Apr 24, 2025 Board Business Meeting - 5:30 P.M.

[1. Call to Order - 5:30 p.m.]

[00:00:07]

THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER. GOOD EVENING. THE TIME IS NOW 530. WELCOME TO THE APRIL 24TH, 2025, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. I AM BRANDON JACKSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. MISS MCMILLAN, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. DOCTOR. ANDREW. PRESENT. MISS STROTHER. PRESENT. MR. BRIGGS. PRESENT. MISS BROWN. PRESENT. MISS GOINS MCCANTS. PRESENT. MR. JANGO. PRESENT. DOCTOR. MOSS. MISS OLIVO. PRESENT. AND. MISS. WALKER. PRESENT. MR. JACKSON.

HERE. THERE ARE NINE PRESENT. THANK YOU, MISS MCMILLAN. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THIS MEETING WILL

[2. Reading of the Closing Statement]

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS AND REPORTS OF THE CHAIR AND SUPERINTENDENT. BECAUSE PUBLICLY DISCLOSING INFORMATION BEFORE IT'S FINALIZED MAY RESULT IN LAWSUITS AND FINES. PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS AND STAFFING. BECAUSE PUBLICLY DISCLOSING APPLICANTS PERSONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT PROTECT THEIR IDENTITIES AND DISCOURAGED CANDIDATES FROM APPLYING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UPDATES BECAUSE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE AGREEMENT TERMS BEFORE THEY ARE FINALIZED MAY RESULT IN LAWSUITS AND FINES. THIS STATEMENT WAS READ BY BRANDON JACKSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. THE QUESTION IS, SHALL THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION CLOSE THE APRIL 24TH, 2025 MEETING? ANY DISCUSSION? MISS MCMILLAN, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. DOCTOR VANDERPOOL. I. MISS STROTHER. I. MR. BRIGGS. I. MISS BROWN. I. MISS GOINS MCCANTS. I. MR. DJANGO. I. MISS OLIVIA. I. MISS WALKER. I. MR. JACKSON. I.

[3. Motion to Close The Meeting]

[5. Call to Order - 7:00 p.m.]

LASTLY, FOR RECORDING PURPOSES, THE CHAIRMAN REMINDS ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO ENSURE THEIR MICROPHONES ARE MUTED WHEN TURNED ON WHEN SPEAKING. BOARD MEMBER WALKER, PLEASE READ THE PRAYER. OH GOD, WE PRAY TO ADMINISTER THAT WHICH IS JUST IN ALL EDUCATIONAL POLICIES. BEING EVER MINDFUL OF YOUR GUIDANCE STEER US TO ACTION WITH LOVE, WISDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING. AMEN.

PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OH, MISS MCMILLAN, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

DOCTOR. ANDERSON. PRESENT, MISS STROTHER. PRESENT, MR. BRIGGS. PRESENT, MISS BROWN. HERE. MISS

[00:05:11]

PRESENT. MR. JACKSON. HERE. NINE. PRESENT. THANK YOU. A QUORUM IS NOW PRESENT. IF THERE

[7. Adoption of Agenda]

[8. Approval of Minutes]

[9. NewsBreak]

THAT KIND OF HELPED WITH THE PLANNING OF IT ON THE STUDENT SIDE, AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION. THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR DOING IT AND IT'S SUPER EXCITING EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO COME AND SEE PEOPLE OUT HERE WHO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, DOING STUFF FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, BECAUSE ALL OF THE STUDENTS HERE EITHER ARE TAKING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CLASS, OR THEY'RE PART OF ONE OF OUR AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS THAT IS BASED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. AND SO THINGS LIKE ADVOCACY IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT THAT TODAY. THEY'RE STILL LEARNING NEW STUFF. NOT EVERY ONE OF THE SCHOOLS COMPOST YET. SO WE'VE ADDED COMPOSTING AT BOTH OF OUR MEALS. SO THEY'RE REALLY GETTING ALL THE GOOD STUFF HERE. GOOD STUFF INDEED. THERE WERE BOAT RIDES ON THE ANACOSTIA, DISPLAYS OF NATURAL HISTORY, BODY PARTS, AND LEARNING THAT CASTING A ROD IS A CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR WORM WRIGGLES OFF THE HOOK. WHERE'S MY WORM? WE HAVE A CASTING PRACTICE, WHICH IS KIND OF IN THE STYLE OF CORNHOLE, BECAUSE CORNHOLE IS VERY POPULAR IN MARYLAND, PEOPLE REALLY LIKE IT. IT'S A FUN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY, SO WE KIND OF MAKE A FUN ACTIVITY AND TURN IT INTO A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY AS WELL. SO WE HAVE THESE FISHING RODS WITH BEANIE BABIES OR LITTLE BEAN BAGS, AND WE KIND OF HAVE THEM PRACTICE CASTING INTO THESE. THE CORNHOLE BOARDS THAT HAVE LIKE FISH PAINTED ON THEM JUST TO KIND OF GET THE, YOU KNOW, PRACTICE WITHOUT HAVING THE HOOKS AND STUFF INVOLVED FIRST. AND I THINK IT REALLY TARGETS THESE STUDENTS THAT, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND HAVING LIKE PHONES IN YOUR POCKET, COMPUTERS IN YOUR POCKET, IT'S REALLY EASY TO NOT GET OUTSIDE AND NOT BE REALLY PRESENT IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT. SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT WAY TO KIND OF COME WITH YOUR SCHOOL, COME WITH YOUR FRIENDS, AND JUST KIND OF ALMOST LIKE DO THESE LITTLE TEST RUNS OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND SEE WHAT YOU KIND OF LIKE TO DO. SO WHAT DO THE STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO CONSERVE THE OUT OF DOORS AND TO JUMP FOR JOY, AS THEY DID AT THE BEAUTY OF NATURE? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE A COURTROOM OR THEY CAN'T, LIKE, DO SOMETHING DRASTIC TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT, IT'S REALLY THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE DO DAY TO DAY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT, AND ANYBODY CAN MAKE AN IMPACT. ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO

[00:10:05]

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MOVING ON TO COMMUNITY SHOUT OUTS, BOARD MEMBERS. THIS EVENING WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING SEVERAL STUDENTS AND THE CONSIDERATION OF THE LATE HOUR. WE WILL PROCEED WITH ANNOUNCING THE COMMUNITY SHOUT OUTS AND AFTER THE RECOGNITION, WE WILL GATHER FOR A GROUP PHOTO ALL AT ONCE. SO AFTER BOARD MEMBER BROWN, THEN I WILL ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY SHOUT OUT AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE PICTURE AT ONCE. SO WHOEVER BOARD MEMBER BROWN RECOGNIZES, JUST STAY THERE UNTIL WE ALL GO. OKAY? ALRIGHTY. SO I WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO BOARD MEMBER BROWN. THANK YOU, CHAIR JACKSON. SO TODAY I WOULD LOVE TO CELEBRATE YORKTOWN ELEMENTARY WHERE MY YORKTOWN PEOPLE AT. YAY! I APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M THRILLED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME TRULY OUTSTANDING YOUNG SCHOLARS FROM YORKTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OUR DISTRICT FIVE SCIENCE BOWL FINALISTS.

THESE BRILLIANT STUDENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED INCREDIBLE TEAMWORK, CRITICAL THINKING, AND A PASSION FOR SCIENCE THAT INSPIRES US ALL. MAKING IT TO THE FINALS IS NO SMALL FEAT, AND IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THEIR HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND THE SUPPORT OF THEIR AMAZING TEACHERS AND FAMILIES. LET'S GIVE ANOTHER BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR YORKTOWN SCIENCE BOWL TEAM. YOUR DISTRICT FIVE FAMILY IS SO PROUD OF YOU. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I LET YOU ALL KNOW WHO THE PANELISTS ARE. SO WE HAVE JOCELYN KELM, WHO IS THE CAPTAIN. SHE'S IN FIFTH GRADE.

RON GABRIEL MARQUEZ, WHO'S ALSO IN FIFTH GRADE, PHAEDRA OWEN, WHO IS IN FOURTH GRADE. AND WE HAVE OUR WONDERFUL ALTERNATES, PAOLA ORTIZ HERNANDEZ, WHO'S IN FIFTH GRADE. YAY, MARY. AND FORGIVE ME IF I PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME WRONG. MARY LOUIS, WHO IS IN FOURTH GRADE. WE HAVE CONNOR TURNER, FIFTH GRADE, NOELLA RAYMUNDO MELENDEZ, WHO'S IN FIFTH GRADE. JAKE KEYS, WHO'S IN FOURTH GRADE, LANDON SAWYER, WHO'S IN FOURTH GRADE. AND SIMON DIETRICH. BUT WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT OUR SPONSORS. WE LOVE OUR SPONSORS. SO MISS BARBARA BURNETT, WHO IS OUR FOURTH GRADE TEACHER AT YORKTOWN ELEMENTARY AND OUR PARENT VOLUNTEER. I LOVE OUR PGC PARENTS BECAUSE I'M A PGC PARENT, AMY KELM. WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND WE WANT TO ALSO GIVE CONDOLENCES TO THE. OH, I'M SO SORRY. WE WANT TO GIVE CONDOLENCES TO THE YORKTOWN FAMILY AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND IF YOU ALL COULD JOIN US UP FRONT WHILE CHAIR JACKSON TAKES THE LEAD FOR THE NEXT GROUP OF INCREDIBLE SCHOLARS. COME ON DOWN, COME ON DOWN. WE COULD JUST STAND BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME. BUT WE'LL WAIT. WE'LL WAIT TO. WE WON'T TAKE A PICTURE AT ONCE.

JUST STAND IN FRONT OF THE DAIS. ROBIN, IF YOU WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND GET THEM TOGETHER ALL THE WAY ACROSS. THIS WAY, GUYS, ALL THE WAY ACROSS THIS WAY. EXCELLENT. CONGRATULATIONS. TO SLICE FOR. THE NEXT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO NEXT WE'RE GOING TO. EVERYBODY STAND UP. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP AND TAKE A PICTURE. YEAH. PICTURE PICTURE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT LET'S GO. IT'S GOOD TO. I'M SURE. THEY'RE 123. SO TAKE YOUR TIME.

ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. WE DON'T WE DON'T KEEP THEM HERE FOR THE NEXT. SHOUT OUT TO JUST KEEP MOVING TO THE SIDE OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP. WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING

[00:15:02]

NOW WORKS FOR US. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT HERE. ALSO WANT TO PRESENT YOU TWO PLAQUES FOR THE YOUNG LADY RIGHT HERE IS FROM COUNCILMAN JORDAN I. IF I HAD TO DO IT. OKAY.

CAN I GET IN? HERE? OH, ABSOLUTELY. LET'S GO. THIS IS MY BABY.

LORD HAVE MERCY. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A WHILE. YEAH. HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. YES, YES. YES, INDEED. NO. NO BLESSING. MY QUEEN IS IN THE HOUSE. ALRIGHT, THERE YOU GO, I KNOW. YOU HAVE.

TO TURN AROUND. OKAY? YOU WANT TO GET OVER TO YOUR HOUSE? THEY LIKE THE SPOTLIGHT. COME ON GIRL. TAKE IT ALL. YEAH, ALL OF IT. WELL, OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. AROUND. I'LL BE BACK, Y'ALL.

YEAH, I'LL BE BACK UP HERE. DON'T WORRY. IT WAS GREAT TO MEET.

[00:20:03]

ACADEMIC. CONGRATULATIONS. ABSOLUTELY. CONGRATULATIONS TO.

THE. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. ALL OKAY. NOW IT'S A IT'S A LOT OF LOT A LOT OF GOOD STUFF GOING ON

[10. Report of the Chair]

[00:25:03]

[11. Public Comment]

HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER HALL. I'M AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT WHO IS ENROLLED IN COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY, AND I JUST JOINED THIS YEAR. I LIKE MY SCHOOL BECAUSE I LIKE MY SCHOOL THE MOST, BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDLY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FUN EVENTS THAT HAPPEN. RIGHT NOW, CHARTER SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE DEVASTATING BUDGET CUTS THE BOARD MIGHT PASS ON COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY ALONE. THERE COULD BE A $500,000 REDUCTION IN FUNDING.

THE TEACHERS AT COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY ARE VERY HELPFUL, PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING. THEY PROVIDE UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION AND GIVE YOU ATTENTION IF YOU NEED EXTRA HELP. IF THERE WERE BIGGER CLASSES OF STUDENTS THAN CLASSROOMS WOULD BE VERY CHAOTIC AND NO ONE WOULD EVER LEARN ANYTHING. THE CHAOS WOULD ONLY INTENSIFY IF THERE WERE FEWER TEACHERS TO REGULATE THE STUDENTS. I REMEMBER WHEN ALL OF COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY'S EIGHTH GRADE WENT ON A FIELD TRIP TO THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY. WITHOUT ENOUGH FUNDING FROM THE BOARD, THAT FIELD TRIP MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. SCHOOL SUPPLIES ARE IMPORTANT FOR BASIC EDUCATION, SUCH AS PENCILS AND ERASERS. MORE ADVANCED MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED TO LIKE ALGEBRA TILES AND WHITEBOARDS. WITHOUT THESE TOOLS, LEARNING MATH WOULD BE MUCH HARDER BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO DRAW EVERY GRAPH IN OUR NOTEBOOKS. I CHOSE COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY BECAUSE I WANTED TO FIND A SOLID SCHOOL TO TRANSITION INTO HIGH SCHOOL. BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, I NOW HAVE STRAIGHT A'S AND EVEN ENJOY DIFFICULT SUBJECTS LIKE MATH. PLEASE DO NOT CUT THESE FUNDS BECAUSE IT WILL DRASTICALLY HURT ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS AND CAUSE SOME TO CLOSE OVER TIME. STUDENTS LIKE ME NEED SMALLER CLASSROOMS AND GOOD TEACHERS WHO HELP US TO FOCUS AND LEARN. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD EVENING. GOOD JOB.

GOOD JOB, YOUNG MAN. WELL DONE. WE MIGHT HAVE A FUTURE BOARD MEMBER IN OUR PRESENCE RIGHT THERE. NEXT, NEXT. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE COURTNEY HALL, INDIVIDUAL SPEAKING ON PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR JACKSON, DISTRICT TWO. REPRESENTATIVE BRIGGS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS COURTNEY HALL, AND I'M A DISTRICT SIX PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY RESIDENT AND PROUD PARENT OF A STUDENT AT COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY, AS YOU JUST HEARD. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE A DECISION YOU'RE CONSIDERING WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPACT MY CHILD'S EDUCATION AND THE FUTURE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS OUR COUNTY. THE PROPOSED

[00:30:06]

OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THESE RESOURCES. COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY ALREADY OPERATES EFFICIENTLY DESPITE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES. WE RECEIVE ZERO CAPITAL FUNDING, FORCING US TO SPEND 19% OF OUR BUDGET JUST ON THE BUILDING LEASE. NOW, THIS ADDITIONAL 4% CUT WOULD FORCE PAINFUL DECISIONS ABOUT REDUCING STAFF, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND CLASSROOM SIZES. THE MATH IS SOBERING. IF THIS 6% WITHHOLDING BECOMES PERMANENT, MOST CHARTER SCHOOLS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY WILL BE FORCED TO CLOSE WITHIN 3 TO 5 YEARS. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT NUMBERS, IT'S ABOUT EDUCATIONAL CHOICE AND OPPORTUNITY. PARENTS CHOSE COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY BECAUSE OF ITS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. WE SHOULD BE PROTECTING THE SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS, NOT UNDERMINING THEM. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THIS BOARD TO MAINTAIN THE 2% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AS ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY NEIGHBORS DECISION. IN A $2 BILLION EDUCATION BUDGET COUNTY EDUCATION BUDGET, THIS ADJUSTMENT WOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON OVERALL DISTRICT FINANCES, BUT WOULD PRESERVE VITAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE 7000 CHILDREN WHO ATTEND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE COUNTING ON YOUR LEADERSHIP. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. STEPHANIE LOMAX, INDIVIDUAL CHARTER SCHOOL BUDGET CUTS. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE LOMAX, AND I'M A PROUD PARENT, A PROUD PRODUCT OF MONTPELIER ELEMENTARY, KENMOOR MIDDLE AND LAUREL HIGH SCHOOLS. I RESIDE IN THE COUNTY AS A BUSINESS, RESIDE IN THE COUNTY, OWN A BUSINESS HERE, AND AM DEEPLY INVESTED HERE. MY LATE MOTHER ADVOCATED FOR ME AND OTHER CHILDREN DURING THE BUSSING ERA, AND WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR OVER 20 YEARS. SO I STAND ON BROAD SHOULDERS AND AM COMPELLED AND PROUD TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RECONSIDERATION OF FUNDING CUTS TO C CITY NORTH PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL FOR MY CHILDREN AND OTHER CHILDREN WHO WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE IMPACTED BY THIS DECISION. NUMBERS NEVER LIE, BUT INSTEAD ALWAYS TELL A STORY. C EMMETT NORTH HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A BEACON OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE EXCEEDS 95%. STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORM THE STATE AND THE DISTRICT BY MORE THAN TWO TIMES IN BOTH READING AND MATH. THE AVERAGE SAT SCORE IS 1120, AND MCAP TESTING SCORES RANK IN THE 84TH PERCENTILE. THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS ALSO RANK IN THE 10TH PERCENTILE IN THE STATE. BUT THESE STATISTICS ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND I'M NOT RECITING ANYTHING THAT ISN'T ALREADY KNOWN OR EASILY OBTAINED. NEVERTHELESS, DESPITE THESE ACHIEVEMENTS AND THE PETITIONS OF PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE FOLLOWING THE BOARD'S UNANIMOUS VOTE FROM THE LAST BOARD MEETING TO ENGAGE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATORS AND TO REPORT BACK FINDINGS WITH TRANSPARENCY AND A PLAN. NO ENGAGEMENT HAS OCCURRED.

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

[00:35:02]

GOOD EVENING. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT RESIDE HERE. I'M SPEAKING TO EXPRESS A STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW, IMAGINED CHARTER SCHOOL INCORPORATED IN THE UPPER MARLBORO AREA, PARTICULARLY THE 20772 ZIP CODE, WHICH IS DISTRICT NINE. AS THE PASTOR OF ROCK CREEK AND DEDICATED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, I HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE GROWING NEED FOR EXPANDED SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS TO BETTER SERVE OUR FAMILIES. UPPER MARLBORO IS EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL GROWTH WITH NEW NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS BRINGING AN INFLUX OF FAMILIES SEEKING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. GIVEN THIS EXPANSION, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE PROVIDE DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS THAT MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. A NEW IMAGINED CHARTER SCHOOL, INCORPORATED WOULD OFFER AN INNOVATIVE AND PERSONALIZED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. IT WILL ALSO COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL SUCCESS OF OUR CHILDREN. IMAGINE SCHOOLS HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD FOR FOSTERING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, AND PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT BY INCORPORATING A STRONG FOCUS ON INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. IMAGINE CHARTER SCHOOLS INCORPORATED CAN PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED ALTERNATIVE TO FAMILIES THAT DESIRE MORE CHOICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. I URGE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. I COME HUMBLY, YET PASSIONATELY. I COME HUMBLY TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL FOR A NEW IMAGINED CHARTER SCHOOL INCORPORATED IN UPPER MARLBORO, MARYLAND. 20772. THIS INNOVATION ALIGNS WITH THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND ENSURES THAT WE EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR EXPANDING POPULATION. AGAIN, I URGE YOU, GOD BLESS YOU AND WE ARE IN DISTRICT NINE.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ALSO SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THIS AREA THAT ARE HERE WITH US NOW? AND I DO HAVE A PETITION WITH OVER 100 NAMES ON THEM THAT I WILL PRODUCE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT THAT. EXCUSE ME SIR. CAN YOU, PASTOR, CAN YOU SUBMIT THAT TO CINDY ADELAIDE, PLEASE? NEXT UP IS DOCTOR DONNA CHRISTY. GOOD EVENING. I'M DOCTOR DONNA CHRISTY, PRESIDENT OF PGC. I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT CARRYING THE WEIGHT OF THOUSANDS OF EDUCATORS VOICES. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST. PLANNING PERIODS OF RACE TO COVER CLASSES. IEPS WRITTEN ON WEEKENDS. TESTING LOGISTICS DUMPED ON US WITH LITTLE NOTICE. ALL WHILE WE SUPPORT CHILDREN FACING HUNGER, GRIEF AND UNMET NEEDS. THE RESPONSE FROM THE PGC BARGAINING TEAM. LET'S STUDY IT. WE DON'T NEED A STUDY. WE LIVE THE DATA.

[00:40:03]

[00:45:03]

THE LACK OF PREPARATION, EVIDENCE, ENGAGEMENT AND CARE FROM PGC DURING NEGOTIATIONS DISHEARTENS ME. IT HURTS. THE SHIP IS SINKING AND THE CAPTAINS IN CHARGE DO NOT SEEM TO BE LISTENING. THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF OUR JOBS IS UNSUSTAINABLE. THAT IS WHAT HIGH ATTRITION AND VACANCY NUMBER MEANS. NUMBERS MEAN THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG AND INHERENTLY JOYFUL AND SATISFYING. PROFESSION IS RUINED AND I STILL DO MY BEST TO TEACH MY STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE JAY SEAN JOHNSON. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, FELLOW EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SEAN JOHNSON, A PROUD GRADUATE OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 1992. I AM HERE TONIGHT NOT JUST AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, BUT AS A MOTHER OF FOUR, TWO OF WHOM ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM STANDING HERE TONIGHT AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES AND BREATHES THIS WORK FROM EVERY ANGLE, EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY BEFORE THE SUN RISES. I AM UP PACKING LUNCHES, FINDING LOST SHOES AND CLOTHING ITEMS, MEDIATING ARGUMENTS, CALMING NERVES ABOUT QUIZZES AND FRIENDSHIP DRAMA. I KISS MY KIDS GOODBYE AND SEND THEM OFF INTO A WORLD THAT IS ASKING MORE OF THEM THAN EVER BEFORE. AND THEN I GO INTO MY CLASSROOM WHERE 22 STUDENTS, LITTLE FACES OF CHILDREN, ARE WAITING FOR ME TO BE THEIR SAFE PLACE, THEIR CONSISTENCY, THEIR CALM. AND I SHOW UP FOR THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVEN WHEN I HAVEN'T HAD A MOMENT TO BREATHE FOR MYSELF. EVEN WHEN ONE OF MY OWN CHILDREN IS STRUGGLING. EVEN WHEN I'VE BEEN UP LATE ANSWERING EMAILS, REVIEWING DATA, GRADING PAPERS, RESPONDING TO PARENT CONCERNS, COMFORTING A CHILD WHO COULDN'T SLEEP BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING BULLIED AT SCHOOL. I'M NOT JUST TEACHING ABCS AND ONE TWO THREES. I'M A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR. I'M A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING COACH. I'M AN ENRICHMENT PROVIDER PROVIDING ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN MY SCHOOL BUILDING. I'M SUPPORTING FAMILIES WHO ARE HURTING. I'M WIPING TEARS. SOMETIMES THEIRS, SOMETIMES MINE. AND EVEN THE PARENTS. I'M TYING SHOES, GIVING HUGS, CHECKING ON BEHAVIOR PLANS, WRITING LESSON PLANS, AND BALANCING HUNDREDS OF EXPECTATIONS THAT STRETCH FAR BEYOND THE JOB DESCRIPTION. THEN I GO HOME WITH MY SECOND FULL TIME JOB BEGINS HELPING WITH HOMEWORK, MANAGING MIDDLE SCHOOL EMOTIONS, GETTING DINNER ON THE TABLE, DRIVING TO PRACTICES, ADVOCATING FOR MY OWN CHILDREN IN THEIR SCHOOLS, AND TRYING TO GIVE THEM JUST A PIECE OF THE ENERGY THAT I'VE GIVEN TO MY STUDENTS ALL DAY AS A PARENT AND AN EDUCATOR. I CARRY THE WEIGHT OF TWO WORLDS. I'M A PARENT AND A TEACHER, AND I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS DOING THIS EXHAUSTING, RELENTLESS, BEAUTIFUL WORK BECAUSE WE CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT EVERY CHILD THAT WALKS INTO OUR LIVES EVERY DAY. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS JOB THAT WE HAVE IS NOT EASY. IT'S VERY HARD, BUT IT'S REWARDING. AND THEN I TEACH. THANK YOU. MISS ANNETTE ROBINSON. OH, WAGWAN. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT TO TEACHER RETENTION IS TEACHER WORKLOAD. TEACHER WORKLOAD IS A DIABOLICAL EPIDEMIC THAT IS DESTROYING THE VERY FABRIC OF THE SKILLED INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND ASPIRING EDUCATORS. LET ME TELL YOU, 55% OF TEACHERS PLAN TO LEAVE THE

[00:50:04]

THIS MUST BE DONE DAILY. THINK OF A CLASS OF 28 STUDENTS AND YOU DO THREE ROTATIONS PER DAY.

LET'S SAY YOU TEACH THREE SUBJECTS PER DAY. DO THE MATH. THEN YOU MUST HONOR THE POLICY OF TWO GRADES PER WEEK, OR ELSE A LETTER OF THREAT TO REPRIMAND IS ON ITS WAY. WE MUST INPUT DATA, SHARE DATA WITH PEERS, COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS, ATTEND GRADE LEVEL MEETING, CHECK EMAILS. OH, AND TO RECESS AND LUNCH DUTIES. DATA COLLECTION BECOMES REPETITIVE. FOR EXAMPLE, I ALREADY DIBELS OR LETTERS. ALL DATA IS ALREADY ONLINE, BUT SOME GENIUS NEEDS TO GIVE THE TEACHER MORE WORK TO INPUT THE SAME DATA IN A TEMPLATE OR SPREADSHEET. IT IS A WASTE OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, WHICH IMPACTS STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME. THERE WILL BE A PRICE TO PAY BECAUSE THIS LEADS TO LOWER STUDENT PERFORMANCE, AND TEACHERS ARE OVERWHELMED WITH UNNECESSARY TASKS. AND YET WE TEACH. THANK YOU. MISS PHILOMENA AWANA. SORRY IF I PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME WRONG. NO, I WAS READY FOR YOU THIS TIME. YOU DID GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL, GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR. SUPERINTENDENT. HOUSE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I CAN'T TOP THAT. SHE SAID IT ALL, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO SAY THAT PGC IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO WORK AND TO LEARN. AS IS EVIDENCED BY THESE EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE. I WANT THAT TO RESONATE. BUT ALONG WITH THAT, I WANT YOU TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT PGC IS AN AMAZING LABOR PARTNER, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE AGAIN. SO EVERYTHING THAT IS GREAT CAN BE IMPROVED. TONIGHT I JOIN MY VOICE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO HIGHLIGHT AND SAY THAT THE CRUSHING WORKLOADS EDUCATORS ARE EXPERIENCING IS UNSUSTAINABLE. IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE. THERE ARE OFTEN NOT ENOUGH SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, AND I WANT TO KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS PART. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS TO COVER CLASSES, AND THAT FALLS AGAIN ON TEACHERS.

NOW I WANT TO SAY THIS IS PGC FAULT. USUALLY I COME AND I SAY WE ARE PARTNERS, SO WE HAVE SOLUTIONS, BUT WE HAVE BROUGHT SOLUTIONS TO THIS BOARD MANY TIMES OR TO MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN EDUCATORS RETIRE, THEY WANT TO COME BACK. THEY WANT TO HELP.

THERE IS NOTHING ON THAT FORM THAT SAYS CHECK HERE. AND AFTER HOWEVER MANY DAYS YOU NEED TO BE AWAY, YOU CAN COME BACK AND HELP. THEY RECOGNIZE WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH. SO THAT IS A SIMPLE THAT IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION THAT WE ARE NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION. PGC CAN DO BETTER ON THAT. I REALLY IMPLORE YOU TO DO THAT SIMPLE CHECK BOX ON WHATEVER FORM IT IS. AND IT'S NOT ONLY OUR EDUCATORS, OUR FORMER EDUCATORS, EVEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE

[00:55:02]

BUT ANYWAY, ONE OF THE LADIES WHO THE ARTIST THAT CAME TO PRESENT AT OUR SCHOOL, SHE'S A FORMER ARTS TEACHER. SHE HAS DONE EVERYTHING FOR PGC AND STILL SHE HAS NOT BEEN CALLED.

SHE IS NOT THE FIRST ONE I CAN GIVE YOU TEN PEOPLE LIKE THAT. THAT IS SO SADDENING. GOING ON.

OH, WOW. AND STILL I TEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR TONY MARTINET. INDIVIDUAL EDUCATOR.

WORKLOAD. HELLO. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DOCTOR TONY MARTINET. I'M AN ENGLISH TEACHER AT OXON HILL HIGH SCHOOL, AND THIS IS MY 17TH YEAR IN EDUCATION. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I HOPE I CAN HELP EVERYONE WHO WORKS OUTSIDE OF DIRECT EDUCATIONAL CONTACT WITH STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT I AND MANY OTHER EDUCATORS ARE EXPERIENCING A CRUSHING WORKLOAD CREATING AN EDUCATIONAL CRISIS FOR OUR STUDENTS. LET'S EXPLORE THAT IN THE FOUR REQUIRED ENGLISH CLASSES I TEACH, I HAVE A TOTAL OF 138 STUDENTS. IT TAKES TIME. IF I WANT TO READ EACH PIECE OF WRITING AND ATTEMPT TO GIVE THEM SOME MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK. LET'S PICK AN EASY ONE AND PRETEND MY STUDENTS ONLY WROTE ONE PARAGRAPH. EVEN IF I CAN READ AND COMMENT ON EACH PARAGRAPH IN TWO MINUTES, THAT'S STILL 276 MINUTES. WITH MY SCHEDULE, THAT WOULD BE THREE OF MY 80 MINUTE PLANNING PERIODS, PROVIDED I WORK BELL TO BELL AND THERE ARE NO INTERRUPTIONS. SO IDEALLY THAT LEAVES ME THEN TWO PERIODS OF 80 MINUTES TO PLAN AND REFINE MY LESSONS. BUT WAIT, WE DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE PLANNING AND GRADING OF MY YEARBOOK CLASSES, SO TAKE AWAY ONE MORE PLANNING PERIOD. NOW I HAVE 80 MINUTES TO EFFECTIVELY PLAN FOR TEACHING.

BUT WAIT, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I'VE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH MY TWO GRADES A WEEK. IN EACH CLASS.

THAT'S SIX DIFFERENT CLASS CANVAS PAGES TO REVIEW AND SYNC. BUT WAIT, I HAVE AT LEAST TEN STUDENTS ABSENT DURING A WEEK BECAUSE OF SPORTS CLUBS, FIELD TRIPS, OR JUST BEING SICK, SO I NEED TO REOPEN THE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THEIR LATE WORK, GRADE THAT AND RESYNC MY SCORES ALL OVER AGAIN. BUT WAIT, IT'S THE END OF THE QUARTER AND NOW I HAVE TO COMPLETE THE DATA SLIDES THAT MY ADMINISTRATOR IS ASKING ME TO COMPLETE. BY GOING THROUGH EVERY CLASS AND RECORDING HOW MANY STUDENTS EARNED EACH GRADE, LIST THE NAMES OF THE STUDENTS THAT RECEIVED AN E, EVERYTHING I ATTEMPTED TO DO TO PREVENT THAT E, AND THEN RESPOND TO THE REFLECTION. QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I WOULD CHANGE TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS MORE GOING FORWARD. BUT WAIT, I TEACH ENGLISH TEN. SO FIRST AND SECOND QUARTER I HAVE TO HAND SCORE THE WRITTEN RESPONSES FOR EACH STUDENT ON THE DISTRICT MANDATED BENCHMARK EXAM. THAT MEANS EACH QUARTER, THERE'S AT LEAST A WEEK OF PLANNING THAT I LOSE TO SCORE A PIECE OF WRITING, WHICH I SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN A GRADE FOR IN MY GRADE BOOK. BUT WAIT, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THE PLANNING TIME I HAVE TO GIVE UP FOR TRAINING ON HOW TO ADMINISTER THE EXAM, PRACTICE HAND SCORING, AND THE EXTRA PLANNING TIME TO REVIEW THE DATA TO IDENTIFY HOW TO ADJUST MY TEACHING. EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE THE PLANNING TIME TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AN AGENDA WITH MEETING NOTES TO PROVE WE MET AND DISCUSS THE DATA. BUT WAIT, I HAVE STAFF MEETINGS, MY EVALUATION MEETINGS, MY MANDATED DEPARTMENT AND COLLABORATION MEETINGS, AND I BETTER MAKE SURE I WATCH THOSE HOURS OF SAFE SCHOOLS VIDEOS ROLLED OUT DURING THE YEAR AS WELL. AFTER ALL THE GRADING, SCORING, TRAINING, AND REPORTING, THEN I TEACH MY STUDENTS. I STARTED TEACHING BECAUSE I WANT TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN BECOMING THE BEST VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES THEY CAN BE. AS AN EDUCATOR, I WANT TO GIVE MY TIME AND ENERGY TO CONNECTING WITH, UNDERSTANDING AND ADAPTING TO MY STUDENTS SO THEY CAN HAVE THE MOST AUTHENTIC AND APPLICABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. BUT WHERE IN THAT WORKLOAD DO I HAVE TIME OR CAPACITY WHEN I MOVE TO TEACH IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY? FIVE YEARS AGO, I WAS EXCITED FOR THE NEW ADVENTURE AND FOR THE WORK TO WORK WITH AMAZING STUDENTS IN A THRIVING AND DIVERSE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I FIND MYSELF QUESTIONING HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN KEEP GOING IN THIS PROFESSION, OR AT LEAST IN THIS DISTRICT. MISS HARRIS INDIVIDUAL EDUCATOR WORKLOADS. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OF COURSE. MY UNION FAMILY. MY NAME IS SANTI DAWSON HARRIS AND I SERVE AS THE LEAD TEACHER OF US HISTORY AT DOCTOR HENRY WISE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. BUT I'M ALSO

[01:00:02]

[01:05:02]

YES, MA'AM. THE GOOD PART IS I MADE IT HERE WITHOUT HITTING ANYBODY. THE BAD PART IS I LEFT MY GLASSES IN THE CAR, SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WING THIS. BUT I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO SAY HERE TONIGHT. MY NAME IS THERESA MITCHELL DUDLEY. I LIVE IN ARDMORE VILLAGE. I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT A HOME HERE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BECAUSE I LOVE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY. FOR THE PAST 30 PLUS YEARS, I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR. I STARTED OUT AS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, COMPUTER LAB LADY, FIRST GRADE, FOURTH GRADE, FIFTH GRADE, SIXTH GRADE, SEVENTH GRADE, AND EIGHTH GRADE.

THEN I BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION, AND I SERVED FOR SIX YEARS. THEN I MOVED UP, BECAME THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARYLAND STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. AFTER THAT TERM, WHICH I DIDN'T WIN THE PRESIDENCY. BUT I LOVE MY JOB.

SO GUESS WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW? ELLEN OCHOA, MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHING EIGHTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES TO THE STINKY ONES. AND I SAY THAT WITH ALL LOVE IN MY HEART, BECAUSE I LOVE MY STUDENTS. THEY'VE TAUGHT ME HOW TO CUSS AND COLORS. THEY'VE TAUGHT ME ALL OF THE NEW DANCES AND HOW TO LOOK STUFF UP ON TIKTOK. SO I'M OKAY. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, OUR SCHOOL IS WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED, AND I KNOW THIS FROM MY EXPERIENCE. WHEN I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF PCA, WE HAD ABOUT 125,000 STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE NOW HAVE OVER 130,002 THOUSAND LESS TEACHERS. SO WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, AS WAS SAID EARLIER, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH BODIES IN THE BUILDING. SOMETIMES FOR SAFETY, SOMETIMES THE PRINCIPAL WILL COME TO SAY, MISS DUDLEY, YOUR CLASS IS OVER HERE. I KNOW, BUT THE FIGHT IS GETTING READY TO BREAK OUT OVER HERE, I SAID, AND I NEED TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS ARE MOVING AND NOT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE HALLWAY. AND THEN I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OUT OF THE CLASSROOM FOR NINE YEARS. I GOT TO LEARN ALL OF THIS SOFTWARE ALL OVER AGAIN, TEACHING STUDENTS WHO ARE WAY BEHIND BECAUSE OF COVID WHO CAN'T WRITE. OH, AND BY THE WAY, I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH VERY WELL.

I SPEAK FRENCH ALMOST FLUENTLY, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SPANISH CLASSES SO THAT I CAN REACH MY STUDENTS. THE STUDENTS ARE TEACHING ME SPANISH WHILE I'M LEARNING ENGLISH. I DESIGNED MY LESSONS AROUND HISTORY, LITERACY AND WITH WHAT'S GOING ON, US HISTORY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN. I DO NOT WANT TO DISSERVICE THEM, BUT WITH ALL OF THE THINGS, THE TESTING. WAIT A MINUTE, WE GOT THE PSAT, WE GOT THE BENCHMARK, WE GOT OH WAIT, WE GOT CAPS COMING UP. WE HAVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TESTS. I'VE LOST OVER A MONTH AND A HALF OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. SO I SAY ALL THIS TO TELL YOU I LOVE MY JOB.

I LOVE BEING IN A CLASSROOM. I LOVE MY CHILDREN AND MY COMMUNITY, AND I'M GOING TO DIE ON THE SWORD FOR IT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOD PUT ME HERE TO DO. BUT GUESS WHAT? TOMORROW I'M STILL GOING TO GO TEACH. ALL RIGHT, MISS SHANNON READ. GOOD EVENING. MOST PRESSING ISSUES IN PCB, INCLUDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND TEACHER RETENTION, ARE RELATED TO SAFETY AND SECURITY. SAFETY AND SECURITY CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH TRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE. TRUST IS REVEALED IN HOW PEOPLE DISCERN THE TRUTH, TELL THE TRUTH, AND FACE THE TRUTH.

[01:10:01]

WHEN I STEPPED INTO THE HALLWAY TO SEE WHO HIT ME WITH AN APPLE THAT RICOCHETED OFF ME LIKE A TENNIS BALL. THE YOUNG MAN WHO WATCHED HIS PEER ASSAULT, A GROWN WOMAN, STATED IT WAS TWO GIRLS. DOESN'T DOES HE NEED A CAMERA OR DOES HE NEED INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT DRIVEN BY MEANINGFUL PERSONAL INTERACTIONS? THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS THINKING IS ALSO REVEALED IN THE VICIOUS ATTACK ON A 14 YEAR OLD STUDENT AT POTOMAC. WEEKS AFTER THE ATTACK, THE STUDENT'S MOTHER WEPT AT A TOWN HALL WHERE FOUR HUGE CAMERAS HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO OSTENSIBLY TELL A STORY. THE ATTACK, CAPTURED ON CELL PHONE BY OTHER STUDENTS, REFLECTS STUDENTS APPETITE TO CONSUME REAL VIOLENCE AS ENTERTAINMENT, ACCEPTING ROLES AS CONSUMERS INSTEAD OF FORGING ROLES AS LEADERS. WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE SOUL WHEN THE INJURED ARE LEFT TO FIGHT INJUSTICE ALONE? THE BURDEN OF THE INJURED WAS EVIDENT IN HER MOTHER'S PLEA AND POSITION REVEALED AT THE TOWN HALL. DEVASTATED AND ALONE, HER MOTHER CAME TO THE TOWN HALL TO PURSUE JUSTICE FOR HER DAUGHTER.

SURROUNDED BY LEADERS, ONLY MISS PHYLLIS COMFORTED. THE LADY DOES. PGC DOES LEADERSHIP THAT LEAVES PROBLEMS AND PEOPLE UNTOUCHED, REVEAL SOMETHING ABOUT THE SYSTEM AND THINKING IN SYSTEMS. THE AUTHOR ASSERTS THAT HEALTHY SYSTEMS REMAIN SO WHEN THE PURPOSE IS REMAIN INTACT, AND FURTHER EXPLAINS THAT CHANGING THIS, EVEN WHEN OTHER PARTS REMAIN THE SAME, DRASTICALLY CHANGES THE SYSTEM. UNLIKE CHANGING THE ELEMENTS WHICH CREATE THE LEAST EFFECT ON THE SYSTEM. THUS, CHANGING THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS NOT CHANGED THE SYSTEM. CHANGING THE LEADERS HAS NOT CHANGED THE SYSTEM. CHANGING THE CURRICULUM ALONE WILL NOT CHANGE THIS SYSTEM AND THINKING IN SYSTEMS. THE AUTHOR CLAIMS THAT THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON INTERCONNECTIONS. SINCE CHANGING THE INTERCONNECTION INTERCONNECTIONS DESTROYS THE IDENTITY OF THE SYSTEM. HIS APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP HAS ABSOLUTELY CHANGED THE INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN AND AMONG INDIVIDUALS. MOST STUDENTS COME TO CLASS WITH EXPENSIVE EARBUDS OR HEADPHONES, CELL PHONES AND DEVICES, BUT NO PENS, PENCILS, NOTES, NOTEBOOKS, NOR ENERGY FOR LEARNING, AND FEW STUDENTS IN EACH CLASS ACTUALLY HAVE GRADE LEVEL SKILLS. TEACHERS ARE FIGHTING THESE BATTLES ALONE. IN TRUTH, STUDENTS SIMPLY DO NOT READ ENOUGH, AND THE TEACHING AND THE READING INTERVENTIONS UNDERMINE GROWTH. DREAMBOX SELLS DREAMS AND ACHIEVE 3000 PRODUCES UNDERACHIEVEMENT. STUDENTS NEED READING SPECIALISTS, NOT ADMINISTRATORS AND THEORIES. BUT TEACHERS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY ADMINISTRATORS, OVERREACH AND REPLACED WITH SOFTWARE PROGRAMS LIKE GENTRIFICATION. THIS PROCESS, THIS APPROACH DISPLACES AND REPLACES. INSTEAD OF CONNECTING AND RESTORING SAFETY AND SECURITY, REQUIRE JUSTICE, WHICH SOMEONE DESCRIBED AS DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE, IN THE RIGHT PROPORTION, AT THE RIGHT TIME. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO ASK TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, WHY ARE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS SO COMPROMISED WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH ADMINISTRATION? THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO ANSWER OR ALL THE PARTS ACTUALLY WORKING TOGETHER? IF SO, WHY ARE STUDENTS ABSENCE AND TEACHERS LEAVING? MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOW IS THE TIME TO ASK WHY SO MANY STUDENTS ARE DYING. LOVE PROTECTS AND RESTORES. DOES LOVE EVER REMAIN SILENT OR DISTANT WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEING DESTROYED? AND YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO CHANGE THIS? PG PD CAN CHANGE THIS, BUT IT MUST CHANGE TO DO SO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.

THANK YOU. WE'VE RECEIVED 41 WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN UPLOADED ON BOARD DOCS FOR VIEWING. WRITTEN COMMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPLOADED ON BOARD DOCS AS THEY ARE RECEIVED. THERE WERE NO PRERECORDED VIDEOS. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COMMENTS TONIGHT.

[12. Report of the Superintendent]

AS SHE GETS THE PRESENTATION STARTED. THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A TRANSPORTATION UPDATE AS WELL FROM OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. RIGHT. MIA, CAN YOU PUT FIVE MINUTES AND THEN GIVE THEM ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES FOR THE SECOND PRESENTATION? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. AT THE MARCH 27TH BOARD MEETING, A REQUEST WAS MADE OF SUPERINTENDENT TO COLLABORATE WITH CHARTER NETWORK LEADERS TO COLLECT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO DETERMINE PER PUPIL ALLOCATIONS, PROVIDE GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE CHARTER AGREEMENT, AUTHORIZATION AND RENEWAL PROCESS AND FUNDING, AND THEN COME BACK AND RETURN TO PRESENT THAT PLAN TO THE BOARD AT TODAY'S MEETING. SINCE THEN, THE CHARTER OFFICE HAS HAD SMALL GROUP MEETINGS WITH BOARD MEMBERS TO DISCUSS AUTHORIZATION TO DISCUSS THE AUTHORIZATION AND RENEWAL PROCESS, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF CHARTER SCHOOLS, INCLUDING ACADEMIC AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL MONITORING AND OVERALL GOVERNANCE. IN THE BRIEF TIME WE HAVE TODAY, WE WILL TOUCH UPON

[01:15:04]

TRANSPORTATION REVENUE ALLOCATION THAT WAS PART OF THE LEGACY FUNDING FORMULA. SO WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING FORMULA, THE TRADITIONAL TRANSPORTATION, THAT TOTAL REVENUE WAS OFFSET BY THE LEGACY 2% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE THAT WAS WITHHELD DURING THAT TIME. ONCE WE WENT THROUGH THAT CALCULATION AND COMPARED IT TO THE PRIOR YEARS PER PUPIL ALLOCATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, 70% OF OUR CHARTERS WERE RECEIVING LESS FUNDING IN 2025 THAN THEY WOULD HAVE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SO THE DISTRICT PROVIDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING SUBSIDY, ALSO KNOWN AS A KNOWN AS A HOLD HARMLESS, OF AROUND $6 MILLION, TO KEEP THE PER PUPIL LEVELS CONSISTENT FOR THOSE 70 FOR THOSE SEVEN SCHOOLS. AT THAT TIME, WE COMMUNICATED WITH THE CHARTERS THAT THAT HOLD HARMLESS WAS GOING TO BE A ONE TIME SUPPORT TO HELP THEM DURING THE TRANSITION FROM THE LEGACY FORMULA TO THE NEW FUNDING FORMULA, AND WE PROVIDED THEM WITH THE FUNDING PER PUPIL AMOUNTS FOR THE REMAINING FISCAL YEARS FOR 26 THROUGH 29, SO THEY COULD BEGIN DOING PROJECTING REVENUE PROJECTIONS OF WHAT THE FUNDING WOULD LOOK LIKE ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS. WE ALSO INFORMED THEM AT THAT TIME THAT WE WOULD BE REEVALUATING THE LEGACY ADMINISTRATIVE FEE STRUCTURE, WHICH HAS BEEN SET AT 2% AS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED. BUT THAT FEE WOULD BE GOING UP BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 2026. WE ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE RETIREMENT COSTS FOR TEACHERS THAT HAD BEEN ABSORBED BY THE DISTRICT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO THE CHARTERS, AS IT IS FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND WOULD BE COMING OUT OF THEIR THEIR ALLOCATION AMOUNT. FINALLY, WE COMMITTED TO GOING THROUGH AND HAVING A CLOSER LOOK AT ALL OF OUR CENTRALIZED SERVICES, CLEARLY DEFINING AND DOCUMENTING WHAT THOSE ARE. HAVING THAT FORMALIZED BETWEEN THOSE THAT ARE MANDATORY AND OPTIONAL, AND THEN COMING BACK TO THE PROCESS AS WE PREPARED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. SO WE FINALIZED THE YEAR WITH THE INFORMATION AND BEGAN FISCAL YEAR 2025. IN AUGUST OF 2024, MSD ESTABLISHED A CHARTER WORK GROUP, WHICH CONSISTED OF CHARTER OPERATORS AS WELL AS LEAS TO COLLABORATE AND COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THE FUNDING MODEL ALLOCATION ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS. NOW THAT YOU HAVE THIS BLENDING OF THE COMMENSURATE FUNDING, WHICH WAS THE LEGACY FRAMEWORK AS WELL AS THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING METHODOLOGY, WE MET TWICE, ONCE IN SEPTEMBER, ONCE IN OCTOBER, TOOK A BREAK FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, A SHORT MONTH, AND WE HAD PLANS TO COME BACK IN DECEMBER. HOWEVER, ON DECEMBER 3RD, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ISSUED AN OPINION REGARDING BLUEPRINT FUNDING AND COMMENSURATE FUNDING OUT OF THAT RULING THAT CAME IN EARLY DECEMBER. THERE WERE THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS. THE FIRST ONE WAS AROUND THE LEGACY 2% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, WHICH WAS BEING REJECTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. INSTEAD, THEY WANTED THE CHARTER OPERATORS AND THE LEAS TO WORK TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY IN GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS AROUND THOSE SERVICES THAT WOULD BE NEGOTIATED AND WOULD BE OPTIONAL FOR THE CHARTERS TO EITHER PARTICIPATE IN OR NOT PARTICIPATE IN, IN ADDITION TO THOSE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL. AND THEN THEY ALSO OUTLINED WHAT'S RECOGNIZED AS A SPED OVERAGE, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR SPED REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, COMPARED TO THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING PROVIDING SUPPORTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT DEFICIT OR. IT'S HARD TO GET THROUGH ALL THIS IN FIVE MINUTES, BUT SHOULD I CONTINUE, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO PAUSE RIGHT HERE? CAN YOU CAN YOU WRAP IT UP IN A MINUTE? YEAH. JUST GIVE ME ONE MORE MINUTE. SO BASICALLY THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REVENUE AND THE EXPENSES IS AROUND $178 MILLION FOR THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE, NOT INCLUDING SPED TRANSPORTATION AND NOT INCLUDING NONPUBLIC. THE CHARTER SHARE OF THAT IS THERE'S REVENUE ASSIGNED TO THAT. AND IT'S RECOGNIZED IN THE STATE BOARD RULING THAT REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH COVERING THE SPED OVERAGE IS NOT ALLOCATED TO ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CHARTERS. SO WHEN YOU

[01:20:03]

THAT DIFFERENCE IS NOT BEING ALLOCATED TO THE CHARTERS THAT'S BEING ABSORBED BY THE DISTRICT.

SO AS WE WRAPPED UP THIS PROCESS, WE DID GO THROUGH AND MEET WITH ALL THE CHARTERS AT THE END OF MARCH INTO APRIL, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THE CENTRALIZED SERVICES PROCESS. THE CHARTER GROUP WILL BE RECONVENING IN MAY OF 2025, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH COMING UP WITH FUNDING, METHODOLOGY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. CHIEF. HOW? OKAY. I WANTED TO OPEN UP THE FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. WHERE'S MY LITTLE CHART WITH THE NAMES? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I DON'T KNOW, IT'S NOT WORKING. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER BROWN. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR.

JACKSON, SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE AND CHIEF HOWELL I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I DO HAVE TWO AWESOME CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT, AS WELL AS FRIENDSHIP. I THINK THE BIGGEST QUESTION THAT A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS HAD IS THEY KIND OF WANT TO KNOW, NUMBER ONE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET AND THE AND THE FUNDING THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS GET, AS, AS FAR AS IT LOOKS LIKE PER PUPIL, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET MORE OR CHARTER SCHOOLS GET LESS. CAN WE GET SOME CLARITY AROUND THAT, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THE BLUEPRINT OUTLINES A PER PUPIL AMOUNT FOR FOUNDATION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY FUNDING STREAMS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT. THAT IS THE SAME AMOUNT FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT'S RECEIVED FOR THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT THE MOST, INCLUDE SPECIAL EDUCATION, MULTILINGUAL AND COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. DEPENDING ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SCHOOL, THE FUNDING THAT EACH SCHOOL MAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT ON A PER PUPIL BASIS.

FOR THOSE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A HIGHER STUDENT COUNT, OF THOSE THAT ARE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION OR ML, THEIR FUNDING WILL BE HIGHER THAN A SCHOOL THAT DOES NOT HAVE THAT DEMOGRAPHIC NEED.

SAME THING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AND SO IT WILL VARY BY SCHOOL. AND THAT'S THE INTENTION OF BLUEPRINT THE RESOURCES FOLLOWING THE STUDENTS THAT NEED THOSE SUPPORTS THE MOST. SO ON A PER PUPIL BASIS IT DOES LOOK DIFFERENT. BUT THE PER PUPIL AMOUNTS APPLIED TO EACH STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC IS THE SAME FOR EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE STATE OH, I'M SORRY, AM I IS IT STILL MY TIME CHAIR JACKSON I APOLOGIZE. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY DO ANOTHER ROUND OR.

BOARD MEMBERS. THIS BOARD IS NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW. SO IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION, WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO OLD SCHOOL AND JUST RAISE YOUR HAND BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY. I KNOW THAT OUR BOARD MEMBER, GOINS MCCANTS, HAD A QUESTION. I DID CHAIR, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS FIRST, IF YOU DON'T MIND. OKAY. OKAY. COOL. DOES ANYBODY ELSE. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER AMY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE CHARTER WORK GROUP WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT KIND OF WHO THE DECISION MAKER IS? IS THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER ON THESE ITEMS? SO WHEN THE RULING CAME OUT IN DECEMBER, IT REALLY FOCUSED ON A VERY SORT OF LIMITED SCOPE AROUND THE FORMULA. AT THIS POINT, AS I MENTIONED, THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AND SPED OVERAGE. OUTSIDE OF THAT, WHEN IT COMES TO HOW THE FUNDING FORMULAS ARE DETERMINED FOR EACH DISTRICT WITHIN THE STATE, IT DOES VARY FROM LEA TO LEA DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS. AND SO AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY EVEN UNDER THE OLD LEGACY FUNDING FORMULA AS WELL WHERE THERE WERE INCONSISTENCIES. SO REALLY THE GOAL IS AROUND HAVING SOME MORE TO HAVE FINALIZED OR FORMALIZED RULES AND REGULATIONS AROUND WHAT THAT FUNDING FORMULA LOOKS LIKE. AND SO THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY. SO IT REALLY IS AROUND PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. AND THEN FROM THERE, I SUSPECT BETWEEN THE STATE BOARD AND THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, FINAL DECISIONS WILL BE MADE AROUND WHAT THAT PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS. THANK YOU. SCHOOL HAVE NO MORE HANDS. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR

[01:25:05]

AND OBVIOUSLY NUMBERS AND FINANCE IS IMPORTANT. I CHAIR OUR OPERATIONS AND BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY AND TO MY CONSTITUENTS. BUT THIS IS NOT ALL WE ASK FOR. AND I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. I DON'T WANT TO STOP OR, YOU KNOW, MESS UP THE PROCEEDINGS. BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS IS NOT WHAT WE ASKED FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR JACKSON, I FIRST WANT TO JUST REITERATE MY COLLEAGUE GOINS MCCANTS SENTIMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING A SUBSTANTIVE, YOU KNOW, PROCESS. AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN OBVIOUSLY ON YOU, CHIEF, BUT I THINK THIS IS REALLY ON THE TEAM AS A WHOLE. BUT I ALSO HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT I TALKED TO A FEW CHARTER LEADERS, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THIS PIECE AROUND THE 2%. THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY AROUND WHETHER THERE WAS COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE 2% OR THE 7%. AND SO WHAT I HEARD IS THAT THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO COVER 7%. I KNOW THIS ISN'T PART OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I WANT TO START THERE AND JUST SEE IF THAT. HAS THAT BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH CHARTERS? ARE THEY FOR SURE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY 7% ON AVERAGE, THE PERCENTAGE FOR 26 IS AROUND 6%. AND WHAT WE SHARE WITH THEM IS THAT WHEN WE REVIEW THE CALCULATION FOR EACH OF THEM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, WE LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL OBVIOUSLY WORKING THROUGH OUR BUDGETING PROCESS, AND THAT NUMBER MAY LIKELY COME DOWN. IT'S NOT GOING TO GO UP GREATER THAN THAT 6% AMOUNT THAT WE PROVIDED THEM, PROVIDED WITH THEM. WE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH. AS I STATED EARLIER, THE REST OF OUR REVIEW OF CENTRALIZED SERVICES INTERNALLY AS A DISTRICT, AND THEN WE ARE SITTING DOWN WITH THE CHARTERS TO GO THROUGH THAT GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS OF OUR CENTRALIZED SERVICES BEFORE THE BUDGET IS FINALIZED, WHICH WILL THEN IMPACT ULTIMATELY THAT PERCENTAGE THAT WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THEIR ALLOCATION. BUT IT'S NOT 7%. IT IS ON AVERAGE, IT'S 6%. AND IT'S LIKELY TO CHANGE THAT. THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN LIKE A CONFIRMATION THAT IT COULD GO LOWER, I THINK IS WHAT YOU SAID, BECAUSE OUR BUDGET IS NOT FINALIZED YET. SO YES. OKAY. AND IS THAT GOING TO BE A PART OF THE DISCUSSION WITH THE CHARTER, THE, THE CONVENING GROUP, THE WORKING GROUP THAT'S CONVENING IN MAY. SO IT'S TWO DIFFERENT PROCESSES. SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR 26 PROCESS. AND PART OF THE RULING THAT CAME OUT FROM THE STATE BOARD WAS TO SERVE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. THE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FROM THAT STATE RULING AROUND THAT PROCESS. AND SO THAT IS REALLY SERVED AS OUR BASIS FOR OUR BUDGET FOR 2026, AS WE'RE FINALIZING 2026, PART OF THAT PROCESS WILL REVOLVE AROUND THE GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS OF THE CENTRAL SERVICES, BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO A KEY COMPONENT OF THAT RULING THAT CAME OUT. THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT MY QUESTION IN BEFORE THE TIME IS UP, AND YOU CAN FINISH ANSWERING THAT PART HOPEFULLY. BUT I DID WANT TO JUST SAY ALSO THAT WHAT I WAS HEARING IS THAT THERE IS A REDUNDANCY OF COST SO THAT CHARTERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE PIECES AROUND HAVING SOMEONE TO HIRE THEIR STAFF, HAVING SOMEONE TO COVER THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, THINGS THAT THEY, I THINK APPARENTLY ARE ALSO PAYING FOR OR BEING BUDGETED FOR OUT OF THEIR OWN BUDGETS THAT PGC IS CHARGING THEM FOR. SO LIKE HR, THEY'RE COVERING SOME OF THOSE COSTS. CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY? I DIDN'T GET TO GET THE SPECIFICS, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING LIKE A REALLY CLEAR QUESTION, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS ARE THEY PAYING FOR ADDITIONAL COSTS IN ADDITION TO BEING LOSING FUNDING? SURE. SO LET ME JUST FINISH UP THE LAST PIECE AROUND THE COLLABORATIVE PIECE THAT IS REALLY LOOKING TOWARDS THE CHANGE IN THE OR REFINING THE FUNDING CALCULATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. SO THAT COLLABORATIVE GROUP IS NOT GOING TO IMPACT 2026. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AROUND THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, IT IS AROUND THOSE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL BUILDINGS. SO PAYING THEIR PAYROLL, THEIR BENEFITS, RETIREMENT SERVICES, RISK MANAGEMENT, WORKER'S COMPENSATION SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, HIRING AND STAFFING, THOSE TYPES OF

[01:30:02]

I'LL START WITH THE LAST ONE FIRST AROUND THE SPED OVERAGE. THAT IS CLEARLY DEFINED IN THE RULING THAT CAME FROM THE STATE BOARD. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THERE'S NOT LEGISLATION WITH REGARDS TO THIS CALCULATION. THE FUNDING CALCULATION FOR CHARTERS, IT'S ALL BEEN ABOUT RULINGS FROM STATE BOARDS COMING FROM CASES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S THIS PUSH TO HAVING SOME SORT OF FORMALIZED RULES AND REGULATIONS. SO AS IT RELATES TO THE ADMIN FEE. THANK YOU. CAN YOU FINISH UP YOUR STATEMENT AND THEN WE CAN MOVE THE SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION TO THE NEXT ROUND. ALL RIGHT. SO AS IT RELATES TO THE ADMIN FEE AND RELATES AS IT RELATES TO THE SPED OVERAGE, THAT'S NOT IN LEGISLATION, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT THESE RULINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. SO THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING TO HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AROUND HOW DO WE INTERPRET AND DEFINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THE SPED OVER JUST REALLY TIED TO SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR. IT'S A MATH CALCULATION. LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET, OUR COST FOR SPED AND THE REVENUE THAT WE GET. SO THAT'S A PRETTY CLEARLY DEFINED WAY TO CAPTURE THAT. ALL OF THE LEAS ARE LOOKING AT THEIR ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE TO CHARTERS AND IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE ARE, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE OPTIONAL SERVICES AND LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE ARE. AND SO THERE IS DIFFERENCES IN HOW EACH AREA IS APPROACHING THAT ASPECT OF IT, BECAUSE EACH DISTRICT'S BUDGET IS DIFFERENT. SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE GRAY IN TERMS OF LOOKING FOR MAYBE CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE STATE, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S LOOKING AT YOUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE, LIKE PROCESSING PAYROLL VERSUS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OR DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IT JUST REALLY DOES VARY FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT. BUT THERE ARE SOME GENERAL CONSISTENCIES IN HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF DISCRETIONARY VERSUS REQUIRED SERVICES. THANK YOU. CHIEF, HOW MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SHOW OF HANDS, BECAUSE THIS IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. SO OKAY. BROWN TWO. ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL START WITH DOCTOR DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING. OKAY. ROUND TWO. BOARD MEMBER BROWN. THANK YOU. CHAIR JACKSON JUST IN GOING

[01:35:06]

SURE. AND HOW IS THIS FORMULA DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST FORMULA? IS THERE A BIG DIFFERENCE? WELL, THE FUNDING FORMULA IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S TIED TO HOW THE DISTRICT RECEIVES ITS FUNDING, WHICH IS TIED TO STUDENTS. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S I THINK WHERE IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM HOW IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST HISTORICALLY, BECAUSE WE USED TO LOOK AT OUR OVERALL BUDGET. AND THEN SORT OF THERE WERE CERTAIN EXCLUSION ITEMS YOU COULD DEDUCT FROM YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN THAT REMAINING AMOUNT WAS USED TO DETERMINE A PER PUPIL AMOUNT ALLOCATION FOR THE CHARTERS. NOW BLUEPRINT. IT'S BAKED INTO THE FUNDING FORMULA FOR BLUEPRINT IN TERMS OF HOW THAT FUNDING IS GENERATED FOR EACH SCHOOL. SO EVEN FROM ONE CHARTER TO THE NEXT, THAT PER PUPIL AMOUNT IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FOR OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS VERSUS THE CHARTERS, THE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FOUNDATION FUNDING AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR SCHOOLS, THAT MAKES UP ABOUT 50% OF THE REVENUE. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ML AND COMPARE, THAT'S ANOTHER 42%. IT'S A DECENT AMOUNT FOR THE CHARTER. SO I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION JUST TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE HOLD ON.

BOARD MEMBER BROWN, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR BRIGGS. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND CHIEF HOWE, FIRST, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ANSWERING ALL THE QUESTIONS. AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE KIND OF IN THE HOT SEAT RIGHT NOW, SO I EMPATHIZE, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST SAY THAT ANOTHER PIECE THAT I'M HEARING FROM SOME OF OUR CHARTER LEADERS IS THAT THERE'S A BUDGET THAT'S SHARED, BUT IT'S NOT AN ITEMIZED BUDGET. SO THEY'RE ONLY SEEING THEY'RE NOT SEEING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIZED FUNDING STREAMS THAT EXIST FOR A TYPICAL SCHOOL.

THEY'RE ONLY SEEING WHAT THEY'RE GETTING. AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, LIKE, ARE THEY GETTING KIND OF A MODIFIED BUDGET, OR ARE THEY GETTING THE FULL LIST SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEY AREN'T GETTING VERSUS WHAT ANOTHER SCHOOL IS GETTING? I'M NOT SURE I'M I'M FOLLOWING WHAT THEY'RE SEEING VERSUS NOT SEEING. YEAH. AND THIS IS A THIS IS A LACK OF MY LIKE FULLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT I WAS ASKING THE CHARTER LEADER. BUT ESSENTIALLY SO WHAT WE PROVIDED TO THE CHARTER OPERATORS IS WHAT WE PROVIDED. AND THE PRINCIPALS FOR THE CHARTERS IS WHAT WE PROVIDED TO EACH OF OUR PRINCIPALS, WHICH WAS THIS IS THE FUNDING THAT WAS GENERATED BY YOUR SCHOOL. THESE ARE THE DIRECT RESOURCES COMING OUT OF THAT. WELL, FOR SCHOOL, A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL BUDGET, IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE DISTRICT MANAGES A LOT ON THEIR BEHALF. AND THEN THEY HAD THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR USING TO BUILD OUT AND DEVELOP THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS. SO WHAT OUR OPERATORS RECEIVE AND THE PRINCIPALS RECEIVED FOR THOSE OPERATORS IS THE SAME THING THAT OUR PRINCIPALS FOR OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS RECEIVED AS WELL. AND WE DID OUTLINE FOR THEM VERY SPECIFICALLY. THIS IS YOUR STUDENT COUNT. THIS IS THE PER PUPIL AMOUNT. SO THEY COULD SEE HOW IT WAS CALCULATED. AND THEN FROM THERE THEY HAVE THE DETAILS OF, OF THE POSITIONS THAT THEY HAVE CURRENTLY. AND THEN WHAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO BUILD THEIR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR FROM THE DOLLARS THAT THEY ACTUALLY RECEIVE. SO ESSENTIALLY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHAT A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL. BUT WHATEVER TRADITIONAL SCHOOL GETS IS THE SAME THING A CHARTER SCHOOL GETS. THERE ARE NO MISSING ITEMS ON THAT. THAT IS CORRECT. IT'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUPPORTS. BUT YES. OKAY. AND THEN I GUESS THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST LIKE HOW MUCH, HOW, HOW OFTEN AND TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU ENGAGE CHARTERS IN ANY OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS? AND TO WHAT EXTENT IS INNOVATION? SO LIKE I LIKED THE DISCUSSION THAT I WAS HAVING WITH THE CHARTER LEADER AROUND REDUNDANCIES AND CHARGES, AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THAT HAPPEN NATURALLY IN ANY TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR CHARTER NETWORKS? DO YOU HAVE AN ANNUAL

[01:40:03]

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SIOBHAN SMITH AND I AM JOINED BY ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT COLEMAN AND CHARTER SCHOOL LIAISON JUBILEE RANSOM. IS IT? GET CLOSER. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GO TO SLIDE 52 IN THE PRESENTATION. IF WE CANNOT, I WILL JUST DO A VOICEOVER FOR THE WAYS THAT THE CHARTER OFFICE COLLABORATES AND COMMUNICATES WITH OUR CHARTER OPERATORS.

OKAY. IT IS SLIDE. EXCUSE ME 51. MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT, BUT I'LL DO A VOICE VOICEOVER FOR HOW WE PROVIDE SUPPORT. SO BEGINNING IN OCTOBER OF 2024, THERE HAS BEEN CONSISTENT TWO WAY COMMUNICATION WITH OR BETWEEN THE CHARTER SCHOOL OFFICE OPERATORS, PRINCIPALS AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF. AND THEY'VE COME IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS. OPERATORS. WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN QUARTERLY SITE VISITS. THERE IS A MONTHLY OPERATOR MEETING WITH THE CHARTER OFFICE. ADDITIONALLY, DURING THESE MONTHLY MEETINGS, THE OPERATORS HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE, OUR CFO, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM PUPIL ACCOUNTING. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THERE IS A STANDING MEETING WITH THE CHARTER ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSONS, AND THOSE CHAIRPERSONS ARE THE TWO CHARTER OPERATORS WHO ARE SELECTED TO REPRESENT PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY AT THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION. EXCUSE ME, ALLIANCE OF PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS, AS IT RELATES TO OUR PRINCIPALS. THE INFORMATION IS HERE WITH QUARTERLY AND INFORMAL MEETINGS, ONGOING SCHOOL VISITS, AND ALSO DO THROUGH MONTHLY AREA AND CLUSTER MEETINGS. THE INFORMATION THAT THE CHARTER OFFICE SHARES WITH OUR SENIOR CABINET OR CHIEFS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IS BY WAY OF BI MONTHLY BRIEFS OR UPDATES, AND ALSO BI MONTHLY ONE ON ONE UPDATES WITH ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT COLEMAN AND ALSO WITH CHIEF DAVIS. TO ADD TO THIS, THAT'S NOT HERE ON THE SLIDE. WE ALSO THIS QUARTER PILOTED AN INITIATIVE WHERE EACH CHARTER OPERATOR, PRINCIPAL, THE CFO AND MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE TEAM, WE WALKED THROUGH EVERY ASPECT OF THE BUDGET, THE FUNDING STREAM, AND ALSO IN THAT MEETING ASKED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY OF WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WE MISSING? RIGHT? WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW? SO THAT WAS AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS PILOTED FOR Q4 QUARTER FOR RECONCILIATIONS AND ALSO LOOKING AHEAD AT SCHOOL YEAR 26. TEACHER COMMENTS. THANK YOU. MOVING FORWARD, DOCTOR. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, CHIEF POWELL. SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ADMIN FEE AS WELL AS A HOST OF OTHER THINGS. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT TO CPS, TO PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IF WE WERE TO ACTUALLY MAINTAIN THE ADMIN FEE? AND IT'S A ZERO SUM GAME, AND SO ANY IMPACT WOULD REQUIRE CUTS FROM OTHER PLACES, FROM OTHER SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT PULLING BACK THAT FEE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THAT. AND SO I DON'T HAVE THE AMOUNT QUANTIFIED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME IN THIS MOMENT. BUT I BELIEVE THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO IMPACT OUR OVERALL BUDGETING RESOURCES THAT WE SET ASIDE FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT REQUIRES DETERMINING WHERE THAT FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM. IF I MAY. SO I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL NUMBER, BUT HAVE YOU ACTUALLY THOUGHT THROUGH OTHER ALTERNATIVES? AND COULD YOU SPEAK TO WHAT SOME OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES WERE? WE WOULD HAVE TO EVALUATE WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IF WE WERE TO MAKE THAT TYPE OF ADJUSTMENT. WHEN WE WENT THROUGH

[01:45:04]

[01:50:02]

PERFECT TIMING. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS THAT EVERYBODY SECOND ROUND OKAY.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS RESPECTFULLY ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT, COULD WE POSTPONE THE TRANSPORTATION UPDATE AND DO A THIRD ROUND FOR THIS CHARTER SCHOOL? BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE SENSITIVE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS CAME OUT TODAY AND THEY WANT ANSWERS. AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WANTS TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THAT. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ASK THE QUESTIONS ON YOUR BEHALF AND ADVOCATE FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO WE JUST WANT TO RESPECTFULLY ASK, CAN WE POSTPONE THAT TRANSPORTATION UPDATE? YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THE TRANSPORTATION UPDATE TO OUR NEXT MEETING. IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE'LL POSTPONE. THE MOTION IS APPROVED. THANK YOU.

SO ROUND THREE. SO IT'S ROUND THREE. I THINK WE HAD YOU, JONATHAN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HANDS FOR ROUND THREE? OKAY. I HAVE BOARD MEMBER AMY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE KIND OF BEING HIT, IF YOU WILL, THIS YEAR WITH TWO SEPARATE THINGS. SO THERE'S THE POTENTIAL OF A PRETTY DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. BUT THEN ALSO, AM I CORRECT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY AND ALL OF US ARE SEEING THE REAL CHANGES TO THE PER PUPIL FUNDING BASED ON THE BLUEPRINT? AND IF I'M RIGHT ABOUT THAT, WHEN AND I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR SCHOOL. BUT WE DID HEAR FROM FROM ONE SCHOOL THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT A FUNDING CUT OF POTENTIALLY $500,000. IS THAT A MIX OF THE OF A CHANGE BECAUSE OF THEIR PER PUPIL FUNDING AND THE POTENTIAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, OR IS IT JUST ONE OF THOSE TWO THINGS? EACH CHARTER SCHOOLS CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR IS DIFFERENT. SO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH AND WE REVIEWED THE YEAR OVER YEAR CHANGE FOR EACH CHARTER WITH THE OPERATOR, NOT ONLY DID WE TALK ABOUT THE HOLD HARMLESS THAT SOME OF THEM RECEIVED, THAT WOULD NOT BE CONTINUING. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF SOME OF THEIR STUDENTS FOR 26, FUNDING IS DIFFERENT THAN THE FUNDING FOR 25, AND THAT IS PART OF THE BLUEPRINT. IT CHANGES FOR OUR OWN SCHOOLS AS WELL. YOU CAN HAVE SHIFTS FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. AND SO IT'S IT CAN BE A DIFFERENT ANSWER DEPENDING ON THE CHARTER SCHOOL. SO THAT CAN BE A PART OF IT COULD BE THE HOLD HARMLESS. IT COULD BE A CHANGE IN THE STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS. MOST OF THEM HAVE SOME COMPENSATORY EDUCATION FUNDING. NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE AS MUCH MALE FUNDING. SO THE MAJORITY OF IT IS REALLY FOUNDATION AND COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. BUT THAT CAN GO UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON YOUR MIX OF STUDENTS. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THEY ALSO HAVE THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AS WELL. BOARD MEMBER BROWN. YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR. JACKSON.

[01:55:01]

[02:00:05]

JUST, JUST THAT JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT WE ARE. THE OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO THE COLLABORATION ACROSS THE OFFICES IN SUPPORT OF NEXT STEPS. AND I KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BUT WE DID INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THE APPENDIX. AND JUST TO REMIND, I KNOW WE DID HAVE A CHANCE TO SHARE DURING A WORK SESSION TWO FRIDAYS AGO AND SMALL GROUPS, BUT THERE'S MUCH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE ARE ENGAGED IN IN THE APPENDIX. THANK YOU. DOCTOR ANDOVER. THANK YOU. YES, I JUST WANTED TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP. I THINK THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS HERE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT A COLLABORATIVE MEETING ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE. WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IS THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED INSTEAD, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS WILL BE IN THE FORMAT OF THIS WORKING GROUP. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING? YES. SO WE'RE WE'RE IT'S TWO DIFFERENT WORK STREAMS, IF YOU WILL. SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH OUR OWN PROCESS FOR PGC CHARTERS AND FINALIZING THEIR BUDGET FOR 2026 AND WORKING THROUGH THE DEFINING OF PGC CENTRAL SERVICES AND INCORPORATING THAT CONVERSATION AND DIALOG WITH OUR CHARTERS HERE. THEN THERE'S THE STATE WORK GROUP, WHICH IS LOOKING TO HELP DEFINE AND STRUCTURE AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT AROUND THE FUNDING ALLOCATION FORMULA ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS. AND SO THAT IS BEING LED BY THE STATE, BY MSD AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE WILL PARTICIPATE, HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. IT'S NOT EVERYONE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WORK GROUP. AND THE STRUCTURE OF THOSE MEETINGS AND THE CADENCE OF THOSE MEETINGS IS BEING LED BY MSD. AND I SUSPECT THAT THOSE MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE INTO FISCAL YEAR 2026. IN PREPARATION FOR THE 27 BUDGET CYCLE. OKAY. AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT. FROM WHAT I'M GATHERING, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I HAVE A I HAVE A NUMBER OF CHARTERS IN MY DISTRICT, IN DISTRICT ONE, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE. IT IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THERE IS STILL JUST I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MISCOMMUNICATION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR CHARTERS JUST DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS AS YOU'RE DESCRIBING, OR IF THERE'S JUST A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS, I KNOW, PART OF WHY WE CALLED FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR PRIOR. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S IF IT'S JUST BE MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT WHAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE WITHIN THESE MEETINGS. IF IT'S ABOUT SHARING MORE INFORMATION MORE PROACTIVELY. I KNOW YOU ALSO MENTIONED SOME FEDERAL CUTS TO FUNDING. WHATEVER IT IS, THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING THE BOTTOM LINE. IF WE CAN JUST BE MORE PROACTIVE IN SHARING THAT INFORMATION, THEN I THINK WE'LL HAVE A MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION AND TRUE COLLABORATION WITH OUR CHARTERS. THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK, AND I'LL CERTAINLY WANT TO CONNECT WITH THE CHARTER OFFICE. AND I THINK REALLY SORT OF

[02:05:03]

TWO GRANT. SO IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF RESOURCE. BUT THE I THINK THE MAIN TAKEAWAY IS THE FUNDING FLOWS SIMILAR FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND SOMETIMES IT APPLIES TO CERTAIN SCHOOLS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T FOR TRADITIONALS AND CHARTERS. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE PROGRAMING AT THAT SCHOOL. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS. I MEAN, WE COULD TALK ALL DAY ABOUT REVENUE, BUT THAT'S KIND OF A QUICK HIGH LEVEL. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO FUND BALANCE AS WELL, WHICH I ALWAYS WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE. FUND BALANCE IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE REVENUE SOURCE. IT'S LIKE YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT. YOU DIP INTO IT, YOU SPEND IT, IT'S GONE. AND SO OFTENTIMES THAT IS VIEWED AS A FUNDING SOURCE TO KIND OF DISTRIBUTE AROUND. BUT IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR ONGOING SUPPORTING SERVICES LIKE HIRING PERSONNEL AND ONGOING OPERATIONS. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER WALKER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AGAIN, THANKS

[02:10:06]

WE DON'T EVEN HAVE YET BACK OUR BUDGET FROM THE COUNCIL TO BEGIN OUR RECONCILIATION. SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND COLLEAGUES THAT AS WE GO THROUGH AND THE PUBLIC, THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE GIVE IS A DOLLAR WE TAKE. AND SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND THAT'S LISTENING IN WHEN WE GET THIS BUDGET BACK, HELP US TO RECONCILE, YOU KNOW, LOOK LINE BY LINE, BECAUSE EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE'RE GIVING SOMEWHERE, WE'RE TAKING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE'S PROGRAMS, THERE'S TEACHERS, THERE'S GRANTS THAT'S GOING TO BE GONE. THERE'S ALL OF THESE THINGS WE GOT OVER HERE FIGHTING FOR OUR TEACHERS. ABSOLUTELY. RIGHTLY SO. WE GOT CHARTERS FIGHTING OVER HERE. I GOT BANDS CALLING ME EVERY DAY, LIKE, EVERYBODY NEEDS FUNDING. AND SO I IMPLORE YOU TO STAY WITHIN THIS BUDGET PROCESS WITH US, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SEASONS THAT IS JUST NOT AN EASY TASK WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, BLUEPRINT FUNDING. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR GRANTS GOES TO THINGS LIKE OUR BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS OUR LITERACY PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE THESE ARE REAL GRANTS. THAT'S IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES FOR.

SO AGAIN, I IMPLORE EVERYBODY TO BE HERE WITH US INSIDE OF THIS PROCESS. THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING IS AFFECTING EVERYBODY, AND IT'S HITTING US SO HARD FROM OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS TO EVEN OUR SMALLER SCHOOLS AND ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PIECE. AND ALSO WE JUST HAVE TO WORK TO MAKE SMART, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT, HARD, SUPER HARD CHOICES. AND SO WE HEAR YOU AND I, ALL OF US, WE HEAR YOU AND WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOU AND FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE OUT HERE. BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE CHOICES. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE IN SUCH A CRISIS. THAT'S IT. THANKS. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBER WALKER. SUPERINTENDENT, DOES THAT CONCLUDE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT? IT DOES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO 13.0. AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO 13.0, I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL PARENTS AND ADVOCATES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, WE WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE WE PAUSED AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR YOU ALL THE BEST WAY WE CAN. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION AND WE'LL GET THE TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY THAT YOU ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. SO WE'LL KEEP WORKING TOWARDS

[13. Reports of the Committees]

SO GOOD EVENING. I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT THE DISABILITY ISSUES ADVISORY BOARD IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO FILL VACANCIES IN DISTRICT FIVE AND DISTRICT NINE. TO BE CONSIDERED, APPLICANTS MUST CURRENTLY RESIDE IN ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND DEMONSTRATE THE STRONG COMMITMENT FOR DISABILITY RELATED ISSUES. APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED FRIDAY, MAY 2ND BY 1159. FOR MORE DETAILS, APPLY ON THE PGC WEBSITE. SLASH OFFICES SLASH BOARD OF EDUCATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT THE BOARD OFFICE AT (301) 952-6115. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT POLICY AND GOVERNANCE. VICE CHAIR BRIGGS. OKAY. SO SINCE AUGUST 2020, FOR THE POLICY AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE HAS MET MONTHLY TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS POLICIES ENSURING THEY ALIGN WITH THE MISSION OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERY STUDENT. THE COMMITTEE CONCENTRATED ON POLICIES RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT REQUIRED REVISIONS RESULTING FROM POTENTIAL LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS, CITATION CORRECTIONS DECISIONS, AND CYCLE UPDATES. THE STATUS OF THE RECOMMENDED POLICIES IS AS FOLLOWS. FOLLOWS. DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POLICIES RECOMMENDED FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2425 WAS 52. THE NUMBER OF ENACTED POLICIES TO DATE IS 13. THE NUMBER OF RESCINDED POLICIES TO DATE IS 15. THE NUMBER OF POLICIES CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW IS 17, AND THE NUMBER OF POLICIES AWAITING REVIEW IS SEVEN. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BILLS REVIEWED REVIEWED INCLUDE 188 FOR PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR THE 2025 SESSION OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE POLICY AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING POSITION. NUMBER OF BILLS SUPPORTED WAS 28. THE NUMBER OF BILLS SUPPORTED WITH AMENDMENTS WAS TEN. THE NUMBER OF BILLS OPPOSED WAS 42, AND THE NUMBER OF BILLS WITH NO OPPOSITION WAS 180. THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE ITS

[02:15:02]

DEVELOPING CURRICULUM DOCUMENTS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS AND ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THAT CONCLUDES THE POLICY AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE READOUT. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

I WANT TO PAUSE FOR A SECOND. SUPERINTENDENT RECOGNIZED SUPERINTENDENT HOUSE. THANK YOU, CHAIR JACKSON. THERE WAS ONE OTHER ITEM ON THE CHARTER AGENDA. WE DID HAVE A NEW CHARTER THAT WAS PRESENTED, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION SHARED WITH THE BOARD. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN STILL ACCESS OUR POWERPOINT. IF SO, WE ARE ON SLIDE 16. AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT. I CAN DO A VOICEOVER WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT. SO THE CHARTER OFFICE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FOR CONSIDERATION TO OPEN A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL. IT'S THE ANTICIPATED NAME OF THE SCHOOL WOULD BE IMAGINED ROCK CREEK. AT FULL CAPACITY. THE SCHOOL WOULD SERVE GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIVE. THE PROPOSED LOCATION IS IN THE UPPER MARLBORO DISTRICT NINE AREA. THE OPERATOR IS AN EXISTING OPERATOR IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, CURRENTLY OPERATING FOR PRINCE GEORGE'S CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHEN WE IDENTIFIED THE OR LOOKED AT THE NEEDS, WE KNOW THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE SEATS, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS OPERATOR HAS HAD PROVEN SUCCESS IN EARLY ELEMENTARY GRADES. SO BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THEIR APPLICATION, A REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION AND A CAPACITY INTERVIEW, IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE, WE'RE GOING TO SKIP TO SLIDE TEN, I'M SORRY. SLIDE 18. POSSIBLE. YES, PLEASE. THE CHARTER OFFICE IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CHARTER BE APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS AND THE CONDITIONS BEING PENDING. THE RESULTS OF A FULL PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO ANALYZE THE FOLLOWING. THE ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMING THAT'S NEEDED AND THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN THE DISTRICT'S PORTFOLIO. THE VALUE ADD OF AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH ADDITIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SEATS IN UPPER MARLBORO AND DISTRICT NINE, AND WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FROM THE CHARTER OFFICE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE MONTHLY PROGRESS MONITORING AND TRACKING OF EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR SCHOOL OPENING AS MONITORED BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL OFFICE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE YOU ARE YOU GUYS ASKING US TO TAKE AN ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT? WAS WAS THAT THE REQUEST OR WAS THIS JUST MORE INFORMATIVE? MORE INFORMATIVE? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE CONSENT AGENDA. IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. YEAH. I REQUEST THAT IT BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO GENERAL ORDER.

ALL RIGHT. COOL. SO ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO IS MOVE THE WHAT WHAT ITEM NUMBER WAS IT? FIVE. OKAY. SO I GUESS YOU HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE 15.4. YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION. YEAH I'M MAKING THE MOTION THAT I BELIEVE IT'S MR. SWIFT. WHEN WE REQUEST FOR CONSENT AGENDA TO BE MOVED TO GENERAL ORDER, IT'S CALLED PULLED ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. YES. THAT'S IT. I MEAN, IT'S JUST A REQUEST TO BE PULLED. I DON'T RECALL THERE BEING VOTES FOR THAT TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT OR TO REPORT. OKAY. SHE SAID YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION. WE'LL JUST PULL IT. YEAH. OKAY. SO WE'LL MOVE THAT ITEM 15.4 TO. 15.5 TO 15.5 TO GENERAL. ALL RIGHT. LET ME MOVE BACK TO THE TOP. THAT MADE ME LOSE MY PLACE. ALL RIGHT. SO.

[15. Consent Agenda]

[02:20:07]

CONTINUED EDUCATION CONTRACT. THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF STATE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR, AND FINALLY APPROVAL OF THE BRANDYWINE AREA REORGANIZATION PLAN. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PULL ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION UNDER GENERAL ORDERS AND JUST REMIND? JUST A REMINDER, PULLING AN ITEM DOES NOT DENOTE A NO. IT INDICATES A DESIRE TO DISCUSS FURTHER. OKAY. AGENDA ITEM 15.5 WILL BE DISCUSSED UNDER GENERAL ORDERS. IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 15.1 THROUGH 15.4 WILL BE ADOPTED. THERE BEING NO OBJECTION. THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 15.1 THROUGH 15.4 ARE ADOPTED. MOVING TO UNFINISHED

[17.1 Items pulled from the Consent Agenda]

EXCUSE ME, BOARD MEMBER STRUTHERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR JACKSON. SO I WANTED TO EXPRESS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS NEW CHARTER SCHOOL AND EXPANDING IT AT THIS GIVEN TIME, CONSIDERING THE BUDGET IMPLICATIONS WE'RE HEARING FOR OUR OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE, LOCATED IN THE. UPPER MARLBORO AREA, THERE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE UNDER-ENROLLED SCHOOLS THERE AT A BARACK OBAMA HAS 205 SEATS. PATUXENT HAS 170, AND ROSARYVILLE HAS 265 SEATS FOR 641 SEATS. AND THIS IS THE SEPTEMBER 30TH ENROLLMENT REPORT ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS THE VERY MUCH DIRECTLY RELATED TO ISSUES OF ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL THAT IS IN FINANCIAL CRISIS AND UNDER UNDER ENROLLMENT FROM THE SET SEATS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS.

YOU CANNOT OVER ENROLL A CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE LOTTERY PROCESS, BUT YOU CAN END UP UNDER-ENROLLED. AND OF COURSE, PER PUPIL FUNDING MATTERS. IN THIS CONTEXT, I'M QUITE CONCERNED FOR THIS SCHOOL'S EXPANSION AND NOT HAVING ANOTHER SCHOOL IN THAT CRISIS. IMAGINE SCHOOLS ALSO COMPARED TO THE THESE ARE MASSIVE NONPROFITS THAT END YEARS WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFIT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY MAINTAIN BUILDINGS. FRIENDSHIP NETWORK ENDED WITH 6.6 MILLION. CHESAPEAKE LIGHTHOUSE 9.4 MILLION IN 2023. HOWEVER, IMAGINE SCHOOLS IS LOSING MONEY AS A NETWORK. THEY LOST $3.7 MILLION ACROSS THEIR SCHOOLS IN SEVEN STATES IN 2023. I DO NOT THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO EXPAND A CHARTER SCHOOL. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBER WALKER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, AS I THINK ABOUT CHARTERS, I THINK ABOUT CHOICE. I THINK ABOUT DISTRICT NINE. AND AS I THINK ABOUT DISTRICT NINE, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT INTRODUCING OR RECOMMENDING ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL. INSIDE OF DISTRICT NINE.

WE HAVE THREE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT NINE. SO I AM EXTREMELY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT PER YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE THIS HERE. BECAUSE WHAT I SEE IN DISTRICT NINE, AND I ALSO WANT TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY INSIDE OF THAT AREA AS WELL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT EVEN THE DISTRICT FIVE SCHOOL THAT'S SITTING IN DISTRICT NINE TEMPORARILY. THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DISCUSSION FOR THAT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS COME TO THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN HAVE AN OVERALL DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. IF I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU'RE SAYING WE HAVE NEEDS FOR K THROUGH FIVE, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE ARE, BECAUSE WHAT I SEE ON RECORD IS THAT WE HAVE UNDER ENROLLMENT, WE ALSO HAVE RURAL AREAS INSIDE OF DISTRICT NINE COLLECTIVELY. AND THAT ALSO BRINGS ME SOME CONCERN ABOUT POTENTIAL CANNIBALIZATION INSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT, WHICH THEN BRINGS US RIGHT BACK TO NOT ONLY FOLLOWING OUR PUPILS, WHICH IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THE UNDER

[02:25:04]

THANKS. BOARD MEMBER GOINS MCCANTS. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I ALSO HAVE SOME FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF APPROVING SOMETHING WITH A CONDITION OF GETTING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AFTER ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT AS A BOARD, WE HAVE THAT DUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

NUMBER ONE, OBVIOUSLY, TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OVER OUR DISTRICT, PJC SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AS THEIR CHARTER AUTHORIZER, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT HAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS NECESSARILY LIKE TIME WHERE WE CAN ASK THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS, BUT JUST THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND WHY WE WOULD DO A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL AND THEN GET A NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACTS WOULD BE OVERALL. IN FACT, IF I COULD. SO WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO BRING THIS APPLICATION TO YOUR ATTENTION, WHICH IS WHY WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT TODAY AT THIS AT THE APRIL SESSION, THAT WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO CONSIDER. WE ARE. TOP PRIORITY FOR US IS THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. BUT WE WERE UP AGAINST TIME AND WE HAD TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DESIGN. ONCE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND THAT INCLUDES A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, NOT JUST FOR SEATS BUT ALSO PROGRAMING NEEDS AS WELL. WE WOULD LIKE TO WE LOOK TO COME BACK IN MAY WITH WITH MORE INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND I THINK I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES SENTIMENTS. IMAGINE AS A AS A CHARTER NETWORK HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS. WE JUST GOT OUR FIRST. WELL, THEY'RE ONE OF TWO I WON'T SAY THAT, BUT THEY DO AMAZING THINGS FOR OUR MILITARY FAMILIES, SPECIFICALLY AT ST ANDREWS. IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT SPECIFIC NETWORK, BUT ABOUT WANTING TO BE ABLE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF MONEY AND RESOURCES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SERVING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. WITH THAT, I DON'T I WANT TO MAKE SURE WITH OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN, AM I ABLE TO MAKE A MOTION AT THIS TIME? OR I GUESS IT WOULD BE A BECAUSE THIS IS A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM. AM I ABLE TO, I GUESS AMEND THE MOTION? IS THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? AM I ABLE TO AMEND THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? I GUESS IS THE QUESTION. SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO AMEND THE MOTION? SHE WANTS TO AMEND A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. REMIND THEM THAT TALK TO YOU AND NOT ME. BUT YES, YOU CAN AMEND IT. YES, YOU CAN AMEND IT.

SO WHAT'S THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? THANK YOU. SO MY I GUESS THE AMENDMENT WHETHER WE. OH, AND MR. SWIFT SAID MAKE SURE THAT YOU ONLY TALK TO ME, NOT HIM. I'M I'M JUST DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER. THANK YOU. MISTER, I'M JUST TELLING YOU. SO MY MOTION IS CAN WE POSTPONE THE VOTE ON THIS UNTIL MAY MEETING, WHERE WE WILL HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION FROM OUR CHARTER OFFICE? YES, BUT THAT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT. IT'S THE MOTION. IF I COULD I THAT'S THAT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT. THAT'S A MOTION TO POSTPONE. SO SHE CAN SHE MAKE THAT. COULD I PROVIDE CLARITY? YEAH. SO YOU CAN YOU MOVE THE POSTPONE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING. YES. OKAY. I MOVED TO POSTPONE TILL THE NEXT MEETING. ALL RIGHT. COOL BEANS. SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO MOVE, TO POSTPONE TO THE NEXT MEETING. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL WE'LL TAKE A. MOTION. THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHARTER OFFICE TO APPROVE. NOT TO APPROVE IT, TO APPROVE. DO WE HAD A IT WAS TO APPROVE THE ROCK CREEK. MY UNDERSTANDING CHAIR IS THAT IF IT WAS A CONSENT ITEM THE WE WERE THEN VOTING ON, DO WE CONSENT TO APPROVE THIS WITH CONDITIONS? YES. MY QUESTION WAS NOT TO, I GUESS WHY I THOUGHT DOCTOR COLEMAN. YES, I APOLOGIZE, IT SHOULD BE FOR CONSIDERATION. SO WE WERE OUR INTENT WAS TO PRESENT THIS APPLICATION FOR CONSIDERATION. SO AND TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

[02:30:01]