss Sullivan. I'll let you uh before I hop in there. >> Yeah. So, um the the reason that we felt
it was important to leave in there again is to give the board the greatest flexibility possible with the additional funds. We never know what will come out of um either the state capital or the our national uh capital. And if there
was any kind of impact on our existing funds, that language would give the board flexibility to use it as it relates to essential instructional programs. >> Okay. So, Mr. Sullivan, if we if we leave that there and we in fact decided
to use some of the referendum funding, should it pass for essential instructional programs, that would possibly result in a reduction of the amount of funding that we would use for teachers compensation and safety and all of that. Correct.
>> Correct. >> I would prefer to leave it out. >> Missen, thank you. And I have a a question because I think it falls on why we find ourselves in the position we're in with
people not trusting us. The whole purpose the main purpose let me go backwards. The main purpose of this referendum is to is to increase teacher pay. Is that correct >> Dr. Hburn? I mean for me yeah Dr. Heburn.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. So, when I said earlier that it was the most important thing, I didn't mean in general. Obviously, I believe that school safety is the most important thing in the system that we're in, but for this referendum, the piece that
we're going out for is increasing educator pay. So, it makes sense to me that we have that as the first part of the wording because the teachers union goes out and and knocks on doors and asks people to please support the
referendum because it'll in increase teacher pay. If it's what we put kind of on the end part of this, we're not really being honest about what it is we're going out for the referendum for. So, I have a concern that it starts off with funding safety. Of course, funding
safety is important, but this referendum is about increasing pay mostly for teachers. So, although I appreciate, you know, all of the changes, I would like to maybe also suggest that we at least use
the title that Dr. Zean had because it starts with funding, educator pay, and that's really what the referendum is for. >> Miss Thompson. So, I was actually going to make a motion to keep Dr. Zean's title because I do think that's
important. Um, I think taking out essential instructional programs, I agree with um Dr. Honess. I also think we do have a problem with the money being spent for other uses. And this just makes it
crystal clear to our voters that this money is going to go to increasing teacher pay, school safety, and mental health services. Um, I'm fine leaving the language. Um, and I would like to
make a substitute motion to keep improve student achievement because people who are reading this referendum don't aren't necessarily as in the know as we are. And so it is better to spell that out. So I guess my my
>> So we have a substitute motion on the table right now. So we have to dispose of that before we do anything unless Dr. Holes would like to make any amendments to his substitute motion. >> Board member Thompson. Is that a a friendly suggestion? >> Yes, please.
>> Okay. So I am okay with um I appreciate the rational for improved student achievement and although it may appear redundant to us the public may not know that. Um so I am okay with having that remain in the motion. I also like the
idea of the the the title that Dr. Zean gave with having funding education educator pay school safety and mental health services. um that title is fine with me uh but keeping the wording with the changes that I have made. So, I'm okay with keeping improved student
achievement and removing and essential instructional programs and including uh from our wonderful English um staff here um chair including the word and between teachers and uh schoolbased and support
staff and ma madam chair so the title will also um appear on on the ballot doc Dr. He >> Mr. Sullivan. >> Yes, I believe so. >> Okay. So, I am okay with going with Dr.
Zean's title where it says funding educator pay, school safety and mental health services um and related expenditures through a 1 mil property tax um levy. But um um
uh regarding the the changes I've made to the current wording um I'm going to stick with that with the exception of including improve student achievement. >> Any other board member comment on the substitute motion? >> So just for understanding, can I read what I think you're >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Okay, perfect. So the titles funding
educator pay, school safety and mental health services and related >> expenditures through a 1m property tax levy. And then two, >> enhanced school safety and mental health services, recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and essential employees, improve student achievement,
and support critical school operations. Shall the school board of Broward County continue to levy a 1 mil ad valorum property tax from January 1st, 2027 through December 31st, 2030 to fund school safety personnel, mental health
services, increase compensation for teachers and schoolbased staff and support staff for public and charter schools. >> You got it. >> That's correct. That's it. >> All right. So, we're all on one page. >> Um, any other board member discussion on the substitute motion?
All in favor of the substitute substitute motion say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. No. >> Uh substitute M motion passes with one dissenting vote from Mrs. Alhadaf. Um we are back to the item as amended.
Uh Dr. Holes, are you done? >> I am. >> Miss Bulman. >> Oh wait, sorry. Hold on. Hold on. I'm on the wrong list. Dr. Zean >> and we're back to the main item R1. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh I'm just looking forward
to getting this new language uh out there. I will I will kind of I think to remind folks of Mr. Sullivan. Well, two things I guess. One uh to the chair's point. I asked about how to bring changes chair and I was told to bring them to this meeting. So I was following
the instructions. Um I hope I next time maybe I'll uh send them out earlier. and I'm not sure what to do, but I did ask and I was told to do that and I was following following the uh advice on that one. Second is the second step is going to be a lot more important than the first step. You know, last time, you
know, we got the language right and then we quickly debated in the workshop how we were going to allocate that funds those funds. But last time 17% for safety, 8% for mental health, 75% for educator uh or for staff uh compensation
adjustments was what we ended up with. I would just ask my colleagues to think very very hard about that allocation and see if that's where we are today. Uh we have gone through some very serious changes in funding forecasts. Uh the state of Florida continues to give us less than inflation every year. Um so
you may think a little bit about what is actually core that we don't want to lose and what are the things that um you know we we need to do and in what relative percents. The second piece is lost in our English lesson of the day, which is
we said at least 75% for compensation and up to eight and 17% for um mental health and safety and security. That gave the board and the superintendent tons of flexibility about how to allocate those funds. Um but I thought it was um a very useful way to kind of
indicate our priorities. And as a lot of people have said in this room before, if you want to know about the values of Broward County Schools, look at the budget because the budget is the way we reflect our values. And so that that debate, Mr. Sullivan, I'm sorry, chair, when is our debate on the workshop allocation for these funds.
>> Dr. Heepern, >> Mr. Sullivan, >> March 24th. >> March 24th. And I think the second steps could be more important the first. So the first we got, we're going to go out with this. And I'm sorry, did we get permission from the lawyer to use the language that we just voted on? uh would you send it to them? But I don't
envision an issue because you deleted more than you added. >> He's a word counter. I love it. >> He's gonna verify right now. >> Yep. Microsoft Word could do his job. But um uh at the end of the day um uh I'm looking forward to the March 24th
debate and and uh I'll I'll maybe submit some things ahead of time uh so that we can think about them uh prior to the schoolboard meeting. Thank you, Chair. >> Thank you, Mr. Ca. >> Thank you, Chair. I'm also looking forward to the debate at the uh upcoming workshop. However, I want to be clear
and on record as soon as possible. Uh in no circumstance will anybody who was the subject of dispute last time when we dealt with this referendum situation be entitled to any of this money. Uh as far as I I'm
concerned and as far as my my voice uh and vote is concerned, this is very clear. This is going to fund school safety personnel, mental health services, and compensate our teachers. That's it. That's not cabinet level uh
raises. That's not raises for people who are making six figures uh in this building. That's for school safety personnel, mental health services, and teachers. Full stop. So, I want to be very clear about what my position is from the earliest possible onset that um
we're not going to make the same mistakes we made last time uh with this referendum dollars. And I want the public to know that is is at least from the board member sitting in district 6, he's going to be very uh vigilant in
making sure that this money is using for the proper and intended purposes this goound. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Um, Miss Bulman, sorry, did I I can't remember. I have you not crossed off, so >> Oh, I Well, because I we never got to
really my comments, but I think we fixed it, so I'm good. >> Okay. Uh, Miss Hixon. >> Okay. Um, I I just had a quick question just because of the the comments that were just made. the as the language sits today,
will it just be teachers who are eligible or will it be school social workers and bus drivers and cafeteria workers? >> Dr. He >> with the proposed language uh yes
but uh I believe with the additional restrictions it would already restrict it to uh non it wouldn't be able it quant members or directors at the district level wouldn't uh qualify and then remember
the intended allocation that we're bringing to the March 24th uh meeting will be the superintendent's recommendation of course the board will have their input. But part of his recommendation of course would be to restrict those funds as they're currently were restricted recently by the board.
>> Okay. So you said yes, but I I think I asked like an eitheror question. So is it does the language restrict it to just teachers or >> No. >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Hixon. And just because you mentioned a n a number of
people and not all of them currently the money goes to principles and assistant principles. So the way it's worded now that would still be an option. >> Yes. >> Thank you Mrs. Alhidev. >> So on the ballot will be this language but we'll have a one pager explaining
all the details and the breakouts. >> Correct. So once the board votes on the intended allocation formally in that April meeting that's when we'll start the awareness campaign. Uh after this vote, we will send the resolution to the county commissioners directing them to place it on the November ballot.
>> Thank you. >> Any other board member comment on the item as amended? Okay. Do we have to table the I Okay. So, I'll make a motion to table the item to the end of the meeting. Um >> is there a second?
>> Yes. Second. >> Seconded by Dr. Zean. Public comment on the motion. member comment on the motion. All in favor of tableabling the item to the end of the meeting say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Uh motion passes unanimously.
Um could I get a motion and a well actually I'm going to just go to public comment real or general public speakers real quick since we are past our limit anyway. Um, and we need to
take a vote to extend the meeting. Um, so I'll make a motion to extend the meeting to one hour. Um, all in favor of extending the meeting by 1 hour, say I. >> I. >> All oppose, say no. >> No. >> No. >> Roll call, please.
>> I got to go. >> Growing. >> Roll call to extend the meeting by one hour. Board member Holes. >> Yes. Yes. >> Leonardi. Yes. >> Rupert. >> Yes. >> Thompson. >> Yes. >> Zean. >> Nope. >> Aladev. >> No.
>> Bulman. >> Yes. >> Sea. >> Nope. >> Sea. >> Nope. >> I don't. >> Two votes. >> 63 passes. >> Miss Hixon. >> You didn't ask me. >> Hixon.
>> Yes. And just say we had items we table to the end of the meeting. You can't table an item and then say no to extending the time. Motion pass 63. >> I have a question. If we if that motion did not pass and we still had items that uh we have have to deal with that we
have not disposed of, what would happen? Miss Jack Adams. >> Sorry, I couldn't find the button. um through the chair, you would have to address the issue of both tableabling and then not extending the meeting because those two are in conflict.
>> Okay, great. >> Thank you. Um this is the time of the agenda when school board member Oh, when school board members will hear from our evening speakers. Are there any evening speakers? Mr. Hill? >> Uh no. No, ma'am. >> Is there anyone in the audience?
Okay. Could I get a motion and a second on items AA1 and A? Well, should I take AA AA1 and AA3 separately, Miss Jack Adams, or together? >> Uh, chair, I would take them separately.
>> Okay. Could I get a motion, a second on A3? >> So, move. >> Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Mrs. Alhidef. Uh, public comment on Well, we already did public comment. Um, go ahead, Miss Jack Adams. So, the last information that I received
from A3 was that um staff corrected the language and uh our office, one of our attorneys uh declared it legally sufficient and it was sent out to University of Florida. So, I don't know the facts of whether it came back from University of Florida or not.
>> Dr. Heburn, >> Dr. Con. >> Yeah. So, it hasn't come back yet. So they've agreed to remove um the new world reading uh as um in the agreement. Uh but I do want to say or add that the
new world uh is not a vendor. It is an initiative by the department of education. Uh in in 2021 there's a house bill 3 that was passed declaring new world reading initiative to support K through five students who are reading
deficit. In 2021, the school board, this school board actually approved uh an amendment or an agreement that allows uh uh the University of Florida through the Department of Education to provide that information to its students. And that agreement doesn't end until 2027.
So, there's already an agreement uh with the DOE and the University of Florida to do exactly what this agreement is doing. So, this agreement essentially extends it to 2028, but if the board chooses to remove it, uh that is certainly
something that they can do. >> Okay. Board member comment on the item. >> No more. No board member comment on the item. All right. Um so, let me ask I guess I'm I'm a little confused. So, is this item now amended to take the new world reading initiative out or what's
>> are we're waiting to hear back from UF? >> So, we could do one or two things. Uh, we advise the University of Florida to strike it and so we can come back to the next board meeting with a stricken or we can approve it as is with the new new information I provided.
>> Could we table the item to March 31st? postpone it >> or yeah postpone the item till March 31st or would that just be would that not be >> resolving our issue here? >> It will it what it is is uh this
particular agreement um the the the tutoring will still go on. This is just a data sharing agreement. It just pulls out the new reading uh initiative. So it does what it won't do is after 2027 because it's still going on right now. Uh the students are still getting the
books. Uh because the agreement that we already have with the district is already in place until 2027. >> Um I'm sorry to put the student adviser on the spot. Uh but do you have any student feedback on either of these issues um or programs or initiatives? If
not, I I completely understand. >> You're not asking me to do math like Dr. Zean did. I may be able to answer the next question. >> Uh, we're on A1. >> A3. >> Thank you. >> I believe this primarily impacts elementary.
>> That's what I thought. >> You didn't have any. Okay. >> No, it's it's uh high school and elementary. So, the data sharing agreement is for the Con Mingo High School and for the varsity elementary school. Uh, I have some feedback from regarding
Conigo that's I think irrelevant to the data sharing agreement. Sorry, I'm I'm pulling it back up. >> Yeah. I mean, like if we don't pass this, how might that >> I don't think it would remove any of the
services that are being provided. Is that correct, Dr. Con? >> It it will if if this agreement doesn't pass today. But we kick it till next time, it'll be fine. Uh we spoke with the University of Lasser. They say that if we because the only condition that
we're discussing is this language around the new world reading and that is a DOE uh initiative. And so if we're saying we don't want students who are struggling with reading for parents to have access to books uh based on the criteria that
New World has set up through House Bill 3, then we can remove it. uh that won't go into effect. It will strike it from this agreement, but again, the district already has an agreement till 2027. So, we're already doing it. >> Chair, let let me see if I can explain
this. Can I make a motion to postpone this till >> the March 31st? >> The 31st. >> Second >> motion made by Doc um Mr. Severa, seconded by Dr. Zean. Public comment on the motion to postpone this item to March 31st.
Board member comment, Miss Thompson. Uh what impact does that have then to the AA1 item? >> It has no impact uh because AA1 is separate from this. And so AA1 is just a typical data sharing agreement that only looks at usage and achievement, which is
not this particular agreement, >> but I thought they were companion. So now I'm confused. And that's >> the companion was the high school coningo. There's two coningos. That's why. >> Okay. All right. Any other board discussion on postponing the item? All in favor of postponing the item say I. >> I.
>> All oppose say no. Motion passes unanimously. Could I get a motion and a second on AA1? >> So moved. >> Moved by Dr. Zean. Second by Miss Hixon. Public comment on AA1. For member comment, I have Dr. Holes. >> Madam Chair, I'm good. Thank you. >> Miss Thompson.
>> I'm good. Thank you. Dr. Zean. >> Totally good. Thank you, Chair. >> Anyone else? All right. All in favor of AA1 say I. I. I. >> All oppose say no. >> No. >> Um item passes with one dissenting vote
from Dr. Zean. All right. Um we are now at the end of the meeting. So we'll go back. Oh, Miss Thompson. >> Oh, I have something for the end of the meeting. So >> we'll go back to our So could I have a motion or a second to bring back R1? >> Second move by Dr. Zean, second by Miss
Hixon. Um do we have a response from our council? >> Uh yes. We're going to need 10 minutes. Okay, I'll recess the meeting for 10 minutes. >> Um, chair or >> go through or >> Yeah. >> Uh, we will at this time hear from my colleagues who have any student
successes uh or concerns to bring forward to the superintendent. Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. So, I have a concern I'd like to bring to my colleagues attention regarding an incident that occurred last week at one of my middle schools. During that incident, a school resource officer used pepper spray while
responding to a student fight. Based on what was reported and shared to me by students and parents and also what I saw myself on the video, the pepper spray was deployed twice. The first time resulted in surrounding students being exposed slash sprayed in the face. The
second occurred after the students involved in the fight had already been separated. I want to be clear that I'm not going to comment whether I feel that this use of force was excessive. How? Because there is an ongoing investigation. I'm raising this because incidents like these understandably
leave some of our students feeling shaken. I've heard from parents whose kids no longer want to go to school because they witness their principal getting sprayed in the face. I also want to note that the members of the community have shared that they believe the school administration handled this
situation appropriately. And I believe that this situation raises broader questions that we as a board should discuss regarding how we ensure that our students are safe during incidents involving fights and also when law enforcement intervenes on our
campuses. So I have some questions. Um do we currently have district policies regarding the use of pepper sprays or tasers on our campus? >> Dr. H please. >> I y to general counsel.
>> And I'm not asking for specifics. Just in general, are there policies that keep our students safe from this kind of force? >> Yes. >> So through the chair, I have not performed a search to see if pepper spray is a subject matter of any policy,
but I can do so. >> Thank you. And then when this these items are used like pepper spray or tasers, do we defer to the police or municipal departments in BSO that are in our schools or is this something that we
can create a policy around? That's a complex um um situation due to us outsourcing our school resource officers officer services to many municipalities which many of them are governed by their own policies as far as
how they um engage or interact when um depending on the situation. So, if I uh if you got anything else to add, Chief Gregory, I know that's what makes it complex is because we're we have uh over 10 or so or 10 or more uh municipalities
that are providing SRO services that all have different policies that are not aligned. Uh even if we create a policy, they're going to abide by their policy, >> which is why we should. Well, >> I have a problem with that because these
are our students. We should be allowed to dictate what's what's going to happen to our students if we think feel like it's acceptable for a middle school student to be sprayed in the face with pepper spray. And so I would like to direct the super I would like to make a motion to direct the superintendent to
explore this situation and also policies to ensure that our students are kept safe from this use of force. Miss Jack Adams, can a motion be made when we don't have an item? >> Yes. Um the way that uh through the chair, the way there are policies are
set up. Um um Miss Thompson, if you were to bring a B item, it would >> So I will bring an item. Um I would like to know what kind of training our SRO officers receive particularly around deescalation
um with minors under the age of 18. Go ahead, Kevin Oswitch. I see you back there. >> Hi, Chief. Kevin Oswitch, chief police, Broward County Schools Police. I'm sorry. I was talking to um board member Sea. What was up? Can you repeat the last? >> Can you repeat the question, Miss
Thompson? >> Sure. So, I would like to know specifically what training our SRO officers receive specifically around deescalation with minors because I received your response and it did not address my concerns. So de deescalation
is general and broad. It deals with um deescalation any any type of situation. So um even in the CI at our uh CIT training um we've dealt with juveniles especially when they're um maybe at suicidal risk and we're trying to
deescalate them from that or they're vi they're being violent. Um and we use verbal uh deescalation techniques on that. And who is responsible for these trainings? >> So CIT training is is uh is done through the United Way of Broward County. All
officers in Broward County are trained in that CIT training. Um we also the police academy also trains deescalation training for anybody that is becoming a police officer going through. Even our guardians receive this training as part
of their initial guardian training. Um we here at the police at our police department, we've put on a separate class for deescalation training above and beyond what was um taken through CIT training. >> So you're saying that there's no training specifically on how to
deescalate with minors with children. >> Everybody's all age groups and all everybody's encompassed in one training. But specifically with children, not like a general this is how you would deescalate. This is with >> I don't know of any other I mean I only
I know of the training that we that we're able to that I've seen and there's no spe one specific class for deescalating juveniles because the class encompasses deescalating juveniles maybe teenagers, adults, people in mental
crisis and so forth. >> Okay. Um, so moving on to our own school staff. What training do we do? And I'm talking about cafeteria workers, principals, assistant principles, um,
etc. What training do we do that might or people who might be around these fights? So, gym, cafeteria, outside hall monitoring, what training do we provide on deescalation or conflict management?
We need Dr. Washington here for that one. Um, unless you have any info, Dr. Fton or or uh Dr. Lozano. >> So, we do have training on deescalation. Um, a large of a large percent of the training focuses on our special needs
populations, but also we do in classroom management training. um that also has a component that helps teachers or adults or staff members deescalate a situation that may get out of control. So, we do have those kind of trainings that take place um ongoing right now.
>> So, if I cuz I am seeing from our our union rep that she doesn't necessarily agree with what you're saying. So, if I if I wanted that to occur, um I need to bring an item. Miss Jock Adams.
Yes. Pursuant to policy, bring a B item. >> Okay, perfect. So my final question is what procedures do we have in place for specifically at the school? So this would be operational when tools like
pepper spray is used and I mean do we or even when fights are used, do we have teachers clear the space around the fight? Do we know if a pepper spray is deployed in lunchtime setting, if kids are still given their meals to eat, or
if they're told not to eat it? What is the procedure to clean up this agent that's been sprayed? Do we have any of those procedures in place that are communicated to our administrators? >> Go ahead, Dr. Fter. >> Fortunately, that doesn't happen often. Yeah,
>> but I do know um to be very honest with you as we respond to that question when that hap so staff does not have pepper spray. So it it actually happens because of a school resource officer may do that and usually when a school resource officer uh takes control, we have to
back away. We cannot interfere into um when law enforcement decides it's a situation where they have to take control. >> So that's not what happened in this situation. But also, it's the administrators that are cleaning up, that are seeing if the students are still eating their lunch, are need to
know how much time they should clear the cafeteria for for that chemical to be dispersed. They need to know if the kids can eat the food. They there's things that should be in place, and I I get that it doesn't happen very often, but apparently it does happen.
So, is there a procedure in place? And because that's an operational issue, is that an item I also have to bring to the board? So, what I can tell you, we definitely have to look into the silver patrol issue, but if you uh deploy pepper spray in a closed space, she get out of the space. So, I don't know the
extent of what you're speaking about, but anytime pepper spray is sprayed when it's a closed area, people have to leave that room. And I understand that, but our administrators don't have the, and I specifically didn't say the school, but our administrators don't have that information. They don't know if the
food's safe to eat after. They don't know how long space should be cleared for. So, is there procedures in place or is there something that the superintendent can do since I feel like this is an operational issue or is it something I have to bring an item for?
Yeah, we can we can look at that and um work with um our chief Gregory and his team um also Allison Wedchinsky the environmental team to come up with some procedures. Yeah, that's that's not a problem. >> And then also do we have a procedure in
place? So in this particular incident there were and I'm not blaming the people for not getting involved but there was a fight and no one really cleared the students away from the fight. Is there a procedure or training that we give that if an incident like
this is happening where police officer is involved that we clear the space or like have students back away or or anything like that? >> That's that's always the expectation um is whatever space, classroom, cafeteria,
um gymnasium, whatever the case may be that adults assist in in um clearing the space. Um, in a perfect that's in a perfect world, but often time that doesn't happen because kids are being kids with their cell phones, running to the location, pulling out their cell
phones and um trying to, you know, get some clickbait along al along the way and not listening to directions. Um, but in in some cases, students listen and they they disperse and and leave the area while the administrative staff and and the security staff deal with the
situation. >> Okay. So it could have been cuz at least one of the kids who was a bystander who got sprayed is cuz he didn't move so and kept eating. So it could be a case that he didn't listen to the teacher or Okay.
>> Correct. And we we're not going to forcefully >> move. Yeah. No, I'm not going to advocate for that. >> Exactly. So teachers announce, staff announce, and you know, most kids follow directions, but you always have a few that you know, in the excitement of the moment, um they're not abiding by the
direction of staff. So in general teachers are trained that they should kind of clear this or teachers or staff or food whoever is there. They should try to get as many students away as possible. >> Okay, those are my I will be bringing item um but I appreciate my colleagues
attention to this. Thank you >> Miss Jack Adams and I know Mr. Sea wanted to speak to this as well. >> Okay. Um just as an answer to Mrs. Thompson. The only thing I can find on Pepper Stray was in the student code of conduct 5.8, um, a class B chemical
weapon, but aside from that, that's the only place that it's referenced that I can find in in uh, schoolboard policy 5.8, >> which is about the amount that students can bring or >> or their use in getting in trouble. So, it doesn't uh,
>> yeah, it doesn't address security or SRO's. >> Mr. Sea, >> thank you, Chair. Uh first of all, Miss Thompson, obviously a very unfortunate incident and anytime uh a child is effectively something that that certainly um it's it's it's a bad
situation. Um that being said, I I I do want to be I do want to be clear and I don't want things lost in in in translation here. Um we support our school resource officers in this district. uh the brave men and women who put on the uniform and go to school and
arguably do one of the most important jobs in keeping our kids safe along with the teachers um are an essential element to how this district functions. And uh I don't know the exact circumstances other than what you just shared, but uh I'm
sure that that Chief Gregory can attest to this as well. I mean, we're not going to disperse a chemical agent uh unless it's absolutely necessary or that officer thought that somebody was uh in in, you know, great bodily harm was about to uh fall upon them. So, um I I
don't want what happened in this instance to be uh a situation where we are uh not recognizing the brave women men and women who put the uniform on and go to our schools and keep our kids safe because uh they do receive training uh
and they do have protocols that they have to follow. And our law enforcement officers um for the most part um do that and they're they're happy and they love the kids and they love their jobs. So, uh, I just want to make it clear that we are very appreciative that, uh, of all
of our law enforcement officers, of our SRO's, and everybody who walks around our schools and keeps our kids safe on a daily basis. And this is a very unfortunate incident that there was a fight, and that had to be um, used, and perhaps the the spray radius went a little bit further than than intended.
and and certainly we never want harm to fall upon our kids, but um I don't want to take away uh from our law enforcement officials and the value that they bring to our schools. Thank you, >> Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, Chair. I just want to be abundantly clear. I was not being
disparaging of our SRO officers, but when incidents like this happen that impacts our students, it's warrants a discussion, and I would hope all my colleagues would want to keep our students safe. Thank you, >> Miss Hixon. Thank you. I just wanted to give a shout
out to our um student athletics and activities department spec specifically do um Patty Brown for the play like a girl. I believe it was the third year that um this happened. And so they
invited the el the middle and high school student female athletes to come and they had three amazing guest speakers. So one was Milan Balden Morris. She works for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Then there was Laura
Bio I don't know how to say it. Bio Andondo. She's a freestyle soccer player. She did a little um show for us. It's amazing. I didn't know people did that with the soccer ball. And Alicia Butler, who is a gold and silver
medalist in track, and she actually brought the medals with her so that the girls could see them and touch them. And they all said, "Wow, that's so heavy." >> And oh yes, and she was a Piper High School graduate. So really excited to
have her come back and share with the students. They had a great time. I was with two middle schoolers and you know middle schoolers don't like anything. They always complain and we asked them how did they like it and they said it was awesome. So to get that out of two 13year-old girls was pretty amazing. So
uh I appreciate it. It's it's a great event if you haven't been to it hopefully next year when they have the fourth annual one more people can come and participate and see the excitement that's going on. But the whole point of it was to keep female athletes engaged
and involved in athletics because we do have an issue where for a lot of different reasons they don't stay with it. And most of the stories from the females are journeys of struggle and how they overcame them to stay in
the sport that they were in. So I think it's always really important for them to do that. Then there was also be besides that there was the fifth annual black male symposium at South Broward High School and also another phenomenal place
where men from across our county came to pour in to our students and I just have to say that um there was a football player who played for the University of Florida um and I don't normally get excited about that but he major I forget
what his major right and he Um, his story was just so inspirational and the the part I liked the most about it and I I guess not the most but the most inspirational part was he was at the top. He was recruited. He played at the
highest level of NFL football. Did not know how to manage his money and became almost homeless. And then a homeless man actually turned his life around. And those are the stories our kids need to hear because you know what you hear a lot when you go into schools. What do
you want to be a basketball player NFL? And it's really important for them to know all these pieces to so to have someone like that come in and just share their story with our with our students to give them some inspiration of that plan B and how important it is was
really um really two two great events. One for specifically for females and one for males. And it was just I just want to thank everyone who put that together and who came and participated because the more we have people pour into our students the better off they're going to
be. So thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Spelberg. >> Thank you Madam Chair. Jir had to leave but he wanted me to share with you all uh he had a personal situation that led to a hospitalization of a family member. uh and he wanted to give a shout out to
Charles Drew Elementary School and uh acting principal Rashikica Ro uh for writing cards to the family member and delivering them to the hospital uh for one of their students. It's yet another example of the power of Broward County Public Schools.
>> Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. Any of anyone else before I go? Um I just wanted to uh recognize some of the great news for Broward schools. I know that the there was the state of the county last week. I was unable to
attend. Um but I I did get lots of text messages from um you know other elected officials and people who were there because the Florida Chamber uh really acknowledged Broward schools in a a variety of different ways. Um but they
they recognized that we are ahead of the state average on kindergarten readiness, third grade reading, eighth grade reading, and degree attainment. And I was told that the keynote speaker also applauded our deployment of Microsoft C-Pilot. So I just wanted to to
recognize that great news and and um you know it's very exciting to hear that other organizations do see the the great work that's going on here. So thank you. Um can we hear from staff? >> Mrs. Charles, I need to check on those
guys back there. Make sure they're not having too much fun. have to fix their watches. >> Yep. >> Two more minutes. Any my colleagues have uh anything else to bring to the board? >> Miss Thompson, >> I'm going to just scroll Instagram and
say good things happening. Um well one is that our well John's in the back but our schools are deploying the BCPS advantage. So if all my colleagues could follow like and share their um yes they they should be tagging you in it but
make sure that you heart it or like it whatever platform you choose to use that just helps our schools build an audience. um trying to fill some space. I feel like we've had a lot of good things. The Cambridge thing. You could announce that
again. We're number one in this country for Cambridge >> for Yep. for Cambridge. Um and for a large district um um designation. Um I'm a little brain dead right now to be honest. Go ahead,
>> Miss Miss. >> Thank you. I I forgot another one. So there was also a wonderful event at Whiten Rogers. It was called the day of redemption and it was also for um females that are at school there and we
had some guest speakers that were female leaders. some of them had been incarcerated and had one actually for 30 years um and had come out and now she's an advocate for other um prisoners to to just make sure that they have an
opportunity when they move out of the system. But they were really there just to inspire the students that one bad decision doesn't define what your life looks like moving forward. And you know was the students were very engaged. It was I really appreciative that everyone
came out. There was a BSO officer. There was a um she worked for the public defenders office. There were two that had been incarcerated. Dr. Wanza was there. Um I can't remember who else was there, but anyway, it you know, just opport every opportunity that
our students have to hear from people to get some background information about life in different places and ways. I mean those inmates really shared that jail is no joke and it was um you know
it was really something it was real for the students and it's important for them to know what the consequences are of some of their actions. So that was also a very powerful opportunity for our students. >> Great. Thank you board member Hixon. Mr.
Mr. Sullivan, >> I'm back. >> Okay. Um, the good and the bad. The good is the ballot language he signed off on. We're at his count exactly at the limit. Um, the title though is far beyond the
15 word count. So, we need to adjust the title. I do have a recommendation. >> Let's hear it. And remember, I only have 15 words. To fund I'm sorry, to fund school employee
compensation, safety, and mental health through a 1m property tax levy. >> Fund school employee compensation, safety, and mental health through a 1 mil property tax levy. >> Okay. Any board member comment? Miss
Rupert? Board member Rupert. Right. >> Okay. Do you have any recommendation? Board member Rupert. >> Mr. Sullivan, can you read it again? >> Sure. So again, we have for the title of the ballot measure, we have 15word
limit. So >> we can print it. >> No, no, we got it, John. >> Okay. Fund school employee compensation, safety, and mental health through a 1 mil property tax levy.
>> For me, it's Thank you. for for me it's um the employee compensation doesn't get I don't think it it addresses what we need to address. >> Remember this is just the title of the of the ballot measure >> and as a reading teacher I know
sometimes people just look at a title and they decide they're not going to read anymore. So >> would it work better Miss Roupert if we called it pay instead of compensation uh to fund school employee pay safety and mental health through one mail property tax levy? >> How many >> plain English?
better. Yeah, >> Madame Chair, um Mr. Sullivan, >> would would the words be sufficient if we should say fund teachers and staff compensation? Would that be too many words?
>> Well, I'm at 50 right now. So, any word you add, you have to delete. >> So, yes, it would be. >> Can someone catch me? I'm sorry. So I I heard what the the the ballot language is okay. The title is not >> the title is 19 words and it's only
permissible to have 15 words on a title. >> Okay. The document that I have in front of me though it says the title says fund school employee compensation safety and mental health one mill property tax but I don't recall us doing that. >> That was
>> this is just a propose since you're only limited to 15 words. This is what we're proposing instead of the um other title that was 19 words. >> Okay. Is RR1 back on the table? >> Okay. >> In essence.
>> Okay. Um so does any is anyone object to the proposed title from staff? >> I just nominated pay instead of compensation because then um >> pay compensation is like a long word.
Pay is like right there. I can't do that. I have a horse. >> All right. Is everyone okay with that? Find a school employee pay safety and mental health through a 1 mil property tax levy. >> No objection. >> Okay. Do we need to make a motion to that effect? Yes.
>> I move uh that suggestion. Chair. >> Uh second public comment on the motion. >> For comment on the motion. Uh we are so we're amending the title to read fund school safet fund school employee pay safety and mental health
through a 1m property tax levy. >> All right. Oh, go ahead. >> Is the one mil going to be understandable by the public? >> Was last time. >> Yeah, it was in in both of the proposals before too. >> Unfortunately, that's still legal uh
>> term. So we we can't move away from it. >> Okay. Any other board member comment? All in favor of amending the title say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Passes unanimously. Um any other comments on the item?
All in favor of the item as amended say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. The scheduled order of business for this regular schoolboard meeting of the school board of Broward County, Florida has been completed. Seeing no objection, I now adjourn the meeting. Good.
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