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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=uhGms1yZ7GM

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President Tarn, before you begin today's meeting, I would like to read a few announcements. Good morning. Welcome to the July 8th, 2026 agenda review committee meeting. Before we start the meeting, I I would like to share translation information,

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safety points, and an announcement for the next meeting. We are pleased to offer real time translation services for this meeting via translative live. Registered speakers and attendees can listen to the meeting in over 200 languages. If you are attending in

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person, please visit the translation table for a headset. If you're joining virtually, simply scan the QR code displayed in the corner of the live YouTube stream to access your preferred language. Please note that the primary exit and entrance to the boardroom is

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the door which you use to enter this morning. If you are leaving the room, please use this door. The restrooms are outside the boardroom doors to your left. During the meeting, we ask that you keep all aisles and exits clear. If you need any assistance during the meeting, please wave to get the

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attention of one of our security officers. Mark your calendars for the upcoming meeting. The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 30th, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. The board meeting will be held at 42 West Madison Street Garden level boardroom. For details on

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how to register to speak or observe at the meetings and to learn about the speaker lottery process, please visit visit the Chicago Board of Education website at cpsb.org. If you have any questions about registration or public participation,

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please contact the board office for assistance. Thank you for joining us today. President Harden, we are now ready for you to begin the meeting. >> Good morning everyone. Welcome to the Chicago Board of Education Review Committee meeting. Today is July 8, 2026. I'm President

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Shan B. Harden. On behalf of my fellow board members, thank you for joining us today. We are holding today's agenda review committee meeting in the boardroom at the CPS Loop Office, 42 West Master Street, Garden Level. I'd like to note that board members and

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senior leadership are present in the boardroom and registered speakers may join us in person or virtually if they've opted to do so and registered observers are joining us in person. The agenda review committee meeting of

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Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 is hereby called to order. Board secretary, please call the role. >> Thank you. Member Lozano, >> present. >> Member Smith, >> present. Member Lopez, >> present.

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>> Member Wallace, >> present. >> Member Kuster, >> present. >> Member Pope, >> here. >> Member Rivas, >> present. >> Member Brown. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Member Rio Sierra, >> present. >> Member Bannon, >> present.

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>> Vice President BZ, >> here. >> Member Biggs, >> present. >> Member Blae, >> present. Member Zachor >> present. >> Member Deberry >> present.

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>> President Harden >> present. >> 16 members present. We do have a quorum. I'd also like to recognize Dr. Meline King, superintendent, chief executive officer. Elizabeth Barton, general counsel. Dr. Kareem Assaf, chief

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education officer. Charles Mayfield, chief operating officer. Excuse me. That won't be tolerated. Excuse me. >> President Harden, I motion to take a 20-minut recess. Is there

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>> a second? >> I second. I second. been moved a second. Move to a vote. >> Calling for a vote on a motion to recess her 20 minutes. Member Lozano.

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>> Yes. >> Member Smith. >> I. >> Member Lopez. >> I. >> Member Kuster. I'm sorry. Member Wallace. >> Abstain. >> Member Kuster. >> I. Member Pope,

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>> stay. >> Member Rivas, >> yes. >> Member Brown, >> no. >> Member Rio, >> may >> no. >> Member Bannon.

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>> Yes. >> Member Bannon. >> Yes. >> Vice President VeZ. >> No. Yes. >> Member Blaze. >> Nope. >> Member Zachor.

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>> No. >> Member Deberry. No. Seven eyes, six nazs, two abstensions. This motion failed of adoption. Before we begin with the formal agenda, I have

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a brief but important announcement regarding our meeting procedures. We're excited to announce this new feature will allow the board to display votes to the public in real time. Let me take a special moment to recognize the individuals whose hard

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work got the system underway. A big thank you to Ben Cooper on our IT team as well as Islam Franco and Vanessa Hernandez, our two incredible assistant secretaries of the board office production team. Your dedication to

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effective governance is truly appreciated. Let's give them a round of applause. We're eager to put this to work today and to continue improving how we serve the community. Thank you. And in advance, we want to say to the to the community, thank you for your patience

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as we work through this new technology, but we're excited to start it today. So, the order of the meeting will be as follows. We'll begin with committee updates, discussion and view vote on public agenda items, discussion of agenda review committee meeting boardroom items, uh public

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participation, discussion of agenda review committee meeting items 1 through 5. We'll then go into recess, reconvene from recess. There'll be discussion of agenda review committee meeting items 6 through 12. We'll go into cold session, reconvene

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from cold session, and then sometime tomorrow, we'll adjourn. Our committee updates will begin with Chief Member Brown. Please proceed with the update on the Black Student Achievement Committee, please, sir. >> Yes, sir, Mr. President. Um, good

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afternoon. Well, good morning. >> Good afternoon. On behalf of the Chicago Board of Education and the Black Student Achievement Committee, I am honored to announce the appointment of 10 new members to join this inaugural and historic group. These individuals represent a diverse mix of stakeholders

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from across Chicago. They include school administrators, educators, students, community leaders, and district partners. Each one brings a deep commitment to racial justice, public education, and the success of black students. Out of nearly 500 applicants,

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we were fortunate to have an exceptionally strong pool of candidates for the 14 open committee seats. Without further delay, please join us in welcoming the newest members of the Black Student Achievement Committee. Darius Anderson, a Chicago based community organizer and culinary arts

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professional whose work focuses on equitable education, youth employment, and communitydriven solutions. Alisa Blanchard, a veteran CPS uh special education case manager and 504 coordinator with 25 years of experience

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advancing equitable services for diverse learners. Dr. Amber Brooks, an operations and organizational leadership executive with nearly two decades of experience advancing equity focused systems and education centered environments. Dr. Karen Callaway, a

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longtime CPS educator and award-winning Golden Apple winning principal of Kinwood Academy known for fostering a nurturing, high achieving school community. Jia Cunningham, Elder, the CEO of North Lionale College Prep and a Chicago native dedicated to expanding

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economic mobility and opportunity for Westside youth. I'll turn it over to member Blae who will announce the remaining members. >> Thank you, uh, member Brown. We also will have Crystal Gardner, a lifelong Westsider, community organizer, and

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public education advocate whose work centers on educational justice and community empowerment. Aquila Griffin Ingram, a workforce analytics and compensation leader with deep roots in Chicago organ in Chicago organizing and

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a strong commitment to youth financial literacy and equity. Valerie F. Leonard, the founder of Nonprofit Utopia and a civic leader whose advocacy helped advance the legislation that enabled the Black Student Achievement Committee and

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I think elected school board too. Did she work on that? Um, Ayoka Noel Motas Samuels, please um, forgive me if I'm mispronouncing anyone's name. a senior leader at City Colleges of Chicago who drives equitable access to technology

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education and workforce pathways across the city. And finally, Chenise Stevens, a CPS educator, parent and activist, and an advocate with more than a decade of experience championing student

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achievement and educational equity. Can we please give our new more new new more volunteers um a round of applause? We will announce other members as they complete the required onboarding process. So our work is not this list is

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not complete and our work is not done on that end. We appreciate the public's patience throughout this journey to identify the right individuals for this important work. Each appointee underwent a rigorous and thoughtful screening process and we are confident that this

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committee is positioned to make a powerful impact on behalf of all black students across Chicago. And on behalf of board member Brown and myself, um we'd also like to thank the folks at CPS that have been really helpful in making

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sure that we keep moving this work forward. Um we've had transitions in staff. we've had we've been we've sort of been riding over the bumps and and again we're watching every step we make um just because

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um the whole the whole world is watching us. There's so many people in so many other places that are really hopeful for the work that we do here. So we're just trying to be careful. So thank you to our CPS partners as well. Thank you.

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>> Excellent. I want to underscore that this is a big moment. Uh this work is too important to move quickly and not thoughtfully. So I appreciate the work of our chairs and the work of the public around this important topic. I look forward to what comes next. Uh board

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members will now open the floor for questions or comments on items on the public agenda. I'd like to note the following public agenda items. RS1 resolution to establish a district-wide educator mental health po health plan.

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RS3 resolution on vendor and campaign donations. PR1 amend board report 240523. PR2 authorize the first and second final renewal agreements with library video

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company doing business as Safari Montage for learning object repository. L services. Separate votes will be taken after RS2. So you could provide your questions and comments for those items

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before we proceed with each vote. Are there any questions or comments? As we open this up, I do want to begin by saying that there has been an extensive amount of work particularly around the mental health um plan itself. Um I know

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the efforts that are taken both by board members and our union partners to make sure that this um does what's it's intended to do and that's represent the importance of mental health across the district. And then the second the resolution on vendor and campaign

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donations. Um, as you all know, this is a resolution that I sponsored. Um, and at the the behest of board member Lopez, I did reach out to um, Better Government Association, EGA. Uh, and they too

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endorse this as being a high watermark and the standard by which the board should be approaching its work as it goes into moves into a fully elected school board. So with that like to open it up for questions or comments from the board on these items.

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Member Blaze. There being none no questions or comments. I think the questions and comments for each individual separate vote will come for that item. >> Got it. >> Okay.

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We'll now proceed on the vote on the public agenda items. Board secretary, please proceed. Thank you, President Har. I will continue with an item that does require a vote. RS2 resolution on establishing a districtwide mental health awareness day at Chicago public

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schools. If you can call for a motion and a second. >> Yes. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> We'll now move it to voting. >> We'll now proceed with the electronic voting. Board members, please cast your

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vote. first one. Who's this? >> Madam Secretary, can you just clarify what we're voting on right now? >> You're voting on RS2, the resolution on establishing a district-wide mental health awareness day at Chicago Public

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Schools. >> Thank you. >> To clarify, is this the uh idea brought to us by our wonderful student board member? >> Yes, this is a resolution co-sponsored by member Singleton. Got

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it. >> Have all votes been cast? >> Don't rub it in. We will now close the votes. The eyes have it. There are 16 eyes, zero nays, zero abstensions. This um report, this matter is adopted.

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President Harden will now continue with a separate vote on RS1 resolution to estab establish a district-wide educator mental health plan. This item does require a vote. >> So moved.

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>> I second. It's been moved a second. Any comments? >> Yes, I would like to propose an amendment to uh this resolution. Uh I will be in support of it. Uh this frame

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at the end of the first paragraph. Uh I am proposing that we add this framework will be developed in collaboration with CPS educators and negotiated with the union representatives of the affected

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employees. And then after that in the beginning of number two I'm proposing that after the word framework in the first sentence we add and contingent on negotiations with

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labor partners representing the affected educators. So those are two amendments that I am proposing to this resolution. >> Second. There's been a second.

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I believe board member Lozano, did you second that? >> Yes. >> Motion. >> Yes. >> Board member Pope, do you happen to have a copy of your amended language? >> I I'll send it to you, Susan. I'll email it right now.

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>> Thank you. We're ready to open the matter for voting. >> Um, it's debatable. So, yeah, >> I don't like debates. >> Remember Gutierrez? I know. Remember Lopez?

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The comment I want to make it's uh one I want to thank uh board member Rivas and other board members and also the organization that brought this to our attention. I think it's something that needs to be addressed widely. I'm also glad we passed a resolution for mental awareness day. It's something that is

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impacting many of our students and our educators and also our staff, our support staff. So let's not forget that when you know we're thinking about um school staff that we're thinking about lunchroom staff, our custodians, our seeks. Uh so I just wanted to mention

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that I am in support and that we also keep in mind how we can support our staff and our students right now given everything that is happening with immigration this last few weeks. We've seen more agents out in the streets. this morning. They were in Back of the Arts in the last two weeks. Gage Park

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area in Glewood, also in the northwest side and greater Chicago land area. Thank you, >> member Kuster. >> Um yes, thank you, board president. Uh just a question if the amendments have been reviewed by legal or if there's been any legal um consultation on the

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changed wording. >> I could tell you it's been shared with our our labor office. No, I understand. I'm just saying at this point that's what has been shared with. I don't it hasn't I don't know that the amendment has been reviewed by

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legal. >> Uh no, I I I haven't had a chance to review it. Um but I do have uh feedback from our um like legal feedback um in connection with our chief labor relations officer as well that I'm happy to share with the board via email. Um

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but I can do that while you're discussing Member Rivas. >> Uh thank you, Mr. President. Uh thank you uh everyone for uh all of our board members for your support and collaboration over the last uh few months um and especially the last few

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weeks uh in discussion of this. I'm really uh proud that uh we've gotten to this point to be able to uh to vote on this uh resolution to ensure that we're creating a framework. Um this is just the starting point. This is not the finale. This is us inviting everyone to

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the table to collaborate um and work together to create um something meaningful uh for our district and to just align what we already have. Uh there's pieces uh that we've learned about over the last year and a half um

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as board members and um this right now helps us ensure that we are bringing it together to focus um and um you know having one specific place and then having a report out from the district uh by November 1st on the success and also

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where we're at um with that framework. So thank you member Paul. >> Yes. Okay. As some of you may know my second masters is in couple and family therapy and uh I uh have a very strong

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interest in mental health. I see mental health as being an extremely important component not just of enabling teachers to be the best possible teachers they can but see lunchroom assistance. Everyone who interacts with children

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needs the services and support of mental health. We are in very challenging times as board member uh Lopez just mentioned on that in relation to immigration and also in relation to many other issues that our students, our families, our

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staff of all kinds face and I think this is a very good step that we're taking and I'm very happy that we are including this amendment which includes the participation of not any one of our labor partners but all of our labor partners who represent and different

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groups of people who will be affected by this and I think it's an important step and I'm very happy that we're taking it at this point because without mental health supports we will not be as successful in educating and supporting

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and modeling behavior and resilience for our children as we would be without that. So I think this is great. Thank you. Are there any additional comments? I'll just note finally that I also agree that the amendments are strengthen the

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intent um and invite inclusivity because the ultimate goal is to make sure that we put forth a resolution that can be easily adopted and implementable by the district. So I think hopefully this moves us in that direction or secretary please proceed with the

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roll call vote. Thank you. We'll now proceed with the electronic voting on the motion to end bore report RS1 as stated um the in the now therefore clause under section one adding the

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additional language. This framework will be developed in collaboration with CPS educators and negotiated with the union representatives of the affected employees. And in section two adding under the fir in the first sentence and contingent on negotiations with labor

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partners representing the affected educators. Board members, please cast your vote on the amended language. It appears that all have voted. I do want to recognize that board member

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Thora joined the meeting at 11:35 a.m. >> Voting is now closed. The eyes have it. There are 16 eyes's, one nay and zero abstension. This resolution is or I'm sorry, the amended language. The resolution is adopted by

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the board. Um, we will now vote on the item with the amended language. >> Do we have a motion? >> So moved. >> It's been moved. We have a second. Second. >> I'm sorry. There was already a motion

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and a second on the floor for the actual resolution. We just now to take the vote on the board report that now has the amended language. Are we now open for voting? >> Yes. >> Thank you. We'll now proceed with the

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electronic voting on the board report RS1 as amended by the language. Board members, please cast your vote. All votes are in. Voting is now closed. The eyes have it. There are 17 eyes, zero nays, zero abstensions. This

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resolution RS1 with the amended language is adopted by the board. President Harden will now continue with a separate vote on RS3 resolution on vendors and campaign donations. This item does require a

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vote. >> Is there a motion? >> Second. It's been moved a second. >> Who moved? Member Deberry moved >> and seconded by member Bannon. >> We'll now open the floor for comments or

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discussion. >> Member Bennett. >> Um I I just want to highlight that we're we're passing this. I think as we move to a fully representative board, um it's important that we hold ourselves to a high standard to build public trust and

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I just want to applaud President Harden for proposing this and uh fully support this resolution. >> Any other comments? >> We'll move to voting. >> We'll now proceed with the electronic voting for RS3. Board members, please

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cast your vote. All votes are cast. Voting is now closed. The eyes have it. There are 16 eyes, one nay, zero abstensions. This matter is adopted by the board. President Harden will continue with a

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separate vote on PR1 amend report 240523 PR2. Authorize the first and second final renewal agreements with the library video company DBA Safari Montage for learning object repository services. President Harden, this amendment is necessary to extend the agreement for

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one year and increase the not to exceed amount. This item does require a vote. >> Is there a motion? >> So moved. Is there a second? >> Second. Um I I move to table this item

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>> uh to the board meeting. >> Second. >> Uh we just received some new information. So we just want to make sure that we're very clear about what this does. uh the type of uh funding that it could uh freeze up uh free up

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for educators. Obviously, we're experiencing a big deficit. Uh so, we want to make sure that uh we vet this technology and to ensure whether we actually need it or not, we got to really review the the uh the new information. We cannot vote on this uh

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last minute. So, um you know, please, you know, bear with us because uh we we're having a difficult task here. So, yeah. Thank you, >> Member Bigs. uh vetting this technology has occurred over the course of the past several years. This is the existing curriculum that is accessible to all

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teachers across the system. So it is in use. It does not need further vetting. This is a one-year stop gap so that there is not an interruption for students or for teachers. So I will be a firm no on any uh decision to table.

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Member Rivas teachers lost access to uh Safari on July 1st. Um so folks that uh were able to get in, I've been told already have not are not able to access it. Um this is something that uh is already in use

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by the district. Uh I just think tableabling two more weeks um is just not uh a good use of time uh for folks who are you actively using the system. Member Smith, >> this has already been harmful to

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students and student learning and tableabling it will continue to cause harm to our student learning in the uh social sciences and sciences uh for the summer and for the fall. Thank you. >> Member Zachor.

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>> Yeah. So we've we've had this system for five years and in general what we've heard is that educators find it very difficult to use. Um a lot of educators are in fact using curriculum on Google Drive which is much easier to use. And

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so we've asked some questions about it. Um I think the fact that we just got answers to our questions which still leaves some asking for some time to process. We keep getting information at the very last minute and it makes it hard to make

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decisions that are anything other than a rubber stamp which we are not trying to be. >> Member Thor. >> Um can I just have two questions if someone would be able to answer. One is um to confirm uh what board member rebas mentioned about if if access has been

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interrupted as of July 1st and then also um whether like what it looks like on a day-to-day basis right now. Are there students and educators using this technology over the summer? Like are their summer school classes using it? I think that information would be helpful

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to to hear. Thank you. >> Of curriculum, instruction, and digital learning. Uh it's lovely to see you today. Uh we negotiated a nocost extension with Safari Montage to support summerbridge. Um but there would be an interruption of services for uh

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curriculum for the start of the school year including professional development um if this one-year extension is not >> and when does that bridge go until >> summerbridge ends uh July 16th I believe but professional learning curriculum

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based professional learning takes place with in um the platform so that teachers can access the curriculum that they're going to be implementing next year. So the extension is only until July 16th I believe. I can >> the um the no cost extension was from

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July 1st to August 5th. >> Okay. So there is time if if it were to be tabled it would not cause an interruption to students in the next couple of weeks. >> The feasibility of finding a solution between July 30th and uh August 5th is

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extremely low. I'll just share my perspective is not to explore like an alternative. Maybe that's other board members pers perspective, but I'm just hearing a concern about like having questions and wanting those questions answered and I think two weeks is plenty of time for us, you know, to do those considerations without an impact on on

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students. So, you know, grateful to them for providing this no cost extension for us. >> Good morning, board members. Anise Lewis um deputy chief education officer. Um, just wanted to just give an update that the services do end on July 30th. I just

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want to make sure that that's clear. >> Chief Lewis, can you come back to the podium and have another question? When you say services end July 30th, can you elaborate on what that means? Yes, that that means the contract would end on July 30th and so the execution of services would then end at that time as

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well. >> Understood. Thank you. >> Member Blaze. >> Sorry, I don't mean to make you get up again. Can you just describe what that means? I when you say the services end um because I know um that my kids were

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using Google Classroom and the Google platform. So, so tell me just just because I don't I'm not really exactly what comes to an end on July 30th just so we can all understand. So, the curriculum is housed in the learning

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object repository. Certain elements of courses are uh more friendly for a Google drive. So, some teacherf facing resources are accessible in a Google worksheet or a Google drive Google format. But the majority of the

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student-facing curricular resources and all of the teacher-facing curricular resources are housed in the learning object repository and tagged with the associated standards metadata including ownership and authorship. Access to those resources will end uh July.

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Are there any additional questions or comments? So, I I'll just say that, you know, it's certainly within the board's purview to continue to do analysis. Um, but I I think we just need to be cautious and when we do so, the implications that it

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can have on operations. And so, you know, I'd like for us to consider doing both. And we have to trust our subject matter experts, the folks who do this work every day. I too question whether or not this expenditure

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could be reallocated given our scenario. And I was assured by Dr. King and her entire team that there would be significant implications that we're not prepared for in the event that we don't move forward. So, I certainly appreciate

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the analysis. We need to evaluate and look at everything that we spend and determine if it's a nice to have or a need to have. I'm clear in my conversations with the senior leadership that this is a need to have. And so, I just want the board to consider that as

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it makes its determination on whether or not this gets extended. I don't know what else would be uh provided to the board in the next two weeks other than create angst with the staff around figuring out what solution would come forward in the event the board doesn't

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support this. So I just wanted to wanted to add that I appreciate both perspectives and also saw fit to do my own due diligence on whether or not this was something that needs to be done now and my determination is that it is.

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So with that, we'll open up for voting on the matter of um postponing. Before we move to the electronic voting, I do want to note for the record that board member Bole joined the meeting at

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11:50 a.m. We'll now proceed with the electronic voting to uh for the motion to postpone RS1 to the next regular board meeting of July 30th, 2026.

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Board members, please cast your vote. Voting is closed. >> The naysay have it. I'm sorry. Um there are 10 eyes's, eight nazs, zero abstensions.

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This motion fails of adoption. Now we go back to the motion um for RS1 that was moved by board member Rivas and um I'm sorry PR1

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that was moved by board member Rivas and seconded by board member Kuster. Are there any comments or questions related to this matter? Dr. I just want to um just acknowledge that

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Chicago public schools is in full planning mode for the start of the school year and if we postpone and there is a vote down of Safari this does cause a huge problem for us as we move forward with planning because if not Safari to

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provide the curriculum then what we really do need a decisive vote to enable us to continue to plan for the academic school year. It does inhibit our ability to complete to follow through with planning. >> There being no other comments, we'll move to voting.

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>> We'll now proceed with the electronic voting for our I'm sorry, PR1. Um board members, please cast your vote. Voting is closed. The eyes have it. There are 13 eyes, one nay for abstension. This matter is

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adopted by the board. We will now proceed with the potential board item for consideration at the July 30th, 2026 regular meeting. After the item is presented, board members have the opportunity to ask their questions and make comments before proceeding to

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the next item on the agenda. Board members, we'll begin with the following board item numbered 1 BOE. Resolution to invest in arts education, support the Chicago High School for the Arts School community, and preserve the

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pre-professional arts training. This matter is open for discussion. >> Board member Blae is going to present the item. >> Great. Thank you and good morning. We still have two

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minutes left of morning. Um this resolution is really important to me. Um last year we decided that um we wanted to take Shy Arts from due to complications on their end from a

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contract school to under CPS's wing. Um and subsequently the changes that have happened to the school have been extremely detrimental to the culture and

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um the climate at that school. Um, so my resolution just offers another opportunity for Shy Arts to maintain its integrity and and um and and

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continue for CPS to um fund it for at least one more year in order for it to get its feet under it. Um, Shy Arts live um existed for years um with a fundraising piece that would pay for the

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conservatory. Um due to what I think are a few poor decisions by an administration there um the fundraising arm there uh the the funding dried up but I think

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there are so many opportunities for that school to get the funding that it needs and for it to stand on its own. Um, we have a very vibrant art scene in Chicago, including Broadway in Chicago, the Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony

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Center, the Goodman Theater, the Steen Wolf, Joffrey Ballet, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Black Ensemble Theater. Um there's so many impact m production association of African centered the theater theater one particularly close to my heart pulse theater vista there's

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so many places that these students can plug in and this is um this is preparing them for their for a life in arts if they want to go on to school or they will have a portfolio or um the the

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ability to dance or the ability to sing or the ability to make music as soon as they graduate high school. So, this is this is this is career training. Um, and it's it's it's an inv I think it's an invaluable

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um part of the CPS um uh portfolio. So I I'm hoping that we can allow fund them for fund the conservatory for one

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more year and then um we can move to um and then we can reassess later on. We can give them the resources they need. They didn't even have a way to raise money for a few months in between. Get them the resources they need and see if they can stand on their own. We are a

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worldclass city and we need this worldclass school um a a publicly funded um arts conservatory for all the kids in in Chicago. So I'm hoping you all will support this effort and just trying to

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keep Shy Arts on its feet for one more year. Thank you. Thank you. Uh I visited Shy Arts and it is a very special school with very special students. And with that being

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said, there are a lot of very special schools with very special students. Uh, I wish that in my district that Southshore Elementary, which is a art school, could have the funding that they need for the arts teachers, but they

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don't. I wish that other arts schools in my district even had instruments, but they don't. What I wish is that Shy Arts accepted students from all over Chicago. that the

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conservatory was something that every student could have access to, but it is not. And so, as an artist, as someone who cares about equity on all sides of Chicago, I believe that if we have

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money, millions of dollars to invest in arts, that those millions of dollars should be spread equitably so that all children can experience the greatness of arts. And this is as an artist who grew

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up and did not have in my school the programs I needed because I saw those resources going to other sides of towns and being centralized and concentrated in areas that were not option schools that were not schools that were in need

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and impoverished like the ones that I went to. So my vote today of no is not because I don't want to see a conservatory. is because I want to see a conservatory for all children, not just some. Thank you.

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>> Yes. Uh I understand and agree with many of the sentiments that board member Smith just expressed there. However, we are in a position where if we let Shy Arts down during this year, it will have

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to be rebuilt from the ground up. And this will cost so much more money than maintaining it during this year while it seeks more funding. It's just not practical. It's like when I needed a new roof on my house, I had to take out a

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loan to put a new roof on my house because if I didn't, my wood floors would have been ruined by the leaks and, you know, my heating system would have been messed up. So, I think it's really a good idea to do as board member Blaise

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is proposing and to put forth this effort for this one year so that we can maintain this. I also hope that board member Smith and everyone will join us in Springfield, fighting for the funding that we need so that every child in

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every school can have the arts education that they deserve so that every school in our system is a beautiful school and is flourishing and is a great place for learning. That's what we need to do right now. We need instead of saying no,

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we're not dividing the scarcity pie quite right, we need to be saying we reject the scarcity pie and we demand what all of our children need and deserve >> member >> everything that board member Pope just

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said. Um this is a great leadership on behalf of board member Blae that that she spearheaded this resolution to protect high arts. Um, I have many students in my district that go to Shy Arts. At the same time, I hear the concerns and I echo a lot of the concerns that board member Smith has because there are neighborhood schools

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in my district that are going to be cutting fine arts positions um in this year's budget. And it's not enough that we support Shy Arts. We also have to do our part to make sure that it's a both and that we support Shy Arts and we invest to make sure that every single

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school in our city has access like kids have access to a great arts program, music, arts, after school program, sports, all of it. Um, and I I believe that this cannot be done without what board member Pope just mentioned of advocating for additional funding to

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expand the pie because I agree it is not equitable for us to just take action for Shy Arts and then not do our part to advocate for additional arts funding for schools across the city. Um, but I'm proud today to support member Blaz's resolution. >> Member Kuster.

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>> Thank you, board president. Um, so the the resolution calls for additional funding sufficient to maintain the current arts and academic programming. Um, I I guess my I have a question um more than a comment is is what is the cost of that additional funding to the district? Um, we just

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had a conversation about tableabling um a a curricular piece that affects every single 316,000 children in the district because there could be potential cost savings. Um, and I'm I'm curious what is that additional funding and how much

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does that cost? Um, when it affects a certain population versus I mean the conversation that we just had about something that affects every population. I'm I'm curious what that number is and what that looks like given our financial position.

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>> Member Gutierrez. So the question that I have um and we've had lots of presentations and a lot of people who have come here um and I echo a lot of the sentiments that uh board member Smith said, but I've heard a lot about fundraising and so I guess the

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question is how much has been raised to date by all the folks who have come up here uh to date um as someone who does fundraising for a living, right? You just don't talk about it. Come here and tell me we're gonna fundra have you. if

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you have what's the plan? What's the um how are you going to get to the number you need to get to? And I think to board member Kuster is what is this going to cost us this right? And I think, you know, we use we use very loosely the

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word equity around here and we just had a vote 316,000 students that could have been jeopardized and now we're saying, "Oh, but this group here needs additional dollars." And I I'm trying to fully understand that, but I really would love

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to know how much money has been raised to date because we've constantly heard folks come up here and say, "We're going to fund raise. We're going to fund raise." Have you you have how much? >> That would be very important for me to know. Thank you, member Bole. >> Yeah, I'm I'm kind of my question is

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also about the cost. At one time we heard 5 million for the conservatory. I'm not too sure if that is still the dollar amount. And then I kind of want to know what would the plan be if we reallocated

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$5 million to support the conservatory for one year. What what were where where were we cutting the budget by five million? Like where would the cuts come from? I' I'd like to understand the totality of it

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before considering it. Thank you. >> Member Brown. >> Yeah, I I want to um acknowledge many of the concerns that I've heard. Um, I want first say I'm in support of member Bla1's u resolution because I believe as

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a uh we should not support the harm of any student population. Um, and the conservatory um ceasing to exist would cause harm. But I also think um I have some concerns

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with shards and I I want to express those concerns. A lot of times people roll their eyes at the history, but as someone who um respects every tear, every breath, every smile that my community has, uh I I stay a breast of the history

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because those stories matter. That school used to be called Lafayette. >> It was the only neighborhood school in CPS that had an orchestra. >> And that school was shut down unjustly. Rosemary Vega and her family occupied

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that school for seven days >> and I'm concerned if neighborhood children don't have an access to that building now. Deeply concerned about that. Um, I also want to say I hope I I I hope I

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expressed this well. We're in a very unique moment in Chicago. I've talked to some members of this board trying to share some of the history of how we got to this place and I I got rolled eyes and and and arrogant sometimes. And a

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lot of times that's because you know if your parents are the ones who clean people's floors or worked in factories to buy you a house. Sometimes the children don't respect the labor that it took to get that house. >> They don't understand those moments.

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There's an opportunity for Chicago public schools, the city of Chicago, organized labor, and community organizations to finally be on the same page in our demand from Springfield. It is not a handout.

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since 1995 when the state of Illinois signed the amendatory act and they gave Mayor Daly mayoral control of Chicago public schools. And the direct result of that decision, the direct result of that decision was targeting over 160 schools

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for closure, 88% of them in black communities. The direct result of that decision was the gutting of the black teaching cadre from 44% to 19%. They owe us some get right. They that they've

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done harm. If the hypocratic oath applied to education, then the state of Illinois would be guilty. And for decades, we were 49th in public education. You don't think there's harm that's been done by those decisions? So, for the first time, a political climate

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that was forged through a city-wide coalition. Those of us that are lazy in our analysis will just call it Chicago Teachers Union. Okay. Okay. Do that. But there was a concerted effort to shift the power grid in this city from the

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from the Democratic machine to one that represented people in our neighborhoods. It has been done. There is an opportunity. But we are sometimes so corporate in our thinking that we can't take an we will snatch victory out of

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the arms of we will snatch defeat out of the arms of victory. There is an opportunity to do something that has never been done if you would just respect what has been done. And I'm I'm sit here sometimes and I I I just want to jump up and I just want to

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walk. I just want to leave because it's like, you know, we're talking like we're tough and like we, you know, we we're for this and we're for that. If I understand everything correctly, join us in the fight to demand that the state of

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Illinois heals the wound that it helped to cause. We will advocate with the mayor to make sure that we get additional tiff funds and we can actually tie a tourniquet in the wound and heal the wound that privatizes cause

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privatizers cause all over the United States. Check the work that Michelle redid in Washington DC. I'm talking to specific board members now. Check the work the wreckage that she left in Washington DC. Check it. Check the

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wreckage that Barbara Bird Bennett left in Detroit and Cleveland. Check it. The job of privatizers is to wreck public school systems. That's their work. And we sit up here and act like that's not a reality. >> So there is I'm I'm I'm shutting down.

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There is a struct there is a structural deficit that we have to address. So, Mr. President, the floor is yours. Thank you, sir. >> Member Rio Sierra. >> Yeah, I have to follow board member

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Brown. That's always not an easy task. Uh, thank you though for those words, board member Brown. And I think we all need to remember that we need to find a way to say yes to our students. I'm tired of being in a position where we have to say no and we have to lean into the fact that there's

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no money because there's money for the Bears. There has to be money for our kids. Um, thank you board member Blae for pushing this through and bringing this to us. I think that you, you know, you've done incredible work for these Shy Arts babies and I agree that we need

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to find art for the art money for the entire district. I'm an artist. I know how much these babies need this school. I can't count how many times art has saved me. I sit here sometimes and I color and I doodle and I draw and I regulate myself with art. And I know

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that these babies are leaning into that into that profession. And we need them. We need them to finish this this school. We need to be able to not let them down. This is our job. Our job as board members is to make sure that our students have a wonderful experience and

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that they can achieve all of their dreams in the best possible space. And Shy Arts has worked so hard to create a space for artists that is that is really truly a value to our entire world. To put more artists into this world is good for all of us. So, thank you board

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member Blae. I am so happy that you brought this to us and that we can vote on this. And I'm I am more than down. I am more than willing to spend days in Springfield making sure that our legislators do what do right by our

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students. It's it's it's it's it's a long time coming and we need to find say find a way to say yes and we need to make sure that our legislators say yes. So, thank you board member Brown for inspiring us and for lighting that fire. uh because we're going to spend the next few months making sure that we build

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those connections in Springfield and making sure that we bring that those fully funded schools to all of our students. >> Before I turn it over to member Blaze to close us out on this discussion, I I want to just say this is an example. First off, I I appreciate the robust

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discussion. This is an example of how multiple things can be right at the same time. Mhm. >> Um, and I don't want us to make the mistake of turning inward towards each other >> as we defend what we all signed up to do, and that's to make sure students

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have access to everything they deserve. So, that that's my only comment. Let's make sure that we keep the fight where it's supposed to be and not amongst us. Board member Blaze, please close us out on this discussion. >> We'll do. So, again, thank you to all. Um, just to reiterate what President

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Harden said, thank you for the robot robust conversation. Um, I can't say that I have all the answers to your questions. This is a whole new situation for us, for me, for CPS as well. Um, and

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that's why we have to think about how we move. Um, we've got kids that not only want to go to their regular day of school, but are willing to stay two or three hours over afterwards to participate in arts programming. We have

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a school that is successful. We have a school that is has a wait list. We have a school with a vibrant community and we just transitioned out 70 of their teachers. we have just completely changed the school that was working. Um

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so we do have to figure out the money and I agree um with board member Smith that everyone should have access to um arts. I'm I'm glad that Shy Arts is a magnet school so people have an opportunity but we do have an

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opportunity to try out people across the city have an opportunity to try out to be at Shy Arts but um some neighborhoods don't have those programs in grammar school for those kids to get ready for the high school

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programs. So there is there is more work to do, but I don't want to um destroy one program because we don't have programs all over. Um the the price tag I've heard is somewhere between 1.5

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and 2.5 million. I um board member Bole 5 million like this. It all of it sounds um right. I I don't know what the number is specifically and I'm I'm happy to take more information on that, but I do

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know that um the fundraising piece that board member Gutierrez is going to be the most important piece. And now that it's a CPS school, we have to make sure that our CPS um departments have the

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resources or or have the ability to raise money on behalf of Shy Arts because I think there's plenty of money out there to do it with all the movies that are made in Chicago, the the shows, the Broadway in Chicago. There's so much

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opportunity. Um and and um we love a good party in Chicago. So maybe maybe it's a few special events. I won't belabor the point because I know we got to move on. But I just want to say this is an incredible school not just for how

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it prepares its students um so that they leave there with portfolios, they leave there with the ability to sing, they leave there with the ability to dance. The culture in that school is so welcoming and accepting that of students

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that tip in many cases don't feel comfortable in other places. Um I can't express that enough. Um there's so many when you walk in there's everybody's got different color hair, there's piercings, there's um a lot of black eyeliner. Uh

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there all of those things are happening in that school and everybody feels loved on. So, it's a very special place um for a variety of reasons. Um and it might cost us a little bit more. I think we can we can figure it out. I I know for a

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fact that the mayor's office um has has had some meetings with um some people that are willing to fund. We just got to make sure that we've got the inter internal workings for that because I don't I don't think um it's because this

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is a new thing for CPS. So, I say this to say thank you all for the conversation and thank you to the Shy Arts community for always coming and making sure to remind us that they're here. Um um and uh I I really hope you

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all will join me in giving this school at least one more year to get its feet under it. Thanks. As we close this out, um I think we have to keep in front of us the board's principal responsibility and that's to analyze everything through a fiscal

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lens. And so I think it's incredibly important to understand and and Dr. King, maybe you could provide to the board the anticipated costs um and the costs associated with what is being proposed. Board members need to make an

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informed decision from that lens. Thank you. everyone for their input on that. Now, we'll proceed with public participation. Uh, thank you for joining to share your comments with the board. In compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, P

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participation, sometimes referred to as public comment, is the portion of the board meeting or hearing that grants district stakeholders the opportunity to address the board with their concerns and comments and compliments. Note that public participation is the

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time for board and CPS senior leadership to listen and hear from you rather than a time for dialogue with board members during or after your remarks. And while we can't discuss personnel matters, public participation is a key component

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of transparent governance and it provides us as board members as well as senior leadership the opportunity to listen to everyone who has signed to speak. This board takes equity of voice seriously and while we may not address your comments directly during the board

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meetings participation during p participation CPS leadership is always present at our meetings and are able to address concerns as follow-ups after the meeting. As a district and a board we also have many other spaces for

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authentic dialogue. For example, each and every one of our board members hosts board office hours so that we may have a conversation. We invite you to use our website cpsb.org if you want to meet with the board member during office hours. We encourage

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you to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with board members outside of a board meeting and we thank you for your attention and consideration on that. Lastly, as a reminder, union representatives will be allotted five minutes to speak before poke participation and elected officials will

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be allotted five minutes to speak after the conclusion of public participation. Secretary, please share the rules of public participation. >> Thank you, President Harden. Before I proceed, I do want to um note for the

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record that board member Gutierrez joined the meeting at 11:18 a.m. Members of the public who registered to speak were given the option to attend in person or via an electronic format. For those who prefer to attend via an electronic format, they were given information to access this meeting by

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dialing a number and using their phone. We did this so that speakers with limited or no access to the internet or who may have weak a weak internet connection could still participate using their phones. Also, members of the public may submit written comments for board of education

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meetings via the written comments form on the board's website at cpsb.org or mailed to 42 West Madison Street Garden level. Written comments received between the day the public agenda was posted and 5:00 PM the day after the board of education meeting will be

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submitted to the board and published within five business days on our website at cpsb.org. Speakers, please listen while I provide directions for public participation. I will call your name and number when it is your turn to speak. For speakers joining us virtually, as a reminder to

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unmute, please enter star six. Once you hear your name, please state your name for the record. I will then start the 2-minut timer. When there are 30 seconds remaining, I will inform you so that you can proceed to conclude your remarks to allow for the next speaker to begin. For anyone standing with the speaker, please

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stand along the glass partitions in the marked spots to comply with the city's fire code and keep aisles clear. Thank you. President Harden, before we begin calling speakers from the speakers list, we do have union reps who would like to address the board. We'll begin with

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Vicky Cid Croidlo, CTU recording secretary, who is here in person. Good day, members of the board. My name is Vicki Kursidlo and I am a veteran educator of 30 plus years. I began my

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career as an elementary school librarian and finished it as a special educator. Currently, I am on leave and serving as the recording secretary of the Chicago Teachers Union. Over my career, I have seen this district at its best, and I

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have lived through some of its most challenging times. I was here when 50 neighborhood schools were unjustly closed, destroying and disrupting entire school communities, impacting students and their families,

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children in a way that no child should ever experience. Along with so many other of my colleagues, I have taught in overcrowded classrooms. I've taught in stairwells. I've taught in the hallway with my special education students. I have

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watched educators give everything to their children because they didn't want their students to go without. I've seen teachers take off their socks to give to children who were not wearing any in the winter time. I've seen teachers reach into their own lunch bags to give

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children food when they were hungry. Seen this many, many, many times over 30 plus years. And with all of that being said, they would do it and I would do it all over again because really we would give anything to ensure that our

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children don't pay the price of decisions that were made outside of their schools. We cannot return to those times. We have the power with our solidarity to make those decisions together. This board said it was committed to

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equity and the CTU's transformative contract bought real progress that students and families could feel. Smaller class sizes, daily recess, expanded sustainable community schools, stronger arts and music programs,

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athletics, bilingual educated education, and stronger supports for students with diverse learning needs. Those were not luxuries, but long overdue investments to our children. Today, that progress is at risk.

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These proposed cuts are not just numbers on a balance sheet in our budget. They mean fewer supports for children, larger workloads for already overextended overextended educators, and schools once again being asked to do more with less.

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As a special education teacher, I know exactly what this means. When special education positions are eliminated or left vacant, students do not stop needing services. Federal law does not disappear because the budget falls

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short. Service minutes still must be delivered, but there are fewer educators to provide them. Case loads grow and student evaluations are delayed. Specialized instruction is stretched thinner. Students wait longer for the

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support that they are legally entitled to and educators are forced to into an impossible position. Trying to meet every child's needs without the staffing to do it. These are not abstract consequences, everyone. They happen all the time.

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Beyond special education, students across Chicago are already seeing opportunities disappear. Schools are losing positions that support literacy, intervention, and student learning. Coaches who build relationships with young people still do not know whether

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they will have jobs this fall, and many athletic directors are still waiting to be paid. Students in the arts programs are wondering which opportunities will still exist when they return. Across the district, uncertainty has become part of the back- toschool experience. And think

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about what message that sends to a child. That concern should concern every person in this room. Every budget cut sends a message about what we value. When schools lose the the adults who teach,

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counsel, coach, intervene, evaluate, support, and inspire children. Every day, students hear that message loud and clear. Last year we saw that when resources are made available, schools, parks, and libraries

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can be protected. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> But local government alone cannot solve a revenue crisis created by years of inadequate state investment. This is a revenue issue and it must be solved in Springfield by Governor

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Pritster and state leaders who have the power to raise the revenue Chicago students need. That is why the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education have called for a special legislative session.

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Illinois cannot keep expecting Chicago students to succeed while withholding the resources they need to thrive. If Springfield can move quickly for major developments and corporate interests, then Governor Pritsker Pritsker and the

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Illinois General Assembly can act with the same urgency for public education. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. The next CT um the next union rep is Jen Conant, CTu Charter Division Chair, who is here in

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person. Good morning members of the board and CEO King or afternoon now. Um, thank you board member Blae for sponsoring and creating the shy arts resolution we see on the agenda today. Board members Brown, Pope, Rio, Sierra, Bakura, uh,

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thank you for speaking in favor of this resolution. And Dr. Vez at the last meeting, the parents, students, and staff at Shy Arts are thrilled to see support from this board to maintain the worldclass programming this school has to offer CPS students. Arts and LGBTQ

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plus community organizations across Chicago have been watching and waiting to hear whether the district has chosen to walk back their decision to dismantle instead of preserving and investing in this remarkable arts conservatory program. We are here today to ask each

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and every one of you to vote yes at the July 30th board meeting in favor of this resolution. Passing this resolution will mean restoring the exceptional programming at Shy Arts and providing professional training in visual arts, music, theater, dance, and writing. It

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means giving the teaching artists that currently provide this specialized instruction an opportunity to continue serving CPS students, maximizing rigorous academic programming for students to thrive, expansion of arts education across the city of Chicago,

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and it will strengthen fundraising efforts for arts education for years to come. Chicago students from across this city deserve access to this worldclass arts high school. Choosing to throw away this opportunity will not be seen as financial responsibility by Chicago

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parents. Doing the work to restore, maintain, and then expand this model will. We want more arts education across the city of Chicago, and we are excited to begin that work together. Next, I have an update from Asero Charter Schools on the recent layoffs of

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all bilingual resource teachers across that network. Last week, CTU asked Aero Management how they hope to maintain support for English language learners when CPS has already assessed Aero as needing improvement in this area. We

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were shocked at their response. Aso stated that they already weren't in compliance even with these positions, so eliminating them will not change their compliance rating. Asero understands that these positions provided much needed support for our English language

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learners and that those students will no longer receive that support with these positions gone. Aero also said they will quote fill the gaps by increasing ESL strategies for monolingual classroom teachers to provide that support. When asked what these strategies would be,

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the only example was increasing visual aids. This is not a plan and it is not good enough for our students. We gave several real life experiences from our classrooms to a serero management to help them understand how vitally important these educators are to

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our students, such as a seventh grade newcomer student who speaks no English and is placed in four subject areas taught by teachers who only speak English. Our bilingual resource teachers would push into each subject to provide native language instruction, translate documents, and allow this student access

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to grade level instruction. This is no longer available. There are many more examples like this. Across the eight Asero schools, over 95% of our students are English language learners. With Asero's plan to cut all of these positions, some students will be

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stripped of access to nearly all instruction. We are moving backwards into the days of racist immersion only policies that were debilitating for our students. If Asero goes through with these cuts, Sodto and Garcia, the two Asero high schools who receive many

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newcomer students each year, will not have one single bilingual certified staff member left to provide support to these students. So clearly, Aero has no plan for bilingual instruction across the network. They promised they would improve bilingual instruction, waited

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for the board of education to renew their charter, and then announced these cuts just days later. They claim this decision is financially motivated. But Asero, like all charters, creates school budgets with no meaningful oversight. In fact, Asero has created budgets that allowed them to end the school year with

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over a $5 million surplus four out of the five previous years. This fiscal year, Asero claimed they would have a $13 million deficit, but in actuality, they ended with $5.2 million surplus. Aero is failing to put students first,

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acting more like a business than a CPS school. This corporation is squirreling away public funds by taking resources students desperately need and then trying to call it financial responsibility. This needs CPS oversight and this needs to stop. I have a copy of

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these budgets for your review. Finally, I want to flag for folks that Aspira has filed for bankruptcy. So despite all the assurances from Aspira over the last year that they were fine, clearly they were not. Aspira still owes money to educators from its two schools that have closed and they are still

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planning to run Pantoa. We are all going to have to keep a close eye on Aspira to ensure that they do right by the students and staff at Pantoa and by the educators who work so tirelessly tirelessly up until the very end of the two schools that closed. >> Please conclude your remarks. Finally,

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thank you to every one of you who has called for a special session of the Illinois legislature and thank you to everyone fighting for the funds we need instead of just accepting that this proposed budget is the best we can do for Chicago students. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your comments. The next

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union rep is Kia Banks, CPAA president, who is here in person. I have so much to say. However, I'm going to do my best to stay within my five minutes in my prepared remarks. Um, today I come before you to

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ask one question. Are we really okay with this? This board has repeatedly affirmed that equity is the foundation of its work. Yet this fall, 43 schools are scheduled to open without a single assistant principal.

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This data is immensely troubling. These schools are not randomly distributed across our city. Nearly threearters of these schools fall within districts represented by board members Bla1, Biggs, Boille, Dr. VeZ and board member

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Lozano. These schools serve communities where the demand for stable, experienced school leadership is among the greatest. The students attending these schools are on average more than 94% black and

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Latino. and their average opportunity index is approximately 38 with many of those schools having an opportunity index in the 40 indicating that the highest the schools with the highest levels of concentrated need anywhere in

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Chicago public schools are going to face this deficit. And this is not simply a budget decision. This is an equity decision. To board members representing these communities, I ask you to look beyond the spreadsheet

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and consider the daily experience your families will have on the beginning or on the first day of school. Every assistant principal eliminated means one fewer instructional leader coaching teachers. One fewer leader

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responding to student crisis. One fewer trusted adults supporting our families. One fewer administrator ensuring safe school operations. 43 of our schools with some of them being uh having the highest needs won't

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have a trusted partner helping the principal create a joyful, rigorous, healthy, and safe learning environment that every child deserves. The work of leading, supervising, and evaluations won't disappear. The needs

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of our students and staff don't disappear. The accountability does not disappear. the burden is simply shifted onto one person, one principal. That's not a uh that's not about, excuse

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me, this is not about protecting the adult jobs. It's about protecting the daily experience of children and families whose uh families have chosen to remain in Chicago public schools. We spend countless hours asking about why

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enrollment continues to decline. But perhaps we should be asking a different question. What experience are we providing the families who choose to stay? The families like mine, like my daughter, where we still believe in CPS.

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The families who continue investing in their neighborhood schools. the families who are hanging on to hope beyond hope that CPS remains the very best choice for their children. So before I close, I want to acknowledge this board for advancing a resolution

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recognizing the importance of protecting the mental and physical well-being of our teachers, our staff, and our school leader. CPAA sincerely appreciates this recognition. But respectfully, that resolution must become more than words

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on paper. It must confront and codify the systemic practices within our district that create trauma in the first place. We need a shared definition of workplace trauma, a shared understanding of how that harm is experienced by both

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students and adults, and a shared commitment to changing the systems that perpetuate it. Most importantly, we cannot continue to adopt well-intentioned resolutions while simultaneously creating new unfunded,

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undersupported mandates for school leaders to implement. At minimum, 43 schools will begin this year without the leadership capacity necessary to fully deliver on these aspirations. And if we truly want a joyful, healthy

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school, we must first provide schools with the people and the resources needed to make those goals attainable. One year ago, >> seconds remaining. >> I began my term as president of CPAA. I urged this board to begin planning this

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year's budget immediately after approving last year's budget. I warned without structural reform, we would be right back here. And one year later, here we are again. The same uncertainty, the same crisis, the same harmful cuts

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to schools. This board cannot continue putting a band-aid on a structural deficit problem that demands structural solutions. So today, CPAA stands firmly with our brothers and sisters in a unified call on Springfield to do its

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part. And we demand more than just that. We formally request that this board establish a comprehensive budget reform joint task force that meets monthly and includes every CPS labor organization,

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CPS executive leadership, members of this board, the city of Chicago, and our legislative partners both locally in Springfield and in Washington. This charge should be clear. Fundamental reform is how this district builds a

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budget. We must align our expenditures with every available local, state, and federal funding source and increase the transparency and finally end this cycle, this annual cycle of uncertainty and destabilizing our schools. School leaders have done their part.

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>> Your remarks, >> families have done their part. Students have done their part. Now, this board must do theirs. I will quote our own president. We have won $5. We're over here fighting on how we're going to

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split up $5. In reality, we need over $500 million. And we need a reformed budget cycle and structure that does not put us in this situation every year. And we cannot do it by destabling the schools, the leadership structures, and

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the staff that they need to educate our children. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. The last union rep is Tmaine Reeves, SEIU Local 73 executive vice president, who is here in person. Good afternoon, President Harden, board

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members, CEO King. Um, a lot of what I'm going to say is probably going to be repetitive, but it is important. Uh, we all know why we're here. Uh we're currently in a season where CPS has to make tough choices. Um but unfortunately, you know, frontline

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workers, they are the immediate resource to students and when you cut them, uh you're cutting the lifeline and the support of the educational experience for those students. So that should not happen first and foremost. U also

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frontline workers are residents of city of Chicago. they're mandated to be residents as a term and condition of their employment. And so it creates a ripple effect of not only the educational experience, but also, you know, the poverty levels in our communities and it it just reverbs

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throughout the city. And so what we're calling for is Springfield acknowledges that CPS is underfunded by at least $1 billion. SEIU Local 73 is clear in our position that Springfield should fully fund

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Chicago public schools. Our students also need to be uh continued support and funding from the city of Chicago via TIFF funds. There has been a long-standing progressive position that TIF dollars should be used to support public entities and their

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budgets. There should not be a decline in the funding of TIFF dollars to Chicago public schools. A financial commitment from both the state of Illinois via Springfield and the city of Chicago can help avert this disruption to the student learning

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experience and the livelihood of the workers who are negatively impacted by uh these budget cuts. And I do agree with President Banks. We should not be having this same conversation year after year after year. We need an immediate

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resolution as well as a long-term plan uh so that the student experience can continue to grow and thrive. Thank you all. >> Thank you for your comments. President Horn and we're now ready to call registered speakers from the

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speakers list. We'll begin with the uh six speakers from Chicago High School for the arts. Speaker number one, Lindseay Massur. Good afternoon everyone. My name is Lindsay Msur and as an alumni from Shy

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Arts, I am truly grateful that this resolution is being considered. Shy Arts is a great school that is made special through its unique conservatory education as well as its amazing educators. I believe the conservatories and their teachers are the very reason that kids like me who are so passionate

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about their art can look at school through a different lens, which is my why members of the board should vote yes on this resolution. Growing up, school was never something I excelled at. I knew that music was what I wanted to do from a young age. And because of this, I was not very

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motivated to do the work in regular subjects. However, when I got to Shy Arts, I finally started to enjoy school. Even though we still had general academic classes at the beginning of the day, I knew as soon as I had a guitar in my hands at the start of conservatory, everything would be okay. My

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conservatory teachers always pushed me to be the best I could be and never planted a doubt in my mind that I wasn't meant to be a musician. That's why Sher's Conservatories and his teachers have earned the right to stay. It's because of these teachers that I'm now at Berkeley College of Music, where

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I'm finally excelling at school because music is what I truly love to do. And Shy Arts only made me more sure of that. There are so many kids like me who know what they want to do in life already, but feel held back by the lack of affordable quality arts education. Every

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student who attends Shy Arts needs their creative outlet for 3 hours a day so that they can grow as artists. Like me, most of them excel. >> 30 seconds remaining. Most of them excel in their conservatories and become great actors, dancers, musicians, artists, and

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writers. And many go on to traditional programs in college, but some break through and continue with their passion that was only made possible through Shard's conservatory education and its talented teachers. This resolution will restore that core part of Shards that makes it such an amazing place for young

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artists. And it's vital that the district and the CTU work together to implement this resolution so every student can enjoy going to school knowing that they're going to study what they love. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. The next speaker is

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Killian Halbl, speaker number two. >> Thank you. Yeah, I'm Killian Nolan Halblive. I graduated from Shy Arts in 2023. Shy Arts has been part of my family for over a decade. My oldest sister, Katy, started in 2013 and it just went down

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the line till it got to me and uh I always knew that I was going to end up at Shy Arts. It was really the only high school that I applied for. It was the only one that I wanted to go to and being at Shy Arts was a life-defining experience for me because it taught me

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everything I needed to succeed in theater, but also because of the amazing memories I have attached to that place. I wouldn't be where I am without it. When I was looking at colleges, I was planning on going for computer science. Miss Risha Hill, my acting teacher, was the one who convinced me to at least

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audition for acting. And if I hadn't done that, I would have missed a ton of opportunities in college. In three years at UIC, I've been able to perform in seven shows. And this simply wouldn't have happened without the training I received at Shy Arts. Starting in the UI

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UIC BFA program, I felt like I had a leg up over my peers who didn't have pre pre-professional arts training. Shy arts prepared me so well that my entire year of freshman year of college felt like a review. Shy arts's level of training gave me a fantastic foundation and they

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not only taught me to be a great actor, but also to dream and fight for those dreams and it gave me the skills required for that fight. I'm here speaking uh because it's what my grandma Janet Nolan did to fight for her school, Inner American, and what my mom and dad

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did to fight for CVCS. This is my small way of giving back to the school that gave me everything. And I'm sharing this to encourage all board members uh to just consider the resolution proposed. And again, thank you to the board members who uh put this up, this

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proposal up for the resolution. Board member Blae, thank you. Thank you. I'm done. Thank you for your comments. The next speaker is Gabrielle Sangererman, speaker number four. >> Hello, Dr. King, President Harden, and the members of the CPS board of

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education. My name is Gabby Sanjger and last school year I was one of the visual arts instructors at Shy Arts. I'm speaking to you today to remind us all of what has transpired these last months in our efforts to save our school and to urge you to vote yes on the resolution

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at the next board meeting. During this transitionary period, I have been let go from Shy Arts along with 17 academic and at least 50 arts teachers. The community has already already feels the emotional

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effects of these devastating cuts. And on a more practical level, fewer educators means fewer opportunities for our student artists. We already see our program being decimated. But this doesn't have to be the reality

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of our situation. The resolution put forth by member Blae will allow you to restore arts programming and support our scholar artists going into this next school year. Examples of this just from the visual arts department where I taught would look like ensuring specialized classes in sculpture,

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fashion, photography, film, and animation and so much more. Um, on a more schoolwide level, the resolution restores leveled programming for beginner to advanced students regardless of their grade level. And lest we forget the student access to industry events,

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contacts, and just resources in general. The 262 27 school year starts in just over a month. We know Shy Arts will continue to face challenges throughout this transition. But by passing this resolution, you can honor your word of pres of preserving the conservatory and

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give our school a fighting chance. We all agree it deserves. There's no more someday at this point. It's time to decide right now. So, thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your comments. The next speaker, Megan Riley, speaker number five.

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Good afternoon and hello again. My name is Megan Riley. I'm a math teacher at Shy Arts. I'd like to address some concerns, questions, and incorrect information raised today. Uh so, all of your schools have inadequate

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arts funding. Whose fault is that? Not necessarily yours, but you know, broadly speaking, whose fault is that? Um, also Shy Arts does accept students from every ward in Chicago and we prioritize noviceses. So those are the

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students who have not had arts training prior to high school. The Shy Arts Foundation routinely gave $2.5 million annually that they fundraised and kept over a million dollars in overhead. With the

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foundation's doors closed permanently, that money is on the table. investors love this school. With the Shy Arts branch of the Children's First Fund, there's now somewhere for that money to go. Uh that branch only opened in May

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after months of us asking for CPS to create a place for the fundraising to go. Uh originally, I'd hoped to spend a lot of time thanking the board members for their work uh in support of Shy Arts.

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Um, I especially want to highlight those of you who have made the trip down to Springfield to adequate uh advocate for full funding of Illinois schools. And of course for member Blae for this resolution. It means so much to us. >> You have 30 seconds remaining.

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>> Member Blaise's resolution is asking for just one year. One year to get our feet solid. Then we can expand. We can bring not only high school opportunities to all wards, we can bring our programming to more campuses. This resolution is

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just the first step to getting what you want for all of your students. If you keep an eye on New York City, you have seen the tremendous success of Mayor Mandani in closing budget deficits without having to make any cuts to

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public services. That is the kind of leadership that Chicago deserves and that Chicago students deserve from you. Shy arts is not saved without this funding. This is your mom donnie moment. Chicago loses public pre-professional

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art school if shy arts is not truly saved. When the time comes, please vote yes on the resolution for shy arts and be the leaders Chicago deserves. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. The next speaker is Kyle Cortez, speaker number seven, who's joining us virtually.

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Please enter star six to unmute. >> Well, this is Kyle Cortez, >> President Harden, and >> President Harden and Chicago Board of Education. My name is Kyle Anthony Cortez. I'm calling today as a laid-off teaching artist with Shy Arts, an elected member of the school ADLC, and a

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CTu member. Thank you for taking the time to hear our community's petition. Thank you for taking the time to listen. Your specific actions and support have moved us forward on so many items thus far. Today, we humbly ask you to do it again. As you know, at the top of last

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fall semester, former Shy executive director Tina Boyer Brown announced to our community that we, as the educators of Sherts, will not carry on business as usual. Instead, we would be laid off. our school would close and the legacy and value of our arts education. An

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education that is open to all students from all wards of Chicago would be erased from the continuum of free public education to all Chicagoans regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, class, degree of abbleism, nationality, or neighborhood. In just a few board of ed

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sessions, this body voted to preserve our school. We thank you for keeping our school open and keeping our community from being erased. While your vote in the winter preserved the idea of our school, it has left the finer details to work themselves out on a limited budget,

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unfortunately, resulting in plans to gut our academic and our art course offerings. Most importantly, it's left the staff at the school without firm ground to place their feet. The current financial restraints have made it so that our 70 teaching artists were laid off and told to apply for the new 20

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resident artist position with the district with cuts to our pay, cuts to our hours, and the loss of our CTU membership. Being one of the teaching artists in the city to make it through to the next steps of this new district role, I can personally say that I have a lot more questions about what structures

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will be in place in our children's classroom on day one of school, especially if our full-time teaching staff has yet to receive any clear answers and the resident teaching artists have yet to receive even a job offer. With it being the second week of July, time is not on our side. It's

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never been. The SHIE arts resolution presented by board member Bla1 preserves the programming, community, and value brought by Shy Arts to the educational landscape of Chicago while granting our Chicago educational leaders the time that they need to design the flagship fine and performing arts program that

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Chicago's children deserve. It preserves 70 plus teaching positions and jobs for our teachers and administrators. It preserves years of previously developed curriculum, scope and sequence, and institutional knowledge instead of forcing these massive layoffs and replacing effective structure with

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anxiety and chaos. Our leaders at the Department of Arts Education deserve time to get this transition right for the sake of Chicago, the sake of our teachers, and the sake of our children's education. Voting yes to this resolution does precisely that. Thank you for your

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time. >> Thank you for your comments. The last speaker from the Chicago High School for the Arts is Alexis Taylor, speaker number eight, who is joining us virtually. Please enter star six to unmute. >> Hi, my name is Alexis. I proudly belong

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to the third graduating class of Shy Arts. Growing up, I experienced firsthand um on the southside especially uh the consistent decline of arts and literature programs. I went to programs where I watched the kids ahead of me

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have Spanish or music or carpentry even even if it's something that the kids were able to do something with their hands I watched the kids above me have those opportunities where as it was taken away from me and discovering Shri arts was a pivotal

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moment for me and a unique opportunity to join a school that genuinely values and nurtures diverse talents beyond mere and labored logistics. This is a community where students from all backgrounds come together to embrace freedom of speech and creativity.

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My I also experienced Shyart's move being from 35th to now Humble Park. And although that move was very hard for me because I already lived on the south side, I knew it was worth the transition and I knew that the

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school needed a home and a place to actually stay. so that kids like me could still have a place to come to and um actually develop the arts the art skills that they may already have or were interested in. My time at Shards

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has been instrumental in honing my professionalism, teamwork, and collaboration skills through ensemble or doing any >> You have 30 seconds. >> 9 staying up till 9:00 a.m. doing anything um like a monologue.

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And when I learned about the removal about the conservatories, it broke my heart. Children need a supportive environment to develop healthy company mechanisms and explore various career options. Preserving the conservatory is essential to what makes Shy Arts an exceptional school. And what happened to

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prioritizing our students? We should strive to create an environment where every student, especially those without access to excess extensive arts programs, can fully pursue their passions. Many of us have experienced the challenges of losing valuable programs. Yet we still possess the ambition and drive to succeed. There are

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countless success stories from Shy Arts that illustrate the potential within our community. Let's work together to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to to thrive so that they can return and contribute to the legacy that has been built over the last decade. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments.

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Next two speakers are regarding SB560 mental health screenings. Chime a Sony speaker number three. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, please proceed. >> Okay. Good afternoon, President Harden

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and members of the Chicago Board of Education. My name is Chime Sonier with the Chicago Council of Global Affairs Emerging Leaders Program. I'm also the founder of Nigerian Mental Health, which focuses on black, immigrant, and African wellness. And most importantly, I'm a

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former Chicago public school student that face adolescent mental health challenges. Illinois recently became the first state in the nation to pass a law requiring universal mental health screenings in public schools, SB560,

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which is Senate Bill 1560. Right now, we're facing a serious youth mental health crisis in Chicago, which is indicated by a lot of the comments and resolutions that we heard here today. According to the Chicago schools youth risk behavior survey, nearly one in five

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students indicated that they have made a mental health and suicide plan in our middle schools. Too many students are struggling in silence and we're missing a chance to identify and support them early. We have

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a unique window of opportunity to shape implementation of this law that serves and really can connect Chicago's diverse student population. The Illinois State Board of Education will release its guidelines in September and full

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implementation of this law begins in 2027 2028 academic calendar. Chicago is uniquely positioned to lead. We have a mayor who has made mental health a priority through the treatment not trauma initiative, a governor which has

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championed this law, and the Chicago public schools your very own 2029 strategic plan emphasizes student well-being as a priority. Successful implementation of SB560 here can not only help our students, it become a

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national and global model for how large urban districts proactively address mental health. We respectfully ask the Chicago Board of Education to support successful implementation of the law in three ways. First, requesting regular updates on the district's progress

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towards universal mental health screenings at board meetings. >> Please conclude your remarks. >> Second, sending a representative to the inaugural alignment meeting that we are helping prepare and organize this August. and third having a meeting with the superintendent and board chair so we

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can discuss this issue. The well-being and future success of our students depend on it. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you for your comments. Um those who are standing with the speaker, can you please stand along the glass partition on the marked spots because we

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need to keep aisles and exits clear. Thank you. The last speaker from the SB560 group is Vanessa Anderson, speaker number six. And this is the last speaker on the registered speakers list. >> Good afternoon, board president Harden and members of the Chicago Board of

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Education. My name is Vanessa Flores Anderson and I'm with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Emerging Leaders Program. I'm also a sustainability professional, DPS grad, and a mother of two. I'm here today because as part of the emerging

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leaders program project, my team and I realized that Illinois is the first state in the nation and the first jurisdiction worldwide to mandate universal health screenings in schools under SB560. Governor Prris Prrisker last year, all

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um all school districts, including Chicagoland Charter Schools and CPS, must offer annual screenings to students in grades 3 through 12 beginning the next um school year in 2728. As a born and raised Chicago, I take great pride in our worldass city. And

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now more than ever, we need to ensure that the next generation of leaders has equitable access to quality mental health screenings and mental health services. This requires staff, parents, students, and community members to be aware of what the new mental health

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screening policy entails and give feedback on tactical implementation. Think about what our most vulnerable communities in Illinois have experienced within the last few years. a global pandemic, an increase in natural disasters like tornadoes, uh reduced

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funding for federal assistance programs, inhumane and unlawful ice raids, among others. >> You have 30 seconds. >> Our precious youth has faced heightened trauma, fear, and instability. Um Illinois implementation, if done well, will become a proof of concept of

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how governments anywhere can move from reactive crisis response to proactive datainformed resource allocation. So, we humbly ask the Chicago Board of Education to support the successful implementation of SB560

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by requesting number one, regular updates on the district's progress during board meetings, and number two, joining next month's crossf functional alignment meeting with members from mayor's office, CPD, C, CDPH, Shapen Hall, and key community, parent, and

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youth voices so that we can create a partnership that allows Chicago to lead the statewide rollout of this law and your remarks a global model. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments, President Hardin. This concludes public participation. We'll now proceed with the potential

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board reports for consideration at the July 30th, 2026 regular meeting. After each item is presented, board members will have the opportunity to ask their questions and make comments before proceeding to the next item on the

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agenda. Board members, we will begin with the following education items numbers 1 through 4. Starting with number one, amend the fifth final option to renew the intergovernmental agreement with the Department of Family and Support Services.

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Good afternoon. My name is Rebecca Parker. I'm the deputy chief in the Office of Early Childhood. Um, today we are seeking approval to ratify and amend the fifth and final renewal of our intergovernmental agreement with the

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city of Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services. and that is to extend the agreement through August 31st, 2026. This amendment simply extends the current agreement for an additional two months, moving the expiration date from

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June 30th to August 31st, 2026. There is no additional financial impact as the extension remains within the previously approved not to exceed amount of 99.6 million. The purpose of this extension is to provide DFSS and our

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Head Start grantees with the time needed to finalize the systems, contracting structures, and operational processes necessary to successfully transition to the new funding model for our community-based partners. As you recall,

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the board previously approved moving five Head Start grantees from the DFSS agreement to direct CPS contracts. This transition streamlines funding by allowing early childhood block grant dollars to flow directly through the

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Head Start grantees that already oversee these partnerships and that reduces administrative burden while strengthening accountability and coordination. This extension supports the district's five-year vision by ensuring continuity

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of services for children and families, advancing equitable access to highquality early learning opportunities and maintaining a smooth transition with no disruption to providers. If this amendment is not approved, a com

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um our community-based organizations and support providers could experience a lapse in early childhood block grant funding through August 31st, potentially affecting their ability to continue serving prenatal families and children

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from birth through age 5. This request also reflects our commitment to the district's equity framework by ensuring resources continue reaching communities with the greatest need without interruption. It is the it is the result of ongoing collaboration that we have

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with um DFSS, our Head Start grantees and our community-based partners to ensure a coordinated and thoughtful transition into our new funding structure. Thank you for your consideration. Any

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questions? >> Are there any questions or comments from the board? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Item number two, authorize a new agreement with SAGA Innovations, Inc. >> Well, good afternoon, uh, Dr. King,

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President Harden, and esteemed members of the board. My name is Dr. Corey Morrison. I am the executive director of STEM in the department of teaching and learning. I previously presented on this uh as a director of math a few years ago. We are recommending the board authorize a new agreement with Saga

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Innovations to continue high dosage math tutoring services for the next school year. Saga Innovations have been providing high school tutoring in this district since uh school year 2014. The program has been evaluated by University of Chicago Ed Labs and has

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shown results that Saga tutoring has improved not only test scores but grades and reduce course failures. Program significantly supports our 9th and 10th grade students who are in most need of intervention in math. Schools originally selected for this program in 2020 uh

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were selected using our opportunity index to assess the need. Schools have opted into the program year-over-year. We've just completed a six-year contract with Saga and most of those schools are seeking uh this renewal or this new contract. Most students in the program

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are more than two years behind grade level and just under 70% do not receive IEP services. This is the most at risk population of 9th grade students to fail freshman math. And we know that freshman math failures cause us to be off track

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for graduation. In the original study done by Ed Labs, uh the control group grew saw a 5.8 percentile growth compared to 1.4 growth across the district. In our most recent analysis, uh we see roughly 6 percentile

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growth students compared to 1.7 of their Saga peers, students that are in the same building and compared to 1.4 across the district. Nearly 21% of students have moved out of their intervention tier, tier two or tier three. Um moved

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up a level because of this intervention, comparing that to only 12% across the district. So this is our most effective high school intervention for students that are furthest from opportunity. What do principles say about it? Principles say that the Saga tutoring

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program is highly valued. They cannot say enough wonderful things citing the amazing impact on students including clear academic growth building meaningful trusting relationships with tutors boost in confidence and enthusiasm. Uh and another principal looks forward to welcoming Saga back in 2627

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with your support. Student feedback. This is something we're working on, but 54% of students say they'd recommend this program to a peer and they rate their relationship with their tutors is very strong with the average rating over 7 out of 10.

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So, what's at risk? If this is not approved, the 16 schools that are currently utilizing uh Saga Innovation will lose access to their program and they'll lose continuity of programming that they've had since 2020. Wanted to call out one special note

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and I'm trying to find where I put it in my deck. One second. Okay. Align to our black student success plan. This program has done a lot in particular for students all over the district, but black students in particular. 91% of our black students who received SAGA earned

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a C or better in their general math class in 9th grade. Compare that to 75% across the district. Just not thank you for your consideration, >> member Smith.

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>> Thank you. Uh my question is what areas is the Saga program concentrated in? What schools? Uh areas specifically >> around the district. There's 16 schools. They're geographically spread out through all four high school networks.

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>> Okay. And then what kind of math uh does Saga uh find itself mostly focusing on? >> Specializing in algebra but also does tutoring in geometry. As we know those algebra skills kind of transfer um as we go up but their concentration is

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algebra. >> And when you all measure the success of Saga, how is it measured? Is it measured through grade improvement or test scores or both? >> Both. We measure it through students getting a C or better in their core subject math class in ninth grade. We

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also measure it through their growth on their STAR 360 test as it's that's our intervention screener. Okay. Thank you. >> There are no additional comments or questions. Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. >> Item number three, authorizing new

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agreement with Arbita Sports LLC. Good afternoon board members. >> Good afternoon, >> President Harden, CEO King Sedto, Mr. Mayfield. My name is Devon Morales and I am the executive director of CPS Sports,

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Office of Sports Administration and we are recommending the board to renew this for the next board item. We would like to authorize the new agreement for online officiating fee payment services and athletic management

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program. The Office of Sports Administration covers the cost for sports officials at all Chicago public league sporting events and recommends continuing its use as Arbiter Sports as a software system that efficiently

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handles the assignment and payment processes for sports officials. Additionally, Arbiter Sports will provide access to sub accounts for all participating high schools for their sports official payments outside of

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Chicago Public League sporting events as well as software technical support, data reporting and collection of sports officials, referee tax related documents which includes their W9s and dispersements of 1099s. Alberta Sports

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will also provide access to athletic scheduling management software for the district office and sub accounts for Illinois High School Association which is known as the IHSA members. The proposed spend includes the fees to be

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paid for the officials in addition to 2.7% transaction fee paid to the vendor for the processing of payments. Arbiter will be paid 55,000 of the 2.15 million proposed annual

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spend for the management of official payments and another 40,000 for the district and the individual school portals as well as CPS athletics website. The remaining 2,55,000

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is earmarked for direct payments for sports officials. The implications if this agreement is not approved without aer sports the office of sports administration would not have the central platform to simply deposits and make subsequent payments to

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the sports officials referees likewise and we will also lack a central event creation and communication mechanism. This will disrupt the potential of consistent access of contest information for all stakeholders. What's the equity

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focus? Driven by fair pro policies and systems, the agreement with Arborous Sports ensures that scheduling and payment processes are fair and transparent and ensures that all high schools will have access to automated

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web tools to enhance the athletic program management and promotion. There's a vision to connect all this. This will move us into an area where we would modernize technology in the systems. Arbiter sports which is userfriendly software simplifies

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operations and reduce busy work so we can focus on the efficiency, compliance and the promotion of our sports programs as well as fostering growth in our students through intercolastic sports participation. Our

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key performance indicator indicators centrally scheduling 100% of the Chicago public league contest for public access along with school notifications of official assignments and then successfully complete 100% of online

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payments to these officials. basis for our recommendations. It's efficient, it's controlled, it's streamlined, and we'll have access from the Office of Sports Administration. We'll also be employing this digital

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platform as a single sports database. >> This is where all of the schedules, the payments for referees will live. And finally, uh, procurement negotiated a 5% reduction in fees charged to the vendor so that we can carry on with this

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platform. Thank you, >> member Brown. >> Yes, sir. Thank you for your presentation, sir. Um, so I just want to make sure I'm wondering does this connect to um

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the access to film that student athletes have. I I what I'm hearing is a system to pay referees and things like that. But when you're talking about the improvement in digital services, does it connect to that? >> No, that is huddle. What you're talking about, Mr. U G2 Brown, board member

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Brown, that's huddle. This is Arbiter Sports. Arbiter Sports deal with the management of scheduling games, uh, scheduling referees, paying referees. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Huddle. Yeah. >> Um, well, connected, I guess, but not connected. I

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would you be open to meeting with me around um just two things. the what I've noticed is um a system where

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high school athletes or individual schools are kind of on their own when it comes down to like college opportunities for young people. Um whereas when you go to other cities sometimes the public schools coalesce and then they make sure that it's not just their individual schools but they

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they they they try to look out for all the children that are college athletic ready. Uh I kind of went through that through a personal experience and and then there are young people that I'm still trying to help now that really should be playing in college but there's no system to really support them. So I'm

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just wondering um I'd be open to meeting with you about that. And then also I want to there are there are a number of youth football leagues in Chicago where the talent gets poached by the

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suburban schools, right? And so like Mount Carmel goes to the youth football leagues whether it's the Windy City Dolphins, whether it's the Jokers, whether it's Lafallet Park, whether it's North Londale, and they go there and

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>> Yeah. And then and they end up getting the talent where these young people should be feeding into Chicago public schools, right? Um, and and I'm I'm sharing it with you because like when I was young, um, we didn't have youth football and and the first access we had

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to it was like 14 or 15 years old. So, so forgive me for the bully pulpit, but I just want to be able to have the opportunity to sit down with you all and chop that up. >> Yeah, definitely. We'll uh work with the board office, schedule that meeting, get on the calendar. We'll make that happen. >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you for that. Gratitude

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>> member Ben. >> So um this contract is with Arbiter to provide a platform for payment for the the refs and the and and the other officials. Um 55,000 goes to Arbiter. The rest is to

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hire the refs and the officials. How how does that process work of hiring that that staff? So it's it's twofold. So the first part we must go through the recruitment phase of looking for referees who are available during our seasons. Then the

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second part is onboarding them via the HR process where background checks are done those types of things. And then that's the second part. And once that is done then they're issued a number. uh we we validate and make sure that they have all the IHSA trainings in that sport and

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then they are uploading to the system once we verify those are done and they they are given they're assigned a number where we use that number in the arbittor system to assign games uh take them away from games if there's a conflict and pay them. >> So CPS staff still manages all that

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portion and they feed them into the arbiter system for processing. >> Correct. Gotcha. Coot. Thank you very much for your presentation. Item number four, resend and adopt a new

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option school academic accountability I'm sorry accountabilility policy. Good afternoon board members, CPS leadership. Hope you're enjoying your summer. My name is Molly Melichek. I am the director of authorization and school

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options in the options network in the office of network support. Today we are recommending the board to rescend board report 230928-P3 and adopt a new option school academic accountability policy. This policy

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change is far more than a procedural update. It's a long awaited fulfillment of our commitment to provide a rigorous, transparent, and equitable accountability system for our district's most vulnerable students. Following the board's authorization in May, this

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policy underwent a 30-day public comment period from May 29th to June 29th. And as a reminder, this framework applies uniformly to all charter contract, excuse me, and ALAP option schools and will directly inform future renewal

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decisions. For the last four years, our option schools have operated under a temporary placeholder policy. Our students, 95% of whom are African-American and Latinx, deserve stability, not temporary measures. They

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deserve a permanent policy grounded in national best practices that drives real school improvement and reflects the high expectations we hold for every child in Chicago. This policy was not developed in a vacuum. Over the past year, we've

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engaged 100% of the options schools impacted. We've conducted a national landscape scan on alternative school accountability, held in-depth empathy interviews with school leaders, facilitated technical feedback and co-design sessions with school and

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operator leaders, hosted town halls with all school staff, and engaged over 100 current, inactive, and alumni students, parents, and community members. The result is a policy that approaches accountability through an equity lens,

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refusing to lower standards while introducing a model that incentivizes schools to support students facing the most severe systemic barriers. In the proposed policy, we have refined some of the metrics. We've introduced

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tailored support tiers and we've added subpopul adjustments. These adjustments recognize the unique barriers our students experience and drive tailored interventions to help support students overcome those barriers. These adjustments only result in a boost to

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the school's final score and will never be a penalty. We carefully reviewed all feedback from the public comment window. And in our thorough analysis, it revealed that the criticisms were highly concentrated, very duplicative, and centered around

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operational anxieties rather than systemic flaws and do not represent widespread public disagreement. Crucially, the core concerns raised sun from fundamental misunderstandings of the policy as well as the tools and

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resources provided by the district. For example, cons excuse me, concerns were raised regarding real time data access. The reality is that CPS already provides data tools and dashboards for these metrics and subopuls.

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The policy isn't the barrier. Rather, it's the operational execution and the externally imposed restrictions from district provided resources. We believe that the themes identified in the comments are actually reflective of

459
02:17:15.920 --> 02:17:32.240
a meaningful engagement and co-design process because they represent technical misunderstandings that the district is already very well equipped to address. Because every concern raised has been thoroughly addressed in your briefing materials and because the feedback

460
02:17:32.240 --> 02:17:49.920
highlighted technical misunderstandings rather than systemic flaws, we are recommending no uh changes to the policy language. While we are confident in the framework, we also recognize that clear communication is the key to success. So

461
02:17:49.920 --> 02:18:07.280
moving forward, we will continue to engage deeply with our schools and our stakeholders to ensure they have a clear understanding of the policy. To ensure a smooth transition, schools will receive unofficial scores and designations based on school year 2526 data. This allows

462
02:18:07.280 --> 02:18:24.639
them to analyze the data and deliver targeted interventions for the 2627 school year. The data analysis will be amplified by the launch of our new PowerBI data suite tool that is built specifically to support the implementation of this policy.

463
02:18:24.639 --> 02:18:40.559
This policy honors our students by refusing to equate vulnerable with low expectations and standards. A delay in the adoption of this policy would force the district to continue using the placeholder policy for another full academic year.

464
02:18:40.559 --> 02:18:57.880
We're really proud of this framework and confident it will drive the outcomes our students deserve. And I will now open it up for questions. >> Be careful what you ask for. >> Are there any comments or questions?

465
02:18:58.160 --> 02:19:16.599
>> You are spared. Thank you. >> Have a great day. Thanks >> board members. We will continue with the following office of student health and wellness item number five. Resend and adopt new concuss concussion management policy.

466
02:19:22.960 --> 02:19:40.319
Good afternoon board members, President Harden, CEO King, Chief Assaf, and of course Chief Mayfield as well. My name is Ken Papano where I currently serve as both our director for our healthc care delivery systems uh and the acting

467
02:19:40.319 --> 02:19:55.760
executive director here in our office of student health and wellness. Joining me is Miss Cass Cassie Griffith who is our program manager for health related policy. We are recommending that the board uh

468
02:19:55.760 --> 02:20:16.000
resend board report 18-0822-P3 concussion management policy and adopt a new concussion management policy. This new concussion management policy will move from primarily being student athlete focused to be more inclusive and

469
02:20:16.000 --> 02:20:33.120
equitable representing all students which includes the create. This will also include the creation of a district level concussion oversight committee to ensure concussion guidelines are updated in a timely manner consistently adhere to across the

470
02:20:33.120 --> 02:20:50.399
district. This policy was open for public comment from May 29th, 2026 to June 29, 2026. There was one public comment that was received and that uh public comment was in support of revising the policy

471
02:20:50.399 --> 02:21:05.600
as part of the board's bienial review process. The concussion management policy was last updated in 2018 and that's one of the main reasons why this policy was reviewed. As a result of the review, ownership of the policy was

472
02:21:05.600 --> 02:21:22.800
transferred from sports administration to the office of student health and wellness where it's being aligned to evidence-based best practices and provide pathways for concussion management. Again, with a focus on all students.

473
02:21:22.800 --> 02:21:37.280
During this process, multiple sources of evidence and feedback were sought, including peer-reviewed articles, meetings with various internal and external stakeholders such as specialized physicians, athletic

474
02:21:37.280 --> 02:21:55.439
trainers, parents, coaches, nursing, sports administration, the office of students for disabilities, risk, and representatives of high-risisk settings where concussions are most likely to occur. This process led to a comprehensive policy that also entails a

475
02:21:55.439 --> 02:22:12.640
structure and process for the reporting of concussion and the support that CPS should be providing. Since this policy was last presented, the OSHW has been undergoing an internal and strategic communication plan to inform

476
02:22:12.640 --> 02:22:29.600
schools of the policy change. The plan includes but is not limited to meeting with chiefs to inform them of the policy. providing written guidance to principles. And then future looking, we're looking at providing more education to our

477
02:22:29.600 --> 02:22:52.399
school nurses regarding the guidance, engaging with community partners to push in and provide concussion education to parents as this is a need identified in the stakeholder engagement sessions. The committee will review the current

478
02:22:52.399 --> 02:23:08.720
policy guidance and work to provide recommendations on concussion prevention in CPS schools. If the new policy is not approved, then the district will lack clear evidence-based guidance on best practices for supporting students who

479
02:23:08.720 --> 02:23:24.720
experience uh concussions and how to support those students returning to school or play after a concussion diagnosis. Our equity focus uh relates to providing direct resource equity for

480
02:23:24.720 --> 02:23:40.560
fair policies and systems by increasing the knowledge of life-saving methods across the district and creating safer school environments for all students by ensuring consistent guidance on response to injury. And in our community perspective

481
02:23:40.560 --> 02:23:55.680
concerns, the OSHW con conducted 20 stakeholder engagement sessions with a total of 64 participants. Stakeholders included school staff, community partners, medical providers, and parents.

482
02:23:55.680 --> 02:24:11.760
And our connection to vision includes uh um connectedness and well-being, safety, and support. And with that, I'll I'll entertain any questions. members echo.

483
02:24:11.760 --> 02:24:29.040
>> Um yeah, could you just share um how often concussions are occurring outside of athletics? >> Unfortunately, we can't uh give you a a quantitative figure there. Um the current systems in CPS don't allow us to

484
02:24:29.040 --> 02:24:46.399
quantify to arrive at that. We would have to actually do a qualitative review of both paper documentation and some electronic systems. And concussion is a medical diagnosis. So you would have to have that

485
02:24:46.399 --> 02:25:07.120
documentation on file within either the local school or the electronic system used by the district versus the number of incidences where a head injury or symptoms are being observed. Member Smith.

486
02:25:07.120 --> 02:25:23.520
>> Yes. Is there going to be a cost to retraining the nursing staff, retraining other staff members on this uh new guidance? >> And if so, what is it? >> Yeah, the the cost would be in terms of staff time. So, uh we have a variety of

487
02:25:23.520 --> 02:25:39.600
inind providers that will donate their time to provide the educational materials. Uh the cost is the time it would take one of our staff members to participate in the training. >> Yeah. And you just said they're donating the time

488
02:25:39.600 --> 02:26:05.200
>> in kind. Correct. >> Okay. Great. Thank you. >> Thank you for your presentation. >> This concludes the first portion of the board reports on the public agenda. We'll now move it to a short recess. Board member Lozano, do you have motion?

489
02:26:05.200 --> 02:26:21.920
>> Yes. Uh, Mr. President, I move that the board take a 30 minute recess. >> Is there a second? >> So move. >> I second. >> Thank you. We'll now proceed with the electronic voting. Board members, please

490
02:26:21.920 --> 02:27:13.840
cast your vote. Voting is closed. The eyes have it. 17 eyes, zero nays, zero abstension. This motion is adopted by the board. This meeting will now go into a 30 minute recess. Board members will now proceed with the potential board reports for

491
02:27:13.840 --> 02:27:31.520
consideration at the July 30, 2026 regular meeting. After each item is presented, board members will have the opportunity to ask their questions and make comments before proceeding to the next item on the agenda. Board members, we will continue with the

492
02:27:31.520 --> 02:27:53.439
following finance items numbers 6 through 8. We'll begin with number six. Resolution adopting the annual school budget for fiscal year 2027. Hi, good afternoon everybody. Wally stock the district treasurer and acting

493
02:27:53.439 --> 02:28:09.120
CFO. Actually have the next three items. So, I'm going to try to go through the three of them and then answer questions at the back. I think it'll be more efficiently for us. So, at the July 30th board meeting, we're going to be presenting the district's FY27 operating

494
02:28:09.120 --> 02:28:26.160
budget, and it includes the authority for debt service payments. And then we're also going to be presenting the FY27 capital budget for approval. So, they're two separate resolutions to consider, the operating and the capital.

495
02:28:26.160 --> 02:28:42.720
So once approved, these budgets provide us the legal basis to appropriate the funds for the operating the capital and the debt service for fiscal year 27. Prior to the meeting on the 30th,

496
02:28:42.720 --> 02:28:58.479
uh the full budget documents are going to be released. We're still targeting July 15th and we're also going to have multiple public hearings regarding both of the budgets. we typically do this and that's going to be during the week of the 20th.

497
02:28:58.479 --> 02:29:14.560
So I anticipate there will be two for the operating and two to three for the capital. As you know, we've also been conducting a series of community roundts across the city of Chicago on the budget. We've had

498
02:29:14.560 --> 02:29:30.319
five so far in total. We've had hundreds of citizens across the city, students, parents come to these meetings. It's been great. We had one last night at Roosevelt High School on the near north side. We have one more remaining on the

499
02:29:30.319 --> 02:29:48.640
13th. So, a total of six this year that we've had. And I think they they the public's been appreciative and it's been good dialogue. Uh I've also, you know, discussed recently at the June board meeting and other 5x5s

500
02:29:48.640 --> 02:30:05.280
that we're having significant cash flow pressures driven by the ongoing Cook County property tax distribution delays and another distribution delay that's going to occur where we should have been getting paid in August, but now we're

501
02:30:05.280 --> 02:30:20.720
going to projected to be paid sometime in October. We're still not sure about that. So legally we must pass the budget by August 30th. However, to maintain our operations

502
02:30:20.720 --> 02:30:35.359
beyond August and bridge this upcoming property tax delay, we are requesting that the board consider the budget uh the TANS. There's a TANS program for borrowing associated with FY27 and then

503
02:30:35.359 --> 02:30:56.479
and then the property tax levy. So, you know, you may ask, I think we had this question last time, why, you know, if you're having cash flow issues in September, why can't we wait till August? Uh, we we do need a window of time to be able to put the programs together. So, I've been continuing to

504
02:30:56.479 --> 02:31:11.760
talk to banks, but I have to put cash flows together. I, you know, I have to have the budget structure together for them. So, I have to have a number of different things and then they have to take it through their own channels of credit review and committees in order to give the approvals. Then we have to draw up legal documents. Then we have to

505
02:31:11.760 --> 02:31:28.000
arrange for signing. So, it's a whole myriad of things that has to be done similar to if we've ever gone through a a home mortgage closing. It's just as painful. So, I need a small window of time to be able to do that, but we will do it in a in a quick manner. The proposed operating budget is facing

506
02:31:28.000 --> 02:31:43.600
a deficit in excess of $700 million as we discussed and we must legally balance it. So, we've been working through the deficit reduction. Uh we're making progress and I believe we will achieve the goal. The operating budget is going

507
02:31:43.600 --> 02:32:01.520
to be approximately $ 8.5 billion and that's without the underlying debt service budget. That's another $900 million. And then we have the capital budget as well. That's approximately $600 million and with that $525 million will be

508
02:32:01.520 --> 02:32:18.880
funded by bonds and another $75 million is projected to be financed with outside sources such as tiff revenue or state of Illinois grants that we get. So overall the total budget amounts for 27 are approaching or just over $10

509
02:32:18.880 --> 02:32:35.359
billion. and the budget that we will propose um is going to reflect resource allocation decisions aligned with our 5-year strategic plan. So, we're always trying to be grounded in that. We know that there's a lot of um folks that

510
02:32:35.359 --> 02:32:50.720
aren't too happy about the the reductions, but we're trying to do them strategically in a way that it maintains the resources for the classroom in the best possible way for all our students. So then the next uh item is the property

511
02:32:50.720 --> 02:33:06.160
tax levy. >> If I can interrupt and just read the titles for seven and eight since you're presenting on both. Um seven, resolution levying property taxes and authorizing and directing the filing of a controller certificate for the fiscal year 2027.

512
02:33:06.160 --> 02:33:21.520
And item number eight, resolution authorizing the issuance of educational purposes, tax anticipation warrants, and notes in a maximum principal amount not to exceed $1 bill650 million outstanding.

513
02:33:21.520 --> 02:33:37.760
>> Thank you. So the overall tax levy request this year will be $4.28 billion and it consists of uh several parts. This is similar to what we do each year.

514
02:33:37.760 --> 02:33:54.399
There is a education purposes levy. That's the lion share of the levy. That's 3.439 billion. And then there's a workers compensation portion that is 85.8 billion or million. These are million.

515
02:33:54.399 --> 02:34:09.680
Uh and then there's a capital improvements levy that is 29.4 million. So we do get to levy some property taxes for capital improvements. Uh there's approximately $90 million that's on the levy right now for bonds that have been

516
02:34:09.680 --> 02:34:25.040
issued. We have a billion dollars in bonds, but the board doesn't need to reauthorize that. Those were filed at inception each time we did a bond issue and they're there. Um this 29.9 million is extra amount that's allowed that we use for ongoing capital improvements.

517
02:34:25.040 --> 02:34:41.040
And then uh the last part of the levy I think is an important one. It is the teachers pension levy and that is going to be $652 million for this year. And you know the overall levy amount is a

518
02:34:41.040 --> 02:34:55.840
key assumption in the FY27 budget, right? So when we talk about the $700 million plus deficit, it takes into consideration levying up to the tax cap. Taxes make up approximately 60% of our

519
02:34:55.840 --> 02:35:12.800
operating revenues and each year we must approve a new tax levy. It's really the only lever that we have to be able to increase revenues. We rely on the state and the federal government. We know federal government's basically flat and the state is doing a marginal amount to

520
02:35:12.800 --> 02:35:30.399
improve what we get each year. I want you to keep in mind that the levy is restricted by something called the property tax extension limitation law. It's called PEL for short. And so what it means is we can only increase up to the lesser amount of 5% or the rate of

521
02:35:30.399 --> 02:35:45.600
inflation. And typically it's the rate of inflation. It's the consumer price index for a year looking backwards. So for the upcoming FY27 that's 2.7% is what we get to increase by.

522
02:35:45.600 --> 02:36:01.120
Uh the dollar amount of the increase is always an estimate also because you know we attempt to ask for an amount um and then let Cook County do the calculations about you know well they still haven't done the calculations this year so it it

523
02:36:01.120 --> 02:36:18.399
should be within a year but we don't know but Cook County ultimately will do the calculations that will reduce what our request is down to be within the limits of the pel. The exception and why we ask for a little bit more is because there's a consideration for new property growth also that is outside the tax cap.

524
02:36:18.399 --> 02:36:34.399
So you can think about that in terms of we we have a lot of discussion about tiffs and we know that they exist but they also expire. So if a if a major tiff comes off the rolls that's new property we get the tax on that outside of the cap. So we want to make sure that we're doing that because a lot of these

525
02:36:34.399 --> 02:36:51.359
are commercial properties that can afford the taxes. So again, it's it's an increase. It's going to be reduced. I think it's just important to mention to you that this is an estimate because again, we don't have this year, but I'm estimating it that it's $180 million request larger over

526
02:36:51.359 --> 02:37:08.439
the prior year. If you think about the 2.7% over the prior year, that's only 110. Well, I shouldn't say only, it's $110 million, but there's there's a delta there between the request and then what county will do the calculation on.

527
02:37:08.720 --> 02:37:26.240
So overall, I think then depending on the outcome of the final levy this year, you know, the impact to taxpayers, if they don't have an increase in their property value, it could be could be flat. Um, but if they have changes in their home values and we don't have an

528
02:37:26.240 --> 02:37:45.200
increase in our overall EAV, you know, you could see something like a $ 15 to $20 increase for a $250,000 home. So then on the tans, that would be the last item here. So again, this is an item that we've we've brought to the board for many years now. Um, you know,

529
02:37:45.200 --> 02:38:01.040
we were recently uh here in I think December asking for an increase in the authorization for the TANS amount, but you know, this is the underlying uh way that we make the liquidity work. So the taxes only come in twice a year when they're delayed, but payroll is

530
02:38:01.040 --> 02:38:17.040
happening. Don't have enough resources. So, we need to pull on the tans as we're now facing this delay the property taxes. Again, we're max going to be maximized out on what our 26 program is. That's why we need to get the 27 program going.

531
02:38:17.040 --> 02:38:33.680
So, we're asking for 1.65 billion in authorization. I'm trying to hedge a little bit if there's another delay that happens in the spring and I don't want to have to come back to the board. I'd like to have the tools to be able to take care of that. Uh the cash flows are also a key consideration. Once we get

532
02:38:33.680 --> 02:38:49.120
the budget done and I can do the cash flows, then we can understand how much liquidity we actually need to make it through if the 1.25 is is enough or not. But we'll be trying to put a program together and not exceed the 1.25 billion. I think that's important for the markets to understand that that

533
02:38:49.120 --> 02:39:04.880
we're not sliding and doing more borrowing. We want to be steady Eddie and we want to increase or decrease our borrowing. So be I've been currently talking with three large banks about uh the program getting indications but you know they're awaiting more details on

534
02:39:04.880 --> 02:39:25.560
things. So I I expect that um you know with with things progressing here we'll be able to do that and you know I can report back to you on on where we're at with that. But thank you for your consideration. I don't know if there's any other questions or anything. >> Open it up for questions.

535
02:39:33.280 --> 02:39:48.080
or member Gutierrez. >> Wally, thank you for presenting. Um, pretty bleak picture for us, but a lot of hard work I know that you and the team have been doing. Um, question for you as we saw an increase in our debt

536
02:39:48.080 --> 02:40:06.399
service this year. Um and you and we unfortunately h are faced with a probably worse fiscal picture this year given the news that we received from the county a couple of weeks ago. Um ballpark for us what next year potential

537
02:40:06.399 --> 02:40:21.760
debt service could be. Um because I don't see it going down or will it? >> Uh so that's a that's a great question. And I I think I would just like to to center us in the fact of what occurred with the 26 budget, right? So we bought

538
02:40:21.760 --> 02:40:37.840
re we brought we had been holding off on a refinancing opportunity. We couldn't do it legally. The market wasn't cooperating, but we were heavily monitoring it. Right. So we refinanced a billion dollars in debt. The largest issue that the district has ever done.

539
02:40:37.840 --> 02:40:52.800
that brought in and in a combination of some other reserves that we had a set aside that brought 180 I believe 100 no maybe $190 million to the table. So essentially the payments in in 26 were

540
02:40:52.800 --> 02:41:10.399
pushed down by nearly $200 million. So but the payments overall are kind of in a >> slightly increasing each year especially with each new bond. They're not dramatically increasing but that's what made it increase a little bit more. So, it was a solution to help the close the

541
02:41:10.399 --> 02:41:26.240
budget. It avoided additional reductions in the classroom, but it's non it was nonstructural. So, it comes back. So, you know, if we continue to pull rabbits out of the hat to say they're non-structural, they only come back to bite us in the next year, right? So, that's why we're trying to do as much as

542
02:41:26.240 --> 02:41:41.920
we could do this year. I know it's been difficult. We're trying to do structural things along with lobbying for revenue so that it does reduce what it is that we have in the outlying years. But there's certain contractual agreements that we have. You know, no disrespect to

543
02:41:41.920 --> 02:41:57.600
any of our labor partners, but we have colas that we have to pay. These these don't keep up with the rate of inflation in what we get from the state and what we can levy for. Right. So, the debt service I it'll it's not it's not going to be another $200 million jump in the

544
02:41:57.600 --> 02:42:14.479
debt service. >> And then the the Can you repeat the number that you said? Um, our property levy went up by your anticipated to do. >> Yeah. So, we we we requested a levy last

545
02:42:14.479 --> 02:42:31.600
last year. It's still not finalized. Um, and so that makes it a little bit difficult and now we're requesting another number and so we're kind of but uh it's approximately $180 million, right? But I we won't get the whole

546
02:42:31.600 --> 02:42:50.439
entire $180 million. And the 2.7% over the prior year was $110 million. So somewhere between 110 and $180 million is what we will realize in new revenue. >> Thank you.

547
02:42:53.359 --> 02:43:09.359
>> Or member Bannon. is are we still waiting on some of the spring property tax receivables? >> Yes. Um thank you for asking. Yes, we are. Um we've been having open dialogue with the

548
02:43:09.359 --> 02:43:27.520
county uh the treasur's office and uh so we we did get some revenue in on um 630 but you know there's a gross amount that you know that levy was finalized right so we know we should get

549
02:43:27.520 --> 02:43:42.640
historically 98% tax collections um and because that levy is 55% of the final for last year, right? So, we know what the dollar amount of that levy should be and we have had not even 90%

550
02:43:42.640 --> 02:43:59.040
tax collections. We're at 87% overall. Never have ever been like that in the city of Chicago as long as I've ever been doing this. During the 2007 2008 years when we had the mortgage and loan crisis, the tax collection rate got down to 95%. But it's never been this low.

551
02:43:59.040 --> 02:44:15.680
So, something is a mix there. That is a gross number. uh of like $294 million and with a a 5% loss it's something like $180 million. >> So do we know if those tax bills have

552
02:44:15.680 --> 02:44:32.560
been paid and the money is sitting in Cook County Treasurer's bank account or >> I I don't have any transparency into any of that. We you know we don't we don't get we don't get the reporting structure that the county typically allows is down as well. >> Sure. Um,

553
02:44:32.560 --> 02:44:48.560
there could be people that took uh loans uh that the treasurer's office offered. There could be people who are delinquent in paying. Um, but it's pretty astounding that there would be that much that didn't pay. That's never happened.

554
02:44:48.560 --> 02:45:04.160
So, there's there needs there I believe again like there's some reconciliation issue going on there at the county level. We continue to discuss that with them. Um, One last question unless someone else has a question want to can you just

555
02:45:04.160 --> 02:45:22.479
summarize um in general how you've gone about balancing the budget this year uh on spending reductions versus new revenue or increased revenue would be more versed at this than I am. Emil is out ill today but let me let me

556
02:45:22.479 --> 02:45:39.920
try to attend. So I mean we have been with the team internally looking at the work on the budget really since you know January February really hard right uh department budgets a key thing right so going through the department budgets

557
02:45:39.920 --> 02:45:54.000
trying to start with a kind of a zerobased uh idea about the budgets and building the budgets up from what is essential to providing the resources the classrooms for our students And that resulted in,

558
02:45:54.000 --> 02:46:10.399
you know, some reductions. Um then, you know, with uh other revenue strategies and things like that, like are we missing and these aren't things that are going to close the $700 million gap by themselves, but looking at things like Medicaid and hey, can we can we squeeze

559
02:46:10.399 --> 02:46:26.399
another $20 million out of Medicaid? Can we can we put resources on that? You know, things like that. Can we look at other grants that we're missing? Right. Um so look looking at all our revenue streams to what we can control other things. Um and then looking at kind of the expenditures from the department I

560
02:46:26.399 --> 02:46:41.600
think that was the basis of what it was but it still was a pretty daunting uh number right so um then something that we haven't done just looking at you know what what what can we do in the schools right and what's the least impact and

561
02:46:41.600 --> 02:46:58.479
you know knowing that um we did add not you know close to 9700 positions since 2019 and knowing that you know majority of our expenses are related to labor. Um, that's what's kind of come in into focus

562
02:46:58.479 --> 02:47:14.479
a little bit with gently trying to to push that envelope, but I know I know it's difficult, but that's that's what we've been trying to do. So, some of the I think you've all seen this because you you know, you all are in different districts and you have your schools that are in your districts and I'm I'm sure you're communicating with them about what losses and things that they've had.

563
02:47:14.479 --> 02:47:32.319
So, we've tried to, you know, equitably try to preserve some of the things that we did. So, the foundation formulas, right? So every school with the 10 uh students regardless of your size, right? So um and then and then looking at the 250, you know, and more and looking at

564
02:47:32.319 --> 02:47:48.240
those, you know, allocations based on um you know, student um teacher ratio and and gently trying to bring those down by one with, you know, still quite a bit left in what was outlined as I understand it in the contract. Right. So

565
02:47:48.240 --> 02:48:03.040
I think we could still go up higher. We did not do that. We only moved I think ratios generally up like one notch and then that resulted in sort of uh some attrition that was kind of happening in the system. So we've been working through that of course the principal

566
02:48:03.040 --> 02:48:20.160
discussion right but uh the assistant principal rather um but again trying to say you could still have a principal you just have discretionary funds like you have to just keep in mind that schools get their positions they also have a large amount of discretionary funds too. So, it's just opportunity costs for them

567
02:48:20.160 --> 02:48:36.640
or decisions that that they're making. So, um yeah, I think those are the the key things that we're, you know, trying to do um and and where we're at and still having discussions about with the city. Um, we have a low tiff number into

568
02:48:36.640 --> 02:48:52.960
the the equation, but we're not trying to be aggressive and tell the city they have to do something, but you know, we're trying to be diplomatic and have discussions and see if that might might be a possibility to raise that number up from a 100 million to close the gap as well. So, those are, you know, at a high

569
02:48:52.960 --> 02:49:08.240
level, I hope that's helpful. That's what comes to mind. Yeah, I think mostly I just want to emphasize and bring into focus the fact that from my understanding is we're balancing the budget largely through cuts and efficiencies as opposed to increases in

570
02:49:08.240 --> 02:49:23.600
revenue. And I think that's it's unfortunate we have to do that, but we're doing the responsible thing and and um you know doing the hard making the hard choices and you're doing the hard hard work and Dr. King is making hard choices to uh bring the budget into balance and uh uh I just wanted to

571
02:49:23.600 --> 02:49:42.319
highlight that. Thank you. appreciate >> board member Brown. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Um, sir, could you share with me in um in really plain terms how many u assistant principal positions

572
02:49:42.319 --> 02:49:59.760
are we losing in this proposed budget? >> I think that number is somewhat fluid. I I'm sorry I don't quite have it. I could get back to I know there's been some articles written in things, but I'm not sure that they're accurate. Um, >> okay. Well, maybe you or Dr. King, if you could.

573
02:49:59.760 --> 02:50:18.040
>> I'm really interested in in in just the total number of losses that we're anticipating in regards to assistant principles, classroom teachers, seekers, TAs. Um, I'm just I'm just wondering what

574
02:50:19.200 --> 02:50:35.439
what what we're hearing from the schools in our district. It feels a lot more traumatic than kind of when we're in conversation um with uh district folks here at the district. >> Yeah. >> And maybe because they are the ones who

575
02:50:35.439 --> 02:50:51.120
are there and they're feeling it. And so I'm just concerned uh and want to see if there you know what other alternatives can we look at >> if it's increasing the amount of the tax anticipation note if it's because I feel

576
02:50:51.120 --> 02:51:08.560
like we we're confronted with a challenge and that challenge is if we keep on doing what we've been doing we're going to keep get what we've been getting and so every year we'll be looking at some budget crisis that has an astronomical number and I don't think we have a choice at this like we have to

577
02:51:08.560 --> 02:51:23.200
tie a tourniquet in the wound and we have to heal it and and and I think so I I do agree with um really pushing uh the mayor's office for more tiff funds,

578
02:51:23.200 --> 02:51:38.640
but I also agree with the other other um aspect of that and I there's been plenty of conversation about that today in regards to the state of Illinois. I just don't think there's any other way to look at this. Um, and as we sit here as a board, we'll have different interests

579
02:51:38.640 --> 02:51:55.200
coming to us, but we didn't create this, right? And and I think so there there's a, you know, I want to say this from this space. I'm issuing a challenge to all of those leaders who come to the board meeting and who

580
02:51:55.200 --> 02:52:12.160
talk to us about the budget we should be we should be passing. I think they should also be focusing on working together around a visionary solution. And um because if we work together then I think what we'll have is a lot is is a

581
02:52:12.160 --> 02:52:29.920
lot more productive than just what we're dealing with right now. So I'm I'm talking to the principles association. I'm talking to SEIU. I'm talking to Chicago teachers union. I'm talking to Chicago public schools. I'm talking to the city of Chicago. I'm

582
02:52:29.920 --> 02:52:45.120
talking to community based organizations all over this city. that the time for working in silos, that's not leadership. That's the status quo. The time for coming together around a a solution that truly takes into

583
02:52:45.120 --> 02:53:02.479
account what's happened in this city and in this state. I would like you to be able to present a much happier picture. >> I would too. >> Yeah. and and so but so I I just think there's work that need that is that is required of us that takes us out of that

584
02:53:02.479 --> 02:53:19.760
old Chicago this is my corner of the sandbox type of thinking. Um, and so again, thank you for your presentation, but I'm I'm just I'm curious to what the real numbers look like in regards to the total losses.

585
02:53:19.760 --> 02:53:34.960
And then I'm also interested in any other alternatives. Like I said, could it be an increase in the tax anticipation notes in addition with increased tiff revenue? Could it be cuts in other places other

586
02:53:34.960 --> 02:53:52.640
than the classroom? Could it be not cutting but reassigning central office to be in the schools? What are other options that we have as opposed to making these cuts when we've made so much progress?

587
02:53:52.640 --> 02:54:09.040
And so, thank you for giving me a moment. >> Uh, Dr. Can, would you like to respond? >> Thank you, G2, for that question. And board member Brown, >> G2 is fine. >> Okay. and we will follow up with that number. But I just want to uh confirm

588
02:54:09.040 --> 02:54:25.680
what was stated. That number is fluid. And so you all asked about appeals and those appeals were coming through. We we we we re we we re we added another $5 million to the budget in appeals. as we

589
02:54:25.680 --> 02:54:42.080
looked at those schools individually because what we are one CPS and so what happens we ultimately own all of the impacts but we have to remember that when schools receive their budgets they make a decision on what

590
02:54:42.080 --> 02:54:58.080
positions and what will stay and so principles have always had the op not always I we can validate well I can confirm how many years they've had to liquidate an AP What makes this year feel different is

591
02:54:58.080 --> 02:55:14.240
that we remove the foundational in an effort to be more efficient with the dollars. And so in doing so, we look at the entire school program and we'll welcome any one-on-one deep dive. We looked into the schools that we know

592
02:55:14.240 --> 02:55:30.319
that have are losing assistant principles and we'll welcome a conversation with anyone if you would want to have us deep dive into your district. But the school principles have always always had the ability recently to liquidate. So I want to make sure that

593
02:55:30.319 --> 02:55:46.000
we keep separate those schools that are impacted as a result of the board's polic, you know, our new policy for budgeting versus those who just chose to liquidate because that's what they chose to do at the local level. And so a lot

594
02:55:46.000 --> 02:56:00.960
of the positions that we see, this is a natural cycle and budgeting where there's a movement of staff. So, I just want us to be conscious and not to mix the two because that's when it does feel really traumatic for schools. Anytime you lose a teacher, someone you love

595
02:56:00.960 --> 02:56:17.120
that's a part of your community. What we're doing when we talked about the zerobased budgeting is we had to look at the return on dollars for Chicago public schools for what we have. How are the dollars that we're using being um

596
02:56:17.120 --> 02:56:32.160
implemented at the school level in the best interest of our students? So there is a narrative. It's not just numbers. Unfortunately, our meetings are so long. We can't give you all we don't have a lot of time with you all together. So we don't we're not able to give you the

597
02:56:32.160 --> 02:56:48.560
context and the narrative behind the decisions that we've made. But I would also ask that when you're talking to your school leaders, ask them what decision they had to make tough decisions. I think somebody said that we make tough deci decisions and then the

598
02:56:48.560 --> 02:57:04.000
school leaders and the local school councils are having to make um tough decisions, but the number is fluid. Um G2, but we will follow up with you what that number looks like. I think there there's one other sorry there's one other thing that that I'm concerned

599
02:57:04.000 --> 02:57:20.240
about and I don't have the the facts on this but anticipating um a reduction in title one money and and and other discretionary monies and most at the local level you can often have that as a buffer right and so you

600
02:57:20.240 --> 02:57:36.399
you experience a cut from the district you can actually hire a teacher with discretion discretionary money but with the Trump administration really killing the Department of Education. That speaks to um us not having those resources. You know, they're former principles on this

601
02:57:36.399 --> 02:57:53.200
board. You you know, uh uh that that could be half a million dollars. That could be $400, $500,000 that a local school has to to be able to alleviate uh you know,

602
02:57:53.200 --> 02:58:10.880
some of the harm. And so I'm just really concerned about schools kind of driving 90 miles an hour towards a brick wall. Right. So that's it. I just want to say to the grant piece, uh we did add to the budget

603
02:58:10.880 --> 02:58:28.120
because of that pressure from the federal government. We've added grant writing positions because uh positions to the district which we don't have currently um so that we can go be more aggressive in in going after grants. So that's a a great point.

604
02:58:29.439 --> 02:58:47.000
Board member Lopez, >> thank you. Just a follow-up question regarding Cook County. What has been their official response? Uh whether it be from treasur's office or any of the other agencies or bureaus.

605
02:58:47.040 --> 02:59:03.600
>> I've not gotten a written response from them addressed to me as the district treasurer and acting CFO. I've seen formal uh press releases by the treasurer uh you know calling out the technology consultant and a number of different

606
02:59:03.600 --> 02:59:18.960
flaws and different things like that. Um but I've not gotten anything in in writing. We just continue to try to be good stewards and try to promote the relationship and not blow it up and and and lean into them about how difficult

607
02:59:18.960 --> 02:59:36.240
this is. Right. Um, so that that's really what we've been doing is having open dialogue and it has resulted in some uh dollars being released and I hopeful that some more dollars will be released that'll make it easier for us through August >> and I imagine there are no short-term

608
02:59:36.240 --> 02:59:52.479
solutions they provided whether it be through press releases or at least that's not what I've seen through the different articles I read myself. >> Right. Correct. Right. We know again um they did provide a loan program to certain municipalities. CPS didn't qualify. It was only $300 million. I

609
02:59:52.479 --> 03:00:10.000
should say only $300 million, but it was far less than the amount that we need. And the other disappointing thing was that that was interest free that loan program. So we can't utilize it. We have to have our own program. I mean much like all the other municipalities and

610
03:00:10.000 --> 03:00:26.319
school districts in Cook County as well that don't qualify. But that's that's where we're at. Yeah. >> Thank you. And uh the other more of um comment I know that the timeline we're looking at is potentially uh July 15 publicly releasing the budget. Then we

611
03:00:26.319 --> 03:00:42.080
have the budget hearings. Uh I just want to express that I have concern with that timeline. I know that based on you know the communication we received from district the importance of passing that by the end of this month. I just don't feel that given community two roughly

612
03:00:42.080 --> 03:00:57.840
two and a half or so weeks to go through a 200 plus page document. Um it's the most transparent way. Uh so I just want to express the concern that I have overall with what it feels like we're trying to rush this budget that even

613
03:00:57.840 --> 03:01:19.680
myself I haven't seen the full budget yet. >> Thank you. I understand >> board member Smith. Thank you. So, we know that the city uh has only given a $100 million tiff assumption. Uh what

614
03:01:19.680 --> 03:01:36.000
I'm wondering is about timeline. What is the timeline for us to uh reassess, you know, what our tiff will be for it to be effective to not make as many cuts by by when do we need a reassessment of uh

615
03:01:36.000 --> 03:01:52.720
tiff dollars? Well, let me just say that the initial $100 million was something that I think we we derived internally, right? Just based on historically when you get out of what's been occurring, I mean, the tiffs have been getting larger. They've been declaring larger surpluses, but if you go back 10 years or more, we were

616
03:01:52.720 --> 03:02:10.240
consistently uh where they were holding more reserves. We we were getting a hundred million. We're getting just we were budgeting $95 million each year. So, we kind of went back to that assumption, right? and then have been trying to just promote the the high the high road conversation with the city on different levels about what other um you

617
03:02:10.240 --> 03:02:26.319
know what other dollars there could be. So so far it's you know I think the budget team over there is working on reconciling the numbers to see what they think might be available. So, it's just a fluid conversation that we're meeting with, you know, we're meeting and discussing infrequently, but basically

618
03:02:26.319 --> 03:02:42.720
weekly on the discussions, and we do need to get down to figuring this out prior to the release on the 15th. >> Okay. Yeah. And and the reason I'm I'm asking about that because, you know, we're passing resolution after resolution. We're saying, "Let's go after the state. Let's go after the

619
03:02:42.720 --> 03:02:57.760
state." and we're not really making uh that urgent call for I mean we keep saying yeah we're going to ask the city but we're not saying when. So I guess it would be better to hear from you when is the time

620
03:02:57.760 --> 03:03:15.200
so we can get urgent about revenues from all uh avenues. So you're saying by the 15th correct? Well, by the time we release the budget and maybe a few days before that, we need to kind of have that nailed down so that we can have it all into the into the Oracle system so it all balances correctly. So, um, yeah,

621
03:03:15.200 --> 03:03:30.479
the urgency is actually now, right? It's if you if you have other conversations that are happening, I know we're all independent thinkers and have our own relationships. So, if there's conversations that you're having, I'd encourage just like we're trying to do in a diplomatic way.

622
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>> Thank you. board member Gutierrez. >> Yeah, I just wanted to um thank Dr. King for saying that you've added those positions into the thing, but also to caution a little bit of optimism just because it takes time for those

623
03:03:50.160 --> 03:04:04.240
relationships to materialize and applications to be processed, right? So, you could hire someone in September, have applications in by December, but not see them till maybe July 1 of next year. So

624
03:04:04.240 --> 03:04:22.399
cautious optimism. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Uh Dr. King. >> So true. So we're working multiple avenues because there is a sense of of urgency. So I wanted to add to uh board member Lopez's uh Lopez comment about um

625
03:04:22.399 --> 03:04:39.439
what we are asking uh of Cook County because the alignment is already off. Um we are asking for consideration of the loan interest free. Um we are our ask would be that um the it there's interest

626
03:04:39.439 --> 03:04:55.359
return on our dollars that are held um because we right now to date we we're tracking how much in interest because the taxes are late. So those are dollars that can go back into the the budget into our classrooms and it there's never

627
03:04:55.359 --> 03:05:11.840
a small amount when you have no money, right? So we you want to share what we're tracking as far as interest for this academic school year, this year annual fiscal year. >> Yeah. This year because of the delays in the spring and you know we would have borrowed but we're borrowing more. So,

628
03:05:11.840 --> 03:05:26.479
we're basically just isolating the additional borrowing that we did and the cost of that and that's $10 million in rolling now and it it's going to get worse in October, right? And then again, we isolated the additional borrowing

629
03:05:26.479 --> 03:05:41.920
that we did, you know, in in last fall and that was $30 million, right? So, that was a combination of the interest that we owed to the pension fund and and the TANS borrowing too, right? So, you know, those two, you know, a year there,

630
03:05:41.920 --> 03:05:58.880
that's $40 million. And then, you know, just again to elevate this that this has been occurring recently because of the computer problems. But prior to that, it had occurred because of COVID. So, starting in 2020

631
03:05:58.880 --> 03:06:14.319
when taxes were delayed in both installments by three months, there was additional borrowings associated with that. And so all the years from 2020 to the current, we've paid 828 $80 million roughly in my estimate of additional

632
03:06:14.319 --> 03:06:30.479
borrowing costs because of property tax delays. So think about that like that would you know that would that should be in the classroom. That's what's happening. So we're we u appreciate your participation and anything that we could do to lean on to

633
03:06:30.479 --> 03:06:46.560
to do that. that I know we had a discussion at the last meeting about, you know, additional legislation and things like that. So there needs I think that legislation for what Cook County can do hasn't been touched in a number of years, I don't believe. So I think that could be looked at again and there could be some more transparency and

634
03:06:46.560 --> 03:07:05.760
accountability there. Member Brown. >> Yeah, I want to quote the late Michael Scott. When I use this phrase, I'm going to say for the, you know, for this board's edification. Um, we've used we've uh I know I have

635
03:07:05.760 --> 03:07:21.439
and other board members have reached out to the mayor. We reached out to his senior advisor, we reached out to his deputy mayor of um youth and education services to request additional tiff funds. And then I know that there are conversations that are happening here at

636
03:07:21.439 --> 03:07:39.040
the district to negotiate that. Um, so I just want to make so folks know that effort is is not just at the state. Again, we got to tie a tourniquet in the wound and we have to heal the wound. And so when the mayor gave um over $500 million in tiff funds that we received

637
03:07:39.040 --> 03:07:54.640
last year, there was a lot of pushing from many of the board members here to make that happen. And I think um I agree with board member Smith. It's both and. Uh but I want to be very clear that being actionoriented folks there there

638
03:07:54.640 --> 03:08:15.760
have been efforts to make sure that um the city knows what the need is. Member Bole. >> Yeah. Uh my question is uh so the 13th Monday is the last budget hearing and then the 15th is when the um budget book

639
03:08:15.760 --> 03:08:33.359
is released. Will the budget book have information about the specifics as to how we are closing the 100 million plus gap right now? Will we be able to understand and see what types of things are being cut?

640
03:08:33.359 --> 03:08:50.399
>> So it's a the style of what we will be presenting will be similar to what we've done in prior years. It it is quite lengthy. It's a large budget but it will have you know narrative in there regarding that. Um but you know you you just have to

641
03:08:50.399 --> 03:09:11.240
read through it. Um but yes yes we will need to do that because we will need to do that for investors. We will need to do that for the banks of those types of things. So yes we'll have a walk down of that. >> No further questions. Thank you. >> Thank you everybody.

642
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Board members, we will continue with the following information and technology items numbers 9 and 10. We'll begin with number nine. Authorize a new agreement with various vendors for field support services. Good afternoon, President Harden, board members, and CEO Dr. King. I am Deborah

643
03:09:44.160 --> 03:10:00.000
Price, ED for tech support services, ITS. We are requesting to authorize a new agreement for field support services with the five vendors who provide on-site breakix support and maintenance of computing devices and related technical support services or not to

644
03:10:00.000 --> 03:10:16.319
exceed cost of 9.3 million over a term of three years. The connection to our vision for these agreements is modernization of technology and systems. We need these resources to help keep our fleet of student and staff devices in working order to ensure all schools have

645
03:10:16.319 --> 03:10:33.680
equitable access to technology. The equity focus is driven by resource equity. This item addresses operational capacity gaps for schools furthest from opportunity to ensure they have necessary access to technology and support services. With this new

646
03:10:33.680 --> 03:10:49.040
agreement, the spend for the program is reduced due to ongoing budget headwinds and in accordance with the CTU agreement where CPS will reduce our reliance on thirdparty vendors and hire technology coordinators. Uh as such we are

647
03:10:49.040 --> 03:11:06.399
committed to providing some district funded support primarily break fix repairs for schools without a dedicated techo. Um, the FSS vendor teams also provide district funded support for admin devices assigned to principles, APS, clerks, as well as Kronos clock

648
03:11:06.399 --> 03:11:23.120
maintenance for all schools. This agreement continues to provide the option for all schools to issue a school funded PO to their assigned vendor team for additional breakix repairs if needed. Note that for the 2627 school year, we have moved to a shared services

649
03:11:23.120 --> 03:11:39.120
model where our FSS technicians will work in partnership with IT network techos to support schools without a school techup. If this item is not approved, the district will not have access to two strategically sourced vendors to service

650
03:11:39.120 --> 03:12:01.840
devices in schools, leading to reduced access to technology and valuable assets not being used due to breakage. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. >> There being none, thank you. >> I'm sorry, a little slow on the trigger

651
03:12:01.840 --> 03:12:18.800
there. >> Um, >> we have one question for you. >> Want to keep you on your toe. >> Sorry. >> Yes. >> Um, I'm sorry. I I couldn't find any support uh documentation for this. So, was this a contract that was bid on or

652
03:12:18.800 --> 03:12:34.880
um of these? >> Yes, it was. >> And about how many um uh technology coordinators will be hired to service the entire district?

653
03:12:34.880 --> 03:12:52.560
>> So, we have been approved to hire 36 technology coordinators to support those schools without a dedicated school techup. >> Okay. But but there are provisions in the uh collective bargaining agreement to add to those year-over-year. So we hope to

654
03:12:52.560 --> 03:13:09.279
have 72 at the end of the four-year agreement with CTU. >> And so um individual schools can fund their own techco um through their own budget or a techco is available. >> Yes, that's correct. Thank you. >> Through citywide resources. Okay. All

655
03:13:09.279 --> 03:13:32.160
right. Thank you. Item number 10, authorize the first and second final renewal agreements with various technical service consultants. >> Good afternoon, President Harden, board members and CEO, Dr. King. My name is Guido Vulpi and I'm the director of

656
03:13:32.160 --> 03:13:49.120
business operations from the Department of Information and Technology Services. We are recommending the board authorize the first and second renewal agreements with various vendors for a pool of 35 technical service vendors with a not to exceed amount of $36 million for a

657
03:13:49.120 --> 03:14:07.120
two-year term from October 1st, 2026 through September 30th, 2028. Since this term does not begin on a fiscal year boundary and extends over three fiscal years, you will see less annual projected spend in FY27 and FY29.

658
03:14:07.120 --> 03:14:23.120
This pool is necessary to ensure its can bring on temporary resources to provide burst capacity to meet the high demand for technology projects that are submitted through the annual budget process and for staff augmentation needs due to vacancies within the IT

659
03:14:23.120 --> 03:14:38.160
department. The pool was competitively bid through the RFQ process. Both MBE and WBE goals are being met or exceeded at 39.95% and 8.5 to 8.52%

660
03:14:38.160 --> 03:14:55.760
respectively. The proposed spend increase over prior years reflects increased demand from large transformational projects including program bridge, our ERP modernization program, and Project Stream, our data warehouse and reporting

661
03:14:55.760 --> 03:15:12.800
upgrade. Furthermore, due to our ongoing hiring freeze, we are unable to onboard essential full-time personnel, including those in information security. As a result, we rely on contractors to manage the responsibilities of 25 vacant positions.

662
03:15:12.800 --> 03:15:29.200
The vendor pool itself was reduced from 76 to 35 vendors by removing those with no bid participation or no awards over the past three years, improving efficiency and accountability. We've also focused on reducing our

663
03:15:29.200 --> 03:15:47.600
overall hourly rates of the resources onboarded through this vendor pool. By continuously working with the vendors to lower rates, we're able to decrease the average hourly rate of its contractors from $118 $100 $11857

664
03:15:47.600 --> 03:16:05.359
an hour in January of 2024 to $91 today. Over that same period, we also successfully reduced the number of contractors with hourly rates exceeding $118 from more than 40 just down to eight. These technical resources directly

665
03:16:05.359 --> 03:16:22.399
support resource equity by delivering the technology systems and services that create learning ready environments across CPS, ensuring that schools with the greatest need have equitable access to the tools and platforms required for student success. Since many of the resources provided by

666
03:16:22.399 --> 03:16:38.880
these vendors are working on our strategic projects, the agreement supports the CPS vision priority of modernization of technology and systems, ensuring every school has the infrastructure and platforms needed to deliver an equitable learning experience.

667
03:16:38.880 --> 03:16:55.840
If this agreement is not approved, it will not be able to start or complete highly visible district projects including bridge ERP modernization and stream our data warehouse upgrade and IT asset management. Consequently, any delays to these projects will incur

668
03:16:55.840 --> 03:17:17.760
additional fees and penalties for the district. Happy to take any questions. Thank you for your presentation. >> Thank you >> board members. We will continue with the following safety and security item number 11. Authorize the

669
03:17:17.760 --> 03:17:37.680
pre-qualification qualification status of and new agreements with various vendors to provide safe passage services. >> All right. Good afternoon, Board President Harden, U Vice President Dr. VeZ, board members, and CEO Dr. King. Uh

670
03:17:37.680 --> 03:17:54.239
my name is Ronan Shablleski, chief of safety and security. Uh we are recommending the board to authorize a new agreement for safe passage service services with various vendors in an amount not to exceed 49,210,000 for the term of August 1st, 2026 through

671
03:17:54.239 --> 03:18:10.560
July 31st, 2029. The safe passage program provides trained community watchers along highly traveled routes to and from school so students and families have visible trusted community support at the start and end of every single school day. The

672
03:18:10.560 --> 03:18:26.640
program began in 20 2009 and has grown from serving students and families at 35 schools to supporting 192 schools across the district. This is a new RFQ and the selected partners are notfor-profit community- based organizations.

673
03:18:26.640 --> 03:18:41.680
These are not generic security firms. They are organizations with deep neighborhood presence, local relationships, and trust within the communities they serve. If this agreement is not approved, students attending 192 schools would

674
03:18:41.680 --> 03:18:58.160
lose safe passage support, which would impact student safety, attendance, and grades. This item is directly connected to the district's vision around connectedness and well-being. Safe passage helps students feel supported from the moment they begin their school day before they even enter the school

675
03:18:58.160 --> 03:19:14.160
building. From an equity perspective, this is targeted universalism and practice. Every student needs to arrive to school safely in order to access access their education. Safe passage directs resources to communities where students and families benefit from

676
03:19:14.160 --> 03:19:30.239
additional support during travel to and from school. This program also reflects inclusive partnership. We are intentionally investing in community- based organizations that understand their neighborhoods and can build trust with students, families, schools, and residents.

677
03:19:30.239 --> 03:19:46.640
Performance will be monitored through clear KPIs, including post coverage, daily attendance, as well as training and record compliance. School communities continue to value this program and we have a large number of schools who have actively requested safe passage services. While budget

678
03:19:46.640 --> 03:20:04.000
constraints limit immediate expansion, this contract allows us to maintain critical existing support and consider additional routes as funding allows. For these reasons, we respectfully request the board approval for the new safe passage services agreement. Any questions?

679
03:20:04.000 --> 03:20:18.080
>> Member Smith. >> Thank you. Uh thank you. Uh, Chief Shableski, my question is how is effectiveness of safe passage evaluated? Like how do you all evaluate how they're effective?

680
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>> Yeah. So, one of the the, you know, the main measure, one of the main measures we currently have is is the the response that we have from from families knowing that they have someone looking out for their students as they travel to and from school. especially this year has been especially challenging regarding uh

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immigration enforcement. Knowing that they had those sets of eyes out on the streets every day looking out for their kids, making sure they came in safely is one of the biggest measures that we currently have. Um beyond that, you know, there was a 20 in 2019 there was a 10-year study around safe passage. Uh

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from that study, we did learn that along routes of safe passage, there was a an average of 15% reduction of violent crime and property crime along those routes. in the blocks where safe passage was instal installed. Um and additionally there was a 2% increase in

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attendance at the schools that benefited from safe passage. >> Yeah. So you know you know I'm really interested in this now because of some of the events that have happened you know in my district like High Park or or Safe Achieve. So there there is no current I guess uh

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continuing evaluation or survey. When you say parents, maybe there's a survey that that board members can have where we uh can see parent voice or student voice in terms of its effectiveness. >> Yeah. I mean, we we can absolutely look at uh doing a new survey for parents. Um

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we we can look into doing that. >> Yeah. And then I wanted to ask about ongoing uh professional development uh of safe passage workers. So when we talk about training, what kind of not only training do they get but continuing uh professional development as

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circumstances change like social media and things like that? >> I can answer that. Um Kylie Cosmichek with uh safety and security. So for training we provide four days of training to the uh organizations that we work with. We provide initial training

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then for our safe passage workers and as different things such as the federal immigration enforcement situation we had going on. We stay in close communication with them, look at the needs that they are experiencing on the street um on their routes and then we work handinhand with our um our community based

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organizations to create specific training to address any needs or issues that may be arising on their on their routes outside for direct professional development for them. just within their position. Um the community organizations

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are primarily handle that because they may have those same workers doing other roles under their organization. So we try to work closely with those organizations and provide them with the supports and resources that they may need based off of their specific routes and specific situations in their communities.

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>> Thank you. And then last lastly, do you all work with the you know since you're working with federal immigration enforcement all that uh are you all working with the face department and how can the face department be effective in collaborating with you with uh say passage?

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>> Yeah. So thanks. Yeah, we do work extensively with FACE. Um, you know, I'll say that uh me and CH uh Chief Fanny Diego Alvarez became best friends over the last uh year or so. Uh and the way that we're able to collaborate and support our schools throughout uh throughout the year. So, um there's a

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very close, you know, connection between Face that we see supporting the community regarding especially around immigration enforcement and the day-to-day like we see in safety and security. So, we do um as we're looking to identify locations of needs and spo

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and and areas that may need heightened safe passage, we work very very closely with uh with the face department to identify some of those areas. >> Thank you, >> member. >> Thank you. Um I'm a huge supporter of the safe passage program. You know, I

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fought to have it at my school. It was just a really important connection between the school and the community. It's also, you know, decidedly not a classroom connected cost. And so I wonder given the district's limited

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ability to raise revenue, is C CPS the appropriate municipal entity to be paying for safe passage? Is this better? Should this be situated under OEM within CPD? Are those conversations that you have with the

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city? um because it's really important to me that this program is sustained. Um I just wonder in this moment if CPS is the right body to be sustaining it. >> Hi board members. Uh I think that's something we can explore as we've had previous conversations with the city

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about the transition of of crossing guards which we uh inherited in 2020. Um I think that's something that we can revisit holistically what the role of OEM is how it and how it compares to what we are doing as well and where it fits in the model. I know the city also

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has budget constraints as well. So um we'll have to highlight this and see what uh feedback that they provide to us. >> Um I I would love to hear the outcome of those conversations. >> Member Lopez. >> Thank you board president. Um, also it's

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no secret to anyone. I'm a huge supporter of Safe Passage. Have seen the program in different communities and I've seen firsthand and primarily in the last year how important and the key that has been to our students feeling safe. We've seen an increase of especially our

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younger students walking by themselves to school from school because parents are afraid. Um, even today uh this morning and many of you probably saw me walking out of the meeting there. uh back of the yards was hit again by ICE agents ensuring that those that were

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attending summer school felt safe while they were being dismissed. Um I also want to thank Dr. King and her team for visiting the safe passage route out in the Gage Park community. We visited Sandoval, Ernnandez, Solorio back in the fall and also the opportunity you took and time to meet with the safe passage

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parents. And I welcome my fellow board members if you have time, please partner up with uh vendors and do the walk, right? Talk to the parents and see see for yourself. These parents are out there regardless if it's cold, if it's very hot outside. oftentimes and this is

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what I've seen on the southwest side if there even is a fortunately sometimes with shootings they're the first ones there that report it and they don't back down from protecting the community um and they're not to be honest they're not receiving the pay they should in my

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opinion uh but also I believe historically to um going to back to board member bigs historically this program was under the city and then it was all sent to the district right under during the co s >> uh is before my time but I know since

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around 2009 has been is when it's been since with CPS 2009 2010 um it's been with St. patch. It's been it's been growing since that time um with us >> and then there was the expansion around 2013 when there was the massive school closures.

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>> Correct. Yep. And historically we've been receiving you know funds through an IGA from the city um which we're not currently receiving >> and that is two years now we have not received that money right from the city. >> Yes. Yes. This would be year three >> which you know I definitely I know the

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district has gotten uh ongoing conversations with city and I hope the city is able to be responsive and be able to sign that agreement because that will not just help um maybe restore some of the time that was cut off from last year uh but also um it's my

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understanding we have a long list of schools in the waiting list schools that want this program. Do you know roughly about how many schools? So, I know right now we have over 30 schools that are actively on the waiting list. We're also still looking at everything across the whole city of what some needs are versus just who's requesting and who's not. Um,

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we're we are looking at a full assessment across the city of maybe areas that have a higher need. Um, so we're currently working through that. >> Yeah. >> And then just to also clarify for the for this contract is the number of positions is it staying the same and

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also are the hours staying the same? >> Correct. Yes. So, we're not looking to make any changes to reduction of of staff or the hours for this current contract as long as the funding stays the same. >> Thank you. I also highly encourage again the district to continue those

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conversations. I know the elder woman um Gortierz from the 14 ward, alderwoman Ramirez from 12 W also they are great advocates for this program how we can leverage you know those relationships um so we can hopefully expand and get more support for those communities that might

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benefit from safe passage like numbers of schools that already do. Uh again, thank you. Thank you to your team for being very responsive uh when uh our school leaders are calling and needing assistance in particular when there's ICE agents around the corner.

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>> Thank you, member Kuster. >> Thank you, board president. Um I I have two questions, I think. Um the last like historical um renewal of this was it 2024 to 2026 or because this I see is 2026 to 2029.

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What was the last I guess period? >> I'm just >> I think the last year was a it was a one year range. >> One year. >> Okay. I was trying to see if there's been um an increase or a reduction at all in that cost. Um so when I add up 24

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25 26 it's roughly the same. So I guess that that was sort of my question is if it has gone up or down in the historical spend. >> Yeah. So I mean it's sort of going down because we had to reduce. remember last year we we we had a cut in staff and as well as in the number of hours um so you

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know while we're trying to still maintain the same number of routes uh on top of that we're also the price of um their salaries adjust with minimum wage so minimum wage is also going up so as a minimum wage goes up the cost of of uh services go up as well >> yeah it's a I mean when I did the

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addition it's a pretty minimal reduction to be fair um and my second question you had mentioned the IGA with the city. How how much is that IGA for? >> So it's it's been for 1 million a year. >> A million. That's what I thought. Okay. Thank you very much. Appreciate

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>> me Rio Sier. >> Thank you. Thank you, Ronan. Big fan of you. Big fan of your work. >> Thank you. >> Um I had a similar question about the hours because I know last year there was a reduction in hours. Will will they be working again this year with that same reduction in hours or are they going back to their previous?

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>> It'll be with the same reduction. So, they'll be working four hours a day total. >> Okay. Okay. And my next question, um, more of a suggestion, I think, because I think that the parks and the libraries would probably also be would love some safe passage support.

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So, I'm wondering, has there ever been any conversations to collaborate with them to possibly extend the program or share costs and resources around that? I just think there's so much opportunity there for us to extend the program through the summer, extend the hours, and to share that re that vital resource

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across all three entities. >> Yes. Yes. So, we we have done that in years past um where we we asked for a little bit additional room in our in our budget. So, if if the city or the parks are able to uh pay for those services, we have room to be able to accommodate

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that. Uh so, we have worked with them in previous years. Um, we don't have anything for this current summer, but we have in previous years partnered with them quite a bit to make sure that we had safe passion services around parks. >> Let's go back to those conversations. Ronan,

723
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>> member Rivas, >> thank you, Mr. President. Um, lots of the questions that I had have been answered already. So, um, just something that came up from this though. So, the IG that we have with the city for the for the 1 million you mentioned, is that is that an IG that's signed and enforced or it's not signed?

724
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>> It has not been signed. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Member Bo. >> Yeah. So, I was looking and I saw the hourly rate was I want to say it was like $23 and some cents. So is that

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including so that's the minimum wage for the worker plus then the difference goes to the agency is that how it works? >> Yeah, correct. Yeah. So there there's overhead costs with the with the vendor. So historically we've paid the hourly rate plus a percentage on top of that

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rate. Um so you know um we we we categorize this all into one payment to for ease of um you know processing and just managing like hey per employee. Uh it it's to ease the payment between the vendors themselves and for CPS managing

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that versus going line item by line item how they're >> um >> so and then the vendor is responsible for doing the payroll, monitoring the hours, all all of that stuff. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other comments or question?

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I think me member Rio Sierra's uh recommendation to partner with parks and libraries is great. Let me know if there's some way that we can support facilitating connecting with those principles. >> Yeah. Yeah. And just to be clear, I do work uh quite a bit with the parks department as well and um you know,

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those conversations are ongoing and I think it's you know, so we'll we'll keep that going. Um, and if there's more that needs to happen, happy to participate in that. So, all right. And I'll definitely let you know. >> Thank you for keeping us safe, sir. >> All right. Thank you.

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>> Board members, we will continue with the following. Facilities item number 12. Authorize the first renewal agreement with various vendors for managing environmental consulting services. Good afternoon, board president Harden, uh, Vice President Veles, and CEO Dr.

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King. Uh, we are recommending the board to authorize the first renewal for the managing environmental consulting services, also known as NEC contract with the following four vendors. Caro, Connibar, and Associates, GSG Consultants, Specialty Consulting, and

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TEM Environmental. The term for this renewal is October 1st, 2026 through September 30th, 2028 with a not to exceed of $16 million. The MEC's perform various testing services including asbesus containing materials

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and leadbased paint. The MEC's also conduct assessments such as indoor air quality, three-year speesus reinspections, and provide oversight of environmental projects to ensure that the work is being conducted in accordance with applicable federal and state regulations.

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The diversity goal of the pool is 30% MBE, minority business enterprise, and 10% womenowned business enterprise. The actuals are 30.3% and 53.19% respectively. This pool of vendors does consist of two

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MBE and one WBE vendor. This contract ties to the school connectedness and well-being vision by creating and maintaining safe school environments for students and staff. Regarding the equity framework, this aligns with the resource equity. This is a foundational infrastructure contract

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that enables equitable facility conditions across the district. Older buildings can have more risks as it relates to environmental issues. This contract provides oversight of remediation vendors to ensure all safety regulations are being followed to provide healthy learning environments.

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If this item is not approved, we will be out of compliance with federal and state laws and it will put a hold on any future environmental projects that we do. If you have any questions, I'm more than willing to answer. >> Member Zachor.

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>> Um yeah, just out of curiosity, how many um of our buildings that are housing prek to like sixy olds um still have lead paint to be abated? Because since we hear all the time that our buildings are on an average 86 years old and

739
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anything you know that's older than 1978, CPS's own literature says you can assume lead paint. I'm just wondering how many have already been abaded and how many are left. >> We'll have to follow up with you on that.

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>> Thank you for your presentation. Okay. The following slides list the standard monthly reports and motions that are listed in the agenda review committee meeting agenda and posted online. This concludes board reports on the public agenda. Are there any comments or questions?

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Great. There being none, we'll now move into executive session. Board member Lopez, do you have motion mo? I I move for the passage of motion number 26 0708/M O2 and the commencement of a closed

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session to consider matters permitted under section 2C of the open meetings act subsection 1 and 11 as specified in the motion. >> Is there a second? >> A second. We'll now proceed with the

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electronic voting. Board members, please cast your vote. And board member Pope, since you are joining virtually via Zoom, please let us know your vote. Board member Pope Board member Pope, can you let us know your vote?

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Board member Pope, can you let us know your vote? Can you enter star six to unmute? >> We'll close voting. >> The eyes have it. 16 eyes, zero nays, zero abstensions. This >> mean will not go into close session.

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Normal. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? Second. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> We are journed everyone.