[00:00:06]
EVENING. AT THIS TIME, I ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE MUTE YOUR DEVICE TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS
[Call to Order: Board President]
UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON FEBRUARY 10TH, 2025 AT 6:02 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MISS ALVAREZ. MRS. ALVAREZ. THE RECORD SHOW THAT SHE IS ONLINE. SHE IS? YES. MISS BRUCE HERE. MISS COKER HERE.DOCTOR MUELLER PRESENT, MISS PYZDROWSKI HERE. MRS. PERRY. HERE. MR. SEWELL HERE, MISS STRAUSS. MISS STRAUSS IS ONLINE IN THE BACK, AND SHE WILL BE JOINING US IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES. THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT. HAHN. PRESENT PRESIDENT BOYNTON HERE, SUPERINTENDENT WILSON HERE. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE READ THIS EVENING'S STATEMENT OF PROCESS. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MUTE THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION.
FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, DOCTOR BOYNTON WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAMES BEFORE SPEAKING.
DOCTOR BOLTON WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL IN THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR A NO.
[Adoption of Agenda]
THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? MISS TERRY, I MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. THIS IS MELISSA AND I SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO.THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT. LET'S READ THIS EVENING'S RULES OF ORDER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M MIKE STEVENS, REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AN UPDATED PRACTICE, OUR UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. GRANDSTANDING, WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATION, AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIOR IS NOT PERMITTED.
LIKEWISE, THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES, OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. THE RULES OF ORDER REQUIRE COMMENTERS TO REFRAIN FROM IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND DO NOT SIT ON THE BOARD. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ADDRESS OR IDENTIFY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY NAME. IN THE CONTEXT OF A BOARD BUSINESS MEETING, THE PUBLIC INCLUDES SCHOOL STAFF OTHER THAN THE SUPERINTENDENT. ADDITIONALLY, DISPARAGING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS, AND INFLAMMATORY REMARKS ABOUT SPECIFIC SCHOOLS, PERSONNEL AND PERSONNEL ARE NOT PERMITTED. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG IN OUR MEETING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS OR NEED ADDITIONAL TO ATTENDING. ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PARTICULAR BEHAVIORS, THUS DISTRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING. THE ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THEIR BEHAVIOR. THE ATTENDEE DOES NOT CEASE TO PROHIBIT BEHAVIOR. THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. WE YOUR RESPECT FOR ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK
[Public Comment]
YOU SIR. IN-PERSON SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND FIVE MINUTES, THREE MINUTES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FIVE MINUTES IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING A GROUP. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND MAY BE GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30S LEFT, WHEN THEY HAVE REACHED THEIR THREE OR THEIR FIVE MINUTE MARK, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE THIS EVENING? WE HAVE SIX SPEAKERS. SIX SPEAKERS. ANY VIRTUAL? NO. NO. VIRTUAL. OKAY. LET'S BEGIN WITH IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. OKAY. THIS EVENING WE HAVE MR. WILLIAM MARTINO, FOLLOWED BY JANINE CANEDO. GOOD EVENING. THE OTHER MORNING I OPENED THE NEWSPAPER AND THERE WERE THREE ARTICLES THAT WERE GROUPED TOGETHER THAT JUMPED OUT[00:05:04]
AT ME. I THINK THEIR ARRANGEMENT WAS PURE CHANCE, BUT DEMONSTRATED A COMMON THEME. ONE ARTICLE ADDRESSED THE H-1B VISA PROGRAM IN THE UNITED STATES. THE H-1B IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS NON-IMMIGRANTS TO LEGALLY WORK FOR COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF TIME. THESE CORPORATIONS CLAIM THAT THE US EDUCATED EMPLOYEES LACK THE BASIC MATH AND ACADEMIC SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A FORTUNE 500 WORLD WE CURRENTLY LIVE IN, EVEN THOUGH NATIONS SUCH AS INDIA SPEND ONE THIRD TO ONE FIFTH THE FUNDING ON EDUCATION THAT WE DO, THEY PRODUCE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER ACADEMIC RESULTS. ANOTHER ARTICLE REPORTED THAT THE STATE OF OREGON HAS DROPPED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS TO DEMONSTRATE VERY BASIC READING AND WRITING PROFICIENCIES IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A DIPLOMA. WELL, THAT SHOULD HELP THE SITUATION. AND YET ANOTHER ARTICLE FEATURED A CONNECTICUT CITIZEN WHO IS SUING THE SCHOOL BOARD BECAUSE HE HAS PRESENTED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND CAN'T READ OR WRITE AT ANY LEVEL. AND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO AMERICA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS? 54% OF 16 TO 70 YEAR OLDS READ BELOW A SEVENTH GRADE LEVEL. THIS TREND HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES. JOSEPH SOBRAN SAYS IN 100 YEARS WE HAVE GONE FROM TEACHING LATIN AND GREEK IN HIGH SCHOOL TO TEACHING REMEDIAL ENGLISH IN COLLEGE. HOW DO WE FIX THIS? DECADES AGO, THE TEACHERS UNION AND THE PROGRESSIVE LEFT TOLD US WE NEED MORE POWER AND MORE MONEY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SO WE COUGHED UP MORE TAX DOLLARS AND REDUCED PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. THEN THE TEACHERS UNION SAID, WELL, WE NEED MORE MONEY AND EVEN MORE POWER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SO WE GRANTED THEIR WISH AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. WE PLAYED THIS GAME FOR 50 PLUS YEARS AND HERE WE ARE. INCREASED FUNDING SEEMS TO RESULT IN LOWER PROFICIENCY SCORES. MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THE OPPOSITE. BACK TO THE CONNECTICUT KID WHO'S SUING THE BOARD BECAUSE HE CAN'T READ. CITIZENS PAID NEARLY 200 K FOR HIS EDUCATION. YOU KNOW, GIVE ME A HUNDRED K AND I'LL TEACH HIM HOW TO READ IN NO TIME. PUBLIC EDUCATION NEEDS TO REFOCUS TO THE CORE MISSION ON TEACHING ACADEMICS AND REMOVE ACTIVISM AND OTHER IDEOLOGIES. PLEASE GET BACK TO THE BASICS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I TYPICALLY COME UP HERE WITH A TON OF NOTES.TONIGHT IS DIFFERENT. I PRAYED ALL WEEKEND TO GOD TO GIVE ME THE WORDS THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE EARS TO HEAR. I TYPICALLY KEEP MY CHRISTIANITY KIND OF CLOSE TO MY VEST, BUT NOT TONIGHT. FOR THE BOARD, SOME OF YOU HAVE CHOSEN THE PATH OF POWER AND MONEY. SOME OF YOU HAVEN'T. SOME OF YOU ARE KIND OF WALKING A FINE LINE. OTHERS PRETEND TO BE CONFUSED, LIKE I'M TOO OLD. I DON'T GET IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT TIME IS RUNNING OUT, AND WHETHER YOU SNICKER UP HERE OR BEHIND ME, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN A SPIRITUAL WAR.
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO KIND OF STAND ON THE SIDELINES, YOU'RE MAKING A CHOICE THAT YOU WILL REGRET EVENTUALLY. DOING NOTHING IS EQUIVALENT TO CHOOSING EVIL. AND I COMMEND ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO FIGHT FOR OUR KIDS. BECAUSE, AS THE BIBLE SAYS, WHEN
[00:10:02]
THEY START COMING AFTER OUR KIDS, YOU KNOW WHAT'S EVIL? SO. THANK YOU. TEARING OFF. THANK.SABRI. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BONNIE KNUTSEN, FOLLOWED BY JAMES MCVICAR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. NO, WE DO NOT NEED GOD IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YES, WE DO NEED DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. NO, WE DO NOT NEED BIBLES IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YES, WE DO NEED THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. NO, WE DO NOT NEED THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YES, WE DO NEED SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING. NO, WE DO NOT NEED SCHEDULED PRAYER TIME IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YES, WE DO NEED PROTECTION FOR OUR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANS, INTERSEX AND ASEXUAL STUDENTS.
AS THE PRESIDENT AND HIS UNELECTED CO-PRESIDENT, ALONG WITH HIS BAND OF ALSO UNELECTED MERRY MEN OR BOYS, ARE ENTERING FEDERAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES THAT WILL AFFECT EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY. I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS NOT INVOLVED IN CURRICULUM OR PERSONNEL HIRING. THEY DO, HOWEVER, PROVIDE FUNDING FOR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT BY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SO THAT ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS OR ABILITIES, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENT FAIRLY SHORT TONIGHT. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEDICATION AND HARD WORK OF OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION. DESPITE WORKING WITH AN INCREDIBLY LIMITED BUDGET, YOU CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOLS, MAKING THE BEST OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE GET. YOUR EFFORTS DO NOT GO UNNOTICED AND I TRULY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL DO. THAT IS ALSO WHY I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT NONE OF OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS, OTHER THAN OUR STUDENT MEMBER, WERE PRESENT AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S BUDGET TOWN HALL. I WAS THERE, AND I DELIVERED A POWERFUL SPEECH ADVOCATING FOR THE RESOURCES OUR SCHOOLS DESPERATELY NEED. BUT I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO STAND ALONGSIDE MY BOARD, UNITED IN OUR MESSAGE. OUR STUDENTS DESERVE STRONG VOICES FIGHTING FOR THEM AT EVERY TABLE WHERE FUNDING DECISIONS ARE MADE. MOVING FORWARD, I HOPE WE CAN STAND TOGETHER STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE A STRONG, UNIFIED FRONT IS WHAT WILL BRING THE CHANGE WE NEED. THANK YOU ALL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA LANOKA, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BENNETT. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. HE IS FROM WHOM MORALITY FLOWS. I WOULD REQUEST THAT MONEYS BE DIRECTED TOWARD THREE THINGS. FIRSTLY, I'D SUGGEST PURGING THE FOLLOWING FROM OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. NUMBER ONE, SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AND PORNOGRAPHIC BOOKS. FIRST CORINTHIANS SIX. THE BODY, HOWEVER, IS NOT MEANT FOR SEXUAL IMMORALITY, BUT FOR THE LORD AND THE LORD FOR THE BODY.
COLOSSIANS THREE FIVE PUT TO DEATH, THEREFORE WHATEVER BELONGS TO YOUR EARTHLY NATURE SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, LUST, EVIL DESIRES, AND GREED, WHICH IS IDOLATRY. FIRST THESSALONIANS FOR IT IS GOD'S WILL THAT YOU SHOULD BE SANCTIFIED, THAT YOU SHOULD AVOID SEXUAL IMMORALITY, THAT EACH OF YOU SHOULD LEARN TO CONTROL YOUR OWN BODY IN A WAY THAT IS HOLY AND HONORABLE, NOT IN PASSIONATE LUST. LUST LIKE THE PAGANS WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD.
NUMBER TWO GENDER IDEOLOGY. WE ARE CREATED MAN AND WOMAN, TWO GENDERS ONLY, AND GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED. NUMBER THREE DISCRIMINATION I.E. DI CRT, VICTIM VERSUS OPPRESSOR MENTALITY BASED ON RACE. QUOTE I HAVE A DREAM THAT MY FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN WILL ONE DAY LIVE IN A NATION WHERE THEY WILL NOT BE JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. NUMBER FOUR MATERIALS THAT DO NOT ENCOURAGE THE TRADITIONAL NUCLEAR FAMILY. NUMBER FIVE ANTI-POLICE SENTIMENT. NUMBER SIX VIOLENCE AS AN ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF PROTEST. THESE TOPICS SHOULD NOT BE IN OUR SCHOOLS, THE SUBJECT OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY OTHER THAN THE BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION AND THE DANGERS OF STDS. SCIENCE CLASS SHOULD BE RESERVED TO THE PARENTS OF OUR CHILDREN. SOME MIGHT REMEMBER HOW WE WERE TAUGHT IN THE 70S. TEACHING THE CHILDREN HOW TO HAVE SEX IS NOT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. I BELIEVE THAT THE BOOK RECONSIDERATION PROCESS IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PURGE A BOOK. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEES ARE NOT PARENTS, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE LAST WORD UNLESS THE DECISION IS APPEALED. WITHIN TEN DAYS OF HIS DECISION. IN ADDITION, PURGING ONE BOOK AT A TIME WILL NEVER KEEP UP WITH THE
[00:15:01]
INCOMING OFFENSIVE BOOKS AND CURRICULA AS THEY ARE NOT LOOKED AT WITH THE GOAL OF KEEPING THOSE IMMORALITIES OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. SECONDLY, NOT ONLY DO WE NEED PEOPLE TO PURGE THE ABOVE FROM OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WE NEED TO TRAIN OUR CURRENT LIBRARIANS AND CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS HOW TO CHOOSE BOOKS IN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT KEEP THESE OFFENSIVE BOOKS AND SUBJECTS FROM BEING ALLOWED INTO OUR SCHOOLS. PARENTS SHOULD HAVE OVERSIGHT AND APPROVAL. VOTES ON CHOICES SHOULD BE PUT OUT TO THE CITIZENS, REMOVING THE CLASSES THAT INCLUDE ANYTHING OF THE OFFENSIVE TOPICS SHOULD LEAVE MONIES FOR THE PURGING AND THE TRAINING. THEN OUR SCHOOLS CAN CONCENTRATE ON EQUALING OUT OUR PROFICIENCY RATES WITH OUR HIGH GRADUATION RATES, SO THAT OUR GRADUATES ARE SUFFICIENTLY READY FOR COLLEGE OR A JOB. THIRDLY, WE NEED TO INVEST IN A TRANSPARENT AUDIT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SIMILAR TO THE NATIONAL AUDIT CURRENTLY BEING DONE. THESE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW OUR DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT. AND THIS WAY WE CAN IDENTIFY WASTEFUL SPENDING AND UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE MORE FOR OUR TEACHERS AND MORE FOR THE BASICS. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL WITH HIS WISDOM AS YOU.THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS JACOB BENNETT, A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT OLD POST ROAD. I EMAILED YOU ALL EARLIER TODAY A VERY LONG EMAIL, SO HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS I CAN STAY UNDER THREE MINUTES TONIGHT. FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SHARE. MY WIFE IS 36 WEEKS PREGNANT, SO I MIGHT NOT BE IN PERSON IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS OFTEN, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH AND BE PRESENT MENTALLY. I ALSO WANT TO START MY COMMENTS BY SAYING AN EDUCATION OR HISTORY IS LONG, BUT OUR MEMORY IS SHORT. YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN I LOOK AT THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ACTIVE AS PARENTS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BUT IN MY FIRST THREE YEARS TEACHING, NONE OF YOU WERE ON THE BOARD. AND IN THOSE FIRST THREE YEARS TEACHING, 500 TEACHING POSITIONS WERE CUT FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MY FIRST THREE YEARS TEACHING, I SAT BY THE PHONE EACH JUNE AND JULY, WONDERING IF I WAS GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL, A DIFFERENT GRADE LEVEL, A DIFFERENT CONTENT, JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHERE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE. IT WAS DOCTOR OLSON'S NIGHT OF BEING ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BECOME OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT, THAT THE WALLS WERE SHAKING AS EDUCATORS SAID, NOT MY POSITION, NOT MY DEPARTMENT, NOT MY PASSION, AS PEOPLE FOUGHT TO KEEP WHAT THEY WERE DOING STILL EXISTING IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THOSE 500 TEACHING POSITIONS DIVIDED BY THREE YEARS. IT'S LIKE BETWEEN 100 AND 50, 180 POSITIONS A YEAR. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THAT IS BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR THIS YEAR. SO I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT CONTEXT AND THAT HISTORY IN MIND AS YOU GO THROUGH THESE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS. I WAS AN EDUCATOR IN A SCHOOL WHEN THE 10% BUDGET CUT PER SCHOOL TOOK PLACE FOR SUPPLIES, FOR SCHOOL BASED SUPPLIES, AND I HAD TO GO OUT AND BUY SOAP FOR ALL OF OUR BATHROOMS AND OUR SCHOOL JUST SO KIDS COULD KEEP WASHING THEIR HANDS. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH TOUGH TIMES BEFORE, AND I HOPE AS YOU GO THROUGH TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION AND AS YOU PREPARE A BUDGET TO MOVE FORWARD THAT YOU KEEP, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVEMENT IN MIND, THAT YOU KEEP CLOSING OUR RACIAL AND GEOGRAPHIC ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN MIND, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CUTS ARE MADE ARE RECOVERABLE. SO THAT WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION WHERE SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN TEN YEARS FROM NOW IS TREMENDOUSLY MORE EXPENSIVE DUE TO THE WAY THAT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IMPACTED THEM TODAY. SO I JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT ALL THAT AND CONSIDER ALL THAT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO WERE TEN YEARS BEHIND IN THEIR PAY DUE TO YEARS AND YEARS OF PAY FREEZES. WE'RE ABOUT TO BE ENTERING ANOTHER DIFFICULT SEASON, AND I JUST HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO NAVIGATE IT. RECOGNIZING THAT DIFFICULTY REMEMBERING OUR HISTORY AND THE HUMANITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FUNCTION. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT. THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE FOR THIS
[Board Member Comments]
EVENING. YOUR RECORD. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, EVERYONE. THIS EVENING, DIANE ALVAREZ, WE'LL START WITH YOU, PLEASE. OKAY. WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU, MISS BRUCE. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO THE MEETING THIS EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING. IT'S A VIRTUAL MEETING. YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE. IT'S THIS THURSDAY.AND THEY HAVE SEVERAL VERY GOOD TOPICS THAT THEY HAVE, SPEAKERS THAT THEY GET. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL TO PARTICIPATE. IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT MEETING, THEN THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE MARCH THE 6TH AND THEN APRIL THE 3RD. TO THOSE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE BOARD
[00:20:06]
MEMBERS, THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARD OF EDUCATION'S DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE BEING RECEIVED. THEY WILL BE RECEIVED UNTIL APRIL THE 15TH.EVERY YEAR. THE EVERY TWO YEARS THEY THEY ROTATE BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE AWARD AND THE EDUCATION OUTSTANDING EDUCATION AWARD. SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, I HAVE THE NOMINATION PACKAGES AND YOU CAN NOMINATE. AND THE CRITERIA FOR NOMINATING SOMEONE FOR THAT POSITION. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ALVAREZ. IS CURRENTLY NOT ABLE TO UNMUTE. THAT'S FINE, MISS KOCHER. OKAY, WELCOME AND THANKS, EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE OR FOR LISTENING IN. A HIGHLIGHT FOR ME THIS PAST TWO WEEKS WAS THE ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL BAND BINGO FUNDRAISER. KUDOS TO AMY HINDER, THE BAND BOOSTER PARENT WHO ORGANIZED AND RAN THIS EFFORT AMAZINGLY. AND TO THE MANY BAND STUDENTS WHO WORKED HARD TO SUPPORT THIS WORTHWHILE EFFORT AND RAISE MONEY FOR THEIR TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES. I WANT TO MAKE ONE MORE PLEA THAT THE PATRIOT PROGRAM BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, AS IT WAS IN THOSE SCHOOLS THAT CHOSE TO IMPLEMENT IT. THE PROPOSED ELEVATED CIVICS CURRICULA DOES NOT PROVIDE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES FOR KNOWLEDGE AND STUDY SKILL BUILDING THAT THE PATRIOT PROGRAM PROVIDES. ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE STOCK MARKET GAME IN GRADE FIVE DO NOT REPLACE THE RIGOR AND INTENT OF THE PATRIOT PROGRAM. OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY AND OUR STUDENTS GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THE GROWTH THAT STUDENTS ACHIEVE WHEN THEY WORK HARD TO MEMORIZE KEY FACTS ABOUT OUR GREAT COUNTRY. FOR SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO DO THIS EXTRA WORK, AND FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT UP TO THE TASK. I FULLY SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THAT SEPARATELY. WE ARE STILL GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT TO KEEP THE PATRIOT PROGRAM AS IT WAS WHERE IT WAS. WHILE ADDING THE PROPOSED CIVICS ELEMENTS TO THE CURRICULA TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS. A NOTE IN THE BUDGET. THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET IS THE CULMINATION OF A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK AND SCRUBBING, AS WELL AS COORDINATION AND ADVOCACY ACROSS CPS, THE BOARD, AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND I WANT TO THANK MISS JUDD AND MR. CLARK AND EVERYONE WHO MET WITH US TO REVIEW AND EXPLAIN BUDGET ELEMENTS, THE SCRUBBING TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS OF ANY TOUGH SECTIONS WILL CONTINUE THIS SPRING. EVERY COUNTY ORGANIZATION, PROBABLY STATEWIDE, IS SEEING LESS FUNDING THAN DESIRED, AND WE DO NOT YET KNOW ANY FURTHER STATE POTENTIAL CUTS WHICH SEEM LIKELY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE CPS ASKED THIS YEAR IS REASONABLE CONSIDERING ALL FACTORS, AND WE WANT TO FULLY EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE TO FULLY FUND IT. THAT SAID, THERE'S A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WHICH ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT TO SUPPORT THOSE TOUGH AREAS, PRIMARILY CONCERNING THE IMPACTS ON CLASS SIZE AND USE OF FUND BALANCE. SO MORE TO FOLLOW ON THOSE. AS ALWAYS, FOR ALL THE PARENTS OUT THERE, PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR STUDENTS AND BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE IN SCHOOL AND FOLLOWING OUR SCHOOL RULES AND TO FULLY ENGAGE IN THEIR LEARNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MUELLER. LAST MONDAY, FIVE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY, WELL, SIX HOURS DOWN IN ANNAPOLIS FOR THE MAY LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION, WHERE WE HEARD SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LAWS THIS SESSION. TERRY COKER AND I ARE BOTH ON THE MAY LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AND WE HAD A MEETING TODAY. IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, THERE'S NO LESS THAN SEVEN CELL PHONE BILLS IN THE LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW. THERE'S A LOT OF REPEAT THINGS. IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING. BUT GOOD LUCK ON HAVING CELL PHONES IN YOUR SCHOOLS IN THE FUTURE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE GONE. AND IT'S NOT US. IT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL. BUT THERE ARE SOME REALLY INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON. THINGS LIKE SEAT BELTS IN EVERY SCHOOL BUS, WHICH WOULD CUT THE CAPABILITIES OF MOVING CHILDREN BY ONE THIRD, WHICH WOULD ALSO, I MEAN, NOT LIKE I'M AGAINST SEAT BELTS, BUT THE FACT THAT WE'D NEED TO HAVE ONE THIRD MORE SCHOOL BUSSES AND DRIVERS AT A TIME WHEN WE HAVE NO MONEY WOULD MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT. SO WE'RE KEEPING UP ON THOSE THINGS AND WHAT'S GOING ON. SO JUST TRYING TO KEEP YOU AWARE MAYBE HAS A WEBSITE THAT'S JUST LISTED UNDER THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION, AND THEY WILL BE FOLLOWING THE LEGISLATION AS IT GOES ON THIS SESSION, AS THEY ALWAYS DO. IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO START TRACKING ALL THE DIFFERENT EDUCATION BILLS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT WE'RE SUPPORTING AND WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MISS. GOOD
[00:25:04]
EVENING EVERYONE. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME IN. AND ATTENDANCE LOOKS A LITTLE SHORT TODAY, BUT I'M JUST HAPPY TO SEE EVERYONE'S FACES. I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BOB CASTLE'S TOWN HALL ON FEBRUARY 6TH. SO AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT I DID ATTEND THIS, AND I'VE BEEN ALSO WORKING TO GET MORE STUDENTS TO GET MORE ENGAGED WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THIS BUDGET SESSION WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH. I'VE DONE SO BY USING MY PLATFORM, SPEAKING TO STUDENTS INDIVIDUALLY. AND YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE THREE STUDENT SPEAKERS, WHICH IT'S BETTER THAN NONE.HOWEVER, I BELIEVE WE ARE HAVING STUDENTS WHO ARE SENDING IN THE ALTERNATIVE WAY OF SENDING IN AN EMAIL TO OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE VOICING THEIR CONCERNS, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT MAY NOT BE EVERYONE'S STRENGTH TO STAND IN FRONT OF A ROOM FULL OF ADULTS AND SPEAK. HOWEVER, THERE DEFINITELY WAS A STUDENT PRESENCE THERE REGARDLESS IF THEY WERE SPEAKING OR NOT. IT WAS JUST GREAT TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERY TYPE OF DEMOGRAPHIC BECAUSE IT SHOWED HOW MUCH THIS BUDGET IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND AGAIN, IT WAS IT WAS A GREAT THING TO SEE ALL OF OUR EDUCATORS THERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR INPUT ON BUDGET, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, AND IT HAS BEEN VERY EYE OPENING TO ME. IT REALLY MEANS A LOT BECAUSE I THINK IN THIS DECISION OR DURING THIS TIME, WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF TOUGH DECISIONS AND WE NEVER WANT TO NEGLECT AN AREA OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS. AND SO BY HEARING ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, IT ALLOWS US TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATING AND SHOWING UP, VOICING, YOU KNOW, BEING THE VOICE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIONS AND THEN MOVING AWAY FROM BUDGET. I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING SMOB ELECTIONS. SO TODAY, EARLIER TODAY, I HAD A MEETING WITH ERIN LANG AND A FEW OTHER OF OUR REGIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS, AND I'M GETTING REALLY EXCITED. WE ARE HAVING OUR OUR REGIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER, DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MAY GET CANCELED. BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM INFORMING OUR STUDENTS OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WHATEVER IT IS, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING OUR MEDIA AND OUTREACH FOR OUR STUDENTS PROPERLY TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF THIS POSITION AND ALL THE GREAT BENEFITS IT HAS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING INFORMED VOTERS. SO EACH PROCESS, EACH EACH STEP OF THIS ELECTION HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND REVIEWED, AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A LOT OF CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE VOTING FOR THEIR UPCOMING SMOB FEEL CONFIDENT. AND THE BIG PART OF THIS IS THAT YOU, AS A COMMUNITY, SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOUR STUDENT MEMBER AS WELL.
THEY'RE ALSO REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. SO BY MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR ELECTIONS BE A SAFE SYSTEM, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS AREN'T GOING TO FALL OVER TO GREAT PROMISES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY ACHIEVABLE. WE HOPEFULLY WILL CREATE A CONFIDENCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT STUDENT VOICE. AND LASTLY, I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR REGIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT'S ADVOCACY DAY IN ANNAPOLIS ON FEBRUARY 27TH. THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO THEM IN, IN HARFORD COUNTY, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THAT LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN MARYLAND. AND SO THIS EVENT WILL ALLOW ALL THESE STUDENTS TO TRAVEL TO ANNAPOLIS, GO TO THE MARYLAND STATE HOUSE, AND THEY'LL HAVE THE CHANCE TO ATTEND THE HARFORD COUNTY DELEGATION MEETING. AND SO NOT ONLY ARE WE TRYING TO INCORPORATE LEGISLATION, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH CIVICS IN A CLASSROOM, BUT THOSE ALTER ALTERNATIVE PROCESSES FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL. AND I THINK OUR REGIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT IS DOING A BEAUTIFUL JOB AT THAT BY ORGANIZING THIS ADVOCACY DAY. AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THESE EXECUTIVE MEMBERS. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE. AND THAT IS MY COMMENT. THANK YOU, MISS PERRY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M SORRY I CAN'T BE THERE. I ACTUALLY CONTACTED THE FLU, SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYONE ELSE SICK. SO THANK YOU AND I'LL BE LISTENING TO THE REST OF THE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SEWELL. YEAH. SO I WANTED TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BUDGET OFFICE AND EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT HAS WORKED SO HARD TO TRIM AND BUILD THIS BUDGET. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THAT TO PRESENT A BUDGET THAT WE'RE HOPING IS FULLY FUNDED FROM OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE. SO JUST WANT TO THROW MY SUPPORT BEHIND WHAT HAS WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A
[00:30:08]
LOT OF HARD WORK THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO HAPPEN FOR FOLKS WHO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, CHANGE POSITIONS, THAT TYPE OF THING. SO JUST THANKING EVERYONE IN ADVANCE FOR WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS. THANK YOU. MISS ALVAREZ, FINAL CALL. I DON'T THINK SHE'S ABLE TO UNMUTE. OKAY, I KNOW I LOGGED OUT, LOGGED BACK ON. SO WHATEVER IT WAS, IT GOT FIXED. BUT YEAH, I JUST I, YOU KNOW, SORRY I'M NOT ABLE TO BE THERE IN PERSON. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, BUT I WILL BE LISTENING. THANK YOU. MISS STRAUSS HAS NO COMMENTS THIS EVENING. AND OVER TO YOU.GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING THIS EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO MISS MISS COKER'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE PATRIOT PROGRAM. IT IS AN OPTIONAL PROGRAM, JUST LIKE ELECTIVES IN CPS THAT OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS HAS TOUCHED THOUSANDS OF CPS FAMILIES AND DONE AMAZING THINGS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADVOCATE AND ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
TO REMAIN AS IS. AS IN CURRENT FORM. I ALSO I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY ADVOCATING FOR THE BUDGET AS IT EXISTS. THE FUNDING IS IMPORTANT. WHILE I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE DETAILS, AND I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ANSWER THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED. I DO BELIEVE THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FULL FUNDING OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET. I JUST WANTED TO TELL EVERYONE TO STAY SAFE IN THE UPCOMING WINTER WEATHER. AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. BE CAREFUL. OKAY, I'LL WRAP UP. SO IN RECOGNITION THIS EVENING, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MISS DEBORAH JUDD, WHO'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON THE BUDGET WITH THIS BOARD AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM. THANK YOU. TONIGHT, I WISH IT WAS OVER, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT VOTE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE HALFWAY POINT. SO WE HAVE THE REST OF THE YEAR TO FIGURE IT OUT. HASN'T BEEN EASY. IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM WORKING WITH THIS BOARD. HAND IN GLOVE THIS BUDGET CYCLE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE KATIE RIDGEWAY SITTING OVER THERE ON HER COMPUTER IN THE GREEN. MAYBE ONE DAY. VERY SOON TO BE DOCTOR RIDGEWAY. SHE'S WORKING ON HER DOCTORATE, AND SHE JUST GOT A PAPER PUBLISHED IN THE RSA JOURNAL OF SCHOLARSHIP AND PRACTICE ON PLANNING TIME FOR TEACHERS. SOUNDS LIKE A REAL PAGE TURNER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO READ THAT BECAUSE ALL TEACHERS SAY THEY NEED MORE PLANNING TIME. SO REGARDING THE BUDGET, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I THINK WE'VE REACHED THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE A REALISTIC BUDGET. THAT HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF TIME WORKING ON BOTH AT THE BOARD AND WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, AND WITH ALL OF OUR FUNDING PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE. I THINK WE'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY DOABLE THIS YEAR. IT HASN'T BEEN EASY. THERE ARE SOME PROPOSED CUTS, BUT IT'S NOT DRACONIAN, LIKE THE 500 THAT WAS LIVED THROUGH MANY YEARS AGO. THAT JACOB HAD DISCUSSED. AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT ANY POSITION CUTS COULD BE ACHIEVED THROUGH ATTRITION. IT IS A MISNOMER THAT THE BUDGET IS BEING CUT. THE BUDGET IS NOT BEING CUT. THERE MAY BE POSITIONS THAT ARE CUT, BUT THE BUDGET IS GROWING. IT'S JUST NOT GROWING ENOUGH FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND THE UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT CONTINUE TO COME FROM THE STATE. STATE PRESSURES AND INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ARE REALLY HITTING US HARD. BLUEPRINT IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE YEAR OLDS CHANGING DIAPERS IN SCHOOL. YOU GO TO SCHOOL FOR FOUR YEARS TO CHANGE A 3 OR 4 YEAR OLD DIAPER. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING TO WITH BLUEPRINT ENERGY. THE STATE HAS DESTROYED ENERGY. WE'VE SHUT DOWN ALL THE POWER PLANTS. THERE'S NOTHING TO REPLACE IT. NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE TO LET GO 30 TEACHING POSITIONS JUST TO COVER THE INCREASE IN COST ON ENERGY. WE PUT TOGETHER AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WHICH MR. SOL WILL BE WORKING WITH. RECOMMENDATIONS STATE IS NOW ALLOWING UNLIMITED LAWSUITS WITH UNLIMITED LIABILITY BACK TO ETERNITY, WHICH THIS BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND WE INTEND ON FIGHTING ALL OF THEM. AND THE STATE'S NOT SOLVING THEIR OWN BUDGET PROBLEMS. THEY'RE JUST PUSHING IT DOWN TO THE COUNTIES LIKE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO GET HIT WITH NEXT YEAR ON PENSIONS. SO THESE ARE THE REALITIES THAT WE'RE FACING WITH IN ANNAPOLIS, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME CHANGE THERE. BUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE BUDGET WAS REALLY MADE AROUND THE BOARD'S TOP THREE PRIORITIES, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD MANY TIMES. IT ALSO INCLUDES A PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT TONIGHT, WHICH IS THE FIRST
[00:35:02]
APPOINTMENT, WHICH WOULD BE LARGE PART OF A LARGER ORGANIZATION WHICH PUTS ACADEMICS AT THE TOP OF THE ORG CHART. AND IT'S PART OF A LARGER TRIMMING OF THE CENTRAL OFFICE.SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT ALL SAID AND DONE, I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT THIS IS A BUDGET THIS YEAR THAT CAN BE FULLY FUNDED BY OUR COUNTY. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ASKING MORE IN OUR BUDGET AND OUR COUNTY ASK THAN THE COUNTY'S GROWTH RATE. WE'RE ASKING FOR ABOUT 8%. THE COUNTY'S BEEN GROWING AT ABOUT 5%, BUT THIS IS PART OF A DELIBERATE THREE YEAR PLAN TO GET THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO GROW IN LINE WITH THE COUNTY'S GROWTH. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THIS PASSES TONIGHT UNANIMOUSLY. SCHOOL TOURS. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO. IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING TO SEE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT THE EDUCATORS AND THE SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATORS ARE PUTTING INTO OUR STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S NOT EASY.
I SEE THE CHALLENGES. I HEAR THE CHALLENGES AT HOME. I HEAR IT FROM THE BOARD. IT'S NOT EASY.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. BUT THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON. AND DOCTOR MUELLER TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND THAT'S ENFORCING OUR CELL PHONE POLICY AND THE EXISTING POLICIES THAT EXIST, CELL PHONE DRESS CODE AND OTHERS. THEY ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO SETTING THE STANDARD AND HAVING HIGH STANDARDS IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND THIS BOARD HAS BEEN TALKING, YOU KNOW, IF THE STATE DOESN'T DO IT, THIS BOARD, YOU MAY CONSIDER AN OUTRIGHT BAN OF ALL CELL PHONES K THROUGH 12 UNLESS THAT GETS TIGHTENED UP. SO YOU HAVE OUR FULL SUPPORT TO STAND UP AND ENFORCE THE POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN VOTED ON, BOTH OF THEM UNANIMOUSLY BY THIS BOARD. AND THEN FINALLY, THE PATRIOT PROGRAM. THERE WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED LAST TIME. INTERESTINGLY, THERE'S A LOT OF SKEPTICISM THAT I HEARD FROM POLITICAL LEADERS AND MANY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE PATRIOT PROGRAM COULD STILL BE REMOVED.
I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE RESOLUTION BASICALLY THE BOARD AGREED THROUGH MAJORITY VOTE THAT THE PATRIOT PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO BE DECENTRALIZED, OPTIONAL, AND SUPPLEMENTARY TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE ADDED INTO THE CURRICULUM. AND I THINK THERE'S SOME HEALTHY SKEPTICISM THERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF ANY PROGRAMS ARE REMOVED WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE, LIKE YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S ACCEPTABLE, BUT IF ANY ARE TERMINATED WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE, I WILL ASK SCHOOL LEADERS TO COME IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION AT A PUBLIC MEETING AND TO BRIEF TO US AS TO WHY THAT PATRIOT PROGRAM HAS ENDED.
[A. Consent Agenda]
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM A THIS. EVENING. I'M SORRY. YEP. THAT'S ITEM A IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE THREE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THERE? NUMBER ONE CONTRACT AWARD, HARFORD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SCHOOL SPONSORED PROJECT. MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL. LAND COVER CONVERSION BMP PLANTINGS. NUMBER TWO CONTRACT AWARD. MASS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND SCHOOL WEBSITE HOSTING AND NUMBER THREE CONTRACT AWARD. CONSULTING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. THANK YOU.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE? THIS IS TERRY. I MOVED TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A SECOND? CAROL. BRUCE. SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. IF THERE ARE ANY OPPOSED, PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO WAIVE THE TEN MINUTE MEETING BREAK. SINCE WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. MR. TERRY, I MOVE TO REMOVE THE TEN MINUTE MEETING BREAK. THIS IS LAUREN. I SECOND.
THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK
[B. Decision on Superintendent's Proposed FY2026 Budget, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services and Mr. Eric Clark, Director of Budget]
YOU. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM B DECISION ON SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET. WELCOME. MISS DEBORAH JUDD, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS SERVICES. AND MR. ERIC CLARK, DIRECTOR OF BUDGETING FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU NEED THAT? YEP. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT POINTON, VICE PRESIDENT HAHN, SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO ASK FOR THE BOARD'S APPROVAL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED FY 26 BUDGET. WE WILL GO THROUGH IT BRIEFLY. CERTAINLY, IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. BUT YOU'VE SEEN IT A COUPLE TIMES, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEND THAT TIME. IF WE CAN SPEND IT ANSWERING QUESTIONS. OKAY. THIS SHOWS ALL OF THE BUDGETS THAT WE[00:40:09]
HAVE. THE UNRESTRICTED IS THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE TYPICALLY TALK ABOUT. THAT'S OUR OPERATING BUDGET. IT'S SHOWING A $16.7 MILLION CHANGE FROM FY 25 TO 26, WHICH IS 2.6%. OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET. WE WILL ALSO ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR THIS EVENING, AN INCREASE OF $8.2 MILLION, 18%.AND THEN OUR FOOD SERVICE BUDGET, AN INCREASE OF $1.3 MILLION, 6.1%. DEBT, SERVICE AND PENSION ARE NOT SOMETHING THE BOARD APPROVES AND THEN CAPITAL. THE BOARD HAS ALREADY APPROVED, SO WE WILL NOT BE ASKING FOR A VOTE ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET THIS EVENING. FOR OUR OPERATING BUDGET, THE REQUEST TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS $26.2 MILLION. THE STATE INCREASE REFLECTED HERE IS DIRECTLY FROM THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET OF $10.7 MILLION. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED THROUGH LEGISLATION THIS SESSION. SO WE WILL NEED TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE THAT GOES. WE BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO BUDGET THAT WE'LL SEE.
IT IS LIKELY WE WILL AT LEAST EXPERIENCE SOME ADDITIONAL CUTS FROM THE STATE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS LATER, BEFORE JUNE 30TH. FUND BALANCE. WE ARE PROPOSING A REDUCTION IN THE USE OF FUND BALANCE OF $20.2 MILLION. SO WE WOULD BE USING 10 MILLION FOR FY 26. SO AGAIN THE TOTAL INCREASE IS 2.6%. THESE ARE THE DETAILS. IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE AGENDA FOR THE ITEM. EACH AREA IS INDICATED HERE. WE HAVE OUR WAGE PACKAGE OF ALMOST 13 MILLION REDUCTION ACROSS THE SYSTEM AND STAFFING 167 POSITIONS. THAT IS APPROXIMATE WHEN WE ESTIMATE AVERAGE SALARIES $15.4 MILLION, WE HAVE NINE POSITIONS RELATED TO THE PRE-K EXPANSION GRANT IN CURRICULUM, $1.1 MILLION TOTAL. PART OF THAT INCREASE IS ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS. OUR ELECTRICITY COSTS ARE GOING UP ABOUT $3 MILLION. SO WE ARE REQUESTING THAT. AND THEN THIS SECTION INSURANCE AND OTHER FIXED CHARGES IS A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT INCREASE WITHIN OUR BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TO ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME. AND MANY OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE FINALIZED WITH OFFICIAL RATES IN THE SPRING. SO THAT COULD CHANGE. THAT'S $13 MILLION. WE DO NEED TO INCLUDE THE ESTIMATE OF RECURRING COSTS FOR OUR DETECTION SYSTEMS THAT WERE PUT INTO PLACE, AND THE BOARD APPROVED HIRING AN ADDITIONAL TEN CELLS THIS SPRING. THEY'VE NOT BEEN HIRED YET, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING, SO WE NEEDED TO INCREASE THE BUDGET BY THOSE TEN POSITIONS, $1.1 MILLION. AND THEN THE CONTRACTED BUS INCREASE IS SOMETHING, ACCORDING TO THEIR CONTRACTS, THAT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE EACH YEAR, WHAT THE EQUIVALENT OF THAT INCREASE WILL BE. SO THAT TAKES US TO A NET REDUCTION OF POSITIONS OF 148, FOR THE TOTAL OF 16.7 MILLION.
THIS IS A SUMMARY OF WHAT I JUST WENT THROUGH BY AREA. AND THEN OUR RESTRICTED PROGRAMS. AGAIN, OUR FEDERAL GRANTS INCREASE OF $3.5 MILLION. THESE ARE RECURRING GRANTS. TYPICALLY, WE'LL NEED TO WATCH THIS CAREFULLY AS WE MOVE THROUGH AS WELL. OUR STATE GRANTS AN INCREASE OF $4.7 MILLION. AGAIN, THEY ARE RECURRING GRANTS AS WELL. AND THEN WE HAVE THE THOSE OTHERS ARE STATIC. THE INCREASE TOTAL OF $8.2 MILLION. FOOD AND NUTRITION. NOT A LOT OF CHANGES HERE. WE ESTIMATE THAT BASED ON THE PROPOSED WAGE PACKAGE AND TRADITIONAL PRICE INCREASES. BUT AS WE'VE SEEN, COSTS OF FOOD AND SO FORTH HAVE GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY. SO WE MAY NEED TO FURTHER ADJUST THAT BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. SO THIS EVENING WE ARE ASKING FOR THREE SEPARATE VOTES ON EACH OF THE BUDGETS. UNRESTRICTED FUND $670,012,163. THE RESTRICTED FUND $53,253,095. AND THE FOOD AND NUTRITION FUND, $23,320,000. WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS ONE IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN AN ONGOING PROCESS. SO I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION FROM THE BOARD ABOUT MAYBE SOME MICRO TWEAKS OR SOME, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL USE OF FUND BALANCE OR SOME SHIFTING OF THINGS AROUND. AS I EXPLAINED TO THE BOARD EARLIER THROUGH EMAIL, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF MOVING PIECES TO THIS, INCLUDING THE STATE'S CONTRIBUTION, WHICH NEEDS TO BE FINALIZED. AND SO WE
[00:45:05]
WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE ANY MICRO TWEAKS OR MAYBE HOPEFULLY NOT LARGER TWEAKS DEPENDING ON WHERE THE STATE COMES IN LATER ON. THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS REALLY, AT LEAST FOR THE UNRESTRICTED FUND, IS APPROVING THE COUNTY'S ASK. CORRECT. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I GUESS THE MAIN THING THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF IS BACK ON SLIDE FOUR, ITEM TWO, THE 167 POSITIONS MEAN THAT THAT DEFINITELY IS GOING TO HURT, AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY NOTICED THAT. AND DOCTOR OLSON HAS SAID THAT WILL IMPACT OUR CLASS SIZES AND OUR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOME AREAS. SO I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WHILE I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR FULL FUNDING, I STILL BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SOLVE THE BUDGET SHORTAGES AND SAVE TEACHER POSITIONS AND STUDENT FACING POSITIONS, AND TO NOT INCREASE THE CLASS SIZES. SO WHILE I WILL VOTE FOR THE BUDGET, I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AND CONSIDERING OTHER OPTIONS BESIDES TEACHER AND STUDENT FACING POSITIONS, BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS ARE ALREADY STRESSED WITH THE SIZE OF THEIR CLASSES AS THEY EXIST, AND WE NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND TRY TO SAVE AS MANY POSITIONS AS WE CAN. I AGREE WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES AND CONTRACTS THAT WE DON'T NEED, AND OTHER FACT THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE TRIMMED IN THIS BOARD'S. MOST OF THIS BOARD, I BELIEVE, WOULD WANT TO PUT THOSE BACK INTO CLASSROOM FACING POSITIONS. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON OVER TIME. AND ANYBODY ELSE.OKAY, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE UNRESTRICTED FUND OF $670,012,163. I SO MOVE. HAROLD BRUCE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES, YES.
I'M SORRY. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND FOR THE RESTRICTED FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $53,253,095, I SO MOVE. THANK YOU. SECOND, BRUCE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES, PLEASE SAYK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES AND I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE FOOD AND NUTRITION FUND OF $23,320,000. I SO MOVE SECOND, HAROLD BRUCE SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES, YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. ALL THREE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NOW GET BACK TO WORK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT OKAY. MOVING ON TO ITEM C
[C. Decision on Administrative and Supervisory Appointments and Promotions, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources]
DECISION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME UP MR. BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. WELCOME, SIR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT BOYNTON, VICE PRESIDENT HAHN, SUPERINTENDENT OLSON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. I BRING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING ONE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITION FOR YOUR APPROVAL. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP, ALIGNING INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS WITH ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS AND PRIORITIES, PRIORITIZING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT PRE-K THROUGH 12. IN THE CONTEXT OF SENIOR LEADERSHIP CUTS, OTHER CENTRAL OFFICE POSITION CUTS, AND ANY SCHOOL BASED CUTS AND THE IMPACT TO OUR SCHOOLS. THIS ROLE WAS CRITICAL IN PRESERVING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S MISSION TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. THE CANDIDATE. LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS TO GO FORWARD. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS DOCTOR DIANE R MACK, CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE. DOCTOR MACK BRINGS 29 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SERVING IN ROLES THAT INCLUDE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL, ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, ACHIEVEMENT GAP COORDINATOR, AND CLASSROOM TEACHER BOARD. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME. WHY ISN'T HE A GRADUATE AT THE TOP? I FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I WILL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT AND CHANGE THAT FOR[00:50:03]
FUTURE PRESENTATIONS. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. BOARDS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BRIEFED. ACTUALLY THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT. WE DID THAT IN CLOSED SESSION. YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT. SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO OPEN PUBLIC SESSION? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD BE HONORED TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF DIANE MACK AS THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? IS DENISE PERRY.I SECOND THE MOTION. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL. VOTE, PLEASE. MISS ALVAREZ. NO, MISS BRUCE. YES, MISS. COKER? YES, DOCTOR. MUELLER. YES, MISS BOUZOUKI? YES. THAT'S A PREFERENTIAL VOTE ONLY, MISS PERRY. YES, MR. SEWELL? YES, MISS STRAUSS? YES, VICE PRESIDENT HAHN. NO.
PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU, SIR, AND CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR
[D. Superintendent's Report]
MACK. OKAY, SO WE ARE WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. AND LAST BOARD MEETING. I CUT OFF THE SUPERINTENDENT, SO HE DIDN'T GIVE A SUPERINTENDENT REPORT. SO HE IS ABOUT THREE HOURS WORTH OF COMMENTS THIS EVENING. SO WE'LL WRAP IT UP WITH YOU. SEVEN MINUTES IS MY PLAN. ALL RIGHT.SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS. I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ONGOING ISSUES, DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND SPECIFICALLY SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET. WHAT'S COMING UP WITH THAT? BUT BEFORE THAT, I'D DOCTOR MUELLER MENTIONED THIS, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE I BELIEVE IT WAS FIVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO MADE IT DOWN TO ANNAPOLIS FOR MAYBE LEGISLATIVE DAY. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE THERE ENGAGED. HEARING FROM STATE LEVEL FOLKS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE IT IS VERY CONSEQUENTIAL FOR OUR BUDGET. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CONCERNS. AND I THINK WE SHARE THOSE CONCERNS. SO LET ME JUST HIT A COUPLE DETAILS. SO DESPITE REPORTS THAT THE BLUEPRINT IS BEING PAUSED, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ANY CHANGES MUST GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. AND SO THAT'S STILL UPCOMING. THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, THE LEGISLATION THAT HE PUT IN TO SUPPORT HIS BUDGET, THE EXCELLENCE IN MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT, INTRODUCES SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, NOTABLY PER PUPIL FUNDING FOR THE CAREER LADDER REQUIREMENT KNOWN AS COLLABORATIVE TIME. AND IF YOU'VE BEEN READING ABOUT THE BUDGET, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE TIME, BUT I BET IT TOOK A SECOND FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT, BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE EVEN HAD TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND. THIS WAS ORIGINALLY TO BE THE FUNDING FOR THIS WAS TO BEGIN IN FY 26. SO THIS BUDGET WE'RE WORKING IN, AND IT WAS MEANT TO BE AN EIGHT YEAR BUILD UP. BUT UNDER THE CURRENT PLAN. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO START WITH $163 AND PER PUPIL FUNDING, AND THEN ULTIMATELY INCREASING TO MORE THAN $1,500 BY FY 33. A DELAY TO THIS FUNDING, OR A DECREASE OF $163 PER PUPIL, ALSO AFFECTS KEY FUNDING AREAS SUCH AS COMPENSATORY EDUCATION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE WORDS THAT'S HOW THEY DESCRIBE HOW WE SUPPORT STUDENTS IN POVERTY. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, ALL OF WHICH ARE CALCULATED AS A MULTIPLE OR SORT OF AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL FOUNDATION FORMULA. SO IF THE FOUNDATION GOES DOWN, HOW THOSE ARE CALCULATED AUTOMATICALLY CAUSES THEM TO GO DOWN AS WELL. AS A RESULT, ADJUSTMENTS TO COLLABORATIVE TIME FUNDING IMPACT NOT ONLY OUR BASE FOUNDATION, BUT ALSO WHAT WE WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER AREAS. SO AT FIRST GLANCE, IT MAY SEEM THAT THE GOVERNOR IS MAKING FUNDING CUTS SIMILAR TO THOSE WE FACE LOCALLY. HOWEVER, DELAYING COLLABORATIVE TIME DOES NOT ADDRESS THE STATE'S FY 26 BUDGET SHORTFALL. ALL OF THESE FUNDS ARE ALREADY ALLOCATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BLUEPRINT AND CAN'T BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE, SO POSTPONING THIS MAY ACTUALLY PRESERVE SOME OF THESE RESOURCES TO HELP US ADDRESS NEEDS IN FUTURE YEARS. BUT IT DOESN'T HELP ADDRESS THE SHORTFALL THAT THE STATE HAS THIS YEAR. BUT ONE THING THAT IS CONCERNING IS THAT THE GOVERNOR IS SUGGESTING ESSENTIALLY REDUCING OUR FUNDING BY $163 PER PUPIL IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND SOME OF THAT MONEY THAT'S BEING SAVED, AS WE SAID, YOU KNOW, COULD BE USED IN FUTURE YEARS, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO REALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO CREATE NEW POSITIONS IN THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AND THE SUPERINTENDENTS AS A WHOLE DO NOT SUPPORT THIS REALLOCATION OF FUNDS AS IT SHIFTS RESOURCES
[00:55:05]
AWAY FROM OUR CLASSROOMS AND INCREASES CLASS SIZE. AS WE JUST DISCUSSED FOR THE LOCAL BUDGET, WHILE ALSO CREATING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED. SO A JOINT COMMITTEE HEARING IN THE SENATE ON, ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH. THAT'S NEXT WEDNESDAY, NOT THIS COMING. IT WILL BE BEFORE THE EDUCATION, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. IT WILL COMBINED GROUP OF EDUCATION, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT AND THE BUDGET AND TAXATION COMMITTEE. SO THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE COMMITTEES, IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THE FOR HTTPS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO ACTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT FUNDING REMAINS ALIGNED WITH THE BLUEPRINT'S ORIGINAL PURPOSE. SO AS I SAID THIS, THIS IS AN EFFORT TO POSTPONE SOME OF THE COSTS IN THE BLUEPRINT. BUT BUT FRANKLY, IT IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO SUPERINTENDENTS. IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T HELP ADDRESS THE SHORTFALL THAT THE STATE HAS THIS YEAR. AND FRANKLY, WE'RE A LITTLE STUMPED BY WHY WE WOULD DO THIS AND THEN TURN AROUND AND PUT POSITIONS IN MSD. SO I YOU KNOW, I'VE ALREADY SIGNED UP TO BE PART OF THE ADVOCACY FOR THIS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE STATE BUDGET, BECAUSE SHOULD SOME OF THIS LEGISLATION PASS? THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT COULD CAUSE THE CHALLENGE WE'RE FACING TO GROW EVEN GREATER. WORST CASE SCENARIO, REDUCING THE FUNDING COMING FROM THE STATE BY MAYBE AS MUCH AS $10 MILLION. IS THAT ONE? RIGHT. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S VERY CONCERNING. SO WE DO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS. WE NEED TO KEEP ADVOCATING I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE FOR ADVOCACY. I BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT OF LEGISLATORS WHO DON'T ENTIRELY AGREE WITH THIS PROPOSAL THAT'S COME OUT. AND I THINK IT WILL BE A BIT OF AN UPHILL BATTLE TO GET ALL OF THESE THINGS THROUGH IN LEGISLATION. BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH CLOSELY BECAUSE IT HAS REALLY SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, IMPACT ON WHAT WE DO HERE LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE STATE. SO WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE JUST ONE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT AND IT'S JUST A REMINDER. PLEASE GET THIS OUT TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO IT MAY APPLY FOR THAT KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR OPENS ONLINE ON MARCH 7TH AT HTTPS DOI.ORG. ON THE SAME DAY, KINDERGARTEN, EARLY ENTRANCE AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT TO FIRST GRADE APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR VIEWING AND PRINTING. PRE-K APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MAY OF 2025, AND WE'LL SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AS WE GET CLOSER. SO WITH THAT SAID BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF BOTH THE BUDGET AND FOR DOCTOR MAC THIS EVENING. AND BUT I, YOU KNOW, WILL COMMIT TO YOU THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR A YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED IS A BUDGET THAT BALANCES ASSUMING THAT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RELY ON THE COUNTY FOR THE FUNDING WE'VE ASKED FOR.BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T KEEP WORKING TO SEEK SAVINGS BECAUSE LIKE YOU. YOU KNOW, REMOVING IN MY MIND, REMOVING TEACHERS FROM OUR CLASSROOMS IS A LAST SORT OF WORST CASE SCENARIO. AND SO WE WILL KEEP WORKING ON THAT WITH YOU. SO THANK YOU ALL AND WE'LL SEE YOU
[Future Meetings Review ]
IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THANK YOU. THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH AT 2025 AT 6 P.M. IS THERE STILL LISTENING SESSION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THIS WEEK? WELL ERIC, DO YOU WANT TO CALL THE SNOW DAY NOW OR DO YOU WANT TO WAIT AND SEE? WHAT'S THAT? WE BETTER WAIT AND SEE. BUT YEAH. SO WE CAN START. WE'LL MAKE A CALL ON THAT VERY SHORTLY, I THINK.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.