--------- 42 environmental stewardship discussion and icon Dr Reid for a presentation on policy. 85. 42. >> Environmental stewardship. >> Thank you, Mr. Mcelvain and it's my pleasure this morning
to have Mr. Gordon share an update on this policy as it's A continues to be an important
topic for us as a school
division, some Mr. Gordon.
>> Excuse me, Mr. Gordon Attorney, Mike on, thank you. And we go back and start. Provide. The certification
programs of it process undertaken by Cook. This isn't capital programs. Background.
Adoption of 85 40 occurred in November 6 and was reviewed and and September. 26 of to that, Jeanne. This is the
school board policy right? County school board is dead. A sustained. By minimizing are involved. school board.
Reducing energy. Emissions and foster responsible. Adopted.
Joint Environmental Task. 2 components to the Congress. Talk about waste management. We're 5 slides on that. Of our
net 0. Our changing from that 0. Well, so first up. Waste management. Some are contracts. First we have. He a
request for poll. Division. One. Organics. Track. This is a a joint effort. And we
expect this awarded this contract. First 2020. Waste Management. Electronic waste.
Contract with. Biden Fcps. operations. Contract with the Fairfax. We look at Waste
Management. then this is that. On slide or cough? Look at 4 years of entry. It costly.
Often you throw at. company. 2 areas of 2 places. It looks at a construct. He's working. We recycle. Best efforts that we
can. we look at. Things are potential saved. And if I savings to this. That's a you have to be done. Looking, you
know? Tied printing. Products. The move down. Look at
adonal. it. So that's an issue. Trash recycling. Schools and offices. There are
some. The next slide that. Potentially happen. But to do that. You know, those are the composting at a division white
effort and sustainable current practices and also transitioning to re reusable food services in cafeterias. Those plates and forks and knives. >> We're currently not set up
to do that. And if we to go that route to be Acosta. To support that, also, this could be potential revenue generation to offset costs. We aren't doing this right now,
but we could partner with companies to give our recycling materials. We also could have contract for thrift books for discarded Texan Library books. The county
currently does this. Is this something we could do as well? This slide, the purpose of the slides show comparison of possible waste management
initiatives and the impact first effort. So as I mentioned before, we're not doing all these currently, we're doing shared tables and we're doing composting in a limited fashion. Currently
have 5 schools that have a pilot program initiative doing composting this Marshall Road Elementary School, Carson, Middle school. Madison has some limited composting
efforts and Limon Road and Chester book. There is a follow-on RFP that the county let out that we are going to piggyback off of for
composting as well. So all of these items, again, we're only doing shared tables and some limited composting. Again, this this slide the ING how
sometimes you might have a low invitation effort might have a high reduction impact. Move on to the next slide. So again,
kind of spring full circle with our waste management processes. Our path forward is we will continue to partner with the county when and where possible with the goal to
reduce management reduce wastes as being sent to landfills and recycle more materials, you know, as much as possible through our construction renovation efforts and our school-based
activities. next couple slides will talk about alignment with net-zero goals. just brief history. So we were previously supported the state initiative
of Chips, which was a collaborative for high performing schools. And then recently state of Virginia has done away with that. And talk more about that in a slider to
and we now are transitioning to effort calledGreen Globes. Green Globes is a rating system for certification. Not only keeps in compliance with the Virginia High Performance Buildings Act. It also has
been consistent with our commitments. To the jet for a net 0 energy initiatives such as globe criteria additional
green gloves right here have a strong focus on energy usage and overall energy efficiency. And getting our projects as close as possible to being
energy neutral. So we are asked show some projects that are currently designed for net 0 and projects that we had designed for net-zero have backed out of that. And this
is what that charges depicting. So again, the shark, this slide shows the cost impact of net 0 over the historical cip timeline. The approval of the fy. 25 29 cip,
including a framework and which future projects starting Fy 26 and beyond include cip funding for major energy reduction measures to gain
possible on site and that 0 ready, energy such photo but take a raise and ground source. pumps as such project
estimates starting with the cip included incorporation at 0 cost premiums and and associated inflationary impacts on projects shifted based on both funding limits.
So on this slide, there are currently 3 projects that are designed to net-zero ready or some portion of net 0 ready. So Centerville and several high school and Dunn Loring
have a net 0 design. And Senate bill is a kind of a partial net-zero ready because The site conditions would not allow for a ground source. Heat pump. And then we have
Willow Springs. Will springs is in permitting as well. And it has a net 0 design. So from chief of facilities, perspective. I think we have
we gone too far forward for Centerville and Dunn Loring to actually backtrack a redesign on those. This is where they're sitting in the permitting process. However, for Willow Springs. Will
springs is something that we could. Potentially back out if the board gives us a direction to do so. And in backing out, it would add, you know, taking
from net 0 going to a Greek green globes, compliance. We would see possibly a 14 to 20 addition to a scheduled time line and potential cost
savings of about 4.2, 9. So what you see on this live look at the first column under Fy. 24 to 28. You see what the initial cost was for the project and then you'll see in
Fy next come to the right. You'll see. That's why 25 to 29 cip estimate includes the cost increase to bring go from
with that design was 24 to 28 to bring it to net-zero ready. Design. So you see a significant increase and a column from 26 that covers. 26
to 30 cover. Is typical cost inflation? Increases? And then we get into next column for 31 to talk about talks about her shows where we are going back
towards a Green Globes initiative. And so generally do see some cost reductions in that for projects that we have taking out the cost estimate
to get us to Net 0 standard. And then the final column you potential cost savings by switching back from that 0, 2,
green gloves. This slide looks that generally a schedule how the schedule will be affected. Looking at 0 versus green
Globes. Again, same same storyline, the first column for 24 28. There is no net 0 design within that column. The columns for 25 to 29. And 26
to 30 do show. Impacts to the schedule. Adding that 0 into the programs you'll see. You'll see as you go down from top to bottom of the projects were castigating out to the
right in the time of of VAR construction process. And then the last column under 27. 31 you see where we stabilize under green globes and then the final calm sea where
additional time that was added to the schedule for for projects that were. But were initially planned or to move
to net-zero design. So next, we'll talk about. Green Globe certification. So in 2021, the Virginia state Legislature passed House Bill 2001,
Virginia High Performance Performance Act, which was an update to HB 2001. So an update to 2000 to HB 2001 and July, 24 required greater
efficiency resilience in Virginia. Public buildings. This update also added Langley's clarifying the word locality to be inclusive to school systems as such. This
legislation is now a major driver of how Fcps designs construction verify school sustainability design an energy performance. The pass available to track and verify
this performance and achieve certification of our projects, limited to 2 rating systems, green globes and lead green Globes overseen by the Green Building Initiative in lead is overseen by United States
Building Council under this legislation, chips, which was a collaborative for high performing schools. There's no longer recognize and accepted certification pathway. We believe Green Globes will give
our system. The most flexibility in achievement of certifications as a path is not prescriptive and the development of the pathway collaboratively done with GBI
staff throughout both design, construction phases. The final phase entails a walk-through. Of the completed project with the GBI representative to
discuss the project and move towards green final green Globes certifications. By adopting green Globes. Fcps ensures that all future projects will continue to be more sustainable,
environmentally responsible for the county. Last 3 slides of the presentation will talk about. Will Springs Dunn Loring and Centerville. So for
Will Springs will Springs school renovation initiated as a standard chips design? The fiscal year? 25 29 cip. It was approved for an update to the
Net 0 Re designed this increased the project estimate from 56 million to 78 Million. The This slide provides context, explains additional
costs, insured to date based on the change from that 0, Reg is INE construction increases to day Architectural engineering services are approximat356,000. If he's
I'm were to be reverted to net-zero ready to green Globes. The estimated FIFA to the architect engineer be approximately 130,000. This is based on proposal received in
January 2026. This would lead a total of 486,000 incurred costs. sustainable design, Rick and requirement changes if we reverted back. From a net-zero design. So next,
we'll take a look at Dunn Loring. The Dunn Loring Elementary School. New construction project was changed in fy. 25 to 29 cip to
reflect the net-zero ready design. As seen on the slide. Approximately 382,000 additional and fees were incurred to bring this
designed into net-zero ready to. Concept. And the last lines will talk about Centerville, High School, the High School renovation
project. What is also update in Fy. 25 29 cip to reflect a net 0 rate design as seen here approximate $922,000 in additional any services record
to bring this project in Tonights. Real design. So those are the slides. I have to discuss. For the first part of briefing, us will open for
questions. Comments. Thank you so much. That wealth of information love to see it. Thank you for that. I see we
have 2 folks. 3 begin with Carl followed by Sandy. Thank you very much for your work here on this. For the work >> all the staff that are here
and folks that predate people. I was one of the representatives on the Joint Environmental Task Force for my 10, you're on the last board and I just want to re up
what our commitments are in that conversation. So the goals as adopted by our board and the Board of Supervisors were to achieve 50% emissions
reductions by 2030, as compared to 2019 as a baseline produced. 25 1% of the county energy use from 8 in county, renewable energy generation by
2030, 50% by 2040, using 2019 as a baseline. Decrease total energy usage from all county facilities. But 25% in by
2030, 50% 2040, as compared to 2019 as a baseline. And that all new buildings and major renovation projects beginning planning and design in 2021
and after must achieve net 0 energy performance as defined later in the document unless county staff advise the board prior to the 30% design phase
WI the project cannot meet the NC Standard. And so when this new board constituted in 20, 24 there was concern that the
steps toward net-zero had not been taken yet for any of the schools projects. And we had the option of stopping on the
brakes and stopping everything >> and favor of making all of those projects currently underway. 0. >> Or doing the opposite in saying we're not going to do
that anymore or is maybe something in between and so the something in between route is what the board adopted in that Cip that first February of this new board, February March of this new board, in
fact, up to that point, there been indignation by many board members about the fact that so little progress Cortical been made on the jet goals.
Obviously, especially when it comes to like transportation. There are financial factors at play with sources of money drying up from Washington, that cetera. The route that
the board took in that for Cip was too not touch the projects that were too far along. To adjust the projects that were right for adjusting and to make that effort going
forward. And so I guess my first question is. Taking that into consideration. If the ultimate goal is carbon neutrality by 2040, which is
Austin Taishan ostentatious in itself do the Green Globes approach to facilities planning? Enable us to get to
that goal? In any kind of reasonable way. I've got 6 seconds left. Thank you. I
think that as you mentioned, the 2040 carbon neutral goal pretty aggressive. I don't know if we would have reached under the previous net-zero
plan. And I don't think that we would get there on the green Globes. I think they're still goodness to what Green Globes offers to the organization. >> other big difference are the ground source. Heat pumps and then the full of it a
graze across the roof. So if you're not doing those 2 initiatives, I don't know that we get there, but we still would do other. Sensible sustainability activities.
>> Can green globe facilities be designed so they don't hinder eventual net-zero readiness. In other words, when you build a roof in a green green green Green Globe
school, can it be built in a way that does not preclude it from eventually being used and that net 0 fashion. The answer's yes, I think competitive compatible with the Net 0 initiative and to
finish the point because we have had renovations conducted where we later learned that. It was not something that could support, you know, solar
panels or other things that would be needed to make it net 0. So the board could buy policy indicate that at a minimum, these green globe schools must be made in such a
way that they can eventually be upgraded to 0. That when issues that I don't think he would build a building and retrofit ground source. Heat pump in that probably is not doable.
>> But for sure, design wise, we sure the design for the roots could handle a full of that. A correct? I'll have a go back. Okay. Miss Anderson. 5 instrument.
>> So I was one of the board members that was interested bringing this to the work session to discuss because there are some things in the policy that stand out to me that have what a little bit concerned. I've always been
fully supportive of the jackals and I recognize how ostentatious they are. And so those 2 things have always kind of been in conflict for me. In my past life. I got to
teach engineering students may stir. It may be really big reports about all kinds of green things that were going on in the world. And I have a weird sense of of how this all
works. What I will say is in the federal government. We create documents that our policy that survive changes. And one of the things that I
see as a potential down fall of this particular policy is that anything that we put into it potentially can very quickly become out of date? You're going to see the same kind of thread when we get to our next topic. talking about
AI for me. What I'm wondering is, is there any way that we could create a mechanism that would allow us to create a policy that talks about what our philosophy related to
environmental stewardship is and then have some sort of renewable document that we do every year as a resolution or every 2 years. However, we want to do it. That would give us the ability to make those
new wants changes. So that way, we're not necessarily. Naming because net 0 is a buzzword. Green gloves is a buzzword. We're not naming the thing that it is going to be
the way that we get there in that way. We also can just our goals to meet what is actually feasible in real life because at some point we're going to hit 2030, and no one's going
to talk about the fact that this was all decided on before COVID happened. I mean, the 2019 jet goals happen before the pandemic hit and the world has changed significantly
since then. And there's been no appetite that I've seen to at least adjust our discussion to see what's possible moving forward. And so. I look at I'm
a very practical person. And when I'm looking at the list of things that we're trying to accomplish, including when we're talking about electric buses and I that York's not here this morning. So I'm not
gonna get into specifics about it. But I know that there are significant number of our buses that are not part on our facilities as a way to just for storage overnight in which
case we would not be able to get to an electric system because they don't have a place to charge. And so there are all kinds of things that are happening in relationship to each of these that I am
concerned about. In addition to the fact that when we're talking about delaying schools that have already waited 45 years, in some cases to be renovated. I do not want to
undo the good work that we've done up to this point for some allusion of cost savings. When we're seeing the escalation in price happening so quickly over time. And so I would
advocate moving forward that we can make whatever changes that we need to make, but I would not particularly stuff that's gone through zoning. I would not do anything in order
to meet the illusion like of the change that's going on. So that's just my $0.2. Mr. Meant. >> Thank you for the
presentation of couple questions that came to my mind. The, you know, seen PowerPoint slides includes.
From going to net to him. >> Green groups that a number projects, quite a few projects with the in completion of the
projects and it. I savings how we have Nobody would project through that. out in you to be able to explain why the
project that's going save us some money. Usually tweeting something different with something that's going to take a long to be completed wider than a couple projects which
is going to it really completed already. And that initially projected on the Cip second question whether these
because it would be that cip the boy who doubled in the cip is I need to look at the cip one closely just ease in the cip right now.
>> But final columnists are. >> Final far right hand side is watching the cip. >> So within the we're adopted
taking that 0 out of projects except for the will Springs Dunn Loring and and so okay. >> so I know the couple things you mentioned about going from
the 9 at 1.2 EUR green groups and lot include. If you go over the green couple of things, that's not going to be include one we do. School
construction woman patients. And besides those for each one of these projects, which would be delayed. Project to be delayed. ours. That's going to
be built differently from that. Cheryl. Ready? Design construction. >> So so I just missed restate my lot restate my last
question or answer. So it's an the proposed so reflection that was not in the current site. You know, it was active. But the proposed cip that the board will vote on here shortly. We'll reflect that. We have this 3 projects that
are net 0 designed Dunn Loring Centerville. And then we'll springs and the rest of them has been taken out. So you'd ask the question about why do we see some projects cascade to the right. So as we were
going through the net 0 design, project costs were increasing and then then that would show that, you know, is limited bond funding available in a given year or so. And then there's limited bond
funding as projects increasing project will shift to the right. So that was the reason we're projects. going to save the money. >> Likely to be pretty gross. Shouldn't that X with it? The completion rather than doing
it? What can I get this to understand all wrong? >> You not incorrect. I mean, there are other there are other activities that we're looking at as well. You know, whether it's the person.
>> I would like to know I would like to know the coaching of people would ask the committee asked if the board is going to go over the green Whether to save the
money. First and that. And then that is why he's going want to do Why are we see the something like got should
align. Loring. They would actually be taxonomy. So I got to be able to be able to be able to answer those questions. >> Yes, our so I the one piece
of that would add is, you know, not only so we didn't, there wasn't a person. The Western high school, some these projects are probably could come back to back on the
timeline. But because we purchase Western High School in some other initiatives, there's limited. There's less bond funding available to do the projects of in project will nationally shift out. So projects shifted out due to lack of bond funding available
and do. >> We're looking at so so going from 8 and that want to create green You know, mostly not have any thing to do with.
>> Project what I see on just this is Page 11 on the power point. It's a mostly because up change above funding of
number 2 to our that Western high school. And then I have the right place. >> You asked another of your question was about what things
are going to get done. So specifically going from. Net 0 to green Globes. >> What's not going can how what is going to different from those 2 you mentioned to get.
>> Joe, in most things can be done to. Those are the 2 big. >> So I would division writing so that, you know, when comes in, I can't I can use what I get from you.
>> It take a quick turn and look at in this man thank you again for this presentation. I think it's it's very helpful conversation. I think a conversation I'm I'm pleased
that we're having. I also want to compliment and I'm glad he just walked into the room, Mr. Munich his work on rolling out the shared tables every school this year. So thank you, Dr Reid, for your support of
that. It's at 0 cost initiative that can important rewards. appreciate the discussion of all the waste Management, an initiative,
some other things on there that I want more clarity on our on composting. My understanding is that get to Greene is working on initiatives. But you also mission that we're going to be
writing a county RFP. Can you talk in more detail about what that entails? Yes, I just I just want reiterate, we currently are doing composting of 5 schools right now. And
so. >> The. >> I think all. Offer help over on the side. Just to give
details of the RFP. I would just while we're waiting eyewitness 5, 5 schools is. >> not OK, right? I'm glad we
have something there. But we've had it at 5 schools for decades. we need to get to having compass. also puts it starts with the basic of the RFP would be, you know, how
are you storing them materials and how it and are you transporting all said be the base components of the rp that we're working with the county? I'd be grateful for more
details. And I think the board would which is well, OK? So on recycling, I will tell you one of the top complaints I get from students when it comes to
sustainability is that we have recycling cans throughout our schools that are then dumped into trash cans when the custodians coming around. I would like for us to see it
have a countywide initiative on recycling such that we are using our recycling bins as they should be used. And I'm not sure if it's a training issue for our custodians are
or what, but the student's see it. And it's very disheartening. I don't know if you have any thoughts on that. There. I would concur. I you know, custodians work for the
principal, sir. But we do at my level. >> I have feel custodians and provide training so it could be something more education, you know, through chief of schools and through the field, custodians as well.
>> That's that's helpful. I'd love to see that implemented. And I'd also love to see just equitable distribution of recycling cans throughout the county. I think some schools
have many Others do not sure the students seeing them. And then just another point of clarification on that. Waste management piece is that you
said we are moving to. Reusable items and cafeterias right? So I one thing that wasn't stated is that we've
gun too recyclable bamboo wood utensils right? And that was a major initiative. Is that not correct? That is correct. You
it is. >> Here we did work to have compostable utensils for sure to get rid of some of the plastics. particularly the
single use plastics correct? Right? Right. And so the begin at the single use. Plastic elimination began with the plastic straws back in 2019. >> Right. And we've slowly
expanded it to utensils. So I think we're doing good work here. I don't know if it's been amplified as much as we can just to know that for the community to to realize that.
But I also be eager to hear more about, you know what, at what else is being research in cafeterias to make. They're less waste A Sarah just with
just want to clarify. So slides showed 7 potential initiatives. >> That we're looking at so all of those were only currently doing shared tables. And we do is compile composting on a limited basis.
The other ones are so there would be if we went to result, reusable food services that would require additional cost to be able to clean plates and
have, you know, Fortune so we're not currently doing that. That is a potential initiative that would have a Cole start-up to do that. Just want to clarify. So beyond the shared tables.
>> And then. >> I'm not They also are doing besides that, the schools I would take that as a due out and the and ornate with my get the green. Friends and let me
know there's anything else that doing great. I appreciate all the work. you know, I think one thing that has been challenging for the system >> has been the coordination
between get to green Food, nutrition services, all that all the players in the cafeterias and the schools that are working on these initiatives. So I know there's work being done to to break
down those silos. But I think we can always do more. So with that, I will hand it over to Miss Marion. >> Thank you. So few points
the governance committee had worked on this. It hadn't been reviewed in quite a while. And so we were pleased to have be able to give something more synthesize and updated to the board. So very happy to talk
further about this policy. I want to mention, you Mr. Dunn had submitted a request or he had requested that we review this and the reason was he had
asked for a cost-benefit analysis took down numbers it said about the certain policies are viewing at that meeting. required a cost-benefit analysis from the
superintendent to address reading this policy and understand what our course of action would be. So I don't exact cost benefit analysis, but they're certainly an analysis of how much it will
cost. And so is that roughly Mr. Gordon, a 20% increase in the price of all of those projects listed. What I was calculating there on that
slide. You go from the second com of 24 28. Its base. It would you say generally that to incorporate as you're ready, it's basically a 20%
increase. Each project. Yes, ma'am, I would say generally. >> This big picture piece for every 2 project. We do 0. We could do 3rd project. >> Yeah. So we don't have the
money to do this. The cip our cip work in which is only one meeting, didn't discuss anything about how we're actually going to. Address the backlog that we have. So if
you things, one of them is cost savings. You know, 4.2 million, 5 million. We know what it costs to say. Remy to remedy potential mold in a
building or to fix HVAC. And I don't think it's that much of a difference, right? do emergency repairs on buildings is going to yield about the scene, cost savings just
roughly. I mean, that's really what I would have hoped for. A cost-benefit analysis. are the tradeoffs? We could update X number of H backs, save all that money in emergency repairs continue to reap the
benefits of no better air quality and lower energy costs as compared to increasing it by a 3rd of that cost and getting, for instance, 4 to 11 Million. That's the kind of
data I would need to be able to say what we could actually do. I also want to say that net 0 is really a retired
concept. And we talked about this several times that this is a term that we are sunsetting because Green Globes is what it is and
perhaps the 2 brand new schools at the bottom could be net 0. But the rest of them cannot because to do net-zero you could be net-zero ready. But we've just had this
conversation several times until we're presented or we work on a plan to actually fund anything more. This is just a lot. It's an exercise
to me. So I feel like it's an exercise based on one person's requests. This policy and the con comment about compost. We should put that in here. Mr. Mckelvie. You're absolutely
right. Recycling. I will just say I was in high school last night. >> There big blue. >> Trash receptacles with big
open Top for trash and 0. took my recycling home with me. So I've had this conversation for 7 years. I don't know what it's going to take to fix it, but it's not going to be
increasing the cost of every school in lane by a 3rd. Next mystics if Obama Saint
John-cunning. >> Thank for the presentation. >> So before the recycling, I I saw some of the things we
and a slight be a slight number 7, far. Reducing. I really wanted to discuss more on that high impact was are
those are in fact right now, all of these are there. I heard about come composting is going on for a few schools and but are you as a bill for
services? What the I know? It says the implementation effort is high. What we talking about in terms of high? >> Reusable food services.
Again, that's instead of having a recyclable tight >> plate forks and knives. You'd have maybe stainless steel and to do that. We've got to upgrade kitchens to
support, you know, stories of those plates and forks and knives and also how you clean and watch those. And know. National kitchen standard model. So why would that be
highs? That would be waste that you're diverting from the trash or from being recycled. So that's not something that you're purchasing and reusing and then recycling of something that you're purchasing or using
continuously against what just reiterate, we know we're not doing that now who are not set up to do that to support that. But that's something in the future. We could. If that's the path we wanted to go.
>> So reality of recycling is you know, in the U.S. only 20% of the recyclable items that actually getting recycled. That's the story after story.
And it's it's information here so we see all these cycling containers and different schools, things are going in it, but they're really not
really getting recycled. They go to this and today all go to this landfill are very less off. That much getting recycled. So there do seeing is the main item reusing and
reducing should be our focus, I guess as a as our school district and I would like to find more of A's to drug use.
reuse and this is what I was talking about. This for services that. They could definitely use a lot of that trash recycling going. We just
you know, it doesn't help. And also the cost saving. I think in the long term it's going to really benefit the cost of buying the disposable look
over and over again. But, you know, the single use tape plates are staying. do what you said. Could go for years. I mean, I my country views stand this do for like
everyday home use. And I have plates up from 40 years ago. They don't go bad. So that's
how state must do is go to use the plates and things like that. So I think if you go to the next slide, if you don't
mind of one slight up. Backwards, maybe 6. The I Which light would though that
information was the there? >> But I definitely don't like that. D*** the are. >> Going to delay any schools. And I so some of the schools were in my district.
>> for >> any reason, other than we don't have the money. >> So if we could figure out a way to and specially wasn't
high school, it it doesn't make any sense for that cost. Saving them being negative of 30 million dollar. It mean. Somebody something has to get fixed All talk later about
that things. Is Saint John-cunning followed by misleading. >> So first of all, I want to thank you your team for all the work that you've done. I
know this is a lot of work. I think that my questions come more into place in terms of going back to slide 7. This is kind of been alluded to by
other board members is like when we look at the objective of cutting energy by 25 to 50% in terms of influencing daily temperature and lighting could. Well, this is a slight
7 controls in individual classrooms. I go back to the operation like operation shun of how this is done. You know,
if when this working the suggestions are being done, if you're speaking with principles, if you're speaking with building supervisors, I know from my experience of working in schools, things
will automatically shut off at a certain time. And if you're having in the evening event or if people are staying there a little bit later, they're only certain people that know how
to override those codes so that not freezing or either too hot. When you have automatic. Shut offs of certain things, then that can
contribute to. Some of the issues that happened with a hay field mall situation. So I it's how do we get out of the silos and how do we make sure
that that that there's accurate training? For building supervisors, principals and more people that would know how override some of those systems. When there are certain specific
events going on. >> Yes, ma'm. So how do we get there? So I use a field example. So correct. I think, you know. We as an
organization can do better and the type of how we manage day-to-day activities within the school, whether that's, you know, making sure there isn't, you know. Liberation of dust on services that sits
there and and then we have a high heat high summer high moisture that, you know not there's I think there's a better effort. can be done my level, pushing training out to the school-based leadership to how are checking on schools,
classrooms kind of throughout along Pierre to shut down. And I think specifically hayfield, weren't were and putting in some data loggers to check built of humidity. And air
flow. we're also looking how do we how do we properly balance airflow water within the HVAC units that we have there that, you know, there roughly, you 20 years, 24 years old. So how do we use
that? We have best efficiency that we do. So I think. School base helping out the school bay staff. With proper cleaning. You know, checking on facilities. But for me is also going down to kind of
ownership. And you see different levels of schools are cleaned. The difference different standards, about ownership of the school. And so how do we help we get out of my staff help school Bay staff do that.
>> And I'll say that in all the schools have ever worked with our custodial staff, at least from my experience. They've been off the charts. But but I do think there's a disconnect sometimes with some
of the information that gets funnel down to them now at its light 7 to one we're talking about, again, the operational station of the 0 waste. When
you talk about the food stations, the shared tables like how that impacts, how that truly impacts of even the composting, the daily
activities of teachers could and also food and nutrition service workers. Because I think sometimes we are at a very high level of how what we want to see happen. But we're
not in the day-to-day level of how much time it takes to run certain things. And what is going to actually translate it? We're going to be effective. So I just want all
of this is a board to take that into consideration because I've seen how that happens. Sometimes when and not a mandate that something
comes down. And at the school level, the staff that are responsible either don't know about it. There have not. It hasn't been clearly defined how they're supposed to handle
it. And the other aspect is, is there really the manpower the time to do it? So that's just what that's just my ask.
>> We have 2 more comments we're going pause for lunch. So this lady and then Mister Frisch for Go back. Thank Thank you. Staff for all the work you put into the presentation. So, you know, I I think that the end of the
day when it comes to a lot of things with waste, it's just whether or not people who work for us. And our students understand environmental
stewardship. We have had recycling bins and schools for years and they're not use with fidelity. So one of my questions knowing how much I hated as an employee doing on
my PD, it began the year. Do we have required training on environmental stewardship of all faculty and staff to understand that you have a recycling bin used appropriately, like let's just
start with the basics because my main concern is costs right? Because it and we also get to green. So teaching our students, environmental stewardship, but we need to model it. So from a teacher and I walk down the hallway
and there's a camp a place for me to put up. We know plastic bottle and I don't use the right receptacles. I'm not being a good role model. Okay. We'll start there. Secondly, I just want share that this has
been shared with me from elementary. And that the share tables, that there are some children who literally go through the lunch line and take more food than they want because they want to be able to walk over put it on this
year table. I mean, really, we can't think of these things, but it happens. That's not that's not good practice. Now, you can't tell a child not to take some food, but we can
certainly start to educate them on. That's actually not helping the problem also want to make sure people understand they can only put on the share table food they took from the line. I can't promise share
table food. I brought in my own lunch. Okay? Because we can't guarantee how you safe that that food is in terms of
trays. I think that's an easy one. I remember as a kid at Madison there paid an extra $0.10 for your tray. when you dump your tray and manager Trey back to a custodian, she was sitting there with a bunch
of dimes and you got a dime. I don't know what today that would look like. But it was it's funny. But there are also kids that would sit there and take your dime. I mean, some kids May made 100 bucks taking
advised. I'm I don't know. But I think that's important it comes to composting. We need to compost, it's an expense folks. Okay. The prom bottom line is there has to be a place to put it. It has to be
a place for it to go. And we also a shared tables have to partner with local like ice or social workers, in my opinion, need to be involved in this because we need to find a place to take the food we
create go bags. All that's important. Essential for, you know, food and security. But we have to come get it. We're it's functioning at its highest is where there's a partnership with people who come and pick up the food. So I just think that last thing
I'll say is yes. I mean, I would love to have more usable, but I don't know what it would cost us to have to do washing of dishes. And at this plant point airplanes don't
give you knives and forks. I don't believe we can give true knives and forks to children from a safety perspective. I'm sad that that's the situation we're in. But that's a
concern. So certainly not the one used plastics, which you've gotten rid of. So just just a couple of some things. But we've got a lot of teaching to and helping kids
understand. Don't just take all the food items you can take. So you can walk this year be Thanks. Mr. Fish to bring us home. just a couple things. appreciate the conversation particularly
around composting waste. I think. Mr. Maccoll things right. Like. When we've done so much in the school division that finding opportunities for
big steps. It's often hard, right, because we've already reduced energy consumption by like 60% over the last 10 years or something. >> Huge like that. So this is a space where there's giant opportunity to take a very big
step forward and I hope will take. And then it's that on the subject of green Globes, I just want to correct the record as it were net 0 is not
not sleep term, nor is it a term that was specifically something that was a design style. Chips is the form that
was is now obsolete by state standards. And hence, we're now on Green Globes, which is what the state expects. Both of those things can embrace net-zero. It's a question of
whether or not we want to embrace net 0. We were advancing our net 0 priorities before moving to green gloves and is Mr. Gordon is indicated
we can continue doing that if the board's prerogative isn't that way. The thing I would note is that it's not just a expense. On the front end to
build a school that is not 0. We are missing out on a long-term opportunity to save money by not building net 0. Now, that doesn't mean that we are in a position right now to
do it. I think that's for further board conversation. But just take these things into consideration. And I believe some of this is in the report that was given to the
board in 2021. Win this question. First came up about the efficacy there's a long-term energy savings on any school that's not 0 is
significant. So, for example, a school that might spend $100,000 on energy might only spend 15 to $30,000 on energy.
There is a huge maintenance savings because the equipment simpler and more reliable and easier to use some people
estimate conservatively a 20% savings on maintenance costs. There is risk avoidance in being that your own. It
doesn't make susceptible to wild fluctuations in energy costs. And with the uncertain international environment, I think that is always something to be concerned about. And
they're also savings. There are also things that students benefit from, including better indoor air quality. You know, schools can serve as shelters
during emergencies where power is no longer available. So there's lots of things to take into consideration when we're thinking about about net 0. And that's one of the reasons why ask Mr. Gordon, like if we
don't go there, can we ensure that these green globes designed buildings are not precluding us from taking that step at a later date. Mr.
Gordon, any concluding remarks? Thank you for the input. And I think I have a couple due out from the sun will work
>> To answer officials to Great. Yes. Did you have something? >> question so now we've discussed this. What do we do if we have comments and bring this back to the board's
commitment to governance? That's the we've had we have a next Document to >> We do have the next steps document. I haven't sent it out yet I want to talk with the chair and Dr. Read really
quickly. Just on deadlines for things. >> But I will be sending out after lunch. >> this man, as as chair of government governance, would you like to see this go to
governance? >> I mean, I know I have changes. I'd like to make mean how do we usually do I'd like to not have to post it bring it off and make motions. So I'm up to whatever makes the
most sense is most expeditious. discussed this with this man and we'll figure out a path forward let the rest of the board know what our path is going to Okay. >> Thank you. We are adjourned
for lunch. Will return at one
15. Thank you. We're recess.
♪ ♪ ♪
♪
>> On artificial intelligence icon Dr Reid for presentation. All right. Thank you as lady. And this afternoon, we're going to be presenting an
update. On artificial intelligence Mr. Sethi is not able to be with us. He's been a key part of the team that's presenting this. But we do have Dr King to Presidio Dr
Riley here and it. >> don't know. I can't see if there's somebody else sitting up. Mr. Van Heusen is also here to present a set of
slides. One of the things that I wanted to share before we start the presentation is I think that we've had a lot of conversation about sort of the evolution of this really
dynamic and fast-moving technology. And I thought it might be instructive are helpful for the board to have a chance to look at one of the
most current, robotic, features of the moment that's being rolled out globally because this marks a real
transition robotics and the capacity of AI. Someone asked the deputy clerk to go ahead and run this video just for the board. It's about 3 minutes just to give a sense
of how quickly this technology is moving at this time.
>> China, a humanoid robot did. ♪
♪ ♪ >> If it's too difficult, we can pass and move on something humans trained for years to master and no humanoid had
ever pulled it off before in the U.S. another humanoid casually handed out Christmas wagon. Talk A robot dog sold out in under an hour like a new smartphone. A factory
started replacing skilled workers with humanoids at scale and one of the most famous robots in the world is about to step onto a global stage next month. And it all
starts with a robot in China doing something that looks simple until you realize it's one of the hardest things the machine has ever been asked to do on December. 22 cars robotic showed a humanoid
robot on stage at a live event and this robot didn't boxes, didn't stack rates didn't walk around waving at people. sat down and did hand embroidery real embroidery thread the
needle used both hands and stitched a logo live in front of an audience. Now, if you've never stitched anything in your life, that might not sound impressive. But the moment you think about what's
actually happening there, it gets kind of wild. You're dealing with red that stretches and twists fabric that moves into forms constantly and movements that need sub millimeter precision
over a long sequence of steps one tiny mistake and the thread snaps the stitch misses or the whole thing falls apart. This kind of task has been a nightmare for robotics
for decades. Industrial robots are amazing at rigid repeatable jobs. Pick this metal part place that they're do it again. 1000 times, but soft materials break.
Everything they change, shape. They resist unpredictably and they require constant force adjustment in real time. That's why until now long, delicate 2 handed work like
this was seen as basically off limits for automation. And that's what made this demo so important. The robot move through the whole process. Smooth Lee staying stable the
entire time with no signs of hesitation or struggle, both hands working together, adjusting force, tracking the needle and thread visually and staying stable the whole time. That's not just motion
control. That's embodied intelligence working as a system. People inside robotics immediately clocked what this meant because once you can do this, you're suddenly not just talking about embroidery.
You're talking about wire harness, assembly, precision electronics find mechanical assembly, all the stuff factory still rely on skilled human hands for.
>> So thank you, Janet. I do want to comment as we could begin that this topic we have to continue to approach with a measured and thoughtful.
>> strategy we have to make sure we safeguard our student and staff privacy and and I don't think we can look away. This is technology that's here
today and technology that's being used around the globe. And we want to make sure that we here in Fairfax County, Public Schools have an opportunity to shape its
future. Use or we risk, I think being shaped by its future. this fine. I'm happy to turn it over to 2 per city owned the team to share a short slide deck and have a
conversation with our board. >> All right. Well, thank you so much, Doctor Reed for that set up. good afternoon, everyone. Just to start out here, we're definitely excited to have this opportunity to
have a conversation about AI and fcps and to continue our discussions. Just let me briefly introduce everybody for folks that might be watching at home might not know. I think everyone probably knows. King our chief
equity officer, but folks might not know. Ellen Reilly. She's are relatively new assistant superintendent for instructional services, formerly principal of McLean High School, one of our Lighthouse Schools, which one
of the initiatives of technology, leadership school. So we appreciate having her perspective here. And then Monica venues and who is our senior manager for educational technology. She leads a lot of
the work with staff like our experts around professional learning to support technology, integration in schools. So to get started here it's going to help with
the slides. You know, in our previous discussions and presentations on artificial intelligence, we've really focused a lot on what we're doing to keep our school systems. The rollout of
artificial intelligence really intentional safe and secure. When we think about AI technologies. But today's conversations going to be a little bit different today. We're sharing work. That's really the foundational work
that we're doing to build a strong foundation for AI so that if and when student facing tools are introduced in our classrooms are implementation is going to be purposeful and instructional.
sound. And at the outset, we just really want to be very clear about a few things with our current state of access student access to AI tools. First know generative AI tools like Chatgpt or Gemini are
currently provided the fcps students. Also no generative AI tools are required to be used by our students. Currently and no decisions at this point had been made regarding features student
access to generative AI tools. But we know we can see from the video that we just looked at the future is becoming the future is here and we need to prepare to embrace that
future. So instead of focusing on AI tools, though, the work that we've been doing about how to approach the classroom has really prioritized AI literacy. Instructional design
and human-centered control as those foundational understandings that we have to establish before we could consider AI tool adoption for students at scale. So our goal today is really to share the
work we've been doing in these areas. And we hope that this is going to be helpful. Information for the board is you're continuing your AI policy work. So I think when
we consider the role of AI and education, the central question for us really is how can we leverage AI to increase instructional effectiveness and efficiency? And that question, obviously very
intentionally centers are focused on instruction rather than on AI tools and a focus on instruction is supported by the recent research, which suggests that AI and education
doesn't necessarily lead to one particular or inevitable outcome, rather. The impact of AI is going to depend on the intentional choices that schools make about how AI is
implemented and adopted. And you may have seen the recent report from the Brookings Institute, the points to 2 different possibilities AI becomes integrated into
teaching and learning. And the first is that AI can result in diminished student learning when tools are used to replace student thinking rather than
support it. And we acknowledge that there are significant risks with AI tools when not used appropriately to diminish learning. However, this Brookings report that just recently came out also points
to another possibility that AI can result in improved learning when the implementation is intentional and instruction, Lee aligned with clear guardrails to promote academic integrity.
Senator human judgment and student thinking in the process and just one kind of fun fact, a suicide re to Kareem, a very recent school board student school board members of Co author on this report. So we're certainly
very proud of her. excited about that. But the bottom line of the research really is that the difference between a I enriched in AI diminish
learning is not the technology. It's how we design those learning experiences that used the technology. So to stay in our presentation. We're going to talk a little bit about the work we've been doing to ensure that AI
adoption in Fairfax is enhancing student learning experience. And we really believe that the recommendations from the Brookings Report are very
important to ensure that we are adopting. I in in Fcps in ways that are going to promote teaching and learning in these recommendations really fall into 3 categories, prosper,
prepare and protect. And we've been utilizing these recommendations really to inform our thinking about the instructional use of AI. So, for example, in the process for category, it's recommended
to use AI tools that teach not tell. And we believe that it's critical to prioritize student tools that support thinking and skill development rather than just giving students answers. So, for example, when
you think about commercial products like Gemini or Chatgpt, they'll basically answer whatever questions you enter into that chat. However, there are other AI tools that can be used in learning
environments that are designed really to prompt student thinking and support student thinking and ensure that students are reflecting on
their learning and not just provide answers but help students understand how to come to the answer themselves. And that's a critical distinction. And the prepare
category, the recommendations really center around making sure that schools are providing a clear vision for the ethical use of AI that centered on human agency and teachers professional
judgment. And our vision in fcps, of course, is to support the ethical use of AI. And that's actually reflected in our guiding principles that we've We're going to share those with you just a minute
here in this presentation. Additionally, the recommendations 0.2 ensuring that prior to any AI tool adoptions, schools must focus
on preparing teachers to use AI effectively. And that's something that we've been doing fcps. We've been focused on our work with our educators, not focus as much on work with students. And
again, students at this point, I'm not been provided access to generative AI tools and then finally in the protect category, it's recommended that schools use schools,
procure technology that protect students, privacy, safety and security. And I talk to you quite a bit about the work we're doing in that area. But remember, we have a
centralized tooele adoption process to make sure that the division level we're taking into consideration that the vendors that we might do business with are entering into legal agreements with us
to make sure that they can protect the privacy security of our data and not use data to train any generative AI models. And then the final
recommendation is that schools need to support families and managing their children's use of AI outside of school. And this is really critical due to the ubiquitous availability of AI tools outside of school.
Anybody who has a phone has access to generative AI tools. So we've got to do more to support our families and understanding what they can do make sure that their children are only using AI and ways
that are going to support their learning and protect their well-being. So again, one of those core recommendations from the Brookings Report is to ensure that we're providing a clear
vision and policy for the ethical use of AI before considering tooele adoption. And I think it's important just to point out when Chatgpt rolled out in November of
2022, it was November of 2022. That we started getting questions from our schools asking us for guidance around student use of AI. So in order to really be responsive in to
support that need, we did engage with school Bay staff and central staff to develop the guiding principles that you see on the screen here about the appropriate uses of AI. And you can tell that
these principals obviously I use and human judgment and their intended to ensure that our professional educators remain responsible for all the instructional decisions in the
classroom. So just to kind of summarize what you see here, the principles that we've developed early emphasize that educators remain responsible. AI does not replace professional decision making.
The ethical use. Privacy and equity are non-negotiable is not afterthoughts and that we commit to intentionally evaluating emerging technologies to ensure that we're providing tools that are
safe and secure within our digital ecosystem. So as AI tools become more prevalent, these guiding principles are going to continue to really focus our decision-making.
Now, another central recommendation from the Brookings Report is the school should focus on promoting AI literacy before integrating tools into instruction. I
literacy is defined here as the technical knowledge, the durable skills in the future ready dispositions that are going to be required to thrive in a world that's influenced by just as we saw on the video
just a few minutes ago. So we do want to emphasize that AI literacy is not just knowing how tools work, but its really knowing when and why to use
them and when and why not to use them and being able to distinguish between the difference. So in this slide, you can just see a few examples of the I literacy is that we've been focusing fcps,
for example, we want our educators to be able to model the selective purposeful use of AI tools that are aligned to specific learning goals. Additionally, we want to make sure that our students are
able to develop the skills to be able to request to question and evaluate Ai-generated content. We want our students to really understand that AI is not infallible and it will
often reflect bias because we believe that when students know how AI works, they'll understand that AI is really a tool that requires their critical judgment. And perhaps
most importantly, we want our students to understand that AI is not human. And we're very concerned about the ways in which recent studies are telling us that students and
threw for more fire AI and use AI in their personal lives. Really treating it as a friend or using it for social interactions. And we want to ensure that students and parents understand the risks
associated with interacting with AI and those ways. So ultimately are developing our AI letter season in Fcps to emphasize selective inappropriate AI use, not
frequent use. Another recommendation from Brookings is I should only be used in education when it can be integrated into the existing evidence-based instructional
practices in a school system. And of course, in fcps our existing learning model. Which has been around for quite some time articulated those evidence-based practices that
we privilege in that we want to see. And all of our classrooms. So are learning model really provides a solid framework for us to guide the use of AI tools as
instructional supports, not replacements for human-centered instruction. So, for example, when you look at the learning model, one of the domains is a universally
design curriculum. And we believe that AI tools offer a lot of potential for helping teachers in this areas. They differentiate their curriculum to meet the variety of learn or needs that they have in their classrooms. So you can
envision, for example, that AI tools can be used to support teachers and differentiating instruction by providing multiple representations of content, translated text
visuals are even adjusting the reading levels of tax to meet the variety of learning needs in the classroom. Additionally AI tools are being developed that can be integrated into an
existing curriculum, which is very important because you really can kind of narrow the scope of I use. So when they're developed into the existing curriculum, some of these tools are actually
providing intelligent, tutoring, supports that will allow students to interact with the curriculum and a personalized way so they can ask questions about content that they don't understand.
They can ask for additional support, preparing for presentations or 4 tests and quizzes that they might have coming up. So there's a lot of rap and AI tool development
that we're keeping our eye on. And you know what we see the promise of AI to support teaching and learning in these ways. We also want to approach the use of AI with caution and a healthy skepticism because
we want to ensure that any AI tools that we do adopt would only be used in classrooms when it can be shown to strengthen teaching and learning and those practices that we uphold. Our learning
model. And of course, at the center of that learning model or a portrait of a graduate skills which we developed over a decade ago and which we believe really reflect what matters most for students to
thrive in a in an increasingly complex world. In fact, we believe that the rise of AI really makes her portrait of a graduate skills like collaboration and communication, critical and
creative thinking really more important than ever. Because as AI tools become, you know, increasingly effective at routine tasks, it's going to be those uniquely human skills
and dispositions that are going to differentiate our graduates and fcps. Our goal is not for students to become reliant on AI. Instead we want our students to understand how to use it responsibly and
strategically as a tool that can support their learning goals and their portion of graduates kill development. And this lie just provides a few examples about our current thinking about how AI tools can be embedded to support
portrait of a graduate outcomes. So how are we building our adult and student capacity to use AI tools effectively. Well, we have
chosen to start with our educators again, not start with our students, starting with our educator, strengthening their knowledge, their confidence. And developing their AI literacy
so that they can later guide students and using AI safely productively and responsibly. So we've chosen and tension over speed and worse, working
very hard to center AI and shared language in common anchors like are learning model or portrait of a graduate and the guiding principles that we reference. So on this slide, you can kind of see our framework for the
road map that we're using. That has 3 stages of thinking about the progression of AI work and education. And the one thing that we want to highlight is that this is really a capacity building
framework or model. It is not a tool rollout plan. Our exploration of AI, as I mentioned, really began soon as Chechen PT was introduced
into the universe through over 3 years ago. And from this next slide as we move on in slide deck, you'll see that we've really prioritized our work around AI literacy before
to implementation instructional coherence building is a strong foundation and risk reduction in an environment where we know that students have access to these tools outside of school and are often using
them and unsafe and irresponsible ways. So a few important things to note here includes our focus on the development of those clear guidelines for teacher and student use that I referenced
earlier. And we've actually integrated those over several years and published them in a staff handbook and a student handbook. So it's very clear what's allowable and what's not allowable and set those expectations for academic
integrity. And then, of course, we've also needed to learn more about this work. So we've engaged innovators and early adopters that we're interested in working with us
to learn more, try things and to pilot things through very limited and controlled environments. Now on the next slide, you can see the continuation of our road map
shows that, you know, we're engaging more deeply and it really kind of previews where we're considering involving are working in the future as a school system. So, for example, this year we've expanded our work on those
student. AI literacy is building their understanding about how AI works, emphasizing safe and ethical use and providing those researched informed ways that it can deepen and extend learning. So we've been
piloting. I literacy lessons and a number of schools. And again, I want to emphasize that the development of these litter seas, he's not required student use of any generative
AI tools like Chatgpt. Now looking forward, we do plan to continue to deepen our literacy, a literacy, and we're going to begin to really kind of develop out those use cases and best practices for
using AI. And again, we really want to emphasize that we know that we need to engage or families more deeply because this is a critically important topic that we need their
partnership and collaboration. On the slide with just provided a few examples we were hoping to produce a video, but we didn't have a lot of time to to do that for today. So we just gave you a few examples of teachers
working with students teaching some of the AI literacy lessons you can see librarians steam teachers are S but across 3 different schools here providing instruction to
students about some of the risks associated with AI and really trying to understand how it works. So again, all these examples you see here, they're not requiring students to use AI tools. It's just really developing their letter
season, educating them about what a it is. So closing. Our journey thus far has really been one of intentional capacity building were not racing to adopt tools. We're
working to build the foundation for thoughtful, effective and ethical AI use. We know there's a lot of questions in the field of education about the role of AI and we tried to capture a few
of those here on this slide that we think are some of the most important ones for us, too, continue struggle with as a school division and we look forward to engaging in questions like these and
others with us. You continue the important board work of developing developing a AI policy for our school division. So we thank you for your time and we look forward to your questions and
discussion. Thank you, Dr excellent presentation and appreciate utilizing the Brookings report as are a lot of >> important things to been
gleaned from that research. I just want reframe the discussion. I think it's a lot of people are aware our chair of governance and the
governance committee are working on developing AI policy. I see this conversation as a lot of how we're going perhaps the direction of that policy. I also want to share, I think
that some of my colleagues have also indicated. Like policy on innovation because as we saw in the video, this is an ever evolving world. And
so I don't know if I in a vacuum or if it's an innovative policy. I will certainly work in tandem together to do that work. So really appreciate great
presentation. And I think the first placard I see is Dr. Anderson. Thank you. This is very, very helpful. So much
appreciated. I just have a few clarifying questions. >> One of the things that you mentioned and you shared multiple times there is there no generative AI tools being
rolled out. What are the nun generative AI tools? Kind of highlight that for us. Please. >> And I think that's a great clarifying questions. I think
people hear AI and they immediately think of things like chatgpt things like Gemini, where students? Well, any user can just interact without any guardrails with the technology. We do not have
tools like that in our school system. Now there I components built into certain educational technologies, right? So St Map, which is part of a
supplemental part of our math curriculum does have a tutoring feature that will respond to students. Basically will respond to students interacting with math problems
right? And it's built on the students response in terms of the types of questions problems that a student would get next. Right? That is built off of an AI infuse platform.
But it does not allow students to interact just knock us Lee with with any sort of chat bot. >> St Matthew only example of that. >> Well, another thing that
we've been piloting, his power body, which is more general. So we tried start to look at that this year with a few early adopters schools a pretty limited rollout. I
think we've got what's power, buddy? So, yeah, so let me try to explain that. So again, it's an intelligent that I was kind of mentioning it. That's that's kind of an umbrella
term for this technology where, again, based on the curriculum that students are studying, they can interact with that curriculum and get help and support. So they might ask the technology to
provide additional practice problems for them explain. Wian answer that they provided was wrong. And formative assessment, for example, but it's all tied to existing
curriculum and the interaction is limited to that curricular. Universal doesn't allow them to ask broad generalized questions. >> And keep in mind some of the questions I'm going to
ask, maybe very basic because all that I can see it all understanding. I'd like to better comprehend. >> The >> differences between intelligent, I think you said
tutor rather than generative like how do how should I think about these 2 terms? >> again, I think what the distinction I'm trying to make
is that the resources that we have that has any sort of AI technology infused into them. Our limited curricular universe, if you will, right.
So the St, Matthew example that I gave you the interaction for students only with the math content that we have purchased vetted and can ensure that is protected. Right. So limited in terms of
its go ahead. >> And in this space because I've been speaking with a lot of parents were very concerned about access for their students. So I just want to
minimally if we're able to put that to bed and it's a conversation that they can watch themselves when their students are in these intelligent components of the
programs that we have. Then they are able to ask questions like they can You're saying that the tutor, Ken, explain or can provide more examples.
How is that a little bit more controlled and finite than generative. >> Because it's limited to the curriculum that we've already adopted and the school division, it were to be asked
some question, let's say St Math. If it were to be asked a question about Latin. >> It's not going to asking back, not going to be asked to be related to Matt. Thank you. That is very helpful. The
other piece that I want to better understand is. What are our teachers doing right now? Because I know we have teachers who are piloting lighthouse schools. I think
that's year 3, Dr Reid, is that correct? So we have those folks than we have others piloting something else and others who are not piloting
anything but are delivering those lessons. Help me understand the different buckets of teacher access. >> Yes, so I think. The first
bucket is teacher productivity right? How can teachers use AI in a way that is going to save them time and result in better teaching and learning experiences for like one of
the examples the day tried to give the slides was. Obviously you all know that major priority for school system is inclusion and making sure that we have an inclusive
educational delivery model where students, whether or not they're multilingual learners, students have disabilities are educated in the general classroom and have access to grade level content taught by
a general education teacher and supported by educational specialists. Well, you can imagine when you have a classroom with a wide variety of learning needs advanced academic learning Lee means all the way to multilingual
learners. You have to differentiate your curriculum. So teachers are using AI to take the curriculum content that we've developed, the units and the lessons and be able to get differentiated
resources that they can use to meet the variety of learning needs in the classroom. So again, examples are if you have an anchor text that you might be a sign in to your students to read you have this
wide variety of of reading ability levels AI can be used to change the readability in the grade level content of that. Read of that text to be differentiated to different levels for different students
in the classroom without losing the key concepts skills and ideas that need to be presented. They can also create different ways for students to access the
content. Oftentimes one of the things that our students have difficulty with is really understanding, particularly multilingual learners,
understanding vocabulary terms, right? Because you're learning new language. You're learning academic content. Teachers can provide lots of different graphic organizers and visuals to help students understand what that academic
vocabulary really means in the context of the lesson. Again, the concepts and skills that their study otherwise teachers would have to create a lot of these things on their own right. That using AI will allow teachers to be able to
do that much more quickly. Additionally, one of the things that AI tools can supports students with. Right? So there's like the teacher efficiency productivity.
Bucket. But something that AI tools can support students with. In the sense where we actually have access to those tools like power buddy, it's providing opportunities for
translation services, right? So we can translate material for students of their second language. Learner, for example. Now, you would ask the question about not just how teachers are using this
for, you know, productivity and to work with students. But one of the things we've been rolling out in piloting really the work that we've done kind of, I think, fits into 2 buckets. The first bucket was those AI literacy. and really
working with teachers to try to understand what do they being to know about AI how it works so that they can use it effectively and they can be prepared to guide students to use it responsibly because again, students can access it
outside of school. So we want to develop student literacy in AI as well. So there's kind of that component. And then the piloting work that we've done because I know receive questions on this has been
really, really limited. The only pilot work that we've done with any tools is in 18 schools. With the limited power Buddy pilot that we started to roll out this year.
So that's really just a few teachers across the school division. That's less than 50 teachers across the school division and, you know, probably several 100 students that have been working with us on that. Is that different
from the lighthouse schools? >> So the lighthouse schools really kind of initiated before a kind of initiated pretty similar to the time a check up to roll that.
>> So some light how schools have been involved in some of the work around AI literacy. >> Some of the lighthouse schools kind of overlap with the power. But pilot, but other lighthouse schools have been working on different
instructional technology goals. Not focussed on AI at all. So it's kind of like a been diagram. There's some overlap. And then there's some distinction with the lighthouse schools and the AI work.
>> Thank you. Now, given where the different teachers are because some of piloting some a lighthouse schools and summer, just your regular teachers who may have opted
into some And so we also have a bucket of teachers who opted into nothing. Can you give me a kind of quick summary of how many AI tools are across the
different groups of teachers that we have. >> It's really just power it because like I said, like you know, the example that I gave it with mask base, that's part of a curriculum that we
adopted. As a Highland. There's no Gemini. There's no spark. It's just power body in terms of anything that we've done with students and tools. Yeah. Nineteen's wagers,
teachers, landslide, our teachers accessing to increase their productivity. So with in division adopted tools, teachers had access to Gemini
and chat Gpt >> they obviously could have access to other things outside of school. But those are the only things that we've engaged the division level. And
anybody jump in using outside of that. Weve Co sponsor are those 2 okay? You talked a
little bit I think slide 10 about the staff handbook and the student handbook regarding this. >> Where does that student handbook live and how do parents access that?
>> Well, that's that's a good question. should be available in all the school Web sites. We have a central site with tools and resources on our website as well. But it should
be available on all school websites as well. >> And the teacher handbook is that's not are facing on our panel. Yeah, that's internal on our atlas. Kind of our
Internet site. I'll take go back. Face. Thank you, Mr. Moon.
>> The presentation. I am patient person and just want to say that of to see that when it comes to AI, I feel
patient. Because from my perspective. school system has to patient. And making progress in this particular
Delia. So let me ask you a few questions from the presentations. Your timeline
roadmap. 25 26. on training for all personal staff. So with the foundation training by the end of the CR, what
could those instructional stepped be able to What we do, what everybody be able to do something with Everybody do something.
>> We're not requiring anybody to use AI right now. I just want to be clear about that. We don't want to get ahead and if not want to get ahead of board policy. So we've not had
a board policy or any internal regulations on the use of AI. We provided guidance about what we believe is permissible, but that's by choice. It's it's not by
requirement. So if the board and obviously the board is working on their policy right now. Allows us to move forward
or requires us to move forward more rapidly. We believe we've built the foundational capacity for teachers to be able to understand how to use AI responsibly and safely
themselves. And how to educate students to use it responsibly and safely. But we have not require the use of AI for teachers or students at this point.
>> I think you understand bull responsibility to come up with with a policy. Obviously and probably a step at a certain can make a song to recommendations for what the
Bush considered as a part part of the policy. I to lose as we all being utilized by many
families outside the scorer and we're not engaged in those families on how to best use those policies because you're not ready to get going to
Meanwhile, is one board member should be Lou. And one in one of them. say person get to use AI tools to help children.
Some only and on our would not the same access. That is one my And they need let me give example of what this particular goal master. I am a
cordon of It's it's a board game. decade it was a famous five-match series between. A cool the minds fungal versus
workers best and most respected professional player Schumer and didn't lose to AI by 4 to one 10 data. You know,
the with same goal master and the very first thing he said was I toured being right with cool professionals using AI
tool to improve between those who know how to how to best to use and goes. >> Who not as good in using it to login to can. I'm worried
that. This is happening. And this would continue to happen. >> Well, I think you're 100% right. We're concerned about a growing gap as well. I mean, that's a major equity issue as
one of the reasons that, you know, our chief equity officers been so involved in this work and, you know, just as an aside, I would say one thing I've shared with some of my colleagues around this work
about. The professional world is changing and the need to be able to use AI effectively to keep pace. My son is a freshman. My oldest son is a freshman in college this year
and before he started college, one of the things that he was required to do was to take a course about how to use AI effective with at the university level because the
university felt very strongly that students who don't know how to use it are going to be in a significant disadvantage. They also obviously want to make sure students are using it responsibly promoting academic, academic, integrity and everything else. But that
was requirement before they ever set foot on campus. And he's in the business school and they have integrated AI and every one of their foundational courses right
now. I don't know what they've done in their advanced courses, but every foundational courses in finance economics management courses, integrate AI into every single one of those courses because they believe
strongly that in the professional world you need to know how to use the tools. So that is where we need to be is educating all of our students on how to use it well and effectively, but we have to do
so in a way that mitigates risk. And that's why we've been taking a more deliberate and measured approach at this time. But I certainly understand your position, too, make sure that we're getting this right and doing it doing
it well. And it may be moving a little bit more quickly. >> Thank you much. More quickly than okay. I see 70 seconds. So let me ask you
something that's not covered. He hurt is the season. Lot mostly about going What about operation? S backed of the
school using >> Yes, so again, any my colleagues I want to jump in. I mean, it certainly welcome. Well, no, I mean, I just would say, like those are the conversations of senior leadership that we've had
right like. How can we improve our efficiency in our department's? So I'll just give you one example from the academic world right? One of the things that we do every year at the end of the year. Obviously, as we look at our state assessment results and
we try to analyze where students, you know, could grow and maybe where our curriculum needs to be enhanced. Well, that's a pretty time intensive process. But with AI, one of the things that we've been
able to do is to take all of our curriculum standards, take the state standards, take the test blueprint from the state, analyze the items that students did well on analyze the items that students consistently struggled with
and figure out where we need to strengthen our curriculum. We can do that with AI much more rapidly than we could ever do that before. Right? We would spend weeks and months doing that work before now we can spend well week still,
but, you know, days and weeks instead of months, every department is developing news cases about how to improve their efficiency and effectiveness in the same way. I'm just not as you know, familiar with what business
office might be doing or human resources might be doing. Gotham continues to support all of our departments and deepening their understanding and trying to build up those use cases to improve our officials ineffectiveness.
>> Mr. Not jump in here. Just respond to that as well. You my department is working on building a chatbot for S R R so are students future can can look up anything. And that's
our in without having to go through that huge booklet to find the things that they're they want to learn about or know about right away. So and we are in the testing phase of that right now working with
our it Department, too, to do that for our students and we use it when we are, you know, searching for things and Sr as well. You know, our documents
are now loaded up into a safe space so that we can use AI to be more efficient and not have to worry about reading through documents. You can find it for us right away.
>> I can add on a personal note, I think that I have used as my own personal coach in certain areas. And when I upload documents, I use it as
a thought partner to help push me in particular I missing anything here. I have a safe space. Where understands who I am and my role on the organization that I work for.
Superintendent who follows policies and regulations and answers to the board. It has all of Fairfax County and it's in the profile. And so based on that information, I do use
AI to push me to think of things that I hadn't thought of before. >> Mr. each department, operational departments actually working with. The
concept. I know our HR department very recently. We previewed in senior leadership that possibility of having an after hours answering service that would actually combed
through all HR and benefits policies because a lot of times staff call after hours with questions around leaving benefits and that type of thing. So we're loading tools
to help provide better customer service for our staff. So I think our operational departments are looking at things and we'll be providing updates to the board as we're contemplating what
that could actually look like in a safe and measured way because we want to make sure we're safe guarding data and privacy of our staff and students. >> Thank you. Thank But, you
know, waiting for a school board policy for you to be able to that. >> The policy we expect will guide this work. But in the interim, we're using our
acceptable use policies. We have technology policies. We have privacy policies. So we're utilizing those policies that exist. I think AI is one
facet. It's one tool. It's obviously a powerful engine. But it is, you know, working with all of our set policies to try to be thoughtful,
however, Dr. Presidio said, I think we're not proceeding that student Rome at this point yet we're waiting to see what the policy is going to guide. >> Thank you. Message on
coming. Okay. So first of all, thank for this presentation for putting this together. I appreciate it. I'm not one of those early adopter people.
So. What are the questions that I have is and you're slates, you talked about and I know you're talking right now, we're talking about the staff, not the students, but one of the slides talked about
supporting families and managing the children say I use outside of the school. That has a division we would do that would. What does that look like to you?
>> actually can answer The Saint John-cunning 8, that's been one of the topics of our family quad meetings this last round and we also are going to be working on developing a
parent academy just on the topic of AI. So we're looking forward to that. And we want to make sure it's responsive to parents, actual questions, which is why that group is a really I know. Doctor Riley
was speaking to a group on a different topic, but it it includes parents from all schools in the school division. And we want to make sure that whatever guidance is representative of the
questions and concerns and ideas of our families here in Fairfax County, Public Schools. So my question is.
>> I love that idea. But I want to make sure that we have a good cross section. And representation of all of our families when we're talking about it. And if you're having
those meetings and that you do have a true present available, that you do have. People that are confident in AI or technology to assist those families whom I worked with a
lot that are not familiar with with basic technology. OK? My next question, screen just
>> I had my question prepared. east stop my time. Just to like get back to my screen because it just went off. So I
know we're talking about the overarching and what we're working that. so one of the things that you mentioned in terms of guiding principles was monitoring impact to maximize benefits and avoid
harm. you in this process developing specific metrics or data points. We're leadership can report back to us to prove that the eye is increasing.
Instructional efficiency rather than item. learning. >> Yeah, absolutely. We've actually engage the research to try to identify how they
might be able to support us and conducting kind of some, you know, program evaluation work because we are going to need some additional assistance But that, you know, development work is underway.
>> The other question is, are you guys also developing a checklist in terms of the ethical equitable and operational conditions that must be set aside for each new AI tool that we're going to
bring on for our staff. >> Yes, so that's kind of in the framework of our tool adoption process. And I mean, we had a really strong tool adoption process to begin with. We don't just allow, you
know, the teacher school to adopt something. It's got to go through a central review leave enhance that process to include. Obviously the review,
any AI infuse tools as well to make sure that they can comply. You know what, the data privacy, the security. But more importantly that there has to be a strong educational benefit for that
before we would, you know, just adopt a tool in bringing in. It's got to align with our, you know, instructional model, the learning model that I talked about. It's got to align with, you know, the curriculum standards that we
have in the state to support teaching and learning in a way that, you know, we wouldn't be able to support as much absent that tool. >> You provide the board with that checklist so that we can see And then another thing
that even though I'm not one of those people, that is first to doctor. Are we teaching our teachers because then they're
going to be teaching our students about the biases, mistakes or missing information, an ai-generated content so that they aren't
misled by technology. We know I depends on its bed and we know that a lot times what it spent is from very specific demographic groups. >> Yes, so when we talk about
AI literacy, that's one of letter says that we're talking about right like how to evaluate content for bias for accuracy. So the student facing lessons that we've
developed island or see. That's that's part of the work that we're doing there. >> You know, it's important not just for students, but for adults as well. You know,
sometimes when I'm in using AI and I know that the answer that they're giving me is not accurate. I have that conversation with them. All right. With with with them with with my AI bot. And so I
think it's not just students that we have to make sure that we teach is AI literacy and to challenge when you know something's not right or don't just depend on resource or
source that we ensure that our teachers do that as well. >> And my final question is, I do agree that the portrait of a graduate. Attributes that we
look at or even more important now. So what are we going to be doing to enhance the development of? Making sure that our students have those
skills in schools so that they can use those to navigate. I. >> And I think that's a great question. It's not really as
much about AI. Is is it about? Really prioritizing the types of teaching and learning experiences that are going help students develop those skills. Right? So you know, the learning model and again,
I didn't go into it and a lot of depth and detail. But that provides the framework. If we work through those 4 different domains using the pedagogy is using the resources that we've developed to support
developing, learned, centered environments universally design curriculum that's accessible to all students, meaningful learning experiences. The privilege, instructional strategies that our rigorous and are going to
support students problem solving abilities. Problem based learning activities project based learning activities that are going to develop those critical and creative thinking skills and purposeful assessment that really give students the
formative feedback that they need and engage them in the reflection process about what they've learned, what they haven't learned and where they need to go in morning journey. >> We have to privilege all of those pedagogy and we've
developed out a wealth of resources to support teachers across grade levels and content areas. >> And all for those domains. And that's where the instructional support work in training and professional
development that we do as always centered in the fcps learning model. So is making sure that those types of practices are happening in our classrooms on a daily basis. And then the question is, how can AI extend that right? How
can create more opportunities for students to engage in really difficult problem solving activities without a teacher by their side, right? Or without tutor support that some students might have an
and that others might not have Mr. Men talked about how can that technology provides some of those access supports. >> I would like to see
fidelity in terms of developing. Ensuring that those resources are being used because I really firmly believe that that is what makes the difference with our
kids. Thank you. Appreciate. Thank Mayor. >> Yes, keep my comments. not focused on the policy since that is what the governance
committee will be working on on Tuesday. So I am challenge to be as excited as I'd like to be about this. Doctor. first, this conversation is not students entered. I don't
understand what students are going to engage with this conversation is adults centered. All the examples I've heard are about adults and how our staff are using AI. That's not really the big. The biggest concern. Of course, you want to make sure
it's done safely and with civility. But I don't understand them. And it's not Jenner of Ai what is really happening. There's no examples given. It's certainly an opportunity to get us excited,
but it's it's all very intangible. Second, my experience as a board member has been sporadic in terms of understanding what happened. I
dug into informations. The superintendent has shared mostly by internal communications from what I can understand it, I'm perplexed
because Dr Reid, this board engagement piece is really tough for me. You sent us on February. 3rd ahead for this meeting, this 4 face framework for AI adoption from AI for
education, a nonprofit organization. And the very first thing in the phase is to establish a foundation host, an introductory meeting and Jenny Literacy training for district and school leadership
board and other key stakeholders. That hasn't happened. The horse is way out. It says to create a cross-functional team, including leaders, teachers,
students and community members to workshop. Generative AI review the organizations business strategy. How wind are we going to get an update about this in the strategic plan goals and what goals?
Item. 3 phase 3 is engage. Students in the community build common understanding by sharing your jenay guidelines and how they support your organizational vision with caregivers and community members via newsletters, town
halls, cetera, just of Houston for school boundaries, for name change. We've done it for budget. We for facilities. I also extremely concerned that
the school division has entered into contracts with multibillion-dollar organizations. And I don't know what they are. I don't what was promised. I just I
cannot get my head around and the bottom line is how are you going to measure how instructional priorities intersect with the existing and planned work related to AI. That was on the slide. The
session will explore how a structural priorities intersect with existing and planned work. How are you going measure that? How are going to show that that any of these tools is good? I also
will say the board has by policy and traditionally had a role in reviewing curriculum and tools. Alexia news Ella bet benchmark advanced. Each
of those was selected and approved publicly by the board. And now we have a slew of education technology, which is unclear and not contained
in a centralized place. Where can parents find information about what's being used? Let alone the board. >> those are a lot of
questions. I think the road map you are reading from is one option. It's one set of ideas from one organization. There are many, but it is the one chose to share with us. I
did provide all access to all 50 states AI policies. >> All of which demonstrate a range of approaches I, though they all have some
commonalities, which we did summarize for you in terms of the those states that are sort of on the watch list. So I think that in terms of the number of tools are being
used, I know that that's something that instructional services could provide Dr per city. I'm not sure if you want to be able to provide a list. We can publicly post that or
if it is available can currently let me just clarify on that point. Again, know there are a number of questions us, but just on this point, what I tried address, but Dr Anderson's question.
>> As we have an adopted any AI tools outside of her regular curriculum, adoption process, other than this very limited power Buddy pilot, which is optional and does not
require participation so that that is it. So that's the list. So there is an longer list. Okay. >> So I think there's the
answer on that topic. I do think we could provide more detailed explanation of that optional piloted tool. >> That would be helpful. Absolutely. Be happy to do
that. Thank you. Miss ticks. It. >> Thank you for the
presentation and all the work that into I am definitely believe are in AI for education. I think this is the way to move forward. I know
that students would be ready for the jobs are careers tools in county or is that good knowledge foundation knowledge of AI in the school, even then the colleges that will come across that. So not preparing
them is not an option. So we have to prevent them. I think some says we hear the loudest voices always from the community, reach our again.
Something and then we don't hear from people who are agreeing with that agreeing that the talk VR moving forward, the debt on of parents I talked who are supportive of this type of
education and they want to bring their students. How did ethical use of AI? That's a concern. It's not like, oh, we don't want our kids to the ER I just like how do they learn
as a sponsor belated the Yukon Show? You run away from it. You know, you're in the right. I guess requirement for a nurturing caring predicted
environment to learn this property at the school drive that is going online and just doing judge a big it themselves. So I think think Ali teaching them AI is our
duty. and that is what we should better Stearns. Far. I I want to blast what multi-billion dollar contract do. We not meant to be in doubt. That's used to have the
contracts Dr Reid. We have just an agreement with OpenAI. That is not a it's not a cost agreement. >> we are in alignment with 12
school divisions in the country to partner to provide free access only to the adults in our division. And we know that it's safer to have an inner pie enterprise agreement
for our staff to utilize tools rather than what was occurring, which is staff using free tools online, but then don't protect our our data. So we want to make sure
we had an agreement that would protect our data and have it be, if you will. A safeguard drilled space for experimenting with a ISO. It's
not a financial transaction, but rather partnership agreement as we explore new tools for adults only.
>> Are we getting anything in return? There's nothing that we're giving up. Our hearts data are sensitive information are. Things we should not be
sharing. >> No, ma'am. The agreement was reviewed by both legal and went back and forth. It's similar to those agreements
signed by other states and divisions across the country and were approved by illegal. the legal agreement prohibits them from using our data to train their model.
>> Okay. Great. Yeah. >> Actually, federal government all agencies use AI now. And and and it does charge ebd OpenAI has given them like a dollar off-licence
charge and any federal a working government, the government using have access to lot of information. Been using Judge EBT or Gemini and
Judge Ebd. So I think workforce can definitely use it. Mindfully and using it right for the right reasons. We should and should not be a
problem with that. I think I just want to voice that that just to from the first video we saw and just seeing next 10 years, we all those probably
have a robotic assistance. Please be ready for that. And we have to be of, you know, our kids. We have to be ready for that, too. So very supportive of this. And
hopefully that could keep continuing this. Pat, thank you. Thank Sanderson. >> So I am one of those people
believe strongly that we need to be focusing our policy. Not only on AI but actually on innovation and innovative technologies because I think that as someone who since I
was little have has gone through 5 different ways that I have consumed music over my life. And I look at my grandmother who was born in
1919, who literally every iteration of the phone that went through her life. We're moving faster and faster. And if we try to go at the pace that we're necessarily
comfortable with, we are going to be out paced by what's going on in the world so quickly that we can't keep up. And I actually think that's what happened with social media. And so I think that we're at a moment where we
have to use innovative technology ideals when we're talking about this. And I think we can use AI is a framework to create that within the division. It gives us a pathway so that we don't have to have this conversation
the next time it happens because we already know what we're going to do. And so I would like to use this in as we're looking at other policies. I want us to make sure that we're not locking
all those policy solely into issues that are going on I I think that's what can happen. Regulation. I think that the policies themselves should be looking at how we deal with innovative technologies.
Because I think that as we move forward, the board needs to be responsive and be able to work with the superintendent staff to be able to be responsive to those issues. So I am fully in
agreement with my colleague, Mr. Moon. I think that we are probably well, we're not behind the power curve. I think we're probably on the on the safer and at this point we have not solely jumped off,
but are kids have and our teachers have because this is a tool and as as the example, that you shared about your son, I can't. Even if I was
still in the college classroom, I can't even imagine how I would be using it to you with my students. And I actually talked with some my professor friends about how they're using it and what we what they can do and
because I think those things are already happening at the college level where kids have more access and we can use them to inform what we're doing here as well. >> I would like to just hang
on to that. One of the things that we realized is many of our educators >> have had no formal >> instruction on AI because unless you're in university
within the last 3 years, you really have not had o'clock s on the effective use of AI because the technology is evolving that quickly. And I'm proud that many of our Fairfax
staff have many more than 3 years of experience. And that also necessitates really a grounding our foundation built for our adults. As we learn more about the tools to to
guide our young people responsibly. So we're excited to learn more. >> And this is a pretty common thing. And I think that the board absolutely should take advantage of trainings that are offered so that we can see
what what our teachers are learning. I know that some of my colleagues have already done those types of trainings to see. What's going around on around the division. I did have a constituent reach out
to me when they saw the things that were on the schedule for today and mention the fact that it makes a whole lot of sense for us. Also to talk about the environmental impact of AI when we're told when we're talking about
environmental stewardship, I think that that's a portion of the conversation that has to be included, particularly as we look towards more closed-loop systems where where conserving resources and things like that. So I just I
just want to say, I think we need to keep going. I want to keep it as general as humanly possible and use AI is an example rather than having it be that we're only structuring our policies around this technology.
>> Thank you, miss Anderson, Mr. Fresh. Thank conversation, governance have a lot of policies that have been shared by our chair that
could be potentially impacted by this. I wanted to refill a bit off of our chairs. Comment about. What policy shape kind
of takes Not that this would happen here. But in Congress, one of the issues that technology companies love. Is that Congress writes specific
laws specific too. A piece of technology and then in a year when that technology is change or out of date, Congress never goes back to address those
changes. And so as we get our head around the policy. As we know from looking at our list of outdated policies, there's no assurances that in 5 years time that whatever board that
is going to be picking up the policy, the updated. But I think ensuring that the eventual policy aligns not only with our expectations
around AI but could be. Put on top of future technologies that we've not yet imagined. I think that's going to be important. And among those
things is ensuring that and students are prepared for that's the case. Proper usage of the tools that exist out in
the real world. Regardless of what's happening in our school buildings and any technology used by our educators AI or otherwise. A line a bit with
what Dr Presidio is talking about in terms of our instructional models, the efficacy, et cetera, and then there are a host of policies
that have some tie to our work in AI or other technologies from procurement to student privacy to data. You said to data sharing through procurement and it'll be
interesting to see if those policies have any gaps and them, I think of our school trust policy which talks about personally identifiable information and prohibits the
sharing with contractors. So we have various pieces of some of the protections that people have talked about in our policies already. I think a
future policy on technology. That encompasses the work around AI and potential future technologies. With that in mind and perhaps points to
other policies of note will be important as we proceed. But I appreciate the information that's been shared.
>> Thank you. I'm going take a turn before you get to go So many of you know, I work to TJ 20 plus years ago. We talked, of course, called AI. I didn't quite know what they were
doing. I will tell you this. I would talk to my students about their research and they were researching cameras on Carr's backup cameras. They are researching face
recognition. I everything they were touching has happened and and some quite sometime later, some pretty short in short order. So, you know, we we are
behind, in my opinion, we do need to keep up. But I like sort of live within the guardrails of being intentional instead of But instead of fast I also want
to, you know, raise this that, you know, it. I am in a unique situation because my wife is a desperate. So I hear a lot of what is going on. Teachers
utilization of AI is absolutely student-centered. They are making their lessons better. They are differentiating instruction to
people across different learning platforms. They are generating different ways to assess students for the nonverbal student to the kind of static student to the next whatever they're finding ways
to assess knowledge. We all did it. Paper pencil. It didn't work for every month. This back in on mice, Stone age, you dropped out. Nobody was looking for you. Okay. But
you're hands-on learner. Forget it. And now we have all these tools at disposal to do this with fidelity. So I just want to make sure that people understand what teachers are
using this. It takes them time to put perhaps in a tire health curriculum. And if you teach health and PE 7 or 8 and you're trying to enhance that health curriculum, which has really been touched or enhance
a long time in the examples you were given are so outdated because of new information. So the other thing I want to talk about is instructional services here Will oaks because from my perspective,
our specialist and this is where we need to get moving. Need to be finding ways to integrate AI into lessons. Right now, our teachers of the base level, we're doing it. I
don't I'm not aware of it happening at that central and probably because it's can't you're not empowered to do that yet. But I think we just need to continue to work smarter. So that we can make sure that our kids learn. And the other thing I want to say
is there shoot difference between technology use and putting devices computers in front of children. And using
AI they're they're separate. I personally believe that that we put devices in front of kids too much. And I mean, we as a society, you know, my hope is that parents won't
give devices to their children and you work on a grocery store. Every 2 or 3 year-old sitting in the little seats got a device in front of them. We've got to stop this as a country as a culture. We're
getting independent. That's why kids sustain reading for 15 minutes because it's not entertaining enough. So we have a lot of work to do in that arena. But we as a school system, we're not putting
devices in children's hands at young ages. My hope is that with the utilization of the devices that we have with kids, that they are being used appropriately in to enhance and not to take up some time.
And I do think we need more intentionality in training on that. Now. Maybe take a go back. So I think our first go back Dr Anderson. Thank you. Something they said just a
little while ago. Kind of graze might interest. You mentioned that the OpenAI contracts that we have, doctor, pay you share that 12 school divisions.
>> Also have similar contract that prohibits the use of data to train their model. What is the data that we are utilizing that all teachers who are
taking advantage of are in putting. >> again, I mean, I think the use cases are probably gonna
very somewhat, but I think most frequent is differentiation of the curriculum materials that were. >> Provider has nothing to do a specific students. It's because, you know, I've done this when I was a teacher just
tried to differentiate different things. It's I have this concept. I want. >> Will you know, I want a low a level. I want a medium level. I went to high level. So that's what they're dumping
in while we stopping them from using that kind of a name data to train a model to do it better.
>> Just because of some of the I think privacy concerns and data security concerns. So again, we have policies in place. We have things. So in the legal agreement to protect
student and information, staff information and privacy. But I think one of the concerns is how these companies we don't. information that they're going to use to train their model in
use in ways that we don't know or understand or can't even contemplate. So it's just another security precaution because one of the things that I think people are generally concerned about in society is
you put your information into something. You don't know how it's going to be used later. Who are So it's just another layer of protection. Thank you. >> And Dr Way that may confirm
the OpenAI agreements that speaks to I think you said there were 2 Gemini and and chatgpt. Those are the 2 that
this agreement is speaking to other others. >> It is not speaking to those 2. is only speaking to chat Gpt for teachers. >> Thank you.
>> I said this before and I'll say it again in this conversation. As I wrap up my last few seconds, 2 things can still be too at the same time. >> We can have great excitement around this. And I
do with space for there to for us to reduce workload for teachers and increase productivity and give more differentiated work to students. Ye. That's like the
sweet spot. But there's also concern with parents because it is an unknown world. And when they're seeing that. When students are interacting with
AI tools that they are engaging in self-harming. I appreciated that in this conversation. You said over and over and over again, we don't have any tools for students of current. It's just
tools for teachers and it's a limited set of tools. I think we could do a much better job. Dr Reid for us too. Harness kind of the excitement that that exists in community. And
we do some of the angst we have to kind of organize and package and deliver this in a different way. It's a little bit complicated. Fight could just finish my sentence. It's a little bit complicated for
parents to find what all the things live and they don't hear what we're talking about today. All they're seeing is come to this big show and we'll do these things and all
their thinking is, oh, my God, my kid is not protected. So I think there's a communication gap that could reduce a lot of the anxiety that I know. I am hearing from the community.
Thank you, Miss mayor, for go back. Yes, so I appreciate that about family. I very little that I can share with parents who are contacting me. And the student guide is not
anywhere on the CBS website that I can find it. A look generally in on 2 high schools, mother talking. >> So look, seeking to make space for this board to thoughtfully consider the viewpoints and data about
really the bigger picture, which is incorporating technology into education. And this is really well Miss. Anderson was talking about. I agree, you know, just thinking about the conversation I
policy seems much too narrow. We're really talking about technology and education. And when I look at the other, there are only 6 other policies about technology. The one about data security was
last reviewed in 2015. So that's the kind of thing that makes it really hard for me to be excited, because I don't think that it's being taken seriously. If the board is not being, you know, included in
this update and even to not have our chief technology officer here seems very strange to me because if it's a partnership, they've got to be lockstep. So, you know, I'm
wondering if the AI policy should be more broad to make it more evergreen. I think the content largely stays the same from what I've seen of the draft, which I believe will be shared soon for the governance
committee meeting. But perhaps that's really a task for governors to consider is how do we make it more evergreen? I still continue to wonder if what if being a leader means approaching this with children's development in
mind. We haven't talked at all about 6 year-old 7 year-old. We're talking about these high school kids going to college. What about the 10 year-olds? What about that? Those kiddos need different kinds of
experiences when 2021 on the board, we had just started doing 1, 2, 1, 1, laptop per high school. And starting to figure out should we do middle school? People were protesting us doing that, OK? And then
COVID hit. Now everyone has one. But what has been the result? What's been the benefit? What's been the drawback? What's the data? That's you know, what is the data that shows that technology is helping students
learn like just, for instance, like our multilingual learners, a tremendous gains last year. Well, was it because they used benchmark advance, which is an ex and curriculum. Was it because we
had it separate for Kim 4 and allows because teachers were a smaller classrooms. I don't understand how we can keep moving forward if we don't know if it was the technology. And the last thing I'll say
is. We're getting brand loyalty. That's what providing. Okay. OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company and they might do good in the world like many other
companies. But that's on our mission. Okay. Miss Anderson. I just wanted respond there
for a second because as many of you guys know, I'm a hard-core Mac user. >> Not a huge fan of Microsoft, but that is a tool that we utilize wiur students. The same ways.
Google Sweet is a tool. I as a tool and so we don't necessarily have to we. We used lots of tools related to our teaching the same way. We used textbook companies in the
same way we have testing software. We have all kinds of things. And so whether or not we believe strongly and you will not hear a stronger
proponent of ensuring that we have multi-modal. Methods for kids to learn. I used to teach success and still is and study skills in a college classroom
and 100%. I understand why pencil and paper is still as important. But that doesn't mean that that we live in a world that is only surviving on pencil and paper. So while we may be nostalgia about the
things that were upset are going away. It doesn't change the fact that we have to be responsive to the world that our students are walking into. And so I just want us to figure out how 2 thread that
needle carefully. And we've seen our division focus on those things. We are moving towards making sure we have textbooks. We're moving. We want the tangible. We want our kids reading and he's someone
I I don't want us to characterize it as no kids read because I know it's anecdotal, but I'm watching my 11 year-old who's read 3,000 pages of in the last and I can't get him out off the
books like so I just I'm telling you that, like I think for every anecdotal case for we can talk about the worst case scenario. We can talk about the exact opposite to
and that's the joy of having 176,000 students. And so we're going to find a rich breath in our in our division. And I want us to continue to make sure that we're looking at the needs for all the kids and
what we can do to make sure that they're all. But I don't think you can have any conversation about what we're doing and not think that we're being student center. I just want to make sure that we put that forward that we stay student-centered and I agree.
I just want us to keep that firmly in mind. >> Okay. Seeing other go back in terms of the developmental comments, I 100% agree. All I
can do is share something anecdotally which was the kindergarten team at an elementary school using AI a thought partner around how kindergarteners can demonstrate learning because the partner studies they were
working from. Only have them join a picture. And I think that just like our 17 year olds are way smarter than we were. We were 17. >> Our kindergartners. I mean,
you know, they can think critically they can problem solve. I mean, we are stretching and developing those young minds in ways that, you know, I don't believe I was as a preschool or kindergarten or because I was just doing basic coloring
and whatnot. I also think that this board would probably benefit from some sort, of course, on machine learning and AI. And I know that we're efforts examples. But, you know, I think we need to see
and hear from people who are doing this in the field, it in our schools. With fidelity and share their success stories with reaching children that they otherwise we're not reaching and I also want to
just reemphasize the part of this entire movement moving forward is the parent academy. You we're full. I mean, the entire time that I did presentations as the school counselors director, I held up
the phone all the time and asked parents charging these in your b*** in the in your bedroom area. Kids charging them when you leave devices in your kid's hands. Overnight, you've basically given them permission to go anywhere in the world without your
permission. And that's the problem we have with Jennifer AI is a companion. We have to talk to our children. We have to get advice is of their hands. And we as parents have to do a better job to make
sure that that is that is happening because we social media ran us right, ran its rugged and destroyed the self esteem of our young people. And we are rebuilding it slowly but surely and we are
working hard is the school system, but we are working hard as a community because we need our faith communities. We need parents. We need teachers when he coaches and mentors to show children how beautiful
and wonderfully made they are and how unique they are. And in terms of this work, I think we're doing extremely well. But I just think that from a
board perspective be good to actually see some real examples of those success stories happening. Our classrooms. Thank you. So not
seeing any other. Placards. I will thank staff again. I think this is a preference, fantastic presentation and appreciate the time and attention to that. And we'll
take a quick brief, maybe. budget work session is adjourned and then we will
start again with the Budget
Committee. Thank you.
>> starting now. >> now >> moving on to the discussion off the Budget Board Budget
Committee on the EFI 2027 proposed budget icon and Doctor Reed, Florida presentation. Thank you. Miss sticks. It this afternoon.
It's my pleasure to introduce our chief finance officer and her team. They've spent a great deal of time working on this budget. And we're very
pleased to be presenting what we believe is a frugal thrifty needs-based budget that will continue to support world class education for our
students here in Fairfax County. And we look forward to partnering with our county Board of Supervisors and our delegation to the General
Assembly in supporting this world-class education. So Mr. Burton, if you want to begin
the presentation, please. Good afternoon. Typically this first work session. I just do a real quick overview of what's actually in the budget
has been a couple of weeks. >> And I'm sure you all had important things to deal with during that time. So if you could go ahead and go to the
next slide. The fiscal 27 budget totals. 4.1 billion. That's an increase of 197 million or 5% over the 26
approved budget. The budget again is Needs-based and focuses only on the basic requirements for the school division. We're requesting an
additional local transfer of 138.4 million or 5.1% over the 26 transfer. And it's important to note that that's about half of what we requested last year in the
superintendents proposed. So let's look at what's new. The total expenditure increase, of course, is 197 million and compensation makes the bulk of
that at 178.4. Certainly we want to honor air collective bargaining work. And if you compensation adjustment is a
3%. NSA plus step increases. The scf PSA is the compensation adjustments for them are 4% plus step increases. We do have some benefit right changes. You may
have heard that the vrs contribution right was reduced in the governor's budget that came out in December. And that is offset by increases in health care. So we actually
end up with a net negative 2.3 million and again, with compensation being about a 178.0, 4 million. We also have baseline adjustments and that
includes reduction. And based on the enrollment loss for enrollment and student needs of 35.7 million. We also were able to include a partial class size restoration. You
may recall that last year we can't 120 million out of the budget. And we know with the reduction that large and a budget that is 90% salaries and benefits. There's really
only a couple places you can go to get big dollars and that is class size or compensation. And we had to do both. So we increase class size by one
student for fiscal 26 and were able to restore a half a student back in the fiscal 27 budget. We also restore the special education department
chairs we pull those down to have time. Each elementary had one especially department chair with full that down 2.5 in fiscal 26. Although all of
the elementary schools were able to use other funds to try to be able to complete that one for this year. But those one-time funds we would like
to have that the funded with recurring dollars. And so we've restored that those 71 Ft ease at a cost of 9.5 million. And then that's want to teach elementary school. We
also have contractual recurring base line adjustments. Those are things like inflationary increases to contracts, fuel, right increases utility rate increases. Those kinds of
things make up the contractual and baseline adjustments. Advance academic resource, teachers restoration. Same thing is with the special. It we reduced. We reduce those
down 2.5 at the non title. One schools only. schools were able to to fund those by tight with tried to dollars in the current year. But again, those
are one-time dollars. This puts them back in the base budget so that they're funded with recurring dollars. That's 48 Ft ease. And so each elementary will go back to having one position in the
middle schools, which one tax has 0.5. We do have slight transfers to other funds. That's mostly major maintenance and workers. Comp
reserves on multi-year investments. The family liaison position conversions. This is the last tranche of family liaisons that were hourly that we're converting to Ft. Ease. Student
activities and athletic programs will and JV boys volleyball and some other opportunities at middle school after school programs like soccer and basketball, fine
and performing arts students, stipends at the middle school for dancing guitar. And if the elementary for dance music and theater. Certified athletic trainers. >> Worth year of you're phase
in for that. When we started this 4 years ago, we had one athletic trainer, which, of course, is problematic. If you have to sports events going on at the same time. So we have
faced and having 2 athletic trainers at each school. This is the 4th year next year will add 5 more. And then all high schools will have to act like trainers and school. We've
also included a little bit of money to expand access to robotics and then after Dench lying, which will provide endorsements. And since we're expanding out for one, those
kinds of things. The total expenditures are 197 Million. We're very proud of this chart because it shows, you know,
air unwavering focus on restoring market competitive compensation just 2 years ago, we write 7 of 8 with the Masters beginning salary. Last
year. We write 5th of 8 and this year we are second of So we've made great progress. There. Even during last year's difficult budget process, we able to maintain that
commitment to closing the gap. It's important to note that about 70% of our teachers have a masters degree. And that is the preferred. We often get a question about why we're not looking at bachelor's, although I think we rank
second in bachelor's as well, but its because the Masters is the preferred most the universities, all of the universities in Virginia offer a five-year masters for education degree and so that
that's the preferred. So that's why we always look at the master schedule. And then finally, shout-out to colleagues at H R for the second consecutive year.
Teacher retention surpassed 90%. So they're doing really great job in making sure that we retain our staff as well as the recruitment efforts. This
is the compensation comparison for fiscal 27 at this point. Fairfax Loudoun and Prince William are the only people that have salary scales out in public. And you can see what
they're what they're doing, we do expect to maintain air rank of 2 based on what Prince William is stepped out with that again, you know, as what has happened last year. Some
of the divisions who are a little more flash with many. We'll do a last minute, you know, enhancement to their salary scale. And so that could change everything. But for right now, you know, our biggest competitors, of
course, are all Loudoun and Prince William Cause. They're about half her size. hopefully they'll stay with what they what they put forward and will
rare ranking of number 2. And then this is just a show where we are fiscal. 26 and again where we are fiscal 27. And then the dates of when some of the other smaller divisions,
budgets are expected to be released. Again, the projected revenue for the school operating fund is 4.1 billion. That's an increase of
197 million request to the county is 138.4 million. If you remember from the fiscal forecasts. Did you 1.4% of
what they stepped out within was 116 Million. So air gap right now is essentially about 22 Million. We are expecting
about 71 million and additional state funds. And all I can tell you is the stars aligned the revenge marking benefited as significantly our local composite index went down that
also contributed to the amount of funds that we're going to get. And this is the December budget. This is with out having the new governor and the General Assembly make their mark on the budget as
far as public education guys. So we're very pleased with being able to get, you know, additional funds from the state very early on. And then last categories. Other that's
a reduction of 12.4 million. That's all the other revenue that's not classified as state or local funding or federal funding federal funding. Of course, we're not assuming any
increase or decrease. And that and the jury is still out on what's going to happen. The federal funding. Looking forward. >> If additional state funds did become available or local.
I mean. I've never seen that happen, but it could. these are the items that we would prioritize in the event that we were able to get additional
state funding. And that's the restoration of the additional 0, 5, for a class size, every direction, elementary programs, inclusive, Pre K the major maintenance backlog,
professional, technical partnerships and world language expansion. And we urge all of our parents, everybody to stay involved, contact your local and state
representatives and let them know share your views about public school funding because I'm sure they be delighted to hear from you. And then our next steps. We're having a budget work session today. We
have a public hearing this evening. Then we have another work session on February 19th and then the school board is expected to dot the 27 advertise budget on February. 26. And just because I forgot
to mention it earlier, the county executive releases his budget on February, 17th. And that's when we'll know what their numbers are and what they might have included in
their budget as the level of county transfer for Fcps. >> Thank you. Miss Burden and the budget team at this time. I now invite board members to
ask any clarifying questions or provide Commons. I see Dr Anderson, first followed by stomach, leaving. Thank you. I'm so sorry. I think I missed
this part a little bit. Did you say that the the landscape, the outlook, at least at the state is seems to be more favorable, favorable enough to fill that 22 million
dollar gap that you just talked about. Dr Anderson. You know that I will not speculate. Also a time group of elected officials might do or not is never said this
before. By the way, not once. Has she ever make that statement? I have no idea what the General Assembly and the new governor will do. But I am
always optimistic and hope that we will get additional funds. This is you are optimistic way that tend to be
but Dre, I'm going to ask you this again, because I ask you doing the presentation and I continued to be perplexed. >> On Page, I don't know what
page this is on on PAGE 3 West says baseline adjustments. The partial class size restoration. I guess I'm confused. I said this to you
last time. And you said, yes, I would revert this back to the language we use last time last year. Fy 26. We had a
staffing adjustment which at the time I remember very, very, very clearly. You talked to that this was not a class size increases was a staffing adjustment. Yet we are talking about class size restorations
here. Please make this make sense for me. >> I think Mr. Smith probably can clarify this because we've talked about this a couple different ways over the years
and essentially. There's sort way that. Staff understand it. And then there's the actual formula driven staffing. If that makes in this case, what
we talked about last year's, a formula driven staffing. How would buildings are staffed and I think Mr. Smith can clarify that since he's works closely with our HR department
on this. >> For and good afternoon, everyone. So we have staffing standards and we have class size caps that we provide so that we ensure that no classes
above a number of students. And when students push up against those caps and we look at our staffing standards. And so this would be a staffing standard adjustment class size
increases common nomenclature. But we would really be looking at the staffing standard that we're using the staffer buildings. >> OK, you said a lot. And I don't know if I understood all of that. So let me try to
connect the dots for myself. Last year's budget. What we had that was in multiple presentations was a staffing adjustment. Which the ration
out at that point was that that would not result in a class size increase across the board. But certainly in some places because we were taking staff members down by one. Is
that accurate? I'm not asking for it accurate because that's what was said. I'm asking, is this your recollection? >> Yes, we pay. We adjusted the staffing standard, OK? So
why are we not having a staffing adjustment restoration here rather than a class size? Restoration. That's the piece that I don't understand we're using in my
mind's eye. 2 different sets of an ocular for the same activity. Doctor, Anderson, you're absolutely I think the short answer is that. >> The language that you're
using is the language that should be on the slide class sizes, the regulation. We wouldn't be changing the regulation without board input and so staffing formula
Restoration, I think, is the curve. >> So that I'm asking you 3 for the second time. has the documents reflect so that we can connect the dots with what happened last year and what
we're trying to adjust this year, least address. OK, thank you as one board member who does ask about the Bachelor's.
Thank you for sharing that. We are 2 of 8 you said on The Bachelor. So now we're on equal footing with both lanes.
It's that Afghans. Okay. Thank you for that. Can you say again? I know you mentioned it, but I didn't capture it properly, which to school
divisions have already come out with their. Loudoun Prince led in Prince William lot. Prince William Alexander II's budget is out, but they have not published salary scales as
part of their budget because >> they're doing something else. >> Do Anyway. Yeah. and the others, their budgets are just not out yet.
>> So right. So with Loudoun and Prince William sharing what they're anticipating doing and what we are anticipating doing where what do we do? We still rank ahead of Loudon. Yes, still below
Prince William. Yes, but, you know, they could do a last second change just because this is what they stepped out with doesn't mean that they will hold there. >> Well, the swimming and that
data center money. So this who knows. Yeah, they are. It's a good place to be and my final
question told find my page here. I guess my final. It's not war. It's it's less of a question and more of a
statement because, you know, missed burden cannot see into her crystal ball, even though I pushed quite a bit. I do wonder to avoid being in the
position that we were last year. If we have a budget gap, what is that plan? I guess that's it. I guess it's a
question after all. Well, I think that we've listed the things that we are going to be, including or attempting to >> fund this year. And bird,
if you can bring up the slide that talks about our investments for. Back back.
Please Do do do. And the things were multi-year investments here, the compensation and baseline adjustments. Those would be the areas we have to look at. If we're going to have to make
up the any type budget shortfall. Mr. McCAbe. Thanks.
Can tell us? >> Our LCI person town now. What has it decreased?
>> It went from 6, 5, 7, 9, 2, 6, 3, 8, 1, Right at 2%. Which is huge. I mean, never seen
any lci changed by that much. Congratulations. thank you for Going to the more programmatic things. >> You mentioned dance and get hard. You unpack that for me.
And may not that may curricular question. What does that look like? >> It's stipends for the and middle school day to get our
in elementary dance music and theater. just like you would imagine, the Haskell if you've ever had kid in one of those programs, the amount of time that teachers supporting those
programs outside the regular day is huge. And so this provide stipends for those and how widespread are those
programs? Not know that? >> O >> Check in with Dr Presidio and we'll get you that answer
in a Friday letter. Because I know they're not offered in my community. So would be great for the there. So middle school sports, you mentioned Soccer and basketball. Are we
confirmed with that? Are those still 2 options that are floating out there? Those are still options. Middle school principals are working through with Mister Horne's Office.
National Board certified teacher statements. We've been getting a lot of communications on this. Can you let us know the current state of play? Sure. Those are
actually the Delia signed. So we are advocating that the deal, we support those positions for some reason. I think it's a librarian specifically that.
>> The video is for some reason identified is receiving those, but we are advocating for those and we believe that the new administration, they're likely to reinstate those because for years those
have been part of the moneys that flow through from Richmond. >> And then can we go to the
priority right. That the no not next pension. The looking forward list. Yes, thank you.
So I know this is not this is south of medical and not exhaustive, right? But if we were to stumble upon a massive
9 of daters data center money or something like that as our superintendent, where would you guide us on that list?
>> I think in many ways I suspect my would guide us to the class size restoration because that also gives our principles a certain amount of flexibility. Which would in
turn impact Elementary Stammen world language expansion. So I think that would more of a global restoration. Do note, though, that each of those we
split that in half and it's about 15, I believe, Lee, 15.5 million for each of those have so. The but again, we can incrementally because says Dr. Anderson mentioned earlier,
it's a formula distribution. It's not like bits of people. I would that's probably where I would guide the
conversation. >> As Senator >> Thank you so much for all the information I appreciated.
I did want to start off by asking a question that it can. If you look at slide 3, it can give the impression that somehow everything that we cut last year has just magically
started to come back. And I don't think that that's a fulsome pick. I don't think that's a full picture of everything that we actually did to reduce our budget last year in order to meet our obligations in a much
different ways. And so could you talk a little bit about other than the staffing numbers and things like The other thing I want to say really fast is that the special education department chairs in advanced academic
resource, teachers, those were funded last year. They were just not funded in the same way as they had been previously. And so what that actually did, if I'm understanding correctly as it impacted her and of your money, which does things like
impacts the amount that we're able to put forward towards them, maintenance backlogs and other things that we use and of your money for. So I do.
While I understand that this is about putting it back in the main budget. I do want to make sure that the community understands that those were not cut last year. They were funded out of, you know,
additional carryover at the schools and, you know, reallocation of money at from the school level. But can you talk about some of the other things that we cut out of our budget last year in order to
make the compensation possible. >> the employee compensation just remember if EU contract had to be renegotiated to pull
that down one percent. And that saved about 33 Million. We differed social studies curricula materials. That was 15 million has COVID classroom
monitors 13 million central Office department reductions 7 and a half million. We reduced EV best funding. 2.8 million and we can't non-local travel
systemwide in half. And that was about 750,000. along with the staffing for the specially department chairs Ortiz at Non title one schools were funded
differently, but they were read actions to the recurring funds that we have in the budget as well as the staffing Formula Adjustment. And then we just talked about.
>> So while this may be restoring a few of the things that we did cut last year, there are several things still on the list that we did not restore in this. >> About 90 million of it. We
is not in this budget. Norm was in the current year's budget that year. >> I believe also some of the elementary creativity is because it was as a result of
us allowing a greater percentage of carryover of one time dollars, which because they're one time aren't there any longer so it's a also
necessitated a different approach. And if you could move forward to slide for. I was hoping that we could >> hit this point a little bit harder. How did we end up as 7
like what was the what was the process that it took in Fy? 24 for us to end up that far down on the list.
>> I mean, we just weren't able to give the salary increases that the other divisions around us were able to give over the, you know, like right after COVID I mean,
because most people's, you know, budgets were a little bit depressed during the COVID years, but then immediately after that, some of the other divisions, you know, started moving forward with trying to
improve their salary scales. And we just didn't have the funds to be able to do that. >> I I guess my point here is it's taken us several years to
kind of dig out of that. And what would be the danger of us sliding back where we're not. I mean, I guess the point I'm trying to make is we can't let
this happen again. can't we can't allow things to be flat because it does put us so far behind the rest of the divisions. And I think that it I think it's a large part of,
you know, our ability to retain staff and all the other things that are going on. So I just want to stress this particular slide because I think it's so important as we're talking about the
viability of our our division and moving forward that we have to make sure that we have. We continue do everything we can to meet our salary obligations.
>> We would prefer not to get that far behind again because it's just I dare to try to catch back up. >> And I have 30 seconds to the only thing that I do want to say is I know it's a great
news story in terms of our budget at this moment that our LCI has changed. However, overall, it is not a great thing for talking about the economic health of our
community. And so I just want to stress that that yes, and he sent that we can get back from the state is essential. However. It does say something about what's going on with in
northern Virginia that I think is very alarming and that we want to keep an eye on.
>> Mr. Mon. >> Thank you. thanks for the presentation. >> First question goes to 2.
4.4 million dollars less revenue. Other than Fairfax, maybe perhaps tuition payment from Fairfax City. Will owners
are you expecting? I'm not oking for a smaller amounts from weather. larger buckets of the money. That will be using from.
>> Yeah, it's it's it's that it's a tuitions from Fairfax City is tuition from this students from other divisions 10 Thomas Jefferson but also
the reason it's a negative number is that? Before I got here, the county stopped budgeting for a beginning
balance that they believe that as structural imbalance and that we should not be relying on a beginning balance. And we have taken that out as a
commitment to long-term fiscal sustainability back transitioning to a budget that does not rely on a beginning balance to fund in the next year. >> I don't think understand
what just said. I'm the that I understood was Fairfax City. >> And TJ and then second part, yes. Could you put that into writing so that I can go
slowly. Okay. Fairfax cities, the revenue from Fairfax City is going up. That is going up. Yes, the revenue from for TJ
is also going up. That this is a negative number because there's an offset of 25 million that we used to budget beginning balance every
year and have received criticism for relying on one time money to fund a budget. That is all from her ring. And so we this is simply a
changing the accounting method. Yes, so that we can right. How are the accounting math, though, to the system County had don't talk too
long. local yes. Okay. Now I get it. I get it. I come back to later and a bed on time for down one. The next question goes to the perhaps see
superintendent. >> As we have a joint meeting coming up with a county board of supervisors that ease on
20. Which is what a couple of these before we schedule too, you know, vote on the proposal, has it. And, you know, 2 pending upon where the
county executive comes now on. He's a pro publisher for the Trench with persistent. could be a death. Good to be with. Her teacher should be nice to
22 or something I do not Let's say that if abilities of gab, Howie. I guess we have another accession on 19th prior to that ruling. That is after
county does a community says was it? I guess what asking Doctor Murray at this point.
He's build them November. 19th work session. Will you be able to recommend a certain approach to take to the adjoining needing it fun when
DOT district in Gap. I would say that. >> On the 19th. We'll know what the county's going to
present the 17 per head. It won't be their final, but it will be what the county opposed proposed budget is. And if it closes the gap.
We're ecstatic. If becomes sort of closing the gap, we still believe that the state is likely to add more funding because again, we're basing this budget on the prior
governor's budget. And we believe that there's been discussion that there may be an so cues or other funding formulas, but the
commonwealth's level so recommendation at that time, I don't have burdens crystal ball minds a bit cloudy today, but I would say that we would
want to be patient and believe that between the General Assembly's adjusted budget and the counties budget that we're going to make up the ground on
the transfer. >> And I'm trying to anticipate, you know what the meeting would you like? And with the county Board of Supervisors, if going get?
Between county proposed budget and putting tenants is that we'll take some criticisms from members of county Board of Supervisors not heating to
do That we asked to, know, present certain number that fraud exceed the revenue projections is centered It would cost to be prepared for that. With that, we're going
take a joint approach, unified voice, one going to have it all different voices and this and it would be delighted if it did. So. That's something
that talked to really of hate could consider between now and then. And if, you know, just some, you know, great recommendations can come up with a for the 19th. Yes, are >> I'll take that under
consideration. I think burden is helping the consider even speaking. >> Yeah. Historically that meeting has been I do the your
little presentation of the advertise budget. Christina Jackson does a little presentation of their advertise budget. >> And then everybody goes around the room and makes a comment and that there's not
it's it's not like traditional work session like like we're having here. And and the the Journal simply want to turn into March 14th. So we won't really know anything at the
time of that joint meeting to be able to. Discuss in any detail. >> My time is up about use of 22nd 20 seconds. Extra ablett just that turns you don't go
back. >> This engine coming. First of all, thank you for all your work. All the staff for all their work. I'm really glad
that a colleague highlighted had you highlight everything that was not funded and is not being funded. And this is I feel it's really important to give kudos to all of those
people that are in the school school buildings. >> That are taking up the slack. And that takes time. That takes energy. And we just
have dedicated staff members in our buildings that just do the work. And so first of all, I want to commend them because I know what that looks like. The other thing I want with ask for you and I don't know
if you could have it off the top of your head b***. They're our state and federal mandates that are not always funded and what are those? What is the gap between they say you have
to do this but they don't fund is. And where does the money come from for us too? Comply with those mandates. >> Well, of course, the most
obvious and funded mandate is I D E a, you know that 40% the promise for us, it's about 9%. We would need to get like another 100 million in order for that promise to be
realized. As far as the federal government. Impact aid. Same thing. You know, there was there's a formula and then there's the amount of funds we get in different
numbers. But, you know, there's a lot of unfunded mandates that we have. We are at the mercy of.
>> I mean, I ask that question for the general public to be aware of the fact that even though there are mandates. They're not funded and somehow our staff. Everyone leadership
manages to make it work it's more pointing out that. We're still making that happen. The other question I have actually might be for Dr Reid when we
looked at looking forward and what we could use money for. We had extra money. One of the things that I don't know what this would look like because it's operational and where you
would fit it in is maybe looking at funding. Programming that we know can help reduce. The academic
gaps. So and I didn't see that on that list. And I thought, you know, I know high-impact tutors was a big thing in to expand Just looking at funding that gap, I think for students
would also be something that for me particularly would be a high priority. I don't know what it looks like programming wise, but just something to consider. >> Yes, I think response to
Mr. Maccoll Beans questions. Well, if we look at class size formula or those staffing standard adjustment, whatever the language is from a year
ago that we're going just that gives schools flexibility. Also for high-impact H******. Right? So in our Office of School support as me been able to maintain high impact, tutoring in some form this
year. And we know in the schools where it's being implemented its, you know, it's showing progress. So I appreciate the feedback.
>> And I just want to make one last point at the last 24 session. I just did not say this out loud and I wanted to say it. I just want to give Kuz to both of the chief
financial officers and say that they did a great job and just know that they are dynamic professional and highly qualified women.
>> This lady. >> Thank you. And thank you to team. I do agree that we have phenomenal chief and also all the folks who work with her. I think that one colleague was
referencing was the chief the county and the cheap for the school system, which are both female CEO Chiefs. So just to just to to not But yes, our entire staff here in Pierce
County is excellent. I just want to reiterate, some banks have already been said once again, I know from from from a public-facing document, it would be nice if the power point included what was cut
last year that we can't afford to reinstate. I think it was also 3% from for each from each department, which was a loss of personnel or
programming that had to be absorbed. Also want to reiterate that it, you know, not only is the not fully funded, but 5 were for loss of
funding at all. And it is overly burdensome and a lot of situations and a lot of our schools. As we some
populations continuing to. At 5 a force to the 2 there. the numbers seem have a 5, 4, at their school. And then I want to talk about this hour gap
great. So, you know, unfortunately me. I lived through the freezes. I lifted a freeze on administrators what we pay teachers. And I mean, I can't recollect go back to that time. But I do know that throughout my
tenure. That it felt like there were times that. We were fat, meaning we were we had money to spend money to play with. And I think that, you
know, I've I've been told that historically and I'm talking probably 20 ish years ago or that, you know, superintendents, you know, we're supposed to bring a needs-based budget and I'm not
sure that was done. With fidelity, from the perspective of county I can tell you this is a needs-based budget. Those times are long gone. This is an gamesmanship. This is bear
bones for us to operate. I'm not sure that people fully understand how much we are operating with less less personnel than we should have
in front of our kids. Less resources, less in every category. And to that point, I want to elevate the talent of our workforce. I want to recognize or teaching
professionals are counselors are administrator czar instructional assistance are custodians or food service. Everyone who works for the system. Bus drivers to make our school system what it is
go above and beyond. And I can't say that enough, but I I need are parent community and our committee members who love the fact that they live in Fairfax County love the
education their children got. If they have older children to understand that, you know, we're in weird and in an unfortunate conundrum with our county, especially when it
relates to real estate tax. So that real estate tax hurts all of Everyone who lives in this county and it's just the way the revenue source work. So I
really and pleased that this year I feel like the collaboration between our system and the Board of Supervisors. He's been very collegial. I do believe and I am very optimistic about this
budget. And I just want to live up to lift the work that the Board of Supervisors is doing, as well as the work that we're doing because we do understand that both our sides are pinched and then
struggling to to fund required programs. Thanks. Thank Stadiums to fish. Thank I appreciate some of the context of lady brought up and >> I would note, though, that
even when it seemed like we had all this money sloshing around in the system. Staff are missing steps, right? They weren't getting necessarily the raises that they deserved. We see the trajectory of the
reverse trajectory rather the staff had. And so as many of our educators have been down in Richmond, lobbying our Legislature, our General Assembly in the new governor
to invest more in our schools to be closer to the national average in a variety of different ways. I think it's worth pointing out that, you know, we didn't end up in the position we're in overnight.
It's going to take a while to dig out of it. And and you're exactly right. This budget is bare bones, right? There are 2 primary things in this budget that really moved the needle
when it comes to cost the first he's following through our collective bargaining agreements for all of our eligible staff, which is virtually everybody with a small subset of employees who are not eligible. And the
second is the changing demographics of our schools, students who are multilingual, free and reduced meals, students, special education
students and other students who need additional supports to get everything they can out of our school system. And so. There's a few things here and there that are finishing the
funding cycles on a multi-year investment. But that's the crux of it. And I you know, I remember early budgets when I was on the board where there'd be, we're launching this
program and this program and this program and this program. And while those things may have been nice to have. There's none of that. And there hasn't been for a few
years. you know, I look forward to seeing what we can get from our state lawmakers. And I look forward to being down Richmond to talk more with them in person. I've been on the phone with many of them
already as things move forward. And I look forward to talking with our county counterparts as well. >> Kyle ticket aren't quick.
One. I agree my colleagues and all the sentiments today here. I would just say this living all a call, a few in Fairfax County. And in general in
Virginia, the cost of living has gone so much higher than pre-pandemic time. Everything is more expensive. Now actually the average when you go for groceries is like
almost double the price of what you're paying before. Salaries. Don't show that for teachers. It doesn't show far. now. But even 69,000, the
starting salary for Master Lane teacher, it's not enough. You're not dead yet. We have done better. But in today's economy, I think we just have
to support our work force more. So we have to keep the trajectory hired Congo back like my love. My colleague said our building needs are
our buildings are old. There lot of menton ends and we are behind all of that to be because we didn't have the budget and if it now we're not putting any line item to
specifically address that because we're going with the basic minimum what we need to spend on a budget. So I would just you know, request, you know, everybody who can fund a
stool, please take care off our people and our buildings because that's the you know, basically that's we educate. All right. In those in those spaces and reduce people so
thank you. And I think that go back would be Dr Anderson. First. I think buildings have been long forgotten. >> All right. Just very
quickly, do we have any sense? Because I know this was ongoing Dr. Read about the middle school after school programming because we have some things here that it is
tethered to the existence of those programs. Where are we headed? So as you know, the middle school after school program comes as a separate
below the line distribution from the county. >> And we are working with the county on, you know, continuing that program. We certainly heard from our community last year about the
importance of those activities and that engagement with our middle schools, we anticipate that programming to continue.
I know that we're looking at some type of a bridging year where we might look at what could some type fee structure
that schools that are not see EPA or not significant. Free reduced lunch population schools. What could be possible in terms of some kind
of fee structure? I know we've got a team working on some possible models will be bringing to the board for discussion. >> probably it. >> Once we know for sure what the county is going to do with
that topic, is this. >> From the Skiff and mask. We have until like 5.30, can I have 3 minutes missed Dixit. >> starting at 2 sure we have
a lot of time left. I think there's gonna just Thank you. Is this the Skip committee work because now all of us get that don't have a sense or do we doing something kind of separate in addition to the
recommendations that could come out of that group. It's likely both. And all I know that Mr. Emery, Mr. Horne. >> The activities office is
working with the staff of the county, the neighborhood and Community Services board staff like Tucker, Kris Leonard. So I've spoken to Chris you know,
I think they're everyone's trying put together a plan so that because we all value that program significantly and just trying to make sure that we're able to continue that program. Okay. Looking forward to that.
One of the other things I wanted to lend my voice to was to make sure that we have a full list of things that have been cut to make that be visible to the public because
we also have cut out bridge to Kinder Garden, some planning. >> Out of some of programming for our kids right? And I don't see those returning. So I wanted to make sure that
those got added the social studies curriculum where not returning to this in this year's budget. Not at this time. Again, we're going to
have we just sort of did a. >> A holding pattern of continuity of what we had been doing. But we didn't add new resources last year, as you know. And I think that's something that's being held at
the moment and we'll see what's possible depending on where the here in moneys come in as well as the new budget allocation. Thank you. And if you could refresh my memory,
the K 12 multi-year investment. I know it's 300,000. How many schools were we trying to get there? And where are we since this is the
last year? Or I think I'm assuming it's the last year for some reason. Yes, the cable robotics. So that's
program where we're looking to expand our first LEGO robotics clubs. Competition and materials. And Joey Kerns a hayfield secondary school has
been a very active in that working currently. We have very few elementary schools who are participating. We know that that's a high interest for young people, both at
elementary and middle. And so we're looking to have a multi year. >> To have. >> Robotics and all of our elementary schools over the next 4 years as well as middle
and high school as part of a an expansion with equitable access to the robotics program. So this will be a new multi-year investments that this would be in this budget.
>> You know, it's on score. Yes, ma'am. Okay. I don't think that was clear do we have any savings that have been realized from the ball
work? I think we're currently looking at some efficiencies. I know we've had to park Ments when we did our 3% cuts. We had to essentially maintain
the same level of service with less money, either less people as program dollars. But I couldn't turn that over Mr. Smith Cause I know where moving into new phase of that
work. And I think we're going to continue to see it's not a cliff of efficiencies, but rather a slow and an on-ramp to more more efficient
division, but Mr. Smith. >> know that last year we did recognize some savings, their own non-traditional programs and using our Baldrige approach looking at efficient.
His ineffectiveness. This coming March. We will have examiners and will befriend an update to the board with that schedule. But are amateurs will be coming on site for 3
days to review and observe our practices in our process. Ease. And with that full review, we will of beginning
any recommendations on our overall effectiveness and efficiencies and with recommendations on how we can improve upon those current practices. And anticipating
that with those recommendations, we will see some cost savings there. >> I'd like to come back to that because I do have some questions there. But the last
thing that I want to talk about here well, next, the last as Saint John-cunning talked about academic gaps >> we have a line item in our budget that speaks closing the
achievement gap. I believe the first year with 6 million dollars. It was kind of what we were just starting. And then we had to reduce that.
But we were embedded that that's a line item that's been going on for a few years. Does that not have about 19 million dollars in it currently? And I know I asked this question a
couple of years ago. And as of that time, the only expenditures out of that fund where Ms Neal's position. And
that was something else a textbook or some supplemental program was purchased out of that. But there's still a healthy balance out of that
front. And it's embedded in this that's going to be an additional 6. Is that not accurate? Ms? But not. It's not dish unal part of the transfer this point. It's
within the operating budget and one of the we maintain that line item 4 is. >> We added language specific math textbooks this year, which we're have shown some
tremendous potential. We're going to be adding more of those. We didn't want to spend, you know, the entire I think we set aside 8 million for that. We didn't want to
spend the entire amount all at once because we want to make sure that we try several pilots and figure out which one has the most likely to be successful. We're looking at
secondary reading interventions as well. And with the on coming So they it multilingual support for
literary literacy. Text. And I think it would seek upcoming adoption. We're going to be looking at both multi-lingual support as well 5 of Florida.
AP support materials with those to make sure that we're able to you know, close those gaps, though those dollars are not. We're not asking for additional, but we're rolling
those 4 dozen line right? But it's also embedded in the base budget. So every year there's that 6 million that's going to do what's for those purposes. That's right. The guy was looking for that to be raised as a response to the question.
>> In terms of closing achievement gaps that we already have allocated dollars. And that balance is is it still 19 as of today? Now it's about 17, but that is
the knows it one time money. The only 2.8 million of it is recurring dollars. And that's why we during I thought 6 was
built and to the base. It's only 3. So the reason built into the base and then she took a 3% cut as a result of reductions to each department, which is why it's 8002.8, OK?
So as of right now, 2.8 is built into the base. And so the balance of that is 17 Million. And which are expenditures that are already
kind of income bring parts of that, the materials you talked about that's currently is out of 8, right? That's great. Because there well, we're looking at the math. That
would be more significant than that. That's their onetime dollars. So those dollars will be utilized. The can't be utilized for ongoing staffing or anything along those lines because they're one-time sure.
So we're looking for literacy, particularly secondary literacy materials. >> And then we're going to be looking to support our math materials moving forward. We've had several. A school
visits and looking at a variety of support materials. I'd be very interested because I know I've captured here and there it's not really organized.
>> Could could I get a list of items that were already used for that fund or are being considered for that fund. That would be helpful for me to organize my thinking. And I'll take a go back my final
question. >> Thank you. And this matter first time. Thank you. missing. A little tired. But I
I preparing a looked over the materials we were given and it was a set of slides. And I was like, well, I remember in prior years we used to get like a lot lot of stuff. >> And so I went back and the
lot of stuff is on our budget page. It's the actual proposed budget that was their transmitted to us, which is I just feel like I'm It's
getting harder to hard to understand these questions trying There's just this continuing theme of having to dig for information robot You know, Dr Review said children
have shown interest in robotics, an elementary school. Wonderful. What's the day to say about that? What's the investment was the trade off? The board has shown interest on road language. Why did you choose robotics of
world language? These are the questions I keep coming back to end. It. I as I said, I'm just getting. I feel thing. The same thing again and
again, not getting further and maybe I'm so a person there. But even just saying there's no new recently. I went back to that presentation just now. And it's important because
when I say to a supervisor, there are no new investments. show them that we're doing everything we can. But then here I learned that there is a robotics investment. Now what
I'm gathering from the slides, I just look from the presentation is resource requests. So that's fine. But I know that I've also asked, well, what was then removed? I was excited when you had some
where you said we are going to look through and basically stop funding. What doesn't work. That has been something the board has asked for for years. Show us what you sunset. But instead I'm
hearing now that we have a new program. And I don't know why pictet over others. He said because somebody was interested in it and somebody let it. I'm just trying to get
consistency over how you are advising us to make decisions. I want to be accurate because I'm trying to advocate for your budget. But I keep
getting corrected at unexpected times. So. think, yeah, I don't know. I don't know how else ask for what I need other than I just need to
know all the facts. And not because I'm continuously asking are the board is
asking? This, made on slide. 3 D expenditure adjustment. The baseline adjusted for enrollment student needs the negative. 35.7.
>> You know, off the top of your head or if you can get information, how many? What was that enrollment number that led to the 35.7. Meaning
what is that assumed? I presume if the numbers in parentheses its a reduction in enrollment that drives that. So how what was to project production? Enrollment that
you was used to calculate? The 35.7.
>> Projected enrollment from. 26 to 27 decreased by 4900
This represents 260 positions. >> for go for a goal back for on.
>> Thank you. the March air. Again. I'm gonna go we just got to come up. The stop the
clock. I'm trying to superintendents attention. And
to I'm trying to to what I was seeing already owed about preparing for the next to join meeting with the county Board of Supervisors. You know, having what he heard from it with the to one ship advisors,
you know, pass to marks an hour. She put intend to propose you transporting quest, which was You know, to
from my perspective is that could be more that coming from other suppliers as And I need to find a we chew react when
you book to that hopefully in unified amongst us is that. Of fantasy. I one 06:00PM, for us
to be able to present to the county Board of Supervisors and public that ease slide. Number 8. Not just a nice to have. This is something we do
need We should we should approach you know, put it, you know, showed public in that way. It's not we do if you
have additional money. What we really need to have these. We do really need to have these. I mean, that's a different a push college. I don't know
when the after the coming to meeting when the final 2 a meeting with EU with the county Board of Supervisors, whether each going take place anytime before calling me
adopt final budget let us know our fine or number 2 with that. We're going to have that opportunity but I don't want them to take. And the
additional state It took you. To use. money to rather than all wanting to utilization of state funding, to be able to
support what we do really need. So. Again, I am asking superintendent between now 19th 20 will work session.
thinking about. How we should approach upcoming conversation even though you may be many more are going around as a the board is stated. The maybe
just, you know, I think your comments from each supervisors said, so I want to be prepared for death. And I want to be able to send the message D's things that we're trying to
the store he said are not those fighter to us. It's not nice to have. So with that
first. quest so question on this more question that I have is fortunes are concerned that he's, too. We funding for alternative teacher
certification. Support. >> We did have we did put that It's not unlike the achievement that closing dollars week. What you'll see in the budgeting work over the
last several years as you'll see the initiation of a program or a line item, closing the achievement gap is one where we've seen some real growth in our multilingual
learners. So then we realize that works and then we're going roll it into our base funding. So it becomes part of our budget. The same with our alternative pathways for are
underemployed staff or alternative pathways to licensure. We do a pilot several years ago. It more fruit. So we've continued now
very fund in the budget. I think we've got baby a couple $100,000 that support that program because we know what works. And so I think that's what you'll see is kind of a
let's pilot it. And then we need to have a proof of concept and then we want to bring it to scale if it shows promise. So we do have some funding for that program in
the budget that it's not a new item but just as you know, other programs that once we begin, they're not new. There
become essential. >> Thank you, On, I'm just gonna quick to make a quicker markup and maybe get Let's
talk about robotics a bit Kate her body aches starting from AFL 2 FT. FTC FRC. My kids done that. But all of this talk about the kids who did not have access to them
because they were and after school club had a >> costs to the band's 2. Our speed in this club, almost
like $200 of to be a meme, Be because the kicked it cost $1000 and then departs speed and go to this competition. Then sometimes they're not in
town. It's it's in the additional cost to every family. So I think it is an amazing effort. Dawn on your party. Rtd is bringing that as an emoji. investment because
this is like that. But human gap which we talk about is that bridge that is bringing these programs too science, Olympiad Matalin, be body aches, spelling bee. you know,
any kind of those losses can be offered in the school by the school system. I mean, maybe not as a PDA as sponsored activity would be a
grey. It could double. So and the moment is sitting here are covering all the schools and Aldi. I just want to have Is it going to covers is only
$300,000. It's going to have on their schools. know it's only the very beginning its for materials, primarily. >> Because we're going to
we're trying to match small grant funding donors who are going to help with materials and stipends. So we're looking at a 4 year And so this is
just the very initial beginning of that. >> And the building all the city. It is amazing to see even you go to body
competition of being too many. Is that too co grew a lot like a room full thousands of kids making those robots and >> and then then sometime they
don't moved from the point. Like from the point, A to point B, they just. >> And the kids have this ex not understanding off like or robot move.
>> But you know what? It's OK, real. We will come back again next so it's it's a very different experience. When you go there. >> And the and I think of our
school system. If couldn't put put money in the right program, this is the one good program via putting the money in Seoul. Thank you for that. Is certain go back. Can't go
back. Missed Lady first and missed gutting of the quick. I just you know, I appreciate as well. Everything we're doing with robotics and you know, as a child who guess was pretty
student mathematics had lots of people telling me I should be an engineer and I grew up. But I didn't actually know what one was. And I was too embarrassed ask that question. And I also realize at the time that that was not something
females were doing and it's the same today. I mean, I do believe that the providing access at the elementary level
of all of the science Olympiad robotics, the Lego version of that, the things that we're doing, I just we're going to see gender equity and terms of
interest in those. And I just want to I I just really appreciate that. You know, I love when I go. Because even now when I go to robotics competitions, you know, they're not a lot of females
on the teams and this needs to from my perspective as a woman to seize to change because our young ladies can do this work too. And we need to provide that platform. You know, there was a time when at our
Chantilly County we had a girls and engineering class. And then unfortunate loss stopped it. Okay. Because we couldn't have something was just for one gender and sadly,
once we had to blend and mix them again, the numbers of women taking the course just went way down. And so I think with these, you know, grassroots things exposing girls to more of this work. I
think it's really going to, you know, open them up to a lot opportunities in the future. So I just appreciate that work. also as someone along those same lines, you
know, we don't have the money, but I would love to the day we had the money to fund a steam classroom and every single one of our elementary schools, that certainly would be a priority of mine. And I also have to mention cause I
haven't. The Pre-K for all. That's not in there yet either. And that needs to come before anything. Really? A lot of the things we're talking about because we do know the earlier kids have access to
learning in sum organized fashion, the better that prepared they are for kindergarten. Not only developmentally emotionally. And academically. that's
obviously going a priority. Thank you. This engine gunning. >> So I really want to
compliment. Financial officer and Dr Reid for coming up with this budget. I think that we learned from last year. And I think we can't have it both
ways of coming up and presenting a budget that last year was perceived as unrealistic by by our partners. And this year we've cut back. And I do agree that
looking forward, these are important things, but we didn't put them in the budget. We just said these are important things. I think that when we do present the budget, we should show everything we did cut that were not
reinstating that we think is just as important. And I think that that shows are good faith to our partners that we're trying. And I know we're board of supervisors value education
as much as as we do. I think it's just a tough financial year for our county. We've seen a lot of families hurting for a lot of reasons. And I
think we're all trying to work within that. So I just really want to commend you because we're coming with what we think. Is workable and not
offense. And we're saying that this is important and look at everything we have not reinstated. In terms of robotics, it's just for materials. And I think robotics can be topped with
with with in a math class within the steam class and it could be integrated into more schools. Quicker. Then some of this other programming. And I think when we can get more bang for our buck by
integrating some of this programming, more comprehensively, I like that. And I really want somebody to come up with a robot that cleans the House. More than a
room by I want the Jets and version. This man and he's not here. Mr. Mckelvie. Yeah, I
just wanted to follow up this lady's good point about preschool. >> We have inclusive preschool expansion of theirs. sorry, we
have includes a preschool expansion up there. But we but that's just one part of Pre-K expansion. So for your consideration, expanding that. Thank you.
>> Thing Ms parents Dr Anderson, thank We're going to
slide 3, please. Okay. Just so I have clarity. The family is on positions conversions. This
is the last year. So it's the last year of 3 or 4. Okay. So that's the last year of 4. So for a 4, the student
activities and athletic programs, that's the last year of 3. It's the second year,
though. That's 2 of 3 the fine arts performing arts stipend. So that's 3 of 3. 4, 0, boy,
Florida for time is flying a lot faster like that. I knew that the certified athletic trainers, I won't even venture a guess. Now, could 5? Or a 5?
Thank you. The cave robotics. One of 4. This would be the first year of a four-year. Initiative based on what Dr
Read said. It depends on matching grant dollars. We've applied for grant dollars sometimes to get a grant. You have to commit to a certain in kind. But we're looking at
minimal 3 more likely for your expansion. Absolutely. The Dench That's 2 of is there an
that's just kind of an ongoing thing. Well, it's ongoing. The sometimes they're well. There are a variety of strategies that play, right? That's a parallel strategy. And the parallel strategy is we, for
example, the recent job fair. >> On Saturday, which by the way, was extraordinarily well. It ended, I think Mr. Smith said that many of the principals were saying Fcps is
back. People. There are just fabulous candidates and there were hundreds of them. But anyhow, making sure that we're hiring 6th grade teachers, for example, who have an algebra
credential in middle school math teachers who have battled credentials. That's one strategy hiring people that already have the credential. The second strategy is credentialing. Those people
within our division who want to be able to teach algebra. So that's what these funds are for. so I think there is many years as we need to do that to
meet the need. And once we've met the need, we don't need to continue funding a separate parallel track? Absolutely. I would agree 100% with what
everybody said Regarding K 12 robotics. You know, as a principal and loud. And this was a huge push in the school that I had the opportunity to open STEM and robotics was a huge component of that. And I
could go on and on and on about its merits for all the reasons that were named. But I think the piece that I'm struggling with and perhaps missed Marin and I don't want to speak for her is the fact
that it's under the umbrella of we have no new initiatives. It is by definition, a new initiative. It's a great initiative, but its new to our
budget component because we did not funded in this way before. Is that not accurate? It's not a new initiative in the sense that we announce this actually want to say 2
years ago and several of you are at Hayfield. We talked about this that we wanted to bring it to all schools. We've drafted a plan actually 2 years ago and we've had some micro grants, probably, you
know, 10,000 here, 20,000, they're from different businesses. So we've begun to fund it. But it has not. We've not been able to catch the flywheel with that makes sense to. So it's not new in that
sense what we're doing now is we're wanting to make the beginning of an investment for the first robotic kits for schools. And that's why we
began to put very modest $300,000 in the budget to begin that as part of a multi-year commitment. But it isn't a new initiative that we have been working it for a couple nice new but out
funding of it in our base budget is new. And I think that's the piece we have to tease out a little bit so we can go full-throated Lee and say. There's no new resources.
I don't know if I agree with you that it's not new in terms of an investment in our budget. I think it is. And it's harder to. Say we have no
new initiatives and now budget while we've had it, it is a new investment for us. It's not a continuing investment for which we're ready. Beholden, even though the conversation may have been long ago since the same way
that they are with preschool the same way that they are with so many other things. There's a tinge there at that kind of strikes. Me as a little bit off. I don't want
disingenuous, but for me, it's not fully accurate. So I want to say that the other piece that I want to just quickly say that I've struggling with is. We talk about the ball
struck all the time in terms of how it's going to help in a budget process ease. And it always seems to be it will come. I would expect that in this conversation that we would have whatever
deficiencies could heal to potential savings the same way you are able to note the non-traditional with the past work. I was really hoping that there would be some things that could be named and this discussion and not having
that. For me, it's a little bit of a struggle. See, no speakers. I wanted to see
Anybody wants to make last comments who have not gone before. >> So what time is it for 11
this work session? It is adjourned. Madam Chair. I have documents that I'm going to pass out of. just gives them a
little more information about the budget. Part: 2
♪ ♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪ >> Board members, please take
your seat. If you have not pre-registered and want to speak tonight, please the clerk's. We cannot register you after the hearings start. So if you've not pre-registered are ready,
please come and see us
immediately.
>> This 2/10/2026, public hearing of the Fairfax County School Board board is caught 06:30PM. Good evening. And
welcome to the public hearing of the Fy 2027 proposed budget on behalf of the entire school board. I would like to thank you for sharing your comments with us. This hearing is
withdraw casted on channel 99. And I one you too, and are excited. Www dot fcps dot edu forward slash nice treat. At
the January 22nd 2026 regular meeting. Dr Reid presented proposed fy 2027 budget. Are you today? The school board held a work session on the
superintendent's. But budget proposal. Tonight's public hearing is an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the proposed budget. We have 19 Peter de start and
walk in speakers who address the board at this public hearing speakers. I looked and looked noted 22 minutes and we ask you, you stay within the time limit the time of dog
when you begin to speak and the time over the sound after 2 minutes. Please ensure that your remarks limited to the proposed fy 2027 budget and then your Hamas, a terror to
the school board expectations for community participation included in those expectation on not only one person is not allowed at the podium and speaking the does children May
company a speaker the podium copies of on expectations are available at the back of the auditorium. To assist with the flow of tonight's hearing. sure you're following along
with the speakers list and are ready to go as soon as you name is caught. If you have a hot copy of your testimony, please give it to the clerk. If you overshoot, please on
your camera on menu are next line to speak so you just have to unmute when you're called to speak. If you have an attorney copies of your testimony and would like to share it with the board, these
e-mail it to community participation FCPS DOT Edu. Then name is called the Clerk Food. Call your name 2 times before moving to the next individual on the list, you
may find copies of the speaking order in the back of the room are on board. Docks. Madam clerk, these got our
first speaker. >> Aaliyah Day, Tony, you.
>> Good evening, chair and members of the board. My name is Alia. They Tony, do. And I'm here to advocate for continued funding for adult and community education
because ace is not a program. It is a measurable workforce and community infrastructure serving Fairfax County at scale. And that's why 25
served 10,136 learners, including 4,286 adult use all students and 3,757 driver, Education students along with
thousands more and workforce and career development programs. Ace also supports over 225 hourly instructors works with 127 plus business
partners and plays a direct role in strengthening the skilled workforce pipeline in Fairfax County from a financial says already some producing significant
operating support. A stunner aided approximately 3.1, 5 million in tuition income last year and 3.4 million and grant income totaling over 6 million
in combined revenue in fy 26 ace demonstrated clear operational improvements by transitioning to a modern registration system. Bringing marketing and house to save
$180,000 and generating 70,001. We can our good outreach despite these efficiencies ace is forecasting a deficit of approximately $600,000. That deficit is not a sign that is
failing. It's a sign that the program is productive and essential and operating beyond what its current structure can sustain without your support. If a funding is reduced,
Fairfax will lose a proven system that supports adult learners, workforce readiness and adult mobility. I urge the board to prioritize ace funding because it is efficient, high impact
financially strategic and supports economic mobility. Thank you. Halle Hazard. Thank
you. Madam Chair and members of the school board. I appreciate the opportunity to speak this evening. I am chair of the adult and community Education Advisory Committee. >> And I'm here to strongly support the school board's
continued investment and fp at CS is adult and community education. This program is a smart investment for Fairfax County and a modest one in a system as large as fcps don't
community education represents a small line item with an outsize return. programs serve highly motivated neighbors, people who are working parenting, rebuilding careers, actively reaching out for ways
to help improve their lives, their incomes and their families. They are not asking for short cuts only for access adult and community education lifts them up and provides a
real pathway forward. These programs are also a critical part of our workforce pipeline. HVAC, medical specialties and other high-demand fields depend on
this training local hospitals, clinics, construction firms and small businesses rely on the skilled workers. These programs produce when these residents exceed the benefits ripple outward their
certification, strengthen our workforce, stabilize families and improve our communities. Raising Fairfax County's economic foundation not just for one year but for entire careers to support continued
innovation, expand course offerings and keep tuition affordable. The school board should recognize adult and community education within the school operating fund by
maintaining the operating fund transfer, uncovering staff costs, including salaries and benefits for the 26 full-time positions that administer this program. I thank you very much for this opportunity to speak
this evening. >> Mollie Cronin. >> Good evening. Chair
Anderson school board members and Doctor Reed. >> I'm a special education teacher in Fcps speaking tonight as an individual. I hope that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors fully fund to request a transfer to
schools. But I also want to be realistic and prepared. In fact, CPS is not fully funded. This board will be forced to make incredibly difficult decisions want I don't envy making. If and when those
decisions must be made, I urge you to prioritize and protect 3 critical areas, fully funding, operational and instructional staff negotiated raises restoring partial class
sizes and reinstating special education department chairs last year. A negotiated raises were reduced after 121 million dollar shortfall. Competitive salaries are not a luxury. They are essential. Many
educators and operational staff can no longer afford to live in Fairfax County due to rising costs and years of on competitive pay. I step increase in a 3% market scale adjustment, totaling 5.5%
could be the difference between staff staying or leaving the county and in many cases leaving the education profession altogether. Strong school communities depend on retaining experienced
committed staff. I also want to share that anxiety is already high among staff and families after last-minute cuts long after the transfer window closed in 2025. many are worried about the staff's
to their positions. Teams and school communities. If your duck shuns are necessary. I respectfully ask for clearer and earlier communication last spring, many staff were blindsided by late notices
leaving people scrambling and feeling disposable. The impact on morale is significant, especially with in elementary schools. It's not too late for the board of Supervisors to do the right thing and fully fund
the request to transfer. We must collectively Holder, County and state leaders accountable for properly funding public education. Thank you for your time. And your continued support of apps
CPS, students and staff. Molly Sullivan.
>> Hello, My name is my solemn and I'm a resident of the Sully district and a teacher in the Springfield District. I came here tonight to ask who makes the decisions to renovate playgrounds and on what schedule my school in Springfield district just received a playground
renovation. And according to my research plans like that range anywhere from 20,000 to upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars, there was nothing wrong with our playground. We did not need any threat of a shunt. Nothing
was broken and no one, I mean, not a single soul at my school knew that this was happening until 48 hours before they broke ground. I've had the unique opportunity of teaching in turning something, et cetera at over 10 schools throughout the county. And I
will tell you that the new additions to our playground while they're very pricey and they're pretty they end up being very dangerous to students and staff and most admin and of closing a lot of them. I've seen broken arms,
contusions, concussions, et cetera. So again, it's wasted money. Why are teachers and admin consulted when we have a choice to when we're being asked to make choices about things like recess equipment,
we say trust the professionals, a lot to families and then we don't often do it within the county. Couldn't that many have been better used to school where the playground was actually falling apart or why couldn't you what our school decided?
They actually want to spend the money that way allocated to us. I will tell you that we have mold in our mobile unit out next to our playground. We also have mold in classrooms that needs the money way more than we needed a new
playground. And that money's already spent. As you look towards cuts and where to cut frivolous dollars, where to spend and how to piece together this finances for us by 27. I'm asking you to
revise look at do a deep dive into every single one of your schools before you make those decisions moving forward.
Thank you. Rachel Smith. >> Good evening in filling out the form and decided to think about who I represent. I think
first and foremost, I represent a taxpayer as a CPS parent and a former local business owner. I look at the funds and how they are
allocated and which areas I currently teach kindergarten, which adds another lens. To my perspective. The proposed
budget for the county, as you know, is 4.1 billion dollars. The median income is 127 1000 in change. When you consider
whether you think teaching is a true profession or not. I would consider it absolutely with the amount of training that our teachers and staff half. In addition, we need to
maintain that are novice teachers have proper professional development and training. With that said, I work with people as others have mentioned that can't live in our county support. Staff.
very close. Not at the poverty level, but that it hovers above. I'm concerned that the correct conversations to
maintain the equity analysis excellence in Fairfax County is an ongoing conversation. An ongoing conversation with people who are very concerned
about taxes rising. When we look at community partnerships, we are. Charge to create a diverse and a talented workforce. A lot of
that starts with literacy teaching and mathematics. If we do not have and excellent staff, it's difficult to
maintain the standards that are within for Fairfax County. Really request. If those conversations start early with the board, supervisors, education is the most
foundational thing we have our society. I really enjoyed the buses that were around for Fairfax County before the
budget. >> I believe and a half. Good
evening. Budget chair Dixit Dr Reid and members of the board. My name is Emily Van der Hoff. I'm speaking tonight as the president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, one of the 2 unions making up
Fairfax education unions. This is a bargaining agent for the 28,000 operational and instructional employees and at CPS, our union is glad to see doctor its proposed budget. Not only intends to fully fund
compensation negotiate in year 2 of the few contracts. It also seeks to walk back some of the devastating cuts from last spring. We're especially glad to see the restoration of funding for the elementary AR
Teas and special education department chairs last year. You heard from staff and the community loud and clear the value these positions bring to students. They serve at the time the positions were saved.
But the cuts were pushed other positions resulting the same level of cuts to other critical school-based positions. The restoration of these 2.5 positions will mean
that we can both retain full or to use unspent chairs and also preserve essential school budget positions. We're glad to see that continue it. Continuation of the multi-year
commitments made particular to family liaisons who will finally be fully convert. A contracted employee is this has been a longtime coming and we must see it through. And finally, with classrooms bursting at the seams, the
point fire restoration of the class size formula. We'll also provide needed relief. The message across worksite this year is always do more with less. This budget asked the question, don't our students
deserve more? This is truly both a needs-based budget and one that is rooted in reason, a modest increase or fiscal forecasts productions that can more than be covered when factoring in the meals, tax
revenue. I urge the board to adopt this budget. And you know that our union will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to get funded this year. Thank
you. Purvis. >> My good friends. Thank you for your service to our schools, into our community
and to our students. I'm Arthur Purvis, president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance for 25 years. Fairfax County, real estate taxes have been increasing 3 times faster
than household income to pay for raises. Taxpayers are leading the GM new Center for regional Analysis reports that the Arlington Alexander rest
in Metro area. Ranks 747 out of 949 areas. For corporate development. 138 million transfer increase for Fy. 27
has a $0.4 increase in the real estate tax rate. Just to justify this. The proposed budget sites SAT scores what SAT scores really reflect to
Fluence of families able to hire tutors are 25 high. School's average SAT scores very by 300 points depending on demographics. A truly
excellent school system would have high achievement for all demographics. As it is only 5 of the 25 high schools have every just hate. He scores of
12, 50 or higher. The minimum to get into a competitive college. Moreover, the district's average SAT score fell. 28 point since COVID
lower scores nationwide do not justify lower scores. Here. Thomas Jefferson's SAT scores fell an unprecedented 82 points this year. 36% of fcps
students qualify for subsidized meals when they graduate. Will they be self-sufficient? Know because the school board's goal. Has to graduate gold, global
citizens, not self-sufficient citizens. The Taxpayers Alliance recommends a salary freeze until one. The portrait of a graduate includes
self-sufficiency. To the board rectifies. The 28 point drop in SAT scores 3, the board
rectifies. The ATP 82 point drop in. Andrea Keller.
Thank you. Doctor Reed and school board members. I'm a proud fcps educator of 27 years and a parent, a freshman at Marshall High School. >> I'm here on behalf of my
reason. Children in their cohort and families to request that you require budgetary funds to guarantee their high school students will receive transportation to complete
their academic paths. No boundary review process promise. Last summer that are high school students would have the option to remain. You failed to keep that promise at
the December 18 meeting by providing inflated cost estimates, including unnecessary expense of electric buses to justify a recommendation to not provide
transportation for rezone students. Thank you to members McElveen Moon Marin done. And doctor Anderson, who requested current data and alternatives and voted no on that
recommendation. Demonstrating your commitment to keeping your promises. But in January, you and celebrated the boundary proposals again without requiring
transportation equity. This neglect has left our children's future in chaotic uncertainty, devaluing them amongst fcps peers and placing in in equitable burden on
their families. I'm sure this is not the president. Any of you want to set in your new boundary review process without transportation are
rezoned high school students right to academic continuity will belong only to the privileged but only some families will be able to access it, leaving an unmanageable burden for
others. Now is the time to keep your promise. Your budget must prioritize, providing transportation from Marshall's International Baccalaureate
Center. Students to value them equitably amongst their peers who are regularly transported to centers like Thomas Jefferson and full-time AAP centers. You must not approve the budget fails to fulfill
your responsibility to our high school students. Kasey
Hofmann Blaylock. >> My name is Casey. I have 2 children in the Braddock District. I'm a former fcps teacher and currently work at the central office level for
another school division. As of today, 6 school librarians who earn National Board certification have not received their annual stipend. They've been told funding may be available later, but there is no guarantee. I'm asking
that funds be reallocated from the Office of Professional Learning to ensure these teachers are compensated. If state funding does not come through, why did this happen? The Office of Professional Learning classified school
librarians as other public school employees on state paperwork. This classification is for public school employees who do not teach students Central office. People like
me, the video. We did not direct appeal to do this and the classification was not apply to art music steam or PE teachers. Also SVP S was one of only 2 divisions statewide
to do so as a result, the video we did not provide funding for them. School librarians do differ from other types of teachers. School librarians teach many classrooms and manage the
learning materials, support every content area and assuming best intentions. I think people can't see past the other duties to appreciate the amount of teaching they do at the elementary level. They
often teach 5 or 6 classes every single day. At the secondary level they provide instruction across disciplines, resulting in whole grades being taught every week. Robinson
curriculum night. The library instruction was cited for every content area as essential to meeting the rigor of the V DOT standards of learning and they are primary instructors for the video. Use digital learning integration
standards. So the issue is simple. Either lie brands are classified as classroom teachers Pl just like other specials teachers on this form or funds must be reallocated
Pl to compensate them for the same hard work. The other teachers dead. Let's not rank teachers and let's not create a false narrative that does not align to the expectations.
Fcps a set around the instructional role of school librarians. The annual amount.
>> Danny Espinosa. Danny Espinosa. Michelle Keats. Michelle Cates.
>> Good evening. I'm Michelle kids. And this year I'm serving as the president Fairfax County Sept of the Special Education PTA behalf of stepped. I thank you for the return to fully funding the elementary school special
Education Department chair positions last year. Almost 200 people registered to speak at the public hearing for the approved budget. And we heard many, many of them strongly advocating for this funding.
So it is with great appreciation that I'm here tonight. At a time when the federal government plans to do away with the Department of Education and has already decimated its office of Civil
Rights members of the disability community are tremendously concerned that this will be to diminishing our civil rights as those who under state compliance with I D E a the federal special
education legislation as such now more than ever fcps students with disabilities needs strong educators related service providers and support staff who will do all they can to help them learn and grow.
We know that it's a particularly challenging time to be in the field of education, SEP to seize the incredibly hard work being done by teachers and staff. We meet regularly with fcps
leadership to raise concerns, brought Western students, families and special education staff. Those conversations can be difficult as we're never lacking in problems to address. Please know that we
appreciate your open doors, your willingness to listen and your efforts to address our community's concerns, striving to do what is in the best interest of our students. We look forward to your a
fully-funded special education department chairs as well as other programming to support our students. Thank you. Eli
Balaton. >> My name Eli Balaton and I'm here tonight to express my support for so much of what I see in Dr Rees proposed budget from fully funding certain
department chairs, increasing funding for robotics and dance and smaller classrooms. There is a lot to be excited and hopeful about. I'm the father of the joyful snugly determined little first grader
who happens to get extra support from the special education program this year, my daughter's brand new special education teacher left the school before the 1st quarter was even over. It took
what seemed like forever for the replacement to pass all the administrative hurdles. Our department chair stepped up to fill the gap while we waited. This is possible as our school principal found a way to keep that position
full-time this year. And I shudder to think what would have happened had that chair but only part-time. So I'm grateful to our school principal and grateful that the new budget fully restored the funding for special
education department chairs. I can say I'm similarly grateful that our principal captioned the proposed budget restores the full funding our tease. It's too early to know where my daughter will shine in this world. And it's too early to
know if you will qualify for the twice exceptional program, but even if she never qualifies, it's wonderful that such a program exists in our public schools. After all, how many children thrive in
certain areas and need extra support and others? And since twice. Exceptional is a collaboration between the special education and advanced academic programs, fully
funding. Both means twice. Exceptional will be 4 times as strong as it was before checked out the math checks out. Now, if I had more time, I would better explain my support for the proposed
budget increases in both robotics and answers. Well, believe it or not, my daughter is inspired by both of those items equals 8. I would also
better defend my perhaps you can request for better financial support for dedicated speech steam teachers, more instructional assistants, an elementary math resource, teachers. >> But instead, I will leave it there. Thank you all very
much. >> Janice Smith. >> Good evening. Chair board members and ER read. My name is Jenna Smith. And I'm
speaking tonight on behalf of every child advocacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that students with disabilities receive timely, appropriate and legally compliant
educational services. And most of the parents of 3 children with it peas in Fcps who attend different elementary schools in order to meet their needs because of the complexity of my children's profiles and circumstances are
families worked closely with special education department chairs across multiple schools. In addition, I'm licensed special education teacher. And earlier my career during my first year of teaching with Fcps experience
firsthand how essential strong leadership and guidance are for new teachers serving students with disabilities. That early support shaped. How I teach how I advocate and how understand what students and
families truly need as both the parent and advocate, I've seen the difference in a knowledgeable, the difference of knowledgeable and compassion. Special education Department chair can make not just for one child, but for an
entire school community. Special education Department shares are not optional, supports their essential infrastructure. They provide leadership, coordination and institutional knowledge that support students, families,
teachers and instructional assistants alike. Their guidance helps ensure that services are delivered consistent. Leanne equitably, regardless staff, turnover or experience level, they help translate policy into
practice. So that special education services, in fact, just complain on paper that meaningful in real classrooms when these positions are underfunded or eliminated, the impact is felt immediately. New teachers, Liz Mentorship,
experienced support families lose clarity and students that continuity when these positions are properly supported, schools function, more slip smoothly. Staff feel confident, valued and students receive services that are
timely individualized responsive. I know that the leadership of several special education department chairs, I've come to know many students would not be receiving services as effectively as they are today. I want to sincerely thank Dr.
Even the superintendent's office restoring full funding for these positions. And I urge the board to fully support this restoration, investing special education leadership at the elementary level is an investment in
children educators in the long term. Really saga.
>> It slowly Saddam apparent. I want to thank Doctor Reed in the board for storing full funding for elementary school education department chairs in next year's budget proposed
budget. These positions are essential in our schools. They screening meeting, support evaluations, mentor, teachers ensure that by Pete timelines and procedures are followed.
Our family has been part several Fairfax County public schools and across those experiences, we've seen how the presence of a dedicated special education Department chair directly affects the
student experience. My son when this role is supported, students receive services more consistently evaluation. Stay on track. And the entire process is clearer and less
stressful for them. This rest, are it restoration strengthens foundation of the special education in our elementary schools. I appreciate the decision to prioritize these
positions and urge the board to maintain this funding as the budget most for it, it directly supports equity compliance and the well-being of our students. Thank you for
your for your time. Emily, such depth.
>> My name is only such dad and I'm a parent of pps student who receive special education services. I'm here tonight and strong support of the proposed budget. Restoring full funding for elementary
school. Special education department chairs. Thank you for proposing to fully fund the position in the upcoming budget. This restoration is not just about a position that protects the system that
ensures students with disabilities receive timely legally sound services. When these roles are reduced, the work does not disappear. It shifts to already overextended
staff leading to burnout delays and compliance risks. I also urge the board to prioritize the people who make the system work. Our teachers and staff teachers specialists
are subject matter. Experts they bring advanced training and expertise and disability. Specific instructions, intervention and federal law. If we value inclusion and high standards, we must compensate
and support the professionals who deliver them competitive compensation, manageable case loads and protected planning. Time are central for attention and stability of our staff,
students with disabilities were live. I'm consistency and experienced educators who know how to meet these needs families navigating special education like mine rely on
stable, knowledgeable teams to guide them through complex systems and ensure that their children receive appropriate services. If we value students, we must value the professionals who make their
success possible behind every budget decision is a child who depends on us to get this right. Thank you for your time and your commitment to all
students. Norm Hall. >> Norm Hall. >> Chair Dixit chair Anderson, vice chair lady members of the
board and Doctor Rhee as chair of the Fairfax Play Advisory Council. I serve the 17,000 employees in the merit system. The Fairfax County government
like Fcps. There are 3 collective bargaining units. I speak tonight in support of all of these agreements. Most of you know, my history of advocating behalf of county and school employees who work in your schools in your health
connection in childcare spaces, resources that help our staff do their jobs. Well, in the long run, our investments that support the lives of children, their families and the school communities of Fairfax County.
There's a notable difference between among the collective bargaining agreements. I am among those working for Fairfax County government scheduled receive a 2% cost of
living adjustment. The Emory and the Fcps prejudice at the 3% with enough revenue to accommodate both budgets, equity rest of the wage provisions embedded in your salary steps and the fun and
performance pay provisions in mind. To repeated requests from last year. Please do not funding arguments other based on the historical share. The
county is operating funds. Such arguments put fcps employees against county in place. Please do pay some more attention to Fairfax County budget projections that have
been made last year saw hastily arranged class size cuts and reductions in primary level. Special education needs that were presented only after the county budget hearings,
alternative courses of action might led to differential pay boosts and assisted with staffing in the most critical areas. Much as county hiring decisions very across our many
departments. I heard 0 was the amount that Fcps should expect this change in the car. He transfer him out. Instead the budget before you cause for increase of 138 million
dollars. It comes across as the amount of further cuts to county programs and staffing. You would like to see last year at this time, there
seemed to be no. Diane Cooper, gold. >> And Cooper Gold, co-founder of Fairfax County SEPTA and
current board member. But today I am speaking as an individual. I first want to thank Superintendent Reid CPS staff for proposing a budget that fully funds elementary
special education department chairs. I think it's really important that we all in the community recognize that with the current economic climate, hard funding choices must
continuously be made. There absolutely no way to make everyone happy. And so the superintendent and her staff are having to make really challenging choices and with
the knowledge that they can't do everything that we wish they could. I went to encourage the board to accept that this budget and I want to speak a little bit. How about how as a special education
advocate who's actually been working with iup teams for the past 7 years in school buildings. How critically important special education Department chirs far. I want to thank all of our staff for
how hard they're working in these difficult times and especially now I'd like to highlight department chairs a special education department chair is absolutely integral
in determining whether or not a kid will receive the kind of support and services that they really need. They set the tone for their in departments. They set the tone, an IEP meetings
and they set the tone with families. And I have seen department chairs who have literally come in and within each year change the entire tenor of the room so that it
is a positive. Well, coming warm place. Parents get their questions answered. Staff feel supported and everyone is working for a common goal
without those positions. We don't have mentors for new teachers. We don't have people who our subject experts in many different programs rather than just one. We don't have
that kind of ongoing and lasting support. It is very easy when projecting numbers
and budgets. >> More on that again.
Good evening. >> My name is Madigan and a librarian fcps. Also one of the National Board certified teachers whose been denied my stipend this year. I emailed
all of the school board members and several fcps leaders about this, including Dr Reid. And many of you responded with words of encouragement. Thank you for that. Only fcps in
Chesterfield County librarians were denied their awards. The DEO is blaming the Fcps Office of Professional Learning and the Office of Professional Learning is blaming the Bdo E.
>> What's clear to me is that neither party truly understands what librarians do. We're on a teacher contract hold valid, teaching licenses and spent a large
part of our days teaching. However, the Office of Professional Learning Misclassified librarian says other public school employees, a group that includes non teaching staff like
counselors, Spitz and Central Office personnel. I stood in this very auditorium 2 years ago with other National board certified teachers as our achievements were recognized.
So I know that fcps values, this accomplishment. I urge you to reallocate $15,000 from the Office of Professional Learning Budget to fund the 6
fcps librarians who have been excluded from the award. This is a small amount for Fairfax County, but a large amount for us. However, the negative
impact goes beyond money. Fcps claims to be invested in the well-being and professional development of employees. Words of gratitude and
affirmation hold little value. Actions don't support them. Misclassifying school librarians is not teaching employees and blaming the state demonstrates a lack of respect, understanding and
appreciation. Thank you for your time. >> The NFL Hall. I thank you
all. I'm a parent. I'm also on the board of a couple of groups, but I'm speaking on behalf of myself. >> And my input comes in the form of a story when my
daughter started high school, our first stop to meet the school psychologist and I'll call him Mister D because I know transitioning is always hard, especially for kids who
have special education supports. And I'm really glad we made that connection because Mister de has been the primary adult. She's gone to time and time again. In fact, in the first month of 9th
grade, she had an insurmountable problem and American sign language which is not uncommon for dyslexic, by the way, Mr. De and I worked together to empower her to make informed good choices,
which enabled her to advocate for herself to move into a class where she thrived with Mr. D's Guidance. My daughter went from feeling like a failure and having grades that reflected those feelings to
getting nearly all A's her freshman year. In other words, Mister Deason, media efforts and availability supported my daughter to begin her high school career with confidence by empowering her to succeed
rather than fail. And my daughter is one of hundreds, if not thousands, whose education outcomes have been improved by Mr de or someone like him. However, due to last year's budget cuts, Mr.
splitting his time between Woodson and Lake Braddock. High schools, which means he's available have time. And each school causing instability because students don't know when he'll be at their school.
It also makes at heart for Mister D to serve the individual needs of 5,000 students. Of course, students always see someone else. But we each know it's not the same
as working with your trusted adult. Every single school from elementary through high school deserves a Mister Missus or mixed G. But last year's budget cuts eliminated
trusted adults from across the county and students are suffering. I bet their parents are suffering too. So please do whatever you can to
reinstate. Mystic's that that was our last speaker. Thank you for sharing your comments today. The board is scheduled
to take action on the Fy 2027 proposed budget at regular meeting on Thursday. >> February. 26 2026. If you wish to provide any feedback
to the board before this vote ought to be our to submit written copies of your testimony provided today. Please do so by sending your comments to community participation at FCPS DOT Edu.
Thank you for your participation and have a nice day. The public hearing of the Fairfax County School board,
John, as off. 7.11, or a dime ♪ ♪
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