I feel like you do. Okay. Hey, hey, hey. Down down. every
down. Hey Hey, hey, hey. Yeah. Yeah. Whoa. Yeah.
Yeah. Keep going. Welcome to today's special school board meeting. The special school board meeting of the school board of Brower County, Florida is now called to order. To ensure a safe and productive environment, please note that clearly marked e- e emergency exits do not block
exit doors and all attendees must be seated except for media. Once the room reaches capacity, attendees will be directed to the overflow area. If the fire alarm sounds, exit the room calmly, continue outside the building and remain there until authorities give clearance to return. Thank you for your cooperation.
All please rise for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. Um, and just I wanted to take a moment uh given the the conflict um that is going on in the Middle East to ask everyone to keep our service members um serving all across the globe in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you. As we begin, we reaffirm our vision 100% proficiency for all students. As an A-rated district, we remain committed to sustaining this achievement and supporting every student to reach their highest potential. Our theme this year is believe, empower, achieve, one Broward. Today's special
schoolboard meeting will operate in accordance with schoolboard policy 1020 and the board will review the items as advertised and presented by the superintendent. The superintendent released a revised agenda with certain changes for this meeting and published it on the school district's website. The
chair finds pursuant to section 120.525 Florida statutes that good cause exists for such changes and accepts the revised agenda. May I have a motion and a second to close the agenda. Second move by Dr. Zean, second by Mrs. Alhadaf. All in favor of closing the agenda, let it be
known by saying I. I. >> All oppose say no. The agenda is now closed. May I have a motion and a second on item one, employment agreement chief auditor. >> So move. >> Second. Moved by Dr. Zean, second by Mrs. Alhadef. Um it is moved and seconded to move item one to the floor.
There any public comment on this item? >> No comment. >> All right. Um before we go to board discussion, I just wanted to introduce the item and provide the board an overview of the negotiations
um and my approach to that. Um so we sat down with Mr. Magley last week. Um we were able to kind of flush out all of the terms of the agreement um first and foremost like the vacation sick leave
salary adjustments um consistent with 12-month administrative employees insurance things like that. Um at the end we got to the salary piece and uh before the negotiation staff did provide
me with a market analysis. Um I believe that is attached to the item and that um everyone has access to that and it looked at chief auditors uh throughout the state um and their salaries and Mr.
Magley also brought his own market analysis um where he looked at uh not necessarily school district auditors but auditors for other government agencies as well as some of the salaries of um the superintendent's cabinet. not the
entire cabinet but some members of the cabinet. Um given the experience uh that Mr. Maggley brought to the table um and given Mr. Rhodess's salary when he was hired and when he um he left the
district. I felt that a a good first offer would be $175,000 given that Mr. Rhodess was making 208 uh $200,850 a year. Um Mr. Maggley countered with $235,000.
Um I countered that with $190,000 and he countered that with $225,000. Um I gave him a final offer of what Mr. Rhodess was making $200,850. Um and he uh made it very clear that he
would not go lower than $225,000 um in that negotiation. Um, I as one board member didn't feel comfortable increasing the salary for that position by $25,000. Um, that's amounts to about a 12% raise
on that position. Um, but I also didn't feel like it was my place to just walk away from the negotiations altogether. So, I I said we would bring it to the board. Um, and hopefully we could come to an agreement today. And if we are unable to come to an agreement today, I
also placed an item on the agenda to um task assign or hire um an interim uh chief auditor in case we uh need to continue negotiations or in case we need to open up um the application. So that's that's where I landed and um I look
forward to hearing from my colleagues. I have Miss Hixon on the list to speak. >> Thank you. And I have a a couple of questions I guess for staff first before we before I make a motion. Um, can you tell
us what Mr. Magny was making um what he what his salary is before he moves to chief auditor? >> Mr. Maggley's current salary is 152,000. >> Okay. And how long he worked for the
district before. So, how long was that time that he worked for the district? >> I would have to go back to his previous resume, but he's been with us since October 2025. >> Most recently, >> ask Mr. Meg. 15 years you were with the district in the auditor and what was
your role there? >> Can you use your mic, please? >> It's a thing for us. Sorry. Um, I had a number of different responsibilities and through the through the path that I I worked up as an auditor all the way up into uh working in a role out of class
uh in supervising the property and inventory function that is still in existence today that warranted a job study when I moved to the construction audits section for Mr. Riley several years ago, still doing the property and inventory. And then toward the end of
it, I was working on operational audits with Mr. Riley in in those uh other capacities as well. And eventually I went to that prior to leaving the district. >> Okay. And what was the leadership title that you had in those? >> Manager of each section.
>> Okay. Thank you for that. >> They I'm sorry, but it was a director when I went to construction, but they changed it to manager. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you very much. Um, so I would like to make a motion. Um, I would move I would like to move that we
change the salary on page. Go to the right page. Sorry. Compensation. on page four of 16 where it says salary 2.07.1 from 225,000
um for the first year to 185,000 with a caveat that within a year of the first anniversary um coming back with the contract to look at increasing that second.
Uh so motion made by Miss Hixon, seconded by me. Public public comment on the motion. >> No comments, >> Mr. Maggley. >> Yes, Madam Chair. Uh I'd like first of all, I would like to thank you and Mr. Jacques Adams uh for the process as it
was. Um I know during that um I did not bring counsel with me at that time. Um I came in with market analysis both my own and then was given that on on during that period to review. So when we went
into negotiation at that time and I know you said that I clearly stated that we were stuck and done on 225. I want to before the whole the whole board to say that what I was doing based on the request was to justify why I thought the role
warranted 225,000 in salary. Um there was a number of reasons both internal external and based on my experience in that role of what a chief auditor or someone in that capacity locally would get in my analysis and again it was based on discussions was I looked at the
the immediate proximity to our office and the people and what they were doing and what they were making and I knew that some of those were on the way high side of that and those people deserve that. Um they have vast experience um some of which turned out to be a mentor of mine here. uh as you know, but I
wanted to say that during that process and and in answering that and not having been familiar with it all, um when you folks went out and came back, I I did anticipate a counter, uh I want to say that here that
perhaps you were going to bring me the counter and so I'm open to a discussion on on on that for sure because that's what I anticipated and plus the things that have gone on over the last few few weeks and being able to gauge what is
going to happen and what the board's intent was on some of these things and and I know everybody has a the tremendous pressures that are put on you with the financial constraints for both staffing and resources you know I fully recognize I also know that during this period that's coming as I expressed to
you I'd like to share with the rest of the board these are the times when people are dissatisfied and frustrated with that not just all of us sitting up here but the staff And it opens up vulnerabilities. Maybe it's their minds are on other things that are are out
there. There's some justifications for why things might be happening and the presence is even more important right now. So I just wanted to say that and particularly about the part and I probably should have spoke before but you know I just I didn't want to interrupt but I wanted to go ahead and
say that uh before we proceed. >> Thank you. Um comment on the motion Miss Tixon. >> Thank you. And you know, I just kind of want to explain why I put out that number. So, I did a little research also
to see about auditors and stuff in different counties and what that looked like. And it was interesting to me why Palm Beach was so high. But when I looked into that deeper, they're not just a chief auditor, they're actually an inspector general. the requirements,
the job description, the duties that they do are are more extensive than that of a chief auditor. So that's why um Palm Beach County pays so much higher. So I think it was really important for us to share that. Um as as you know,
this is this is not personal, right? It is really just about where we are in terms of um financial places and I just in good conscience cannot give a huge increase to a position when we can't
give our employees any kind of raise this year. We we have tried and there's just no way. And I our our te the people who touch our students more directly we can give them zero. Um, and I just in good conscience can't do
that. So I my research showed a different number for Miami Dade. So um, but I and I see different numbers. You have a number. The our staff has a number. I found a different number. So, I don't know exactly what the number in Miami date is, but that's why I wanted
to put in there the 185, but within a year to be able to bring the contract back and look at increasing that if we're in a different financial position because it is a very important position, but I just right now in this financial
situation we find ourselves in and going to be cutting our org chart and these numbers that we have as comparison may change um in the next month or so. I just don't feel comfortable at the 225 and I'm um comfortable starting at the
185. So, thank you. >> Any other comments on the motion? Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, I have a couple of questions. Um I know that it appears Mr. RH's um final
salary was $200,850. Is that correct? That is correct. >> Okay. And um Dr. Lozano uh when Mr. Road started this position, what was his salary?
>> In this current position, he was started at 200,850. >> Okay. So, so he maintained this salary over his time being in this position. >> Correct. >> Okay. So, how does uh Dr. Lzanna, how does the the scope of Mr. Maggley's
experience compare to Mr. Roads? If you were to look at both resumes, could you provide us with a summary as to how you would um compare their um overall experiences for the position?
So they followed um pretty parallel pathways in terms of titles throughout their career. I would say the the difference is um Mr. Roads gained that chief experience here in Broward County in his current tenure before he left
yesterday whereas Mr. Maggley has no prior chief experience at all. >> Okay. But for Mr. roads before he had the chief experiences starting was 200,850. Correct.
>> He did serve as the interim general counsel for us prior to um serving as our chief auditor. >> And that was for how long? >> We'll pull that up for you right now. >> Okay. So, while you're looking at that, Dr. Lozano. Um, under key observations,
it says for Broward County, $200,850 is 10% below the Florida medium. Is that correct? >> Good morning. And Gene Titer. Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, so currently it would appear
that Miami Dade County aligns more closely with Florida medium according to the key observations. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. the end of Florida. >> It does, but the in incumbent chief auditor has been there since May 2021.
>> So, we're looking at five years of service as a chief in that position. >> Correct. But if we're looking at uh uh the medium as a means of looking at average or uh over this entire state um which is what's here then the the
Florida uh education medium would be $223,500. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. So um this is if we look at the entire state of what a chief auditor makes the medium which is a means of
looking at average it would be 223,000 correct correct okay um I did notice that you use the the um the medium as as far as the um determining what this the overall salary
in Florida is. Um did you use any other measure of um uh average to determine uh what the salary would be because I know medium is one way of doing it. Did you look at any other ways of doing of determining the average? So, we looked
at um government agencies within the state of Florida, not just school districts. And we also looked at um large governmental entities across the United States. And some uh as indicated on the summary, some positions are
contracted positions that are negotiated. So, we took that into account while others are just uh salary set. So looking at across all of the different entities, but then focusing specifically on school districts, we
provided in the summary that was in the board item the minimum, mid, and max, but to give a comprehensive analysis of what where the um average lands, we settled on the median. >> Okay. So do you have the mean average?
>> I don't, but I can work on getting that. >> Okay. So um I would also like if are you able to to get what the mean average is in a short period of time or no? >> Yes. Okay. Um the other question that I have well
um Dr. Lzanna did you have the answer to the question I had prior? >> Just give me a few seconds. >> Okay. So, um, with Broward County with the $200,850
being 10% below the Florida medium, uh, I am curious to know how does that compare to the Florida mean? Um, and and then I I'll be able to to then make a decision. So, Madam Chair, um, while you're looking at that, I don't
know if any other board member want to speak, but I'd like you to come back to me if you don't mind. >> Dr. Zean. >> Thanks, Chair. I um um want to uh acknowledge the difficulty of doing this in public. So uh it's not
what any of us would like to do to sit in your chair. Uh but it's kind of process that we have, but I just want to acknowledge that that uh there may be some discomfort today as uh we all talk. Chair, I'm curious about your initial offer. You may have some information that I I don't or maybe other board
members do, but when you were thinking about your initial two offers, why did you start at a rate or what what were the what was the evidence maybe that you had that would suggest that uh the incoming chief auditor should be
offered less than what the outgoing chief auditor would make was making. Sorry. >> Um well, I took a few things into account. one that I would probably receive a counter from the the current chief auditor. Um but also given the financial constraints that we are in um
and also the fact that uh the M Mr. Magley did not have experience as a chief auditor. So, was it it wasn't um you was a several things that came into play when I made that those initial offers. >> And to my knowledge, if I heard earlier,
um the uh former chief auditor had five years as a chief and he earned his way up to $200,850. >> No, that I think that was uh what Dr. Lozano said about the Miami Dade um chief auditor. Okay. >> That individual has served as chief
auditor for 5 years. How long? >> Mr. Rhodess did not have any chief experience either. >> I'm sorry. But but he was hired and then I think did three years and after three years was earning 2850. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> What was his higher salary when he came in with no experience? What did we pay him? >> It was 2850 as well.
>> Oh, he he never got a salary adjustment. >> Correct. >> Wow. Maybe he foreshadowed the financial difficulty we were going to get into. Who knows? Um and Mr. Maggley, if you don't mind, may I ask you a question? How many years of professional experience do you have total?
>> 25. So of from the time from getting out of college being certified. I I couldn't tell that from your resume. >> I see. >> I that's mainly hits on my governmental experience that started here the 15 years 10 years at the other place and then back. So more than 25 years in this
sector, this area and region and in schools and municipalities. >> Terrific. And I'd just be curious your the basis for your counter offers to the chair. Could you maybe just give us a paragraph about why you you I mean I understand about the comps, right? So we
can look at these jobs or those jobs and we can come up with a number. >> Sure. >> I find this market analysis to be kind of thin. Every other market analysis I've ever seen like has credentials. that has years of experience and it like puts you on a trend line and it says
with 25 years experience without a CPA, this is what a chief auditor would uh would be expected to earn. Those kind of rifle shots rather than a shotgun shot is incredibly helpful because it gives you the basis for for understanding it. And I hope in the future uh when we do
this or when the superintendent does it with anybody that we do a better job of the actual analysis so that we know what someone with your years of experience your credentials in this job starting out without chief experience here's a number and we didn't get that uh this
time and I hope we get it next time but could you just give us a paragraph on why you you thought maybe beyond the comps why you think the the the numbers you came up with are more uh appropriate. >> Sure. So my institutional experiences has gone
here in particular has gone through a wide range of things as I described earlier about where I started and a number of different areas. Um I've represented that office uh at many things prior to my departure and then since back um not a whole lot of that
has changed. The diversity of my experience I think is my is the real gain here. Um there's very few areas of this district that I haven't been involved in. Whether to assist staff, uh collaborate with staff to improve awareness, whether it be individual
audits that I've contributed to, um the programs that still are in place that you can see when you visit schools relative to some of the things particularly property. um you know the the breath of e even this experience although it's this one in particular is
not my favorite as we talked about but um the idea of interacting with board members to be able to provide the information that they need um working through APG when it first got created and now it's grown into another thing so I've seen the growth and the evolution of what's being done here in the press
to get toward more efficiency um working in construction uh audits again the diversity of my experience experience is is where I think the value is. And then leaving here to do something that hardly any and you mentioned uh Miss Michael up in in Palm
Beach who doesn't touch the audit section. She is the IG that does investigation. And I think that I've demonstrated in a short time and and I know how much time went into doing those things just recently to to be able to do audits with an investigative side to an
extension of the audit and being able to write and do these things in a way that's usable to both you and the public are the things that I think that I bring that other people don't. So yes, I I and I and I cherish and and and appreciate everybody for their academic background
for sure. But 25 years of governmental experience and 15 plus here, I think says something. And all fairness to Mr. Rhodess, who I appreciate all the what he's done. And and I said this before, I'm not
really here to negotiate for Mr. Mr. Rhodess. And and what happened then is different than what's happening right now to a degree. Financial times both inside the district and at home are significantly different in only a three-year period. So, those are the considerations and why I came with those
numbers. And I'll only touch on a little bit about why we came in at the first number, much like uh Chair Leonardi said is she came in low because that's what you do. And I came in at a place where I had done an average of people I could throw a stone to from here who do very
important jobs in this area. And I went way under that, which the average was like 264 if I remember the calculation. Um, and so I started at a point that I thought was high but but reasonable. It wasn't like outlandish in the sense of I did some work to get to that number. It wasn't just something I threw out there.
So when you ask me I hope I've answered the question, but that's how I got to a starting point and then we were working down from there. >> I I appreciate that and um I think there's two messages today at least what I hear um which is you are a broad
consensus choice of this board to become the chief auditor. There's a great deal of respect even for people that didn't support that decision in your capabilities. Uh we've not only heard about it from the IG and saw it when you were here before, but we've done it since you've come back. Uh that's one story. The other story is we're we're
getting rid of a thousand people or more this year. I mean, uh, two consecutive years of nish thousand students were losing, you know, decimating, uh, our budget by 80 plus million dollars per year is causing us to think real hard
about where we spend any money. I agree with Miss Hixon in the sense that we can't send a signal to senior leaders. It we're not sending to our staff. And um, I'm not sure where I am on her motion. I'm anxious to hear more from my colleagues, but I hope that you take
both of those messages. One is that you were a broad consensus of this board. Great respect for what you've done. We have to figure out a way to do this um in a way that's affordable maybe for a year and then hope that some of the other things that we're doing. I don't know what the best number is. Maybe it's maybe it's closer to Debbie's or closer
to the uh Mr. RH's outgoing salary. Uh we'll figure that out in a few minutes, but um both of those things are true at the same time. And I hope you take both of those messages when we leave today. Thanks. >> And I want to thank you, Dr. Zean, and I do appreciate let's not have that lost here about how you guys stood up and
selected me. I, you know, and made a point and and I want to work for you just as much as you wanted me here. Um, and I want to be able to come to an agreement. It's very important. And as you know, I've spent almost my entire life here, not just my professional. So, it means a lot to me. I don't think there's anybody that you're going to
meet that's going to put as much into it as I would. Um, I know the time that I've put in since I've been back in in bursts, uh, long bursts, but you know, that's what's going to take to get us where we need to get then and to stand the line even to help you sometimes, you know, seeing things in that maybe you
don't see, but I'll make do my best put forth my best foot uh, effort to make sure that I give you everything you possibly can have. So, but I do appreciate and I did want to recognize the fact that the board acted on my behalf. >> Thank you, Miss Bowman. Thanks, chair. Um, so I think based on
where we're at right now with the district, um, and the fact that we're unable to give raises to our teachers and staff. Um, that has to inform how we're moving forward with this. So, um,
I don't Can I make a substitute motion or Yeah. Okay. So I, you know, I think the absolute top number that I would be willing to support is what our chair um left the table with, which is what Mr. Rose was
making. And I I just really don't think that we can justify going over that right now with the in the current climate that we're in. So, I'd like to make a substitute motion for the salary to be $28
and $200,850. >> Second. >> Motion made by Miss Fulman, second by Mrs. Aladaf. Public comment on the motion. I don't see any. Um, board member comment on the substitute motion. Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so my
questions remain the same and then I have some comments. Dr. Lzon, do you have the answers to my questions? Our compensation team is working on the mean. Uh your previous questions, Mr. Rhodess served as the interim from April
2024 to September 2024 and was placed into the chief auditor position in September uh 2024 at uh 2850. >> Okay. So, um, regarding the the motion
made by board member Bulman, um, uh, based upon the key observations, uh, $200,850 is 10% below the Florida medium. So, um, even if we should agree upon this salary, and I know Dr. Zemen mentioned
um in the past uh market rate and if you look at the Florida education market median uh it's $223,000. So if we offer Mr. Maggi, a salary of $200,850
um considering the financial concerns that we have, I think is reasonable because this would be indicative of being 10% uh below um the Florida median. Um and
also, you know, I just want to say Mr. Maggley, in my opinion, has been very responsive. uh he's been efficient, he's been timely. I mean, I've seen the work that he has done um for some of the things that we needed and um and and I
admire his his competence. So, providing him with a salary that's 10% below the Florida median, I think, is a reasonable gesture um while balancing the concerns that we have financially as a district. Um, so I am going to support board
member uh Bulman's motion. Um, I think it's reasonable. Um, I don't think we're we're certainly not overpaying Mr. Maggley, we are actually based on the Florida median, we're underpaying him. Um, so um, I am going to be uh, strongly supportive of this and I think that's
where we should start. And did you have the answer or no, not yet? Okay, no problem. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Mrs. Alada. Thank you. I support the motion. I do have a question based on Mr. Maggley's
paper with it saying that chief uh auditor Dave Rhodess was paid 213,000 last year in 2025. Is that true? >> Sorry, Chair Leonardi, can you repeat that, please? >> You're not getting that
was >> that was with the referendum money. which they're not getting now. Okay. I just want to understand that number. Uh so yes, I I support this. I think you you know, you have to be
competitive even though it's still below the the average and I think I'm comfortable with the 2008 $200,850 that we're going to be offering Mr. Maggley. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. Um, I would just agree with my colleagues. The that amount was kind of my high point and I was willing to walk away. So, I would just like you to absorb that. Um, and I think the rest of us would also walk away for higher
than that. But, thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Hixon. Thank you. I have a a question for staff. What was the chief auditor making before Mr. roads became the chief auditor. What was that salary?
>> Just give me two minutes. >> Okay, >> Miss Hixon, would you like me to go to Mr. Rupert or >> Yeah, let's come. Okay, go ahead, Mr. Rert. >> Thank you. Um, a great leader not only leads but mentors the team around him.
Mr. RHS was an exemplary employee, responsive to the district's needs and a conscientious boss to his team. He mentored Mr. Maggley purposefully so we would have someone here ready to go when um the time for uh Mr. Rhodess was uh
was here for him to move on. So um I not only respect Mr. Maggley uh with my own um abilities and uh knowledge of who he is and what he brings to the table, but also um I respect the heck out of Mr.
Rhodess um for also uh lending that hand and and being able to work together to so this would be very um streamlined this process. I will will be supporting um the I'll just call it the the Bullman
substitute motion. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Does the team have Miss Dixon's answer yet? >> Still working on it, but I have Dr. Holes's answer. The mean is 228,000 >> Florida.
>> Florida education chief auditors. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Any other board discussion while we wait on Miss Hixon's answer? >> I'll just say this while they're waiting on this. My concern and my question is
nothing to do with your ability. I made the motion to just directly hire you. So I, you know, to Mr. Dr. Zean's point, we all believe in the ability. I just struggle with where we are financially. Um, and in the I know you've been here
for a long period of time, as have lots of teachers. I was this is my 37th year in the district, and as a teacher, I would never have been making a jump like that. And I know that administration is different than teaching, but in the
world that we live in right now, that doesn't make sense to people. And I um I just I can't go to the 200 either. I just think it's too it's too high. I think having you here a year
the the experience that you had here was amazing. But it wasn't even it wasn't at that higher administrative level. It was district. It was um I'm sorry director manager but not executive level. And that concerns me, which is why I would
be willing in a year to look at increasing that number again. But I I think we've jumped into a lot of things, got burnt on them because we didn't think them through. And my preference would be to leave it at the 185 and in a
year come back and see where we are and what we could do increasing it in a year. So I appreciate everyone's thoughts. I'm just not willing to change mine. But I I do want to know like did Mr. Road start at what the previous
auditor started at or was there a change or what did we look at when we did that? Because honestly I don't remember. Oh, okay. So according to some data I have in 2023 the last auditor that left made 175.
that was what the chief auditor was making in 2023. So, um again, just looking at times, not people particularly because it's is not about um his his ability um at all. I I'm going to
stay with my 185. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um Mr. Sea, >> thank you. May um may I follow up with Miss Hixon and inquire um Debbie, hi. Uh I got a followup for you
if you if you if you'd indulge me, please. Um on your 185 as a starting, you've mentioned several times that you'd like to come back in a year and reconsider. Uh is the basis of that reconsideration um based on certain professional
milestones that may have been hit by Mr. Maggley or is it solely on a fin a re u a review of the financial situation that the district's facing and if we happen to be in better financial standing we can come back to Mr. Maggley and uh
potentially offer more money. What were you suggesting when you said I'll come back in a year? >> Well, I mean really it's kind of up to us as a board. I'm just throwing out ideas, but I would say probably both. we could decide on,
you know, whatever those milestones might be to have it increase and then also where we are financially if it makes sense to be able to move that forward. >> So, um, under your concept, uh, presumably if Mr. Maggley had um a
stellar yearly review and um by some miracle the district um in increased its or improved its financial standing uh Mr. Maggley would be entitled to um I don't know what we call it uh an annual review or or
something in which a determination by this board would be made as to whether or not he should get an increase. >> Correct. If that is the case, would you be willing to get to the 200 in a year from now? >> Potentially. Um, but again, it would
depend on where where we're at. So, it's hard to say that um at all, but yeah, potentially. >> Okay. Thank you for the explanation, >> Dr. Zean. >> Thanks, Chair. Just a couple quick things to share to Adam's point, Mr. Spar's point. Um,
one of the things we would look at at the end of the year is how he manages fiscally his staff, which I think is kind of makes the 185 and the 200 really important because we're asking everybody here to trim their costs, not to do what
they did last year. If we paid everything out this year again next year, uh I guess let me ask the CFO, if we did that, uh what deficit would we starting the year with in in our in our annual budget that starts on July 4th?
If we paid everything now, next year, how much money would we be in the hole going into the uh next year, the 26 27 year? If we don't cut any costs, how much how much are we going to be going into the whole next year? >> Over 120 million.
>> Right. So, so we're not asking people to do kind of um hey, if you're the head of function X, uh can you just keep can you limit your expenses to last year's expenses? We're saying to some people, we need you to cut cost 10%. Some people more than 10%. Dr. Heepern is is looking
for a thousand positions to undo and not fill. uh on top of the three or 4 hundred teacher positions we're not going to have. So the 185 that Miss Hixon brought out is a 22% raise from where he is now. It's a one-year plan to come back and and and see where to go
from there. Um uh I again I'm not I'm not hard over on either one of those numbers, but I can tell you that the 185 is very consistent with what we're asking every function to do is is to find what's the reduction 15 over at that 7 and a half% reduction. um if we
did that. And so a 22% raise uh seven and a half percent less than what the outgoing chief auditor made uh does send the right signal uh to our folks. And to Miss Hixon's point, I appreciate you thinking about the the the message that goes out today. This is only one
position of 25,000, but every one position adds up over time and and it gets to 25,000. So thank you, Chair. >> Thank you. And I before I go to Dr. for wholeness. I did just want to flag um and I I appreciate Miss Hixon asking the question about what the previous chief
auditor made in 2023, so 3 years ago, and that was $175,000. Um to go from the 175 to the 185, which is what Miss Hixon offered, is about a 5.7%
raise for that position. Um again, kind of unheard of for our other employees. Um, but when we uh agreed to the 200,000 for Mr. Rhodess to go from 175 to 200,000 back in 2023, that was a 14% pay
increase for that position. So, I just think that's important to note. Dr. Hoes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, um, you know, and I appreciate, uh, board member Hixon's, uh, comments and her
motion. Um and I I fully understand that we are in a uh financial um well we have financial constraints. Um but at the same time we're also talking about
teachers and staff and so on. So um my thought on all of that is this. Um, I don't believe Broad County is paying teachers um 19% below market rate for teachers in the state of Florida. Dr. Heepburn, are
we paying teachers 19% below market rate for teachers in Florida? >> No, we're not paying them um below market rate in in compared to state of Florida average rate. >> Okay. Are we paying any any staff any position in in Broward uh that are
lateral positions 19% below market rate in the state of Florida? >> No. Our um rate are very competitive compared to our peers. >> Okay. So if we pay Mr. Maggley 185,000 it would be 19% below market rate as far as the mean
average and as far as the median it would be 18% below market rate. So there is no position Dr. Heburn that you can think of that are lateral positions in Broward County schools that we're paying 18% below market rate. >> None that I can think of off top of my head.
>> And certainly we are not paying 18% below market rate for our teachers as compared to the state of Florida average. >> That's correct. That's correct statement. >> Okay. So I don't think we're comparing apples to apples. This is a position that has a certain value, right? uh a
certain pay rate on average. And if we pay Mr. Maggley 185,000, we are going to be paying him 19% below the market rate as far as the mean average and 18% below the market rate as far as the median
average. This would be an anomaly because there is not employees within this district getting 18 or 19% below market rate. So why should we do that for this position? So you know I
understand and this is not a matter of discussing or or not understanding our financial concerns. This is more a matter of acting in a manner that is comparable to the state that is equitable to all employees. And
I think if we pay Mr. Maggley 18% below market rate that's not comparable to all employees. Um, so I'm cons, you know, that's the reason why I'm looking at board member Bullman's motion, which is 10% below market rate even at the 200,000, but it was it's comparable to Mr. Road.
So I think that's a fair place to land. And Dr. Lazan, it appears you have something to say. >> Good morning. Um so technically the median um roles um normally typically represent seasoned professionals in that role not entry level you know
professions coming into the position. So they're more seasoned four five years six years into the position. >> Understand? But we we're looking at the state average for and I I understand what you just said but we're looking at the state average for that position. And when we look at the state average, we we
haven't break it down into which of these are seasoned, not seasoned, and so on. It's just the average for the state, the mean average, the median average. So among the mean median average for the entire state, you could have entry- level people, you could have people here 5 years, 10 years. So I get all of that.
But when we look at the mean average, he is 18% below, 19% for the mean. So, you know, I I am comfortable landing at 10% below, which is the 200,000. And as far as my take on looking at other positions
such as teachers and other non-instructional staff and so on and so forth, you're not comparing apples to apples when you're looking at two different positions. When you look at the same positions, then you're comparing apples to apples. And then you look at the mean average for those positions across the state. If we were
paying teachers 18% below teachers in the state, that would be a problem. This room would be filled with with people. But that's not what we're doing. So, we can't compare one position with another when they're completely different salary scale. So, I think when we look at what
he um this position and what Mr. Magley uh uh should be making as far as a fair um salary, we have to look at the state average. And we look at the mean already. look at the median and 200,000 would land him 10% below. So I think
it's a fair place to land. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other board discussion, Mr. Magley? >> Yes, ma'am. Um I appreciate all the considerations and concerns and I and I like to hear um what everyone's having
to say. Um, sometimes we're using these numbers to our benefit and then other times we we just don't even consider them. What I do consider are all these things that we're saying about the massive restrictions that we have to deal with. But I also know and how much
this job entails um under the circumstances um and what's been discussed and I've listened to everything that has been discussed. If you're prepared to uh and it's not where I thought I'd want it to be, but if you're prepared to offer me uh Mr. Rose's exiting salary, we can end this
now. Um I don't know if that's proper for me to say it like that, but you know, I just want to be, you know, let you know if this is where if people are going to keep going back and forth, and I'm the one who's going to concede that and I appreciate the words, Dr. Holmes, because quite honestly, we keep saying that I don't have experience as the
chief. And I know when the gentleman went to Miami Dade at a minimum several years ago got 215. And I'm not here trying to continue to bat this around and beat each other up about it when we all have a great deal of respect for each other and what we're capable of
doing and will do. So that's not what I'm trying to do. Uh it was never my motivation even going into the negotiation. I wanted to be fair based on even what we talked about market analysis and looking at these things. And that's not where we are. We're on where
we are here at Broward. Okay. A very um impacted group um under a lot of scrutiny and I want to be right by that. So the other part of that, Missen, just to address that that sequencing and and uh meritorious um advancement is that
Mr. Rhodess never got a raise. And we really don't know. It's Mr. and he didn't say it like that, but we don't know. We're hoping we're going to get somewhere and I'm darn sure trying to be somebody who helps that happen and makes things better. So, I fully understand
that. So, that part of it I don't think is fair. Um I think that based on the circumstances, though it's not the ultimate um accomplishment for me, but it means a lot to me. It's a great opportunity. I would not have put
in for it knowing what we do here, okay? If I didn't think it was important more than just uh the money part, but I I put that out to you right now. So, one way or another, we can either part as colleagues or you know, whatever the decision and if you have further discussion, I understand that, too. But
I just wanted to put that in there for everybody. >> Any other board member discussion on the substitute motion to uh make the salary $200,850? All right. All in favor of the motion say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. No.
>> Roll call, please. >> Roll call. Mrs. Bowman's motion. School board members Aadv. >> Yes. >> Bowman. >> Yes. >> Sea. >> No. >> Hixon. >> No. >> Honus. >> Yes. >> Leonardi. >> No.
>> Rupert. Yes, >> Thompson. >> Yes, >> Zean. >> Motion passes 54. >> All right, so we are back to the item. Um, I had Miss uh Thompson on the list
to speak on the item next. >> No, I'm I've said my piece. Anyone else on the item? >> Welcome to the team, >> Mr. Seivera. Um yeah, I I echo Dr. Dr. Zeman's um
comments as well. Welcome aboard. Um and for what it's worth, uh I think you have to appreciate the uh the storm that you are effectively walking into. Um there is a very very high level of expectation that are gonna that's going to be placed
on your shoulders and uh I'm very confident that you are going to uh meet the call and assist this board with uh a litany of things that we are going to need uh in the very near future and I'm very very confident that you um are
going to do what needs to be done to get this board back on track. So welcome. We're happy to have you and I'm glad we can now effectively end the salary portion of this. So, thank you for that. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um and I I thought I heard approval in the in the U or an agreement
in the comments that you gave Mr. Maggley, but I just want to make sure we get formal agreement that you agree to the 200,850. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Any other comment on the item? >> All in favor of item one say I. I. All
oppose say no. Item passes unanimously. Congratulations. >> Thank you folks. >> All right. Now that um item one has passed, I we do need to open up the agenda so I can withdraw item number two. So could I have a I'll make a
motion to open the agenda. Could I have a second? >> Second. Second >> uh motion made by me, second by Miss Roupert to open the agenda. All in favor of opening the agenda say I. I. >> All oppose say no. >> Um I would like to do I have to make a motion to withdraw item I'll make a
motion to withdraw item two. >> Second. >> Seconded by Dr. Hoes. Um all in favor of withdrawing item number two. Public comment on the motion. >> All in favor of uh the motion say I. >> I. >> All oppose say no. >> Um motion passes unanimously. Uh, could
I now close Do I need to close the agenda now? Could I get a motion in a second to close the agenda? >> Moved by Dr. Zean, seconded by Miss Roupert. Um, public comment on closing the agenda. All in favor of closing the agenda say I. >> I. All right. All oppose say no. Um,
closing the agenda passes unanimously. Now that we have uh exhausted all of the items, um I the scheduled order of business for the special school board meeting of the school board of Brower County, Florida has been completed. Seeing no
objections, I will now adjourn the special school board meeting. Hey dick. Heat. Heat. Down Welcome to today's school board workshop. This workshop of the school board of Broward County, Florida is now called to order. To ensure a safe and
productive environment, please note the clearly marked emergency exits. Do not block exit doors, and all attendees must be seated except for media. Once the room reaches capacity, attendees will be directed to the overflow area. If the fire alarm sounds, exit the room calmly, continue outside the building, and remain there until authorities give
clearance to return. Thank you for your cooperation. All please rise for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> As we be begin, we re reaffirm our mission for the second time today. 100% proficiency for all students. As an A-rated district, we remain committed to sustaining this achievement and supporting every student to reach their
highest potential. Our theme this year is believe, empower, achieve one Broward. We will now proceed with the agenda. Today's workshop will operate in accordance with schoolboard policy 1020 and the board will review the items as advertised and presented by the superintendent. Our first item is committee reports. Um, and to
accommodate uh some requests that were made in advance, um, I will call on ESC Advisory Council first. please add five minutes to the clock. >> Thank you so much, um, for accommodating me. I've just got a shoot out of here straight afterwards. So, um, thank you.
I want to give a shout out first of all to the 300 students who were honored at the BCPS Just Do It Awards last week, which spotlight the perseverance and achievements of students with disabilities and their peer partners. This is in its 27th year, and it's the loveliest of occasions. Thank you to
Gwen Lipkcom, Diane Egan, and all the team at Fiddlers and the ESSE department that organized this event that so joyously showcased the special in special ed and the ability in disability. It was nice also to see the superintendent and two schoolboard members there to celebrate these special
students. Thank you, Miss Hixon and Miss McCarthy Bulman. At our most recent ESC advisory meeting, we were missing five out of nine schoolboard appointees. Some of you may have now lost your appointees altogether if those absence made the members not in good standing. So, please
feel free to let me know if you'd like help finding replacements. I've now completed two reports that I've sent to the superintendent containing feedback and recommendations resulting from our reviews of two important areas which I'll close out this week. The superintendent has them in draft form
and distribute. The first is entitled strengthening the BCPS district-wide elopement plan and it proposes improvements to student safety prevention and district accountability regarding elopment incidents. Elment is when a student leaves the supervised area without permission. It can stem
from impulsivity, emotional distress, mental health crisis or can be associated with autism and intellectual disabilities and come with limited danger awareness. Off-campus elopment presents p potentially fatal risks. While the
current plan establishes a framework of sorts, the ESSE advisory review identified gaps in areas such as risk differentiation, prevention, and accountability. In particular, the district's failure or inability to provide upon repeated request any data
on incident numbers, afteraction reviews, and reporting mechanisms expose weaknesses in monitoring and oversight. Our suggestions for improvement include adopting a tiered risk classification system to ensure appropriate and timely responses, clearer definitions of
attempted versus executed elopement, mandatory communication protocols, stronger guidance for field trips and unsecured campuses and so on. It also calls for mandatory immediate parent notification and GPS activation protocols. Prevention and accountability
are central themes of the report and recommendations include annual staff training and drills, stronger integration, integration of elopement prevention into IEPs and behavior plans, environmental reviews after incident incidents, and standardized reporting templates. The proposal emphasizes that
effective preparation and oversight can make the difference between life and death. The second of our reports is about restoring trust between families and BCPS by strengthening transparency, accountability, and follow-through when parents raise concerns. When concerns
are met with delay, unclear process, inconsistent communication, or no documented resolution, trust erodess, and in some cases, families leave the district. This is not about isolated complaints. There are systemic weaknesses in how concerns are received,
investigated, resolved, and track tracked. The goal should be to move from a reactive case-byase approach to a structured, measurable accountability system, which is what our report um provides suggestions for. The report also identifies gaps in procedure around
student safety and investigations in cases involving injuries, alleged misconduct, abuse investigations, or SIU involvement. Parents often receive unclear or inconsistent communication or no communication at all. The board also
needs to be concerned about lack of incident report documentation, withholding of records, confusion at the district end about legal obligations under furer, IDA and Florida law and outdated board policies. I must again raise these concerns about legal
guidance that is inconsistent with federal and state law regarding parental access to records. Our recommendation is to clarify proposals and so on and it's all uh in the report that I distribute. Um in other news we are launching a deaf
and heart of hearing committee. Among topics for urgent review and that are transportation challenges for DHH students uh who travel long distances all to the central um program sites. In some cases we're told departing before 5:00 a.m. Um families report exhaustion,
lost instruction time, and ongoing frustration. ESSE advisory made transportation recommendations at the start of the school year. Um but response and meaningful change still elude us. We requested ESE training for bus staff but have not received updates.
I believe the transportation department has been contacted by the ESC department and Dr. Hburn maybe there is something you can do to assist the ESC department in getting a response to that invitation for the for transportation to come to ESC advisory at our next meeting. Thank you all so much.
>> Thank you. And do any of my colleagues have questions for Miss Luskam before she has to leave? Mr. Seivera, >> you can go first. >> If Miss Roupert would be permitted to go first, I would appreciate it. >> Miss Rupert. Oh, okay. I was going to
say the same thing for you. Um, that's great. Thank Thank you, um, Jackie for for being here as usual and for always saying exactly what needs to be said. So, I appreciate that. Um, have you at this time um not received any of the data from the elopement? only from your
office yesterday because you got written followup and I didn't but thank you for sending it. >> Okay, that was that was my my question and answer for that part. Um, Mr. Superintendent, Dr. Mr. Superintendent, it's always hard which way to call you. Um,
do we have uh it's a harder question to ask. I guess if you look at um the entire ESSE um uh part of the district, okay, obviously it's like it's like working on a cruise ship and hold me there for a second if I'm not going off
the rails here. Um is is that anything that you can have a job for here in Broward County or in America, you can get a job on a cruise ship to do it. It's kind of a, you know, uh once get on there and you got everything you need. I think looking at ESSE for me as a
teacher was always that way. You know, it's it I called it the ESSE umbrella and have often said that I, you know, I would love that every child has uh an IEP learning plan because it'll um you know, play to the needs of the students.
So saying that um has your ESSE team um gotten together to discuss these great uh accountability gaps and the risk um for for this very very um special
population. >> The yes the answer is yes. We've already done internal discussions and um as you know we're talking about uh you know new org chart and and changes in how we provide services um to students that receive them and also we have a meeting
upcoming um to be scheduled with um Miss Luskam and her crew also to discuss further. >> So your office has already reached out to to Miss Luskcom's office. >> Yep. she's reached out to us and um we are scheduling a meeting to discuss but the team is already working internally
to make any changes or revisions that are needed especially for the upcoming school year. >> Okay. Um thank you for that. Um I would would actually appreciate um and I'm I'm sure my my colleagues as well to to know when that is happening to have an after
meeting report but also um to plan a designated workshop to discuss uh you know possibly doing a another report like the evergreen report. Um, if memory serves me, it was
110 recommendations in that report and we monitored it for a while. Um, and then we stopped. I I don't even know when the many years ago it was maybe five. >> It was in 2014 and reported in 2015.
>> Okay. 10 11. Um, okay. And if you haven't as board members read that or never heard of it, it's extremely important because it actually lays out exactly what Miss Lovkum is is looking at and talking about. Um I I'm a big
believer that you you measure what you want to either improve at or um to make strategic moves. Um and I don't think we can you know do that uh if we don't have all the situation under the umbrella
that we we need to know these because the parents do. Um another another idea would also be parent involvement task force. Um I think in the past we we've had um maybe one or two on those. I would I would ask them when they have
their um when you talk to to let us know what you would think about that. And I think the more that we work together, especially committees and and board, um it's better for our students, it's better for our teachers, it's better for our parents and community. Um, you know,
honestly, being extremely transparent and forward- facing is the best way we can get past the blah blah and do what's right for our kids. So, um, thank you for for making sure
that my office got that information, but in a perfect world, um, especially chairs of committees, that should happen sooner. So, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Vera. >> Thank you. And thank you to the um ESC
advisory council for the report and for coming um this morning. I heard something that uh was very troubling to me and I'd like some clarification from the from the district on it. And if I misstate, Miss LCO any
of the facts as I'm uh regurgitating them here, please uh correct me for purposes of the record. Mr. Superintendent, I'd like some clarification on our records uh policy involving uh student incidents at our school. I'd like to give you a
hypothetical situation and I'd like very much sir to know what uh your response is based on what the current policy would dictate. If student X is in school and uh comes home with bruises and a
parent asks for an investigation or an inquiry to be done to discover the source of those injuries, the school conducts an investigation in consult with the with the district and we follow protocol and the investigation is completed.
After the investigation is completed, the parent makes a request for those records. Does the parent have a right to have those records? And if so, what is the turnaround time for a request of such records?
Records. Yes. Um turnaround time, it depends. Also, it depends on the situation for the records as well. I I'll have um general counsel chime in on if there's any um specific situations where we would not provide records or
what type of records and and for what reason. Um so you know these these situations have go along uh uh the spectrum of of you know it's unique to the kids. So uh go ahead Mr. Evans >> through the chair just on the unique
circumstance of whether or not a person files a claim under 76828 past that period of time there would not be they could not make that public records request. So it
depends upon that factual circumstance. >> Okay? I'm not talking about making claims and I'm not talking about threats of litigation or attorney hold letters or spoilation letters or anything like that in my hypothetical. It's very specific.
An investigation is requested as to whether or not a child was harmed at a school. Okay? An investigation is done. The parent is notified that the investigation has been completed and the parent is asking for a copy of that
report with all of its findings. >> Mr. I'm sorry. You told me to chime in if >> Yes, please. >> Parent isn't even told if an investigation is completed. >> Fair. So, for purposes again of just hypothetical once that investigation is
done, how quickly can is well, actually, let me back up. Is the parent entitled to that investigative report? >> So through the chair, I cannot engage in
stating hypotheticals and giving answers on the spot because the way that I do my work legally speaking, I look at facts. I look at documentation. So I I do not want to state an answer to
a hypothetical one fact of which changes may change my answer. So I was merely responding to the question that Dr. Heburn was posing to me that separate and discreet um
answer. So, I do not want to engage in listening to a hypothetical and providing my legal analysis because that is not the way that I would do that on a daily basis. >> If I may, Mrs. Sea, um just on the admin side of the house, if something happens
to a kid and we do an an investigation and a parent request the records, yes, they do have access to the records. But um the question I proposed to general counsel if there's certain unique circumstances that would prevent um the
records from being given to that parent. There's other things that may happen, lawsuits, whatever the case may be. But under normal circumstances, we're six largest school districts um almost 200,000 students. We have stuff happen to kids every day, right? Be it with their peers, be it with another adult.
Investigations go on all the time. And those those records when requested are actually given to parents so they are aware of what actually happened on campus with their child. But uh sometimes there are unique circumstances that become latigious and that may
interfere um with the timeliness or even the pos or even the ability to receive certain records. So under normal circumstances um yes. >> Okay. So I I want to break that down because I need a better understanding of how this is working. Okay.
In a scenario in which there is not a threatened lawsuit or there's no threat of litigation, there's no attorney hold letter, there's no lawyers involved, mom just wants a copy of the investigation report once it's complete. Mr. Superintendent, is she entitled to a copy of that report?
>> How quickly after the initial request is made, does mom get a copy of that report? As soon as the admin team can go through the investigation, redact the names that she's not privy to seeing of other students and in uh certain circumstances that involve other students, you normally will get a uh
report about your child and redact any information about the other kids. >> Understand and I can appreciate that. Is that something sir that would take six days or is that something that would take six months? >> It depends on the the scope of the uh investigation and how and how detailed it is. If it's just say hey Johnny got
popped in the head in PE. They asked all the kids in PE. Now that's a quick one. But if there's something a little bit more uh uh nuanced, it may take a little bit longer. >> Okay. Now the last part of this because I want to understand I think the ESC chair wants to understand and hopefully members of
the public want to understand as well. What are the situations? Okay. And if you need to point to statute policy, the administrative code, what are the situations in which the district would not pro uh
provide a copy of that incident report after it was completed or excuse me, the investigation report after it was completed? >> Well, I will yield to general counsel on that one. Usually in any type of situation that's beyond the scope of normal administrative duties on a campus
of doing an investigation and when it involves legal, we look for legal's advice um and taking the next steps of what we can and can't do. So through the chair um whenever there is depending upon what is going on in terms of litigation lawsuits claims
records holds letter if none of that is in existence then it is exactly what the superintendent has indicated um they are entitled to those those records. So if even if the investigation is completely over and done with, yes, they are
entitled to um those those records. >> Mr. Superintendent, what's the recourse that a parent has if their records are not that they've requested are not turned over in a timely manner? >> Um they move up the chain. If um if this is at a school, they um and they're dealing with assistant principal, they
just move up to the school principal. Um if not they can consult with the regional office if they're still not getting what they need. >> Okay. And what happens if the regional office doesn't give it in a timely manner? >> They just uh start moving forward there that everybody has a boss. >> Can the state get involved?
>> The state can get involved in anything uh or or most things in our school district if they need to. Does a parent have a right to contact the Florida Department of Education and file a grievance or a complaint with them if they don't believe that their records are being produced in a timely manner? >> Yep. They can they can call the state.
They can call the they they have a right to call whoever they feel that's going to assist them and advocate for them. >> Last part of my question, Miss Jock Adams, I I don't think I received an answer to this. Respectfully, I'm looking for uh a statute site, policy site, an administrative code site that
you can provide to members of the public, which would exclude the district's obligation to give a copy of this investigation report because of a threat of litigation. >> Are you speaking to exemptions to the public records law? You said before that
every case is unique and if there's threats of litigation again and I know you don't want to hear it but I'm going to go back to my hypothetical. Okay. In my hypothetical situation in which the investigation has been completed and mom now wants the records. You said that cases like this can be unique and in
certain cir circumstances involving litigation or threats of litigation, the district would not have an obligation to turn over those records. I want to know respectfully, ma'am, is there a portion of the statute that parents should be looking at? Is there a portion of the Broward County School Board policy that parents should be looking at? Is there a
portion of the Florida administrative code that parents should be looking at to see all these exemptions that would permit the district to not turn over this investigation report? just focusing on public records because
once again when I perform a legal analysis, I do not do it the way we are doing it right now where I'm given a hypothetical with parts that may or may not change. What I do know is an exemption to the
public records law is chapter 119.071. However, I do not provide advice to anyone but the school board. That's who I provide my legal advice to. So, I would not be providing advice to the public for any reason.
>> What if I want to know? >> So, if you want to know as a board member, I am an attorney to the school board. However, the public, no, I do not provide legal advice to the public.
>> I want to know in my capacity, Adam Cera, school board member representing district 6, what portion of the Florida statutes, the administrative code, or the Broward County policy, would prevent the district from having to give over an investigation report that's made by a
parent whose child has been injured in a classroom. So not focusing on any of the factual circumstances that you mentioned because based upon those facts and circumstances, legal advice can vary based on facts.
There is chapter 119.071 of the Florida statutes as well as um 76828. Now those are the main statutes but I do not want to be held to the factual
circumstance that you referenced because depending upon facts and circumstances my legal advice may change. >> Okay. So we 76819. What about the Florida admin code? >> The Florida administrative code. I would
have to look that up. >> What about Florida? What about Broward County school policy? In terms of what is a salient question, >> the same the same inquiry, ma'am. Is there anything in the Broward County School Board policy that would prevent the district from having to turn over a
record because of perceived threats of litigation? >> I would have to look into that. Mr. Sea, >> I would ask you to do that for all of the above when you're able. >> Thank you. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you. Any other questions or concerns for the ESC Advisory Council?
All right. Thank you. Audit comm. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> It's getting the microphone. Okay. Good morning. The audit committee met yesterday, March 2nd, uh 2026. It was uh a specially called meeting to review and transmit the annual comprehensive
financial report. The report is being transmitted to you in a timely manner. In addition, we reviewed and transmitted reports required by the uniform guidance for the year ended June 30th, 2025 prepared by S. Davis and associates. We
appreciate Roman Johnson coming to our meeting to address the two matters above as well as to provide an update on the fund balance for fiscal year uh 202526. In response to her comments and qu and in response to questions raised by the
committee members, a motion was passed recommending that the district sponsor a parent university or some other forum to educate and engage parents, students, and members of the community on the current district financial condition. We encourage this in an effort to be
transparent so that your stakeholders will fully understand what you are doing to mitigate the situation. educating the extended community on the finances of the district and inviting their input on possible strategies to make budget cuts while ensuring that the maximum amount
of dollars are directed to student learning and success needs to be a priority. And we hope that you will support an initiative to be shared with the public in coming weeks. Um and just then finally we um we just wanted to we had a little celebration thanking uh
Dave Rhodess for his work as our auditor and um yeah it was a great meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you um Broward County Association of Student Councils and Student Advisors School Board.
>> Thank you everybody and good morning. Happy March. I feel like we were just here uh to do reports. So, time is flying by which for us as seniors is uh not a good thing. Uh I want to start off by welcoming you, Mr. Maggley, into your new role. Uh as the student adviserss,
we uh don't deal with a lot of audit matters, which I think is a good thing. Uh but want to welcome you on behalf of of the students and we look forward to working with you. Um we have a lot to update you all on. I'm probably making a surprise announcement to Miss Go and the parent community involvement task force.
So, I'm sorry. Uh, but we're hoping to have our first student university after many months of figuring out what that would look like. Uh, and reaching out to talk about testing and overesting and clearing up that narrative, uh, and gaining some more feedback from students. So, we're looking forward to
continuing the work, uh, with Dr. Con and his team and, uh, the parent community involvement task force. We have been busy on our uh, road tour of the non-traditional schools. We've had some amazing visits uh at our non-traditional schools. We were even
gifted hats from Linear James Education Center that we promised we would wear today. Thank you to Principal Michelle Laurent uh for giving these to us. We had a great discussion. Also want to highlight uh Miss Stern at Cross Creek, Miss Jackson at Cypress Run, uh Miss
Baltazar at HD Perry, Miss Merchant James at Seagull. We've had great visits there. It's so nice to hear. where we ask in each of the non-traditional sessions about the impact these schools have had uh for these students and hearing those individual stories has
just been uh very powerful. Um and I will admit uh for those of you that know me know that I'm not the most emotional person, but um a couple of those times caught me. Um, and just to hear the life-changing stories of our students in
the non-traditional setting has just been incredibly powerful. Uh, we're looking forward to visits at Whispering Pines, Whiten Rogers, and Pine Ridge over the next few weeks. Uh, and just really want to thank those students and administrators for welcoming us to their
home uh to hear their feedback. We are in the last administration window for this school year of the quarterly student feedback survey. As of today, we are at 47% districtwide, which is 10% above where we were at midwind last quarter. Um, so we are seeing some good
increases in performance or in responses. Uh, what's awesome about this quarter is we've been able to develop uh an even more enhanced artificial intelligence tool in it that's asking follow-up questions based off of responses. Right? So, for example, if
you respond to a question that says that you strongly agree that you belong at your school, but then you say you strongly disagree that you would recommend your school to another student, the AI agent is seeing that and it's asking why the difference. Um, why are you feeling like you belong, but you
won't recommend? Right? So, we're getting some in-depth responses there. Uh, and you know, we're we're looking forward to sharing that with the board. On April 14th, we'll be doing our quarterly student and schoolboard feedback session. tied in with that data. So, the students are really going
to be bringing life uh to some of the data that we're receiving. I want to thank the teaching and learning directors and Dr. Fulton and her team for welcoming me uh last week to present an update. We had a very productive productive conversation as well as Miss Fry and the human relations
council. Uh we were able to go do a presentation on this data. So, thank you for welcoming us. It was a great discussion. Uh and we're looking forward to continued engagement. The superintendent student advisory committee met last week. Uh I want to thank Mr. Ben Osborne from physical plan
operations for attending. We had a great discussion uh on what facilities improvements can look like from the student perspective. How can students play a role uh in making sure that our facilities are clean and well-maintained. I'll I've said it before, I'll say it again. The bathrooms
don't dirty themselves. Uh so we know that kids play a huge role uh in keeping our campuses clean and we're looking forward to launching some pilot initiatives uh over the next few months to get the ball moving on that. And finally, I want to thank Jere uh for all
of the work that he's been doing on the youth mental health summit uh in collaboration with the unbreakable organization, our internal mental health services department, and the school culture and student support team. uh that will be taking place on April 18th at South Broward High School.
Information has been sent out uh to students for registration. We're looking forward to having a really productive conversation on what mental health uh in the 22nd century classroom will look like uh and having that conversation uh to embrace, you know, what we need to do
to address that. So, as always, if there's any students who have anything to share, they can reach out to us uh on our social media channels or via email. and we are looking forward to a productive end of the school year. Thank you. >> Thank you. Parent Community Involvement
Task Force. >> Thank you. Um good morning board members. The parent community involvement task force met last night for our March meeting and we had a dynamic and forward-looking discussion focused on communication, partnership, and student opportunity. First, I want
to highlight our February 4th parent university on student support services. It was a very robust session that helped families better understand the wide range of services available across the district. A sincere thank you to Simone Hollingsworth and her entire team as
well as Kevin Williams and the innovative learning team for their collaboration and thoughtful presentation. When families understand what exists, they are far more likely to access it. Looking ahead, we are excited to partner with Guy Brahmoa and
secondary learning on an upcoming parent university focused on advanced academics. We will spotlight the full continuum of dual enrollment, advanced placement, IB, and Cambridge offerings available to BCPS students. These
programs are a true differentiator for our district. Our goal is to ensure families clearly understand not just that these opportunities exist, but how their children can strategically access and benefit from them. I am thrilled to hear the breaking news about the student
university. That is so exciting. Um I feel like these more accessible forums are such a powerful way to ga engage students and then students and families can have conversations. So that is very happy news. We appreciate the audit committee's
motion to host a parent university session focused on helping families understand the district's financial situation in accessible terms. Our task force strongly agrees this needs to happen quickly. During our meeting, several members applauded the work DAC
and the areas areas are doing to educate parents on different issues and foster dialogue. We hope to partner with them. That's a little bit of breaking news, too, Cynthia. Um, on this work to help the community understand the district's financial realities and
provide opportunities for input. The task force emphasized that this topic requires transparency, shared understanding, and meaningful community engagement. We are planning a nonprofit forum on April 15th um designed to strengthen connections between schools
and nonprofit organizations. Um, and we feel like as we go into budget conversations, those connections are going to be more important than ever. Um, we have a meeting scheduled next week with Dr. Wilson and innovative learning to move our podcast initiative
forward to its next phase. Uh, and we really see that as an opportunity to to build that connection with families. We are also excited to revive a centralized school resource locator database that would house both district and external nonprofit resources. We request
respectfully that the board and superintendent support us in collaborating with the face team and strategic partnership teams to explore this further. Finally, we ended our conversation last night um with a discussion of the policy and next week's agenda regarding school
clubs. We are hearing from multiple high schools that they are struggling to secure and sustain club sponsors even for cornerstone organizations such as student government, drama and student newspaper. Some school administrators have indicated that current eligibility
limitations for sponsors um are have become quite restrictive and the result is that students are suffering. If that is the case, it raises serious concerns about equitable student access to leadership, arts, journalism, and
other enrichment experiences that are foundational to school culture and engagement. For many for many students, these activities are not peripheral. They are the reason they show up each day. They are where students develop communication skills, collaboration, time management, problem solving, and
real world leadership capacity. Truly the foundation of college career and life readiness. More importantly, these are the spaces where students find connection, identity, and belonging. We can imagine that this landscape will only get more challenging as staffing reductions occur
and budget crises are are continue. Our task force believes that will it will be increasingly important to invite in the community in as club sponsors thoughtfully and safely to help sustain these experiences. Of course, we must
maintain rigorous safeguards, level two clearances, background checks, and appropriate training, but procedural barriers should not limit the opportunities of our students. We respectfully encourage the board as you consider this policy next week to examine whether there are pathways to
responsibly incorporate community volunteers and club sponsorship roles so that bureaucracy does not stand in the way of meaningful student opportunities. Thank you. >> Thank you. And uh again to accommodate a a request that was made before the
meeting um does anyone have any questions for the parent community involvement task force? Miss Hixon. >> Thank you and thank you so much for for your diligent work on all this. So I I really kind of want to ask the superintendent um two things.
First of all, thank you for wanting to do the parent university for financial concern. So I'd like to ask the superintendent. We, if I'm not mistaken, I think the last time we were here, I also asked for a town hall in the different regions and also a parent
university to kind of look at a bigger picture. So, kind of the good, the bad, and the um I don't want to say ugly, but you know, the the sharing the good things that are happening in the district, the concerns we have, and then asking the community for their input. So
when they did mention they'd like to do it sooner rather than later. So if we could start with the parent university and then branch out to the town halls when could how fast could we do that or you know what date do you think would work for that is my question. >> Uh we'll have to get back to you on the
dates for town halls. We're working with an external partner too just to make sure we're communicating um appropriately um and also addressing all the um external stakeholders um appropriately. So the the parent university that's one we can hop on
quickly the town halls u we'll have to get back to you with this. >> I get that. That's what I'm saying. Start with the parent university. It would be kind of be like the kickoff beforehand. So, can we say in the next two weeks we would have a parent university?
>> It all depends on uh the parent community task force. >> Yeah. >> Can I just respond on behalf of audit and parent community because we'd probably both be working on this. Plus, Miss Johnson, I don't know, she might want to weigh in here, but um we were
thinking the week after spring break is probably the soonest because we're with you know, we have less than two weeks till spring break. So, we were thinking that following week. And the other thing, and I forgot to include this in my report, but if we could do even more
extensive outreach and communication to parents and communities, to cities, to everybody to let them know we're having this program. Um, I'm sorry I interrupted her, but we we just feel this needs to be broadly communicated and we need to really engage our
community and and and you know, ask them to help us to well, you know, absolutely because you suggested it. >> I Yeah, I agree. I agree. Um, so I I would >> that that works that we that's perfect timing. Um and by that time we'll get a
lot of feedback from the external um consultant we're working with um just to make sure we're this is on our radar and so we want to make sure how we communicate um and the volume of communication and also the target audience out of the community is all done appropriately. So we're we're
leaning on some expertise um that we don't have in house to make sure that's that's um done appropriately. So that's perfect timing. >> Perfect. And and I want to reemphasize I think we should be sharing starting off with the great things that because there are many great things happening in our district and I think it gets
overshadowed with the couple of things that aren't so great happening. Um, and so I think it's important to do that, but I also think it's important to have a space where they're able to share their their their thoughts or maybe
their own ideas on how I I get emails every day of people have ideas on how to save money. So, we may or may not be able to shake them out, but at least give them a platform in that forum to be able to share their >> And can I comment on that? So that was
part of our discussion last night. So the model we're envisioning is that Miss Johnson, I've heard she does a really wonderful job of really speaking in plain language to say this is where we are. This is why we're there and this is what it means for students, community members, families. Um we thought we'd
have some kind of just very short survey at the end where then as people are thinking about this, they could share their ideas. um and that we would kind of curate that report and those findings to bring to the board to say here are communitydriven ideas that that might work. Um and there was also a
conversation of almost doing a separate um a separate session for teachers that kind of gets at something similar. So just throwing that out there. Yeah, if I can if I can add because we probably need to uh meet offline to discuss further because we already have in the works a survey that's going that we're
developing for community uh parent student and also faculty staff um just a simple survey um three questions and leverage our what's the survey tool? Um >> exchange >> thought exchange to theme it out based on all the feedback so we can get some
really good themes about um what the consensus is on on feedback. So, we'll talk about on offline about timing. Um, sounds good. >> And whatnot. And but you have a great point, too, uh, Miss Hixon, um, about just the I call it a sandwich, too. The great things at the top, the great
things at the bottom, and challenges in the middle. And and we're, you know, we're definitely not doing a good job of um of that sandwich. It's a little upside down. It's bad things in the top, bad things at the bottom. Sometimes a little slither of whatever you like in the middle. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, that that takes all of us.
That's just not the the just not my staff. It takes all of us. >> So, and I would also mention that I I know we use a lot of thought exchange, but I think people have different feelings about that. So, I think there should also be a space where they can
share their thoughts, not necessarily through thought exchange for those people who have their own feelings about it. My other question is um and we actually had this discussion Miss Ferdig and I about the school clubs which is timely because those policies are on our
um on our agenda today but the the question that came up and as they just mentioned here is there anything in policy that keeps a school from hiring or letting someone volunteer to do clubs
like band band direct not band director in a school, but like band director as the extracurricular or or chess club or shark club or any of those things if you don't have someone in the district because they were getting some
conflicting information. And I believe you can, but they were told that policy won't allow that. So, if someone could answer that. Oh, Mrs. Rupert has her hand up >> on that point. >> Um, Dr. Heepburn, do you have an update
on that? because I actually shared um the situation going on at Pmpa Beach High School with him and many of our other high schools and um he was going to get with staff and and let us know. So, this might be the opportune time. >> Yeah. So, a couple of board members uh
uh approaching about the same situation and so um uh Dr. Fleming was looking into that with the principal and just pretty much gave the principal um permission to do what they need to do. As far as a policy that's preventing that, I am not sure. I have to dive into because we got a a litany of policies
coming for the next board meeting. I have to dive into that policy just to make sure we don't have barriers that are interfering uh with qualified people or people who have the desire to support our students. You know, as long as they can go through the the if they're an
external um person that doesn't work for for us, as long as they go through the background check and okay to be around our kids. But um I'm not aware uh I have to dive back through that policy just to make sure we don't have any barriers. I don't know if um if Mr. Jock Adams is is
u in tuned or or to that policy or even in Mr. Hill >> um through the chair I do know that there is a policy with regards to volunteers and they do need to be background checked and screened. Uh >> yeah, that the question isn't so so much
about that because that was the issue was having either a volunteer or someone externally fill the position of a sponsor for a club or an organ or you know activity that's happening. It wasn't about could they be a
volunteer or not. It was could they serve as a sponsor for a club or activity. And the two policies we have don't speak to that at all. And then I asked Andre um you know Mr. Hill if there were any additional ones because
someone is citing that policy doesn't allow it but the two policies that speak directly to clubs don't address it at all. >> Yeah. The two that I see too don't address don't have that in there. So I that's what we're trying to figure out where are people getting that information. >> And if it is could you bring those
policies back so we can fix. >> That's it. And can I oh quickly say before I apologize that last night at our meeting I mean the number of people who had personal experiences across the district that that's what they had been told and I mean literally an elected official who was background checked wanted to be in charge of SGAA at an
elementary school because they lost their sponsor and they were told absolutely not for free. So clearly even if it's not policy there is an understanding that that is in fact what what principles believe is. So, if if it isn't policy, it would be wonderful if we could clarify it.
>> Can I jump in real quick because I'm looking at uh 6350 right now, which is on the agenda for next week. In the amended version on page one, um section A, it says a staff sponsor shall be
present at all meetings. So, I think that is probably the barrier. So, I you know, I think there's probably, if I'm reading the room right, probably a desire to not have it say staff sponsor. Yes. Um, but just be sponsor. So, I'm I
I guess I would ask Miss Jack Adams, not right now, but in preparation for next week if we would be able to amend that. Um and obvious and it says um each school club uh or activities must have a school sponsor approved by the principal
or designate. So um you know I don't know what school sponsor means but but have it so obviously this person has gone through the necessary background checks and clearance but is does not necessarily have to be employed by the school
district or that school in particular. That would be my desire to to fix that section so that we're not running into these issues moving forward. >> Um, yes. Yes, Miss uh Leonard, I will go ahead and and check to see if that person could be a volunteer rather than
a uh staff member. I would have to have discussions >> and provide language for the to amend the policy for next week. >> Okay. And >> sorry, and sorry, Miss Rupert, I didn't mean to interrupt, but I did want to clarify that because I I'm looking at the policy right now. >> No, that that's terrific. I was just going to go double back with the
superintendent and say, um, I know we're going to do that next week. That's when we're going to be talking about this, but between now and then is an awful lot of practice time. >> Yep. Um, and one thing, um, uh, when real general counsel and I talk offline is to check because I know we've had a
lot of laws change in the state of Florida within the past four or five years about who can be, uh, with kids by themselves regardless if they're a level two background check volunteer that uh, in some situations a school board employee has to be present. So, we just need to check that, too, because that's
maybe why that language is in there. Just need to be worded uh, more appropriately. But the situation that we have at Pompino High is is another staff member coming over um to that school. So that's not a that's not an issue. >> Um >> so that's an okay for Pomp. >> Yeah, that's that's a that's a also uh
remember too principles have discretion to say no I don't want this person to be the sponsor. Um right so this it's their school it's this the clubs they however they feel about the benefits and the value to the students and they may have an option to choose somebody else and
they may tell that particular person no so you know we have those situations too where principles lead their schools and their buildings and opportunities for their kids but we need to check on that part as far as um the laws >> and through the chair thank you Dr. Heburn. In addition to those two items that you mentioned, there may be additional
um hurdles that prevent that. So, I would like to have a discussion with um Dr. Heburn with regards to to that. >> Yep. So, we'll we'll get it. And for me, I'm all about student opportunities. The more clubs, the better, the more engaged our students are. So, we'll find out uh get rid of all the barriers that are not
applicable um to the law. Right. So, we'll work on that. Miss Verdict, >> can I can I just comment that I'm I'm glad you're going to be looking at current laws because this policyy's not been amended since 1974 when I was a student council sponsor at Coconut Creek High School. Wow.
>> Um and before you went, Mark and Cynthia. Um, so I um I think it's good to look at updates, but we envision this as a way when just a perfect example of when times are tough, this is a place where our community can come in and
really supplement. I think it's a wonderful opportunity and I'm glad the conversation has evolved to this point. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other board questions or discussion on the parent community involvement task force?
All right. Thank you. Next, we have District Advisory Council. >> Uh, good morning. Um, I'm sorry I didn't send a request, chair, but um, someone else was supposed to speak for me today and they weren't able to make it. I do have to try to make it to my son's field trip. U, my name is Cynthia Dominique.
I'm a parent and chair of the district advisory council. Our last meeting was Wednesday, February 11th. We also had several subcommittee meetings since then for secondary schools, training for school advisory chairs and policy reviews. Um, safety and security continue to
remain a top priority for us. We continue to hear from parents that we have schools with inadequate security. Um, operating with only one campus monitor. And as I walked into this building today, there were four out in the lobby. There's three or four in here today, but we have schools operating
with just one. Um, we know that in the beginning of the school year 104 positions were cut. Um, but as of right now, vacancies are not being filled. Um, and it appears the district may be moving toward more cuts or a different
allocation model. As of today, there were also no job postings on the website. So, we wanted clarity on whether the hiring freeze impacts campus monitors. And I'm not talking about armed guardians that are statutoily
required, but campus monitors. If there is a vacancy, will new hires be allowed to fill those vacancies? Parents continue to voice concerns about school nurses. Um, we saw the board meeting a few weeks ago where the nurse
at William Dandy was able to use her specialized training and save a life. We would like the rest of our 47 schools to be able to be afforded the same opportunity for students and staff. Um,
in terms of Hazel Health, thank you chair for the followup. We did um hear that Hazel Health will likely be charging for their services in the future. I don't know if that will be a cost to the district or if that will be
a cost transferred to uh families, but we want to ensure that the district is proactive in letting families know that come June they will be charged for services. Um in terms of the laptop distribution,
as of today, we still have students who haven't received those laptops. We're hearing that there are not enough um protective cases for the laptops. I heard from one parent today that their principal said go ahead and distribute
the laptops without the cases so that students are able to have access to them. Um so I'd like to know how many people opted in of the opt-ins, how many have been distributed and and what are we pending?
Um the community is obviously very concerned about the budgets as as you've heard today. Um they really want to focus on fiscal responsibility and ensuring that we have a thriving public school system. Um we've heard from parents they want to see cuts at the highest administrative non- studententf
facing positions. Um as of today the 2526 budget guide is still not on the district website. We've requested it. We still haven't um received it. Um, we know that there are proposed changes coming to the staffing allocation models. Um, there was
supposed to be a presentation at one of the board workshops. We've requested that document, but we've yet to see it. Um, the meeting documents for next week showed a projected fund balance of 2.7%.
We know the CFO provided a memo stating that there were labeling corrections, but the language is a little bit ambiguous and we think that there should be some clarity. Um, in terms of SAC funding, we're still hearing there there's just too much confusing confusion. There's schools are supposed
to have this money whether it's from school accountability, class wallet, recognition funds, and anything that rolls over. Will there be rollovers for next year? There are instances where schools might have nominal amounts left over for one reason or another and we want to ensure that those funds are used
for their intended purposes. Um we want to know when the remaining balance of accelerated funding will be pushed out to schools. We know the district kept 20%, they funded 40%. When will the other 40% be pushed out? Um,
and when will the afterare funding for private providers be pushed out to schools as well? Um, we want to shout out Kim Salucio. We heard that she um has retired or resigned and she's just was the epitome of what it meant to
really be ethical and transparent and engaging the community and really um yearning to empower um parents. We're still hearing about testing. Um, there's a lot of confusion, chair, if I may. There was a memo that was supposed to be
pushed out. I don't know if that has happened. So, if you could give us an update, we would appreciate it. And for facilities, um, we're hearing a lot of concerns about the aging work orders and we learned that when technicians are out in
the field, they're still using paper to do the work orders, which further um, compounds the backlog. Um I don't know if there's a um plan to digitize that process, make
it more efficient. Um but it it certainly is an issue. Um we had our school advisory training last week. We reach over 50 participants. We get really good feedback. We need the district's help in sharing out these meetings and trainings so that we can empower more parents so that they can
engage better at their school levels and understand what is happening. Our meeting is tomorrow at 6:15 at KCW. We'll have the CFO out, strategy and innovation, attendance and calendar. Um, and we have a budget training scheduled for April 1st. We look forward to
working collaboratively with district staff as well as other advisories to ensure that student well-being and prior and learning are priority. And happy birthday, Linda. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Um, and I was unaware that
you uh needed the extra time or that you you wanted the board to ask questions now, but I'm happy to provide that courtesy. So, any questions from the board members on to DAC? Miss Rupert >> and Miss Okay, thank you. Mine mine is a a pretty quick question. I I had heard
that um the committee members, and correct me if I'm wrong, um have not been assigned their email accounts. Um, can we have an update on that? >> So, so as of today, the request or the
promises that were made in October to facilitate the training, to provide email addresses, to ensure all of the websites are up to date haven't been fully completed. I have been working with Armando and Linda has been working on it as well to try to ensure that we
get all of the committees their email addresses. We did host a round table with advisory chairs a couple weeks ago and that was um a concern that many chairs brought forward. Um so far I believe central has theirs now and south
area we're still waiting on um a few others. Thank you. >> Um does North Yeah, >> North area has one. DAC has one technology. Um I don't think HRC has multilingual has theirs, but there are a few that
still don't have it. >> Okay. All right. Thank you for the um the update on that. I appreciate it. And uh the sooner the better um for the communication because that that once again will facilitate uh transparency and really keep our parents um and
community members um continually updated. So thank you. If I may, um, chair, Mr. um, are you talking when you say have one, you are you specifically talking about emails, email addresses? >> So, the the email addresses have been created.
>> The chairs just have never been provided with the access to them. Got >> um, and there are some other issues that we're working on um, in terms of the capability of the accounts. Um, and again, I've been working and we did I did have a meeting with the communications department where we're
working on trying to resolve um these issues. >> Thank you, Mr. Ala. >> Thank you. Um, thank you for the report. Uh, Dr. Hepper, it's very upsetting to continue to hear that our work orders
are still being paperdriven. I've been been told for years upon years that we are going electronic, that they're going to have iPads. This is continuing to add to confusion, chaos, and delays, and what are we going to do about it? >> Actually, um, great question, great
comment. I can have, uh, Mr. Dorset and Mr. Davis, if both they're behind me, to give you an update on, uh, work orders and the the project they've been working on and where they are with that project. Good morning. Mark Dorset, task assigned
chief operating officer. We are we have been working with IBM um um closely to move this process forward. Remember recently we went to with a re um what is the term used when we started Maxim uh
uh IBM backup to try to get us up to speed with with with Maximo. They've been meeting um um religiously for the past couple of weeks advancing that process. They have they have made a few milestones. I did meet with the DAC
staff uh I think it was last week and I brought them up to speed as to where we are. We're meeting with uh uh facility task force. We can't meet um um this Thursday. Uh so the next facility task force meeting we'll be meeting with them
giving them an update as to exactly where we are with Maximo and the implementation of the mobile modular. We we are we anticipate that happening in in short order. It it's taking a while. I agree with you. It's not as fast as
I'd like to see things happening. Uh but this is where we are right now. Uh and we are working diligently to move that forward. And if Trey has anything else to to add to that. >> Thank you, Mr. Dorset. Uh Trey Davis, chief information officer. Um our our
project with Maximo, specifically the shift to mass uh is is set to end uh in the June time frame. So that would be inclusive of electronic work orders as well. So just know that we are working diligently with IBM to make that happen.
>> Thank you for the response. Um, however, I I believe that this board wants a a date, a like this has been going on for years, and I appreciate there's been some work to move this work forward with
IBM, but this is IBM. They can make this happen in a in a faster, expedited manner. So, Dr. He what does that look like to get this work done in an expedited
manner so we can go paperless? >> Um it is expedited. Um Miss Alade um this the district bought I not IBM but Maximo I want to say five or six years ago. It was never implemented appropriately at all. Um the team started a new implementation I want to
say last July or August. um in order to project manage this, they've been going through a specific cadence throughout the year. And that June date that Mr. uh uh Davis talked about is the actual completion date. And so it's not just about IBM and the technology, it's also
about the people that have to use it too, orienting them, training them, um having them get familiar with the technology, having them get familiar with with the iPad. Um they've been using paper for those who've been here for a couple of decades, for a long time. So the transition from going
paperbased to technology based for many who probably don't even use a lot of technology in their in their own lives besides a cell phone um is is some for a difficult task. And and we're also using Maximo for our FCA and inventory um um information too. So it is expedited.
They're accomplishing this in a short amount of time uh when when you're talking about project managing such a large scale project over entire district. And so hopefully by June we'll be good to go. Um, and we'll see folks utilizing the equipment and the technology more appropriately versus
what what we're experiencing. And I know I don't know if they mentioned, but they do have some guys out there actually piloting um uh the use. So you have kind of the train to train them train the trainer type model too. >> Okay, perfect. So by June, boots on the ground,
>> they're using that technology and no more paper. >> Yep. That's our hopes. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Seiver. >> Thank you. Uh, and thank you for the report. This campus monitor situation, um, Mr.
Superintendent, is it, uh, actually, let me let me ask it this way. Does our current hiring freeze affect the ability for our schools to hire additional campus monitors should the need arise? >> No, it does not. But I know one thing they look at first is if there's not a
need for all the campus monitors, let's say a secondary school, they could shift people around before to before they actually post a position. The thing I think most people fail to realize when we post a position, it's going to take about almost a month to get somebody in that chair um at that school. So, we
prefer to look for an immediate um solution first and if that immediate solution isn't um applicable at that moment, then we'll post. >> I'd like to talk with you offline because I certainly don't want to put out to the public what schools you have concerns with, but I'd like a list of
where this is going on uh to see if I can profer any assistance and making sure that they get the uh proper monitors that they need. >> I would appreciate that. I can tell you right now that one of the campus monitors sitting here was pulled from a school today and every Tuesday.
>> Dr. Holus. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for your report. Um you mentioned regarding the laptops and that uh those without uh cases or the
schools not having cases the laptops are not being distributed to those parents and students who opt in. So uh Dr. Hippurn. Um, do all of the schools have laptops for distribution?
And, um, do you know of any schools withholding laptops because they don't have cases? And if that's the case, then the lack of cases cannot and must not be a reason for delay for parents who opt
in to get the laptops. So, can you speak to that? >> Yeah, absolutely. We have more than enough um laptops to distribute to any student that uh has opted in. We we actually talked to the principles um must been last week or two weeks about the same issue to get the laptops out.
We have the the the spreadsheet that we share with the regional team so they're are aware so they can talk to their principles about getting the laptops out for students that have opted in. Cases are not a barrier for us. We've already told them that. Get it to the students. uh when cases come in, they can
distribute the cases. You know, cases are wonderful just to make sure they don't drop, crack, or whatever. But, you know, uh uh most of our kids know how to handle the laptop without a case or not, but that's not a barrier. Uh we have that information. We've been communicating with principles very readily to get those get those laptops
out and we'll continue to do so. Um so, thanks for sharing the concern and and um just uh one more thing that Mr. Davis can um make a higher frequency of with his team to make sure they're communicating with the regional teams and the principles to get those get those laptops out. >> All right. So, Dr. Heepern um
it was mentioned that there are certain specific schools and and if you don't mind um uh can you do are you aware of which specific schools are not distributing the laptops because of cases and how recent is that?
Madam Chair, >> um I I heard of another one today. Um so it's it's something that comes up in some of our subcommittee meetings. Um but it's it's a wider spread issue. I don't know how exactly widespread, but
we've certainly heard several times that um either some some parents don't know why the laptop hasn't been distributed. In other cases, we've heard that schools are saying because they don't have a case, they're not distributing it. >> So, Dr. Heburn, for students who opt in
or the parents opt in for the laptop, how soon after they say they need a laptop, do they get it? >> Um, it's sometimes immediate. They just have to fill out the information. Um, and oftent times our schools are doing that for the parents if they can't come
in. Um, so it's it's not a um I mean it shouldn't take no more than than a a few days for them to get a laptop once the once the once the schools get the report that they're opting in. >> All right. So if there are actually schools out there not distributing laptops because of lack of cases, can we
get a communication out immediately to the principles to get the laptops out to students who opt in? uh because um certainly that is a a direct consequences uh direct consequence to their learning outcome if they need one
and they don't have one. So how can we and I'm sure that you've done your part in making sure principles know this, but apparently there's always one or two um that may not be doing this. So, uh, since it's been communicated today, can
we have some sort of immediate communication to let principles know they must distribute the laptops regardless of cases for parents who opt in? Uh, we're in the middle of the year. PM3 is coming up. There's no time for delay to impact students learning
outcome. >> Yep. Not a problem. I'm pretty sure Dr. Fton's behind me hopping on with her regionals right now to make sure those principles are uh know what we're discussing to get those mach those uh machines out. >> Okay. So, I am just hoping that going forward I don't hear this again because
this is upsetting to me. They they need to get their laptops if they opt in. Um and >> if I can add it's the process as well. Some schools are requiring parents to come in to pick up the laptop. Some schools are giving it to the student. So, there's a lot of inconsistency. >> So, Dr. Heer, what is the process? if a
parent opt in through a form and can the students pick it up and take it? >> Yeah, I I'm not I don't know the specific process, but we had a all principles meeting um my my my weeks and days, you know, jumble up. I want to say it was last week and um and that was
addressed also about um the so-called uh barrier in the process and the process is very simple through um focus. So that was already addressed last week with the principal. So if you're going to allow Dr. Fton and her regional team to address the principles and u make sure
that we're not putting undue barriers in front of us at the school level to get these laptops out. >> Okay. So a parent can fill out the form from home. Is it an online form? Correct. >> And they don't have to come to the school. Correct. >> Correct. It should shouldn't involve a lot of um
>> extra steps. So I I am hoping going forward that the principles are all informed that if parents fill out the form from home that students can get their laptop in an expeditious manner and that there's no barrier if the laptop is there regardless of cases
regardless of parents coming in or not coming in they need to give the students a laptop. >> Absolutely. >> All right. Thank you sir. >> Any other board questions or comments? Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. Um and thank you Mr. See for bringing up the the monitors. I've been
to a variety of schools and not just the monitors, but they have enrollment that's increased and it's caused them to be able to have another classroom teacher. But their their um statement to me is always but we're on a hiring freeze so we can't hire them. So s Dr.
Heburn if you could address that. I was under the impression >> to hire what specific position >> did not affect schools if they needed positions. So can you please talk to that? >> Yeah. So there's still a process um that uh the team goes through. Um if it's to
place somebody there to fit the need of whatever the school that uh has a need. If there if there is nobody in the district that we can place to fit that need, we allow um hiring. Right. Right now I'm going through for next school board meeting I'm going through a sheet of over a hundred positions that we're bringing to the board. Right. And so I'm
scrutinizing every last one of them um because that's what I need to do to make sure we're not um doing things unnecessarily um that's going to put us in the bind and unnecessary at that moment. So yes, we're still hiring um based on the needs if we can't fill them internally.
>> Okay. So, I don't just based on what we're hearing and what I've heard when I go to the schools, I don't think principles understand that because they're saying, "Well, we need another teacher, but because there's a f hiring freeze, we're just making the class
sizes bigger and we can't get," and I've heard it from more than one school. So, I think there needs to be a bigger conversation, whether it's security monitors, assistants, custodian. We were very clear, I think, as a board that whatever hiring freezes would be at the
district level, that it wasn't if schools needed something, they should be able to get it. But I don't think schools are >> we, if that message, >> if I can correct um the record, the hiring freeze was districtwide, not just district staff, but districtwide. And
so, as a result, just remember, we were placing people into teacher positions, right? >> Yeah. I don't mind that part, but I don't want to what I've where I have been they have needed a teacher and whether they just don't believe they can fill that spot. So, they're making
classrooms bigger even though they have I guess there's a 420 threshold to be able to get additional staff and they've exceeded that and they are being they're under the impression that they just have to suck it up because we're on a hiring
freeze. That shouldn't be happening. Just like if they need a security monitor, that shouldn't be happening either. >> Well, I have uh Dr. Fulton can work with our regional teams, but in what I'm reviewing as far as hiring, that's not what you're saying is not what I'm seeing on the the sheets that I'm going
through with over 100 employees that we're hiring at at schools. The majority of that sheet is at schools. So, the message is getting across to most. So, we'll make sure it gets across to all. >> Okay. Y Thank you. >> Any other board member questions or concerns?
I see Mrs. Aladaf's tag is up, but she's not here. So, all right, we'll move on to North area. Good morning. We have uh you're going to hear a lot of the same concerns. They're overlapping. They're at all areas.
Um one second. Okay. Our last meeting was held on February 19th at Monarch High School. We had coordinated student health services and the ESSE department out to present and to answer questions from our members. While staff was able to answer
majority of the questions, we have a couple we are still waiting on for a follow-up. The follow-up questions are how were nurses funded prior to COVID and what autism training is provided to nurses? I hope to have a discussion on this particular question as there have
been repeated concerns brought up regarding children with autism and in particular a parent um reported that the nurse at her school um was unable to deal with her child with a runny nose and called and asked uh her to come or they were going to have to call 911.
We had a discussion about about psychological evaluations and timelines breaking it down to understand the legal timeline and when it begins. We understand the district submits monthly compliance reports to the state. Our members requested a follow-up of a state compliance scorecard. The north region
office briefed us on the hiring freeze and the majority of the questions were regarding safety and security. Our members are very concerned about campus security positions not being filled due to the hiring freeze. Even though there were we were told there was no freeze on security positions. We understand there
are a little over a 100 positions eliminated at the beginning of the year, but now we are being told there are 40 additional vacancies. The clarification we need is are the 40 vacancies in addition to the original 100 eliminated positions and if so, will those be
filled? We have not seen a job postings for those yet. Another concern we learned about this week is funding may have been cut for afterchool security details by SRO at sporting events. Our question is, is this district-wide or city specific? And who will cover the
afterchool activities in place of the SRO's? I have some school specific concerns that I just learned about yesterday regarding the campus monitors that I will I would like to speak to the superintendent about after the meeting.
Um, we continue to have conversations about accelerated funding and how the funding is being used since our last meeting. Another email went out to all principles informing them that the funding model has changed and the district will be managing the funds centrally rather than giving directly to
the schools. It's our understanding that while the calculation model has changed, the allocations remain the same. So our questions are will the schools receive the full 80% funding for the current school year? What is the timeline for release of the funds or will the funds
be centrally managed by the district and distributed on a by needs basis? Reminder that this funding has not been fully distributed for the current year and additionally the rollover funds were kept last year. If we want to maintain robust programs and attract students to our schools, we must ensure these
programs are being fully funded. I just sent you all an email with the rollover funds. Um there's about $19 million that was left from last year. I sent it just now. Um we pass one motion in the north area. We move that the district provide
a written memorandum that comes from the superintendent's office to all principles and SAC chairs with further distributions to all SAC members. That all accountability funds, class wallet rollover funds, and recognition funds available to SAC must be spent by the end of the school year. This topic keeps
coming to us because there is conflicting information being given at different schools. So, we ask that clear communication be given so there is no loss of funding at any one school. I would also like to remind the board that while we understand the intent is to use all of the funds on kids and schools for
that year. Accountability funds have not been been given by the state since 2021. So most schools have been carefully budgeting how they spend to ensure they are able to fund items that support the school improvement plans. Regarding the testing workshop, our members were very
pleased that the board heard their concerns and action is being taken to reduce the number of tests our youngest learners are are taking. The question now is when will the workshop begin and who will be invited to participate? I want to tell you, I received so many text message and emails I shared with
some of you that they felt they were heard. Their kids were um their kids were happy that they were heard, the teachers felt heard. So um it was really a positive experience for the folks who came down here to the testing workshop. Um our next meeting is March 11th at
Marach High School. We hope to have the CFO in attendance to address our ongoing concerns regarding funding. Thank you. Thank you. Central area. Okay, that's me too today. Sorry, Miss Taylor couldn't
be here, so I'm gonna read for her. Um, Central Area's last meeting was held on February 18th where we hosted coordinated health services. The discussion included the number of schools that are still without an assigned daily nurse on site. I mentioned this as earlier this year, the
nurse at William Dandy Middle School, one of our central region schools, was able to act quickly to save another employee. Thankfully, she was there to administer care, but it still concerns me there are 47 schools in the district where the potential for a health rellated emergency can occur. I continue
to ask that the d district rethink its stance on qualifying diagnosis and situations where nurses are required on campus to include more of the health challenges faced by our scholars. Our next meeting will be held on March 12th,
2026 at 9:45 a.m. Based on stat state statute um 1011.62, the state of Florida has changed the way academic accelerated funding is calculated. The change does not affect the legality behind the funds. How the
funds must be distributed at the district level. How the funds are used as we move from the 8020 rule to a program purpose funding model budgets. The the question becomes where the money will reside during the school year. Last year we faced the potential that the
state would not fully fund the district especially monies for the accelerated programs discussed prior. Loss of rollover funds by many schools was allegedly due to mis misinterpretation at the state level and the expectation of the need at the district level. While
the district ended up receiving the funding, the rollover funds and 50% of the funding from the state remains to be held by the district in the general funds. However, the fund balance as viewed online does not reflect the the ability to allocate any of these funds. Going forward, we understand that
schools can no longer roll over funds and the district must account for how funds can be used or held as rollovers are spent in the current school term. How will this new model work within the district in terms of accountability and transparency? When do we say to our students that earn the accelerated funds
they can't get the needed upgrades to their school environment? Is there another fund or influx of monies expected to take care of this for the schools that lost their rollovers? Dr. Pepburn, you stated that you would work directly with the principles to ensure that every program's needs would be met. If a school reaches out to you with a
need, how can the need be addressed if the money is no longer available? Will there be a published allocation guide for the school year? Lastly, the cuts to campus monitors are of concern to many parents in the central region. After school activities will be protected by SIU going forward as some of our
municipalities will not be providing SRO for anything beyond the day. While safety and security remain subject to the hiring freeze going forward, we continue to face issues with fencing, communication challenges with intercoms, and insufficient security resources simply in the number of monitors at our
schools. Let us not add another layer of worry to our parents by missing the chance to do what is needed to protect our scholars. Thank you. Thank you. South area morning. I'm Antinet Bailey, the proud
chair for South Area. On February 18, our meeting was held with Director Jim Laar Rosa, on armed school security to review current safety and security operations across BCPS. The discussion focused on staffing, technology, and
emergency response and operational updates impacting school districtwide. questions our concern was campus monitor staffing due to enrollment changes and some campus monitors positions being reduced. Parents were however concerned with the reduction in campus security
laptop rollout. This is an ongoing confusion regarding whether students should bring district-wide issued laptop home and return them daily. Clarification is needed to ensure consistent communication to families and staff. In conclusion, our meeting
provided a comprehensive overview of BCPS safety operations, staffing allocations, technology upgrades, and emergency response system. Our next meeting is scheduled for March 11 at Pines Collegiate Academy with the Federal Programs Department and Dr.
Fulton. Thank you. Thank you. diversity committee is leadership council. Good morning a school board member superintendent Dr. Hun and distinguishes guests. My name is Lucarian Kawar and I
proudly serve as the chair of the steering committee for the ISO leadership council. Today I stand before you to highlight not only our progress but the strength of our partnership between ESEL leadership council and the
international welcome center working together to ensure that multilingual families in Broward County are informed, empowered and supported. This year Broward County Public serves 234927
students. Of those 43,953 are ISEL students. This number includes a student currently receiving ESOL services, a student in monitoring status and our BPK English learners there that
represent 80.7% of our district enrollment nearly one in every5 students. Our multilanguage community represent 161 languages and
195 countries of origin. This academic year 3,391 student entering US school for the first time and more than 20,000 student in our district had been enrolled in US school
for less than three years. These numbers reflect both responsibility and opportunity. Over the past four years, Broward County has consistent consistent I'm sorry left the state in the number of student earning the Florida seal of
by literacy. Our district has outperforming other large district in both participation and gold level awards. the highest level of recognition. The p the percent of current and former English learning
earning the seal has continued to grow each year. This show that our multilingual student are not only learning English. They are excelling academically and graduating with a strong bilingual school skills. Dixus
sect reflect the dedication of our teacher school leaders, family and district leadership working together. Seeing our last report, we have continuous training family engaged through our intentional design. Our
January our January general meeting welcomed 40 families in person recognizing the relatives of working families. We strictly followed that meeting with a virtual launch and learn section at midday reaching an additional
208 partn uh when we remove barries participation increases throughout the bilingual parent leadership institute we continue expanding access throughout our getting
ready series. Last night at IWC a staff hosted four simultaneous virtual section for getting ready for middle school ensuring family receive critical transition information in English,
Spanish, Portuguese and a creole. The structural and multilingual model ensure families can engage in language that builds clarified confidence and tr. The international well consultant
continue to serve as the operational hub for newcomer family while the ISO leadership council amplify the parenting voice and strengthen district community alignment. While an action plan has been developed to expand services in the
central area, the new office currently lacks the necessary furnishing of to become full operational. As a result, implementation is temporarily on hold. We remain committed to finding solutions so that families in every region of our
district have equitable access to support. As our ESOL population approach 44,000 student infrastructure infrastructure structure and access most align with enrollment relatives. The collaboration between the international
welcome center and the ease of leadership council remaining strong. Together we continue expanding multilingual communication akin leadership and building trust with our immigrant community. We are thankful for
the opportunity to work together. We believe in our family. We believe in our student and we believe in Broward County Public School. Thank you. Thank you. Facilities Task Force,
Gifted Advisory Council. >> Good morning. Helen Bushkin, Gifted Advisory Chair. We had our last meeting February 9th. We went over test anxiety and mental health services. Our next meeting is going to be March 9th on teams. We're going to be going over the
discipline matrix, student assessment and reporting. And we're going to have a guest speaker from North Advisory to help talk about the accelerated funding challenges we're having. And while we're on that, I know we've got just a couple months left in the year and we still
have the 19 plus million from rollover. Is there any way we could find out how much is left from that and where we're at on this year? And our goal with having our speaker next week is to help educate our parents, help guide them and
what to ask for, what the principles need at their sack staff meetings so we can get that addressed because I can't stress that, you know, ACE and AP are going to are core to gifted and we don't want to have parents saying, "Hey, I have to pay for this AP test because
there's no money." So, we like to try and get ahead of it before the end of the year. Yes, we also stress the need for school monitors. I think we've talked enough about that. We also share that especially at our K 6 through 12 giftedmies, etc. where we've got blended
students. And one last thing I'd like to go over are our gifted summer camps. I can't tell you what a great thing this has been over the years. And just a few years ago, we had three of them. They were at Pompino High, Plantation High,
and Western. We understand that these were school run. There are probably other challenges, administration changes, but now we're down to only one. And thesemies filled up fast. They were wellreceived and they also provided volunteer
activity to students to help facilitate them. So, I don't know what assistance can be provided or maybe we could find out what happened to them and why they're not coming back or something else that we could do. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you. Can we we'll keep all the other comments to the end. Uh green advisory committee, human relations committee. Uh good morning. Sorry. Thank you. Uh good morning uh board chair,
superintendent, staff. Uh Nancy Fry, chair of the human relations committee. Apologies, my voice is going out a little bit, so I'll try to keep it brief. Uh first off, I uh want to thank Miss Go for her uh discussion on extracurriculars and uh uh club adviserss. We've been hearing the same
feedback and so uh we're really happy to see this discussion continue and anything that we can do to help uh contribute to that uh please let us know. Um the main crux of our last meeting which was on February 18th was
uh first of all we had a the presentation as as Mr. Spelberg said with the um uh student survey. Uh it it was incredible to see the feedback and uh it's nice to hear from a larger group of students. We get to hear a lot more detailed feedback but it's from a
smaller subset. Uh and it was nice to hear uh more countywide what's going on. So, uh, we thank the both the student adviserss for, uh, all of their work on that and it's just incredible and kudos to you. Um, after that, we, uh, primarily discussed the, um, capital
days where we had a number of our students, uh, from our pro-social organizations and student engagement, uh, going up to Tallahassee and speaking with legislators. And we got to hear feedback from a couple of those students uh, during our meeting. Uh the first thing that we want to communicate is
that we really want to thank the school board for funding this program through school culture and student support. Um this is an important financial priority for the district. Uh the trip to Tallahassee costs $1,200 per student and
the students only paid $100 each uh for those that could even afford that. and uh it's vital to have these opportunities for our students and hearing the feedback from them which I will um relay in a minute really um sealed that. Um some of the standout uh
comments were that the students actually enjoyed meeting with the legislators more than uh the college tour that they went on even and they want to really see the district promote this more and have these opportunities brought to the students and they want to see uh the
transparency about how the district and how the state runs behind the scenes. Um the and then just this last point cuz they say I'm running out of time. Uh I really want to give the feedback that uh we we asked the students what feedback would you give to the board specifically
uh if you could and I want to say this knowing that this is one side of a story and it's not meant to put anyone on the defensive but it's important to know uh our students perceptions uh when it comes to the district and it comes to the school board. I'm sorry if you can just a moment more. Um there was some
disappointment that schoolboard members didn't show up to a uh bowling uh invite that uh was sent out. Uh they were looking forward to some casual conversations with the superintendent and um the school board members. Instead, they said there was a lunch
that was a little more rushed and it was a one-way conversation. They didn't get to engage. And in general, there was a number of comments about just wanting to see schoolboard members more at their schools, out in the community, showing up to their games, showing up to their concerts, and um seeing the students in
their element. Um they also talked about more opportunities to elevate student voice and uh letting the students know about these opportunities. Um there was and again going back to the their lack of ability that they feel like they can talk to their schoolboard members and
they felt more unprepared than in previous years because they wanted to have that communication uh in advance before going to Tallahassee. um and that they could have advocated more for items if they had known about them and uh that they also felt like uh
schoolboard members had encroached on some of their meetings with legislators and decrease their amount of time to be able to talk to the legislators. So, I'm I I don't know more specifics than that, and I don't want to name names or put anything out there, but um maybe allowing the students more time to speak when they're in those rooms instead of
having the schoolboard members uh speaking uh for them or speaking alongside them might be a consideration. But overall, um the takeaway is that these students are really engaged. they they're really passionate about this and they want more of their peers to join in
and they want more time to uh be able to go and advocate for themselves, their schools, uh their peers and their community. So, um I I hope that we can take them up on that. Thank you >> at the end. >> Thank you, multilingual advisory
committee. >> Good morning, Dr. Heburn, Chair Leonardi, and the rest of the school board. Thank you for this opportunity to report directly to you. Um Mr. Cera, it was nice to see you at the all county
orchestra concert last week out in the wild supporting the arts. We appreciate that. Um multilingual advisory committee met February 18th. Uh we had full attendance, all seven members. Thus, we had quorum. Uh we passed three important
motions that I'm excited to recommend to you. Uh, I'd like to thank my fellow committee members who took the time out of their day to sit in support of me and this process um to present these motions to you. Um,
as background uh well, I'll just read the motions first and then give you the background. first uh unanimously passed motion to recommend to the school board that schools be exempt from the current hiring freeze if a current Spanish
certified dual language position opens up and the school cannot fill the position with a current qualified district employee. Um Spanish certified is my language. Um the teachers who teach in the dual language program who teach in Spanish have to be tested by
the district. And so that's what I mean. A teacher who has already been tested um for their Spanish language qualifications meets the qualifications and therefore uh can fill that role. Um the background on this something that
came up in the meeting um which we didn't feel the need to pass a motion on because it seemed like it was already in the works but I want to draw your attention to the fact that there's um like a transfer portal again my word not not the official word of uh district
employees who are up for uh movement within the district and currently um like if a principal is looking at the list of um available teachers uh for transfer. There's nothing in the system that indicates that that teacher is uh
Spanish language certified like a little asterisk or a D or a DL or an SP or something. Um and we were told at the meeting that this has been brought up and the district is looking into it. But um I think that's the first step in
being able to very quickly fill dual language teacher positions. Spanish side dual language teacher positions when they open up. Um the reason for the request that uh dual language positions that open up be
exempt is that time is of the essence. Uh when those positions open up and um even before the hiring freeze, uh principles and administrators of dual language programs uniformly found it hard to fill dual language teaching
positions. And so logically um you know any additional hurdle or any additional time uh to fill those positions means that uh dual language students who should be getting Spanish instruction are either given a a
full-time sub um or uh broken up and put into English only classrooms and they lose that time that's not made up for later. Um the second related motion uh recommendation that any school
inclusive of elementary and middle schools that has fewer Spanish language certified dual language teachers than it has grade levels of dual language classes may be exempt from the hiring freeze if the school has dual language student enrollment to justify creating
an additional Spanish certified dual language teacher position and cannot fill the position by hiring a current district employee. Um, that's a mouthful, but what we're going for there, the intent behind that is that right now dual language programs
are stretched incredibly thin. There are examples where one dual language teacher is teaching two different grades and fulfilling the Spanish uh Spanish language requirement for two different grades. Um there are examples in middle schools of a teacher, one Spanish
language teacher teaching both the core language requirement and the uh Spanish language elective teaching 90% of those classes for the entire school. The program cannot expand given the current state of um the number of
teachers that are teaching the Spanish language side. So I think that speaks for itself. The final one is um based on your interest earlier in the year, we do formally recommend that the district
open up dual language um prek uh programs at any school that currently has dual language classes and also has a feebased um prek program.
Thank you. >> Thank you. small business small small business advisory committee and before I go to technology advisory committee I just want to wish Mrs. Ferrara a happy birthday.
>> Thank you. I've now taken out over my kids because I am celebrating the week as they all seem to do. I said, you know what? Might as well enjoy it also. Okay. Techn Linda Ferraro, chair technology advisory committee. Uh we had our meeting on February 9th and I just want to say a couple of things uh based on
previous comments. Maxima, we have to ask for the digital work orders since 2016. We were assured in about 201718 that there was a testing program going on and to hear that we are almost 10 years later is a little disappointing within the district. We could have had a
full force of all the work orders being online digital digitized but unfortunately that did not occur. The emails I have finalized the manual for the emails. I'm just waiting for a little bit of information and I will be um disseminating that to each of the chairs. Uh we did have a discussion on
the student laptop deployment. Yes. And based on those who uh filled out the opt-in form were those students that got the devices with about 49,000 already being distributed. The goal was to have another 45,000 out before spring break. Um so I don't know. Well, I'll find out
at next week's meeting if that's being accomplished. There was also another concern from teachers because they had aging carts caused causing system crashes, threatening instruction and testing readiness. and they were sure that replacements were being made on those. Also, um we had a whole
conversation on asset tracking because we were asking how the laptops were being tracked and out of that conversation came a motion. TAC recommends that a capability be created within focus that records and provides a receipt for the issuance and return of
BCPS issued student laptops. Furthermore, the committee recommends that BCPS evaluate the feasibility and value of extending such a capability to other students assets such as musical instruments, athletic uniforms, and textbooks to consolidate asset inventory
and provide a single centralized record of items assigned to each student. Because what we're finding out is that true to the district, uh, items are being cataloged in a spreadsheet, index cards, word document. And what parents
would like to see is exactly what they're obligated to. And especially if somebody leaves a district within a, you know, a middle of the year that they see that on focus, have it centralized in focus to see that the item has been returned, that it's not becoming an obligation. Evidently, focus allows you
to see obligations but not exactly what's been assigned to the student. So, uh that is something we would like further investigated. Um co-pilot is training. Uh I did get a notification that there was an RFP put
out for uh public records management. uh TAC had reviewed one a few years ago I remember and but this one did not come before TAC and part of the issues that we found four pages um was uh Dr. He and
I remember and I had a conversation about KPIs. Again, there is no mention of KPIs within this RFP. What does it mean? What is without key performance indicators? Vendors cannot be held accountable to measurable performance making monitoring and enforcing difficult.
Other areas that we're finding are scope of service and performance. No service level agreement as defined for system uptime, response time or uh uh service levels, implementation and transition. Public record systems often require multi-year historical continuity for
legal def defensibility. Uh there is no record of how all those records are supposed to be now uploaded to the system. System integration, they're missing API specs, authentication standards, and integration rules. And without these best uh specifications, vendors cannot accurately price or
design integration solutions. There's a staffing and service delivery mo model. I don't know why we're asking for a staffing from a vendor for this, but there is no required minimum staffing levels or qualifications. Required qualifications of uh redactors. There evidently is a standard for that, but
it's not listed in the RFP. Public records operations may dramatically uh vary dramatically in volume but SBBC needs baseline staffing expectations which are not outlined. Uh reduction redaction capabilities are not identified. Audit trails and
transparency uh no quality control workflow audit cycle definition workflow management handling of incomplete or vague requests. Appeal escalation process training no required training hours were identified. curriculum or administrative training. Uh required training for SBBC training delivery
format was not and we've uh complained about this a couple of times at TAC where you're uh purchasing programs and then having to go back and do a training module that delayed a program from being deployed by three months. That's unacceptable. Everybody has a training
module with their um programs. Um there's no vendor performance penalty penalties, service credits or liquidated damages. No, no valuations. Uh there's no consequences for the vendor. Missed deadlines, failed to maintain uptime, perfor uh perform substandard
uh redactions, which is very key important and reporting requirements. And that's it for me. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um I don't think I left any committee out, but if I did,
okay. Uh Dr. Huppurn. >> Um yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I want to um tell the the committees and advisories um um appreciate your feedback and and thanks for the input. One thing um that I feel that can help us get better. I feel like
um this just me talking um since we're here in public and we got all of you at one time is I appreciate the the verbal reports, but I feel like and it's for us as a team to correct some of these issues. Um it's it's already reactive.
you know, you're you're giving us information based on your meetings and the constituents that are are stakeholders attend your meetings, but that for some of you, it is a month to a few weeks before you get here when before we before myself or or I can
present it to cabinet to address issues as soon as your meetings are over or within the week. Um, the one thing I'm asking, we can talk offline and figure out how we can do this better. appreciate the the the reports here but I need information quicker so we can react to it quicker. Uh for me it is
very frustrating um um when I hear things three or four weeks and I could have solved the problem or start um initiating solving that problem um in a short amount of time after your meetings just so we can you know get better as a
system quicker. um you know uh expediency and and and time is of the essence um for us to solve many of our problems and make this district as best as it can be uh moving in the future. So just looking for some feedback of how we can do that. We don't have to hash it
all out um right here, but uh definitely talk to you offline of whatever a process where I can get information cuz we talk about a lot of stuff in cabinet. we started something and I could talk about what we started with the diversity committee um because it was born out of that level of frustration for myself.
I'm like, "Hey, the diversity committee is reporting out certain information. I'm getting it a month later and there are certain things that we definitely can address within the week of their meeting, right? Or initiate the steps to solve that problem." And so what the team has done, they've ensured there's a
um on this most mostly comes from some of their visits. a director is at a visit and certain staff um and they're collecting information while the diversity committee is um u walking schools and conversing with the diversity committee and and and identifying the same issues or concerns
that they identify and we actually bring that information to cabinet and we start divying out those tasks and I do followup to see if we're correcting those problems um before we have to wait for a report about a a few weeks to a month out here. So just just an example
what we're doing with the diversity committee and would love to sit down and come up with a process that can help us get information so we can get it to cabinet so we can start creating tasks to address those in real time or if it's communication gap so we can get the
right type of communication back out um to uh groups that you represent or to the district or community at large. So, just want to solve problems quicker so we can become better um and and close some gaps quicker. >> Thank you. And just as a reminder, my
colleagues, if you would like to hear with it from a specific committee chair, um it is up to you to call on them. Go ahead, Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. Just a couple of things. Dr. Heepern, the North area asked about autism training for nurses. Can you
address do our nurses have specific training for different not just autism but just different disabilities since they probably is a large portion of the students that they see. >> Yes, absolutely. I see Miss Hollinssworth back there. She can um take that question.
>> Good morning. Simone Hollings with student uh services officer. There's some basic training, but I know during that training, it was discussed uh with the team as well as with Miss Miss Luskum about continuing to um do a deeper dive with that. So, we're in the process of um accentuating that just
because it's some basic information. >> Okay, great. Thank you. So, if you could update us, you know, once that goes through. So, absolutely. Um the gifted committee chair talked about well actually everyone talked about rollover
questions. So it seems that there are still some real concerns about what rollover money what money does or doesn't roll over. I know Miss Johnson's been very clear about that to us, but I don't know that it's um been that way. And maybe
that's part of the >> the um parent university discussion that you have. Yeah, >> but I the question I think that was very concerning and gifted was about students having to pay for the AP, ACE, those kind of tests. So, can you address that? Has that ever
>> No, our students um they don't pay for AP ACE um and IB tests. The only the only I think the only situation if a student has to pay for a test is if they purposely miss the test. And uh because we pay for the initial test, right? >> And um they have to pay for it if they
purposely miss a test. But no, we just actually um uh Guy Bur Mohave um and also Richie Bomb um takes care of that. They uh put the orders in. One thing we're trying to do this year is instead of the schools um doing that
individually because we've had an issue with one particular school and um not putting in that PO or that order quick enough is that we're going to try and do that more centrally where we can where we can put all of that information in at one time. Uh so we had a discussion last week but our kids don't pay for this.
>> Okay. So can you just share with us why there was a concern in the gifted group about h like did you hear something? Is it just concerns because we're in financial >> it has happened in the past. So I'm just trying to get ahead of it as we get
close to that time this year. So it's good to hear that it's going to be centrally managed and we shouldn't experience that. >> Okay. So, and I will also verify if if they are made to pay, did you miss your originally scheduled test? So, I'll be sure to get that normal circumstances
where a kid may be forced to pay for a test if they purposely miss the test or something like that. But, um, overall, we we uh don't charge kids to take the test or make them pay for their test. There's all kind of equity issues in in that for sure, especially as we expand acceleration opportunities in our high
schools and also in our middle schools. >> Thank you. >> Thank you on that. Um, for HR, just so that you know, I never received an invite for bowling, but I also got there later than everyone else did. So I I think as schoolboard members who go up
the the best part for me is to watch the students and their interactions with the legislators and having those conversations. So, you know, it's it's interesting to hear that feedback and maybe it just depended on the groups um
and where they were at, but you know, I don't maybe typically we sometimes meet them for dinner, which again I got there a day later >> and we spend a little bit of time, but maybe that's a point that maybe there's something we can do that we spend a
little more time. Mr. Sullivan. >> Uh yes. So, I just want to um first of all, the students were amazing. Uh we've been doing this for quite some time and they're among one of the best groups I've seen up there. Um and also Broward Schools is one of very few if the only
that uh invests in our students going up to Tallahassee. Historically we've only taken about 50 students. This time we almost triple that. I believe it was 123 students or so. So logist logistically there was more students. And then I also remind the board there was a uh the
board instituted what the district did of a traveling freeze. So we didn't have all the board members that we historically had. Usually it was 50 students and it worked out nicely where we broke that up into seven groups and we always had at least seven board members. So they were with the students
the entirety of the trip. This time um we didn't have that many board members because of the traveling freeze. Um that so that perceptually maybe that's why they felt um a certain way. maybe we should have done a better job of explaining why board members weren't there to the students. Um I know Jira
was there. So if he has anything to add to that, um I invite him to share some words as well. >> Um I would say I had a fun time. A lot of the kids had a fun time. We're actually still in contact with some of the representatives and senators that we did meet. I do have a meeting coming up with um one of the representatives that
I did meet at the capital. So I haven't received any negative feedback. probably just having it be more centralized on capital days and more centralized on that promotion of of broad legislative priorities. >> Yeah, and I would agree. It was a
fantastic group and normally we get put with a a group of students and we go around to the legislators. It was a little different which was I think nice because I got to see different groups. I hopped into meetings where I had the opportunity and they were they were wellprepared.
Um they had lots to say and I kudos to them because every single group the first thing that they brought up to legislators was teacher pay and I said to all of them how appreciative I know I was of that because they could have talked about anything and you would think cell phones might have been. the
first thing they wanted to talk about, but the first thing they all said to legislators is we need to pay for the groups that I was with, um, we need to pay our teachers better. So, I I they were fantastic. So, >> and these meetings aren't easy. The
legislators don't really give them any difference of being students, I would say, for some of those interactions. And our students held their composure. They did and they held their feet to the fire because I was in one conversation that was about um changing the law the
the age for guns which was interesting that I ended up in that group. Um and they did not let that that um representative they said I understand what you're saying but and so I was really really proud um of them. So, I just want to say, you know, thank you
for letting us know they felt that way because it, you know, sometimes we think the kids don't care if we're there or not. So, it's really nice to know that um they would have liked to have had more interaction. So, I appreciate that. >> And and could I just clarify real quick just um first of all, I don't know the bowling thing. I I didn't have it in my
notes if that was a pre-Tallahassee or if that was in Tallahassee. So, I want to clarify it was in Tallahassee. Okay. And second, my comments seem to steer more negative. kids had a fantastic time and I wanted to just make sure that was clear. I just because I was limited on time I wanted to make sure I got that feedback since that was the most
important. >> You can tell they they really so appreciate that. Um the last thing is the for the multilingual and just a little plug there. I'll just let you know that I was at the jazz concert and Miss Rupert was at the choir concert. So um you know we all went to different
concerts and they were amazing. I think the superintendent was at one. Awesome. >> Yeah, we were at the coral concert I think uh with Miss Rupert. she was the MC. So, u great. >> Um those are fantastic things. So, just you know want to be clear kind of goes to the students too saying they want to
see people out. I think we're all out in different places. It's just they might a lot of events going a lot of things big county. Um so I say amen thumbs up to the dual language for prek. As I've mentioned
before, my grandson is in a dual language prek program and I think that that's fantastic. Um, but also to your point and to the super to say to the superintendent, you mentioned that there's a Spanish teacher that's needed and they're not able to fill that
position because of hiring freezes. So, I'll again punt it back to you to say here's another example of where they need someone, but they feel as if they're not having the ability to do that. So, um, I'm just reiterating the point.
>> No, take point taken. >> Thank you. >> Dr. >> Um, well, I have a whole list. Yeah, Mrs. Aladaf. >> Oh, your tag was up, Mr. Sea. >> Thank you, chair. Um I I I do want to
press a little bit more than Miss Hixon did on the um on the Spanish certification teachers. Um Dr. Heurn, I think this is a real problem. Uh, I think if you have a situation um in a school in which a Spanish certified
teacher is needed and we don't have the ability to to pluck them, for lack of better terms, from district staff, and to place them there, this is now um uh greatly affecting our our students, especially our our Spanish speaking students who aren't able to perhaps
receive the proper instruction that they're they're entitled to. So, let me ask you this, sir. Um, do we know the the rate or the number of Spanish certified teachers that we have that are in that quote unquote district pool that are able to float out to our schools
should the need arise? >> I don't have that information at my fingertips. U, but I can tell you this, this has been the practice. Um, if we do not have a person in house to staff that position, we we post and we hire. Um, we just hired I want to say like applied
math, applied science teachers because we don't have them in house. Um, and you guys approved that agenda at the last regular school board meeting. Like I said, I got a list of 100 right now that I'm reviewing to sign off so it can be posted for the uh next week's schoolboard meeting. But if we don't
have the certified personnel in house for the specific position that the school is asking for, we um we give permission to go ahead and post and hire. And that's despite the current hiring freeze. Correct. >> Correct. Because the school still needs them. >> Okay. Fantastic. Well, that's that is reassuring to hear because I hope
there's never a situation where a student who speaks another language is unable to be in a classroom that they can't properly communicate with their teachers. Um HR just want to talk about the tally trip. Um it was a phenomenal trip. I did have the pleasure of seeing Jir and and and Landon as well as a lot
of our students there. Um I did go to the bowling alley. I didn't bowl because I'm a terrible bowler, but I did go to the bowling alley and and got to speak with a lot of students and incidentally, it was a really nice buffet they had set up there. Probably one of the better meals that I ate in Tallahassee. Um, so that was a nice a nice little treat
being up there with the kids um during the capital days. The legislative meetings I thought were great. Um, we literally had, you know, these rooms packed. you know, we were in these in these state reps or in these senator's offices and it was like wallto-wall of
kids and and as my colleagues mentioned, I mean, they were drilling these guys and gals and they were they were pretty relentless on wanting to get their their messages across. Um, I'm not sure what the disconnect was as as far as if there were board members trying to to dominate
those conversations. I kept my mouth shut the entire time when I was in those meetings cuz I was just so impressed by the kids. Um and I certainly realized that that was their their opportunity to to meet with those folks and um again very very impressive um showing. We also
got a trip to the Supreme Court which was really really phenomenal and we got to hear from the from the justice there who gave a beautiful speech uh to the kids and also let's be honest those are pretty tough questions right I just was there those are pretty pretty tough questions that
your that your colleagues were were were asking him uh so it was uh overall just a fantastic trip and I'm very very proud uh in Broward County that we're able to do that for our kids because I I do think that is um you know arguably maybe a once in a lifetime experience for some, right? So, it was it was a
beautiful trip, very educational, and the kids all seemed to have a have a great time. And not only that, but the college tours, right? We did the college tours as well. Uh I don't many I don't know how many universities you went to, but it was it was quite a few. Um you know, on on the way up and on the way back. So, overall, great great trip. Uh,
I hope the the kids had a better time than some of your uh comments would lead to believe, but um I I I thought it was nice and I certainly didn't hear any complaints from any of the students that I talked to up there. So, um and also just all of our our chairs and our committee members, thank you for coming
and as always for all of the hard work that you do and the type of commitment you put in for our kids. Thank you. >> Board member Thompson. >> Thank you. Um, I just wanted to ask the superintendent, we're having a workshop on June 16th to talk about our prek and
VPK programs. If we could just add the expanding of multilingual prek into that workshop. >> Thank you, >> board member Rert. >> Thank you. Um, I wanted to ask the um
gifted chair which school is left for the camp. >> Can I talk last? The only school providing the summer camp this year is Pompo High. >> Okay. I was going to ask if it was Pompo High School. Um, Superintendent,
is it possible to get the other two schools that had been utilized before? And if you answered this question, I'm I'm sorry cuz I I stepped out for a bit. >> No, I didn't answer that question. Um, the only thing I can summize is because we don't get um state funding for um you know, summer school. The only summer
school we get state funding for is remedial purposes. is um for reading and also um ESC. The only thing I could summize about um past years is that we we were we had esser dollars and many school districts um created all type of
summer enrichment opportunities and it sounds like you have a school that's probably leveraging some of their own dollars possibly. So we can do some research and see how they're actually accomplishing that. Um but when we were washed with esser dollars or um or art dollars, everybody was doing all kind of
wonderful summer school experiences and and now everybody's backtracked back to what their state actually funds, which is for for in the state of Florida, it's more for remedial purposes um and also um and also uh ESC uh um um summer
summer opportunities too. So, we'll do some research um to find out how they're paying for that and uh maybe um you know talk to the other schools that were doing it before and see we can help them >> get that. >> Well, um gifted is an exceptionality
um like like ESSE is. I mean, I have a twice exceptional um oldest son. Um but there is money that's attached to kids who are gifted. So, >> no, there's no there's no money attached to gifted kids. only only our our our
students who actually have IEPs just have EPS so they have a educational plan to make sure you know their their needs are met they're accelerated appropriately but as far as um they don't get they don't garner additional funding >> huh um
>> don't gifted students have a slightly higher >> FE rate >> they're supposed to that's why >> why it's exceptional have one that's even slightly higher than that >> I don't think um the gifted kids and Yeah, it's it's a slight It says yes,
it's it's very very minimal. It's not the amount that our our ESC students with IEPs get. >> No, but there is >> there is some money. Yeah, >> but it wouldn't be enough to have a a like if you pulled it together, it's not enough to have a summer summer school
experience like we would have. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Well, I would like to know where that money goes and what programs it's used for. Um and and I remember this way back, you know, when my kid was in elementary school, middle school, etc. Uh and we talked about that, but um I would
appreciate that especially going into the budget stuff to me really make sure that we're being transparent and um that parents understand, which would be also a wonderful thing for the parent involvement task force. >> That actually that actually was part of
our discussion yesterday at audit when we were talking about this program. That's one of the things that was mentioned. There were many others that need to be clarified so people understand actually where funding is coming and where it's not. So, >> perfect. Yeah. You know, thank you. >> And and you know, I would just say jot
down any of those that you think of and email um either email me or email Aaron and we'll >> put it into the session. >> Okay. >> Or Miss Johnson. >> And I appreciate >> I'm not yours as a followup, Miss Rupert, for the gifted funds, how much and all that.
>> Yes. Um, and then also for twice exceptional, I wanted to um ask the um the the gifted chair for that. I'm sorry, what is her name? >> Alan Bushkin. >> Okay. Allan, is that good? Okay, perfect. >> Um, I wrote that down. Sorry.
Um, do you have or at all dedicated time to um to discuss with parents of Twice Exceptional? Um is there like a subcommittee or or not so much >> between gifted and the ESC advisory? I'm sure we could also take care of that,
>> right? Oh, okay. Um because it it is a special combination that that brings uh you know joys and uh difficulties at at times and they are um incredibly as you already know um gifted students do have
a higher level of um suicide ideations and that's just just how it goes. They're twice exceptional twice the exception. Um so that was uh important. So, camps, dual language for prek. Yes.
Um, >> oh, I had an idea for the superintendent when you were um talking about the the lag time, right? I mean, teachers, we do an exit pass or a fast pass for kids. Would it be not so labor intensive if
the committees could do that? And you know how like if you use AI and it will give you uh just you can get two paragraphs or whatever it is. That was a that was a shout to you Dr. Zan. >> And and what I was thinking and we could talk I could talk offline with you guys
is just leverage technology. Maybe there you're recording um sometimes we use AI apps to record meetings and and it u uh does the work for us and creates the themes and the things that were discussed. It's just something that we can react quicker. So, uh, and we could
talk offline of, uh, what's the best way that that fits your your needs so we can react quicker, um, in the future, >> right? Um, I thought that would be really helpful, you know, because that way the the time would get to, um, we'd we'd be able to see it more in real
time. And I know that you always let us know when the notes are available and all that stuff, but things just pile on and then you look at it, you know, prior to the meeting if you're lucky. So, I do appreciate um that you guys stay here and you you come and um fully are,
you know, uh public facing and and speaking up for our students and families. So, I appreciate that really really a lot. Um so, thank you because I know it's not easy at times and I appreciate my my colleagues also listening so well and um you know
putting that first as well. So, I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, I believe it was Miss Fry that mentioned um the concern um of the students in
Tallahassee that more board members were not present. And um uh I'm concerned about that as well. And what I'll say is um uh I I I don't know if it's because the um stipen provided to board members
were voted to to be removed. Uh so it would be a board member expense to travel uh which can be uh significant and I know that uh it was proposed it was voted on but I think we need to take a second look at it and the reason I'm
saying that is this um there are some of us here as board members who can afford to go to Tallahassee who can afford to foot the bill and there are other board members where this is their only income. They have taken on the noble cause of
being a schoolboard member to serve the community. Uh some of them have given up their regular jobs to do it. And a school board member salary is a beginning teacher salary. That's all they get for those who don't know. And
to ask a school board member who may have children, they have families like everybody else. They work diligently. Some of us are putting in 40 50 hours just in places that we have to go. The responsibility of it, this is a $5.34
billion uh business. The only second to the county commission, it's a huge responsibility and everyone up here does it for a beginning teacher salary. That's all they get. So when you have
board members who gave up their jobs because they want to serve the community and they take this on, they have children and to say to them, if you're traveling on behalf of the school district, you're going to foot the expense, that's not reasonable. And I
think we need to take a second look at it. So, you know, even when teachers travel and they stay overnight, they're compensated. When members of the staff here at the district level, they travel, they get compensated. If you ask any municipality, if you ask a broad county
commission, they all get compensated for traveling. And and we don't make nothing close to a county commission. We get a beginning in teacher salary. And there is also some of us we can't afford to to
do this job and do a nineto-five. I can do it because I own my own business. So I have flexibility. I can come in when I want because I own my business. There are some of us who have careers that gives them flexibility. There are others who had to give up their 9-to-f5 to do this because they can't do a regular 9
to5 and do this. So I think it's not reasonable to say to board members travel and foot the bill. Maybe some of us can afford it, but there are some of us here who can't. And I think we need to take a second look at that so we can properly and efficiently serve the
district and not count pennies and lose the bigger picture. So that's my comment, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thanks so much, Chair. Um, last point that I have is really about our our budget issues that we're in. You know, there's funny things that happen when
you're in an organization and money gets real tight. Uh, one of the things that happens is that everyone sees a problem and says, "Oh, that must be because they don't have any money to solve the problem." Um, and that's not always the case. We have to be very careful about. The second thing that happens though is we all get to kind of talk from the same
sheet of music if we're careful on this. And my sheet of music always starts with the fact that the state of Florida, our primary funer, has now put us 50th in the nation in funding. 2008, we were 23rd. We had a recession. education
funding came down because the state revenue came down and it never rebounded. And I would just ask you to remind people that we are constantly in Florida trying to make a silk purse out of a SA's ear. And until that fundamental problem, until the state legislature
agrees to do what the Constitution of Florida says, which is fund a highquality education, we're going to continue to fight. And things that are on the table this year are things you're not going to want to hear about. Student teacher ratios are on the table. School closings again are on the table.
Field trips that we have funded forever are on the table. $120 million doesn't happen by trimming budgets. It comes by eliminating a thousand positions. So when you hear people out there have issues. I don't want dual language
teacher vacancies. I don't want special need teacher vacancies. I don't want any teacher vacancies. But the district is struggling to try and backfill. A very appropriate move that the superintendent has taken to take certified teachers out of staff jobs and get them back in classrooms. It's not an easy thing to
do, by the way. And he's taken the courageous step to look people in the eye and say, "I know what you are doing here is important. I need you to go to X middle school, X elementary school, Y elementary school, and take on a job." And you're going to do it for the rest of the year. But there are big cuts
coming. $120 million out of five billion dollar budget is still a lot of money. And there will be sacred cows that are left off the end of the budget table. And so I would ask you when you talk to parents, when you talk to employees, when you talk to neighbors, remind them that the root cause of this is that
we're 50th in the nation, not even 49th anymore. Mississippi and Alabama fund education better than Florida. And the only reason we're anywhere close to competitive with teacher salaries that you brought up earlier is because we get $350 million of additional revenue from
Broward County residents who give us the referendum. So, thank you for the referendum dollars. Thank you for be willing to tax yourself a little bit more. Um, but we are we are constantly in trouble with money and now we're in crisis in some
sense with money. And when people talk to you about a teacher position or a piece of equipment missing or a cover to a laptop, we got big problems in Broward County and this board has agreed to tackle those big issues. Uh we'll continue to look at the the data that we
have, the data about the whole district uh as we make decisions about that because we have to. Uh but this summer is going to be very very ugly and we we should just I think make sure that we present it in a very logical way and tell them that we're going to do the best that we can to preserve the things
that matter the most. Uh we're going to probably use some business principles to make some decisions about what's left over that we need to do. Uh but this district has lost a lot of students and therefore has lost a lot of money and it already started trying to make a silk purse out of a SA's ear. And so we've
lived on on just Goodwill, bubblegum, and duct tape for too long. And now it's all coming off because we just don't have enough money to fund all of the duct tape anymore. >> Thank you, Chair. >> Thank you. Um I just wanted to reiterate
um the the audit committee's recommendations around um communicating about budget. I think we had a long conversation about that last week where we talked about, you know, multiple board members talked about like digestible videos online,
meeting community members where they are, doing roundts and things like that, doing town halls. Um, and then, uh, I think the parent university, uh, conversation or suggestion is very helpful. Um, and I would support also uh
re-implement or reinstating the the budget the community budget task force that I it's my understanding that existed. So I just I wanted to reiterate that. Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I just wanted to quick remind everyone that as school board
members, we agreed not to give ourselves travel reimbursement because the district was on a travel freeze through the superintendent. So, no one imposed that on us except for ourselves because we didn't feel it was right to tell teachers and district staff they
couldn't travel and then put that in even though we knew it was really important to go to Tallahassee. and we did agree that we would send the chair um to do that, which she did, and then some of us agreed to do it on our own. So, I just wanted to remind us that we
impose that on ourselves. Thank you. >> Oh, and just to to on top of that, I also did not receive a bullying invite. So, I'm sorry to any any student that felt like I was standing them up. The superintendent did, but if we had been invited, we would have been there. Um
any other board discussion >> on this? >> All right. Um that concludes our committee conversations. The next we'll do a brief recess, but the next item is fast PM2 academic update for 2025 2026.
You had to Heat. Heat. Down. Down. Heat. Hey, Heat. The next item is fast PM2 academic update 2025. 5 2026. I now turn it over
to staff for a brief presentation. >> Good morning. Good morning everyone and we are very pleased to provide an update on the fast which is Florida assessment of student thinking progress monitoring 2 results. And you will also be happy to
hear how our students are progressing and continue to uh progress in regards to the standards that are presented for them. You will hear data for reading and also mathematics. But most importantly, you will see in here trends, areas of
growth and the strategies that are underway to support continuous improvement for all of our students to ensure that all students are meeting grade level standards and expectations. Our focus is very clear. All students
should be on track for success at the end of the school year. So to that point, I'll turn it over to our academics team that will lead this presentation on fast PM2. >> So good morning everyone. Fabian Con, chief academic officer. Joining me today
are is Guy Moha, director of secondary learning, Richie Bomb, director of uh research assessment analysis and research. uh we always get that that tongue tied but our our ear guy. And then we have Melissa uh uh who is our director of elementary learning. But
today we're really excited today and thank you for uh having us uh bring this presentation back to the board because we think that we have some really positive news to share with the board. Uh so we're we're really not just only presenting data. Uh it is evidence of
momentum and so it reflects the strategic planning our alignment with our 2526 academic plan and it is the relentless work of the work that we see our students our teachers our principles
uh and our regional offices really having a concerted effort around improving improving teacher and student outcomes. And so as we start, this is really about accelerating. Uh and I want to make sure I echo that it's about accelerating. And
so this presentation really fulfills one our statutory obligation to present the results of fast PM2 uh and progress monitoring, but it's simply beyond just uh compliance. It's about trajectory.
And so PM2 is really about our midyear pulse check. So, every year around this time of the year, uh, as part of our data walks, as part of our data review, we really have an opportunity to reflect on where schools are at the moment in time, we gather our troops, our
resources, we dispatch them. Uh, we support schools that may not be uh where we think they need to be or the principles think that they need to be. uh we support those schools, we support those students, whether that's extended learning opportunities, whether that's a
pushin or pullout model, whether that's uh high dosage tutoring, we provide all of those things based on where that school, that teacher, that grade level, that principal feels that they are. And so that's why it's about trajectory. And
so although it's a pulse check, it tells us what we are doing is working. And the answer is across most areas we are moving. And so we'll walk you through uh this agenda. We'll talk about our 2526
academic plan, why we know it's working, our district-wide trends, our ELA and math performance, our early literacy programs, and our graduation and acceleration rates. What you will see consistently is our strategic alignment and
acceleration. And so I want to start with our strategic goals. Uh they're just not theoretical. Our premises around goals one, early literacy, which you'll see in parenthesis some of those very strategic initiatives that we feel are having the
most powerful practices within our classrooms. that is our science of reading initiative, our go live uh planning, helping our teachers who are either new to the profession have an opportunity to do a deeper dive or standard based lesson planning. Goal two
is algebra proficiency, our bridge programs, our coaching, our graduate release to support those schools. Our science achievement is bringing in our hands-on interdisciplinary studies, making sure that our students in all grade levels are really teaching uh the
science content so that it's not really at a specific grade level where we're catching them up. And then go grade four is really college and career readiness, our advanced placement, our CTE, our acceleration uh courses. And then you'll see uh last year I think there was a a a
true emphasis on looking at our subgroups, making sure that those students were accelerating just as much as our students were proficient. So our academic plan really focused on targeting uh our C-rated schools because as you know last year we reduce our
C-rated schools by half. This year we're trying to reduce it even further uh to the point where we don't want to have any C-rated schools. We want to have all A's and B's. Uh so our focus is really around our subgroups. And so that's our
L's, our S SWDs, our black uh students. And so there was a really intentional focus on making sure that those stu schools and those students got really that wraparound support. You're going to be really excited to see that those students are moving. And so we're really
excited about that. And so if you take a look at this slide, slide five, this tells the complete story. Over three years, I'll repeat that. Over three years, both ELA and math show a clear upward pattern from
PM1 to PM2 to PM3. That means our system improves across the year consistently. Growth is not accidental. It's the result of data cycles, targeted interventions, regional accountability,
and teacher professional development. And this is sustainable improvement. So now we'll transition to looking at strictly the PM2 performance. So we'll look at the PM2 performance over the last three years. And what we can see here for ELA by region, when we look at
it by district or by region, we're seeing significant improvement um by uh when we look over the district by um by ELA performance over the past 3 years, we moved up 9 percentage points. Um and
in the north, we moved up 10 percentage points. In the central, nine percentage points, and in the south, 8 percentage points. And most importantly in the SETO region, our school transformation office, we moved up 11 percentage points. So they're working really hard
to close the gap with our other regions. Uh so I wanted to call out uh specifically the great work that the SEO region is doing. >> Thanks, Richie. I um have the pleasure of talking specifically about elementary school ELA performance, third grade,
fourth grade, and fifth grade. all outperform the state across um all three elementary school grades in ELA. Grades four and five increased eight percentage points over the past three years and we do believe that this is directly related to our purposeful implementation of the
science of reading professional development and the resources that we provide at the schools. >> Guy, >> thank you Miss Holtz. I have the pleasure of presenting your middle school and high school reading data. And you see here, we've also outperformed the state in all areas. Most
importantly, each grade increased by nine or more points over the past three years and seventh grade increased by 13 points. So, we know also our science of reading training has been working and our secondary literacy strategies and our content align planning is showing some great impact.
Richie. >> So, I'd like to talk about um our data by race, ethnicity, and we'll also look at in the next couple slides the our data for for our English language learners and our students with disabilities. Um we're showing a good amount of improvement while there are
still gaps. While gaps still exist, we're showing that one, we're improving performance across the three years in all of our subgroups. So in each group um but specifically for our black students we went up 10 percentage points
over the past three years. Um for our Hispanic uh group we of students we went up eight percentage points and for our white students we went up 9 percentage points. So we've closed the gap slightly um our black white gap. Um and for our
white Hispanic it expanded slightly. Uh but I think the main story here is that we're showing improvement not only overall as a district but also when we break out this performance by by um by race ethnicity. Further there was a lot of movement that
happened for our um English language learners and this test uh this is for our English language arts assessment for PM2 for our students who are who are English language learners. Um what's what's really important here is to show that the school transformation office,
the students that are L's at our STTO um um schools, they closed the gap with the rest of the district. So their performance actually outperformed um the district at 14% uh proficiency for those students versus 13% for for the
district. So, we're really proud of the work that our ESOL department did uh run by uh Miss Sala um and her team. They they have uh made a a really great effort in getting out to the schools and making sure that the strategies are
working for for our L's. When we look at our students with disabilities, um we're also seeing uh some really great improvement. we see that they improved over the past three years eight percentage points in the district and that is across the board in
every region. So the work that um that uh Miss Egan did has done and the um students with disabilities department has done um and division to work with our schools to um to give to give those schools the specific strategies to
improve performance for our students with disabilities is really paying off. Finally, rounding out our English language arts um PM2 performance, what we looked at, we really wanted to call out some great performance that um
improvement that some of our schools have made. Um and when we look at this, these schools have made double-digit growth from PM2 now to from what from where they were in PM2 last year to PM2 now. Um and we see schools getting
called out in every region um and uh and and every level. So we're really proud of the hard work that these schools have done to to really move the needle uh for their for the midyear performance. So we're going to move over to our math
performance. When we look at our math performance for PM2, uh comparing math performance from uh from PM2 to PM2 for the for the last three years, we we have increased by 8 to nine percentage points um across the
board in in our district and and throughout the regions with our school transformation office moving up nine percentage points. >> Miss Holtz, >> thank you. Again, I get to brag a little bit specifically about grades three through five in math. So, we did
outperform the state in all elementary grades in math PM2 2026. Grade three had a 5% improvement from PM2 last year to this year and grade five had a 9% improvement over the past three years. We do recognize that fourth grade had a
slight dip of 1%. However, I have already met with Richie and we have looked at the standards where we are weaker in this year than we were in last year and we created a district resource that we have already sent out to the schools to help ensure that we're spiraling that review and that we've updated the pacing guide so that we can
get back in front of the game before PM3 for fourth grade math. >> And I think it's important to note that this is a a a statewide trend with fourth grade data. So, it's just not in exclusive to Broward. And so we've partnered with other districts to kind of look at that this is more so an
anomaly uh with a new assessment. So every uh state actually or every district rather is actually implementing something very similar to what we were doing. >> We we also wanted to note that for PM2 what's important to note that in fast for math the um the assessment covers
all the standards for the year. So not all the standards have been covered up to the point of PM2. So, in math in particular, that's where we see some of these um some of these performance uh issues. >> And I have the pleasure of bringing you middle school data. So, for sixth and
seventh grade, we we've outperformed the state. We're a little stagnant in sixth grade. So, we're trying to figure out the same way as Miss Holtz did with Richie, looking at the standards that we we took in PM2, which ones were lacking in and how we give some resources for a review for those standards. But really happy with seventh grade. Seventh grade is making some great strides. 11 points
over the last three years and outperforming the state by nine points which is great. Now Richie called out sixth and seventh grade on this slide and they put eighth grade to its own slide and I'm really happy he did that because I don't want to shy away from what we're doing in eighth grade and what that data looks like. It's really an opportunity for us for expansion.
Like how do we make sure our level one and two kids in eighth grade really get the right teaching, the right engagement, the hands-on learning, the center instruction, like the small groupoup instruction that they really need. And and you may see and you may ask a question which is very valid. Why don't we outperform the state in eth
grade guy? Great question. Our philosophy in Broward is that we put all of our high achieving students or our proficient students in algebra and geometry in eighth grade and those they don't take a PM2. So the students you see in eighth grade are really our level ones and two kids that are in our eighth grade math classes. And the reason the
state outperforms us is because we test a small percentage of our eighth grade kids. But the state, I believe, if Richie has the data here, 75% of the eighth grade kids are tested on the eighth grade standards or the eighth grade fast. So, it's a different comparison of students when you look at the state versus Broward. That's all.
But like, like I said, we're not happy with the 14%. We're not happy being stagnant. So, we're looking at resources and strategies to make sure we see different type of teaching in those classrooms. Like those kids need some more hands-on small groupoup instruction. So, that's what we're looking to do for those students as well.
and I'll pass it back over to Richie for our subgroup performance. So, here in our subgroup performance, we're seeing 8 percentage point um increase for our black students, an 8 percentage point increase over the past three years for Hispanic and a 9 percentage point increase for white
students. So um what we're seeing while there is still a gap and it slightly widens because the performance over the past 3 years is improving for all the subgroups um we are ste we are still it is important to note to that um
performance is improving for all groups. Um so uh we still see that we still see that gap but but we're happy that at least performance is improving. When we look at our uh English language
learners, we're seeing that um again the the school transformation office is closing the gap with the district. Um they've improved seven percentage points over the past three years whereas the district and each of the regions have improved by five percentage points.
And for our students with disabilities, um again the the STO office improved eight percentage points and the district improved six percentage points. So there um that gap is is uh a lot smaller as well. So finally, when we talk about our math
performance by school, we wanted to really call out um these schools that have made more than double digit well double digit increases, but um really um 25 or 20% improvement in some cases. Uh
so uh we have schools that that really improved significantly and we um and we wanted to recognize that. Now I'm going to pass it over to Miss Holtz to talk about our K to2 performance. >> Thanks again, Richie. So I think it's important that we talk about um the
foundations of reading really come in kindergarten, first and second grade. And so we're going to take some time to look at the data from kinder, first and second, and ELA. You will see that in kindergarten, the district did outperform the state average in reading in kindergarten. Um I know Dr. Hudge is
back there smiling loud and proud because once again STTO did have the largest growth over the last three years with 9% proficiency for our kindergarten students in ELA. When we get to first and second grade, unfortunately, we
don't see that same growth in ELA. Um we did either perform at the same or the state performed a little bit higher than us at the district average in ELA and first and second grade. Um, but we don't want that to shadow the fact that the school transformation office did have a
7% growth from um, two years ago in first grade. I think what's important is that we recognize that the same supports that we've been providing to third, fourth, and fifth grade, we need to make sure that we're providing in kinder, first and second, and that those kindergarten teachers are also receiving
the same professional development in the science of learning, science of reading, that we are monitoring early interventions. The best thing that we can do as soon as a kindergarten seems to be falling behind is that we provide those interventions and we um monitor them through the MTSS process. We need
to ensure that um instruction in primary grades focuses on both word recognition and language comprehension and that small groupoup instruction is taking place in all of our classes. So all of those great things that we ensure are going on in third through fifth grade,
we also need to make sure are going on in kinder through 2. And I'm sure that we will see that same growth and return on investment. Very excited to share our information about math in kindergarten. So if you will see that we went from 24
to 46% over the past three years increase in math in kindergarten and outperformed the state. All regions have shown increases over the last three years, but the South has had the largest increase with a 23% increase in
kindergarten math. Broward outperformed the state on grade 1 in math PM2. All regions have shown an increase over the last three years. STTO showed the largest increase with a 10% improvement over the past three years in
math. Again, we are scoring above the state average. And in second grade, second grade, we have tied with the state average. However, we have still increased at the district level. The
south region has shown the largest growth at 11% in second grade math on PM2 performance. We do believe that the increases that we're seeing in math are directly tied to our critical content. Math professional learning that we're providing to the teachers and that we
adopted highquality instructional materials and district created supplemental resources are being implemented in the classes by the classroom teachers. >> Sorry, pass it over back to you guys. >> Thank you. So I'm I'm here to present to you the college and career acceleration
and graduation rate data. So the next slide, slide 30, you'll see two sets of bar graphs. I want to just orient you to the to the slide really quickly. The first three sets of bar graphs are for college and career acceleration and the next three sets are for the graduation rates. Right? I want you just to focus
on the first three sets for a second. College and Career Acceleration. In case you guys don't know, in order to earn an acceleration credit, a high school senior has to graduate with either an AP credit, an ACE Cambridge credit, an IB credit, or an industry certification. So, they have to walk the stage with
either college or dual enrollment. So, they have to walk the stage with either a college credit or an industry certification. Right? So, those are all the ways to earn acceleration. And over the last three years, our traditional high schools have gone up 14 points. I want to commend a couple departments. one my own department secondary learning
but also cases in Lai foros's department for her coming on as the director of case we've seen a huge jump in acceleration she has put a focus on acceleration coaches uh CTE adviser in schools and has had amazing meetings with principles making sure they focus
on their CT and their acceleration rates and I believe that's one of the reasons you see we see a huge jump in our acceleration rate so I want to thank both those departments um and you see we have our traditional rates are at 77 right Now our district operated schools which are our traditional high schools and our centers are at 75 and you see
what the charter schools are at right now the graduation rates our traditional high schools are at a great rate at 98%. When you combine them with our centers and our other schools we are 94 and our charters dropped down to 75. But the next slide shows you how all that aggregates together. Right? So for this
college and career acceleration rate we've gone up 13 points over the last three years. We're at the highest point we've ever been in Brower County Public Schools. Uh, which is an amazing thing to know. And we don't have a state rate yet because the state hasn't published their rate for that for this year yet. Um, now for graduation, we want to
really point the fact out that we're above 90% for the first time ever in Broward's history, right? And so I know there's some snaps or some claps or some waves, but we're definitely above 90%. We're trying to get above the state average as well, above 92%. And I think we're definitely on our way of getting
there. The way we make sure we're there is some some of the data we look at on the next slide. This happens to be my favorite data set that Richie puts out, right? You'll see four line graphs here. The dash line graphs are where we were last year and the solid line graphs are where we are this year. I want you to
notice that we're starting at a lower rate. What this indicates to you is a number of students starting the year off without the correct test scores for graduation. We usually don't have an issue of kids when they're with graduating with credits or their GPA. Our issue is really their test scores.
It's the 10th grade ELA test or the algebra test or all the concordance scores. Right? So the the number on the far left indicates how many students start the year off without a test score. And as you go along the year, you see how that number decreases. We use this data very intently to see where are the
tests that give us the best best bang for our bucks. And you can see with the the lines that have the hugest negative slope, we know those tests give us the biggest bang for our buck. They they decrease our numbers the most. And those are usually from the data we see that those are the fast retakes and or the
ACTNCR. So that's where we're putting our efforts towards for review and the fast retakes or NCRs like our SAT or ACT NCRs. And NCR means non-ol reportable, which means students get extended time on those tests. So they get to sit there not just for the two hours they need or whatever the time is for as much time as
they need to take those tests. Some of the strategies we have for acceleration is we have multiple pathways for acceleration. We have acceleration visits. We have professional development for teachers. We have a student districtwide exam review as well. And we encouraging more middle school advanced enrollment to
make sure we have more high school advanced enrollment. Right. Some of the stuff that CTA has done as well, like I mentioned, acceleration coaches, CTE advisors, uh, strategic meetings at schools, progress check tracking, regular check-ins, PD for teachers. You can see all the strategies we're using
there and with our CTA site as well. And I'll give it back up to Dr. Con to see if there's any board discussion or questions. >> Thanks. Uh, so what you see today is clearly alignment. Uh it's our academic plan, our strategic plan, our coaching,
our data monitoring equals our student in outcomes increasing and accelerating. So Broward is just not improving, we're accelerating. And so we want to thank uh the teachers, the students, the staff, the principles uh in central office for
uh all of us working together to make this this all work together and make this happen. So we appreciate everyone uh for this work. And so now we'll leave it open for board discussion. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, Mr. Bomb, if I had
to make you give me a God's honest statistical answer, not conservative or optimistic, what number are we going to end for uh at grade level by the end of this year given the PM1 and PM2 results we've had so far? >> Thanks for putting me on the spot here.
So, um, what I would say is usually when Really the best the best way to look at this is our slide five. I believe >> that's my favorite slide in the whole day. >> Yeah, it is it is really the the best slide I think that we that we put together. Um when we look when we look
at our at at that um we we look we could see year-over-year and we could see the the improvement that that we make. So um so our PM2 to PM2 performance increased by um 5 percentage points overall. So um
we could expect you know a a basically a 3 to 5 percentage point increase uh for our PM3 performance. We you know we see it's not guaranteed but >> yeah if if we maintain if we stay the course if we uh make sure that we that
we're hyperfocused on um you know our and and our schools do that um we could expect to see a 3 to 5 percentage point increase and we hope we hope for that. Um uh that's typically what we'll see when we look at the trend.
>> And um I remember 2022 very very clearly. It was a year I spent talking to the community about Broward schools before I joined this board. And the rate then was half. Half of Broward County school kids were at grade level. And I just thought that was not what the community wanted. The community didn't
want half of the kids that were going to public school to be at or above grade level. So if we continue this, that means since 2022, so three years ago, we've moved 25,000 students to at or above grade level who were performing
below grade level. That is a heroic number of people when you have 187,000 students in your school district. That's a big number. It's a number the community can feel, I think, you know, when you talk to them about it. That that's the total number of people we have. It's actually a little bit bigger than we have in any grade level. So if
you look at all 12th graders, there's about 18,000 of them. And so there's 25,000 kids filling up Miami Heat Stadium, for example. That number of of people in our community are now performing at or above grade level.
Second point, another great slide is about career and college readiness. My my read from the community is that has now become an expectation. When I talk to parents of high school kids, they're not talking about are you taking Cambridge AP dual enrollment. It's like
which one are you taking? And that's not, you know, just folks that are going to our worldass high schools. It's all of our traditional high schools. There is a community expectation that I get over and over again that they're going to take something difficult in high schools. I think it's so important um
that that has become the the societal or community norm because if you have children being encouraged to do things hard at school, they're going to be willing to do things hard outside of school. And that to me is just a huge life lesson. You know, I think everything worth doing is hard. And I
think that's true because if it was easy, anybody would do it, right? So anything worth doing is really hard. And if we're teaching our kids and it becomes a community norm like it is in other places in the United States to do hard things, I think that's could pay big dividends. A couple small statistics
points. Um, sixth graders in Brower County schools, I think, are the first point where a significant number can take math beyond their grade level. Right? So, sixth graders, there's some reasonable number that go to seventh and eighth grade or gem uh math. Those
students no longer take the math PM one or two at sixth grade level. Is that correct? >> They do take the PM1 the one and two and sixth grade. If they're enrolled in a sixth grade gem class, they still take the sixth grade PM1. >> Sure. But the ones that went to seventh
or to eighth grade, they don't go back. >> Seventh graders in algebra do not take it. They take the algebra exam. And then the >> I ask you to think about is those are our rock stars, right? Like they all got fives usually since early testing and they're quantitatively accelerated, however you
want to describe that. I would prefer to see them added on to the numbers you have because those are clearly sixth graders that are exceeding grade level. I would just like to see them on the chart that we communicate to the to to our uh residents of Broward County because it's a big deal. Another small
statistics point, I'm not all that interested in rural Florida counties. I'm really interested in Miami Dayton and Palm Beach because if you live in Miami date or Palm Beach, you can go to our schools. And so my comparison instead of statewide average would be
kind of the big seven urban districts of Florida. um largely because I know that we can we can encourage people who don't live here to come here whether they're close enough and can commute or they live in you know Pulk County or Escambia County and they can move here and they
can move here because we have schools that are just uh really really accelerating and I love the way you started it off Dr. cone with this idea of momentum. Um that momentum I think is really really important to talk to the community about because this isn't a year of like hey we did something cool.
Uh this is continuous 3 to 5% growth every year during a time where we're dramatically underfunded as an education system and now in which we're in fiscal you know urgency crisis you know whatever you want to describe it as um that to me is is a big deal. we
continue to grow and to outperform the previous years in our core responsibility which is educating uh tomorrow's leaders. So I'm really glad that our scholars have gone well. I think our parents and our teachers and the administrators uh you know when you
put them all together there's just a lot of cool things going on Broward County in terms of core learning and it's great to see this at the midpoint year and I can't wait to see it. I think it'll be 64. Richie, just going to tell you right now, that's my over under number uh for the year. If we get to just reasonable
growth, that means 25,000 students at or above grade level compared to what we had just three years ago. That's a big chunk of students. It really is. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um Dr. Cohen and
your team. I appreciate all of the efforts that everyone put into this. It sure is a lot of data and uh data is important. Uh it gives you uh sort of a factual reference point to see where we are and where we're going and I appreciate the emphasis on PM2 and
comparative in terms of uh the last three years. Um that's important. Um what I'll also say is um I know that each year there might be uh changes in benchmarks
in uh intended learning outcomes in summitive assessment expectations and so on and so forth. So while I I appreciate the PM2 data and you did a great job. I love it. Um what I have a lot more interest in is slide five. Uh as Dr.
Zean mentioned because sometimes when we compare uh the the particular uh assessment over years things may change each year so you're not really measuring exactly the same things right so it's it's good to pat ourselves on the back
because we've seen improvement in the PM2 but it also may not have uh um as great as um relevance in in terms of where are we going to be in PM3 three. Right? So, the reason I'm saying this is
um I would have loved to have seen um slide five even more expanded where we're looking at that those numbers from PM1 to PM2. Um, we're looking at that by grade level, by region, by uh gender, by
uh race, ethnicity to see uh who's being impacted and what do we need to do about those subgroups um as we compare PM1 to PM2 um and um some sort of a um u
monitoring of those students or I know it's in place but but it it it wasn't presented here. And I love the emphasis on PM2, but but I would love to see a lot more uh discussion on where were we on PM1 across gender, across grade levels,
across race, ethnicity, across SWDs, um and where are we on PM2 in terms of improvement and where do we need to be by PM3? You know, so I don't know if you're going to appear before us again
before PM3. Um uh but I I would love to actually get a better picture as to where we are this year. Um as opposed to a great emphasis on on um uh comparatives from previous years. Um and I I love the improvement. Uh it's not
negating anything you've done. Uh it's a great way to encourage ourselves and to say yes, we're actually doing better in terms of PM2 results. Um but it doesn't give me a lot of insight as to where are we going to be in PM3 by looking at the
the the gaps that exist currently in PM2 that the students need to learn by PM3 and where are we in terms of the different groups the the ESSE students the the um uh uh students by race by gender and so on and so forth. So, are
you able to comment on that? Because that's that's what I want to know, right? Because um that will help me as a board member to kind of get a better picture as to where we are now and and where we're going to be in in April or May.
>> So, Dr. Hollings, I appreciate that that response and actually that's a great suggestion. So, couple things. One, we'll do it as a follow-up. we'll provide that data uh for you. But moving forward uh for PM PM3, we'll actually break that down for you. So, we'll have
that data uh in the next PM3 presentation, but we'll also do a follow-up for PM2 as well. So, those are some really great suggestions, >> right? A and so, you know, slide five is great because it it it shows um compre a
comprehensive picture of where we are, which is great because we're moving in right direction. But I don't know what that looks like if we break that down into different groups and so on and so forth and then target those particular groups to see improvement. Um, you know, so who's impacted? What are we going to
do about it? And how are we going to monitor this by PM3 to make sure PM3 looks good? You know, so that's that's the part that I see that's missing, but it's again, you've done a lot of work and I appreciate everything else. Um, I would just like to see a more expanded
version of slide five. A lot more emphasis on five. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Rupert. >> Thank you. And I appreciate the data that you gave us here. Um, it's not going to be a surprise. I I want to
comment on our um at risk kids and our subgroups. I have uh since I've been a school board member, that has been a a focus of my review for the superintendent every single year is specifically how how are we looking with those, you know, particular groups
because for me, if you're not going all the way across and we're seeing it's not it's not just okay to to make gains, but we need to be able to make sure that they are making incredible gains in those areas because they're deficient so much. So, um, I appreciate that. Um,
also I would like to have a list of the STTO schools. I look through here and I couldn't find it. It might be here. I don't know. But it would be interesting to I mean you'll say that and parents will look at this and they'll say, "Well, what schools are they?" Um, you
know, so it would be interesting to know that uh especially the number of them. Um but also it would be um I think an important data point that's missing is asking uh either the BTU or
area teachers to ask them what specific training and cohort groups or science of reading um manipulatives whatever they feel is making the absolute difference when it comes to their kids because nobody knows better than the teacher in
the classroom. Um, I love data points, don't get me wrong, but I also like to keep my ear to the ground when it comes to um that everyday, not testing, but everyday teaching, learning, and relationships that actually make a big
difference in our kids' life. um and have that and it will help us moving forward when it comes from a financial piece because if they're not saying A, B, and C programs are kicking it for me, then A, we want to move away from that
massive testing anyway and B the teachers are telling you what they need. So, it's awfully easier for us as as a board to be able to look at that and say, "Oh, you know what, Kada Kada to 2 do this and this is what they're doing."
and they they don't exactly feel this is what their their kids need. Um that's an important part for finances moving forward. Um do you have a list of those schools or does it take a while to get them? >> We have a list of those schools. We can
actually provide that uh shortly to you. >> Okay. Um okay. I was going to ask some questions about that, but um I I can wait uh for that aspect of it. I did want to give a shout out to uh um Crystal Lake Middle
School for whoop whoop getting some good grades there. >> Miss Rupert, I'm sorry. Do you prefer us to uh provide those list of schools to you in a followup or we could actually just tell you the names of the schools right here? >> Um is it a lot that I have to write or is it >> 20?
>> Can't write that fast. Um, okay. You can just you can just send it to me. >> You can just send it to me because uh yeah, that's a little too much. But that's great. >> I mean, that's information I didn't have before, which is which is important because that that means that the the
public doesn't have that as well. Um, would like to have seen a more specific um SWD breakout, which I believe my colleague has already uh talked about over there, Dr. for wholeness.
So, I'm wholly agreeing with you. I use that. You get the You got it right. Holy wholeness. Okay. Thank you. Uh All right, then. I'm I'm at a uh a special club tonight for my uh
my mic night. Um >> yeah, gonna be here hopefully. Um, so yeah, I I would I definitely need those answers for that. And, you know, thank you. And and it's really a specific um,
you know, voice for for the public to say, listen, this is what's going on. This is what's still going on even in uh, bad times financially. We're doing the the work that that we need to do in this district, in this state, in your
classroom with your kid. Um, and that's that's important. So, thanks so much. >> Thank you. And before I go to Missixon, I did forget to do uh to take public comment. So, is there any public comment on this item? >> No comments. >> Thank you. Go ahead, Miss Hixon.
Thank you. First, I want to say thank you. So these are these are the things we should be sharing at the top of you know every conversation we have we should be sharing these results because at the end of the day this is how we get we get graded right um and my favorite
slides were 23 through 28 because those are kindergarten through 2 grade and that's really being able to predict the future because you want to see those increasing and not just focusing on third grade because if you're only worrying about third grade, you're
already behind the eightball. So, I know that, you know, in the schools that I have gone to, they're really focused also in those early grade levels because that will, you know, help them in the future. So, thank you for including that and understanding that it isn't just
about um those upper grades. I I have a question. I don't know if it's maybe the elephant in the room kind of question, but you know, we are in a place where we've had concerns about testing. We've moved people that are instructional
coaches or I don't I and I don't know what the right word is, but where the teachers are helping teachers and we've moved them into the classroom. So, we got to the place that we're at because of a lot of those resources we've pulled in, poured into the schools. We're not
going to have those same resources next year to some degree. So, I would just like to ask what are we doing proactively as the district to know that we're not going to have as many teachers
teaching teachers or supporting teachers in the way, you know, outside of just their colleagues. um that if we reduce testing or if we reduce walkthroughs and all of those things that we understand are weighing heavy on teachers. So, we
want to balance it. But I think we all would have to acknowledge that the data we're looking at is because of those things that have been here because we were a B school for 10 years, implemented things that are having some
growing pains with people, but we've reached the A and I don't believe in the grades in the first place. So, I'll just say that out loud. I I I I was never at a school that was an A school. So I guess that's why I I never really felt that it was a good indication, but it is
the world we live in today. So can you just tell us what you're doing proactively as an academic department, knowing what's coming down the pipeline, but still ensuring that we'll see these
same gains next year. >> Yeah. So I I'll just start by saying thank you for the elephant in the room. Um there's always a risk when you reduce something that you know is already working. I think we have we have the job of really taking a look at when we start
to look at reduction in staff and support and supplemental materials. Uh we have over the past three years looked at ROI or return on investment of supplemental materials to determine which ones are having the greatest amount effect on schools. And so we we
are at a point where we are at the bare bones of saying here are the supplemental materials that we strongly believe in that have high efficacy at our schools. And so these are the non-negotiables, right? Uh our instructional adopted core is our tier one. Our supplemental material, which
may be one or two or three things, those are the things that we want to definitely keep. Uh and then we start looking at staffing, which is obviously what we're looking at now. We're taking a look at which how many reasonably can will allow us to still continue to do
the work that we're doing uh and still maintain, right? Because any any research will tell you it takes between three to five years to maintain and sustain. We're three years into this, right? There are some schools that are
uh are really light speed ahead. They're they're on their own. They can they can survive on their own. And then there are schools that with some support will be intentionally able to continue to lift. And then there are some that may be still on life support that requires that really direct support. We have always
over the past three years when we look at the data PM3 data as an example. We start to look at what we consider our priority watch schools. Those are the ones we really support at the beginning of the year up until PM2. We'll still have to be very strategic knowing that
is the case because we have a lot of schools that at the very end may not rise to the occasion where they're on that are proficient on their own without support. And that's where regional support comes in. That's where district support comes in. So when we're looking
at the budget and we're looking at our resources, we're being very intentional in terms of, you know, what what is non-negotiable? what what must we keep in order to maintain this a and so I started out talking about acceleration we've got to continue to accelerate even
though we're taking the pedal off of some of those resources we cannot uh put it on cruise control just yet. So I know that uh in working with uh cabinet and obviously our our superintendent who's leading uh this work uh we're being very
strategic around those resources and what are we touching and what are we not uh uh giving up but what are what can we give up at this point in time. Thank you for that. And I we we've had this conversation already, but I um I also hope that we'll hear about how we're
going to start to include AI in some of that process. And you know, I've said it since I've been here. We still teach like we're in the industrial revolution. And that's not how our students learn. And that's not what society requires of
them anymore. So I would love Broward County Public Schools to be the leader, the innovator of changing pedagogy um in education in general. So I hope as we look in how we have to reshape that it's
in the confines or in the context of of being the leader and how we incorporate not AI to get rid of teachers or anything that way but just to enhance what we're doing and maybe in the places where we can't afford certain things AI
would help us to make up that difference but as one board member I just want to be clear the expectation is to continue to you know, excel and be the A. And it's important that you share with us what those non-negotiables are so we
understand it early in the beginning. And also when we're talking with the community, you know, what you feel and explain what those non-negotiables are and how you came to that understanding because the community is going to expect us to continue to be in a district
regardless of what else is going on at this level. So we have to be able to partner and just bring them along the journey as to why we're changing things. You know, when you get rid of a certain program, we get a hundred emails from teachers who have used that for 10 years
and they believe in it. So it's very hard if we don't have the background that you're bringing to that decision to say, I get that, but you know, here's the the reasoning behind it. So, as we move forward, the more information you can share with us as to how you've
landed on the non-negotiables, I think would be really helpful in us being able to provide information to the to the community. So, thank you again. >> Appreciate it. >> Any other board member discussion before I go? >> Um,
I agree with you, Miss Hixon, that we should be sharing this great news all the time. that's on us as school board members. Uh so thank you for pointing that out. Um and I had a similar question. I guess I'm wondering how you
guys are reconciling like the conversation from last week where you know we were you heard from the community, you heard from us that we were very we felt very strongly about the over testing. Um so how does that conversation fit into to this? because
on the one hand we're telling you guys like we're testing our kids too much. On the other hand, some of that has contributed to these positive results. So like I I feel very strongly both about both things. Like I really like these this good news and I also really
don't like us overesting kids. And those two things are kind of in conflict with one another. I don't I don't think it's like an educator. I don't think they're completely in conflict with one another, but I I kind of want to hear again how you guys are reconciling those two things.
>> So, I appreciate that. U Miss Leonard, it is a delicate dance. Um and and I didn't want to or we didn't want to address that piece in the room because that also is an elephant in the room too because uh we talk about assessment versus testing and the purpose of
assessment and the fact that fast is a progress monitoring tool. So we we did step away from u the workshop and really took a critical look um at kind of some next steps and what we can do and not throw the baby out with the bath water.
So there are some things that I we've already come up with that we will be putting in an action item plan and I'll give you an example where we look at something like an I Ready that it may not be where every student uh who is proficient based on fast PM1 uh needs to
take the I Ready diagnostics. So that would eliminate a certain group of students already because we would create kind of these thresholds within fast PM to say these students are proficient based on fast data. they don't need to take ietic diagnostic test right so that
would preclude a group a good group of students who don't need to take it uh the other part of that the challenge of that is then that the if the teacher or the parent wants to use already or wants their student to have that pathway the teacher themselves would have to go in
and put them put the students in there. So you would actually create an additional work uh uh front face for that teacher to actually do if they really want the student to actually use already in the school during the school day or after school. So we're looking at
kind of some of those plausible options uh to reduce assessment but also we knowing that it may create a burden on teachers on the on the back end to make sure that they do some of those things. The other thing we looked at is some of those optional tests that teachers are
providing uh reducing that footprint so that u they don't have access to those things. One of the other data points that we did take a look at uh we looked at how many teachers on their own were actually creating assessments and performance matters and I think it was
about over a thousand teachers without us without our instructional assessments. They were creating it on their own. My fear is when we start to limit things that are teacherdirected
then what are we saying to the teacher that those teachers that didn't come in front of us didn't have a voice but the data is showing that they're still using it that we're precluding them from uh the discussion and so I think it's so
important and that's why I wanted to be very deliberate around how many voices we hear in this process so that I come back to the board with a majority of the voices collectively saying yay or nay. And so uh we're going to put together
some of those um action steps and we're going to actually go to uh parent university. We're going to go through that focus group of teachers that said that they wanted to be a part of this and we're going to say here are some options that we we came up with and and
are you able to live with these options or do you see these as viable options in in your in your teacher space and give us some feedback so that we're coming with enough data uh to inform the board about the things and that would include
if we say hey here are those thresholds for I Ready and teachers you're going to have to go in And you're going to have to make sure that you make sure you put the teacher the students in the right pathway because if if a teacher mistakenly puts a student in a lower grade pathway, now you're creating more
of an issue versus if the student did it and now you have your automatic pathway. So we're looking at all of those things. Um and so we did uh there will be a memo. I think we heard that from the advisory that will go out this week reinforcing what's optional, what's
what's not optional. uh it be will be reinforced based on a memo that went out earlier this year of our statutory assessment calendar. So to show that hey we did send something out but because you wanted it we're going to actually uh provide that to you. So, we're doing the the quick easy wins that we've heard,
but um to your point, it's going to take some deeper dive conversations with teachers so that we don't exclude uh teachers from the conversation, but we also don't make a huge um change that will have an impact to our acceleration.
So I hope that people everyone was listening to that because I think it's it's I'm very grateful for that explanation and I think it really illustrates like how difficult the task is that we are
all you all are trying to navigate like balancing teacher autonomy, balancing student achievement and the demands that are put on us by the state um in terms of of testing and things like that. Um,
and balancing teacher workload and also considering like the, you know, the screen time issue that we talked about. Um, and the testing. So, it's it's so much more complicated than like the way we talk about it sometimes, which is like stop testing our kids so much. It's
it's like so much more than that. And like I say that as like a Diane Ravich acolyte. Like you know this has been something that has been in the works for decades now. Um that's going to take a long time to undo. And so I really
appreciate you guys like talking about the specific nuances that you're trying to figure out and it shows me that you're being very thoughtful about it and that you're taking the feedback very seriously. So I I really appreciate that. Um, and I look forward to seeing,
you know, what you guys come up with in in the coming months. Um, and trying to work on this in the years to come. Any other board comment? Dr. Zean. >> Yeah, I just want to this this conversation is is so central to why we're here. This is like really really
wonderful time together. uh we don't always get to work on systemic strategic issues like this, but I just want to make a a kind of evidentiary point. We have no evidence that the assessments and the testing that we're doing right
now is optimal learning growth. All we know is the combination of all the things we're doing has got us on a positive trajectory. It may be to the chair's brilliant question that we're assessing too much, taking away instructional time, and could be doing
even better academic growth if we made that kind of change. And it's incredibly complex. It's really a fascinating issue. I'm I'm big on teacher autonomy. I'm really big on parent involvement because when the parents loudly and clearly and repetitively say too much
testing, that's a big deal. And they're very attuned to their kids. And so I'd listen very very intently to that. But we have no evidence that the testing and assessment we're doing now is either accelerating or inhibiting our growth. In the same way, having five layers of
management between the superintendent and a principal is just what we have. But we have no evidence that it's good or bad. I think it's horrible. I've never seen an organization in the world be good that has five layers of management between the CEO and the people that make
us money. But but we have to think through these difficult problems right now because we're at a point where we have to start making decisions about about big things in the absence of evidence because we have no evidence of what it would be like to have 50% of the assessments in
elementary school what kind of academic growth we would get. Am I right, Miss Holtz? We just don't know because we've never done it right. We don't know what it's like if we had fewer people tasking principles to do work all day. But right now there's five layers above every principal that can task them to get work done during the day. It's amazingly
chaotic to be a principal in this school district. And I'm looking forward to kind of getting through those kinds of big hairy problems because they're central to what we're here for. Th this systemic the strategic discussion about how do we put all the resources together? How do we put all the policies
and rules and practices and people together to to do what this county needs more than anything else, which is to grow the future scholars that that can come back and live here for the rest of their lives. It's the most important question I find in all of public policy. And no one's figured it out yet. No one
has a formula for educational success. And so, it's a wonderful problem to have. There's no single answer that works everywhere. But I'm I'm I just want to make it clear that we don't know. We don't know because we've never tested whether or not the the 112 assessments that we hear about in
elementary school are too many or too few. And so I I look forward to that debate as we go forward. Thanks. >> Any other board member discussion? >> All right. Thank you guys. The next item is the last item is rule development
legislative affairs policies. Um, >> you need me to recess? >> No, we're ready. >> Okay, >> soup. >> I now turn it over to staff for a brief presentation. >> Um, so, uh, there's four policies, um, for rule development. I don't believe
there's any public comment for it, for any of them. Uh, there's one repeal and there's three that are being slightly amended. Um, we could open up to questions unless you want Mr. Hill to briefly go over them. Um, do my colleagues want a brief
presentation from Mr. Hill or you want to go straight to questions on this last item? >> Go straight to questions. Dr. Zean, >> thanks so much. I just have a few to add. Thank you to you and all the people that help you put these things together. Mr.
Quest, >> Dr. Zman, is your mic on? >> Board. Thank you. Um, sometimes I read our policies and it sounds like my grandmother screaming at me. You must do this, you shall do that, you cannot do this. You know, it's all
very like, you know, here's all the the the things you can or cannot do. And sometimes we don't say things like we would love people to come visit our schools. We would love them to come visit our schools because uh one they pay for the schools. They are their schools. This is a taxpayers funded uh
system and it's their schools, it's their employees, right? It's also important because if you see a school operating, you universally walk out with a higher uh perception of what goes on there than it than people that are ignorant about what's going on in that school. >> And I just feel like sometimes in
policies we don't kind of provide the context for why we're writing all the dos and don'ts about things. I think they'd be better if we had a sentence or two at the beginning that explain uh why we need to have them on. So that's onuh 6020. On 1960, if it tells us what to do in Florida statute and federal
regulations, do we need a policy that restates exactly what it says in Florida statute and federal regulations >> through the chair? Um, so statute does supersede schoolboard policy. Um, but we still typically do have our
policies to coincide with with u with statute. But I don't know if general counsel has anything outside of what I just said. >> But before she answers, I'll tell you my preference. All right. Statutes and regs change all the time. But we lock in a policy and then sometimes every 40 years, sometimes every four years,
sometimes more often, we go back and rewrite them and they get out of date real quick with statutes and regs for permanence. It seems like we can reference them and say we're going to follow all Florida statutes and regs and here they are right now and you can go find them and their antecedants uh if
you need to. That allows us to have a policy without having to just cut and paste and then be out of date real quick. So through the chair um oftent times when there's a rule there's additional um direction that's given to staff with
regards to what the board wants. Uh anything that is um generally um like a a rule of general applicability that's used throughout the school district. That's what you put in a in a a rule in
in our policies. Um, it normally is not a regurgitation of the statute because we're obligated to comply with the statute. It often has uh more instructions on on how to apply the statute is what I >> but if there's a policy before us that
just repeat statute and regs, we don't need it. I I wouldn't necessarily say you don't need it because oftentimes there are directions that you give to staff with regards to >> bringing up a hypothetical that just regurgitates. That is not necessary. In
fact, we don't have a policy for every state statute or every regulation. We shouldn't and we can't and I don't like them. >> So less regulation, less policy is better and if it doesn't add value, I I would prefer not to have it. The only substitive point I have too is our policy drafted right now says that if if
a school is in your legislative district, you can visit without telling anybody ahead of time, but if it's not in your district, you should coordinate with them ahead of time. Is that a difference with a distinction? I mean, does I I think about a state senator or a state rep. They send people from their
district to lots of other schools besides the schools that are in their district. But it seems like we're creating this like rule like, oh, if this is in your district, you have privileges to just come and visit. But if it's not in your district, you can't. >> My own preference would be if you're a
legislator and you want to visit a school, you should be able to come often every day with or without notice. I It just doesn't seem like we want to um act like we have anything to hide to the people that pass all the rules and budgets related to public education.
So through the chair, I I know that in the past that different elected officials just wanted to be um if you were visiting a school within your district, you kind of just wanted that particular heads up or to be notified. Um so it was just out of respect for other elected officials. That's just
kind of what we heard in the past and that's the only reason that that was placed there. You're correct. they don't have to notify anyone in advance and if they show up at a school um without notification then the schools know exactly to contact the region or the legislative affairs department if they need additional supports as to how to
proceed with that visit but that was just for respect for you know the elected officials within that particular boundary I I would like any legislator to visit any one of our schools anytime and that's just again one of nine but I don't feel like the way the rules are
written represent kind of what a good policy would for us anymore. And I think it's and with school choice, it's even not even that interesting because you might be, you know, the rep representing Parkland, but you have a lot of people that go to a school in Deerfield Beach or Coral Springs or Myiar and other
places. You may want to go visit schools where your residents attend, but are not in your in your district. I also just love having an open door policy for legislators to come and see what they fund and what they regulate. Thanks, >> Miss Hixon.
Thank you. I have two policies. So the first one 14:30 on public records, this may be trivial, but I just um so on page two on section four, it says the board
shall charge an additional 5 cents. Is it possible to say the school board of Broward County as oppo opposed to the board? because then it looks like we are charging the money and it's the school board that's charging like the district
is charging that money and it seems trivial. It's twice. It's also in section seven where it says the board may charge up to. So I would prefer if we change that to the school board of Broward County because we do get people
that email and say we're charging and what do we do with it? I just wanted to be very clear that that is a district thing happening. >> There's no objection from general counsel or the rest of the board. We will change it to the district. >> Yes. Agreed. >> Or it could just it could say the school
board of Broward County or or the district, whichever one you think is better. >> If I think to accomplish what you want to accomplish, I would suggest the district >> through through the chair. I agree. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. That's it on that one. And then 1970,
the flags. Um, so page one of 21A where it says if two or more buildings or schools are located on the same campus, only one display of both flags may serve the campus. So I get if there's two or more buildings, but can
you give an example of a school that shares like what do you mean by sharing the same campus? Um, so use um MSD for example, they have multiple buildings. You >> No, I get that part. It's about school or if two or more schools are located on
the same >> I think that's referring to if it's a school and then maybe a district site or district facility um annex or something then you won't count that as two separate sites. They can basically share one set of flags being displayed on the flag pole. So
I think it needs to be worded different because my for my example right I'm going to use I know we're closing one of them but you have seagull and wood and rogers you have Broward Estates and you have Parkway they share >> pump
>> yes I every school should have its own flag so my concern is that it says if two or more schools are located on the same campus you only have to have one flag I'll use Nova. Nova High School and Nova Middle School. They're on the same
They they're on the same campus. There shouldn't just be one flag. There should be a flag that's for Nova High School and a flag for Nova Middle School. Um so I I don't like the wording or schools. Every school should have their own
dedicated flag on the campus. >> So the policy is the bare minimum and remember there's two things happening. So, there's the flag that you have to display outside, which is the US flag and the Florida flag. Yes. >> And each classroom has to have a US flag. >> Right. I I'm just saying displayed
outside in front of a school, every school should have an outside flag, not just one that happens to be on there. is >> so I just want to clarify if if a school site has I think that some of the examples where you know that they're
split they're close and they share maybe the the block but not necessarily the actual site such as Bart Estates and Parkway we will see that as two separate sites but if a I I hate to use the word colllocate um but if two sites colllocate um within these each other
whether it be school or an administrative site colllocate within that particular um site itself then they just would need one set of flags outside. >> Personally, I don't have a problem with the district and the school. I think each school because they do different
things. So, I'll use Nova because it's the only one I can think of that has the or let's use Nova Blanch Foreman and Nova the two elementary schools that are right there. They share a campus
but they or space but they do two separate things. They should each have their own flag outside because if you're doing something outside with a flag, how are they both going to do it if they're all going to the same space? It's too many people. This may be trivial, but
it's not trivial to me because it's important that each school has its own flag to do whatever they're having there. And if if you're putting Nova Middle and Nova High School all in one space or the two Nova elementaryaries, they should each have their own separate
place to go to where they're doing something at a flag. >> Go ahead, Dr. Fton. >> So I I understand what you say, Miss Hixon. Actually, the two elementary schools for NOVA, the Dwight Eisenhower and Blanch Foreman, they do have their own flags because their entrances to get
to each of those schools are different. But for the middle and the high school, if you notice, it's right in the center between the two front offices. So when you walk into that open space, you go left to go to the middle school, you straight ahead for the high school, but they do share the one flag
because of the way they're situated really on the same compound, but it is different for the two elementary schools. They're not situated on the same compound. So, I I think it's important to distinguish that in this policy, but I would also say that you need to add another flag on that campus
so they each have their own place to go to for something. But I that's the only one I could think of off the top of my head that I knew were like sharing a campus. So, I don't want to prolong a discussion about just one area, but it's
not clear in the way this is worded. Um, so I would just suggest wording it a different way that's very clear that if it's a district and a school that they would >> we'll go back and take a look at that and clean that language up to
>> be rewarded in my opinion. >> Thank you, Miss Bowman. >> Thanks, chair. I'm just going to grab um I was looking at rule 6020 um
number one G which was an existing provision. Can we make that a little more forceful? It says every effort shall be made to exclude non-authorized individuals from stu from school property at all times.
I feel like we could make that say something that's a little bit more um >> right. Exactly. Like to where to Yeah. No. Non-authorized individuals are absolutely prohibited from school property at all times >> because when you're saying every effort
shall be made, it's like but you know, we might we'll >> do our best. >> Yeah, we're going to try, but you know, there might be an unauthorized person hanging out from time to time. But really since we have a single point of entry and everything is gated, it shouldn't be the case. >> We'll make the change.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other board comment or discussion on this presentation? >> All right. Do you have your direction? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Oh. >> Oh, sorry, Mr. Sivera. >> Thank you, chair. Um, I've got a
question. Perhaps staff can provide some some background uh in regards to uh policy 1430, the process inspection and examination of public records. Um it's
my understanding that a recent um RFP was put out in regards to public records management services and I guess our attempt to outsource the procedure for public records
requests. Um, I'm just wondering what the interplay would be if if any on these new uh perspective changes to policy 1430 and whatever it is that we're trying to accomplish with the RFP that's still out and pending. >> So, through the chair, I don't want to
say too much because I know that this is under con of silence. So, the general counsel, please, you know, stop me if I'm getting in that gray area. Um, but this >> Well, actually, hold on, hold on, hold on before you say anything. Is this something that can because I do have follow-ups, but I don't I don't want to go down a rabbit hole if if that
would be inappropriate. So, Miss Jack Adams, I would appreciate your professional uh legal opinion here. Uh and let me get you the number. This is RFP26-137, Public Records Management Services. And it's my understanding that this is an outstanding
um RFP. Is this something that um we can have a discussion uh about in an open setting under the cone of sil or will be barred under the cone of silence in regards to this particular policy that's on the
workshop agenda for today? >> Okay. It depends upon what is the um what stage of completion is this RFP on? I'm not I'm not familiar with this particular RFP. Where are you at in the process? We're in the process of it
being open for um submissions of um proposals. >> Okay. So um has the time period for proposals been closed? >> No. >> Okay. So you can ask questions in
general with regards to the RFP itself. Um, so questions with regards to, you know, just the logistics of the RFP, just the the RFP itself. >> I believe I can answer the question you want to answer without any violation.
>> Well, I mean, are are we allowed to speak? It's mine. I what I think I'm hearing from you is that we can speak freely. Is that accurate? >> You're a schoolboard member. You can talk about association. >> Yes. In terms of your questions about it. >> Okay. So, in regards I guess maybe Mr. Mr. Sullivan, since you appear to have
volunteered um in regards to this pending um RFP, um how will it affect >> 1430? >> We we would ensure that um all policy and statute is followed regardless of
who is handling the public records. >> That's the response. >> Yes, sir. >> Why don't we do this? Why don't we unpack this a little bit more? What exactly are we trying to do with RFP26-137 public records management services? >> We are attempting to get proposals to
see if it makes sense to handle public records in a different way and perhaps streamline it. >> So, we're seeking to outsource those rather than automate. Correct. >> Yes. I think there might be some confusion. It we're not um getting a
software. it would be a third party doing the work. >> So, are we looking to eliminate staff members within our public records department right now in favor of some sort of AI program or computer automated program?
>> I I think regardless of how you do it, there will be some staff involvement, but I'm not prepared to discuss um reappointments of any uh particular employer employees. Well, my my concern is the process, especially for my
parents who are making these uh public record records requests. Um, I mean, maybe I'm old school, like I like it when you can pick up the phone and call a company and have a conversation with somebody or ask questions or seek direction as opposed to having to talk to a robot or do everything um
electronically over email. So, if this within this RFP26-137, are we losing or I should say, are constituents losing the ability to call up a department and actually interact with a human being as opposed to a
computer system or is everything going to be completely um online, if you will? >> There would be a human element to it. But I think the specific case you're speaking about um there was some confusion of who processes that but public records does not typically deal
with student records. >> I I understand but right now we have designated individuals that you can email or you can call and ask questions. >> This would impact a parent. So a student record is different from uh so when there's records made of the incident you
were speaking about earlier those typically would go through the region or to schools because those public records department does not handle student records. >> Correct. I'm but parents still have a right to make public records requests about anything in the district. Right. You don't lose that right just because you're a child.
>> Correct. >> Right. Okay. So again what I'm trying to understand is for the parents who go through that process and want to make a public records request. Right. Right now, my understanding is that they can interact with humans. >> Yeah, most of the public records
requests come through our uh inbox for public records, the vast majority of them, which is on our website. So, parents know where to contact and there is a number. But again, the human element wouldn't be going away regardless of how we handle public records. >> Okay. So the two individuals that are my
what I've been told the two individuals who handle these now would still do the same thing that they're doing today in the event that this RFP26-137 passes and is implemented by this board. I how that looks like will be dependent
on um as we address all employees at the moment because of the reductions. So I'm not prepared to answer that question. I'm not sure I understand what that means. >> There will be impacts to district staff
because there's reductions. So, how that will look like, I can't answer at this juncture. >> Will that affect our org chart? >> It could be. >> Okay. So, is it appropriate to have a pending RFP outstanding that could affect an ORC chart that we haven't seen yet?
>> Well, just because we get the proposals does it mean one the board has to vote on that or that we would present it to the board? So, are we proactively doing this with the hopes of potentially doing something later on later in the year? >> Correct.
>> So, um I I just want because my greatest concern is making this process more difficult for my constituents. Right. That that's my concern. >> The goal is to streamline, not to make it more difficult. Okay. To make it more efficient. And can you summarize in a on a highlevel summary for members of the
public how this proposal under the RFP is going to make this process more simplistic and easier for anybody in Broward County who wants to utilize it, but specifically our parents and our constituents? >> Well, we're hoping it'd be more streamlined and responsive.
>> No specific examples come to mind how that's going to happen? I have to see how the uh what the proposals look like to see if that's even um if they have something better than what we currently have. >> When does the period close, >> Mr. Hill?
>> That I'll have to get back with you on. I have to contact our um contact within procurement to see what the timeline is after for closure of >> Okay. I I'd like a followup on that if if I may. >> We'll get to you by the end of today. >> Thank you. To the board.
Miss Hixon, >> thank you. I I have a question on that also. I forgot to ask it when the committees were here because I did have a conversation with Mr. Sullivan about it and I believe that Granicus has the
ability to do some of that automation of um the public records request. So just yeah I I I and and apparently there was a presentation given to the superintendent because I also asked him
about what some options were but I I guess to Mr. Seivera's point we haven't heard like nothing has come to us. Did we even want to send it out to some place? Did we want to try Granus? So,
I'm a little confused about what the process is. Should it have come to us first before you sent it out or are you gathering information so that you send it all to us? Because it seems very it's a lot of time and companies giving
proposals when we might say we absolutely don't want to do that. So, we've never had a conversation about it. Um, so I just wonder what the normal process is for something along these lines. >> I mean, we have uh tons of ITBs and RFPs
that go out on a daily basis that we don't bring to the board. As it relates to this specific initiative, it goes uh with the overall initiative that we have to do more. We have to do what we currently do with less.
>> If if I may, Mr. Sullivan. Um, >> yeah. One of the tasks as far as um operating the district is to become efficient but yet also effective in every task that we do um and especially uh reducing staff um and not impacting
how we service the public schools or other departments. Uh as far as the how, that's what we're developing. and that ultimately we bring the how if it's a contract or money has to be spent to the board for approval or or or denial. Um
and so at the end of the day the board's going to get opportunity um to say you know what we're not purchasing that we'll rather stick to how we've been doing it. But it we're we we're our whole um um next steps as far as
initiative to make the district more efficient in everything that that we do is to go out find uh comparable services if need be or train staff um if need be so they can execute more appropriately um so we can decrease complaints for in
in certain departments um and uh we have a lot of issues going on with public records from from day one. we all of us receive th those emails. So um uh there's obvious a problem uh uh the team
has tried to mitigate some of those issues. The next step is to go out and see how we can if we can get some proposals that help us mitigate those issues to the point of being as efficient and effective as possible and when we have those records come in to get them out and expedited as as as much as possible because that's not happening
right now. >> Right. And I don't disagree that it needs to be addressed. My my question just would be then or my ask is to have a conversation with us like what would it look like using Granicus? What would it look like going out to a
company? Because if you just bring us a contract, we don't know the back part of where you landed with that contract or or what the comparison is. Now, if it just comes as an OO item on an agenda for us to vote on a contract, we don't
know the rest of the story. And then we don't hear until someone comes and and speaks and says, "But what about all of this?" And I know that that would be true for a lot of contracts, but in this particular particular one, there is something that could be done on on what
we use already. Does Granus have that capacity? Do we have to pay more? What would be the comparison of increasing what we pay Granicus as opposed to going out to this other? So, I would like all of that information to come along with the contract part so we can really
balance out as a board what we're most comfortable with. If that makes >> Yep, that makes sense. Not it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other >> If I just wanted to close up on the conversation um the current employees and public records, they do, you know, a
great job. It's a very high demand uh um work that they have. Some of the challenges go outside of them. it's the custodians as well. So, we want to ensure that we're trading the custodians because some of the issues are there, too. Um, so I just wanted to say that publicly.
>> Thank you. Any other board discussion? >> Go ahead and say >> I'll echo that there was this was not a dis on the people working in public records. they can only do so much. Which is part of why if the animation part was there, you wouldn't maybe be so reliant
on the custodians of the record because they could pull it automatically. So that's the conversation I think we want to have. It isn't about people doing or not doing their jobs. So thank you. All right. Any other board discussion or
questions? All right. Um so that concludes that workshop. I would ask that everyone stick around because we have some other things that we need to address at the end of this meeting. So, um, at the direction of the superintendent, the following agenda topics are tenatively
scheduled to be addressed during the upcoming workshops. On March 24th, FSBA master board training, redefining our schools update, 2026 operating referendum, funding framework and allocation discussion,
um, and capital program organizational assessment and procurement recommendation. On April 14th, we have advisory committee reports, diversity committee annual update, policy review, information systems, rule development for policies 5090 and 5100, student code
of conduct, OSS quarterly report 2526, quarter 2, rule development finance, seven benefits policies, student experience data dialogue, the 2026 2027 organizational chart, and a transportation update. Please note that
the order of topics and the scheduling remain tentative and are subject to adjustment at the superintendent's discretion. >> Madam chair, >> if if I may before you talk, Dr. Holdness, I'm sorry. Um uh for the 24th, we forgot to add one um addition that was supposed to happen today and we moved it to the 24th and that was uh for
the uh the capital program, the construction management. >> That's what I I said. Yeah. >> Oh, I I missed that. I'm sorry, chair. >> It's okay. >> That went over my head. I'm sorry. >> Closer. >> Yeah, I know. Oh, I should have said I should have. >> Um, Miss Hixon, >> I think Dr. Ho,
>> Dr. Holes, >> no problem. So, um, Madame Chair, I just want to find out from the superintendent. I realize on April 14th, we have quite a bit of items here on the agenda. I just want to know uh from the superintendent's um judgment will will
we does he believe we will get through these topics in 8 hours as we have our uh time limit of 8 hours >> I look at it most likely no extend the meeting or or >> okay
>> uh you have to chop something off um you have >> that's my next question is There is are these all of these absolutely necessary for April 14th >> uh >> or chart >> the or chart is necessary for sure >> uh vasc committee reports you have the
diversity committee annual update um we have some policy reviews um rule development for student code of conduct um the uh uh OSS quarterly report the safe
school quarterly report. Um, another rule development and the student student experience data dialogue. Um, what is the will of the board? >> So, what what can what do you suggest that can be moved to the next?
>> I'm looking at the calendar right now. We don't have a schoolboard meeting scheduled for the week of March 30th. So that if we would meet meet on a Tuesday. Um I don't know if I haven't spoken to staff about this but I'm wondering if we need to schedule another workshop. >> So we can uh schedule more workshops. Um
I think part of the challenges April, May, and June the board only scheduled one workshop. So all the workshops are packed. When you have one workshop and this is the will of the board, so I'm not taking a position just telling the reality. when you have one workshop and then you have two hours dedicated to one
uh topic every workshop that leaves you six hours uh in a month to deal with the other business of the district. So that's some of the challenges in April, May and June. There's only one workshop schedule at the moment for those each of those months. >> Miss Hick and then Miss Thompson. Yeah,
there >> there's there's way too many big things. Soon code of conduct's going to take four hours by itself because you think you're talking about one thing and as we found last time we were here and eight other things came out of that that
should be all by itself um or with one other thing. Then there's this the student what was the other I don't have a papers >> uh student experience data dialogue. >> Yes. So then the org chart's going to take hours. Do we really have to do rule
development >> at the the same time? There's just >> there's just no way. And even if we extended, we would we wouldn't be functioning to be able to have a coherent conversation. I I >> Right. So what's your recommendation?
>> So I would say not to do the the student code of conduct on that unless there's a reason that it has to be done at that time. Yes, there's a >> it does >> there's a cadence. Um, >> so does the diversity committee have to be that annual update have to be on that
day >> per policy? >> It has to be in April. >> All right. >> Policy. >> I have a recommendation if you want one. >> Um, I'd like to hear from my colleagues before we Miss Thompson. >> Thank you. Um, I would like to recommend adding a board workshop on the 30th and
then adding a sub >> 31st. >> 31st. Thank you. and then adding an additional one in April and May since there's a lot coming up and just with redefining and with our
financial situation and allocations and >> I'm okay with adding one also to to that point. >> Miss Bulman, >> I agree with that recommendation. I think we have a lot of work to do and we >> are not doing anyone any favors by
smooshing it all into one day. >> Dr. Zean, >> thanks. I I just want to add to that. I think it's a great idea to to add meetings toward the end of the year as we particularly this year, but I also think we need a little bit more board discipline on how we spend our time
here. Um, we can ask questions ahead of time. we can get a lot of clarifications ahead of time as miss as many people have reminded me. You can bring motions in already typed up and ready to go. Um we we ought to be I think a little bit more mindful of the time that the chair
set aides for blocks of time uh so that we still get into the good weighty meaty issues that we've got to resolve by the end of the year. They're very very big this year. But I just um feel like great boards figure out how to spend their best energy on their biggest problems.
And I would just ask us to think a little bit about that as we're preparing. Are we spending the most time and the most energy on the biggest problems? Are we spending a lot of time? And to Miss Hixon's point on student code of conduct. It doesn't need to take four hours to go through the student code of conduct. If we come in prepared,
if people have, you know, specific issues on it, we can rip through it, consider those, vote, and get done. So, I think there's two different things we could do. One is extend uh to meetings every Tuesday for a couple months. And I'm sorry, uh Miss Thompson, did you suggest two workshops and two board
meetings for May and June? >> So, April, May, and June. >> I don't have the calendar, but I wanted to add one to the 31st of March. And then staff said we only had one workshop in >> I can provide some dates. >> Yeah. But I I would rather us be here
and we're spending time effectively and we can be moving on things than like space it out and jam meetings and because I feel like by the 9th hour no one's actually listening to anyone else. >> I'm I'm I'm agreeing with the idea that we meet. I'm just suggesting that I I
think what we did is we went to two schoolboard meetings and a workshop toward the end of the year because there's so many contracts and actual, you know, meetings we need so that we can vote and make decisions. Um, and so if adding a meeting means we have two workshops and two schoolboard meetings toward the end, I'm fine with that. I
love eight hour meetings four times rather than 13-hour meetings uh three times. I also think we can do a better job as a board though uh getting ready and spending just being thoughtful about spending the time on the things that matter the most. Um, and uh uh you know
there's many many ways to do that. Part of it is just preparing and getting your facts straight so that the time we spend here is with our colleagues making good honest discussion about weighty issues. Thank you. >> Yeah. So um we do have several special school board meetings scheduled for the next few months in addition. So to Miss
Thompson's recommendation, we could schedule a workshop for March 31st, April 28th, and May 26th unless uh that conflicts with Yeah, go ahead, Mr. S. Uh the only thing I would say is uh remember that April 28th uh we're doing
a special because the board is considering the org chart on April 7th. Uh I'm sorry on April 14th uh it's being workshop. So two weeks later you guys would take the formal vote on April 28th. >> Okay. I didn't have that in my calendar. Thank you. >> Yeah.
28th. >> So the 28th we have SS >> special school board meeting. >> I know that >> we also have a special school board meeting the 21st. Do we have >> 21st? So, what I was going to what I was going to suggest since the board already has to be here on the 21st and the 28th,
um the ORC chart would probably take two to four hours. So, I would I would do four hours just to be on the safer side. And then you could do four hours of workshop and the special on the 21st. We only have that for contracts. So, I would do four hours for special and four hours for a workshop since it's already
on the board's calendar. That would be my recommendation. What time >> board meetings that month though? Two full days and one half day. >> You would have for April, you would have a full school board meeting on the 7th, a workshop on the 14th. What I'm proposing is keep the special on the
21st for any pending contracts for 4 hours, a workshop for 4 hours that same day. The 28th, do 4 hours of a special to vote and discuss the org chart. I would do four hours for that at minimum and then four hours for a workshop. So the the there's an there's just a
constraint with every time there's a special uh anybody who cannot be here. I guess they can still participate, right? It's it's it's a it's harder, I think, to have good participation with people who are not there, but they can definitely participate. I was thinking
about a closed uh meeting when people who aren't here cannot participate. So I withdraw my objection. >> Is there any objection to the proposed schedule? So we would we would have a spe like today we had a special school board meeting and then
>> a regular meeting. So on the 28th that special schoolboard meeting doesn't start until 10. Maybe we could move it up to 9. >> We could do the special on the 28th from 9 to
9 to 1 and then 1 to uh five for the workshop. Or we could reverse the order. Will the board um on the 28th maybe leave the org chart for the second half? Probably more discussion.
>> The 28th of March >> of April >> of April. >> April. Okay. But the workshop for the 14th of April, which is what brought us to this conversation, >> the 14th April is just a regular uh schoolboard workshop, which we already have a packed agenda.
>> Right. That's what we're saying though. We're taking some of these items. >> We would red we would redistribute the items to those two half days to lessen the load of the schedule. >> What about the March 31st? >> If you guys want, we could add that as well to the board. >> Why don't we do that,
>> Madam Chair? >> What would you add into that? >> Well, we could split. >> I mean, I don't care what we have. I think we need more time. And then when are the students coming? >> April 14th. >> April 14th. And I don't think the 31st
would work for the students based on >> No, I know. But we just want to make sure we're not moving their schedule. >> I would never. >> Um, okay. So, so John, if if we have the 21st and the 28th for 4 hours of workshop uh based upon and Dr. Heburn,
maybe you can answer as well. Do we still need the 31st? Can we cover all of the items that you have on >> based on the recommendation that that Mr. Selby made? >> Yes. >> So, if we're going to if the board agrees to the 21st for 4 hours of
workshop and the 28th for four hours and we're doing one on the 14th, do we still need the 31st of March? >> Our chair is recommending that. Jeff, >> yeah, you are. Okay. >> I I mean I I think it's clear the last few times we've gotten the schedule, there's more and more and there's things that we keep adding as a board. So I
think it would behoove us to also have a workshop on the 31st in addition to th those other days without objection. >> I'm sorry I just was asking a factual question. Are there any Tuesdays in the last three months of this school year for which we will not have a meeting according to your proposed schedule? >> No.
>> Um >> well the yeah the week of spring break because this is >> I mean other than a vacation week. Is there any school week that we would not have a workshop or a schoolboard meeting and what your >> depends if you count uh >> 26th of May but you can't do it because it's graduation >> graduation start. >> So we take off spring break and
graduation otherwise we're here on Tuesday. >> Y >> let's do it. I'm sorry. >> I'll I'll wait till >> then. So my question is can we take some of these things on the 14th and move it to the >> Absolutely. that that's >> so and then you would rearrange whatever
you were going to bring later >> between the chair and the >> meeting. >> So, okay, >> we'll make the arrangements and >> send it to the board. >> Um, and just I mean this is not on you guys in the future. Could we provide this list to all of the board members, not just Jeff and I because >> Sure. >> Yeah.
>> Thank you. >> via email. >> Yes. >> No more print paper. >> I won't dictate what method you mode of transportation you deliver it. Um, >> okay. >> I had one more comment on that topic.
Chair. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Mr. Superintendent, >> can your staff keep up with every Tuesday? I mean, one of the things we ignore is >> the thousands of hours that going to the staff getting ready with all these >> um we take mental health days off, too. >> Is that right? Sunday mornings you take
off. Okay. I just want to make sure you're okay. >> You're taking mine every Tuesday. All right. Um I have a lot to bring to the board uh in terms of student successes and um some other discussions. So I just and there's some stuff that I
need I need a clear board guidance on. So please don't leave. Um but I'll defer to my colleagues at this time. Do any of my colleagues have anything to bring to future workshops student successes to share? >> Miss Thompson. Um, I just wanted to get my colleagues um, opinion on have or and
staff's I guess about setting up um, like a legislative workshop but with Broward County government because I think it would be good of us to work with them especially for transportation issues and some of the others as funding changes. I just think it's better for us
to have a a working relationship with Brower County because it seems like we don't interact with them. Would that be um solely on transportation or on like >> I think just globally setting it up kind of like we have the legislative
>> dele Thank you. the delegation meetings with our legislature. I think it would be better for local governments as well. >> Just Broward County or municipalities as well. >> For right now, I think Broward government, county government, >> property appraiser, tax collector,
states attorney. Why not? Why can't we have a Broward County legislative meeting? >> No, we want the tax collector here. It'd be nice if we know her and she knows us. >> I mean, so so mine was just with the Broward County Commissioners because I
talked with one at with Miss um Hazel at MO and that's something they would like to work on as well. So that would be my focus and then we can make friends elsewhere, but my focus would be Broward County government. >> Okay. Is there any objection to that? But the they're members of the Broward
County government. The the you know, Marty Care is a major player in the legislative front and he has a huge influence about our inflow of money. How can we have a meeting with the >> I'm not saying not to. I'm saying I would prefer to start with the commissioners and then we can branch
off. That would be my suggestion. If other people have other suggestions, I am open to it. >> Can I help bridge this divide? So maybe uh start like with a cadence. So create a cadence of like different government. So we could do like Broward County
Commission, then the property appraiser, then the tax collector, then we could do like a Broward League of Cities. This doesn't have to be in a two-month span. It could be over, you know, the next year or so. Uh would that appease you, Dr. Zean? >> I feel like the countywide folks are
going to wish they could come and sit through the meeting. When the Broward County Commission and the Broward County School Board, 18 people get together, they're going to feel left out. So, you guys can do it any way you want, but I feel like it'd be cool to have a Broward County meeting. If you have a Broward
County position, you could come to the meeting. It It's only five other people that would be invited in because I think they're going to feel I don't want to have a whole meeting with Marty. We have like one issue with Marty Care. We have one big issue with the track tax collector, but we need to build relations. She's brand new. It's a new
office. uh the attorney general, excuse me, the state's attorney. Again, we have issues with them, but we don't have three hours worth of discussions to have with Harold Prior. So, my view is that they would really feel left out if they weren't included in that meeting. >> Mr. Sullivan, could you speak to any
>> Oh, I was just going to say we did um in the past uh meet with the League of Cities. Um that's good in a variety of reasons. one because all the municipalities and the counties have representation on the League of Cities. And if you want to go to the other
county um wide elected official constitutional officers, you could I'm sure we can work with them as well to do it in that meeting. >> Okay. Um I guess is there an objection to doing uh what Dr. Zean is recommending or is is there a sense of
we want to just meet with the county commission? >> I object. I would like because I think it convolutes the conversation and then you have a seven-hour meeting where we only talk about I don't know garbage or something like we can break it up and having the cadence of meeting with
different groups meeting with the public defender the state attorney or maybe they're together I don't know legal stuff but like it focuses and makes the meetings more genuine >> if we split it up in groups >> madam chair
>> Dr. Johonus. >> Okay. So, um I understand both sides. Uh what I would probably suggest then is we meet with the county commissioners in one meeting and then we meet with the others such as the tax collector, the
property appraiser, you know, uh Harold Prior and these folks in another meeting. So maybe two meetings. Um I think that would that would um satisfy would that be uh would that satisfy you, Dr. Zman? It's a it's a will of the
board. I I communicate a lot with the countywide people and um they often feel, you know, like we don't communicate enough with them and they all have uh connections to the issues that we have with the county commission, which are very few. our overlap with the county
commission. We have very very different kind of pursuits and missions, but all of the things we have in common with the county commission influ are are involving uh tax collector, property appraiser, states attorney, and the other countywide uh folks. So, you guys do what you want, but I talk to these
guys a lot and they they feel like we don't talk to them enough. >> Got it. Madam Chair, I I recommend two meetings. >> Does anyone have any objection to Dr. Mr. Holes's recommendation of two meetings. >> Okay. Um All right. Mr. Sea,
>> I'm sorry. Um Dr. Holmes, your your suggestion for two meetings was it that we have the commissioners come first and then everybody in the second meeting. >> Right. So the the county commissioners as board member Thompson mentioned, we can have those in one meeting and then a
second meeting with the uh tax collector, the property appraiser, you know, uh maybe Gordon Weekes, Harold Prior, these other folks come in a second meeting. >> I um I'm in support of that. I think it's a good idea.
>> Um any other comment on Miss Thompson, Dr. Holes? >> I'm just I am concerned about the timing of it. We Miss Thompson, you don't plan on doing that before we lock up the budget and do the org changes and all that for next year. It's later this summer. Maybe >> it's whenever staff can start. But I think that's why it would also be good
to do the cadence that our chair suggested of of different groups because I also feel like we have issues with the tax collector that the property appraiser probably doesn't want to sit in a meeting and discuss with like it's so
whatever the staff can schedule I believe in them but I would like them to be separate meetings. >> So uh we just locked up the p the next what three months. >> Yes. Um, so we those are locked up and so I'm whatever the will of the board is
probably going to start in um June. Okay. Um and then um just throwing this out as as you guys discuss and and um come to consensus on something that if there isn't a specific agenda developed, you invite who you invite all the
parties to that agenda. It's up to them to show up for whatever part they wanted to be a part of that discussion, right? So that gives them their time to decide on, you know, how they want to engage and and at what time. They may not want to be here for a whole four or six hours, however the conversation take, but they may want to be here for two hours of the part that they're fully
engaged in. So any other comment on that item? Okay. Do does the superintendent understand what the will of the board is on that? >> No, I do not. I was going to say I um
>> Go ahead, Mr. Sullivan. >> I think I understand what the board wants. So, if it's acceptable to the board, I'll come up with a a plan and a cadence and uh email it to the board if there's any further discussion. We can uh discuss at a future workshop.
>> Okay. Um I believe uh Methics, you had one something you wanted to share. >> Yeah, a couple of things. First, I wanted to say I was had the pleasure of being the MC for the jazz honor concert, but I understand Miss Rupert was the MC
for the choir, which I did asked to be able, it's the only one I've missed so far is the choir. Um, but they had the jazz honor, the orchestra, the choir. I think there's another one, but anyway, the students Yeah. and the
band. It's just phenomenal. If you've never gone, the students, there's um guest conductors that come. They spend like a day and a half learning the music with this guest conductor. And I don't I didn't go to the other ones, but the jazz concert, if you shut your eyes, you
would have had no idea that it was middle and high school students sitting in front of you. They were phenomenal. So, congratulations to everyone who was selected for that. Also, just want to make a quick mention. Tomorrow is um spread the word day and spread the word
is when people worldwide rally to end the use of hurtful language to create a more inclusive future for everyone. So whether you're a student, teacher, coach or parent, you should challenge those around you to take the pledge of spread the word so that we can create a society
where everyone is valued, celebrated and free from impact of harmful stereotypes. So that is tomorrow. Um, this week also is National School Social Work Week. So, thank you to all our social workers for all that you do. And it is also National
Breakfast Week. So, if you have opportunity to jump in and um visit with the school, I'm going to Olen for breakfast um to sit with the students. I encourage you to take the opportunity. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um before I go, do any of my colleagues have any student successes?
Mr. Sea. Thank you, chair. Um, last week I also had the pleasure of serving as the master of ceremonies at the All Broward County Orchestra concert, which was a uh a phenomenal um setting and phenomenal
performance by the bronze honor, silver honor, and gold honor orchestras. Um, we had uh conductors um from up and down the state came in and taught the kids their um I don't want to say routine, but I'm sorry it's
a I'm uh the program or the the musical numbers and it was a tremendous phenomenal experience and uh sort of echo what Miss Hixon said. If you close your eyes and um you know you could easily be in Carnegie Hall with with with the level of performance for these
kids. So kudos to our students. It was a really enjoyable night and a fantastic performance by all. >> Miss Rupert, >> I wasn't going to say it, but now I got to since you guys uh called it out. Um for me, if you close your eyes,
obviously you you you would be transported. But besides that, I'm transported back to being a little girl because I was in the honor um coral in Huntington High School. We went over to uh near Pel Belgium and we won the
Olympics of chorus for and it was the only time the Americans up to that point um had won that honor. It was really cool. It was cool for me to be at the um at the honor chorus because it was kind
of the same time that the Olympics were going on. And I remember dearly in my heart when the American flag went up and we were announced as the winners and it was amazing. It was in Flemish. Nobody knew what was going on until the American flag went up and it was uh very
very cool. But what's more important is those are the parents and the students that are locked into our schools and they are so appreciative of the music teachers of the art theater and they're also very appreciative of of all the
specials that we do in our school system. That's what makes public school the best and we need to be leading with more of that. So, um I really appreciated it. It gets me uh teary at times. Um, I also want to say I was in
the band and the orchestra. Heihei. Um, flute for band and uh, piccolo for the orchestra. And those are once again things that make you go to school. Some kids they have tough times. They get up, they go. Some go for breakfast. Some go
for friends. 99% of the other kids, they go for the programs that we have and the camaraderie and the excellent teaching that we have. So, thank you uh thank you for the opportunity to to share that and um it's always special whenever we can
um congratulate our teachers and our students. So, um kudos to the whole team. Thanks. >> Thank you. Go ahead, Miss Bulman. >> Thanks, Sher. Um, last week I had the privilege of participating in
a beautifification project at AC Perry K through8 which was led by Miss Thompson and her district 2 internship program. Um, and it was actually awesome because not only were the interns there, but um,
and also Danielle Salon was also calling a lot of and Andrea. Um, but a lot of the kids that weren't part of the program jumped in and did a ton of work and so did some parents. So, um, it's going to look great when it's done and thank you for that initiative. You're
>> welcome. >> Any other board comments? Okay. Um, I wanted to first congratulate our alternate student adviser, Jere Leon, who was officially accepted to NSU. >> Congratulations. I don't know if you
wanted to say a few words. >> Go Sharks. That's all I have to say, but thank you so much. It wouldn't be possible without you guys spending every Tuesday with you guys. It really means a lot. You guys have become a part of my family. So, thank you. >> Thanks, Jir. >> Thank you so much for your service to
this district, Jir. Um, I also wanted to congratulate the Northeast High School boys water polo team. They are 7-0. They are the only public school team in Broward to be undefeated and they are led by Justin, Coach Justin Corona. And
a fun fact, they were uh the state champions in 2005 2006. So this year they're hoping to uh continue that success. So congratulations to the Northeast High School water polo team. Um so I I did want to bring up a few
issues. Uh yesterday the superintendent and I had the opportunity to visit Rickards. Um it's one of my many visits to the school, but we sat down with the faculty. Um the construction team was there, a lot of our cabinet members were
there. Um the superintendent was there and we were able to hear from the Rickard's faculty, give them an update on on the new building. Their biggest concern was safety that they want that building to be safe. Um delays continue
to plague the project. Um it is very frustrating for the the faculty, the students, the families. It's very frustrating for me as the the district school board member. um and and they are are kind of at their their wits end with
that. But they you know they shared some of the concerns around the physical the the temp the physical conditions of the temporary campus and some some issues around food service around trash collection um just the the quality and space that they're in right now as there
continue to be increased delays. Um, I asked the superintendent uh to have his team meet with every department at the school to sus out kind of find fix problems that exist at the temporary campus while we also try to address um the the delays and concerns about the
the permanent structure that's being built. Um he suggested that we do a workshop to kind of just do a a historical overview of what's happened. Um look at what what next steps would look like for for records. Um, but I'm
just eternally grateful to the community and the faculty for always being such huge advocates for that school, always being willing to bring issues uh and solutions to the table. I don't know if the superintendent you wanted to comment on the visit to Rickards yesterday. >> Yeah. So, um,
great visit. Um, and when I mean great, I'm like having a like somebody got something on my leg over here. >> Jeff, cut it out. >> Yeah. I know must be a monster on the table. But uh uh and what I mean by great is that you know the teachers had
a a discussion with the falcon staff and they were able to air out their grievances and rightfully so. Uh what they've been going through is unacceptable unacceptable. The the numerous delays you know I'm used to uh especially with with tilt wall construction that a school especially
middle school can go up in a year and a half. Um, and so, you know, I've been doing a lot of factf finding, a lot of research, u working with the team to find out how do we get to the place that we're in right now. We have this eighth grade class will be the second group of
middle schoolers that have never set foot in a brick andmortar middle school, which is unacceptable. And so, we're going to we're we're going to have a workshop. We're we're the public, the board, the staff really needs to know how does this how did this uh uh issue
how was it initiated? What are all the the things that are happening in between and who needs to be held accountable? Um it's it's and so in in the meantime, uh our staff is going to be working with the the leadership team and the teachers out there just to make sure we address
what I call hygiene issues on their campus to make sure it's a comfortable environment. It's it's an environment that's conducive to to the highest quality of learning that our students should experience. And I you know I got there early. I drove around the community and all of that other good stuff. And and and you know the
community has taken this on their chin without any complaints. And so we have to be the advocates. We have to speak up um to let them know that even though they're not complaining about it, we are. We're going to demand excellence for them. We're going to demand that whatever we can do to accelerate the
completion of this um one of the biggest concerns for the teachers too in this in this new building is making sure that it is safe to occupy also right even um even with the delays one of their top priorities is making sure that they that that building is safe to be occupied when it's done because there are some
issues that have been going on for quite some time. Um so I'm I'm grateful to the staff. I'm grateful to the community as well too. Um, but you know, I I don't have the same level of resolve as they do right now cuz it's it's unacceptable. >> Um, and and to that point as well, I did
ask for the superintendent that we meet with them every on a monthly basis. Now, um, I think that level of communication is necessary. Um, and he talked about and I talked about with the faculty the need and I I mean I feel like a broken
record over the last five years about the need for accountability and some comments were made by um some of our team about the building um and the the the designs um and I think you know hopefully we'll
have a workshop on this soon um and and we can delve into it some more but the need for accountability because the way that this was proposed to the board was that it was going to be faster and more efficient and less less expensive um and it has not turned out
to be that way and the people who were involved in selling that to the board um need to be held accountable. Um so I just wanted to update my colleagues on that visit and the things that are going on um there. Um, I also, you know, two
weeks ago when we had the conversation about the OIG, um, and when in my meeting with the OIG, uh, several weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that, and it's hard to remember, um, but it was brought to my attention that perhaps the board, um, was wanting the
handy lease issue to be referred to the IG, but that it was not. So, um I just wanted permission from the board to ask the the chief auditor to to send that issue um to the board and the language that I have drafted and I just would
like uh some some guidance from my colleagues on this would be >> chair. You you meant refer to the IG. Yes. >> You said to the board, you meant to the same. Thank you, chair. Um, so, uh, I'm requesting that that the chief auditor
file a complaint with the OIG regarding the Handy Lease, specifically that BCPS staff engaged in gross misconduct by negotiating and entering into a $2.5 million lease to house staff. While we have excess capacity in our schools and also considering that that leased space
would not have adequately accommodated staff, we were looking to relocate there. And the reason I use such strong language is because as with our conversations with the IG um it does require you know uh very specific uh standards for for accepting a complaint.
Um so I don't know if my colleagues have comments about that or if Mr. Maggley you have comments on that. Miss Hixon and then Dr. Zean. >> I I guess just to Mr. Maggley, didn't we as the board the last time we had this discussion asked the chief auditor to do
that to I I believe we asked because >> I was not a party to a discussion about hand. >> Okay. So I'm not sure if Mr. Rhodess did or not because I >> he did not miss uh Miss Bree told me that she had not received a complaint.
Well, this was after we had met with her because >> that was we had referred the um the referendum supplements, not the handy leaf, >> right? No, I know. But when when we were here, we had a discussion because we all had the meeting with the the IG and
because there was also the discussion on who would be the point person to and I think we agreed it should be the auditor and we also I thought asked for them to make an official complaint about I wasn't sure if it was the referendum or
handy because she hadn't received it yet. So, I just want to >> I don't know where we we left off with that. I thought we >> So, I will be Yeah, I'll be clear. The the guidance that I got I think it was two weeks ago was specifically about the referendum supplements. I immediately
referred that to Mr. Rhodess who filed the complaint. I did not we did not have a conversation about the handy leaves. >> Okay, perfect. I I agree wholeheartedly. Okay, Dr. Zean, >> I just want the board to kind of make a decision about uh a related matter to that.
Um, and I think it may change chair kind of the description that that you use if the board would like to go forward with this. But there's also uh been shared publicly uh evidence of of being offered a board seat on handy
and accepting that board seat uh which is um you know another dimension to this problem. uh you know I have a lot of problems with that and I was glad to you know track that for a long period of time but government
employees are not allowed to accept um such things you know it has a big impact on your long-term income to be on boards like that um and I feel like you know the handy lease has many dimensions
none of them good um but the one where handy then offered one of our employees a seat on the board and that seat was accepted while at the same time negotiating uh for a lease uh I think is an important part to add to that. I would be in favor of adding that to uh what I
would ask the IG to do subject to the will of the board but it may change your um in essence your your preamble to to the referral because that's really about self grandisement as a result of your government service. Okay, I'm happy to
add that piece. >> I would like to. >> Yeah. So, yeah, I'm happy to add that. So, I'm adding uh furthermore, an employee engaged in that negotiation was um potentially or or was allegedly offered a seat on the handy board >> accepted
>> and accepted. >> Miss Bulman, >> do you um can you read the beginning? I just want to make sure you c that you capture the jur if you make a broad allegation to make sure that you capture the the jurisdiction. So my
understanding from my notes when I met with the um inspector general was that it's you have to allege misconduct, systemic waste, fraud or abuse of authority or um gross mis >> Yeah. So I said that >> did you put all of that in there? >> I put uh that BCPS staff engaging gross misconduct by negotiating
>> but also systemic waste, fraud or abuse of authority. just just catch all and then and then they can choose their own adventure whatever and then is gross mismanagement a third >> I'll add that too. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> Thank you Mr. Seivera. >> Thank you and thank you to Miss Bowman. This is why you can never have too many lawyers in the room, right? You can never have too many lawyers in the room. U chair, two things. Um would you be so kind as to read the entire statement back including Dr. Zean's recent
addition. >> That's what I'm doing right now. One second. >> While you're working on that, chair, >> I'm ready. >> Okay. Per board discussion at the so um I'm requesting that you file a complaint
with the OIG regarding the handy lease specifically that BCPS staff engage in gross misconduct, systemic waste, fraud, and abuse and gross mismanagement by negotiating and entering into a $2.5 million lease to house staff while we have excess capacity in our schools and
also considering that the lease space would not have adequately accommodated the staff we were looking to relocate there. Furthermore, an employee engaged in that negotiation was allegedly offered and accepted a seat on the Handy Board. >> I'm all in favor of that. Um, while
we're on the topic, um, I I've got an inquiry that I don't know if we're going to be able to solve today, but, uh, I I'd like to know where we stand. Um, is Wanda Paul still an employee of this district? >> Yes. >> Is Wanda Paul still receiving a paycheck
from this district? >> How much longer is that going to occur? Um, I don't know. That's up to the investigators. Um, I have to follow up with them to see where they are and and what's their time frame and wrapping up. >> When you say investigators, what do you mean, Mr. Superintendent?
>> Uh, that is the uh school police um department um and their detectives are investigating this issue. >> Okay. Um, I want to make sure that I'm I'm fully versed on exactly what's going on. Um, it's no secret how this all
unfolded. Um, I was, and I I think I speak for most members up here, if not all, was not pleased with some of the actions that Miss Paul engaged in. Um, I was very vocal about that. I called for her resignation and within a matter of days,
I believe it was on your desk. That seemed to be like the beginning of this year at this point. We're in March and this individual is still receiving a paycheck. Um, other than waiting for this investigation to unfold, which I'm
not respectfully, I'm not holding my breath. >> Mhm. >> Rather than waiting for this investigation to unfold, what proactive approach can the district take to either terminate, release, whatever verbiage
you want to use to basically remove her from her position and stop paying her as an employee of Broward County Public Schools. I'll let um I know Ernie's back there. I'll let HR and also general counsel um kind of provide some
information on on that question. >> And just before before you do that, I I'm not done with my the things that I wanted to bring to the table. I'm not trying to interrupt you, but I wanted to to just have the floor when you're done with that. >> I have no problem with you regaining the floor after we get answers to my
inquiries. >> Mike, go ahead, Mr. Ger. Mike Gregory, chief safety security officer for the district. Uh with regard to the investigation, it is active. It is uh there are statements currently being taken. There is a long large list of
witnesses that need to be contacted and uh that is in progress and underway. Um we are near the end. We're not in the middle. So, we do expect some finality as far as the police department investigation to come uh sooner than
later. >> And um if uh general counselor or Dr. Lozano can answer the subsequent question. >> Good afternoon, Dr. Lozano, Chief Human Resources Officer. >> Oh, look.
>> I'm going to give you my seat. So, you give so you give Miss Hick and her seat. have my seat. >> I know it's okay. >> So again, um Wanda Paul received a reappoint letter for one year at her
current salary. So um at this point prior to that investigation, there was no cause to do anything to her employment. So, I'll turn it over to Kathleen Jock Adams to talk about um
terminating an ESMAB employee who was reappointed on a one-year contract. So my understanding is that that particular pro um that particular position is an ESMAB position and so I
don't know what the dates of the reappointment are but >> July 1 through June 30th >> okay >> of this year. >> Okay. So the the natural expiration would be June 30th. And if you are
>> she so there's a resation date >> he's asking you to do something >> before her resignation date. >> Okay. So if there is a resignation and there is a particular resignation date and you're wanting to terminate for
cause prior to that resignation date. Is that >> correct? >> I don't want her to receive another dime from this district. What can we do to take a proactive approach to make sure that happens short of waiting for an investigation to conclude? >> Okay, it would either naturally expire,
which is >> that would result in us continuing to pay her >> or termination for cause. >> Okay. Do we have Well, I'm going to ask it anyway even though I know what your answer is going to be. Can we terminate her for cause today? It would depends depend upon the facts and circumstances
whether or not staff has enough to terminate for cause. >> Well, as you sit here today, can we terminate her for cause? >> I'm not the one that makes that determination of terminating for cause. It would be the superintendent staff would need to take a look at the facts
and circumstances and be able to state that she's being terminated for cause. If I had a B item for next Tuesday's meeting on the 10th and bring this to a board vote to terminate her for cause, would that be something that I would have the ability
to do as a sitting board member? >> You still would need adequate adequate facts and circumstances that rises to a level of >> as an employee of the superintendent work for the school board. >> So the answer is no. So what is the
process? actually. So the only person that could go ahead and bring an item like that would be the superintendent because that's within his purview. I should begin with that. >> Is it within my purview to direct the superintendent to bring such an item
before the board? >> So terminating employees are within the purview of this superintendent. I mean, you can you can state your thoughts on the matter, but whether or not the superintendent brings an item is up to the superintendent and then the
board would would um they would not be able to state anything different unless they had good cause. >> Okay. So what I'm hearing is that the nine of us up here, myself and my colleagues basically are powerless
uh when it comes to this particular employee and uh unless the investigation is concluded by June 30th, which I believe was her resignation date anyway in her letter, right? I don't have the letter in front of me, but I think she said she wanted to stay until sometime
in the in the spring or the summer. So there's nothing we can do at this point. we just have to continue to let her collect a paycheck. >> So, that's something I would have to turn over to the superintendent to discuss in terms of like what options
you may have through him. >> I I mean, I'm all ears. I mean, the fact that we're still paying this woman is very frustrating to me knowing what I know now and how long it's been since we received that letter. And when when I ask these inquiries, uh, respectfully, I I just kind of seem to get the runaround
from everybody. I gotta wait for this one over here and then this one over here. Then we got to come together and then maybe it's it this shouldn't be this difficult. She needs to be terminated. How do we terminate? How do we stop paying her her hundreds of thousands of dollar a year salary
>> through the chair? I would like to refer that question to the superintendent. >> So hence the investigation. That's what the investigation is for. Um to find if there is cause. >> Okay. So the only option that we have is to wait for the investigation to play out. find out if there's cause and if
there's cause then you can make >> the decision to terminate and if it just so happens that this investigation takes months and months and months we have to pay her in the interim. >> Uh well uh Chief Gregory just said it's winding down so shouldn't be months and
months and months down the line. >> Okay. Well, I I just want to be clear uh so that the public understands how this process works. Um because you know I get the calls. I'm sure my colleagues get the calls as to why we're still we're still paying her. So, I think it's important that we being transparent and
let the public know what's going on with this and why this woman is still uh employed in the district. So, I appreciate the clarification. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um so, just to go back to the complaint as I read it. Um is there any objection to what I'm going to send to
Mr. Magley? >> Miss Nora, I mean Miss Norbert, >> most people do call me that. That's funny. Um, I actually had a a a question with that. Um, which which could affect what you're
asking. Um, who who's actually doing the investigation SS our team, right? >> Oh, you're back on. Were you talking about the I the IG item or what are we on now? >> Wanda Paul. >> Okay. Yes. Our our
>> Broward schools. >> Yeah. Broward schools police. >> Okay. And um where was she relocated to? >> Um Mr. um or Chief Gregory, where is she relocated to? >> She's been reassigned to emergency management.
>> Um is that in the same location as as the uh school police? >> No, it's at the uh SSP location in Plantation. >> School police are at TSSE. >> Gotcha. Okay. I wanted to make sure it wasn't that we didn't have the fox
seeing who was in the hen house in charge of the investigation. So that was my question for that. Um and I definitely um thumbs up to to yes for the um to send it to the IG. Any other
comments on the language? >> Uh Mr. Magley as I read it um was that ac you know as some the person who would be filing the complaint and as someone who has worked at the OIG is that >> yeah I would like to sit with it for a bit um but I would say that relative to
the actual violations and any kind of personal gains or things like that there were some things in that were mentioned that I don't necessarily know are quantifiable based on what we know here obviously the more that we could provide that would frame out any kind of conflict of interest or potential fraud
or actions like that that would be part of what would be determined as misconduct potentially by the inspector general. So I don't know what we have with that or they're in an investigation what can be shared. Um I don't know what information has been
shared with the board that I'm not familiar with. So I would like to look at that a little bit more that maybe the more we could um provide would make it um easier for the IG to make a determination like that. >> Okay. I mean, I guess I'm just, you know, when I referred the other this
referendum issue to Mr. Rhodess to refer to the IG, um, he responded saying that he had what he needed. Do you have what you need in in that language that I read out or I I have close to what I think would be? I mean, that's still going to be her determination, but the language
as it frames up. um if like I was saying is where we're we're pointing to specifically board seats, things like that. Those things would have to be spelled out and you know clear relative to what you know I'd like to I would like to massage that a little bit and maybe get your approval um to do that
just to see where it is unless that's not how the process was intended. >> I think I mean I'm okay with that. >> Okay. Is is there okay every other board comment on that issue? I'm sending it today or I think I
already just I just sent it by accident. But yeah. >> All right. Um the other issue that I wanted to bring I have three more. Um I had a conversation with uh some individuals from a school, the Pace
Center for Girls. Um they've been waiting on a contract from us for quite some time and I just wanted to ask Miss Jack Adams where we are with that. Thank you, Miss Leonardi. Um, as you know, our our office has
quite a bit of um open positions and so I am looking into handling the PACE contract myself and as soon as I can handle some contracts that are going to go on the uh school board um agenda for
the 10th today, I will I will legally review that PACE agreement myself this week. >> Okay. So, we can expect it to be on the agenda for the 10th. >> No, I am working on certain items that the I am working on certain items for
the March 10th to add them on on an emergency basis for our office. Um, and this week I will legally review the PACE agreement and provide that to staff. I don't know what state the agreement is in, but I will legally review it and
provide that to staff to send on to PACE. >> Okay. Because it's my understanding that they've been waiting on this since July. Um, so I guess I'm wondering if you can explain why it's been held up for so long.
>> So, I can take a look at when it was submitted to our office. I can tell you that it was not submitted to our office in July. It was it was sometime afterwards, but I can get that date. Um I just know it was not July of last year.
>> Okay. Um and then I had Oh, go ahead, Miss Hixon. >> Just kind of to your same point, and I think we all mentioned this before, so I have a question. We we you are short staffed and I believe last time we
talked we talked about sending things out to the cadre attorneys that we have. But when I mentioned that to you because there's the Boys and Girls Club that the now they're not being able to go into schools because the contract's not done
and you mentioned you still have to look at the contract before you send it to the cadre. So, can you kind of explain to us because I would guess the PACE would be one you could also send out to a cadre. They're not I wouldn't think complicated because we do them year
after year. So, can you explain like what that process looks like and how soon you could get a chunk of those that are those yearly annual contracts to cadre attorneys because you can't do everything. You know, your answer is I'm
gonna look at it. I'm gonna look at it. But you have a limited amount of time and capacity. How do we how can we help you to move those things along because I I just see a lot going on and
I know you inherited a lot but we need to move them out to the cadre attorneys so that we can get these contracts moving. So can you explain that process? >> Sure. And thank you very much Mrs. Hixon. Part of the issue is I need
certain contracts in place to be able to give it to Kadre and that is what I'm speaking to in terms of the contracts that are going to the March 10th board. So in order to send certain contracts out, I need a
contract to be able to get the cadre to go ahead and do that. So I'm in the process of working through all of the logistics to make that happen. But in the interim, there are two contracts that were referenced. One is PACE and the other one is the Boys and Girls. And
I would pluck those out and and work on those my myself while I am working on the logistics of getting a clip of the contracts out to Kadre. >> I guess that's my question though. So you have procurement just to kind of go
through the process, right? Procure or whoever is the person that starts the contract. Yes. >> Then, and I'm going to use Boys and Girls Club because I'm familiar with that. It went through legal. It went back to Boys and Girls Club. Now, it's bounced back to legal. So, couldn't
because you've already done the majority of it, why can't that just go to cadre now? And and I'm going to guess PACE is in a similar situation. >> I'm not sure as I sit here like whether or not it was legally reviewed and it's gone back out. I just can't tell you
those facts as I sit here right now, but I can after the board meeting. I'll just look it up and let you know. But in terms of sending it out to Kadre, there's a contract that I need in place for Cadre to
>> Okay, I I see what you're saying. >> So, I'm working all of those logistics. >> Okay. So, they're not just on retainer and you just send something to them. You're saying you need an a a separate contract to send out the legal issues you want cadre to review. I wasn't
catching that the first time. Correct. Okay. Thank you for the clarification. >> Not a problem. >> Thank you. Um two more. Well, I have one easy one. I know a couple months ago we asked for and I this is kind of timely today. We asked for a workshop on the
use of AI and use of technology in our schools. When can we expect that to come? like late summer, early fall. >> June >> June >> June 16th. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Can I add to that chair? >> Yeah. Could I could we go to the student adviser first?
>> Go ahead, Dr. Zan. I'm sorry. >> Go ahead, Dr. Z. >> Through the chair, whoever you would like. Um there there's a amazing donation that's held up in legal as well that is going to prevent our our entire staff from
having access to about 150 AI tools that were created just for them. Uh to Miss Jacques Adams, is it possible that that review is going to get done in time like by the end of the week so we can get to that on March 10th? Again, this is a donation to Broward County Schools to
pay for something. Um and and every month our staff and our teachers and our principles don't have it. They're missing out on these canned AI tools that are dramatic efficiency improvements or dramatic improvements in outcomes. The reason is important partly
is the chair's point about AI but partly about the budget reduction because if we can find ways to do things with AI there are some positions we don't need anymore and so is it possible to get that done this week? So, in answer to your question, Dr.
Zean, um as soon as the last attorney that was working on it left, it was immediately from Friday to Monday reassigned to another attorney internally. That attorney worked on it and provided legal comments within a couple of days. So, currently the
contract right now is out to staff. So, our attorney has already looked at it, you know, worked on it, provided additional legal comments, >> and then provided it to staff. So, it's it's already done and out to staff.
>> And what I'm curious about is what's the probability it's going to get done this week. >> That depends upon whether the legal comments are addressed. >> Okay. >> Whatever those legal comments are, they need to be addressed and sent back. and
then ultimately the contract is deemed legally sufficient and then it's sent out to be signed. So I'm not sure where it is now, but it is out of our office. That was a priority as soon as that attorney had left.
>> Thank you. >> Um Mr. Spelberg, no, you're good. Um I had a conversation with Dr. Heperin yesterday about VPK marketing and C customer service. And so I I guess I had two questions. Um one, is there a way or
or or maybe I'll reframe it. Are there barrier barriers for us as a school district to sending out communications to like n like the zones that neighborhood schools are in that offer VPK? Sending out communications to those
uh those residents about the VPK offerings that we have. No, there's no barrier um to that. As long as it's a existing parent either um um in the charter school or our public schools, district operated public
schools, we can send a message to them. >> So, what if I'm a new parent though? >> Uh that's the difficulty. If you're a brand new parent, we don't have any contact information for you in our system. Uh so we would have to take different avenues um communicating um uh maybe through the municipalities or what
or whatever um Mr. Sullivan's comm team um can um exercise as far as getting to parents that are outside of our system and and brand new to it. >> Yeah. So superintendent spot on. So if it's a parent, it's easy because we already have their contact information
in our systems. The challenge is a parent that we don't have in our system. So um the cities are are might be a good partner in that or we would have to engage with a entity that can provide us with those uh list of contacts. >> So that is something that I would
support like I you know we don't have to capture the parents we already have we have to capture the new parents. >> Um and I mean I know that uh Mr. Kushner has has done some of like that kind of grassroots or organic marketing in his
neighborhoods. um to help increase enrollment. I would just say like and I I think Miss Thompson asked for a workshop on offering more VPK. Um I these are ways to capture families and bring them into our school system that might not otherwise um engage. And so I
would I would ask and I don't know if there's an objection to from the board for us to explore those ways that we can communicate with new families uh families who might not be aware of our BPK offerings. Is there? >> Yeah, I think it's a great idea. And we have uh the marketing funds
>> and we have the BCPS advantage campaign going on too which is um you know partially for uh schools to communicate um with families that are not BCPS families too. >> Yeah. So text messages, mailers. Um Miss Bulman, Miss Thompson,
>> I I loved this. I think if we're not doing it, we're really missing some lowhanging fruit because this is how you get people into the system from the beginning. So, thank you for bringing it up. Um, I would say that the mailers, like a one, you know, like a postcard,
like a large postcard with kids having fun that doesn't, you know, I don't know if we need BCPS advantage, but just having fun in preschool would be great. That would capture my eye. Um, personally, I think we get too many text messages, follow phone calls, and emails at this point that I'm not even paying attention anymore. But if you get
something to your in your mail that you're picking up and looking at for a minute, I think that would be really effective. >> Miss Thompson, >> I think just along those lines, also partnering with um like pediatrician offices, like making sure they have our material and then also apartment
complexes because that's where you're going to have high turnover but high impact because you can ask them when they have a move in packet if they can include like our offerings. >> Yeah. And and um and I mean like not just general Broward school stuff like
my home like ex my home school is Bay View Elementary. It's not but like your your home school is Bay View Elementary. We're having a tour on like Xate, you know, just very specific localized for for different neighborhoods. >> Miss Rupert, >> um ju just something I was thinking
about pediatrician offices. Um, everyone of the doctors in this Broward County um, usually have our calendar up usually where you're checking out so you can actually check what day you're going. It would kind of be lowhanging fruit and free if there was something that we
could have put there so it's constantly on that big blow up calendar thing at the doctors that they have it taped up. if it could be, you know, hey, did you know we have so and so and such in this area or, you know, you could do it
regionally or something, but it's it's something simple that we're they're already doing and we actually have the population taking our stuff and putting it up and it benefits both people. >> If I could put Dr. Fulton on the spot because we do um uh kindergarten roundup
and not all of our uh kindergarteners are actually in our prek um uh schools. So if Dr. Fton, if you could talk about how we're doing um kindergarten round up for because for some school is very successful and they have large kindergarten roundup nights or events.
>> Um so we can piggy back off of that too. >> Sure. Thank you so much. And I will tell you once we get them in our system in kindergarten, all we have to do is keep them. And the the challenge is always getting them into our doors to start in kindergarten. So, we started it last year and actually got better this year
where every elementary school is required to do two kindergarten roundups. They can call it what they want, but in general, it's a kindergarten roundup. They do a morning session because we do have some parents who are available in the morning and they have to do a PM session because
their parents may not be available in the morning, but they're available in the evening. The morning is the best because we use our students to really sell the program. And when parents come in and see kindergarteners reading, they do classroom visits, they also have the opportunity to talk to the students,
talk to the teachers, and that truly captures that. But it's not over when our parents leave. We now have a database of who attended the tour, who intended the roundup, and then our job is to follow up to make sure we uh ask any have the opportunity for them to ask
any questions. But we don't seal the deal until we register a student. So, we continue. Hey, you came out in January. I notice little Bobby hasn't registered. There any questions I can answer? Anything else I can do to help you choose Broward County Public Schools?
But we also have principles that are asking to do a third or fourth. And we're certainly open to that. But we wanted to make sure all of our kindergarten uh schools are doing a roundup in January. So, we did it last year in January, we did it this year in January. Again, two options to make sure
we capture working parents and parents that are available at different times. And then coming in the spring through the choice window, we capitalize on that as well, too, to make sure that we give another option, another bite of the apple of anybody we missed in January. But it's never over until we register a
student. We also have the opportunity for our parents to go online and schedule an individual tour. And we have educated our uh principles on how to really uh capture that moment when someone comes to your school because they can go to any school. So if they come to your school, you want to make
sure that they get that great experience. And again, we ask that the principal make it personalized where they are part of the tour. And if they're not, you know, have someone consistent so it's the same story that a parent is hearing. But when all possible, have students on that tour
because all you have to do is be quiet and let the students sell a school and they can do it way better than adults can do it. And again, if we don't register a child, then we follow up and follow up to ensure it may not be my school, but let me tell you about the school down the street. Let me tell you what their programs they have. So, it's
really our job to make sure we capture our incoming kindergarteners. >> Thank you. I have a comment about that, but Mrs. So I think we need to go where the community is at meaning that we should have table events at festivals, farmers
markets and have a present there because that's where people are going with their children and they need to see us and we need to be more proactive. >> Great minds think alike. Um so that's part of the BCPS advantage the principal task. Um uh Armando on uh Mr. Sullivan's
team uh has actually gotten all the information from all the cities and they send that uh document to the principles um and it's a live document. So anytime the city alerts them that they have upcoming festival, upcoming event, they'll update it so we can have a presence at those places. We've asked
the principles to sign up for like a minimum of two of those events this spring so we can be live and in living in color. Um and like Dr. to said u many other parents may not be zoned for that school and not or but they're learning great things that are going on at BCPS and that would entice them to actually
go talk to their schools to learn more too. So >> thank you and to I was really pleased Dr. Fulton to hear you talk about um like parents being able to schedule tours at at their schools. Um I would just ask that uh that like the office
staff are aware of that opportunity as well. Um, so if a parent calls the school, uh, the office staff is able to, um, figure out a way to to to schedule that tour. Um, that is everything for me. Is there any are there any other
comments from my colleagues? No. >> Oh, Miss Bulman, >> I just wanted to go back to um well, two things. One to uh just jump on what you just said. we should always be willing to give a tour to any potential student
no matter when the day what you know at the convenience um I think that that's e the best customer service we can give so I hope that that's what we're going to be doing moving forward um and then I wanted to follow up on uh Mr. Rivera's line of questioning before about the
investigation. Um it wasn't my I didn't have the floor, but um in terms of the timeline for this, we have no one really said when this is going to be concluded soon. So I I think you know since we went down the
line of questioning of what we're able to do, which is really nothing, the only thing that we can do is request that the inspection get investigation be wrapped up as quickly as possible. I mean, can we get a a date? >> Um, I don't know if you can give a specific date. Mo most of the time in
this investigative process, and I know um Chief Chief's not in the room, but just from my experience, it it grows additional uh sections of a spiderwe based on information that's been gathered. So, um if you're investigating one piece and a witness statements uh
provides additional information, that may cause you to start talking to other people. Um and so, I know he says it's wrapping up soon. uh because I you know uh talked to them to just to get updates um as frequent as I can. Um but to put a hard specific date, you might miss something, right? If you say, "All right, we're going to stop it at this
specific date and there may be additional information that may be applicable to the investigation and the people that are part of the investigation that we may miss out on if we put a hard date and not let these guys do their work." >> Well, I guess I would just say that I I don't know if my colleagues joined me, but that we would like it wrapped up quickly.
>> Yep. And >> going off of what he said, assume it's going to be wrapped up um pretty quickly, >> like in the next week or >> I don't know if it's a week or or two weeks, but >> Okay. >> I'm taking soon as a at at the most a couple of weeks. >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Hixon.
>> Thank you. Ju just dawned on me. I forgot to ask this when the committees were here. Um their comment was made that a campus monitor was pulled from a school so that they could sit in in our meetings here today.
do is is how many security like we have a lot of security here already. Why would we be pulling security monitors from school? >> Um I I don't know but I know uh campus monitors um are sometimes utilized in functions like this. Um
not not the blue shirts, right? You see the gray shirts. Um the blue shirts are at the at the schools, but sometimes campus monitors um are leveraged. The blue shirts are the campus monitors. >> The blue shirts are the security specialists. And then you have campus monitors.
>> Used to be campus monitors or blue. >> Campus managers. >> What? Yeah. Campus managers. Yes. I know there's a difference in the shirts. >> Blue is the campus. >> Yeah. But you it's the it's the >> it's the other shirts that are that are uh leveraged when they need additional
security for events such as this. Well, I I guess my question would be we because we have people who work security here. So, what how many Well, maybe this isn't the right place. It just seems we have a lot of security. Maybe we don't particularly
>> y'all are very important people >> that much for our students. So, I my concern is pulling them out of a school >> to bring them here when we already have >> a lot of other um security. So, we could talk about that later, but it it was a
concerning statement that they made and I just wanted to address it. Thank you. >> All right, Dr. Hepper, I know you wanted to make some >> Yes, I I'll uh if it's final because I I'm about >> Anyone else have anything else they want to share before I go to Dr. Heburn?
>> I want to put a bun on the sandwich. We started out with a um fairly at the bottom of the bun. It was like good stuff. And then we got into some we got into some things some other things that weren't so good. So I want to put a cap on the sandwich. Um before
I do that, is there anything else? All right. So um just fresh off the press is literally probably about uh four minutes ago. U Bry County Public Schools has been named the Cambridge District of the Year for 2526 and large size district category. Um so
there's three categories, large districts, medium, and small size. And there is only three school districts in each category recognized across the nation. So we're one of three school districts in the nation um recognized as uh Cambridge District of the year. >> Yes.
>> All right. >> There's the bun. All right. We can adjourn the meeting. Chair, hurry up. >> The scheduled order of business for this school board workshop of the special of the school board of Broward County, Florida has been completed. Seeing no objections, I will now adjourn the school board workshop. Heat. Heat. N.
Heat. Heat.