... -- PLANNING, COORDINATION AND EXECUTION, MORE THAN 100 SECURITY OFFICERS AND FIVE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIANS WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION. THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR AUTHORITY, AND THE SCHOOL STAFF FOR FOR SAFELY FOR SAFELY FACILITATING 31 GRADUATION CEREMONIES, HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THOUSANDS OF
GRADUATING SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE TEAM'S PROFESSIONALISM, VIGILANCE, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND CALM LEADERSHIP CREATED A SECURE AND SECURE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE GRADUATION SEASON. THEIR EFFORTS BEHIND THE SCENES EXEMPLIFY THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND REFLECT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS' COMMITMENT TO
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND SAFETY. THE SCHOOL BOARD EXTENDS THE SCHOOL BOARD EXTENDS ITS SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAKING THE 2026 GRADUATION CEREMONIES SAFE, SUCCESSFUL AND MEMORABLE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> Chairperson: THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT ANY ISSUE YOU LIKE, AND YOU WILL NOT BE YOU WILL NOT BE INTERRUPTED. HOWEVER, ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED
TO INTERRUPT THE TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. WE DO REQUEST THAT YOU TRY TO FOCUS ON THE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES. WHEN ADDRESSING THE WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. THE REMAINDER OF YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE THE LECTERN AND HEAR A CHIME. A RED A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL
INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SUE MY NAME IS SUE BATIGLIARI, A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN APOLLO BEACH BEACH REPRESENTING DOBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH A FEW THOUGHTS TO KEEP IN MIND AS DECISIONS CONTINUE TO BE MADE ABOUT SOUTH COUNTY. FIRST, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS AT EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL. INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOL MATTERS AND I APPRECIATE THE AND I APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT'S IMPROVING THE CAMPUS AND HAVE FAITH IN THE NEW PRINCIPAL AND HER VISION. MEANINGFUL CHANGE TAKES TIMES AND WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD. AS MANY PARENTS SHARED OVER THE PAST YEAR, WHAT ULTIMATELY DRIVES ENROLLMENT ISN'T WHAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, IT'S WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE. PARENTS WANT TO KNOW THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE SAY. THEY WANT CONSISTENT DISCIPLINE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CLASSROOMS ARE ARE TEACHERS CAN
ARE TEACHERS CAN TEACH AND STUDENTS CAN LEARN. MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A CHALLENGING AGE AND NO ONE EXPECTS PERFECT CHOICES FROM STUDENTS. WHAT MATTERS IS HOW THE SITUATION IS HANDLED AND WHETHER FAMILIES FEEL CONFIDENT FAMILIES FEEL CONFIDENT SENDING THEIR STUDENTS THERE EVERY DAY. THIS IS PERSONAL FOR MY FAMILY. AFTER APPLYING THREE YEARS MY DAUGHTER WAS OFFERED A SEAT AT YORK MAGNET. WE ACCEPTED AND WERE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL. IT'S A WOLF SCHOOL AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES SHE WILL HAVE THERE BUT WE ACCEPTED WITH MIXED EMOTIONS.
DOBY HAS BEEN OUR HOME. IT'S THE SCHOOL OUR FAMILY LOVES AND THE SCHOOL WE SPENT THE LAST YEAR ADVOCATING FOR. NOW, INSTEAD OF WALKING BOTH OF MY CHILDREN THROUGH THE SAME FRONT GATES EACH MORNING, OUR FAMILY WILL BE SPLIT BETWEEN TWO SCHOOLS. I LOOK I LOOK -- I LOOKED FORWARD TO WALKING THEM IN EVERY DAY, HEARING THEM TELL STORIES AND SEEING EACH OTHER IN THE HALLWAYS AND SHARING THE SAME SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THAT WON'T BE OUR REALITY AND IT BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
I KNOW OUR FAMILY ISN'T ALONE. IF FAMILIES -- MANY FAMILIES IF FAMILIES -- MANY FAMILIES IN SOUTH COUNTY ARE MAKING SIMILAR DECISIONS TO SECURE THE EDUCATIONAL PATH THEY BELIEVE IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN. OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW, CREATING OPPORTUNITY CREATING OPPORTUNITY STRENGTHEN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MULTIPLE WAYS. WE CAN CONTINUE IMPROVING EISENHOWER WHILE MOVING FORWARD TWO THE K-8 MODEL WHETHER THROUGH EXPANDING DOBY OR PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE WATER IS THE G SCHOOL SITE. THESE IDEAS ARE NOT IN
COMPETITION, COMPETITION, THAT RICOMPLEMENTARY SOLUTION TO GIVE FAMILIES CHOICE WHILE HELPING THE DISTRICT RETAIN MORE STUDENTS. [DING] CONTINUE STRENGTHENING EISENHOWER FROM THE INSIDE EISENHOWER FROM THE INSIDE OUT, ENCOURAGING GROWTH THAT IS ALREADY HERE AND LISTENING TO FAMILIES. MY FAMILY HAS FOUND A PHAT FORWARD FOR ONE OF MY KIDS BUT SO MANY OTHERS ARE WAITING FOR THEIRS. NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL THEY LOVE IN ORDER TO
FIND THE EDUCATIONAL PATH THEY BELIEVE IS BEST FOR THEIR CHILD. MY HOPE IS FAMILIES WON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE CHOICE TODAY BECAUSE THEY CAN THEY CAN BELIEVE IN THEY CAN BELIEVE IN BOTH PUBLIC SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OTHERWISE. >> Chairperson: NEXT. >> GOOD >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS HARINI, A RISING SENIOR AT STRAUBIEST HIGH SCHOOL. I CREATED A CAMPAIGN I CREATED A CAMPAIGN CALLED EVERY SECOND COUNTS ADVOCATING
FOR THE PUBLIC TRAINING OF SCHOOL TEACHERS IN FLORIDA. THE REASON WE CREATED THIS CAMPAIGN IS LAST YEAR A HISTORY TEACHER FROM MY SCHOOL SUFFERED FROM SUDDEN CARD YANGS ARREST. LULLLY A TEACHER CLOSE BUY ADMINISTERED CPR AND SAVED MY TEACHER'S LIFE. THIS CAUSED ME AND MANY OTHER STUDENTS IN MY SCHOOL TO QUESTION WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THAT TEACHER DIDN'T KNOW CPR, AND THE MORE RESEARCH WE DID WE FOUND THAT SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH OF STUDENTS IN AMERICA, NOT JUST FLORIDA.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT MOST TEACHERS HERE IN FLORIDA AND TEACHERS HERE IN FLORIDA AND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AREN'T TRAINED IN CRP AND ADD EMERGENCY RESPONSE. THUS MY TEAM AND I ARE PROPOSING FOR LEGISLATION TO ADVOCATE FOR THE TRAINING OF NEWLY HIRED TEACHERS IN CPR AND ADD RESPONSE THROUGH THE THROUGH THE TEACHER PROGRAM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND OTHER DMNTS FLORIDA. I ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD SET UP A MEETING WITH EVERY SECOND COUNTS TO FURTHER DISCUSS OUR PROPOSED BILL TO MAKE NECESSARY
ADJUSTMENTS AND HOPEFULLY GET THIS BILL CO-SPONSORED IN THE FLORIDA CONGRESS THIS LEGISLATIVE SEASON. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> Chairperson: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK THEY DO FOR OUR COUNTY AND SCHOOL SYSTEM. MY NAME IS META, AND I'M A STUDENT
STUDENT AT STRAWBERRY CREST HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A PROBLEM IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY. LIVING IN THE SUNSHINE STATE WE ARE EXPOSED TO A HARSH SUN ON A DAILY BASIS. RECOGNIZING ITS DANGEROUS EFFECTS ON OUR HEALTH I CO-FOUNDED THE NON-PROFIT PROJECT WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING SUN SAFETY AND REDUCING THE PER VANES OF CANCER-RELATED DEATHS. I WANT TO SHARE A FEW STATISTICS ABOUT SKIN CANCER AND HIGHLIGHT HOW MUCH IT'S BEEN AFFECTING ALL OF US IN THE COUNTY AND THE REST OF FLORIDA. DID YOU KNOW THAT APPROXIMATELY
ONE IN TEN FLORIDIANS ARE DIAGNOSED WITH SKIN CANCER EACH YEAR? IT DOESN'T JUST END THERE. MORE THAN 600 FLORIDIANS DIE EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF MELANOMA. ACCORDING TO THE ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, 91% OF ALL SOCIETY, 91% OF ALL MELANOMAS IN THE U.S. WERE LINKED WITH ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION AND ACCORDING TO THE UNITED ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FLORIDA EXPERIENCES CONSISTENTLY HIGHER UV INDEXES COMPARED TO OTHER STATES. NO WONDER FLORIDA RANKS SECOND IN THE NATION FOR THE HIGHEST
RATE OF MELANOMA CASES. I'M SURE WE'VE ALL BEEN TOLD TO APPLY SUNSCREEN BUT WHAT I'M NOT SURE OF IS THE SOCIETAL UNDERSTANDING OF OUR SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES THAT EMERGE WHEN WE SKIP THIS SMALL STEP IN OUR MORNING ROUTINE. UV RADIATION POSES GREAT DANGERS TO OUR SAFETY BUT MORE FOR CHILDREN AND CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENCE BECAUSE SUN DAMAGE ACCUMULATES OAF TIME SO HABITS WHEN WE ARE YOUNG DIRECTLY RAISE SKIN CANCER RISK. KIDS GO TO SCHOOL FIVE DAYS A
WEEK AND WE ARE EXPOSED TO SKIN CANCER RISK CANCER RISK CONSTANTLY. IN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS, WE SCHOOLS, WE ARE EXPOSED TO THE SUN ALL DAY. THEY COULD FACE SKIN CANCER DECADES FROM NOW. I'VE GONE THROUGH McDONALD'S IN THE COUNTY URGING OVER 125 STUDENTS TAKE CARE OF THEIR SKIN AND PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THIS RISK, BUT I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
THIS AWARENESS HAS TO BE TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO, I'D HIKE TO PROPOSE A CURRICULUM MANDATE REQUIRING THAT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY DELIVER ONE LESSON ABOUT SUN SAFETY DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION YEAR IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR PE CLASSES. AT STRAWBERRY CREST HIGH SCHOOL WE TAKE A MANDATORY WE TAKE A MANDATORY ALCOHOL ABUSE CLASS, I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH THE BOARD TO TAKE A SIMILAR ACTION. THERE ARE THERE ARE SO MANY ACTIONS TO
IMPLEMENT TO HELP US TAKE CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE. I HUMBLY REQUEST THE BOARD, TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION AND I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO SEE THIS THROUGH. THANK YOU. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU. CAN I GET THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS TO LINE UP, PLEASE. NEXT SPEAKER. >> IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW THOSE AMAZING PRESENTATIONS, BUT I'M BACK BACK AGAIN. MY NAME IS JULIA GEPHARDT AND
I'M GOING TO ISSUE AN EX EXPLICI T CONTENT WARNING BEFORE WE START. ALL OF US DISLIKE ME BEING HERE INCLUDING ME. WE SHARE THAT BECAUSE OF HOW SHAMEFUL THIS MATERIAL IS AND THE TRUTH IS OUR CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY THIS COUNTY DESERVE PROTECTION AND THE CONTENT THAT WE HAVE FOUND IN SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND REMOVED INSTEAD OF BEING EXPOSED TO OUR CHILDREN. MY CONSCIENCE IS BOUND TO PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM THIS, AND I HOPE THAT YOURS IS, TOO. SO HERE WE GO.
AGAIN, THIS BOOK IS CALLED GRAVITY'S RAINBOW BY THOMAS PENSION AT MY CHILDREN'S FORMER HIGH SCHOOL IN NEWSOM. THE THEMES COVERED ARE EROTICA, BESTIALITY, PROSTITUTION, RAPE, SATAN WORSHIP, SATAN WORSHIP, INCEST, SELF-HARM, SUICIDAL IDEATION, NECK FILLIA AND CANNIBALISM AMONG SEVERAL OTHER TASTELESS TOPICS. PAGE 240. SHE STANDS LEGS ASTRIDE. HE DARES TO GAZE UP. HER PUBIC HAIR HAS BEEN DIED BLACK.
SHE IS STROKING WITH FINGERNAILS HER LABIA. KNEEL HER AND TAKE WHAT I GIVE YOU. MANY A RUSH SHE BEGINS TO PIS. HE OPENS HE OPENS HIS MOUTH TO CATCH THE STREAM, CHOKING, DRIBBLING DOWN THE CONNERS OF HIS MOUTH, NECK AND SHOULDERS SUBMERGED IN THE HISSING STORM. HER INTESTINES WIND SOFTLY AND SHE FEELS SHIT BEGIN TO SLIDE DOWN AND OUT. HE LEANS FORWARD TO SURROUND THE HOT TURD WITH HIS HOT TURD WITH HIS LIPS, SUCKING ON
ON IT -- I -- I'M GOING TO STOP THERE. IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, I'M GOING TO ADD ONE MORE PIECE. PAGE 455, PAGE 455, DRIVEN BY A NEED TO GO OUT AND FIND OTHER ANIMAL SPECIES TO SPECIES TO F-U-C-K SHE TUCKS THE PENIS OF A MULTI-COLORED MON GRILL WHO TRIED TO MOUNT HER IN THE STREET. THIS IS ANOTHER LAND MEIN IN NEWSOM HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO GREAT DAMAGE TO A YOUNG PERSON. THERE ARE HUNDREDS MORE LIKE THIS.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING MORE RESEARCH THIS SUMMER AND FIND ALMOST A NEW BOOK EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN OUR COUNTY LIBRARIES THAT'S NOT UNDER REVIEW THAT IS VIAL, MAYBE NOT TO THIS DEGREE, BUT TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUR STUDENTS. THE SHAME -- [DING] THAT WE FEEL IN HEARING THIS IS SHARED. I'M AVAILABLE AND WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS IS JUST AWFUL. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD >> GOOD AFTERNOON. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS JENNIFER, I LIVE IN TAMPA. I'M THE I'M THE CO-FOUNDER OF A GLOBAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOCUS OPENED INCREASING CIVIC LITERACY AND MAKE CIVICS LESS AND MAKE CIVICS LESS DAUNTING. I HAVE MY TEAM. WE WANT TO DISCUSS THE OPPORTUNITY OF ADDING A STUDENT SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE.
STUDENTS ARE THE HEART OF EDUCATION YET WE OFTEN FEEL UNHEARD OR UNACKNOWLEDGED WHEN IT COMES TO DECISIONS THAT IMPACT US. OFTEN OUR NEEDS OR PROBLEMS ARE OVERSEEN. STUDENTS ARE STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED IN STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED IN PROBLEM SOLVING. A DIRECT A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN TEEN SCORES AND PARTICIPATION. I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL THIS MAY. DURING MY SENIOR YEAR, THERE WERE MULTIPLE ASSIGNED READINGS TORE COMPLETED FOR THE CLASS.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE THE READINGS AS OTHERS WERE READINGS AS OTHERS WERE BANNED. ENGLISH LITERATURE -- THIS IS NOT JUST ABILITY ME, IT'S ABOUT ALL OF US AS STUDENTS GAINING REPRESENTATION AND VOICING OUR CONCERNS DIRECTLY THAT INCREASES THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR GRADES. BY APPOINT AGO STUDENT ON THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD, LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD, WE ENSURE THE DECISIONS REFLECT THE ACTUAL NEEDS TO HAVE THE STUDENT BODY.
IT'S TIME STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION TOWARDS OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE STUDENTS OF OUR COUNTY TO ENSURE OUR NEEDS AND KNOWLEDGE AND VOICE IS HEARD. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS NEED IN FLORIDA. OVER 40 STATES HAVE POLICIES THAT PERMIT STUDENT THAT PERMIT STUDENT MEMBERSHIPS ON SCHOOL BOARDS NATIONWIDE AT LEAST 500,000 STUDENTS CURRENTLY SERVE AS ELECTED OR APPOINTED MEMBERS OF MEMBERS OF DISTRICT COUNTY CHARTER AND STATE BOARDS OF EDUCATION. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER ON IMPLEMENTATION OF A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU. NEXT NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS EMMA WIGGINS AND I'M HERE WITH SIMPLIFIED HERE WITH SIMPLIFIED CIVICS TO PROMOTE OUR REQUEST TO ADD A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. I'VE COME TO NOTICE THAT STUDENTS OF ANY AGE TEND TO TAKE INSPIRATION IN WHAT PEOPLE DO MORE OFTEN THAN WHAT THEY SAY.
MUCH LIKE HOW YOUR OWN CHILD WOULD WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR OWN FOOTSTEPS, YOUNGER STUDENTS FOLLOW THEIR UPPER FOLLOW THEIR UPPER CLASSMEN. I HAVE BEEN IN BAND ALL FOUR YEARS AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP IN OUR DRUM MAJOR WHICH LED ME TO BECOME DRUM MAJOR FOR MY SENIOR YEAR. I JOINED SIMPLIFIED CIVICS BECAUSE I WAS INSPIRED BY JENNIFER'S WORK. THIS IS WHY I PERSONALLY BELIEVE HAVING A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD BODY IS CRUCIAL FOR DEVELOPING OUR YOUNG
ADULTS, NOT ONLY WILL HAVING A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE HELP TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE BUT ALLOW STUDENTS TO SEE THEY CAN TAKE POSITIONS OF POWER TO SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY, CAN MOTIVE STUDENTS TO SEEK OUT AND FIND POSITIONS TO WORK IN AND WHETHER A GREATER IMPACT AT EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS ABOUT THESE TOPICS AND MORE POLITICAL MATTERS IN POLITICAL MATTERS IN GENERAL. FURTHERMORE, HAVING MULTIPLE SCHOOL BOARDS MEMBERS PROVES TO THE STUDENT BODY THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND CAN MAKE A CHANGE. HAVING A DIVERSE HAVING A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENT
STUDENT MEMBERS ENSURE SCHOOL BOARDS CAN KEEP THE STUDENT BODY POSITIVE AND WORKING IN THE BEST POSITIVE CONDITIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO INCLUDE OUR STUDENTS IN MAKING THE COMMUNITY BETTER FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS ATART, A SENIOR AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. I COME WITH SIMPLIFIED CIVICS TO AFFECT VIOLATE WITH SEVEN REPRESENTATIVES IN THE SCHOOL BOARD BODY.
ALSO INVOLVED IN THE TAMPA MAYOR'S YOUTH CORPS PROGRAM. I'VE SEEN HOW I'VE SEEN HOW CONNECTING POLICY-MAKERS AND STUDENTS CAN BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS THAT AFFECT MY DAILY LIFE AND HAVE HAD THE ABILITY TO CONVEY MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS TO THOSE WHO ARE OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD THE ABILITY TO COMPRESS MYSELF TO. HAVING A SIMILAR SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD CAN BENEFIT BOTH YOU, THE REPRESENTATIVE AND WE THE WE THE STUDENTS. AS AT LAST, STUDENTS SHARE EXPERIENCES AND FORM BONDS WITH
THE SAME POLICY-MAKER WHO AFFECT EVERYDAY LIVES. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO STRUCTURED SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS FOR THIS LEVEL OF DIALOGUE AND HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM WITHIN THE SCHOOL BOARD COULD CHANGE IT FOR THE BETTER. ACCORDING TO NATIONAL STUDENT COUNCIL, THREE QUARTERS OF STUDENTS INVOLVED IN DIRECT DIALOGUE AND DECISION MAKING IN REGARDS TO POLICY FEEL MORE CONNECTED AND CLOTHESSER TO LOCAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION. IN SCHOOL BOARDS FROM STATES FROM WASHINGTON TO FROM WASHINGTON TO MARYLAND
ENACTED SOME FORM OF STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL BOARDS. AS THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATIONS OF SCHOOL BOARDS PUT IT BEST, SCHOOL BOARDS PUT IT BEST, FULLY ENGAGED YOUTH LEADERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE, LEARNING ABOUT SCHOOL CONCERNS AND MAKING SCHOOL CONCERNS AND MAKING GOOD DECISIONS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. DEAR BOARD MEMBERS. I'M LIEU SENDA JOHNSON AND I'M
HERE TO SPEAK HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY AND TIMELY RESPONSES TO PARENTS. SINCE MY SON'S ENROLLMENT AT RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL, I HAVE EXPERIENCED ONGOING CONCERNS INVOLVING BULLYING, INVOLVING BULLYING, DELAYED COMMUNICATION, AND WHAT I BELIEVE HAS BEEN A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY FROM THE SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATION. AS BOTH A PARENT AND A AS BOTH A PARENT AND A GUARDIAN, I HAVE OFTEN FELT DISMISSED, MET WITH RESISTANCE, AND UNFAIRLY LABELED WHILE
LABELED WHILE ADVOCATING FOR MY CHILDREN AND CHILDREN AND RAISING LEGITIMATE CONCERNS. BASED ON MY REPEATED EXPERIENCES, I HAVE BECOME CONCERNED THAT STAFF HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO SPEAK WITH ME UNLESS AN ADMINISTRATOR IS PRESENTER. MOST RECENTLY, TODAY, WHEN I PICKED UP MY GRANDSON FROM THE ESY PROGRAM, I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A STAFF MEMBER WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CHARGE OF THE ESY PROGRAM REGARDING HIS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.
I WAS TOLD THAT MY QUESTIONS COULD NOT BE ANSWERED COULD NOT BE ANSWERED UNLESS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF CURRICULUM WAS PRESENT. THIS WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH THAT STAFF MEMBER. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, I ARRIVED TO MEET WITH A STAFF MEMBER AND OBSERVED MY NAME HAD BEEN FLAGGED ON THE FRONT DESK COMPUTER BEFORE I WAS PERMITTED TO TO PROCEED.
DURING THAT MEETING THE APC OF CURRICULUM ENTERED THE CONFERENCE ROOM TO CHECK ON THE STAFF MEMBER AND ASSURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY BEFORE LEAVING. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT REMAIN FOR THE MEETING, THAT EXPERIENCE CONTRIBUTED TO MY CONCERN THAT INTERACTIONS WITH ME WERE BEING HANDLED DIFFERENTLY. THESE REPEATED EXPERIENCES HAVE LEFT ME QUESTIONING WHETHER MY FAMILY IS BEING TREATED DIFFERENTLY AND HAVE UNDERMINED MY ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE OPENLY WITH THE SCHOOL WITH THE SCHOOL STAFF.
IF THERE IS A DISTRICT POLICY REQUIRING AN ADMINISTRATOR TO BE PRESENT WHEN STAFF SPEAK WITH ME, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT IT BE EXPLAINED. IF NO SUCH POLICY EXISTS, I RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE DISTRICT TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS PRACTICE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED, IN MY CASE. PARENTS ARE NOT THE OPPOSITION. WE ARE PARTNERS IN WE ARE PARTNERS IN OUR CHILDREN'S SITUATION. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE DISTRICT CONDUCT AN IMPARTIALITY INVESTIGATION INTO THESE CONCERNS.
I AM WILLING TO MEET WITH DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. [APPLAUSE] >> Chairperson: THANK >> Chairperson: THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO -- INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY
AND A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. [ VOTING IN PROGRESS ] >> Chairperson: AND THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED. I WILL NOW I WILL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYERS TO HIGH LIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. >> Superintendent Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE HAVE FIVE PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS ON THE CONSENT
AGENDA JUST APPROVED. WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM NOW IF WE CAN GET THE PowerPoint PULLED UP THERE. WE ARE GOING TO START WITH MS. CHRISTA WASHINGTON, IF SHE COULD PLEASE STAND. THERE SHE IS IN THE BACK. NEW PRINCIPAL OF LAVOY EXCEPTIONAL EXCEPTIONAL CENTER. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] SO, MS. WASHINGTON BEGAN HER CAREER IN EDUCATION NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO IN VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, TEACHING SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. IN 2019, IN 2019, BEGAN
IN 2019, BEGAN WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHING ACCESS POINTS. IN 2022, EAST BAY LAW HIGH SCH OOL, TRANSFERRED TO LAVOY IN 2023 AS ASSISTANTS APPROXIMATELY. 2024, 2024, APPOINTED PRINCIPAL AT EISENHOWER, NOW NEW PRINCIPAL AT LAVOY EXCEPTIONAL CENTER. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH CHRISTA, STAND WITH HER. CONGRATULATIONS.
ALL RIGHT, SO THERE IS LAVOY. WE ALSO HAD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAVE A NEW AGENDA, WE HAVE A NEW PRINCIPAL OF OF SHIELDS MIDDLE OF SHIELDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, DR. SOLOMON LOWERY. PLEASE STAND. [APPLAUSE] SO, SO, DR. LOWERY BEGAN HIS CAREER SERVING IN THE U.S. MILITARY FROM 1996 FROM 1996 TO 2004. TAUGHT AT PINELLAS COUNTY SKILLS, SERVED IN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES AS AP AT MIDLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND PRINCIPAL AT THREE
MIDDLE SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, SERVED AS IN ADDITION, SERVED AS ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT ST. PETE COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SERVES AS DIRECTOR SERVES AS DIRECTOR OF SERVES AS DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL BEHAVIOR. DR. LOWERY, NEW PRINCIPAL OF SHIELDS MIDDLE SCHOOL. FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH YOU, PLEASE PLEASE STAND. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS, DR. LOWERY. NOW TO THE PRINCIPAL OF EDISON ELEMENTARY,
ELEMENTARY, ALREADY ELEMENTARY, ALREADY LAKISHA WOODFORK, NEW PRINCIPAL OF EDISON ELEMENTARY. BEGAN TEACHING WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHING AT OAK PARK IN 2010, TALK TO SECOND GRADE POTTER ATHAND SHORT ELEMENTARIES 2010 TO 2012. 2013 TO 17, READING COACH AT EDISON, CLAIRE MEL AND EDISON, CLAIRE MEL AND SUMMER FOLK FOLK CROSSING. WENT TO RESOURCE TEACHER AT
COALSON ELEMENTARY IN 2022, APPOINTED, A P AT APPOINTED, A P AT COLSON. APPOINTED A.P. AT EDISON ELEMENTARY IN 2024, YOU CURRENT LY SERVING, SO FROM SERVING, SO FROM A.P. TO PRINCIPAL AT EDISON PRINCIPAL AT EDISON ELEMENTARY, DR. LA CAN I IS A DR. LA CAN I IS A WOODFORK, CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] YOU HAVE FAMILY YOU HAVE FAMILY AND YOU HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT. WE ALSO HAVE A NEW PRINCIPAL OF TAMPA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY TAMPA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
MISS MY SHELL MISS MY SHELL -- MICHELLE ALF ONZO, BEGAN CAREER INIATION? MASSACHUSETTS WHERE SHE TAUGHT FOR SEVEN FOR SEVEN YEARS, FOR SEVEN YEARS, BEGAN WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2014 TEACHING AT FISH HAWK CREEK ELEMENTARY. 2020 2020 TRANSFERRED TO KENLEY ELEMENTARY, SERVED AS A MATH RESOURCE TEACHER, APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IN LAM ELEMENTARY 2022, CURRENTLY SERVING AS A.P. AT LAM, BUT AFTER TONIGHT NEW PRINCIPAL AT
TAMPA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY. MICHELLE, MICHELLE, DLAITIONS. [APPLAUSE] CAN'T MOVE ON WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT HER TIME ABOUT HER TIME AT LAMB ELEMENTARY, SHE SERVED THERE THE LAST FOUR LAST FOUR YEARS, LAMB ELEMENTARY WENT FROM A D TO WENT FROM A D TO AN A. [APPLAUSE] HER AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT LAMB HA DONE TREMENDOUS WORK AND EXCITED TO GIVE HER NEW OPPORTUNITIES AT PRINCIPAL OPPORTUNITIES AT PRINCIPAL OF TAMPA HEIGHTS.
CONGRATULATIONS. FINALLY NEW FINALLY NEW PRINCIPAL AT WOOD BRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIMBERLY LEE. THERE YOU THERE YOU ARE. [APPLAUSE] SO, MS. LEE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2005 AS ALTHIRD GRADE TEACHER AT HUNTER'S GREEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IN 2006 SHE TRANSFERRED TO BRYANT ELEMENTARY AND ON TO DEER PARK ELEMENTARY WHERE SHE TAUGHT THIRD AND FOURTH GRADES. IN 2013 SHE BECAME THE PEER EVALUATOR AT DEER PARK,
TRANSFERRED TO ROBE ALSO ELEMENTARY IN 2016, TRANSFERRED IN IN 2017 -- AND IN 2017 -- AND IN 2020 TEACHER FOR TRANSFER SCHOOLS. APPOINTED AP IN WOODBRIDGE ELEMENTARY IN 2022 WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. SO FROM SO FROM A.P. AT WOODBRIDGE TO THE THE PRINCIPAL AT WOODBRIDGE ELEMENTARY MS. KIMBERLY ELEMENTARY MS. KIMBERLY LEE. [APPLAUSE] FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH HER AS WELL. I KNOW I SAW MS. MORRIS THE FORMER PRINCIPAL OF WOODBRIDGE
BACK THERE. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS, MISS LEE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR NEW PRAINS PALS ON THE FIVE APPOINTMENTS THIS EVENING. CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. SEE YOU NEXT THURSDAY AT OUR JOINT PRINCIPAL MEETING. MADAM CHAIR, THOSE ARE OUR PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS. >> Chairperson: CONGRATULATIONS, PRINCIPALS. WE WILL TAKE A PAUSE FOR A MOMENT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXIT THE ROOM AND GO AND CELEBRATE.
>> Chairperson: -- NOW BE HEARD. D1.1, D1.1, 1.3, D1.1, 1.3, 1.10, D1.1, 1.3, 1.10, 2.2, D1.1, 1.3, 1.10, 2.2, 3.2, D1.1, 1.3, 1.10, 2.2, 3.2, 5.2, 6.2, 6.2, 6.3, 6.5 6.2, 6.3, 6.5 AND 6.2, 6.3, 6.5 AND 7.9. 1.1, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGREEMENT CLASSIC LEARNING NIMPTS LLC.
SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYERS WILL HIGH HIGH LIGHT. >> Superintendent Van Ayres: ACCEPTING THE CLASSICAL LEARNING TEST, THE CLT EXAM, AS A REPLACEMENT OF THE ACT OR SAT. IN SEPTEMBER IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 THE STATE OF FLORIDA OF FLORIDA APPROVED THE OF FLORIDA APPROVED THE CAT FOR ALL PUBLIC ALL PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES. STUDENTS GRADUATING IN THE 2026-2027 2026-2027 CAN EARN A SCORE.
ITEM 101. OUR KEEFE ACADEMIC OFFICER MR. BRADY IS HERE AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION EDUCATION MS. RAYBURN FOR ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING 1.1. >> Chairperson: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM ITEM D ITEM D1.1. MOTION BY WASHINGTON, SECOND BY GRAY. ITEM PULLED. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? >> I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. AS WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND LESS THAN 1% INCREASE I LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE ITEM NEW TO US AND THIS IS AN ITEM THAT A FEW YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T SPEND MONEY AGO WE DIDN'T SPEND MONEY ON. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO CLASS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TEACHERS CABINET AND SUPERVISORS FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS AN A. WHEN YOU LOOK AT COMPETING IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA I LOOK AT COMPETING ON A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
ONE OF MY HESITATIONS WITH THE CLASS ASKING LEARNING TEST IS HOW IT'S REALLY HOW IT'S REALLY FOUNDED HOW IT'S REALLY FOUNDED IN FLORIDA. FLORIDA IS SOMETIMES RANKED THE BOTTOM IN LITERACY, BOTTOM IN LITERACY, RECENTLY 50th IN LITERACY RATES. WE'RE SEEING MORE WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE AS FAR AS FUNDING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LITERACY THE AP PASS RATE WAS FROM 53% IN 2022 TO 71% IN 2026. THE THE S.A.T. AND
THE S.A.T. AND A.C.T. EXAMS ARE WIDELY KNOWN. ACT EARNED QUALIFYING SCORES. A.P. PARTICIPATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE INCREASE AND IB DLOAMA INCREASED. PABLO, HERE'S A PowerPoint ABOUT THE DEFENSES BETWEEN THE CLT AND THE SAT. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE POINTS, BUT BOTTOM LINE IS THE SAT HAS MORE SAT HAS MORE THAN 70 YEARS OF RESEARCH SUPPORTING RESEARCH SUPPORTING RELIABILITY, REDICTABILITY AND VALIDITY. S.A.T. IS RECOGNIZED IN VIRTUALLY EVERY COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ACROSS THE NATION. THE CLT IS A NEWER ASSESSMENT WITH SHORTER RESEARCH. WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF OTHER STATES COMPETING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CLT, THAT IS NOT A REALLY LONG RESEARCH, IT'S NOT COMPETING NATIONWIDE, IT'S NOT COMPETING GLOBALLY.
THIS IS A THIS IS A STATEWIDE THIS IS A STATEWIDE EXAM BEING UTILIZED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON IT, IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS LIKE FACT CLASSES, ALL THIS STUFF THAT'S COMING OUT TO HAVE THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHILE I WANT TO COMPLETE NOT JUST AGAINST THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I WANT TO COMPETE NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. IT CONCERNS ME THAT THERE'S SUCH A PUSH TOWARDS THE CLT. YOU CAN TAKE THAT OFF, YOU CAN TAKE THAT OFF, PABLO. YOU KNOW, HOER MORE THAN MORE T
HIS YEAR WE MADE AN A BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BENCHMARKS FOR NEXT YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER TO BECOME AN A. SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THIS KIND OF IDEA THAT WE'RE GETTING, THAT FLORIDA IS NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION. WE HAVE 63% OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE As AND Bs, WE'RE DOING SO WELL. MEAN WHILE FUNDING MEAN WHILE FUNDING TEACHERS 50th IN THE NATION, NOT ABLE TO COMPETE AS TO COMPETE AS WELL. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ABLE TO COMPLETE NATIONALLY BUT WE'RE ADDING THIS TEST OVER AND OVER AND IMPLEMENTING IT. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE CLT
BECAUSE IT HELPS KIDS GET ACROSS THE STAGE BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THE CLT IS A NATIONAL, NATIONAL, AMAZING NATIONAL, AMAZING TASK THAT BEATS IN THE COUNTRY. THE TOP STATES? THE COUNTRY SCORING HIGH NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE CLASSICAL LEARNING TESTS AND MORE AND MORE STUDENTS ARE PASSING IT BECAUSE OF THIS IDEA OF THE AGENDA TO SAY FLORIDA IS DOING SO SAY FLORIDA IS DOING SO AMAZING. I'M ONE OF THESE PEOPLE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SAYING THAT IS NOT TRUE. FUND OUR STATE, PUT FUNDING
THERE AND LET'S CONTINUE TO COMPETE. AS A VISION, AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I ALWAYS WANT TO PUT A.P., A.P., S.A.T., IB, I WANT TO PRIORITIZE SOMETHING LIKE THAT NOT SOMETHING LIKE NOT SOMETHING LIKE THE C.L.T. ONLY THAT'S ONLY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU TALK ABOUT THE COLLEGES THAT ACCEPT IT, A LOT OF COLLEGES AROUND THE NATION DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. WHY ARE WE IMPLEMENTING IT MORE? BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO PASS, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VOUCHER SYSTEM AND THE MONEY IMPLEMENTED, A LOT OF SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE TO PASS THESE TESTS AND OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO
THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IS GOING OUT THERE. SO I THINK OAF AND OVER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE FOCUSING THE FOCUSING THE A.B. AND THE I.B. RESULTS. JASIEL BROWN, BRIAN HOOVER AND THE TEAM HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB BUT I WANT TO KEEP FOCUSING ON THAT AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND UNDERSTAND THE C.L.T. IS NOT A NATIONALLY NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TEST. >> Chairperson: THANK >> Chairperson: THANK YOU.
>> I AGREE THE I.C.T. AND S.A.T. ARE TESTS STUDENTS NEED, THE HIGHLY REGARDED VERY GOOD REPUTATIONS. FOR A WHILE WE BACKED OFF DURING COVID AND SAID YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THOSE FOR COLLEGE ENTRANCE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT MORE THE WHOLE CHILD, THEIR GRADES BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF BIAS ON THOSE TESTS AND NOW WE'VE SWUNG BACK THE OTHER WAY WHERE THE THEY'RE THE STANDARD BEARER. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO TO ADMINISTRATION.
(HAHN). IF YOU WANT TO GO TO CERTAIN COLLEGES AND CLEARS, COLLEGES AND CLEARS, I.B., A.C.T., S.A.T. ARE THE EXAMS YOU NEED TO TAKE. FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS, THAT'S NOT THE PATH THEY TAKE. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A PATHWAY TO GRADUATION TO GO ON TO TO GRADUATION TO GO ON TO CAREER WOOFERS DEVELOPMENTS TYPES CERTIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS AND CAREERS. SO THIS IS A PATHWAY FOR SO THIS IS A PATHWAY FOR THEM. AND THE TESTS MAY NOT BE RECOGNIZED IN OTHER RECOGNIZED IN OTHER STATES BUT
THEY'RE R THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IS DIPLOMA IS RECOGNIZED. SO EUNDERSTAND YOUR POINTS BUT ONE THE CONTEXT OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS, IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE STATEMENT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW CAN WE GREAT MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION FOR KIDS WHO MAYBE AREN'T ON THE COLLEGE PATHWAY BUT THIS GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY AND OPENS UP A HOST OF OTHER OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. SO, THAT'S MY COMMENTS ON THAT. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD.
THANK YOU. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAB. MEMBER MEMBER RENDON. >> Patti Rendon: THANK >> Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I WILL BE HONEST, I DID QUESTION THE COST OF THIS TEST BUT I DIDN'T QUESTION IT IN THE COST OF THE COST OF THE USAGE OF THE TEST, I QUESTIONED IT ON WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CHANGING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING STUDENTS THE BEST POSSIBLE OPTION BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH THE ELIMINATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION FOR OUR STUDENTS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE THEM EVERY POSSIBLE
OPPORTUNITY TO EARN THAT DLOAM OPPORTUNITY TO EARN THAT DLOAM DIP LOMA AND ONE OF THE BARRIERS AND ONE OF THE BARRIERS IS THE STATE TEST. WHILE IT'S NOT AT THE SEVERAL OF S.A.T. AND S.A.T. AND A.C.T., I WANT TO OFFER THOSE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT OVARY STUDENT, EVERY SCHOOL HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES, I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THE RFORT OF NORTH CAROLINA, UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS, ALL FULL UNIVERSITIES,
AND MANY PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE BEGINNING TO USE THE CLT AS POSSIBLE ACCEPTANCE TESTING. SO IT IS BECOMING A MORE ACCEPTABLE TEST. SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WE ARE ON THE WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF OFFERING THAT AS AN OPTION. I APPRECIATE WITH OUR MEETING THAT WE ARE NOW GOING TO IN THE BEGINNING OF THE JUNIOR YEAR MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING MORE TEST PREP AND NOT ONLY A.C.T., S.A.T. BUT ALSO C.L.T., SO THAT WE CHANGE THE OUTCOME. I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAD SUCH LOW NUMBERS PASSING
IT AT THE END OF JUNIOR YEAR AND MANY MORE PASSED THEM AS A SENIOR, BUT MAKING THAT CHANGE, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE SAME TEST PREP AS THEY WOULD FOR S.A.T. OR A.C.T. HELPS ME UNDERSTAND WHY WE WANT TO GIVE IT IN THE END OF THE JUNIOR YEAR. I DON'T WANT THE STUDENTS TO GO INTO THE SENIOR YEAR AND NOT HAVE THE BENCHMARKS AND HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PASS THE CLASSES. I APPRECIATE THAT CONVERSATION. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO GET AS MANY STUDENTS INTO
STANDARD STANDARD DLOAMAS. I APPRECIATE US MAKING AN EFFORT TO GIVE ALL OUR STUDENTS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY THEY CAN. THANK YOU. >> Chairperson: THANK >> Chairperson: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDUM. MEMBER COMBS. >> Nadia Combs: I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I WANT KIDS TO GRADUATE BUT THAT SAME REQUIREMENT ISN'T HAPPENING WITH SOUTH CHINAER OR PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS SO THAT EXPENDITURE
FROM 2023 WENT FROM 200,000 TO NOW NOW FOR $559,000. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE THAT IS NOT REALLY, LIKE, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND, SO, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE FOR US AND ANOTHER PATHWAY THAT OTHER TAXPAYER PROGRAMS WITH PROGRAMS WITH VOUCH IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT TAXPAYERS UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALL THESE EXTRA HOOPS WE HAVE TO WALK THROUGH AND PAY FOR AND IT'S NOT EVEN A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TEST. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE
REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMPETE NATIONALLY BUT THEN, AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS NOT COMING FROM THEIR BUDGET, IT'S COMING FROM OUR BUDGET. SO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE. THE BUDGET IS LESS THAN 1%. THERE'S ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS AND THEN OTHER VOUCHER PROGRAMS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS DON'T REQUIRE THAT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS ABOUT THAT. SO THAT'S MY POINT OF PULLING IT. THANK YOU. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN. >> Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M CONFUSED.
DO CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS OF THESE TESTS AT OUR OF THESE TESTS AT OUR FACILITY? >> YES. >> Jessica Vaughn: THEY PAY FOR IT BUT HAVE ACCESS TO TAKE IT AT OUR FACILITIES. OKAY. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW IS THIS CHANGING THE GRADUATION RATES BECAUSE IT'S GREAT, I LOVE THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COMPRESS TO, YOU KNOW, COMPRESS EXPRESS HOW GREAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS GRADUATION IS CONCERNED BUT TO MEMBER COMS POINT, COMPETING AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, WHICH WE WANT
TO LOOK FOR FOR OUR KIDS, ARE WE OVERINFLATING OUR GRADUATION RATES IN FLORIDA AND TOUTING HIGH GRADUATION RATES AND SUCH HIGH GRADUATION RATES AND SUCH A SUCCESS IN A LOT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL POLICIES WHERE IN OTHER STATES THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THOSE GRADUATION RATES. I GUESS THAT'S MY CONCERN IS ARE WE SAYING BASED ON THE CHANGES WE'VE MADE HERE IN FLORIDA OUR GRADUATION RATES ARE SO HIGH AND WE'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH A LOT OF THESE CHANGES BUT IS THAT TRUE NATIONALLY? ARE WE DOING THAT GREAT IN COMPARISON IF WE HAVE TESTS THAT
MAKE IT EASIER FOR KIDS TO GRADUATE? >> WELL, ROUGHLY 90% OF OUR STUDENTS MEET THEIR GRADUATION BENCHMARKS THROUGH SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE CLT. ABOUT 70% THROUGH THE PHASES, THEN THE S.A.T., A.C.T., THEN THE S.A.T., A.C.T., CLT, PSAT OR PSAT OR ELSE OR WAIVER. 80%
80% IN MATH AND 90% IN READING GET IT RELATED TO SOME OTHER AVENUE. RELATED TO STANDARDS -- >> BEFORE THE STATE PROCESS OF STANDARD SETTING WHICH IS THAT THAT STRUCTURED PROCESS THAT THE STATE USES TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS TO DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY OPEN AN ASSESSMENT, WHEN THEY LIDGE ROLLED OUT THE CLT FOR MATH SECTION, IT WAS 11 FOR THE SCORE AND THE THE READING SECTION 36, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAD THE MOST SUCCESS WITH THE STUDENTS. THE STATE WITH STANDARD SETTING
WAS CLT THIS PAST SUMMER, NOT CURRENT SUMMER BUT THIS PAST SUMMER, SO THAT'S WHY WE SEE THE DROP IN PERCENTAGE OF PASSING WITH OUR STUDENTS, OUR LAST YEAR'S JUNIORS BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER THE NEW STANDARD SETTING WHICH WHICH IS 39 AND 14 FOR MATH. SO IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO MEET THE PROFICIENCY STANDARDS SET STANDARDS SET BY THE STATE. >> Jessica Vaughn: SO YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE MAKING IT MORE CHALLENGING WITH THE C.L.T. BUT WITHOUT THE C.L.T. THEY STILL WOULDN'T PASS IN OTHER STATES. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. FOR REFERENCE WE HAD 19% OF OUR JUNIORS MEET THE READING WITH MISSING MISSING BENCHMARKS, MEET THE READING BENCHMARK THROUGH C.L.T., 28% MET WITH MATH COMPARED TO OUR SENIOR CLASS THAT WAS 57% IN MATH AND 42% IN READING. >> Jessica Vaughn: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER MEMBER GRAY. >> Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION AND IT'S VERY WORTHY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START
LOWERING STANDARDS, WHETHER IT BE TESTING, BE TESTING, TEACHING, WHATEVER FORMAT GOES ON WHEN YOU ARE HAVING THAT MINDSET OF LOWERING, YOU YOU GET LOWER RESULTS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BALANCE -- THIS IS WHAT I WANTED THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WITH THE POINTS THAT WERE MADE -- THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATED LEARNING AND THE REMEDIATION CLASSES, IF WE HAVE BOTH OF THOSE, I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHEN YOU EXPECT LESS AND GIVE THOSE TYPES OF
ACCOUNTABILITY TESTS, I THINK YOU GET LESS. I DON'T WANT US TO BECOME A DISTRICT THAT IS NOT LOOKING AT A SUPERIOR TYPE OF A SUPERIOR TYPE OF TEACHING, SUPERIOR TYPE OF SUPERIOR TYPE OF TESTING. THE GROWTH IN A.P. IS 71%, WHICH IS UP. A.P. EXAMS, I WAS A FORMER TEACHER, THEY'RE HARD AS HECK. I KNOW WE HAVE A HUGE INCREASE OF A.P. OF A.P. CLASSES OF A.P. CLASSES AND STUDENTS. I THINK IF WE WERE TO MEASURE,
IF WE HAVE A BALANCE, I THINK THAT, RIGHT NOW, THIS LAST YEAR, WE WENT UP WITH ACCELERATED LEARNING, AND LEARNING, AND THAT HELPED YOUR A. BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE TO BE TRAINED, THEY HAVE TO WORK HARD. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GRADE THESE A.P. TESTS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO REMEDIATION ZONE WHICH, UNDERSTANDABLY, WE WANT A HIGHER GRADUATION RATE, BUT DO WE REALLY WANT TO BE A DISTRICT THAT IS A REMEDIATION DISTRICT OR AN ACCELERATED DISTRICT?
SO, SOMEHOW, WE HAVE TO SO, SOMEHOW, WE HAVE TO FIND THE MIDDLE. BUT THE POINT COMBS MADE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I THINK YOU CAN REMARK ON THAT. YOU'RE YOU'RE A YOU'RE A SUPERINTENDENT. WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE BALANCE IN THE REMARKS? >> Superintendent Van Ayres: WE OFFER EVERY STUDENT THAT WALKS ACROSS THE STAGE WALKS ACROSS THE STAGE AT GRADUATION THE STATE OF GRADUATION THE STATE OF FLORIDA
DIPLOMA. THESE ARE ALL OPTIONS. OUR GOAL IS TO GET STUDENTS ACROSS THE STAGE, COLLEGE AND CAREER READY, SO WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM IT'S PROVIDING AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE CAN FOR KIDS TO GRADUATE AND GET ACROSS THE THE STAGE. YOU COULD USE THE SAME ARGUMENT WITH STUDENTS THAT DO WELL ON S.A.T. THAT DON'T DO AS WELL AS A.C.T. THIS IS ANOTHER OPTION TO MEET A GRADUATION GRADUATION AMERICANMARK. EVERY STATE HAS ITS OWN STANDARDS FOR GRADUATION SO IT'S
HARD TO COMPARE STAIRS STATE BUT WE OPERATE, WE OFFER A STATE OF FLORIDA DIPLOMA, SO WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GRADUATE, AND OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF MAXIMIZING THAT AND GETTING STUDENTS ACROSS THE STAGE TO STAGE TO START THE NEXT PHASE STAGE TO START THE NEXT PHASE OF THEIR THEIR LIFE. >> Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THE REMARKS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. BRADY AND
MS. RAYBURN FOR YOUR REMARKS. APPRECIATE IT. >> Chairperson: THANK YOU MEMBER MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. >> Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I UNDERSTAND WHERE MS. COMBS IS COMING FROM. AT THE END OF THE DATE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY TO VALIDATE THE 13 YEARS A STUDENT HAS GONE THROUGH OUR SCHOOL THROUGH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REPEATATING THE STUDENTS. WE'RE WE'RE NOT REMEDIATING WE'RE NOT REMEDIATING STUDENTS. THE STUDENTS HAVE WORKED HARD, MET THE REQUIREMENTS, THIS IS A BENCHMARK TEST.
OF THE 51 STATES, ONLY 7 STATES REQUIRE A WHENEVERMARK EXIT EXAM OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL SO WE'RE NOT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE GIVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GET STUDENTS TO GET A STANDARD DIPLOMA. THAT IS WHAT THAT IS WHAT WE AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DOING, GIVING STUDENTS OPTION, BUT NOWHERE DO I WANT TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF ACCELERATED LEARNING WE ARE DOING IN THIS DISTRICT. IT IS PUTTING US ABOVE AND BEYOND OTHER DISTRICTS AND I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THE EFFORTS WE ARE MAKING IN
ARE MAKING IN HERE. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT HAVE DONE WELL IN ALL TESTING BUT THEY CAN'T GET PAST THE GRADUATION BENCHMARK AND THIS GIVES THEM ONE MORE OPTION. I UNDERSTAND WHERE COMBS IS COMING FROM BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DOLLAR AND ADVOCATE IN TALLAHASSEE FOR THE FUNDING WE GET PER STUDENT AND FOR SPECIFIC NEEDS. THAT WILL NEVER STOP ON THIS DAIS. IT WILL NEVER STOP IN IT WILL NEVER STOP IN TALLAHASSEE. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS STATE IS UNIQUE WITH THESE GRADUATION BENCHMARKS THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO TAKE IN ORDER
TO GET A STANDARD DIPLOMA. WE'RE ONE OF ONLY SEVEN STATES THAT REQUIRE THEM. SO HAVING AN OPTION DOESN'T ELIMINATE A GRADUATION DIPLOMA. SO I UNDERSTAND -- I DO THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE JUST NOT SURE THAT WE'RE JUST NOT GIVING A TEST. THAT WAS MY MAIN THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING BEFORE WE TAKE THE TEST. SO THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I APPRECIATE THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO US BEING ONLY ONE OF SEVEN STATES BUT THEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
WE HAVE IT AT ALL IF WE'RE CHANGING IT TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE. THAT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE WE'RE JUST DOING IT FOR MONEY PURPOSES HONESTLY IS WHAT IT STOUNDS LIKE. BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW THAT WE CONTINUALLY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LETTER GRADES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW WITH THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH AT THE STATE, IT'S GETTING INCREASINGLY HARDER NEXT YEAR. I THINK THE POINT DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN AN A AND C IS SO SMALL THERE WILL BE SCHOOLS THAT THERE WILL BE SCHOOLS THAT MISS IT BY A FEW POINTS AND WILL DROP
DOWN TO A C BECAUSE I THINK -- IS IT A FOUR OR FIVE POINT SPREAD WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IF WE'RE MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR STUDENTS TO GRADUATE, I LOVE THAT. IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S REFLECTED IN OUR SCHOOL GRADES. YOU CAN HAVE A HIGH GRADUATION RATE IF STUDENTS ARE TAKING A CLT BUT IF THEY'RE NOT PERFORMING ON THE STATE-MANDATED TEST THEY NEED TO GET THE LETTER GRADE, YOU MIGHT HAVE A HIGH GRADUATION RATE BUT YOUR LETTER GRADE IS LOW BECAUSE THE SAME KIDS TAKING THE CLT TO MEET THEIR BENCHMARKS TO GRADUATE ARE NOT PROFICIENT ON THE TEST.
SO WE'RE GRADUATING THEM AND SAYING LET'S MAKE IT EASIER FOR STUDENTS BUT NOT REFLECTING THAT IN A WAY THAT WE'RE GRADING THEIR TEACHERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT? >> WELL, FOR SCHOOL GRADE, THAT MEASUREMENT IS IN MEASUREMENT IS IN TENTH GRADE. WHEREAS GRADUATION, THE STUDENT WOULD HAVE ALL THE WAY UP TO 12th GRADE TO MEET THE BENCHMARK. HOWEVER, THEY COULD REACH THAT BENCHMARK THROUGH 11TH AND 12TH THROUGH A THROUGH A CONCORDANT SCORE SO
THEY HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AFTER TENTH GRADE. IN IN NINTH AND TENTH, IT'S JUST THE FAST. THAT'S WHAT SCHOOL PROFICIENCY IS MEASURED ON. >>Jessica Vaughn: BUT THEY ARE STILL DOING THAT AND DO POORLY ON THAT BUT GRADUATE WITH THE CLT SHOWING THEY'RE PROFICIENT TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THEIR TEST SCORES ARE NOT GOING TO REFLECT THAT SO THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE POORLY GRADED. >> CELLULITELY. THE SCHOOL GRADE WOULD BE MEASURED ON HOW THEY DO ON THE FAST IN NINTH AND TENTH GRADE
WITH TENTH BEING THE ONE FOR GRADUATION. AFTER THAT, THERE IS MULTIPLE AFTER THAT, THERE IS MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES. >>Jessica Vaughn: IT STOPS GRADING THEM AT TENTH GRADE. 11TH GRADE DOESN'T COUNT INTO THE SCHOOL GRADE. >> IT STOPS GRADING PROFICIENCY, YES. IT WOULD BE GRADUATION RATE WOULD BE ONE OF THE CELLS AND THEY HAVE UNTIL 12th GRADE TO REACH THE MILESTONE. >>Jessica Vaughn: SO YOU'RE NOT CONCERNED IT'S MAKING IT EASIER FOR STUDENTS BUT NOT REFLECTED IN THE WORK THAT THE TEACHERS ARE DOING FOR THAT. >> NO, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. JUST KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW THE SCHOOL GRADE --
>>Jessica Vaughn: SO THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT IT. >> WELL, I'D BE CONCERNED THAT THE SCHOOL GRADE -- WE DO HAVE A HIGH GRADUATION RATE AND WE ARE AN A THIS YEAR. IT SEEMS TO BE COMPATIBLE THIS YEAR BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR WHERE WE COULD HAVE A HIGH GRAD RATE AND A B OR A -- ABSOLUTELY. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF AND VOTE FOR YES BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GET THOSE KIDS ACROSS THAT STAGE AND GET THE
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER MEMBER HAHN? >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I WAS TRYING NOT TO GET BACK IN THE CUE. BUT I JUST WANT TO -- IN THE QUEUE. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS SITTING UP HERE TALKING ABOUT HERE TALKING ABOUT STANDARDIZED TESTS AND HOW THEY'RE A BENCHMARK FOR SO MANY THINGS. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW A VERY SMART STUDENT WHO IS NOT A GOOD STANDARDIZED TEST TAKER? I WAS THAT KID.
I WAS A SMART STUDENT. I WENT ON, YOU KNOW, TO GRAD SCHOOL. I WAS NOT A GOOD I WAS NOT A GOOD STANDARDIZED TEST TAKER. I'M GLAD WE HAVE THESE OPTIONS. I'M GLAD WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER ONE. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GRADUATING KIDS THAT DON'T DESERVE TO GRADUATE OR AREN'T SMART KIDS. LOOK AT THE LOOK AT THE S.A.T. AND A.C.T., ALL THE TESTS HAVE THEIR OWN REPUTATION.
THE S.A.T. IS A HARD TEST BUT IF YOU DON'T DO GOOD, EVERYONE KNOWS YOU TALK THE A.C.T. I MEAN, THESE ARE NOT SECRETS. AND IT'S NOT THAT KIDS ARE NOT SMART WHEN THEY'RE TAKING THESE TESTS, BUT THERE IS AN AWFUL AMOUNT OF STRESS AND ANXIETY TAKING THESE TESTS WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL GRADE SCHOOL GRADE STANDARDIZED TESTING OR THIS STANDARDIZED TESTING THAT MATTERS FOR COLLEGE AND GETTING ACROSS HIGH AND GETTING ACROSS HIGH SCHOOL STAGES. SO IRREGARDLESS OF WHAT THE STATE IS DOING AND WHERE WE'RE
RANKED, THE FOCUS OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION FOR ALL TYPES OF KIDS. NOT JUST -- I THINK WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT AS, OH, GETTING THOSE STRUGGLING STUDENTS ACROSS THE STAGE. IT'S ABOUT ALL IT'S ABOUT ALL TYPES OF LEARNERS. AND SO I WANT TO REFOCUS THAT -- I'M SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE I'M A TRUE BELIEVER IN MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION, I I KNOW, BEING IN SPECIAL ED FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN, THE BIAS THAT EXISTS IN ALL OF THESE STANDARDIZED TESTS THAT
KEEP KIDS WHO LIVE IN POVERTY, KIDS OF COLOR, KIDS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES, IT'S A DISABILITIES, IT'S A BARRIER FOR THEM. SO IF THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF SO IF THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN EASIER TEST, THAT MAYBE BREAKS DOWN THAT BARRIER, THEN I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. SO REAL LIFE SITUATION. I HAD A STUDENT THAT WAS CALLING ME, AND I HAD TRACY ON THE PHONE WITH ME. AND, YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM WAS
HER -- IN HER HOUSEHOLD THEY SPOKE SPANISH, SO SHE WAS SPOKE SPANISH, SO SHE WAS IN THIS DUAL THIS DUAL LIFE AND COULD NOT PASS THIS S.A.T. SHE TOOK IT, I BELIEVE, THREE TIMES AND SHE COULD NOT. AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO TAKE THE CLT, AND CLT, AND SHE PASSED IT. AND SHE'S IN COLLEGE. SHE STARTS SHE STARTS COLLEGE AUGUST 17, AND SHE CALLS ME ON A WEEKLY
BASIS TO KEEP ME UPDATED ON HER EXCITEMENT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES SHE DO. SHE IS JUST SO, SHE IS JUST SO, SO EXCITED. SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A CHOICE FOR OUR STUDENTS LIKE THIS, SHE'S NOT -- SHE IS AN A STUDENT. HONOR ROLL STUDENT BUT SHE JUST COULDN'T MAKE IT PAST THAT TEST. SHE PASSED MATH, BUT SHE JUST COULDN'T PASS THE READING. AND SO
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE THOSE THAT WE HAVE THOSE PATHWAYS FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND WITH THAT, PLEASE VOTE FOR AND WITH THAT, PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. -- PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY. >> MADAM CHAIR, IT'S 5:07 AND WE HAVE A SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING FOR 5:01 SO I RECOMMEND FOR 5:01 SO I RECOMMEND HANDLING THAT NOW.
>>Karen Perez: PUBLIC HEARING FOR RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. I'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, ADOPTION ADOPTION PROCESS. D TO THE LAW AND BOARD POLICY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION AND PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD. THE MATERIALS WERE THE MATERIALS WERE ADVERTISED AND HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR AND HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
I'LL NOW ASK GARY I'LL NOW ASK GARY BRADY, CHIEF I'LL NOW ASK GARY BRADY, CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. AFTER HIS PRESENTATION, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD ON THE PROPOSAL -- ON THE PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. THE BOARD IS CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. THE LIST OF MATERIALS IS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ITEM AND
INCLUDES MATERIALS FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. THESE MATERIALS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY A DISTRICT ADOPTION COMMITTEE, REVIEWED AND VOTED ON BY TEACHERS, AND ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. AS REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE A 20-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW OF 20-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW OF RECOMMENDED MATERIALS AND RECOMMENDED MATERIALS AND A RECOMMENDED MATERIALS AND A PUBLIC HEARING PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR ADOPTION. THE PUBLIC REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED BEGINNING JUNE 24, 2026, THROUGH JULY 14, 2026.
THE PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING IS TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SHARE COMMENTS ABOUT THESE MATERIALS WITH THE BOARD. THE BOARD DOES NOT NEED TO TAKE ACTION AT THIS TIME BUT WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING JULY 28. AT THIS TIME YOU MAY CALL FOR AT THIS TIME YOU MAY CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. >>Karen Perez: DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS? I WILL NOW CLOSE THE
I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. >> YOU CAN GO BACK TO YOUR >> YOU CAN GO BACK TO YOUR REGULAR REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: ITEM >>Karen Perez: ITEM 1.3, ADOPTION AND PURCHASE OF RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WORLD LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE RECOMMENDED TITLES FOR ADOPTION AND PURCHASE WERE
THOROUGHLY REVIEWED BY AN ADOPTION COMMITTEE AND VOTED ON BY TEACHERS. THESE WILL SERVE AS THE CORE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR WORLD LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PER FLORIDA STATUTE STATUTE 1006.283 AND BOARD POLICY 2510, THE DISTRICT MUST PROVIDE A 20-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD CAN APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF NEWLY ADOPTED MATERIALS. THIS WAS FROM THIS WAS FROM MAY THIS WAS FROM MAY 13 THROUGH
JUNE 22 WITH A PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 22 WITH A PUBLIC HEARING CONDUCTED AT THE JUNE 2 MEETING. THIS ITEM IS THIS ITEM IS PLACED ON THE DISCUSSION AGENDA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE STATUTE REQUIRING APPROVAL AND PURCHASE OF ADOPTED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS TO BE KEPT AS A SEPARATE ITEM FOR APPROVAL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT IS 1.3. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM D1.3. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: CAN I CLARIFY JUST BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT -- ARE WE VOTING ON 1.3 OR ARE WE VOTING ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AS PER THE HEARING. I THOUGHT YOU READ WE WERE DOING THE ACTUAL THE ACTUAL 1.3 BUT THEN THE HEARING ON OUR PAPER SAYS THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL. SO WHAT ARE WE VOTING ON? >> I THINK MR. PORTER ANNOUNCED THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OVER AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OVER AND WE MOVED ON.
>> BACK TO THE REGULAR MEETING. TWO SEPARATE THINGS. IT'S VERY CONFUSING. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. THIS IS AN ACTUAL VOTE THAT BY LAW HAS TO BE VOTED FOR OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE SECOND ONE THE SECOND ONE -- THE FIRST ONE YOU HEARD -- YOU HEARD -- >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. >> THIS IS ITEM 1.3. UNLESS THERE IS DISCUSSION, YOU MAY VOTE. >>Karen Perez: SEEING NO
>>Karen Perez: SEEING NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH AND IT PASSES WITH MEMBER RENDON DESCENDING FROM DESCENDING FROM THE VOTE. NEXT ITEM 1.10, HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGREEMENT WITH HOOTEN MIFFLIN HOOTEN MIFFLIN HARCOURT HOOTEN MIFFLIN HARCOURT EDUCATION COMPANY. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL
HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. READ 180 IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY INTERVENTION DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL PROVIDING PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION, HIGH INTEREST TEXT AND TARGETED SUPPORT AND AND TARGETED SUPPORT AND PHONICS, FLUENCY, VOCABULARY AND COMPREHENSION. THE PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION WILL SUPPORT APPROXIMATELY 2400 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS TEN MIDDLE SCHOOLS WHILE ALSO PROVIDING TEACHER TRAINING, COACHING, IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT AND A DEDICATED PROJECT AND A DEDICATED PROJECT MANAGER TO ENSURE STRONG FIDELITY OF
IMPLEMENTATION. THAT'S ITEM THAT'S ITEM 1.10. AND TRACIE BERGMAN IS HERE ALONG WITH KAREN FRENCH, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. MR. BRADY, CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER IN REGARDS TO 180 AND EXPANSION TO HIGH SCHOOL AND PILOT IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM APPROVE ITEM D1.10. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON, A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> THANK YOU, >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, AS MANY OF US BOARD MEMBERS ARE LOOKING AT IT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DOLLARS AND CENTS WE'RE BRINGING SPENT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'RE NOT RECEIVING MORE DOLLARS FROM TALLAHASSEE OR MORE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MANAGING OUR DOLLARS THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. I'D BE REMISS TO NOT I'D BE REMISS TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT ALTHOUGH WE'RE SEEING SUCCESS WITH READING 180 IN ALL OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND I'M 100% ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, BUT WHEN I MEET WITH THE TEACHERS
AND I'M AROUND THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND WALKING THROUGH CLASSROOM, 90% OF THE TIME THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE ON DEVICES, GOING THROUGH THIS CURRICULUM, I DO NOT SEE A LOT OF ONE ON ONE. WHEN I LOOK AT A 16-YEAR-OLD RECOGNIZING THAT THEY'RE COMPLETING THE CLASSES BECAUSE IN ORDER TO GRADUATE, AND THEY'RE RIGHT THERE AT THE BENCHMARK FOR GRADUATION, A 12-YEAR-OLD IN SEVENTH GRADE DOES NOT SEE THAT AT THIS POINT. THEY CAN'T RECOGNIZE HOW SOON THEY CAN'T RECOGNIZE HOW SOON THAT'S COMING AND SO CONSEQUENTLY WITHOUT HAVING ONE
ON ONE INSTRUCTION IN A CLASSROOM, AND REALLY SPENDING A LOT MORE TIME OF INSTRUCTION, I HAVE A HARD TIME PUTTING A CURRICULUM LIKE THIS IN PLACE. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS. WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING $50,000 PER SCHOOL WHERE WE COULD BE -- WE COULD BE -- WE COULD DO FIVE READING COACHES THAT COULD BE ROTATING ACROSS THE DISTRICT. IT'S AFFECTING 2400 STUDENTS AND I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE SPENDING FOR 2400 STUDENTS WHEN WE ARE REALLY IN A SITUATION. I LIKE TO KNOW -- THE ONE THING I LIKE TO KNOW -- THE ONE THING
WE DO KNOW IS CONSISTENCY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. SUPERINTENDENT, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, YOU'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON HIGH RELIABILITY OF EDUCATION. HIGH RELIABILITY OF SCHOOLS AND THE VERY NUMBER ONE THING IS THE CONSISTENCY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY CURRICULUM. AND WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE AS A DISTRICT IS THAT'S ONE THING WE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT IN OUR COMMUNICATION DIRECTLY TO OUR PRINCIPALS, BUT WE HAVE NOT VERIFIED THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT AMONGST ALL OUR SCHOOLS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL OUR CURRICULUM. WHEN I LOOK AT OUR K-3
CURRICULUM, AND I LOOK AT OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE SCORING 10 AND MORE POINTS HIGHER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR THAT THIRD GRADE READING BENCHMARK, THEY ARE READING AND UTILIZING THE SAME CURRICULUM WE ARE. THE DIFFERENCE THEY'RE DOING IS THE IMPLEMENTATION AND CONSISTENCY OF THE CLASSROOM IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT CURRICULUM. AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO APPROVE THIS UNTIL I HAVE FROM OUR DISTRICT HOW ARE WE CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTING THE MATERIALS IN EACH ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. THAT IS WHAT WE'RE LACKING. WE'RE USING GOOD CURRICULUM
THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOLS. OUR TEACHERS ARE GREAT. OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING TREMENDOUSLY HARD BUT WE ARE LACKING THAT ONE PIECE WHERE WE CAN VERIFY THAT THERE IS A CONSISTENCY IN EVERY SECOND GRADE CLASSROOM, THAT EVERY SECOND GRADE CLASSROOM IS IMPLEMENTING EXACTLY THE WAY OTHER ONES ARE. WHEN YOU TALK TO PRINCIPALS, THEY'RE DOING IT THAT WAY OR ANOTHER ONE IS DOING IT THEIR WAY AND VERIFYING IT THIS WAY. IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE CONSISTENCY, WE'VE GOT TO VERIFY AND NOBODY CAN VERIFY THAT I'M NOT CONSISTENT PER CLASSROOM.
THE OTHER THING IS IF I LOOK AT THE NEW BENCHMARKS, ALL OF OUR HIGH HIGH SCHOOLS, IF WE WERE TODAY TEST OUR GRADES ON OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, WE WOULD ONLY HAVE FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS WITH AN "A." HIGH SCHOOLS WITH AN "A." THAT'S A TRAUMATIC DIFFERENCE THAN WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING EXCEPTIONALLY HARD. OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING A GREAT EDUCATION. THOSE NEW BENCHMARKS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY TRYING. AND SO I HAVE -- I WANT TO AND SO I HAVE -- I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SURE THAT WE ARE EMPHASIZING THE CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION IN EACH ONE
EACH ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS EACH ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS SO WE'RE NO LONGER THE BOTTOM 3% BUT TOP 3% BECAUSE OTHER DISTRICTS ARE AT THE TOP LEVEL WITH THE EXACT SAME CURRICULUM THAT WE ARE USING. THE DIFFERENCE IS THEY'RE CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION IN EVERY ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT TODAY. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF I DON'T TRUST WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE DISTRICT OR TRUST THE CURRICULUM. WE HAVE EXCELLENT CURRICULUM WE'RE ALREADY PUTTING IN SCHOOLS. I HAVE NO REASSURANCE OF HOW THEY'RE MAKING SURE EVERY CLASSROOM IS RUNNING
CONSISTENTLY. WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE INFORMED OUR PRINCIPALS. WE'VE GIVEN THEM RESOURCES. BUT EXACTLY HOW ARE WE DOING THAT TO VERIFY. THAT'S OUR KEY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING THE NEXT WE'RE GOING THE NEXT LEVEL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: I WASN'T GOING TO COMMENT BUT I HAVE TO FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE WITH YOU. SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THIS READ 180 PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE MOST RESEARCH-BASED PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM BECAUSE SOME KIDS IN HIGH
SCHOOL, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO READ THESE DIFFICULT PASSAGES SO THIS WAY, THEY'RE ABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR READING WITHOUT HAVING TO READ THESE LOWER LEVEL PASSAGES. AND TO SAY WE'RE NOT AND TO SAY WE'RE NOT CONSISTENT, THAT IS THE OPPOSITE. THAT'S WHY WE WERE THE ONES WHO IMPLEMENTED UFLI AND ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO IMPLEMENT IT AND IT'S BEEN SO CONSISTENT THAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE COMPETING WITH US. FIND ME ANOTHER URBAN DISTRICT FIND ME ANOTHER URBAN DISTRICT WITH SO MUCH POVERTY DOING AN A. IF WE'RE NOT AN A THIS YEAR AND
A C THIS YEAR, THAT'S BECAUSE THERE IS THIS AGENDA OF MAKING THE DISTRICT STATE LOOK AT A THE DISTRICT STATE LOOK AT A CERTAIN WAY. HOW CAN YOU BE AN A DISTRICT ONE NEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR PERFORM AS A C OR D. THAT HAS TO DO WITH PROPAGANDA AND HAVE TO DO WITH AN AGENDA. BUT FUNDAMENTALLY OUR SCHOOLS ARE VERY CONSISTENT. WE HAVE DRTs GOING OUT THERE. WE'RE DOING WALK-THROUGHS. OUR SUPERINTENDENTS ARE OUT THERE. UFLI HAS BEEN SO CONSISTENT ALL THE WAY. READ 180 IS ONE OF THE MOST
TEACHER LED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION. IT SCHEDULES FOR SUFFICIENT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. IT TRAINS TEACHERS THOROUGHLY. IT USES THE PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY. IT MONITORS STUDENT PROGRESS REGULARLY AND PLACES THE APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT. THE REASON WHY THIS DISTRICT THAT HAS HIGH POVERTY, YOU KNOW, LOWER IMPACT FEES WE'RE GETTING, FUNDING LOWER, BIGGER VACANCIES, THE REASON WHY WE'RE AN A IS BECAUSE WE ARE VERY CONSISTENT.
THE CURRICULUM, THIS ACADEMIC TEAM IS AMAZING FROM GARY BRADY TO TRACY -- I MEAN, LOOKING AROUND, TO ALL THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE SO CONSISTENT. OUR OUR ACADEMICS ARE VERY CONSISTENT. WE TEAM UP WITH KELLY TO MAKE SURE THE INSTRUCTION IS CONSISTENT. OUR PRINCIPALS ARE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS. THERE IS NO QUESTION THIS READ 180 IS ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS THAT AS THE LONG-TERM RESEARCH ON THAT. SO FOR YOU TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ACTUALLY OFFENDED
BECAUSE I THINK OUR -- OUR PRINCIPALS WORK VERY HARD, VERY CONSISTENT. THAT'S WHY UFLI USED AS AS A MODEL, AS A GO OUT OF THE STATE AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION BECAUSE WE ARE VERY CONSISTENT. SO I SUPPORT THIS AS I SUPPORT THE CONSISTENT WORK THE CONSISTENT WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO I AM CONFUSED ABOUT MEMBER RENDON'S STATEMENT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT LACK OF CONSISTENCY BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL WE'RE
ROLLING THIS OUT, RIGHT? I KNOW THAT IT FEELS LIKE AS A PARENT, I CAN GO TO ANY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I KNOW THE PACING GUIDES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IN FACT I THINK TEACHERS ARE CONCERNED THERE IS NOT ENOUGH AUTONOMY AND TO THE OPPOSITE POINT, THAT THE DISTRICT IS ALMOST TOO RIGID IN THE PACING OF THE CURRICULUM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME -- EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE AND YOU CAN GO FROM ONE SCHOOL TO THE NEXT SCHOOL AND BE EXACTLY WHERE YOU LEFT OFF. SO I GUESS I'M -- I GUESS THE
QUESTION WOULD GO TO YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. WHAT ARE THE WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT PACING GUIDES AND WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE FROM A DISTRICT LEVEL, IS THAT JUST LEFT UP COMPLETELY TO THE PRINCIPAL? OR, YOU KNOW, DO -- ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE AT A CERTAIN PACING AT A CERTAIN TIME DEPENDING ON THE COURSE WORK? >>Van Ayres: YES TO EVERYTHING YOU SAID. THERE IS PACING GUIDES WE HAVE AND ACROSS THE DISTRICT, OUR -- BECAUSE OF THE RESULTS WE'VE GOTTEN HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF HOW WELL WE'VE BEEN STRUCTURED ACROSS THE ENTIRE
SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO WE HAVE A PHENOMENAL ACADEMIC SERVICES TEAM THAT WORK FUNAMEALLY WITH OUR CHIEF OF SCHOOLS AND REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS SO THERE ARE PACING GUIDES WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S UFLI, READ 180, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS AND TAKE THAT OFF THEIR PLACE TO ENSURE THE TEACHERS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. MS. BERGMAN, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ON THE ANYTHING ON THE PACING GUIDES AND HOW -- WHAT'S GIVEN OUT? HOW WE MONITOR THAT, ET CETERA. >> SURE. SO YOU ARE CORRECT.
WE HAVE PACING GUIDES, SCOPES AND SEQUENCES THAT GO ALONG WITH EACH COURSE. ESPECIALLY IN LITERACY TOO, ONE OF THE KEY AREAS WE FOCUSED ON OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IS TIED TO THE MODEL OF INSTRUCTION WHICH IS GUARANTEED IN VIABLE CURRICULUM TO REALLY AMSURE TEACHERS ARE USING THE ADOPTED CURRICULUM SO THE MONEY IS NOT GOING TO WASTE AND THE STUFF ISN'T SITTING ON SHELVES HIDDEN UNDER CABINETS IN SHRINK WRAP AND THEY'RE TRULY USING IT. WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF TRAINING AND LOOK FORS AND INVOLVED THEM IN THE INITIAL ROLL-OUTS WITH TEACHERS
WITH THEIR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE. FROM THERE, ACROSS BOTH ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WE TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF THE AREAS OF THE MODEL OF INSTRUCTION IS CONTENT ALIGNMENT AND IT REALLY SAYS, ARE WE USING THE GUARANTEED AND VIABLE CURRICULUM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STANDARDS AND STUDENTS. AND SO WITHIN THAT, OUR SUPERVISORS HAVE DONE A REALLY NICE JOB OF KIND OF NICE JOB OF KIND OF PLANNING OUT THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE USING CERTAIN PROGRAMS. FOR ELEMENTARY WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT FROM A UFLI STANCE WHICH IS
DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF PROGRAM OR FROM WONDERS OR READ 180 IN TERMS OF THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE SEEING. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE DO IT IN WE DO IT IN IMPLEMENTATION. TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, DO WE HAVE GAPS IN PLACES WHERE TEACHERS ARE NOT AS STRONG ON THE AN IMPLEMENTATION, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S SAFE TO SAY ACROSS ANY CONTENT, ANY SCHOOL. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE SCHOOL, THE TEACHER, PRINCIPAL OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT'S WHERE WE ARE. WE STRIVE TO GET TO WHERE ALL OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING TO THAT LEVEL. WE HAVE DEFINITELY COME LEAPS
AND BOUNDS ESPECIALLY THIS IS MY SEVENTH YEAR WITH LITERACY. AND SEEING WHERE WE WERE AT THE START OF THAT TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH IN TERMS OF I THINK THE BUY-IN FROM OUR TEACHERS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE PRODUCING, THE WILLINGNESS TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW HAS DEFINITELY EXPANDED A LOT, ESPECIALLY AS THE TEACHING STAFF HAS LEVELED OUT A LITTLE MORE OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. AND JUST KIND OF WHAT WE'RE PRODUCING HAS BECOME MORE CONSISTENT AS WELL AS THE WORK WE DO WITH WE DO WITH CHIEF OF SCHOOL STAFF. >>Jessica Vaughn: SO I DON'T
KNOW IF IT'S ON THE EVALUATION BUT I HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS THEY HAVE GOTTEN COACHING FROM REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ON THE RIGHT PACING GRADE AND IT'S A DETRIMENT THAT THEY NEED TO BE ON THE SAME SPOT. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THERE ARE GAPS BUT THEY'RE GETTING THE FEEDBACK FROM DISTRICT STAFF, AND AGAIN, TO THE OPPOSITE POINT, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED THERE IS SO MUCH RIGIDNESS IN THE PACING GUIDES AND ALMOST FEEL LIKE THE FLEXIBILITY IS GONE. THAT'S A COUNTER ARGUMENT. BUT I WANT TO GET A FEEL FROM
WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WERE BECAUSE I GET SO MUCH FEEDBACK FROM THE STAFF IN GENERAL. >> YOU'RE CORRECT. WE PROVIDE COACHING AND HAVE A DISTRICT STAFF WE PROVIDE THAT GOES OUT TO SITES BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS AND IMPACT REVIEWS AND THINGS THEY DO AND IN ADDITION WITHIN THIS CONTRACT WE HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND SUPPORT IN TERMS OF COACHING AND THE PROJECT MANAGER THAT CAN ALSO HELP SUPPORT OUR TEAM TO GET TO MORE TEACHERS MORE TIME. WE DID THAT WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT WITH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE
AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. REAL QUICKLY, I GET CONCERNED WHEN WE START HAVING TRANSACTIONAL TYPE OF BUDGET TALKS WHEN WE SAY, WELL, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT WE CAN SPEND MORE MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO TRANSACTIONAL BUDGET ANALYSIS IS THAT THAT YOU'RE REALLY KIND OF THAT YOU'RE REALLY KIND OF MISSING -- YOU'RE MAKING THE POINT BASED ON HYPOTHETICAL.
WELL, THIS MONEY, 500,000, WHATEVER, WELL, WE CAN USE THAT MONEY, MAKE -- HAVE MORE INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL, USE IT FOR THEM. POINT IS, MS. BERGMAN, MS. FRENCH, YOU'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH UFLI AS MENTIONED. OUTSTANDING READING OUTSTANDING READING REMEDIATION. EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE HAS BEEN VERY WELL RESEARCHED AND BY THE AND BY THE BUDGET, YOU HAD A AND BY THE BUDGET, YOU HAD A CUDITA.
A PERFORMANCE TYPE A PERFORMANCE TYPE BUDGET. IN OTHER WORDS IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE DATA THAT REVEALS AN UPTICK, THEY DON'T GET PAID. I WANT YOU TO -- MS. FRENCH, YOU'RE A WOMAN OF VERY FEW WORDS. AND YOU CAN LET MS. BERGMAN WHO IS THE OPPOSITE. BUT YOU CAN SAY BUT YOU CAN SAY ABOUT YOUR WONDERFUL DEAL MAKING, THANK YOU, COREY MURPHY. SHE WAS PART OF IT. TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. >> HOLD ON. >>Lynn Gray: HOLD ON? >> TO YOUR POINT, IT'S AN
OUTCOME BASED CONTRACT. 50% FOR THE RESOURCES AND 50% FOR THE PERFORMANCE. >> THAT'S WHAT I >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. IT'S AN OUTCOMES BASED CONTRACT WITHIN THAT. JUST TO ALSO TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT FROM THAT ADMINISTRATIVE LENS, MEMBER RENDON, WITHIN THAT, OUR GOAL IS IF THIS PASSES AND GOING FORWARD, THE FIRST TRAINING IS FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND MAKING SURE ADMINISTRATORS UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM, KNOW HOW
TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS WITHIN THAT PROGRAM. BECAUSE THAT LEVEL OF FIDELITY BECAUSE THAT LEVEL OF FIDELITY NEEDS TO BE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. SO WE WANT TO START WITH THAT SCHOOL LEADER. AND THEN WE TAKE IT INTO THE TEACHERS AND THEN WE HAVE IT SET UP TO WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY NEAT -- MEETING WITH READ 180 ON A WEEKLY BASIS ALL YEAR TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS TO THE LEVEL OF WHAT THEY NEED THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORTING. >>Lynn Gray: IT'S INTERESTING, THE CAREFUL THE CAREFUL CALCULATIONS THAT
YOU HAVE MADE, A BUILDING BLOCK, TO HELP -- SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, TO HELP GET THE STUDENTS UP TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE TO GET THE FRUITIONS OF AN A SCHOOL, A DISTRICT, BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE TAKEN -- YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO HELP THESE KIDS SUCCEED AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 2400 KIDS THAT ARE LOW PROFICIENCY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? JUST NOT PAY JUST NOT PAY ATTENTION AND LET THEM, YOU KNOW, EXIST WITHOUT HAVING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE DONE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT'S ALL MY REMARKS UNLESS YOU WANT TO KEEP TALKING, MS. MS. BERGMAN. OKAY. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES WITH MEMBER RENDON DESCENDING ON THE VOTE. NEXT ITEM, NEXT ITEM, ITEM
NEXT ITEM, ITEM 2.2, AGREEMENT NEXT ITEM, ITEM 2.2, AGREEMENT NUMBER NUMBER -- NUMBER -- 26222-XMT NUMBER -- 26222-XMT COGNIA NUMBER -- 26222-XMT COGNIA INCORPORATED INCORPORATED ANNUAL ACCREDITATION FEE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO SINCE 2010 SO SINCE 2010 IS WHEN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT MOVED TO A TOTAL DISTRICT ACCREDITATION. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE THEN. PRIOR TO THAT WE HAD INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL ACCREDITATIONS SO THIS
MEANS ALL SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEING DISTRICT ACCREDITED MEET HIGH STANDARDS AND STANDARDS AND STURNT -- AND STUDENT DIPLOMAS ARE ACCEPTED WITHOUT WITHOUT RESERVATION QUALIFY FOR GRANTS AND JOIN THE MILITARY GRANTS AND JOIN THE MILITARY AMONG OTHER ADVANTAGE. WE'RE IN GOOD STANDING WITH COGNIA AND THIS ITEM IS THE ANNUAL ACCREDITATION FEE TO CONTINUE TO BE ACCREDITED
THROUGH COGNIA AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THAT IS 2.2. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. WHEN I MET WITH THE DISTRICT STAFF ABOUT THIS ITEM, MY QUESTION WAS THE LAWS AND STANDARDS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAVE CHANGED AND WE'RE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE ACCREDITED.
I SAID, WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO BE ACCREDITED. THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE ACCREDITED TO MOVE ON. THE STANDARD DIPLOMA IS BECAUSE WE'RE MEETING THE STANDARDS THAT WE'RE A PUBLIC INSITUTION FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THIS ANYMORE SO I ASKED WHY ARE WE DOING IT. IT WAS JUST WHY BECAUSE WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT. NOBODY COULD TELL ME WHY WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE IF A STUDENT GRADUATES FROM ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, THEY'RE STILL ACCEPTED IN ONE OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS. THEY'RE STILL CONSIDERED -- WE MEET STANDARD FOR STATE THINGS. I PULLED IT BECAUSE NOBODY COULD
TELL ME WHY WE'RE DOING IT. WE'RE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO DO IT. SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING IT. >>Van Ayres: I WOULD -- MY ANSWER WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE A BOARD DECISION WE COULD LOOK AT IF WE WANT TO TALK THROUGH HAVING A SCHOOL DISTRICT AS LARGE AS OURS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN AGENCY -- DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION ON OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS? I BELIEVE THAT MOST LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS GO THROUGH THE PROCESS SO I AGREE SO I AGREE WE DON'T HAVE TO. >>Patti Rendon: MANY STATES ARE NOT USING IT. IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT. IT USED TO BE. BUT IT USED TO BE A REQUIREMENT
BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA, BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, MANY MORE STATES WERE DOING IT. TODAY THOSE HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE STATE STANDARDS, BECAUSE OF OUR OTHER BECAUSE OF OUR OTHER THINGS WE'RE DOING. MANY STATES ARE NO LONGER MANY STATES ARE NO LONGER USING ACCREDITATIONS. >>Van Ayres: DO YOU HAVE NUMBERS ON WHAT THEY HAVE? >> IT WAS MAINLY USED VALIDATION TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE EVALUATOR EVALUATE THE PRACTICES OF THE DISTRICT TO GIVE YOU THE PURPOSE BEHIND IT, VALIDITY. RIGHT NOW THE TOP TEN LARGE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE ARE ACTUALLY ACCREDITED BY COGNIA
NOW. JUST TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY IT'S JUST HAVE THE EXTRA EVALUATOR EVALUATE THE PRACTICES AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH A CYCLE PROGRESS REPORT THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THAT THEY LOOK AROUND THE STANDARDS THAT THEY SAW THAT WE HAD AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT THAT ACTUALLY WE INCORPORATE AND UPDATE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. WE UTILIZE THEIR INFORMATION TO TRY TO MONITOR OUR PRACTICES AND NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY TODAY I SUBMITTED THE PROGRESS REPORT FOR THEM TO REVIEW AND SEE IF -- FOR THEM TO APPROVE.
>>Patti Rendon: BUT, AGAIN, WE HAVE MANY PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT ARE NOT APPROVED. SO AGAIN, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING IT BUT IF WE'RE DOING IT WITHOUT AN ANSWER OR A SAYING. WE SHOULD JUST BE ASKING THE QUESTION WHY ARE WE CONTINUING TO DO IT IF WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT WHEN -- WE HAVE SO MANY -- WHEN WE'RE VALIDATED AS AN A. IF I WAS NOT -- IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT ACCREDITATION OR HAD IT, DOES IT CHANGE OUR GRADE FOR THE DISTRICT? NO.
DOES IT CHANGE ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE UP OUR DISTRICT? NONE OF THAT CHANGES WITH THAT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK OVER TIME, IN INDUSTRIES, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ACCREDITATION BUT TIMES ARE SHIFTING SO I JUST ASKED THE ANSWER WHY AND NOBODY CAN REALLY GIVE ME A GOOD VALID REASON WHY WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY TO BE ACCREDITED WHEN THE ACCREDITATION MEANS NOTHING. >>Van Ayres: ULTIMATELY THAT WOULD HAVE TO -- >>Patti Rendon: NOT REQUIRED FOR GRANTS, FEDERALLY. >>Van Ayres: I UNDERSTAND.
THAT'S ULTIMATELY A DECISION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT THIS SCHOOL BOARD WOULD CHOOSE THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL DISTRICT. THAT WOULD NOT BE A DECISION I'D MAKE OR PULL ON MY OWN. THAT WOULD NEED THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD TO GIVE ME DIRECTION. IF WE WANT TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, MR. PORTER, AND TALK ABOUT ACCREDITATION AND WHAT THAT IS ACCREDITATION AND WHAT THAT IS AND IF THE BOARD GIVES ME FEEDBACK WE'LL CHOOSE NOT TO BE AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL DISTRICT, I'D GET INFORMATION ON THAT BUT
MY AGENDA ITEM SITS AS IT MY AGENDA ITEM SITS AS IT IS. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON, ARE YOU -- THANK YOU, MEMBER ARE YOU -- THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ACCREDITATION BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST LIVE IN A BUBBLE. IF YOU LOOK AT NEA, WE'RE RANKED AT THE LOWEST. FUNDING AT THE LOWEST. RANKING ACADEMICALLY VERY LOW. THIS COGNIA, IT HAS MORE THAN 40,000 SCHOOLS AND SYSTEMS OVER 90 COUNTRIES. SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN A FISHBOWL AND THINK WE'RE DOING
SO GREAT WHEN WE'RE NOT REALLY COMPARED NATIONALLY AND NOT GOING TO BE AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL, ONE OF THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING INTERNAL, EXTERNAL FEEDBACK. THEY DO AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTABILITY WHERE THEY LOOK AT LEADERSHIP, TEACHING, STUDENT SUPPORT, GOVERNANCE, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, RESOURCE NUMBER TWO, THEY DO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. IT'S NOT A ONE-TIME INSPECTION. IT ALSO IMPROVES THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BOND RATING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IT BUILDS
THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE. IT'S GOVERNANCE SUPPORT AND OBVIOUSLY WE NEED AT THE STATE, FEDERAL, WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT FOCUSES ON STUDENT OUTCOMES. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE, WE'RE STUDENT-CENTERED, WE WANT TO COMPETE AGAINST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE NATION AND WORLD. THEY LOOK AT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, STUDENT SUPPORT, ACHIEVEMENT, STUDENT SUPPORT, CULTURE, EQUITY ACCESS, NATIONAL BENCHMARKING, THE ACCREDITATION ALLOWS DISTRICTS TO COMPARE PRACTICES AGAINST RECOGNIZED STANDARDS USED BY THOUSANDS OF SCHOOLS. IT ENCOURAGES DATA DRIVEN
DECISIONS AND ALSO SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PLANNING LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT HELPS IDENTIFY SYSTEMWIDE ISSUES. AND IT IS ALSO AN EXTERNAL VALIDATION. TO BE THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT AND NOT HAVE ACCREDITATION, YOU KNOW, LET'S PUSH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCREASE THE BUDGET LESS THAN 1%. I MEAN, WITH THE INFLATION RATE. WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF THINGS THAT COMPETE NATIONALLY AND HOW WE HAVE ACCREDITATION INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE ISSUE WHICH IS THE BUDGETING ISSUE. THIS TYPE OF
THIS TYPE OF ACCREDITATION, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING, IT ALSO MAKES SURE THAT WE ARE PLATEAUED WE ARE PLATEAUED NATIONALLY AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY AND HAVE ACCREDITATION. I THINK IT WOULD BE BAD FOR BOND RATING. IT DOESN'T GIVE SUPPORT FOR THE PUBLIC TO FEEL SUPPORTIVE OF US SO THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WE -- AS WE HAVE SINCE 2010 , THIS SHOULD CONTINUE AND THERE SHOULD BE NO DISCUSSION AND LET'S MOVE ON AND VOTE FOR THIS AND SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER HAHN? >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR
PEREZ. AND UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT AND UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT REQUIRED BY THE STATE. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS PARENTS LOOK FOR NO MATTER WHAT LOOK FOR NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION. FOR ME, I KNOW IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD VPK ARENA, THE GOLD SEAL IS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN. THAT'S THE HIGHEST YOU CAN
RECEIVE AS A RECEIVE AS A VPK PROVIDER. THAT'S NOT REQUIRED TO RUN A VPK SCHOOL. IT DOESN'T MEAN IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU'RE NOT HAVE IT, YOU'RE NOT RUNNING A GREAT SCHOOL. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN ACCREDITATIONS THAT DEFINITELY KIND OF MAKE YOU STAND OUT FROM THE PACK. MAYBE NOT EVERY PARENT LOOKS AT THAT OR EVERY THAT OR EVERY STAKEHOLDER. BUT ACCREDITATIONS DON'T HAVE TO
BE REQUIRED TO HAVE VALUE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER HAHN. THE ACCREDITATION, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SET STANDARDS, WHEN YOU SET STANDARDS, AND YOU SET HIGH STANDARDS, WHICH THIS PARTICULAR COGNIA HAS DONE FOR MANY MANY YEARS, YOU'RE SETTING RIGOROUS STANDARDS. HIGH LEVEL STANDARDS. SO IF YOU WANT TO CALL YOURSELF AN A AN A DISTRICT, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN A DISTRICT, YOU NEED TO HAVE
THE VALIDATION WHICH IS THE VALIDATION WHICH IS CALLED ACCREDITATION BECAUSE YEARS AGO, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES AND MOST OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AROUND, WE DID HAVE ACCREDITATION. REMEMBER WE HAD THE LONG LIST OF EXPERT -- YOU HAD TO SEND IN LESSON PLANS. EVERY TEACHER HAD, EVERY SUPERVISOR HAD TO DO A LOT OF WORK TO PROVE THAT THEIR SCHOOL SITE WAS UP TO PAR. NOW LET'S JUST THROW ALL THAT AWAY. LET'S DON'T GET ANY ACCREDITATION.
SO HOW IS THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION? HOW ARE WE GOING TO -- HOW ARE WE GOING TO BLAST OFF WHY WE'RE AN A DISTRICT. WHEN YOU START WATERING DOWN WHEN YOU START WATERING DOWN ACCREDITATIONS, YOU'RE REALLY WATERING DOWN THE PERCEPTION OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND BY THE WAY, I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW WHO MENTIONED IT. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. BUT EVERY MAJOR DISTRICT HAS COGNIA. AND WHY ARE THEY KEEPING IT? BECAUSE OF THE VERY THINGS THAT
MEMBER HAHN AND MEMBER COMBS AND MYSELF ARE SAYING. SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S KEEP THE HIGHER STANDARD. I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY MORE T NOT A HEALTHY TYPE OF DISCUSSION ON THAT ON THAT LEVEL. THANKS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY.
NEXT ITEM, NEXT ITEM, 3.STATE OF FLORIDA STATEWIDE VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN PROVIDER CONTRACT WITH EARLY LEARNING CONTRACT WITH EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR FOR 2026-27. SUPERINTENDENT SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: BOARD MEMBERS, YOU SEE THIS ANNUALLY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROVIDED VPK SERVICES SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2006. THE PROGRAM CONTINUED TO GROW OFFERING MORE OPPORTUNITIES EVERY YEAR. VPK IS FUNDED THROUGH REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE EARLY
LEARNING COALITION FOR MAXIMUM OF 540 HOURS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM AND 300 HOURS FOR OUR SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR. VPK STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY DUE TO SUPPORT OF THE TAX REFERENDUM INITIATIVE. THAT'S A GREAT THING FOR THE DISTRICT NEXT YEAR. ANY STUDENTS PART OF THE VPK GET THE FULL SCHOOL DAY FOR THE FULL SCHOOL DAY FOR US. AND APPROXIMATELY 1720 STUDENTS WILL BE SERVED TO PUT A NUMBER WILL BE SERVED TO PUT A NUMBER TO IT:
TO IT: SO THE PROGRAM WILL OFFER SEVERAL MODELS. IT'S THE BLENDED, PRE-K WHICH IS THE PEEPS YOU HEAR THEM AS. THE VPK PURE, SUMMER VPK AND MIGRANT VPK. YOU KNOW EMILY IS HERE AND OF COURSE TRACYE BROWN, ANY COMMENTS REGARDING 3.2. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE D3.2. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS
AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER HAHN, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. >>Stacy Hahn: I DID. SUPERINTENDENT, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE ITEM AND EXTENDED VPK DAY AND EXPANDING PROGRAMS. MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. I SHOULD HAVE PULLED IT BACK TO CONSENT. MY MY APOLOGIES. >>Karen Perez: PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 5.2, STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR. DR. GRAYES, CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, WILL HIGHLIGHT WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. THE TEAM OF DISTRICT LEADERS, SCHOOL SITE PRINCIPALS, AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS MET TO PROPOSE NECESSARY REVISIONS AND UPDATES TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. A MITT COMMITTEE OF PARENTS AND -- A COMMITTEE OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS MET A MINIMUM OF FOUR TIMES TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT AND PROVIDE INPUT ON ADDITIONAL ITEMS AND ITEMS
THAT NEEDED TO BE THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS MET THREE TIMES AND A LARGE GROUP SETTING ON MARCH 10, APRIL 21, AND MAY 20 TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND MAKE REVISIONS AND UPDATES. A TEAM OF ADMINISTRATORS BOTH SITE-BASED AND DISTRICT-LEVEL WORK TO UPDATE THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY MATRIX. THESE WERE THEN REVIEWED BY REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ADDITIONAL INPUT WAS PROVIDED. I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES.
THIS WAS A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE THEY NOT ONLY SHARED CONCERNS BUT BROUGHT THOUGHTFUL SOLUTIONS AND BECAUSE OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, WE PARTNERSHIP, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE GREAT STRIDES IN UPDATING THE CODE OF CONDUCT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, DR. GRAYES. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM APPROVE ITEM D5.2. MEMBER WASHINGTON, I HAVE A MEMBER WASHINGTON, I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND
SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY, VAUGHN AND RENDON PULLED THIS ITEM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: SORRY. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE WAS MY MICROPHONE. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS AND FOR OUR CUPPING MEETINGS AROUND IT -- COUPLE MEETINGS AROUND IT. I ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THERE WERE SOME THINGS I WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE THINGS I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON. WHAT WE DID TALK ABOUT AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T SURE IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
ADD IT INTO THIS VERSION OR IF I SHOULD ASK IT FROM THE DAIS AND ASK MR. PORTER WHAT HAPPENS IF BOARD MEMBERS WANTED TO BE BOARD MEMBERS WANTED TO BE ADDED. AROUND THE DRESS CODE PORTION OF IT, I KNOW I SAID SOME OF MY CONCERNS THAT I THINK WE'VE HEARD REPEATEDLY FROM STUDENTS IS THERE IS NOT FIDELITY AROUND IS THERE IS NOT FIDELITY AROUND ENFORCING IT. AND THAT AND THAT WHILE A DRESS CODE COULD BE LAID OUT, THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE WHO WEARS SPAGHETTI STRAPS AND IT'S NOT AN ISSUE AND NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING AND ANOTHER STUDENT WHO IS MAYBE MORE DEVELOPED IN CERTAIN AREAS AND
WEARS THE SAME PIECE OF CLOTHING AND THEN THERE IS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE IS, YOU KNOW, DISCIPLINARY ACTION TAKEN AGAINST THAT STUDENT AND EVEN THOUGH THE DRESS CODE SHOULD BE PRETTY CUT AND DRY, IT'S LEFT OPEN TO PERSONAL DISCREPANCY AND BEING ENFORCED DIFFERENTLY AND THERE ARE LOT OF STUDENTS WHO FEEL LIKE TARGETED BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT DRESS CODE IS ONLY ENFORCED ON THEM. SO WHAT I HAD HOPED WOULD BE ADDED, AND YOU PREPARED A STATEMENT, WAS SOME SORT OF ADDITIONAL PIECE OF THAT, THAT EMPHASIZES THAT THIS SHOULD BE
CARRIED OUT ACROSS THE BOARD WITHOUT ANY REGARD TO THAT. CAN YOU READ THE STATEMENT YOU HAD PREPARED THAT WE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE HAVING ADDED TO THIS? >> YES, DEFINITELY. JUST TO KEEP EVERYONE IN THE LOOP REGARDING THE CONVERSATION, SO WE WANTED TO ADD JUST BEFORE THE DEGREES CODE LANGUAGE A STATEMENT SHOWING THE DISTRICT'S FOCUS AND COMMITMENT TO NONDISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER, RACE, BODY TYPE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS SO THIS IS THE SAME THAT I PREPARED THAT IF APPROVED WOULD GO INTO THE LOCATION. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IS COMMITTED TO ENFORCING THE STUDENT DRESS CODE IN A FAIR, RESPECTFUL AND CONSISTENT MANNER. DRESS CODE EXPECTATIONS SHALL BE APPLIED EQUALLY TO ALL STUDENTS AND WILL NOT BE ENFORCED DIFFERENTLY BASED ON A STUDENT'S BODY TYPE, BODY SIZE, BODY SIZE, GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY, DISABILITY, OR ANY OTHER PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS. SCHOOL STAFF WILL USE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT TO ENSURE THAT DRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT IS OBJECTIVE, FREE FROM BIAS AND MAINTAINS THE DIGNITY OF EVERY STUDENT WHILE SUPPORTING A SAFE
AND ORDERLY AND ORDERLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. MR. PORTER, TO HAVE THAT ADDED, IS THAT A MOTION I'D HAVE TO MAKE? >>Jim Porter: IS THAT IN THERE NOW OR SOMETHING NOT IN THE DRAFT? >> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED. >>Jim Porter: WHAT I'D RECOMMEND IS MS. VAUGHN MAKE A MOTION TO INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE DR. GRAYES READ TO BE IN THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. YOU SHOULD CLEAR THE BOARD FOR NOW. IT WOULD REQUIRE A SECOND AND A VOTE BUT THAT WOULD BE THE PROCEDURE. >>Jessica Vaughn: I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD THE PASSAGE
THAT DR. GRAYES ADDED TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. >>Jim Porter: MS. RENDON SECONDED. YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION OR VOTE AND GET BACK TO THE MAIN BODY OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. >>Jessica Vaughn: I DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION. >>Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, ASK FOR A VOTE. YOU'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT THAT DR. GRAYES READ ABOUT THE LANGUAGE TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. DR. HAHN, THERE HAS BEEN AN AMENDMENT TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. GOT IT.
YOU'D JUST VOTE AT THIS POINT. THIS THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. >>Karen Perez: PLEASE VOTE WHEN >>Karen Perez: PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. >>Jim Porter: >>Jim Porter: SO NOW THE ENTIRE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT BODY WILL INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE WILL INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE DR. GRAYES READ. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LYNN? I'M SORRY.
MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, DR. GRAYES. WE MET AGAIN YESTERDAY. THERE IS A NEED FOR CLEANING IT UP AND MAKING IT MORE UP AND MAKING IT MORE SUSUPTH, AND I KNOW I AND I KNOW I -- SUCCINCT AND I KNOW I MENTIONED TO KNOW I MENTIONED TO SUPERINTENDENT AYRES THAT WITHOUT EXAMPLES, BULLETS, IN OTHER WORDS MAKING IT MORE READABLE, THOSE ARE PICKY LITTLE THINGS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME IS THE FACT THAT WE
HAVE PRINCIPALS INVOLVED TO -- I MEAN, A LOT OF THEM, AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO FACE THE REPERCUSSIONS AND WRITE THE REFERRALS OR ANSWER THE REFERRALS. SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE PRINCIPALS SAYING YES AND THEY'RE LIKING WHAT THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL -- JUST FOR ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, THAT TO ME IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AND MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU KNOW BEING -- BEING A PATH LEADER IN THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW IT LIES -- A LOT OF THIS
RESPONSIBLE LIES WITH THE PRINCIPALS. AND THE INDIVIDUALS. AND THEY ARE THE AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY HAVE HELPED AUTHOR. THAT DOES NOT MEAN, SUCH AS WHAT MEMBER VAUGHN SUGGESTED, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T IMPROVE. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T NEED A REEVALUATION. BUT ALL THAT BEING SAID, DR. GRAYES, YOU AGREE TOO. NEXT YEAR, I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ATTENDANCE POLICY. THAT'S GOING TO COME UP -- OR WORKSHOP. AND THERE IS AND THERE IS PUNITIVE VALUES TO THE ATTENDANCE POLICY.
CIVIL SUITS, LICENSE BEING TAKEN AWAY. SO SUCH ADDITIONS WILL SO SUCH ADDITIONS WILL NEED TO BE MADE. SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I WANT WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING VERY FLEXIBLE. WE'RE GOING TO HIRE -- SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, I'D SAY WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT SHORTLY. THEN YOU'LL GET SOME ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THAT IN GETTING THAT REFORMATTED. THAT'S ALL MY REMARKS, THAT'S ALL MY REMARKS, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OFFICE AND THIS TAKES A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE AND WORK WITH PRINCIPALS AND STAFF AND FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT IS EXACTLY HOW WE'LL MAKE SURE ALL FAMILIES ARE INFORMED ABOUT THE NEW HANDBOOK AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO WITH FIDELITY ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY PARENT OR GUARDIAN HAS PARENT OR GUARDIAN HAS RECEIVEED A COPY OF THAT -- RECEIVED A
COPY OF THAT MOVING INTO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. >> THANK YOU. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS THIS YEAR IS THERE IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND FOCUS AND ONLINE FORM, SO ALL PARENTS, ALL FAMILIES, ALL GUARDIANS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE RECEIVED IT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP CONTACT OF OR, YOU KNOW, MEASURE THAT PROGRESS REGARDING HOW MANY FAMILIES HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED IT AND THEY CAN FOLLOW UP AS NEEDED. SOME FAMILIES MAY WANT SOME HARD COPIES THAT SCHOOLS WILL BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE. BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY, EVERY SINGLE PARENT, GUARDIAN, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. >>Patti Rendon: WITHIN THE SCHOOLS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS HAVE INFORMATION AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF TRAINING IN THE BEGINNING OR SCHOOL OR WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT? >> YES. WE'RE ENCOURAGING ALL SCHOOLS TO EITHER DO SOME TYPE OF ASSEMBLY OR IF THEY ARE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY'LL HOLD THE SCHOOL SCHOOL, THEY'LL HOLD THE SCHOOL RULES AND CLASSROOM PROCEDURES
AND HAVE ORIENTATIONS WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS BUT AT MINIMUM, EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD BE DOING SOME SORT OF ASSEMBLY OR OF ASSEMBLY OR RALLY TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE THROUGH EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT SO STUDENTS ARE INFORMED. >>Patti Rendon: SO IF A STUDENT COMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WILL IT ONLY GO THROUGH FOCUS OR MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH THAT WITH THE STUDENT AT THAT TIME. HAVE WE PUT THAT INTO OUR PROCESSES SO THAT NOT ONLY WILL IT BE ON FOCUS FOR THEM IT BE ON FOCUS FOR THEM TOIC A KNOWLEDGE ANY OTHER NEW FORM BUT STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE TIME IN SCHOOL AS WELL? >> YES.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AN ONBOARDING PROCESS FOR ANY STUDENT TO ENROLL STUDENT TO ENROLL AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEGUN SO SOMEONE CAN REVIEW THE STUDENT CODE OF DONE CONDUCT -- CONDUCT WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THE PARENTS UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IT TO GO ON AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE FORM AS WELL. >>Patti Rendon: ARE WE ALSO HOUSING THIS WHEN THEY GO TO THE WEBSITE? CURRENTLY NOW WE HAVE MANY TIMES WHERE POLICIES ARE NOT EXACTLY QUICK AND EASY TO FIND AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS AS ACCESSIBLE AS WE CAN WITH OUR FAMILIES. . >> ONCE THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED
BY THE SCHOOL BOARD WE'LL IMMEDIATELY WORK WITH TANYA AND HER COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ADDED TO THE WEBSITE AND THAT THERE IS A LINK FOR ALL SCHOOLS FOR ALL SCHOOLS WHERE PARENTS CAN EASILY CLICK ON THE LINK AND HAVE ACCESS TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. >>Patti Rendon: WHERE ARE WE AS AS AN ADMINISTRATION LEVEL OF THE DISTRICT TO MAKING SURE OUR PRINCIPALS ARE OUR TEACHERS WITHIN EACH OF THE WITHIN EACH OF THE CLASSROOMS, THEY UNDERSTAND WE'RE STANDING BEHIND THEM AS THEY IMPLEMENT WHAT THIS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT SAYS BECAUSE I HEAR MANY
TIMES FROM INTERNALLY WITHIN A CLASSROOM THAT THEIR ADMINISTRATOR IS NOT GIVING THEM THE FIDELITY TO THE FIDELITY TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT REFERRALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT ALL TEACHERS, ALL SURE THAT ALL TEACHERS, ALL ADMINISTRATORS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. >> THAT WE'RE HAVING AT SMALL GROUP MEETINGS. THE TEAM IS TRAINING ADMINISTRATORS AT THE PRINCIPAL SMALL GROUP MEETINGS. SOME OF THOSE STARTED TODAY. OTHERS ARE CONTINUING THROUGH
THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK AS WELL. THERE ARE TRAININGS ON THE UPDATES WHEN IT COMES TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. EACH SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A TIER 1 BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PLAN. ADMINISTRATORS WILL REVIEW THE PLAN WITH SCHOOLS AND THAT PLAN WITH SCHOOLS AND THAT PRETTY MUCH OUTLINES BEHAVIORS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE CLASSROOM VERSUS THE CLASSROOM VERSUS BEHAVIORS HANDLED BY ADMINISTRATION SO THERE WILL BE ORIENTATION FOR ALL SCHOOLS AS ALL SCHOOLS AS WELL. >>Patti Rendon: SO THEN ONE NEXT STEP FURTHER BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT WE UNDERSTAND
MISTAKES COULD BE MADE, WE UNDERSTAND UNDERSTAND THERE COULD BE SOME INTERPRETATIONS OR MAKE SURE WE DO THIS WITH DO THIS WITH IFIDELITY AS -- FIDELITY AS WELL AS TRANSPARENCY. ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO REVIEW REFERRALS OR TRANSFERS OR ANY OF THE MAJOR OFFENSES WITHIN THAT WE COULD BE MONITORING THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THIS IS BEING DONE EQUITABLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE IN. THINGS ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY AND EQUAULTY. WHAT -- EQUALITY. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT ON ANOTHER LEVEL?
>> TWO THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IS NUMBER ONE, INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE MORE CALIBRATION AND SO HAVE MORE CALIBRATION AND SO USING SOME OF THOSE REAL USING SOME OF THOSE REAL SCENARIO REFERRALS TO GO THROUGH WITH ADMINISTRATORS DURING SMALL GROUP TRAININGS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HOW A BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE CODED AS WELL AS THE CONSEQUENCE. THE OTHER THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS DOING A SMALL AUDIT OF REFERRALS THAT COME THROUGH. AND IT'S MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY, AGAIN, JUST TO CALIBRATE WITH ADMINISTRATORS, CALIBRATE WITH MY TEAM AS WELL TO SEE AS WE
LOOK AT BEHAVIORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CODED ACCURATELY AND AGAIN ENSURE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE BEING PROVIDED EQUITABLY. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. I KNOW ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR SCHOOLS AND ALL OUR STUDENTS FEEL HEALTHY AND THEY'RE SAFE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE IN AN GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL BE CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING AND A SAFE ENVIRONMENT THEY FEEL SECURE AND SAFE TO BE IN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FIDELITY IN IMPLEMENTING THIS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER
RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. THOSE WERE A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD, MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SECONDLY TO MEMBER GRAY'S POINT, IF ANY OF IF ANY OF THE POLICIES THAT YOU REFERENCED IN THE GUIDE CHANGE REFERENCED IN THE GUIDE CHANGE SUBSEQUENTLY AT THE POLICY WORKSHOP, WE DON'T HAVE TO BRING THIS BACK TO A VOTE TO REVAMP IT. IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY UPDATE IN THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES. >>Jessica Vaughn: I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. THAT WAS THAT WAS A QUESTION I HAD. I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT DID A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THIS. I KNOW YOU EMPHASIZED HOW YOU WORKED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR VOICES WERE A PIECE OF THIS AND I KNOW PIECE OF THIS AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN KIND OF A CONTROVERSIAL ITEM TO BRING FORWARD BEFORE WITH SOME COMMUNITY WITH SOME COMMUNITY CONCERN. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT WERE A LOT OF VOICES REPRESENTED. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER
VAUGHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. DR. GRAYES, THANK YOU TOO FOR BRINGING THIS CODE OF CONDUCT. I WAS SITTING UP HERE THINKING, MANY TIMES, WE ALWAYS HAD THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN. BUT SOMETIMES A SCHOOL'S EMOTIONS GET INVOLVED AND PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS THAT'S NOT BY THE CODE OF CONDUCT. WE PROBABLY WON'T EVER DEFEAT THAT PART BUT IF WE HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATIONS AND ALL THE SCHOOLS KNOW THE SCHOOLS KNOW THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY,
WE'LL OPERATE MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU AND THAT COMMITTEE TOO. GOING OVER THE CONDUCT, I TELL YOU WHAT, YOU DID A GREAT JOB. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF GRIPING FROM PEOPLE ABOUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I WANTED TO ECHO MEMBER WASHINGTON'S STATEMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM WORKING ON IT AND THANK YOU,
EVEN FOR THAT YOUNG GIRL, RILEY, WHO CAME HERE MONTHS AGO TALKING ABOUT THE UNIFORM AND IT BEING LIKE FINGERTIP LENGTH. I THINK FOR ESPECIALLY YOUNG GIRLS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND GIRLS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE AND I THINK THAT WILL MAKE A BIG IMPACT. IN THE FUTURE I'D LOVE TO HAVE THIS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT EARLIER IN THE SPRING SO THAT GIVES ME TIME TO GIVE MORE FEEDBACK. SO I'D JUST ASK FOR THAT EARLIER IN THE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES WITH A LITTLE MUSIC TO IT. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 6.2, BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE PERIOD
ENDING APRIL 30, 2026, AND MAY 31, 2026. AND JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL HIGHLIGHT OFFICER WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. THIS REQUESTS APPROVAL FOR THE APRIL AND MAY BUDGET AMENDMENTS. AS THE DISTRICT APPROACHES THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE ARE MINIMUM AS STAFF FOCUSES AND BEGINS TO FOCUS ON THE CLOSE OUT OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND TO AN ACCURATE AND MAINTAIN A CLEAR YEAR END FINANCIAL POSITION FOR
OUR ANNUAL OUR ANNUAL CLOSEOUT. THIS YEAR FOR BOTH APRIL AND MAY, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THERE IS NO RECOMMENDED BUDGET AMENDMENTS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, AND DISTRICT CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE FINANCIAL CHANGES WE TALKED ABOUT ALL YEAR THAT WE EXPERIENCE THOSE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE OUR ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES WE EXPERIENCED. INCLUDING THE IMPACT OF THOSE DECLINES ON THE REVENUE, PERSISTENT INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, RISING UTILITY COSTS AND REFINEMENT OF EXPENDITURE
PROJECTIONS TO ALIGN WITH ACCURATE YEAR END ACTIVITY. DISTRICT LEADERS AND FINANCE STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE FACTORS THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE SURE THE DISTRICT CONCLUDES IN THE BEST FINANCIAL POSITION. THE MAJORITY OF APRIL AND MAY BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE WITHIN THE SPECIAL BUDGET FUND. THESE ADJUSTMENTS RECOGNIZE FINAL GRANT REVENUES FINAL GRANT REVENUES RECEIVED, ALIGN WITH ASSURED GRANT BUDGETS ACCURATELY REFLECT THE PROGRAM ACTIVITY BEFORE THE END OF THE
FISCAL YEAR. CHAIR PEREZ, THIS IS OUR SUMMARY FOR APRIL AND MAY FOR APRIL AND MAY BUDGET AMENDMENTS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM D. MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU PULLED THIS MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >>Jessica Vaughn: I GOT MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THANK YOU VERY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY?
>>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY QUESTION IS -- AND THIS IS A SUMMATION. LOOKING AT PAGE LOOKING AT PAGE 9 AND 16 WHERE WE HAVE THE SALARIES. FIRST OF ALL, THE HOPE IS WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION AND HOPEFULLY WITH OUR SALARIES. BUT I SEE THAT WE HAVE 113 MILLION IN INCREASE MILLION IN INCREASE OF 4 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND THEN I SEE THE PER STUDENT FUNDING,
STUDENT FUNDING, $9,337.67 AS PER THE PER THE PRE-K THROUGH 12 EDUCATIONAL APPROPRIATION BUDGET. THAT CAME IN FROM ARROW, THE LOBBYIST FIRM THAT WE HAVE. SHARON WITH THE APPROPRIATION BUDGET IS AND THAT'S WITH 201 -- WELL, LET'S SAY 201 MILLION FOR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS. MY QUESTION IS, THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS TOO FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DO.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE THE 2025-26 PER STUDENT FUNDING TO TO THIS COMING YEAR, TO THIS COMING YEAR, 2026-27. >> THAT'S A GREAT >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, MEMBER GRAY. 2025, 2026, OUR BSA WHICH IS THE PRIMARY REVENUE DRIVER THAT REPRESENTSS OUR FUNDING WAS $5,372.60 PER STUDENT OR PER FTE. AS WE KIND OF BRIDGE THIS COMBREER TO NEXT YEAR, OUR INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET
WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THE TENTATIVE BUDGET WE HAVE BEFORE US TONIGHT, IT'S US TONIGHT, IT'S $5,457.60. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S AN INCREASE OF $85 OR 1.6% INCREASE. SO AS WE SEE THAT, AS OUR PRIMARY REVENUE DRIVER AND ANTICIPATE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR AS A REMINDER THE BSA FOR THE CURRENT YEAR THAT JUST ENDED IN 25-26 OUR INCREASE WAS ONLY ONLY .8% THAT YEAR. SO AS OUR DISTRICT DEALS WITH ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WE READ
OFF A FEW OFF A FEW MINUTES AGO, THAT WE'RE FACING THIS YEAR AND WE'RE FACING THIS YEAR AND ENROLLMENT ENROLLMENT DECLINES, ENROLLMENT DECLINES, INFLATIONARY COSTS RISING, UTILITY COSTS, EVERYTHING YOU'RE EXPERIENCING AT HOME, THE DISTRICT EXPERIENCED THAT TEN-FOLD. AS WE DEAL WITH THAT AND SEE PRIMARY REVENUE DRIVER IN THE BSA, HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES WITH THESE INCREASES SO AS WE CONSIDER THAT 1.6% IS THE INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR AND THOSE ARE THINGS WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS WE TRY TO DEVELOP NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THE TENTATIVE BUDGET AND THEN DEVELOP ANYTHING
WE WANT TO DO FOR WE WANT TO DO FOR OUR WE WANT TO DO FOR OUR PERSONNEL. >>Lynn Gray: I THANK YOU FOR THAT ELABORATION. IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING FRUGAL, ET CETERA, ON EVERY ONE OF ET CETERA, ON EVERY ONE OF OUR EXPENSES, WE HAVE TO BE REMINDED AND WE ARE REMEEK RE MINDED -- REMINDED THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY FROM THE STATE LEGISLATION. AT THIS TIME. AND WE'RE WE'RE LOSING STUDENTS. THE FORECAST FOR THE FUND BALANCE, WE MAY
BALANCE, WE MAY DIP, CORRECT, AS THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE LOSING AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT REVENUE SOURCE IS KIND OF SLIM, IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT TO MAKE? >> IT IS A FAIR STATEMENT. YOU'LL SEE THE FUND BALANCE WILL -- WE DID NOT -- THE REASON FOR THE FUND BALANCE AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE IS TO PROVIDE US THE FLEXIBILITY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO MINIMIZE OR SCHOOL YEAR TO MINIMIZE OR COMPLETELY AVOID DISRUPTIONS AT ALL COSTS. WE UTILIZE THAT DURING THE YEAR. THIS YEAR WE SAW A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN OUR ENROLLMENT WHICH
WE MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. HOW DO WE OVERCOME THAT. WE USE THE FUND BALANCE TO OVERCOME THAT DURING THE YEAR AND REEVALUATE WHERE WE'RE AT AND MAKE ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED. THAT'S WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HAPPY TO DO. THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND REGROUP OVER THE SUMMER TO BEGIN THE NEXT YEAR. THAT'S WHAT WE DID. OBVIOUSLY IT'S CHALLENGING. I WISH WE HAD A LOT MORE MONEY BUT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES AS WE MENTIONED IN ANY AGENDA ITEMS HERE TONIGHT, THAT'S A FOCUS AND THAT'S
SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT ON AN INDIVIDUAL CASE AT ON AN INDIVIDUAL CASE IN THE DISTRICT. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. LEWIS. THE MOTIVATION, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, FOR A SALES TAX AYRES, FOR A SALES TAX REFERENDUM IS QUITE STRONG. WOULD YOU LIKE TO WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMARK BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR CFO IS REALLY KIND OF WORRISOME AND I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT PUBLICLY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR PUBLICLY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR A REVENUE SOURCE, SALES TAX. >>Van Ayres: SO WE HAVE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER APPROVED BY
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE OUR HALF PENNY SALES TAX. IT WILL BE ON THE BAL CHATTY IS A 10- -- BALLOT WHICH IS A 10-YEAR RENEWAL. WE HAVE SEEN ALL THE WORK OF THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THE FACILITIES TEAM AND ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS WE MADE TO OUR SCHOOLS. IT'S ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, BASED ON OUR CAPITAL MILLAGE OF 1.5, MILLAGE RATES ARE SET BY THE STATE OF STATE OF FLORIDA. THE 1.5 THE 1.5 IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WE ARE STUDENT RICH, PROPERTY POOR DOES NOT GENERATE THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE
BASED ON THE 1.5 WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH FACILITIES. 10 YEARS AGO THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS, YOU KNOW IF YOU WERE ON THE BOARD, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS TO GET TO THE FACILITIES TO FACILITIES TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BE PROUD OF THEM AND KEEP OUR SCHOOLS RUNNING AND THIS NEXT ONE ON THE BALLOT WE TALKED ABOUT OUR 1.0 MILL PASSED IN 2024. THIS ONE COMING UP IN NOVEMBER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE FACILITIES IN THEIR BEST SHAPE. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU.
AGAIN, MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR STAFF AS WELL. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A NEW PERSON I BELIEVE WE HAVE A NEW PERSON INVOLVED IN YOUR STAFF. MS. SHOTWELL? >> NO, WE DO NOT HAVE MS. SHOTWELL INVOLVED. >>Lynn Gray: I BELIEVE WE LOST MS. SHOTWELL. >> SHE IS A GREAT ASSET TO THE >> SHE IS A GREAT ASSET TO THE DISTRICT AND SHE HAS BEEN -- SHE HAS BEEN PULLING DOUBLE DUTY AND HELPING ME OUT AS A FORMER GM OF BUDGET AND NEW CHIEF OF BUDGET AND NEW CHIEF OF HR. I'M THANKFUL SHE IS SITTING NEXT
TO ME AND I'M GLAD FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP. >>Lynn Gray: I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO MISS HER. >>Karen Perez: SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL TO ADVERTISE THE 2026-27 TENTATIVE BUDGET AND MILLAGE RATES FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. JAMIE LEWIS
JAMIE LEWIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >> THIS IS REQUESTING SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL TO ADVERTISE THE DISTRICT'S TENTATIVE BUDGET AND PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES FOR 26-27 YEARS. THIS ACTION IS THE FIRST REQUIRED STEP AS FAR AS THE ANNUAL BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS AND SERVES TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE DISTRICT'S PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATES CONSIDERED DURING THE PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING. UNDER FLORIDA'S PROCESS, THE MAJORITY OF DISTRICTS REQUIRED OPERATING MILLAGE RATES ARE ESTABLISHED OR SET BY THE STATE
OF FLORIDA THROUGH THE STATE'S EDUCATION FUNDING PROCESS. THE EXCEPTION FOR HILLSBOROUGH IS A LOCALLY IS A LOCALLY APPROVED 1.0 MILL REFERENDUM AUTHORIZED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOTERS AND DETERMINED LOCALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VOTER APPROVED REFERENDUM. ADVERTISING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET AND MILLAGE RATE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE FINAL ADOPTION. RATHER IT INITIATES THE STATUTORY BUDGET PROCESS AND PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE FINAL BOARD APPROVAL. THIS YEAR AND COVERED IN
TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 6.4 THE DISTRICT WILL PLAN TO HAVE OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 28 AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING SEPTEMBER 15. THEN FINALLY, FOR THEN FINALLY, FOR 26-27, OUR TOTAL MILL RATE THAT WE'LL BE ADVERTISING IS ADVERTISING IS 6.3140 WHICH IS A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM THE SLIGHT DECREASE FROM THE 6.340 FROM LAST YEAR OR A NEGATIVE 0.4% DECREASE IN THE TOTAL MILLS. MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS OUR SUMMARY
FOR 6.3. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION -- I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON >>Jim Porter: IF I COULD, THIS IS POTENTIALLY CONFUSING. THIS IS ONLY PERMISSION TO ADVERTISE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. THIS BOARD WILL HOLD TWO FULL PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET. IT'S NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE TO GET INTO DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET BECAUSE THAT REALLY DOES NEED TO BE DONE LEGALLY IN THE CONTEXT
OF THE TWO OF THE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. THIS ITEM IS JUST TO ALLOW THE STAFF -- IT'S A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO ADVERTISE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE BUDGET OR CONCERNS SHOULD BE DONE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING WHICH WILL BE ON JULY 28. >>Karen Perez: OKAY. DID WE ALREADY SAY DID WE ALREADY SAY THE MOTION AND SECOND? YES? OKAY.
>>Jim Porter: MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADVERTISING BUT NOT ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE BUDGET. >> I HAD THEM ALL READY. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER >>Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON, ANY QUESTIONS? NO? >> NOT SURE, NO. [LAUGHS] . >>Karen Perez: LET ME ASK THIS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING REGARDING ADVERTISING? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN
SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. SHUT DOWN REAL QUICK. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 6.5, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF THE 2025 TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE AND ANTICIPATION NOTE AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD CHAIR TO APPROVE ALL CHAIR TO APPROVE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. 6.5 REQUESTS APPROVAL TO OBTAIN A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE OR A TAN TO PROVIDE A SHORT-TERM LIQUIDITY AND EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CASH FLOWS THROUGHOUT OUR FISCAL YEAR. THIS REQUEST IS NOT DRIVEN BY BUDGEATORY CONCERNS OR REVENUE-FAULTS -- REVENUE-FAULTS -- SHORTFALLS. THE DISTRICT RELIES HEAVILY ON PROPERTY TAX REVENUE TO FUND
GENERAL OPERATIONS. FOR THE 2026-27 FISCAL YEAR FOR THE 2026-27 FISCAL YEAR APPROXIMATELY $912 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS ANTICIPATED TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND. WHILE THESE REVENUES ARE INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT'S ANNUAL BUDGET, THEY'RE NOT RECEIVED EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS TYPICALLY BEGIN IN NOVEMBER WITH THE MAJORITY OF RECEIPTS OCCURRING IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY AND FEBRUARY FOLLOWED BY ADDITIONAL COLLECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AS WITH MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS A TIMING CREATES A CASH FLOW CHALLENGE BECAUSE OPERATING EXPENSES LIKE PAYROLL AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS BEGIN JULY 1. SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE MAJORITY CAN BE COLLECTED. AFTER EVALUATING AVAILABLE OPTIONS WITH DISTRICT OPTIONS WITH DISTRICT LEADERSHIP THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND CONSULTANTS, THE TAN WILL PROVIDE A TEMPORARY CASH BRIDGE TO THE TIMING GAP BETWEEN EXPENDITURES AND RECEIPT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE ALLOWING THE DISTRICT TO MEET ITS FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, CONTINUE
TIMELY SALARY ENHANCEMENT PAYMENTS UNDER THE REFERENDUM AND PROVIDE REQUIRED AND PROVIDE REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS WITHOUT OPERATION. MAINTAINING THE DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO ITS EMPLOYEES, STUDENTS AND CHARTER SCHOOL PARTNERS. IT'S A PRACTICAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT ADDRESSES THE TIMING RATHER THAN UNDERLYING DEFICITS OR FINANCIAL CONCERNS. CHAIR PEREZ, THIS IS OUR SUMMARY FOR ITEM 6.5. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.
MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM D6.5. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER VAUGHN PULLED MEMBER VAUGHN PULLED THIS ITEM. ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. PUSH MY BUTTON. THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. I APPRECIATE THIS. I AM SURPRISED YOU SO CONFIDENTLY BRING A TAN IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN AN ACHILLES' HEEL FROM BOARD
MEMBERS PREVIOUSLY ON THE BOARD AND HAD TO GO OUT FOR THIS. IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THAT WE NEED IT. BUT I WANTED TO KIND OF PINPOINT BECAUSE WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION PRIVATELY AND I WANT TO HAVE IT PUBLICHY. WOULD WE STILL NEED TO GO OUT FOR THIS IF WE WEREN'T FRONTLOADING THE MONEY FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES EARLY AS WELL? >> IT YOU'D BE IN A LOT BETTER STATE IF WE WERE NOT DOING THAT. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST LEVERS THAT'S CAUSING LEVERS THAT'S CAUSING OUR REQUEST HERE TONIGHT. IT'S A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR US.
WE ELECTED TO DO THAT. WE ELECTED TO START THAT ON JULY 1. TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES WERE RECEIVING THE REFERENDUM EARLY. >>Jessica Vaughn: NOT TO SAY CHARTER SCHOOLS -- I KNOW IT'S A WHOLE CONVERSATION ARE THEY EMPLOYEES OR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES BUT THEY'RE MANAGED BY A PRIVATE BOARD AND HAVE DIFFERENT BUDGETS. THEY COULD ELECT TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THE BURDEN ON PAYING IT EARLY, MAKING OUR RESERVES GO DOWN BEFORE THE YEAR STARTED IF THEY ELECTED TO TAKE THAT FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THEMSELVES. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THEY COULD, BUT WE'LL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDS. IT'S UP IT'S UP TO THEM TO MAKE THE IT'S UP TO THEM TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION OF HOW DETERMINATION OF HOW THEY'LL DETERMINATION OF HOW THEY'LL UTILIZE THAT. >>Jessica Vaughn: I WAS THINKING WHY ARE WE TAKING OUT THE MONEY BEFOREHAND TO PAY THE CHARTER SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND YOU REFERENCED OTHER DISTRICTS TRIED NOT TO. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WAS THERE A LEGISLATION? OR IT'S NOT OR IT'S NOT ALLOWED BY THE STATE. I'M STILL UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT I'M STILL UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT GUIDES THOSE DECISIONS AROUND PAYING CHARTER SCHOOLS PAYING CHARTER SCHOOLS EARLY FOR
THE REFERENDUM. >> OUR FIRST YEAR LAST YEAR WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE LEGAL TEAM TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS THE RIGHT PROCESS REGARDING THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. AFTER MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH CHARTER AND LEGAL TEAM AND WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS EXPERIENCED AND TRYING TO POTENTIALLY DELAY THAT, IT WAS THROUGH THOSE SITUATIONS AND THOSE SITUATIONS AND THOSE OUTCOMES AND OUR RECOMMENDATION TO START THAT ON JULY 1. OBVIOUSLY THAT PUTS AN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL CHALLENGE ON THE DISTRICT THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE LAST YEAR WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE GOT A LITTLE -- IT WAS A LITTLE
STRESSFUL LAST YEAR TRYING TO GET THAT BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR HAVING IT. BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE. AND SO AS WE TALKED, THOSE MONIES DON'T COME IN UNTIL REALLY CHRISTMASTIME. AS IT COMES IN, WHAT DO WE DO FOR THE FIRST FIVE OR SIX MONTHS OF THE FISCAL OF THE FISCAL YEAR WHICH IS PROVIDING EMPLOYEES AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, THAT PUT US IN A FINANCIAL CASH SITUATION. NOT A BUDGETARY PROBLEM BUT WE WERE SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN WE ACTUALLY HAD IN THE BANK ACCOUNT AND HAD TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO OVERCOME THAT.
THE TAN WILL HELP US OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES. >>Jessica Vaughn: IS THERE INTEREST ON THE TAN? >> THERE WILL BE INTEREST. >>Jessica Vaughn: ARE THE CHARTER SCHOOLS HELPING TO PAY THE INTEREST WE'RE INCURRING SO WE CAN HELP PAY THEIR WE CAN HELP PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION THAT WE'LL LOOK INTO. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO THE CENTRAL RATIONALE SO THE CENTRAL RATIONALE FOR THE TAN, AND I KNOW MEMBER PEREZ AND
MEMBER HAHN, WE WENT THROUGH THIS IN NOT A VERY FRIENDLY WAY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO TO DO IT, BUT WE HAD TO. NOW YOUR HAD TO OR YOUR WHY IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR REFERENDUM WORK. IS THAT THE MAIN RATIONALE? >> IT IS. IT'S OUR NEWEST CHALLENGE THAT DID NOT EXIST THE LAST TIME THIS WAS DISCUSSED. BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT $912 MILLION WILL COME THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES WITHOUT ANY OF THE FUNDS COMING BEFORE NOVEMBER AND THE BULK IN THE
EARLY PART OF NEXT YEAR. EVEN WITHOUT THE REFERENDUM, IT'S STILL A TIMING CHALLENGE THAT THE DISTRICT HAS REALLY HAD A HARD TIME TRYING TO MANAGE THROUGH. SO AS WE CONSIDER THAT, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF WE GOT EQUALIZED PAYCHECKS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR, THAT MAKES THINGS A LOT EASIER BECAUSE EVERY OTHER WEEK WE'RE GETTING THE SAME PAYCHECK. THAT ISN'T HOW OUR REVENUE COMES IN. FEFP COMES IN ON A REGULAR BASIS BUT THE REST OF THE REVENUE WE HAVE COMES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE YEAR. OVER 40% IS RELATED TO PROPERTY TAXES AND AGAIN, THAT WON'T COME
IN UNTIL FIVE OR SIX MONTHS IN UNTIL FIVE OR SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. SO REFERENDUM IS THE NEWEST CHALLENGE WHICH HIGHLIGHTED THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE, BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THE COLLECTION OF PROPERTY TAXES DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL MONTHS UNTIL MONTHS AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINS, YET OUR BILLS BEGIN IN JULY AND THAT'S THINGS WE HAVE TO FIND A MECHANISM TO COVER. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MR. MR. LEWIS FOR THAT EXPLANATION. THE OTHER QUESTION WHICH IS A COMMONALITY OF ANY TYPE OF LOAN
OR THE PERCEPTION OF OUR BOND AGENCY, WILL THIS AFFECT OUR RATING TAKING OUT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY? >> WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THE AGENCIES TO LET THEM KNOW THIS WOULD BE OCCURRING. ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THEY ASKED IS DID WE ASKED IS DID WE RECENTLY HAVE A REFERENDUM PASS AND WE SAID YES. THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE COMMON REASONS DISTRICTS GET A TAN, BECAUSE THE REFERENDUM WHERE A LOT OF DISTRICTS LIKE WE'RE DOING PAY IT OUT RIGHT AWAY. THEY HAVE TO FIND A MECHANISM TO
COVER THE CASH FLOW CHALLENGE AS YOU DECIDE TO PAY EARLY BEFORE THE MONEY WILL COME IN. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WILL HAPPEN. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. WHAT ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON INVESTMENTS? >> THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE BETTER INVESTMENT CONTROL. WE WE WON'T HAVE TO IN AN EMERGENCY LIQUIDATE EVERYTHING WE HAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE EMERGENCY CASH FLOW. SO YOU CAN MANAGE THROUGH THAT AND THEN WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS THAT HELP WORK THROUGH
THAT. THIS ALLOWS THE DISTRICT TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE ITS CASH FLOW FROM ALL ANGLES IN A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY AND EFFECTIVE WAY AND GIVES US THE AVAILABLE CASH TO ENSURE THAT PAYROLL DEMANDS CAN BE MET IF THE REVENUE AND CASH HASN'T THE REVENUE AND CASH HASN'T BEEN RECEIVED YET. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL. THEN ANOTHER ADDED BULLET GOES TO MEMBER VAUGHN'S COMMENT. IT'S TROUBLING WE'RE SPENDING IT'S TROUBLING WE'RE SPENDING $330 MILLION ON $330 MILLION ON THE CHARTER SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS. WE HAD SOME ARGUMENTS. DO WE OWE THEM THE RENOVATION MONIES? DO WE OWE THEM NEW BUILDING -- NEW WINGS? DO WE OWE THEM DELAYED MAINTENANCE COSTS? WHAT -- ANGELA CROOKS NEEDS TO EXPLAIN -- SOMEHOW WE NEED TO HAVE THAT SATISFIED BECAUSE THOSE QUESTIONS THAT MEMBER VAUGHN ASKED ARE VERY IMPORTANT. SO LET'S GET AN ANSWER TO THAT AND
AND TRY TO -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN JUSTIFY IT. IT SEEMS VERY AWKWARD. SO I'D LIKE SO I'D LIKE THAT TO BE DONE. AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND YIELD THE FLOOR BECAUSE I THINK MEMBER VAUGHN WANTS TO CONTINUE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. IS IT A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD BE FRONT LOADING THE SALARIES, GIVE IT TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS BUT THEY DON'T PASS IT ON AND PAY EMPLOYEES EARLY?
I HEARD SOME CHARTER SCHOOL EMPLOYEES SAID THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE MONEY EARLY. IS IT A POSSIBILITY WE'RE TAKING OUT A TAN NOTE AND PAYING THE INTEREST TO FRONT LOAD THE CHARTER TO PAY THE EMPLOYEE BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEN REGULATES TO FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY GETS PASSED ON TO THEIR EMPLOYEES EARLY. >> THERE COULD BE THE POSSIBILITY. WE DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE RECORDS TO INDICATE -- >>Jessica Vaughn: BUT FOR THE GUIDELINES THAT FORCE US TO INCLUDE THE CHARTER SCHOOL -- >> TO PROVIDE THE REVENUE -- >>Jessica Vaughn: DO THEY HAVE ANY PART OF THE GUIDELINES THAT
SAY THEY HAVE TO PAY EMPLOYEES BUT THEY JUST USE THE MONEY WHENEVER THEY WANT. >>Van Ayres: THAT GOES TO THEIR BOARD AND HOW THEY DECIDE TO UTILIZE THE DOLLARS. MANY CHARTERS WHERE WE DO THE 6,000 AND 3,000, THEY HAVE THE CHOICE TO MAKE AS A BOARD AS TO HOW THEY PUT THE DOLLARS OUT. OUR ONLY TASK IS TO MAKE SURE THE REVENUE GETS THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. I HEARD SOME OF THE I HEARD SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS PROBABLY YOU DID THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WERE GETTING THE 6,000 AND 3,000 AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT. THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THE REVENUE WE HAVE TO GIVE THE REVENUE TO THE CHARTERS. >>Jessica Vaughn: JUST TO CLARIFY, WE'RE GIVING THEM MONEY EARLY UNDER OUR GUISE OF MAKING SURE EMPLOYEES GET ACCESS TO FUNDS EARLY BUT THEY MIGHT NOT USE IT USE IT AT ALL SO WE'RE EARNING INTEREST TO GIVE A BLANKETED AMOUNT TO SPEND AT THEIR DISCRETION. >>Van Ayres: I'D SAY THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER GRAY FOR
BRINGING UP SOME OF THESE POINTS. I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION TO THAT AND TO REALLY AND TO REALLY COMPARE WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING AND HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THAT. ALSO WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS ALSO WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY ON THE PHONE. NOT THIS YEAR BUT LAST YEAR WE WERE NOT MADE WHOLE BY MANY -- THERE WAS QUITE A FEW STUDENTS AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF REVENUE ON THAT. HOW MUCH OF THE LOSS OF REVENUE WAS THERE FROM LAST YEAR WHERE WE DIDN'T PAID FOR STUDENTS WE PROVIDED SERVICE TO? >> YOU'RE REFERENCING FOR >> YOU'RE REFERENCING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS?
>>Nadia Combs: FOR STUDENTS THAT CAME INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE THE STATE OF FLORIDA DIDN'T PAY FOR ALL THOSE STUDENTS AND DIDN'T MAKE US WHOLE COMPLETELY FOR LAST YEAR. REMEMBER THERE WAS STUDENTS AND -- >> YES. THE YEAR BEFORE. YEAH. THE CALCULATION, I THINK MEMBER VAUGHN REFERENCED -- >>Nadia Combs: IT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO. >> TWO FISCAL YEARS AGO. YES, MA'AM. SO SO THE STATE HAS THE ABILITY TO AGAIN, AS WE ANNOUNCED THAT NIGHT, TO
NIGHT, TO REAPPROPRIATE THEIR APPROPRIATION. IN OTHER WORDS REDO WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY SET IN PLACE TO DO. I'LL TELL YOU A POSITIVE THING FOR THAT IS THIS PAST YEAR AND THE YEAR THAT ENDED, THE STATE DID SET ASIDE MONEY FOR DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND OUR DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE A DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITION THAT WE DID NOT EXPECT. THAT WAS A POSITIVE THAT WE JUST FOUND OUT AND THEY JUST SENT A MEMO OUT ABOUT THAT. IT DOESN'T OFFSET BUT THERE IS TIMES WE DO RECEIVE EXTRA MONEY. BUT THE INSTANCE YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT, THAT WAS THEIR ABILITY TO OFFSET AND WE DID THAT. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. >>Nadia Combs: HOW MUCH WAS THAT? >> 18 MILLION? CAREFUL WITH THAT CAREFUL WITH THAT -- >>Nadia Combs: THAT'S STILL 16 MILLION WE'RE NOT WHOLE. >> IT'S CHALLENGES. >>Nadia Combs: I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS THIS, WE TALK ABOUT THIS. I'M NOT SAYING A FILE A LAWSUIT BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN WE'RE PROVIDING SERVICE TO STUDENTS AND NOT GETTING PAID, AND WHEN THE BUDGET KEEPS DECREASING AND WE
HAVE TO PAY AHEAD OF TIME AND THE CHARTERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY -- THE MONEY IS NOT TRICKLING DOWN. THAT TYPE OF MESSAGING AND INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED OFTEN AND IN PUBLIC BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THINGS IN TALLAHASSEE, TO PUT PRESSURE ON THERE TO MAKE SURE IT'S LEVERAGED AND THINGS ARE FAIR. SAME THING IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY, I DON'T WANT A CHILD SELLING WATER AT THE CORNER AND THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT ON THAT. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE THE SAME OVERSIGHT AND CONVERSATIONS NEED TO CONTINUE COMING. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT
PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE. IT'S MAKING SURE THAT IF YOU'RE SERVICING A CHILD THAT YOU GET PAID FOR IT AND ALSO WE HAVE AN EDUCATED EDUCATED SOCIETY THAT TAXPAYER EDUCATED SOCIETY THAT TAXPAYER MONEY IS BEING TRICKLED DOWN AND THERE IS THE SAME OVERSIGHT REGARDLESS OF WHERE A CHILD GOES THERE IS OVERSIGHT AND THEY'RE GETTING AN GETTING AN EDUCATION. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAD THE SITUATION WE HAD TWO YEARS
AGO WITH NOT RECEIVING THE CORRECT FTE WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT AS A STATE OF FLORIDA, ALTHOUGH WE ADOPTED ALTHOUGH WE ADOPTED HB-1, WE HAVE NOT -- AND UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE, WE HAVE NOT SEPARATED OUT THE FUNDS OUT THE FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGETARY PROCESS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AS A IS SOMETHING THAT AS A STATE WE NEED TO IDENTIFY NEED TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE FUNDS ARE GOING AND MAKING SURE THERE IS TRANSPARENCY AND THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO THE NEEDED PLACES SO EACH ENTITY IS GETTING THE
NECESSARY FUNDS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, BETWEEN DAY 10 AND 100 WE HAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA A LOSS FLORIDA A LOSS OF STUDENTS WITHIN ALL OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT WAS COMPLETELY -- AND BASED UPON THAT, OUR STATE LEGISLATURE DID MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR SOME OF THE LOST STUDENTS WE WOULD NOT HAVE PAID FOR. IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A
THAT EACH OF THE DIFFERENT THAT EACH OF THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM ARE PROPERLY FUNDED. THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD BE MATTER OF FACT. I WANT TO MAKE REFERENCE THAT THE REASON WE ARE DOING THE SITUATION WE'RE DOING WITH OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PAYING THE PORTION OF THE REFERENDUM, PAYING A PORTION OF WHEN WE ARE GOING TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDING TO OUR OWN STAFF EARLY AND HOW THAT WORKS, THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THEMSELVES HAS CHOSEN TO DO. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA
THROUGH OUR STATUTE OF FLORIDA STATUTE STATUTE 1011.71 IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN AND WORKING WITH OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THAT -- UNDER OUR UMBRELLA THAT WE MUST WE MUST BE WITH ANY REFERENDUM DOLLARS AND FUNDING TO ALLOCATE THAT AS WE'RE ALLOCATING OURSELVES. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE CHOOSING TO DO. IT'S NOT SOMETHING. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO DO IT -- BY LAW TO DO IT, IT PUTS US IN POSITIONS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SOUND BUDGEITARILY AND DON'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH INVESTMENTS SO BECAUSE OF THAT THIS TAN IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO KEEP OUR INVESTMENTS AND SOME OF OUR INCOME STREAM STILL COMING IN BUT YET ENABLING US TO PAY OUT THE REFERENDUM DOLLARS PRIOR TO GETTING THE SHARES TAXES. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE TRANSPARENCY THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE CHOOSING TO DO BUT BECAUSE WE'RE IN THIS POSITION, WE WANT TO MAKE THE BEST AND WE'RE BEING BEST AND WE'RE BEING ADVISED BY OUR FINANCIAL ALADVISORS -- ADVISORS TO DO
SOMETHING IN THE SENSE. >> I WANT TO MAKE THE NOTE TOO, IT'S SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. THIS IS A SHORT-TERM LOAN. THIS IS NOT A LONG-TERM LOAN. THIS WILL BE AN ANNUAL PROCESS WE GO THROUGH THAT WE'LL PULL IT AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND THEN IT WILL HAVE MATURITY DATE BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY FROM OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT TO HELP US WITH THE CASH FLOW, THIS IS NOTHING RELATED TO A BUDGET DEFICIT OR SOME OTHER CHALLENGE RELATED TO THAT. THIS IS PURELY TO HELP US MANAGE
OUR CASH FLOWS EFFECTIVELY TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT AND A TOOL WE CAN USE. MOST DISTRICTS, ALMOST ALL, UTILIZE THIS TOOL ALREADY AND WE'RE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE ONES THAT CURRENTLY DO NOT. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR.
AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM D7.9. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. THIS IS THE NEXT AND LAST ITEM. SO WE'RE AT THE LAST ITEM TONIGHT. THIS RFP PROVIDES MAINTENANCE REPAIR AND UPGRADES TO NONPROPRIETARY AND PROPRIETARY
FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS SUCH AS EDWARDS, FARENHEIT, EDWARDS, FARENHEIT, HONEYWELL, AND SILENT NIGHT LIGHT AND ALARM PANELS AS NEEDED DISTRICT WIDE. THIS PROVIDES A SERVICE COMPONENT SUPPORTING THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDING MAINTENANCE REPAIRS AND INSTALLATION FOR FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. THIS RFP WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND A SERVICE COMPONENT BASED ON THE DISTRICT INSPECTION PROTOCOL FOR FIRE SYSTEM AND THAT IS FIRE SYSTEM AND THAT IS 7.9.
>>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A FE AND A SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER COMBS, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >>Nadia Combs: I PULLED THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE DID AN RFP. WE HAD A LOT OF PROVIDERS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW ALONSO HAD A FIRE THIS YEAR. THIS IS A SAFETY THING THAT WE CANNOT GET AROUND. BUT I WANTED TO MENTION BECAUSE WHEN I SEE WHEN I SEE THINGS LIKE THIS, WHEN I SEE THINGS LIKE THIS, AND
I SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BUDGET COMING DOWN, IN 2023 WE PAID $684,000 FOR THE SERVICE. IN 2026, TALKING A FEW YEARS LATER, IT'S $1.7 MILLION. SO YOUR GOING FROM 6 -- YOU'RE GOING FROM $684,000 TO 1.7 MILLION MILLION ON SOMETHING YOU CANNOT GO AROUND. YOU NEED TO HAVE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. WE DID AN RFT. YOU'RE LOOKING AT MORE -- RFP. YOU'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF A 100% INCREASE. IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE WHEN YOU
LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE BUDGET AND FUNDING, AND THEN YOU SEE THINGS LIKE THIS, 684,000 AND $1.7 MILLION, IT'S JUST NOT LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND IT SUSTAINABILITY AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NOTHING TO DO WITH SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR TEAM NOT REALLY BEING FISCALLY CAREFUL OR NOT LOOKING AT EVERY AGENDA ITEM. IT'S THE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS HAS GONE UP HIGH BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING AN INCREASE WITH THE RATE OF INFLATION. WHEN I SEE AN ITEM LIKE THIS,
IT'S HOW CAN I SAY LET'S GO BACK TO THE $686,000 CONTRACT. HAVE THE FIRE HAVE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. IT'S A SAD SITUATION AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THIS OVER AND OVER WHEN WE SEE THE CONTRACTS WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO BID ON THEM BUT THAT'S THE COST OF LIVING, FUEL, GAS, EVERYTHING IS COSTING SO MUCH MORE. DAY TO DAY LIVING. THE ONLY THING NOT INCREASING IS THE FTE AND STUDENT BASE ALLOCATION. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,
CONCERNS? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON INTO THE NOW WE'LL MOVE ON INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. >>Van Ayres: WE MADE IT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE A FEW SLIDES ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATES. I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THIS.
THE SLIDE YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN OVER A DECADE TO REACH THIS MILESTONE. SO IT WAS SUCH A PLEASURE. I KNOW WE RECEIVED IT THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY WHEN I CALLED EACH OF YOU BEFORE, IT WAS KIND OF PUBLICLY PUBLICLY RELEASED. THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, TO THINK WE'D BE AT THIS POINT IS EXTREMELY EXCITING. JUST GOES TO ALL THE HARD WORK OF EVERYONE. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE DISTRICT GRADE IS IT'S OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION AND EVERYONE IN OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT
WORKED SO HARD AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THE RESULTS DESIRED AND RESULTS THAT WE ACHIEVED. IT'S JUST A GREAT IT'S JUST A GREAT HONOR AND I KNOW IT'S -- OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY IS EXTREMELY PLEASED WITH THAT. SO I WANTED TO NOTE IT'S OUR FIRST A RATING IN MORE THAN A DECADE AND REFLECTING CONTINUED ACADEMIC GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT A GRADES FOLLOWS A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT INCLUDING THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN DISTRICT HISTORY AND INCREASE IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER
ACCELERATION RATE DEMONSTRATING ACCELERATION RATE DEMONSTRATING MORE STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING AND PREPARED FOR SUCCESS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. HOW DID WE GET THERE? THIS IS A GREAT SLIDE THAT SUMMARIZES IT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. YOU CAN SEE THE GREAT RESULTS THAT WE ACHIEVED THAT WE ACHIEVED ACROSS THERE. AND AS YOU TAKE A LOOK, WE IMPROVED IN 11 OF 12 CATEGORIES USED BY THE FLORIDA USED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CALCULATE DISTRICT GRADES DEMONSTRATING BROAD BASED ACADEMIC GROWTH ACROSS THE DISTRICT. LEARNING GAINS, SUPPORT FOR THE LOWEST
LOWEST PERFORMING STUDENTS, ACACCELERATION OPPORTUNITIES, OUTCOMES AND COLLEGE AND OUTCOMES AND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. OUR STRATEGIES ARE WORKING. OUR CHALLENGE NOW IS TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM, CONTINUING CLOSING GAPS AND ENSURE EVERY STUDENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS SCHOOLS HAS ACCESS TO THE OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO SUCCEED. SO THAT SLIDE RIGHT THERE SUMS THINGS UP. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY. MEMBER VAUGHN ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS IS A PRETTY SIMPLE WAY IN WHICH THE STATE OF FLORIDA TAKES
ALMOST EVERY METRIC THAT WERE MEASURED UPON AND COMPILES THE SCALE AND PUTS A DISTRICT GRADE AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME AS I MENTIONED IN OVER A DECADE WE ACHIEVED THIS MILESTONE. IT GOES TO ALL THE HARD WORK THAT HAS GONE IN OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS TO GET US TO THIS POINT. WE MENTIONED AND HEARD A LOT OF YOU MENTION TONIGHT OF THE UFLI AND DIFFERENT -- WE TALKED ABOUT OUR ADVANCED PLACEMENT. ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THIS BOARD TALKS ABOUT TALKS ABOUT ARE PART OF THIS DISTRICT GRADE THAT GOES TO IMPROVE THE NUMBERS.
TO IMPROVE IN 11 OF 12 CATEGORIES IS REALLY AMAZING AND I HEARD SOME GREAT COMPLIMENTS FROM YOU, BOARD, ON THE EXCEPTIONAL STAFF THAT'S HERE TONIGHT AND ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE LISTENING AT HOME. ALL OUR TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT STAFF. THIS A BELONGS TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 25,000 EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MAKES ME PROUD TO BE SUPERINTENDENT OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS JUST AS I MENTIONED ALWAYS GREAT PEOPLE THAT WORK SO HARD EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S OUR CONSISTENCY IT'S OUR CONSISTENCY IN OUR
WORK, EVERY DAY BEING CONSISTENT AND MAKING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADE WHAT IT IS. I'M SO VERY PROUD OF THAT. THAT'S THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADE. AND WE ALSO HAD SOME OTHER ONES THAT I KIND OF MENTIONED EARLIER. YOU'LL SEE MORE INCREDIBLE HIGHLIGHTS. 214 TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED A SCHOOL GRADE. 127 OF THEM EARNED AN A OR B. NUMBER OF NUMBER OF A-RATED SCHOOLS WENT TO 74 FROM 70. NUMBER OF NUMBER OF B-RATED SCHOOLS WENT FROM 44 TO 53. TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IMPROVED
FROM TWO LETTERS GRADE MOVING FROM A D TO A B AND THAT WAS FROM A D TO A B AND THAT WAS BOOKER T. WASHINGTON AND WILSON ELEMENTARY. ONE IN THE TRANSFORMATION NETWORK AND THE OTHER ONE A "D" ON THE STATE LIST LAST YEAR. MR. WASHINGTON, WE TALKED ABOUT BT AND MS. RENDON, WE TALKED ABOUT WILSON AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENT BEING A D AND HAVING THE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT, JUST INCREDIBLE. SO REALLY PROUD OF THOSE TWO SCHOOLS. AS I AS I MENTIONED EARLIER,
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, LAMB WENT FROM AN A TO D. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DISTRICT HISTORY AND SHAY McRAE IS NOT HERE, BUT WE HAVE -- MR. WASHINGTON, YOU KNOW THIS. WE HAD ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS AND FOCUS SCHOOLS AND TRANSFORMATION NETWORK, IT'S THE FIRST TIME ANY OF THE NETWORK OF SCHOOLS AND NOW THE MOST IN THE NETWORK NOW THE MOST IN THE NETWORK THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY SHAY McRAE AND ALL OUR GREAT REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS AND TRANSFORMATION NETWORK, EVERYBODY, I'LL BE TALKING TO THE LEADERS ON THURSDAY. IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN DISTRICT HISTORY THAT ALL OUR TRANSFORMATION NETWORK SCHOOLS
EARNED AN A, B OR C. AND THAT'S A TRULY AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK BACK TO THE NARRATIVE THREE YEARS AGO WITH 29Ds AND FOUR Fs. THE MOST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND THAT NO LONGER EXISTS BY FAR. SO JUST A SHOUTOUT TO TRANSFORMATION. EVERY SCHOOL EARNING AN A, B OR C. AND ALSO THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RATINGS AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOUGHT HE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMMENDABLE AND THAT'S MEDICAL, SIMMONS, SOUTH
COUNTY AND WILLIS PETERS JOINS THE LIST FOR THE THE LIST FOR THE FIRST TIME. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE INCREDIBLE TEAMS. THIS IS NOT ONLY A RESULT THIS IS NOT ONLY A RESULT OF THE HARD WORK HARD WORK OF TEACHERS ADMINISTRATION AND EVERY CLASSROOM AND INTENTIONAL PROGRESS MONITORING TO DRIVE IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AND WE'RE READY TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM AND HAVE OUR JOINT PRINCIPAL AND HAVE OUR JOINT PRINCIPAL MEETING. OUR FIRST OFFICIAL KICKOFF NEXT THURSDAY AT THURSDAY AT CHAMBERLAIN.
WE'LL BE CELEBRATING AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A CELEBRATION PIECE BUT THE GREAT PART OF THIS IS TO BUILD UPON THE GREAT MOMENTUM AND CONTINUE TO SHUN AND GET BETTER. -- TO SHINE AND GET BETTER. IT'S A GREAT COUPLE WEEKS A GREAT COUPLE WEEKS TO RECEIVE THOSE RESULTS. THEN OF COURSE IN JULY IT'S ALL THE RESULTS PILE IN. THIS IS THE ONE TRULY -- I KNEW WE WERE HEADED WITH AN A SCHOOL DISTRICT FOLLOWING, LISTENING TO DR. GRAYES, MR. BRADY ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADE.
LAST YEAR WE HAD OUR HIGHEST AP PARTICIPATION RATE AT -- NOT RATE. EXCUSE ME. AP PASS RATE OF 70%. I WAS PREPARING MYSELF FOR -- ALREADY AT 70 AND MAY DROP. WHEN THOSE RESULTS CAME BACK AND MR. BRADY AND JUJELL GAVE ME A CALL AND LET ME KNOW OF OUR PASS RATES, WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED. THIS RIGHT HERE TO THIS RIGHT HERE TO MEMBER COMBS' POINT, THIS IS OUR HIGHEST PASS RATE. THESE ARE EXAMS GIVEN EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE NATION AND TO THINK
THE 71% PASS RATE -- IF YOU LOOK FROM 2022, WE CAN TALK ABOUT METRICS. 2022 TO 2022 TO 2026, FROM A 53 TO A 71, AN 18% POINT INCREASE IN AP NOT PARTICIPATION. MANY YEARS AGO WE WERE MEASURING PARTICIPATION. WHEN THEY HAD SCHOOL GRADE AND DISTRICT GRADES BACK IN 2012, 13, A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS WERE BASED ON AP BASED ON AP PARTICIPATION. IT'S NO LONGER. IT'S PASSING WITH A 3, 4 OR 5 AND TO THINK 71%, THAT'S ALMOST
THREE AND FOUR. I'M SURE THAT WILL BE THE GO TO I'M SURE THAT WILL BE THE GO TO MR. BRADY AND THE TEAM. INCREDIBLE. WE HAD THE AP PASS RATE BUT WE HAD MORE EXAMS THAT WERE GIVEN AS WELL. THE NUMBER THE NUMBER OF EXAMS WE GAVE WENT UP AS WELL SO YOU HAVE THAT AND THE IB AS WE KNOW AND OF COURSE WE AWAIT OUR ACE RESULTS BUT ALL THOUGHT WE WENT ACE ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT AP WOULD SUFFER. THAT WAS THE NARRATIVE. WELL, NUMBERS SHOW IT DOES WELL, NUMBERS SHOW IT DOES NOT. THEY CONTINUE TO
THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE UP AND A LOT OF THIS GOES TO TEACHING. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT FOR OBVIOUSLY ALL OUR SCHOOLS BUT THE TEACHERS. A LOT OF THEM NOW -- WE HAVE OUR AP SUMMER INSTITUTE. IS THAT GOING ON NOW, MR. BRADY? YEAH. SO WE HAVE TEACHERS RIGHT NOW THAT ONE OF OUR BEST TOP AREAS THAT WE HAVE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON TEACHERS AS THE AB SUMMER INSTITUTE WHERE OUR TEACHERS GO TO USF AND RECEIVE INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO TEACH THEIR CONTENT. THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BEST THINGS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS DONE AND YOU SEE THE RESULTS FOR
IT. JUST A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN PASS RATE. SO SHOUTOUT TO EVERYBODY, AGAIN, THIS GOES TO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO ALL THE AP TEACHERS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY PUT IN OVER THE SUMMER TO BE READY. THIS IS PHENOMENAL. THEN WE HAVE THEN WE HAVE ALSO SOME IB. I KNOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE LOOKING AT SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY DID. WE HAD A 3.6% INCREASE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. OUR IB SENIORS EARNING THE PRISTIGIOUS DIPLOMA.
YOU SEE THE DIPLOMA RATE WENT UP TO TO 90.4% SO FROM 86.7 TO 90.4. ALL OUR SCHOOLS DID AN AMAZING JOB. SHOUTOUT TO STRAWBERRY CREST SHOUTOUT TO STRAWBERRY CREST WITH A 99%, YOU KNOW, PASS RATE. BUT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ALL FIVE, YOU FIGURE ALL OUR IB SCHOOLS, OUR ACE PROGRAMS HAPPENING ALONG WITH AP, VERY PROUD. AND BOARD, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THE THINGS WE PUT IN PLACE UNDER THIS BOARD'S
LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU. THAT WAS 416 DIPLOMAS EARNED. ON TOP OF TO THAT, ON TOP OF TO THAT, ANOTHER 800 DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES TAKEN AS WELL IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO THOSE ARE OUR RESULTS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE. WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING ON THE 28 THE AND WE'LL WELCOME TEACHER BACK. WE HAVE OUR SECRETARY MEETING IN THE MORNING AT TAMPA BAY TECH SO WE'RE STARTING TO GET EMPLOYEES COMING BACK INTO COMING BACK INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
JULY 31 WILL BE THE FIRST DAY FOR TEACHERS AND FOR TEACHERS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THIS GREAT MOMENTUM WE ACHIEVED LAST YEAR. MADAM CHAIR, THOSE ARE MY UPDATES. >>Karen Perez: >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NOW IT IS -- WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ONLY BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES. KEEP IT UNDER FIVE MINUTES. >> YES, MA'AM. >>Karen Perez: AND YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. THAT'S FOUR MINUTES AND 30
SECONDS AND 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. YES. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST I WANT TO THANK ALL THE FIRST I WANT TO THANK ALL THE EMPLOYEES, NOT ONLY TEACHERS, BUT EVERYONE FOR THEIR EFFORT TO MAKE THIS AN A DISTRICT. ESPECIALLY THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS. IT'S GREAT. WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ESPECIALLY I GOT TO CONGRATULATE
ALL THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES IN DISTRICT 5. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME -- THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE NOT HAD AN "F" OR "D" IN DISTRICT 5. VERY FIRST TIME. [APPLAUSE] I WANT TO THANK ALL THE EMPLOYEES FOR DOING A EMPLOYEES FOR DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. THAT'S DIFFICULT TO DO, PEOPLE. WE HAVE DONE ALMOST THE IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO. BUT WE'LL DO BETTER NEXT YEAR. WE'LL HAVE ALL As IN ALL OF
THEM. OKAY. SO ON SO ON JUNE 18, WE HAD JUNETEENTH FLAG RAISING. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER GWEN MYERS FOR DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THE FLAG RAISING. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. WE HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE MORE THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR. SO WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. >>Van Ayres: MS. McRAE WAS THERE TOO BUT COMPLAINING IT WAS TOO HOT. >>Henry "Shake" Washington:
THAT'S RIGHT. I HAD TO DRINK SOME WATER MYSELF. I TELL YOU, IT WAS REALLY HOT THAT DAY. IT REALLY WAS. I WANT TO SAY I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO CHIEF JOHN NEWMAN ON CHIEF JOHN NEWMAN ON HIS RETIREMENT. CHIEF HAS DONE A CHIEF HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB BUT NOW WE HAVE THE NEW CHIEF ANTHONY COLLINS. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT. ON JUNE 23 WE ATTENDED THE AVID SUMMER INSTITUTION. BOARD, YOU TALK ABOUT GREAT -- GREAT -- IT WAS NICE TO RECOGNIZE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
EVENT BRINGING TOGETHER APPROXIMATELY 300 PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EDUCATORS AND THOUSAND MORE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO ATTEND THE SESSION AND ATTEND THE SESSION AND COLLABORATION IN DISTRICT-SITE TEAM GROUPS. IT WAS PHENOMENAL. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TEACHERS. BUT I TELL YOU, BUT I TELL YOU, WE HAD A LITTLE BOY, FIFTH GRADE. I THINK HE WAS IN THE FIFTH GRADE. HE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB SPEAKING ABOUT AVID AND WE HAD A TEACHER
FROM DURANT AND SHE SPOKE -- SHE WAS PART OF AVID WHEN SHE WAS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO IT SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT. IT'S OUTSTANDING TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE AND HOW GREAT THE PEOPLE AND HOW GREAT THE AVID PROGRAM IS DOING, NOT ONLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT ALL AROUND. IT'S REALLY NEAT. THEN WE HAD THE THEN WE HAD THE -- THEN WE HAD THE EXPLORING THE WORLD LANGUAGE SUMMER CAMP, WHICH WAS REALLY
GOOD OVER AT GOOD OVER AT RAMPELLO. I TELL YOU, THEY DID A GREAT JOB, THE KIDS PUT ON A PLAY. I MEAN, BEYOND. IT WAS REALLY PHENOMENAL. GARY, YOU WERE THERE TOO, I THINK. THANK YOU. SOMEBODY ELSE WAS THERE. ANYWAY, WE HAD A GREAT TIME. THE KIDS DID A GREAT JOB. A A REALLY EXCELLENT JOB. AND AND ON THE JULY 11, WHICH WAS THIS WEEKEND, WE HAD THE EIGHTH ANNUAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
OPERATION GALA. I WANT TO THANK DAVID FOR PUTTING ON, HAVING A GREAT ORGANIZATION WAS REALLY PHENOMENAL. WE HAD MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAD BEFORE. WE REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME THERE. I ENJOYED. MY WIFE ENJOYED. WE ENJOYED. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. SOMETHING ELSE BEFORE I CLOSE, I WANT TO ALSO COMMENT -- MAKE A COMMENT ON COMMENT ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL CELEBRATE 13 OUTSTANDING STUDENTS WHO TRAVELED TO CHICAGO. THE 15 TO THE 19 TO COMPETE IN
THE FOURTH ANNUAL THE FOURTH ANNUAL NAACP THE FOURTH ANNUAL NAACP ACADEMIC CULTURE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENTIFIC OLYMPIC. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE KIDS -- OUR STUDENTS TO COME BACK BACK WITH THE TROPHIES. I SPOKE TO MR. LEWIS NOT TOO LONG AGO. SHE IS EXCITED. SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BRING BACK MORE TROPHIES THAN WE DID AND AWARDS THAN LAST YEAR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S MY TURN, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID?
SORRY. WE'RE LAUGHING ABOUT WE'RE LAUGHING ABOUT SOCCER OVER HERE. ANYWAY. THANK YOU. PABLO, YOU HAVE PABLO, YOU HAVE A SLIDE, RIGHT? FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS TODAY I WAS ABLE TO GO OVER TO FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THEY HAVE A NEW PRINCIPAL AND THEY WERE DOING AN OPEN HOUSE TO SHOWCASE ALL THE THINGS THEY HAVE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT PEOPLE THINK THAT OVER SUMMER OUR EMPLOYEES STOP WORKING. AND THEY NEVER DO, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT EVEN IN AUGUST YET.
AND THEY'RE ALREADY HOSTING OPEN HOUSES. I WAS TALKING TO THE ORCHESTRA, BAND CAMP GUY. THEY PUT ON A WHOLE BAND CAMP FOR UPCOMING STUDENTS THAT LASTS A WEEK AND A HALF AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ALL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR TEACHERS ARE STILL WORKING A LOT OF THEM TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE READY TO GO FOR THE NEXT YEAR. SO TODAY WAS A GREAT SO TODAY WAS A GREAT EVENT. OUR COMMUNITY IS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT NEW LEADERSHIP AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS OUR SCHOOLS AND GETTING BEHIND IT
IT AND HATS OFF TO THE NEW PRINCIPAL. SHE IS ALREADY ROLLING OUT GREAT THINGS AND TELLING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT FREEDOM HAS TO OFFER AND THE STAFF WAS EXCITED AND THERE WAS ENERGY IN THE AIR. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT, PABLO. ALSO SPEAKING TO, YOU KNOW, OUR LETTER GRADE, WHICH THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THAT FIRST PICTURE. I FEEL LIKE OUR "A" COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIGGER.. IT'S TINY. THANK YOU TO THE HARD WORK OF
EVERYBODY FROM ORSTAFF AND, YOU KNOW, I POSTED ABOUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS SOON AS WE DID IT. AND EVERYBODY WAS SO EXCITED BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE NUMBER ONE COMMENT THAT I GOT WAS, NOW PAY OUR TEACHERS. YOU GOT AN A. PAY OUR TEACHERS. I FEEL LIKE I GOT THAT COMMENT SO MANY TIMES, I HAD TO REITERATE THAT PUBLICLY, THAT THAT'S HOW OUR COMMUNITY RESPONDS. ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY IN THE DISTRICT, YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE HARD DECISIONS WE'VE MADE ALL HELP STEER THE SHIP BUT EVERY
SINGLE DAY WHO IS PUTTING SINGLE DAY WHO IS PUTTING IN THE WORK FACE TO FACE WORK FACE TO FACE IS THE STAFF AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE PAYING OUR STAFF A LIVABLE WAGE BECAUSE WE CAN'T CELEBRATE THAT AND THEN NOT PRIORITIZE THAT. SO I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF POINT OUT THAT THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE COMMENT I GOT. I WANT TO SAY I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO WHARTON, FOLSOM, MULLER, CAREWOOD AND TAMPA PALMS SPECIFICALLY FOR RAISING YOUR LETTER GRADE. I KNOW HOW MUCH HARD WORK GOES INTO THAT AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES EACH
CHALLENGES EACH OF THE SCHOOLS FACE INDIVIDUALLY. CONGRATULATIONS. IT FEELS LIKE SUMMER IS SPEEDING BY SO QUICKLY. I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE ALREADY INTO JULY AND IT SEEMS LIKE BEFORE WE KNOW IT, IT WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND ALL THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES THAT AREN'T WORKING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO CONTINUE RECHARGING AND TRYING TO GET READY BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WITH NEW STANDARDS AS FAR AS LETTER GRADES AND ALL THE STUFF WE'RE ROLLING OUT, THE WORK WILL CONTINUE AND NEXT YEAR WILL BE ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
SO TAKE THE ADVANTAGE WHILE YOU CAN AND TAKE A REST. AND EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW UPCOMING SCHOOLIARY. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. WE WERE ON THE SAME MODE. I WAS THINKING OUR PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND CABINET NEVER GET A BREAK, BUT THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, THE ENTIRE TEAM, OUR STUDENTS WORKED SO HARD AND I KNOW THEY WORKED HARD BECAUSE WE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE WHERE KIDS WANT TO DO THEIR VERY BEST.
I THINK FROM THE SECURITY, NUTRITION, BUSES, PARAPROFESSIONALS, ADMINISTRATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, IT'S AN ENTIRE TEAM WHEN A SCHOOL ENDS UP BEING SUCCESSFUL AND MAINTAIN THE GRADES. EVEN IF SOME SCHOOLS DO GO SLIGHTLY DOWN, WE KNOW WE'RE AN A DISTRICT AND EVERY DAY EVERYONE IS WORKING SO HARD. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR, ESPECIALLY YEAR, ESPECIALLY FOR PINS PRINCIPALS. THEY'RE PREPARING FOR TEACHERS TO BE BACK. I KNOW THE CABINETS REALLY
WORKING VERY HARD. ALL OUR SUPERVISORS AND EVERYONE IS PREPARING FOR A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR. LAST WEEK I DID MEET WITH MEL JAMES WHO IS INVOLVED WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT'S ADVISORY COUNSEL FOR EDUCATION AND SUPERINTENDENT, SHE REALLY TALKED ABOUT WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE THAT THAT IS MAKING WITH DR. WITH DR. LESPERANCE AND YOU AND SOME OF THE -- SHE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THEY CREATED NEW PARENT RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL
WORKSHOPS AND STRENGTHEN THE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND INCREASE FAMILY PARTICIPATION AND PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNICATION AND ALSO THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMITTEE AND WORK AND THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY IMPACTFUL AND THEY SAID WITH THE SUPPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES AND DR. DR. LESPERANCE THE DR. LESPERANCE THE ADVISORY DR. LESPERANCE THE ADVISORY COUNCIL STRENGTHENED COMMUNICATION AND CREATED MEANINGFUL FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TOGETHER WE'RE BUILDING A STRONGER PARTNERSHIP THAT BENEFITS STUDENTS, FAMILIES
AND SCHOOLS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WE'RE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE SUPERINTENDENT SO PABLO, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE THE LAST SLIDE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CREATED A WHILE A WHILE AGO. AND IT'S BASICALLY SAYING NO TO AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. IS IT IN OTHER BALLOTS IN THE LARGE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA? NO. WE HAVE BEEN THE ONES WHO WERE WE HAVE BEEN THE ONES WHO WERE CHOSEN WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BUT LET'S GO FROM THE TOP. WE'RE ABLE TO ANNUAL EVALUATE, ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE AND REPLACEABLE. IF TOMORROW I FELT WE WERE NOT HAPPY, WE COULD REPLACE YOU. IF WE HAD AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT, THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO FOR FOUR YEARS. THAT'S WHY PREVIOUSLY MANY YEARS AGO THERE WAS AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT THEY WERE REMOVED FOR WERE REMOVED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT. RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT WE WANT TO DO, GO BACK 50 YEARS.
IT KEEPS EDUCATION OUT OF POLITICS. I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU RUNNING AN A DISTRICT AND RUNNING FOR OFFICE. I'LL TELL YOU SOMEONE WHO HAS RUN FOR OFFICE, IT'S A FULL-TIME JOB. I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU RUNNING FOR SUPERINTENDENT AT THE SAME TIME RUNNING THE DISTRICT. WE GET THE MOST QUALIFIED LEADER. IT'S A NATIONAL SEARCH. THIS GIVES IT TO JUST ELECTED LOCAL POLITICIAN TO CHOOSE FROM. IT'S REAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THE VOTERS ELECT THE SCHOOL BOARD. THE BOARD HIRES EVALUATES. OUR VOTERS ARE CHOOSING SEVEN. THEY'RE ELECTING SEVEN SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBERS SO WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE ABLE TO HIRE OR FIRE YOU SO YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S THE RIGHT MODEL FOR THE LARGE DISTRICT AS ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST SCHOOL NATION'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS HILLSBOROUGH NEEDS AN EXPERIENCED EDUCATION CEO FOCUSED ON STUDENTS AND RESULTS. NOT THINGS LIKE PROPERTY AND CONTRACTS. WE WANT YOU TO BE FOCUSED ON STUDENTS. FINALLY, ALL THE LARGE DISTRICTS HIRE. MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, ORANGE, PALM BEACH, EACH PINELLAS RIGHT HERE. WHY IS HILLSBOROUGH GOING TO BE
THE ONLY ONE ON THE BALLOT TO CHOOSE THAT? WHY IS THAT? AND LASTLY, LESS THAN 1% OF THE DISTRICTS IN THE NATION DO THAT. THERE IS ONLY TWO STATES THAT DO THAT. THAT'S ALABAMA AND FLORIDA. AND LOOK AT THE NEA RANKINGS. THEY'RE NOT THROUGH THE ROOF, THOSE TWO STATES. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SOUTH WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE RANKINGS ARE NOT HIGH. WHERE LITERACY AND NUMERACY IS LOWER AND LESS THAN 1% LOWER AND LESS THAN 1% OUT OF 13,800 13,800 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EVERYONE HIRES THEM. MAKE SURE YOU VOTE NO.
I'LL CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVERY SINGLE EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY I CAN. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT -- WE'RE NOT ELECTING THE CEO OF A HOSPITAL. OKAY? WE'RE NOT ELECTING THE CEO FOR, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY. BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT TO YOU. IT'S JUST WRONG IN EVERY SINGLE WAY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS FOR THOSE REMARKS. WHAT A TIME IN HISTORY WHAT A TIME IN HISTORY THAT WE HAVE TO
HAVE TO ASK THE PUBLIC TO MAKE THIS CHOICE. AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES AND LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP AND CABINET, I'M GOING TO GOING TO -- I HAVE TO READ THIS BECAUSE I WROTE SO MANY DANG THINGS. HOW DID WE RECEIVE AN A DISTRICT RATING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADE? SO FIRST, WE ARE STUDENT-CENTERED. THIS WHOLE BOARD IS STUDENT-CENTERED. SUPERINTENDENT IS. THE CABINET. EVERY ONE OF US SUPPORT STUDENT SAFETY, MENTAL WELL-BEING -- THANK YOU, MEMBER
PEREZ. I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE AS WELL AND WE OFFER RELEVANT HAVEN'T AND DYNAMIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. OUR DISTRICT CONTINUES TO EXPAND PROGRAMS TO REFLECT PROGRAMS TO REFLECT STUDENTS' INTEREST AND PREPARE THEM FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS AND LIFE BEYOND GRADUATION. AND LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP COUNTS AND LEADERSHIP COUNTS SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BUILT CONFIDENCE, POSITIVITY AND TRUST THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. BY EQUIPPING STAFF WITH THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT THEY NEED, OUR
DISTRICT HAS CREATED THE CONDITIONS FOR THIS A DISTRICT RATING. I HOPE YOU ARE LISTENING AND I HOPE YOUR EARS ARE BURNING HERE. SHARED SHARED ACHIEVEMENT. THIS THIS "A" GRADE COLLABORATION AND DEDICATION OF MANY PEOPLE AND OUR PARTNER ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ACADEMIC ACADEMIC SUPERVISORS, LED BY, FOR EXAMPLE, GRADY, FOR EXAMPLE, GRADY, SHEY McGRAY, MARCUS MARCUS MURILLO.
SORRY ABOUT THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, BUT YOU ALL INCLUDED. OUR OUR HARD-WORKING PRINCIPALS, SUPPORT EMPLOYEES, RESEARCH OFFICERS -- C.T.A. I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE TONIGHT, BUT THANK YOU. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THEY ARE THERE. >>Lynn Gray: YOU ARE WELCOME. EDUCATIONAL AND SECURITY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOUNDATION, MAYOR JANE MAYOR JANE CASTOR, BUS MAYOR JANE CASTOR, BUS DRIVERS, FOOD SERVICE STAFF AND FOOD SERVICE STAFF AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
TRANSFORMATION NETWORK, SUCH A LARGE -- MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU MUST BE SO SHAPE. FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY THAT THEY RECEIVED As, Bs AND Cs AND NOTHING BELOW MORE SIGNIFICANTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY AND YOU ALL KNOW WHAT KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY, IT IS OUR TEACHERS. THEY ARE CENTRAL PART THEY ARE CENTRAL PART OF THE EQUATION THAT MADE THIS EQUATION THAT MADE THIS "A" GRADE POSSIBLE. SO WHOEVER IS LISTENING, THANK YOU, TEACHERS. YOUR DAILY COMMITMENT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE.
SO I STILL HAVE SOME MINUTES. REAL QUICK. SO WE HAVE -- THANK YOU, SO WE HAVE -- THANK YOU, EMORY COURTNEY FOR DOING THIS. OUR RACE FOR EDUCATION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE USF PRESIDENT. WE WILL HAVE IT AT USF NOVEMBER 7. WE INTEND TO HAVE THIS AS IS A HUGE SUCCESS. WE NOW HAVE THE PRESIDENT -- THANK YOU, DR. -- LEHEMEN. DON'T SAY I AM PRONOUNCING IT WRONG BECAUSE I PROBABLY AM. BUT BASICALLY WE WANT TO MAKE THIS THE BEST -- AND BY THE WAY,
BOARD MEMBERS, I WILL GET MILES PER HOUR STOP WATCHES SO YOU CAN START START PRACTICING. NEXT -- OH, REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF THE RENOVATION OF THE TURKEY CREEK MULTIPURPOSE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, IF YOU DO BRING BACK THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE ALONG WITH ANY APPROPRIATE FUNDING CONSIDERATIONS SO THE BOARD CAN HAVE THAT BOARD CAN HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF THEM. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YES OR NO. I WILL JUST ASK THAT DO YOU SO. OKAY, THANK YOU. LAST, AI.
DO WE HAVE ANY TIME? SHOW THE AI INSTITUTE. GARY BRADY IS THE STAR PERSON. 300 TEACHERS TOOK THEIR TIME OUT THIS SUMMER TO GO TO THIS SUMMIT AND THIS MAN, THE MAGIC SCHOOL GENIUS. HIS NAME IS HIS NAME IS ADELE HIS NAME IS ADELE KAHN. HE WAS RIGHT THERE WITH THE TEACHERS. THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD DO -- TO REALLY NOT ONLY MAKE IT HAPPEN IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, BUT TO -- THEY JUST SHOWED SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF VERY WELL-TRAINED TEACHERS BECAUSE OF THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT 300 TEACHERS BY THE WAY. THAT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. AND I THINK -- OH, GOLLY. MEMBER PEREZ, I THINK I WILL BE RIGHT THERE UNDER TIME. SO THAT'S IT FOR ME. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: YOU CAN HAVE MY 20 SECONDS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. SO, FIRST, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
T ARE BEING ARE BEING -- YEAH, BY PROJECT LINK IS HAVING THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACK-TO-SCHOOL CLINICS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT PARENTS NEED ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR BABIES AND IT IS ONLY $10 PER FAMILY. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE FIVE KIDS, EIGHT KIDS, KIDS, EIGHT KIDS, IT IS $10. FOR THEM. SO THE FIRST ONE WAS AT
SO THE FIRST ONE WAS AT PIZZO. THAT WAS THIS PAST SATURDAY. AND IT IS GOING -- IT IS HAPPENING FOR EVERY SATURDAY HAPPENING FOR EVERY SATURDAY UNTIL AUGUST 8. BUT IT IS DIFFERENTLY CASES. SO IF YOU GO ON SO IF YOU GO ON TO SO IF YOU GO ON TO WWW. YOU CAN SEE THE DATES, TIMES AND THE LOCATIONS FOR THOSE PHYSICALS.
AND I AM -- MINE WILL BE VERY BRIEF. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THURSDAY. GRAY WILL YOU SAY YOUR AGE? >>Jessica Vaughn: 49. >>Karen Perez: YES. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT. YOU KNOW -- AND I THANK THE TEACHERS. THE TEACHERS FOR LIFTING OUR STUDENTS, GETTING US TO THIS
STUDENTS, GETTING US TO THIS "A" GRADE. I KNOW I WASN'T THE ONE NOTICE CLASSROOM TEACHING OUR STUDENTS AND GETTING THESE FABULOUS TEST GRADES. I WAS HERE MAKING DECISIONS, BUT THEY WERE IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS. AND DEFINITELY WE NEED TO LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEM -- I KNOW WHEN I HAVE BEEN IN THE -- IN THE COMMUNITY, I AM GOING TO KIND OF CO-SIGN ON WHAT MEMBER VAUGHN IS SAYING. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE TALKING YOU KNOW, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT LIVABLE WAGES, YOU NOPE THAT THEY ARE ONES IN FRONT OF THE
STUDENTS GETTING US TO THE -- TO THE PLACE THAT WE ARE. AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR -- IN THEIR EFFORTS TO GET US WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO -- AND WITH THAT, BOARD MEMBERS, THERE ARE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.