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Oh, frontier schools.

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Good morning. I'd like...

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What's going on?

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Good morning. I'd like to call the April 14th meeting of the State Board of

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Education to order.

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You have your agenda before you.

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Move to approve the agenda.

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So Mike Matusik moved-

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Second.

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I have a second from Kerrie.

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All those in favor?

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Yes.

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Aye.

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Aye. Opposed?

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Thank you.

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Moving on to the minutes of the March 24th meeting, are there

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any additions or corrections of the March 24th minutes?

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If we have a motion, please.

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Move to approve the minutes.

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Board member Mike Matusik.

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Second.

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Seconded by Pamela Westbrook Hodge. All those in favor?

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Aye.

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Yes.

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Opposed? Thank you.

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Commissioner,

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if we could have your report, please.

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Absolutely. Well, good morning, everybody.

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Again, I'd like to just mention that we are enjoying our new space here in the

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Jefferson building. We have a beautiful space to hold our meetings, and

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to me, I just think it makes it so nice we can have

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other events in the same space. We just happened to have our employee recognition

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prior to this meeting, and it's just a wonderful opportunity for us to have a nice

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place to do these things.

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As far as my report this month, I want to touch on just a few things.

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One, I want to just express my gratitude towards our

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president of our governance committee, Board Member Brooks Miller, in providing us

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and kind of organizing and coordinating an opportunity for board

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members to go over and visit with various legislators yesterday, as an extra

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time out of their day, but I think that those connections and relationships are

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very important. So I appreciate that, Board Member Brooks, for sure.

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And as you know, we're getting ready to give a first blush of our strategic plan.

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That's later on in your agenda today.

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And I just want to reiterate that this is truly, truly a still work in progress

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piece, and this is an opportunity for you to see the

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progress and kind of where we are with this strategic plan work.

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I plan to have an opportunity to reach out to each one of you for specific

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feedback on this so that we can incorporate those things after this

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meeting, sometime between now and the next board meeting.

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And there may even be a survey that I will send out to the board just to make sure

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that we have good

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information around the direction we're going and the things that we're doing within

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the strategic plan.

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Another thing that I'd like to just kind of bring up is that, of course, we're

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planning our meeting in St. Louis for the May meeting.

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And thank you to Pamela Westbrook Hodge and Kerrie

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Casey, as well as our president, Mary.

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We've been working to make sure that the day prior has lots of opportunity and

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interesting conversation, and then obviously getting us a place to hold

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the meeting and all the logistics around it.

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I want to thank our staff for making this happen, as well as, I feel like that

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you three are kind of hosting us in St. Louis, so thank you.

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I've been working with Mizzou lately, doing some

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work with going into the College of Ed classes and having a

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conversation about the value of, and the true important

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profession that they're about to enter into.

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And then I've asked to sit on some panels, and the panels are about how you connect

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research to practice in education so that research can

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inform practice. I think it's very important.

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As you also know, we're diligently working on our AF

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report card that we received executive order, and we will be delivering that to the

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governor's office by June. I expect on the May meeting that we'll

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have an update, and possibly you'll have some information prior to that so you

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can see the progress and the work that we're doing there.

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We are on pace with meeting the deadline of June 20th to provide a model and an

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implementation timeline to the governor.

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Want to bring up that we constantly are working to improve our data analytics and

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our data visualization, and one of the things that we've been noticing is that we

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need to get a little bit tighter on how we are looking at all these

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research requests that come in for data, and there's been many of

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them that we just run the contract over.

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We've got to make sure that the contracts are current, and

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that we have the background checks and all those kinds of things around this data,

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because it is important for us to secure our data.

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I'll close with, this week is one of my most favorite

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things that I get to do, and I get to stand before thousands of Blue Jackets

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at Mizzou on Thursday. And this is where the FFA

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state

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group come together, and they receive honors in about 40, I think

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it's 46 or some odd priority areas, and so these state

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champions are receiving their awards there.

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It's really just an awesome sight, and if you have an opportunity to see

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that, it's high energy. Kids are excited.

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It really is a nice day. It's the 98th anniversary.

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98 years they've been doing this, getting ready and close to their 99th, so we're

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excited. And with that, Madam President, that's the close of my

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report.

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Thank you.

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On the president's report today, we have music that many of you that are on live

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stream are hearing. It's provided by the All State Jazz Ensemble from

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the 2025 Missouri Music Educators Association Conference.

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For those of you in the room, our spotlight on

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success for this month

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is the Raymore-Peculiar School District.

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Thanks to the heavy equipment operator program, high school

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juniors and seniors at Raymore-Peculiar School Districts have the

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opportunity to learn how to operate heavy equipment.

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This program, which started in August of 2024 and was

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developed in partnership with the International Union of Operating Engineers

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Local 101, is housed in the LEAD Center,

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providing a space for the equipment and open land for students to use as they

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learn about equipment. Most recently, students were able to test their

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skills when the high school cross-country team was in need of a new course.

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Projects like this allow the community to see the good work that students are

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doing and allows them to show the skills they are

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learningThe district is also celebrating success in

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performance. Over the past year, Raymore-Peculiar School District

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has increased in its annual performance report scores by 4%,

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increasing scores in English language, arts, mathematics,

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science, and social studies. Great job.

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And let's look at the video on the heavy

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operators.

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Ray-Pec's really had a great idea with a lot of these student-driven

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projects. Being able to take an idea that administration came up with, and then be

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able to go to the students and go to the programs and see how they can support it.

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The initiation came from a need from the cross-country coaches.

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They had kind of been talking to Dr.

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Voelker and myself about the idea of a redesign of the course to help meet the

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increasing MSHA standards for the course.

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They were able to take it to the students and the teachers.

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And so from there, we just kind of thought, "What about our ATO students?"

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As soon as running was done for this year, and the last cross-country meets were

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over with, we started construction.

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So what they've transitioned from is not just sitting there, seeing

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pictures, watching video. Now we get to actually go out and apply it.

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So it's kind of a new thing, as in bringing in heavy equipment for the kids to

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actually get on. We've implemented new machinery that we don't even have out here.

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We've had a scraper and a dozer out on this site.

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We don't have those things here. Operators 101 supplied us with

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five 303 Cat Minis, five John Deere 325 Skid

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Steers. Also with part of Union is Kissick.

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They've donated a PC88 Komatsu and a smooth drum

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roller to the program. So right there is 12 pieces of machinery

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supplied. The kids can be on it. It's a good transition from this

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machine to bigger machines. So they see them, they're a little more intimidated,

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but now they've grown as individuals.

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Instead of having that intimidation, now they can't wait to get on it.

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We did this in three phases, kind of initially.

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We did a land clearing and grubbing.

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So that's where we take the trees, everything above the ground, then we do the

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grubbing, everything under the ground.

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Our second phase, we went over the pipe install.

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We have a creek down there, it's about 180 feet long.

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We installed a two-foot culvert. And then our third phase would've been our grading

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phase.

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The community sees the programs, they hear about the programs, but what are they

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really doing? I think maybe there's a thought that all these programs are

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just in a controlled environment, but then to actually see it go big picture

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and out on a full-size job site for this.

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This job site was six to eight acres.

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No limits, no boundaries, just out trying to get the job done.

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It's a lot harder than what you think.

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You can't just get in it and be perfect one day.

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You're going to mess up, but the more time you spend, the better you get.

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All the new equipment's probably the hardest part, but once you get it, get your

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time in, you can get it down pretty easy.

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I know that the skills I'm learning, they're not going to waste, and they're

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actually going to make a difference in the community.

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I was excited about it because we get to show what we learned.

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It showed me more what the job actually is like.

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It's made me more interested in wanting a career in this trade.

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It's exposed me to a lot of different opportunities and scenarios with different

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pieces of equipment, and I've felt like it's gotten my skills a

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lot better than what they were before.

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It's a very good program. It really helps you out, better than just going in blind

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out of a school like mine. But yeah, Ray-Pec sets you up very good.

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LEAD Center is a very good program.

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So I think this is probably what I will do, or something like this in my

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future.

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So what we're hoping for is to have this next generation of kids grow up, and

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they're going to be a little bit better and stronger for this program than just

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anybody coming in off the street.

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Pretty good?

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So doing great work, it looks like. That's wonderful.

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It is difficult to show the gratitude or express the gratitude

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of the work of so many in order to be able to do the

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business of education in the state of Missouri.

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We have local school board members and superintendents.

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We have state

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board members and our commissioner. We have many people in the department.

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We have professional associations we work with.

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But I would like to start out by thanking our commissioner, and

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for all her hard work, her multiple trips across the state

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this past month. I had a chance to join her down in Cape Girardeau,

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for our MASS 莫 meeting, and had a chance to visit with the

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superintendents in that region. We discussed what the board is

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doing, and all the activities, the responsibilities.

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And then we talked about all the work that the department's doing,

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including, the gubernatorial,

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AF that we are working with, the governor's office,

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and the strategic plan that we've been working on.

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Of course, we wanted it to come to the board before we give any

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details out. But just sharing what they are doing,

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and also encouraging them to share back with us the successes they're having

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in their schools, like the Spotlight.

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So we can share it across the state, because there is so much work being

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done. I also went to the Southwest MASS 莫 meeting on

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April 10th and had a great conversation, a lot of the very same

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information. Every board member is doing so much work, and

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I cannot thank you enough for what you're doing.

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As Carla mentioned earlier, we started out having our board meetings

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across the state in December, in Springfield.

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It was extremely well-received. We had many people come down.

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But it's also great for the local community to get to see what the state

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board does, and the many

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items that we address on a monthly basis,

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and the difficult decisions sometimes we have to makeSo,

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we're excited that we will have our May board meeting in St.

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Louis, as the commissioner mentioned.

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We have chosen two schools, and when I say we,

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actually Carrie and Pamela made the recommendations, and we let

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them choose the schools, which will be St. Louis Public School and Ladue.

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We'll do some tours. They are also planning some events on Monday

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night, so I hope the whole board will be able to attend.

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It's going to be a really interesting and enjoyable

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couple of days, so I'm very excited.

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So we'll have more details as far as hotels and evening

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times, but I'm really looking forward to it.

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And I do think that when we go to those regions, they

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enjoy seeing the state board come.

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I know it's more work for the department, but I think the collaboration

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across the state is a real positive, and I hope then we'll be off to

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Kansas City and maybe northern Missouri as well.

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So look forward to that as well.

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I want to thank Brooks Miller, who is our vice president and chair of the

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legislative priorities. He did put together a great meeting

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time for us yesterday, and I appreciate

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board member Casey Carey and John Otto, as well as the

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commissioner,

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Brooks obviously, and myself. We had a chance to meet with the governor and

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multiple legislators. It was very interesting and

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very transparent. And so I'll save the details for

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our chairman who put it together, but we really appreciate that work.

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We appreciate the extra effort, taking two days to

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come and spend for our state board meetings when we do these things, and

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that's because it means so much.

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John Otto will be online or with us today,

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joining us, and he will also be sharing some of the work he

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continues to do with the governance committee.

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I also want to extend a thank you to Melissa Randall

251
00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:20,400
and MSBA. We have asked them to

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do some video interviews of the state board members that we can

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share with the local school board members.

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We want to continue that collaboration and strengthen those relationships.

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Some of you've had the privilege of serving on a local school board.

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I have not, but I think having that collaboration communication

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is always helpful.

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And finally, just across the board, thanks to all the various

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committee members, because I think I see our committees digging in

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deeper, working harder. And so the work with the

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strategic planning, you've heard much about.

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They've done tremendous heavy lifting the last several months.

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Our governance committee that is led by John Otto, he's done

264
00:15:01,130 --> 00:15:04,530
tremendous work. Legislative priorities, we just shared

265
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kind of some of the exciting collaborations that we're going to expand

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on. And then our finance committee, which I know that Carrie's already got a chance

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to meet with Kyle and beginning that process that will help the

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00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,420
rest of the board continue to understand more about the

269
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budget. Because, as we all know, it is a big beast.

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And so thank you again for all your hard work.

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Just wanted to take a minute to show some gratitude for everything you're doing.

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Next, we will have committee reports, and so if I could have

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Pamela Westbrook Hodge give an update on the strategic planning committee.

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Yeah.

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So that's a bit of a moot point based

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on Karla's updates.

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We have received back a very

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preliminary

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blush of the

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top-level priority. So what's not included in the presentation are the

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00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,600
strategic roadmaps.

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00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,220
Karla will present later

283
00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,790
the top level, which are the refined priorities,

284
00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,250
which will continue to be refined and undergo some work with

285
00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:19,940
Watershed, and I'll be working directly with Watershed.

286
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So

287
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we are progressing. What we ask for

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is your patience, because this is a

289
00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:32,190
considerable lift and a big departure from how we've

290
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done it in the past. We're swimming in great

291
00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,120
information from a lot of wonderful work

292
00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,920
groups, and it takes time to synthesize all of that information.

293
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The time it takes to develop a really great plan does

294
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not change the day-to-day work that needs to happen and is

295
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happening against the existing plan.

296
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So we're okay in terms of not missing any major

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deliverables. So

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00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,580
we thank you for your patience. You'll get a great walkthrough from

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00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,300
Karla later today, and we'll be getting one-on-one

300
00:17:07,421 --> 00:17:11,260
feedback from each of you and using that

301
00:17:11,340 --> 00:17:13,960
to create a more final draft.

302
00:17:14,421 --> 00:17:18,240
Absolutely. And now, of course, it's in agenda items, we'll be able to walk through

303
00:17:18,260 --> 00:17:21,470
some of that. But again, we're going to reach out to each member and make sure that

304
00:17:21,500 --> 00:17:25,340
you have an opportunity, as you've read it and had the presentation, to give some

305
00:17:25,401 --> 00:17:28,440
feedback as to what you think that maybe we're doing well and what you think that

306
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,860
maybe we should consider as we go forward. Okay.

307
00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,740
Next, Brooks Miller, if you can give us an update on the legislative priorities.

308
00:17:35,820 --> 00:17:39,420
Sure. I appreciate the opportunity. Is John Otto on?

309
00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:39,840
He is.

310
00:17:39,849 --> 00:17:42,600
Is he on the phone? Can we hear you, John?

311
00:17:42,700 --> 00:17:43,860
Can you say hi or something?

312
00:17:44,340 --> 00:17:45,140
Yes. Can you hear me?

313
00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:46,650
Oh, okay. I thought maybe you-

314
00:17:46,810 --> 00:17:46,810
Can you hear me?

315
00:17:46,810 --> 00:17:48,640
... already copped out. Yes, we've got you.

316
00:17:49,620 --> 00:17:49,760
No.

317
00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:50,800
Thanks.

318
00:17:50,940 --> 00:17:51,740
Not yet, anyway.

319
00:17:52,100 --> 00:17:54,300
I hope your mother's recovering at this point.

320
00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,760
Listen, I do have appreciation to those that participated in our

321
00:17:59,820 --> 00:18:00,979
conversations yesterday.

322
00:18:02,380 --> 00:18:06,040
I'm going to reserve my remarks to the very end and

323
00:18:06,300 --> 00:18:09,400
just have you all who did participate with this

324
00:18:10,220 --> 00:18:13,860
give some feedback on how you felt the conversations

325
00:18:13,980 --> 00:18:17,900
went. And so John, if you wouldn't mind, since you're

326
00:18:17,980 --> 00:18:21,660
not at the table, would you go ahead and lead off with that conversation a little

327
00:18:21,780 --> 00:18:21,960
bit?

328
00:18:24,124 --> 00:18:26,563
Oh, sure. Thanks for putting me on the spot.

329
00:18:26,684 --> 00:18:30,354
Well, I seem to do that a lot. And so you ought to-- sooner or later, you'll be

330
00:18:30,464 --> 00:18:31,684
more prepared, right?

331
00:18:31,764 --> 00:18:35,704
Yeah. No, I think that's my training from way back in law school.

332
00:18:35,744 --> 00:18:37,884
I'm used to the lightning strike method.

333
00:18:37,984 --> 00:18:38,164
So

334
00:18:39,304 --> 00:18:43,164
yeah, no worries. Yeah. No, I think the meetings went well.

335
00:18:43,204 --> 00:18:46,404
I think there was a consistent theme that we

336
00:18:47,844 --> 00:18:50,544
all agree that we heard from the different,

337
00:18:51,484 --> 00:18:54,284
from the governor and the other representatives that we met with.

338
00:18:55,604 --> 00:18:56,044
And so,

339
00:18:57,004 --> 00:19:00,484
that was kind of good to hear. We did hear that they

340
00:19:01,864 --> 00:19:05,814
or we, basically, for lack of a better word to say it, they have

341
00:19:05,884 --> 00:19:09,204
our backs or that they're backing us,

342
00:19:10,304 --> 00:19:14,174
as a board and whatever we're trying to do to make change and

343
00:19:14,244 --> 00:19:16,584
have some accountability for schools.

344
00:19:16,774 --> 00:19:17,264
And so,

345
00:19:18,304 --> 00:19:21,984
no, I think it went well. I think in the future, I think we need to

346
00:19:22,044 --> 00:19:22,444
have

347
00:19:23,824 --> 00:19:27,804
more or more often meetings, particularly with

348
00:19:27,844 --> 00:19:31,704
the governor. And I think, to be honest, to be frank, I

349
00:19:31,784 --> 00:19:35,364
guess, I think it would be also beneficial if we just met with

350
00:19:35,764 --> 00:19:38,224
just only board members, and met with

351
00:19:39,704 --> 00:19:43,544
the governor and the staff and things like that, just so that we can

352
00:19:43,604 --> 00:19:44,084
get some more

353
00:19:45,084 --> 00:19:45,564
clear

354
00:19:46,584 --> 00:19:47,664
feedback.

355
00:19:49,624 --> 00:19:50,364
Okay. Thank you.

356
00:19:51,744 --> 00:19:52,824
Kerry? Do you have...

357
00:19:53,744 --> 00:19:57,524
Thank you very much. And I would like to add the first of all, the thank you to

358
00:19:57,964 --> 00:19:59,944
you, Brooks, for getting this all set up.

359
00:20:00,004 --> 00:20:00,864
It was a really

360
00:20:01,864 --> 00:20:05,794
beneficial opportunity, I think, not only for us to hear about

361
00:20:05,804 --> 00:20:09,784
the legislature priorities, those that we met with, but also for them

362
00:20:09,844 --> 00:20:13,284
to hear from us and understand. It just built that

363
00:20:13,844 --> 00:20:15,444
collaboration and

364
00:20:16,584 --> 00:20:20,514
sense of understanding that

365
00:20:20,544 --> 00:20:24,444
we really all have the same objective, and that is to educate the children of

366
00:20:24,484 --> 00:20:28,234
Missouri in the most excellent manner possible and

367
00:20:28,264 --> 00:20:29,964
focus on those educational outcomes.

368
00:20:29,974 --> 00:20:33,754
So not to repeat everything that John just said, but what I

369
00:20:33,784 --> 00:20:37,444
found especially important was the clarity that came from each

370
00:20:37,484 --> 00:20:39,544
legislator,

371
00:20:40,664 --> 00:20:44,564
including our governor, as to what our priorities need to be, and that

372
00:20:44,624 --> 00:20:48,044
is our focus on literacy and numeracy, basic

373
00:20:48,224 --> 00:20:51,804
academic outcomes. And it was repeated over and over, stick to the

374
00:20:51,844 --> 00:20:55,544
basics, get the basics right. And it takes a

375
00:20:55,604 --> 00:20:58,874
lot more than what you think to get those basics right.

376
00:20:58,904 --> 00:21:02,774
There needs to be a number of other programs evolving at the same time, but

377
00:21:02,804 --> 00:21:06,484
not everything. And so the importance of always

378
00:21:06,544 --> 00:21:07,634
looking at what we're doing

379
00:21:08,684 --> 00:21:10,274
and understanding

380
00:21:11,204 --> 00:21:15,184
if and how it will meet that primary objective

381
00:21:15,244 --> 00:21:18,484
of will children read better, will children be

382
00:21:18,564 --> 00:21:22,304
able to have better

383
00:21:22,364 --> 00:21:26,264
outcomes in numeracy. So the message to me was very loud

384
00:21:26,284 --> 00:21:26,673
and clear.

385
00:21:27,784 --> 00:21:31,044
Keep our focus, work aggressively, be

386
00:21:31,184 --> 00:21:31,864
innovative.

387
00:21:33,124 --> 00:21:36,984
Just the way we've done it in the past may not need

388
00:21:37,044 --> 00:21:40,634
to be the way we continue to do it. Almost to do more with

389
00:21:40,684 --> 00:21:44,524
less in certain ways. Look at what we are doing with the money that we

390
00:21:44,684 --> 00:21:48,264
have and be more creative and get it done more quickly.

391
00:21:49,744 --> 00:21:53,634
So one of the things I want to comment on, I really appreciate Brooks doing this,

392
00:21:53,724 --> 00:21:57,504
is historically, board members have had personal relationships and met

393
00:21:57,544 --> 00:21:58,024
with their

394
00:21:59,224 --> 00:22:02,924
personal contacts. I know I had many conversations

395
00:22:03,064 --> 00:22:06,924
with Senator Eslinger before she became the commissioner.

396
00:22:07,204 --> 00:22:09,604
So I think having a formalized

397
00:22:10,424 --> 00:22:14,364
capital day together with the board and the commissioner, going to

398
00:22:14,384 --> 00:22:18,184
the offices was very productive. I think it was a really very

399
00:22:18,304 --> 00:22:22,084
positive step forward. The governor's office did offer to have regular

400
00:22:22,124 --> 00:22:25,994
meetings, so as I walked out, I said, "We'd like to get together quarterly." And

401
00:22:26,024 --> 00:22:29,893
they said, "We would like that as well." So I think just keeping the

402
00:22:29,924 --> 00:22:33,764
communication, because I think Board Member Casey made a really good point,

403
00:22:33,844 --> 00:22:36,264
is the flow of communication is both directions.

404
00:22:36,564 --> 00:22:39,064
Yes, they shared with us what their ideas were.

405
00:22:39,664 --> 00:22:43,303
Some of their ideas, we were like, "Now, those are actually legislative

406
00:22:43,344 --> 00:22:47,104
changes." So we'd have to have a legislative, which would, of course,

407
00:22:47,224 --> 00:22:48,454
happen across the street.

408
00:22:49,364 --> 00:22:52,924
But we could definitely support some of the ideas.

409
00:22:52,964 --> 00:22:56,864
And so that was the transparency and the honesty I really,

410
00:22:56,924 --> 00:23:00,584
really greatly appreciated. I also

411
00:23:00,644 --> 00:23:04,004
felt that I wasn't surprised by any of the comments.

412
00:23:04,044 --> 00:23:04,054
Mm-hmm.

413
00:23:05,004 --> 00:23:08,864
And it was great to be there with three other

414
00:23:08,904 --> 00:23:12,794
board colleagues and have this conversation together, because we do have

415
00:23:12,844 --> 00:23:15,544
these conversations together at various times.

416
00:23:15,654 --> 00:23:19,524
But this was much more cohesive, and I felt like when we

417
00:23:19,564 --> 00:23:23,084
walked out of there, we, as a group, kind of saw a

418
00:23:23,204 --> 00:23:25,644
trend. So Brooks, thank you again.

419
00:23:25,864 --> 00:23:25,994
Mm-hmm.

420
00:23:28,574 --> 00:23:32,484
And like I said, I appreciate everybody's time, and I know that it was difficult

421
00:23:32,524 --> 00:23:33,144
for some that

422
00:23:34,344 --> 00:23:38,264
had to work. You have work responsibilities, and that's certainly

423
00:23:38,344 --> 00:23:42,184
a priority by all means. But I do appreciate those

424
00:23:42,244 --> 00:23:43,464
that did participate.

425
00:23:45,764 --> 00:23:49,664
I think that from my perspective, and I beg you

426
00:23:49,784 --> 00:23:52,824
all that were there to correct me if I'm wrong.

427
00:23:53,944 --> 00:23:57,764
But in particular, the governor was adamant that this

428
00:23:57,784 --> 00:23:58,224
board

429
00:23:59,164 --> 00:24:00,764
is the responsible party

430
00:24:01,944 --> 00:24:02,644
to DESE.

431
00:24:04,464 --> 00:24:08,234
That we have the responsibility to provide the directions and

432
00:24:08,304 --> 00:24:09,164
what is needed

433
00:24:09,984 --> 00:24:13,444
for the kids, children of Missouri.

434
00:24:14,644 --> 00:24:18,564
And in particular, they called out the four new board members who

435
00:24:18,604 --> 00:24:20,704
were interviewed by the governor

436
00:24:21,624 --> 00:24:24,684
specifically for the purpose to bring forth this

437
00:24:24,744 --> 00:24:27,664
transition of leadership from the

438
00:24:27,704 --> 00:24:30,484
governorTo the board of directors.

439
00:24:30,584 --> 00:24:34,464
Now, am I correct in that? Does everybody agree?

440
00:24:34,604 --> 00:24:35,764
And I think that that's

441
00:24:37,104 --> 00:24:40,884
extremely important that we're aware of the

442
00:24:40,944 --> 00:24:44,544
expectations that are upon us and that we are

443
00:24:44,584 --> 00:24:46,284
responding accordingly.

444
00:24:47,384 --> 00:24:51,044
Mary sent me a text last night and said, "Good meetings,"

445
00:24:51,384 --> 00:24:53,164
and they were, "but what now?"

446
00:24:54,204 --> 00:24:55,364
Can I summarize it that way?

447
00:24:55,624 --> 00:24:56,444
That sounds great.

448
00:24:56,964 --> 00:25:00,324
So what now? And what role are we going to play

449
00:25:01,044 --> 00:25:03,944
as we continue on here as the

450
00:25:04,004 --> 00:25:07,704
leaders of the education system for Missouri?

451
00:25:09,124 --> 00:25:11,104
And I think that that's a very serious

452
00:25:12,964 --> 00:25:16,344
objective here that we've got to start talking about more frequently.

453
00:25:16,904 --> 00:25:20,864
And so that's where I come from. That's my

454
00:25:20,904 --> 00:25:22,224
takeaway. If

455
00:25:23,144 --> 00:25:25,264
we don't do our job and

456
00:25:26,364 --> 00:25:27,404
DESE does not

457
00:25:28,684 --> 00:25:32,464
grow, DESE does not respond to the needs of the students, that's

458
00:25:32,624 --> 00:25:35,744
our fault. That's our responsibility.

459
00:25:35,784 --> 00:25:37,724
And we need to take that very seriously.

460
00:25:38,324 --> 00:25:41,744
And when we talk about the governor's office, which it was a great, transparent

461
00:25:41,824 --> 00:25:45,024
conversation. The commissioner and the governor have been meeting

462
00:25:46,424 --> 00:25:49,604
frequently as they can, because they both have very busy schedules.

463
00:25:50,084 --> 00:25:51,824
But Drew, in particular-

464
00:25:52,104 --> 00:25:52,174
Mm-hmm

465
00:25:52,184 --> 00:25:55,584
... when he called out the three very specifics, I think that's helpful.

466
00:25:55,624 --> 00:25:58,924
I think if we have clarity on the three areas of focus,

467
00:26:00,144 --> 00:26:01,874
I don't think we were surprised by their-

468
00:26:01,874 --> 00:26:01,874
No

469
00:26:01,874 --> 00:26:05,824
... directives. And I feel like, including the commissioner,

470
00:26:06,004 --> 00:26:07,484
everybody's on board. So

471
00:26:08,384 --> 00:26:11,244
to Brooke's point, we're going to really push forward.

472
00:26:11,264 --> 00:26:11,804
Mm-hmm.

473
00:26:11,844 --> 00:26:12,844
And so thank you.

474
00:26:13,084 --> 00:26:17,024
And I'm going to follow up that during, when our

475
00:26:17,084 --> 00:26:20,564
two-month agenda comes up, I'm going to make a recommendation.

476
00:26:20,724 --> 00:26:23,624
And I don't know whether we have to vote on it or what the procedure's going to be

477
00:26:23,664 --> 00:26:27,344
or whatever, but that our June board meeting be

478
00:26:27,404 --> 00:26:31,284
taken up, half of it, with a conversation between

479
00:26:31,344 --> 00:26:33,544
the board and our chief executive.

480
00:26:34,744 --> 00:26:36,344
And review personnel,

481
00:26:37,744 --> 00:26:41,304
departments, and have a strategic conversation

482
00:26:41,424 --> 00:26:45,084
about where we're at, and where our strong

483
00:26:45,184 --> 00:26:48,974
points are, where our weak points are, and become much more knowledgeable

484
00:26:49,764 --> 00:26:53,724
about the operations of DESE, and where we need to put improvement

485
00:26:53,784 --> 00:26:54,704
and our resources.

486
00:26:55,784 --> 00:26:56,864
I definitely think we can-

487
00:26:58,024 --> 00:26:58,224
Thank you

488
00:26:58,284 --> 00:26:59,884
... look at our June board meeting.

489
00:27:00,264 --> 00:27:03,984
John, and you're going to be doing our governance report

490
00:27:04,064 --> 00:27:06,713
here, so maybe you can comment on that.

491
00:27:06,713 --> 00:27:09,904
Yeah, I just wanted to chime in on what Brooks just said.

492
00:27:10,244 --> 00:27:12,074
I think that's one thing that I was going to cover

493
00:27:13,304 --> 00:27:17,244
when we get down to the consideration of the agenda item

494
00:27:17,304 --> 00:27:21,044
on adopting the commissioner evaluations, who I was going to discuss the

495
00:27:21,764 --> 00:27:25,654
timeline, and that's right. What Brooks just recommended was exactly what I was

496
00:27:25,684 --> 00:27:28,544
going to say, is that we're going to start

497
00:27:29,724 --> 00:27:33,404
our review, once we have the tool adopted, and then June

498
00:27:33,944 --> 00:27:37,924
would be the perfect timing to sit down and have a discussion between the

499
00:27:37,964 --> 00:27:39,444
commissioner and the board. And so

500
00:27:40,424 --> 00:27:44,044
I'll elaborate more on the details of that, but that's where I was going with that.

501
00:27:45,564 --> 00:27:46,924
Just to follow up on what Brooks said.

502
00:27:46,964 --> 00:27:48,264
And also, the

503
00:27:49,224 --> 00:27:53,044
governor's team sent us their summary of the three priorities.

504
00:27:53,104 --> 00:27:55,144
I wanted it to be very clear that we didn't

505
00:27:55,984 --> 00:27:58,604
mistake or misrepresent what they said.

506
00:27:58,644 --> 00:28:02,484
And so they sent that to me. I can share that with the rest of the board or the

507
00:28:02,544 --> 00:28:06,164
governor's committee, and I was going to incorporate those three

508
00:28:06,784 --> 00:28:08,664
goals into our

509
00:28:10,484 --> 00:28:13,384
goals and evaluation for the commissioner as well.

510
00:28:14,324 --> 00:28:17,804
That sounds great. Well, now it is time for the governance committee.

511
00:28:17,844 --> 00:28:21,324
Do you have additional that you'd like to add at this time, or would you like to

512
00:28:21,364 --> 00:28:22,974
reserve it for later when you-

513
00:28:23,044 --> 00:28:26,304
No, I don't have anything other than just that we will

514
00:28:26,924 --> 00:28:29,824
cover everything in the action items below.

515
00:28:30,004 --> 00:28:31,184
So don't want to waste time-

516
00:28:31,584 --> 00:28:31,954
Okay. Thank-

517
00:28:31,954 --> 00:28:32,384
... repeating.

518
00:28:32,964 --> 00:28:34,844
Okay. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

519
00:28:35,244 --> 00:28:39,024
Carrie Casey, if you can give us a update on both the finance

520
00:28:39,264 --> 00:28:43,184
meeting and the direction, what you're doing with your subcommittee.

521
00:28:43,884 --> 00:28:44,264
Thank you.

522
00:28:44,524 --> 00:28:48,384
Which will be renamed because the president cannot ever get it straight.

523
00:28:50,023 --> 00:28:52,824
Nor can I. So thank you very much. And,

524
00:28:54,304 --> 00:28:57,784
I just want to comment, I think that was an excellent discussion, Brooks.

525
00:28:57,944 --> 00:29:01,834
Thank you for, again, and John, I really support that

526
00:29:01,864 --> 00:29:05,584
recommendation. So from a finance committee perspective, again,

527
00:29:06,104 --> 00:29:10,004
to note that both John Otto and I are on the finance committee working

528
00:29:10,064 --> 00:29:10,324
with

529
00:29:11,144 --> 00:29:13,104
Deputy Commissioner Kyle Cruz.

530
00:29:13,964 --> 00:29:17,924
The finance committee met a few times, and, first of all, we did

531
00:29:17,964 --> 00:29:21,074
agree on our charter, roles and

532
00:29:21,144 --> 00:29:22,074
responsibilities,

533
00:29:23,404 --> 00:29:25,984
and those will be put forth before the board for approval.

534
00:29:26,964 --> 00:29:30,524
And again, a reminder that we'll always evolve just like everything else in the

535
00:29:30,544 --> 00:29:34,324
bylaws. So as we continue to do our work in the area of the

536
00:29:34,384 --> 00:29:38,284
finance committee, we'll begin to see maybe where changes in even our

537
00:29:38,504 --> 00:29:39,384
charter would be needed.

538
00:29:40,644 --> 00:29:44,464
The finance committee did review the reports that are included in today's board

539
00:29:44,544 --> 00:29:48,413
meeting, board materials. We raised questions for clarification

540
00:29:48,464 --> 00:29:51,384
and also made recommendations for format changes and more

541
00:29:51,404 --> 00:29:54,654
information so that we would have better insights

542
00:29:55,704 --> 00:29:58,464
that could be shared with the broader board.

543
00:29:58,504 --> 00:30:02,144
Please note that these reports, just like our bylaws, are going to continue to

544
00:30:02,204 --> 00:30:02,624
evolve.

545
00:30:03,834 --> 00:30:07,604
They will, as both John and I, and Kyle, can roll up our

546
00:30:07,644 --> 00:30:10,994
sleeves and work together, and we begin to analyze data and look at

547
00:30:11,804 --> 00:30:15,784
cost analysis as compared to some of the programs, looking at the way,

548
00:30:16,024 --> 00:30:19,444
the typical questions that we are all raising at the board meetings, are they being

549
00:30:19,524 --> 00:30:23,504
answered in these reports? And you will continue to see these reports evolve,

550
00:30:23,944 --> 00:30:27,924
both in their content and in their format, with deeper analysis

551
00:30:28,024 --> 00:30:29,044
provided to the board,

552
00:30:30,024 --> 00:30:33,924
so that we can have the proper discussions.The committee will

553
00:30:33,964 --> 00:30:35,744
bring those analysis and insights

554
00:30:37,964 --> 00:30:41,054
and further questions even, putting questions to the board, and

555
00:30:41,124 --> 00:30:44,704
not for the discussion that we need to have in future

556
00:30:44,744 --> 00:30:45,134
meetings.

557
00:30:45,994 --> 00:30:49,884
So with that, the committee does recommend that we approve today's reports.

558
00:30:52,104 --> 00:30:53,744
Thank you so much. Any questions?

559
00:30:55,224 --> 00:30:57,584
All right, so we will now move to the national-

560
00:30:57,624 --> 00:30:58,784
Can I tell a quick...

561
00:30:59,254 --> 00:30:59,254
Go ahead.

562
00:30:59,664 --> 00:31:03,154
There's a comment that is extremely important for me to say, and

563
00:31:03,804 --> 00:31:05,644
I apologize for forgetting it. But,

564
00:31:07,124 --> 00:31:08,364
during our visit yesterday,

565
00:31:09,244 --> 00:31:13,184
Perry was with us all the way through, and I just want

566
00:31:13,204 --> 00:31:13,624
to speak

567
00:31:14,684 --> 00:31:18,594
to his work, because it was very evident, and I want him to know this,

568
00:31:18,664 --> 00:31:22,284
but I'm glad he's not here, so I don't feel that I owe him

569
00:31:22,344 --> 00:31:23,064
anything or...

570
00:31:24,104 --> 00:31:24,304
But

571
00:31:25,464 --> 00:31:28,364
he is a resource for so many people over there.

572
00:31:28,844 --> 00:31:29,764
And truly,

573
00:31:30,804 --> 00:31:34,464
you could see that he had a relationship that we

574
00:31:34,524 --> 00:31:38,504
need in that kind of person. And I've spent a lot of years over in that building,

575
00:31:38,724 --> 00:31:41,664
and I know who the good people are, who the trusted people are.

576
00:31:42,074 --> 00:31:45,664
And I truly do believe that Perry is one of those individuals, and that we're

577
00:31:45,744 --> 00:31:47,164
fortunate to have him. So

578
00:31:48,204 --> 00:31:52,044
if anybody sees Perry, just say "Thanks, you did a good job."

579
00:31:52,244 --> 00:31:52,504
Okay.

580
00:31:52,704 --> 00:31:54,764
One of our commissioner's many great hires.

581
00:31:54,824 --> 00:31:55,304
Yeah. Mm-hmm.

582
00:31:55,374 --> 00:31:55,804
So thank you.

583
00:31:55,864 --> 00:31:56,744
Yeah, absolutely.

584
00:31:56,984 --> 00:32:00,464
I would add to that, he had such a command of information.

585
00:32:00,904 --> 00:32:00,914
Yes.

586
00:32:00,964 --> 00:32:02,244
He was able to respond

587
00:32:03,164 --> 00:32:06,604
very easily to the questions that not only the

588
00:32:06,644 --> 00:32:09,204
legislators had, but that we had even of him.

589
00:32:09,264 --> 00:32:12,644
So he was a tremendous support and resource.

590
00:32:12,724 --> 00:32:12,964
Yes.

591
00:32:13,814 --> 00:32:16,604
And we'll see him a little later-

592
00:32:16,664 --> 00:32:16,674
Yeah

593
00:32:16,674 --> 00:32:20,124
... and we can reiterate. You can never hear too much gratitude.

594
00:32:20,484 --> 00:32:20,644
I won't say it, but somebody-

595
00:32:20,724 --> 00:32:21,024
Okay.

596
00:32:21,844 --> 00:32:25,604
Next, we will have our National Association of State Boards of Education

597
00:32:25,684 --> 00:32:27,164
report, which Carrie Casey.

598
00:32:27,324 --> 00:32:28,324
Great. Thank you again.

599
00:32:29,384 --> 00:32:30,964
So, NASBE,

600
00:32:32,684 --> 00:32:33,224
excuse me.

601
00:32:34,044 --> 00:32:36,824
NASBE did assist me in some research.

602
00:32:37,244 --> 00:32:40,444
I did research following our last meeting on the

603
00:32:40,664 --> 00:32:41,384
SRSA

604
00:32:42,284 --> 00:32:46,024
program and wanting to better understand it from a broader state

605
00:32:46,064 --> 00:32:49,424
perspective and even from a federal perspective, and I know that that's going to

606
00:32:49,484 --> 00:32:52,944
come up in the future. There'll be future discussions at the board level.

607
00:32:52,964 --> 00:32:56,404
So I won't go into that discussion here, but they were very, very

608
00:32:56,444 --> 00:32:59,864
helpful. And one of the things that they did was also

609
00:33:00,764 --> 00:33:04,504
coordinate a call for me with the Center for Assessments, which has

610
00:33:04,564 --> 00:33:07,374
worked with many of the states across the nation.

611
00:33:07,484 --> 00:33:11,264
So it was very informative. We'll have opportunity to discuss that further as a

612
00:33:11,284 --> 00:33:11,504
board.

613
00:33:13,444 --> 00:33:16,864
For all our new members, NASBE does offer a New Member Institute.

614
00:33:16,944 --> 00:33:20,533
It is a two-day meeting where they bring new board members from all of the

615
00:33:20,644 --> 00:33:23,684
states together. It's very helpful and informative.

616
00:33:24,064 --> 00:33:27,864
Helps you to understand the landscape across all the other states, not only what

617
00:33:27,904 --> 00:33:31,704
the role of NASBE is and how they can better support you, but you get to

618
00:33:31,764 --> 00:33:35,354
meet these newer board members and also hear

619
00:33:35,884 --> 00:33:39,124
just what the priorities are, the things that we talk about in our meetings.

620
00:33:39,164 --> 00:33:42,884
It's very informative. It will be July 7th and 8th in

621
00:33:42,924 --> 00:33:46,324
Washington, DC. I encourage you to attend.

622
00:33:46,564 --> 00:33:50,533
If you cannot attend, let me know. I would like

623
00:33:50,564 --> 00:33:54,504
to then organize at least a Zoom call for all of us to be

624
00:33:54,524 --> 00:33:57,664
able to talk to NASBE so you gain that deeper understanding.

625
00:33:57,724 --> 00:34:00,704
It wouldn't include the other states, but there are other opportunities there.

626
00:34:01,364 --> 00:34:03,844
But let me share what the other benefit of this is.

627
00:34:03,904 --> 00:34:05,984
The fact that you will be in Washington, DC.

628
00:34:06,124 --> 00:34:09,464
And when I was new in my tenure on the board, I had the

629
00:34:09,524 --> 00:34:13,464
opportunity to attend a different NASBE conference, actually, it was on

630
00:34:13,524 --> 00:34:17,165
legislative priorities, in Washington, DC,

631
00:34:17,424 --> 00:34:19,725
and I used that opportunity to

632
00:34:21,004 --> 00:34:24,874
meet with federal legislators. So I was able to meet with our Missouri senators

633
00:34:24,944 --> 00:34:28,854
and House of Representatives and receive, just like we did yesterday,

634
00:34:28,884 --> 00:34:32,564
their feedback, and more importantly, share with them what

635
00:34:33,304 --> 00:34:36,804
our priorities were on education in Missouri and inform them.

636
00:34:37,225 --> 00:34:41,104
It was very, very useful and I would encourage you to, again, if you're

637
00:34:41,165 --> 00:34:43,804
able to make this trip, to add that in as part of your

638
00:34:44,844 --> 00:34:45,344
travels.

639
00:34:46,284 --> 00:34:47,524
Carrie, real quick.

640
00:34:47,745 --> 00:34:47,904
Mm-hmm.

641
00:34:48,205 --> 00:34:52,044
I want to comment. I had a chance to do that as well as a new board member.

642
00:34:52,844 --> 00:34:55,004
There are lots of new board members there.

643
00:34:55,084 --> 00:34:57,564
You get to meet them, so you create some friendships.

644
00:34:58,004 --> 00:35:01,384
But the other thing is, there's a lot of experienced board members that help with

645
00:35:01,393 --> 00:35:05,264
that event, and I made a connection with a board member at that time

646
00:35:05,284 --> 00:35:08,884
from Arizona. And Arizona was much more

647
00:35:09,984 --> 00:35:13,944
evolved in charter. And when I first came on the state board, that

648
00:35:14,024 --> 00:35:17,844
was, for me, an area I really didn't have much knowledge about, because

649
00:35:17,884 --> 00:35:20,004
the southern part of the state does not have charter.

650
00:35:20,664 --> 00:35:24,624
So that was helpful, too. So the connections won't only be with

651
00:35:24,744 --> 00:35:28,484
new board members, but it'll be also with experienced board members who

652
00:35:28,544 --> 00:35:32,344
help with that event. So I kind of wanted to mention that, because it's nice to

653
00:35:32,384 --> 00:35:36,324
have resources outside the state as well, so you can compare

654
00:35:36,334 --> 00:35:40,044
and contrast. Because sometimes we get to thinking we're not doing things as

655
00:35:40,104 --> 00:35:43,184
well, and then you visit with the other states and you're like, "Oh.

656
00:35:43,484 --> 00:35:46,464
We are doing a pretty good job in particular areas."

657
00:35:46,494 --> 00:35:46,564
Yeah.

658
00:35:46,624 --> 00:35:48,604
So then that is helpful as well.

659
00:35:49,404 --> 00:35:52,164
Thank you, Mary. That was an important add.

660
00:35:52,224 --> 00:35:56,064
The next few updates I have, you might already be aware of because you

661
00:35:56,124 --> 00:35:58,554
should be on the email distribution list for NASBE.

662
00:35:58,604 --> 00:36:00,344
And if you're not, would you let me know?

663
00:36:00,374 --> 00:36:04,114
I can make sure then that you are added or let Brett know and we can do

664
00:36:04,164 --> 00:36:08,144
that. Because NASBE does really bring together

665
00:36:08,204 --> 00:36:11,934
not just other state board members for those kinds of discussions,

666
00:36:12,344 --> 00:36:16,264
but also they bring in external experts like the Center for Assessments to

667
00:36:16,324 --> 00:36:17,084
give updates, or

668
00:36:17,924 --> 00:36:21,284
there will be an article coming out in the next

669
00:36:21,404 --> 00:36:24,944
Standard that is with Dr. David

670
00:36:25,064 --> 00:36:28,784
Steiner from Johns Hopkins Institute of Education Policy.

671
00:36:28,794 --> 00:36:32,724
They do work across the spectrum of challenges that are faced

672
00:36:32,764 --> 00:36:36,244
in education today and bring in experts for

673
00:36:36,564 --> 00:36:39,084
good discussion and learning and

674
00:36:39,984 --> 00:36:41,584
I find it always very informative.

675
00:36:42,444 --> 00:36:45,284
So look for that article in the next edition of the Standard.

676
00:36:45,324 --> 00:36:48,604
Again, it comes out via email. It's on high-quality instruction

677
00:36:48,664 --> 00:36:52,652
materials.And it will provide what, at least at the

678
00:36:52,692 --> 00:36:55,742
title level, seven key questions board members should be asking.

679
00:36:56,812 --> 00:37:00,372
Further, there will be a high-quality instruction material exchange

680
00:37:00,612 --> 00:37:04,192
series. And what the exchange is are, they are

681
00:37:04,272 --> 00:37:07,892
just a series of calls on a particular topic that

682
00:37:07,952 --> 00:37:11,432
involve state board members, again, from across the country,

683
00:37:11,892 --> 00:37:15,772
to come together with these experts and just hear

684
00:37:15,812 --> 00:37:18,671
the presentation and then discuss it from their state's perspective.

685
00:37:19,212 --> 00:37:22,992
So there will be a high-quality instructional material exchange meeting.

686
00:37:23,772 --> 00:37:27,152
The next meeting in that for state discussion will be on Monday, May

687
00:37:27,312 --> 00:37:31,292
11th. And they're usually 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon for about

688
00:37:31,332 --> 00:37:33,792
an hour. So I really encourage you to attend those.

689
00:37:35,632 --> 00:37:39,492
Further, in that same vein, there is an action group

690
00:37:39,552 --> 00:37:40,232
on math

691
00:37:42,292 --> 00:37:44,492
improvements and implementation.

692
00:37:44,952 --> 00:37:46,082
And that

693
00:37:48,012 --> 00:37:51,972
exchange meeting will be on Monday, April 27th, and that particular

694
00:37:52,092 --> 00:37:56,012
focus will be on math standards. So again, opportunity

695
00:37:56,072 --> 00:37:56,972
to understand.

696
00:37:58,612 --> 00:37:59,632
It's not our job to

697
00:38:00,852 --> 00:38:04,192
really be in the bowels of the operation, if you will.

698
00:38:04,212 --> 00:38:07,772
But if we don't understand some of those details, we can't make sense at the

699
00:38:07,792 --> 00:38:11,432
governing level. So to understand how the standards

700
00:38:11,512 --> 00:38:12,292
relate to

701
00:38:13,352 --> 00:38:16,992
the other aspects of testing and even our

702
00:38:17,052 --> 00:38:20,712
evaluation process and accreditation process, it really all does

703
00:38:20,732 --> 00:38:24,292
begin with the standards we set. How do the curriculums tie into the

704
00:38:24,332 --> 00:38:27,882
standards and so on? So anyway, a discussion on math

705
00:38:28,032 --> 00:38:29,562
standards will be at that meeting.

706
00:38:30,212 --> 00:38:33,992
And then the central region, NSBE does divide into regions, so the

707
00:38:34,032 --> 00:38:37,192
central region, which for us includes, I think, Nebraska, Illinois,

708
00:38:38,392 --> 00:38:40,292
Tennessee, Kentucky, and so on,

709
00:38:41,192 --> 00:38:45,122
there will be a discussion among just the central region states also

710
00:38:45,172 --> 00:38:48,692
on that same day, on April 27th, so it's pretty much a two-hour

711
00:38:48,732 --> 00:38:52,632
call. I was unable to attend the national-level

712
00:38:52,712 --> 00:38:56,572
exchange for this past month because of our meetings yesterday, so I'll

713
00:38:56,612 --> 00:38:58,272
get the notes and I'll share with you.

714
00:38:58,572 --> 00:39:01,712
I'll follow up on anything that was important that came from that at our next

715
00:39:01,792 --> 00:39:02,052
meeting.

716
00:39:03,301 --> 00:39:03,712
And that's it.

717
00:39:04,352 --> 00:39:06,232
Thank you so much, Carrie. We appreciate it.

718
00:39:06,972 --> 00:39:10,792
Next, we have our Modernization Funding Task Force update.

719
00:39:12,812 --> 00:39:13,112
Okay.

720
00:39:14,132 --> 00:39:15,392
I'm on the docket today.

721
00:39:16,732 --> 00:39:20,712
Thank you very much. So both Pamela Westbrook-Hodge

722
00:39:20,772 --> 00:39:24,732
and I have the pleasure of serving on this task force, which

723
00:39:24,792 --> 00:39:28,712
is headed by Dr. Carrie Monsis, and I can't say enough

724
00:39:28,792 --> 00:39:32,132
about the work that the task force is doing on behalf of the governor and his

725
00:39:32,142 --> 00:39:35,982
executive order. It is really, Mary, you mentioned earlier, a

726
00:39:36,012 --> 00:39:36,982
heavy lift. This is

727
00:39:37,852 --> 00:39:41,642
an extremely heavy lift, and the task force has, I think,

728
00:39:41,832 --> 00:39:45,612
brought very many talented people together,

729
00:39:45,712 --> 00:39:49,052
amongst which are Pamela and I, that we

730
00:39:49,432 --> 00:39:53,332
really appreciate this opportunity to dig in and better understand the

731
00:39:53,972 --> 00:39:57,952
funding formula and the challenges, not just with how we would want to see it

732
00:39:58,012 --> 00:40:01,992
change, but the challenges that exist across the spectrum

733
00:40:02,072 --> 00:40:05,532
to be able to change it. It's a very complex issue.

734
00:40:06,232 --> 00:40:08,552
So with that, here is our latest update.

735
00:40:09,212 --> 00:40:12,432
So we did meet for the seventh time on Monday, March the 30th.

736
00:40:13,142 --> 00:40:16,622
The task force received and discussed the recommendations from the Performance

737
00:40:16,672 --> 00:40:20,612
Incentives Working Group, which was tasked with identifying ways in which the

738
00:40:20,632 --> 00:40:23,572
funding model could reward quality student outcomes.

739
00:40:24,932 --> 00:40:28,772
The recommendations were partially informed by the outcomes-based funding

740
00:40:28,852 --> 00:40:32,032
model utilized in Tennessee for the past three years.

741
00:40:33,412 --> 00:40:36,972
Elements of the recommendation include the following opportunities for student

742
00:40:36,992 --> 00:40:40,972
performance to generate additional funding, either through high achievement

743
00:40:41,012 --> 00:40:44,452
levels or, very importantly, growth in

744
00:40:44,832 --> 00:40:45,832
student performance.

745
00:40:47,192 --> 00:40:50,732
The performance incentives will focus on the

746
00:40:50,812 --> 00:40:53,562
areas of early literacy at the elementary level,

747
00:40:54,512 --> 00:40:58,262
math and English language arts at the middle school level, and

748
00:40:58,332 --> 00:41:01,712
college and career readiness indicators at the high school level.

749
00:41:04,252 --> 00:41:07,831
As a group, we also heard updates on the methodology that can be used to

750
00:41:07,872 --> 00:41:11,812
determine the state funding adequacy target per student, as well

751
00:41:11,852 --> 00:41:15,512
as the methodology for calculating the local effort responsibility.

752
00:41:17,092 --> 00:41:21,072
Multiple funding formula scenarios are still being considered consistent with the

753
00:41:21,092 --> 00:41:24,452
governor's request to have up to three recommended options.

754
00:41:25,412 --> 00:41:29,312
The legislature is entering the final weeks of session, which has impacted

755
00:41:29,372 --> 00:41:33,282
our ability to have our next scheduled meeting, which was

756
00:41:33,312 --> 00:41:34,182
to be next week.

757
00:41:34,992 --> 00:41:37,972
So that has been canceled, and we'll be meeting again on

758
00:41:38,012 --> 00:41:41,762
June the 1st. And in that

759
00:41:41,792 --> 00:41:45,292
meeting, we are planning to discuss high-level cost estimates of the various

760
00:41:45,332 --> 00:41:46,752
options under consideration.

761
00:41:48,272 --> 00:41:51,992
And these meetings are available to listen to, and I encourage

762
00:41:52,052 --> 00:41:53,612
everybody interested to do that.

763
00:41:55,092 --> 00:41:58,912
So I have a quick question regarding that task force and

764
00:41:58,992 --> 00:42:00,712
discussion, and maybe

765
00:42:01,712 --> 00:42:05,632
I know that you can't commit too far because obviously you're still working on it

766
00:42:05,712 --> 00:42:08,512
as a group and there hasn't been final suggestions.

767
00:42:08,572 --> 00:42:11,952
I know you'll bring it before the board at least to make us aware of what you'll be

768
00:42:12,032 --> 00:42:14,072
presenting to the governor's office. Is that correct?

769
00:42:14,792 --> 00:42:14,982
Yes.

770
00:42:15,152 --> 00:42:15,372
Okay.

771
00:42:16,772 --> 00:42:18,872
Yesterday we heard a lot about sticks and carrots.

772
00:42:21,412 --> 00:42:24,912
And that's a very simplified way of putting things, but we all understand the

773
00:42:24,972 --> 00:42:28,532
concept. Those that are high performers and working hard, we want to make sure that

774
00:42:28,572 --> 00:42:32,492
we continue to facilitate and make it possible for them to continue that work.

775
00:42:33,412 --> 00:42:35,132
We don't want to hinder

776
00:42:37,012 --> 00:42:39,072
schools that need more support.

777
00:42:40,392 --> 00:42:42,972
So is there any conversation along that line?

778
00:42:43,352 --> 00:42:44,632
Absolutely. In fact,

779
00:42:46,632 --> 00:42:50,292
one of the key requirements within the executive order is that we

780
00:42:50,332 --> 00:42:54,148
implement a performance incentive.And

781
00:42:55,208 --> 00:42:58,768
the group and the presentations that we made last week,

782
00:42:59,148 --> 00:43:00,648
and again, modeled on Tennessee,

783
00:43:01,848 --> 00:43:05,348
really dig into the area of performance, growth,

784
00:43:06,188 --> 00:43:06,568
and

785
00:43:07,928 --> 00:43:11,478
status, if you will, on the key areas that we also heard about yesterday,

786
00:43:11,668 --> 00:43:15,088
academic outcomes and skills. Life

787
00:43:15,188 --> 00:43:18,968
skills, success-ready students, and their outcomes

788
00:43:19,048 --> 00:43:21,808
in high school. So

789
00:43:23,628 --> 00:43:25,608
that's the carrot.

790
00:43:25,928 --> 00:43:26,237
Right.

791
00:43:27,288 --> 00:43:30,788
The stick can't be, "Let's take money away," although we discussed it.

792
00:43:31,088 --> 00:43:33,908
There is nothing that is

793
00:43:34,828 --> 00:43:38,648
forbidden for discussion at the table, and a lot of good challenges are coming

794
00:43:38,688 --> 00:43:42,608
forward to help us think through. We want to be able to ensure that

795
00:43:42,768 --> 00:43:46,088
we are delivering the support needed to all

796
00:43:46,228 --> 00:43:46,768
schools

797
00:43:47,788 --> 00:43:50,308
to achieve excellent academic outcomes.

798
00:43:50,348 --> 00:43:54,078
And the construct of the formula is such that it focuses in the area of

799
00:43:54,468 --> 00:43:58,048
that state adequacy target that establishes the

800
00:43:58,088 --> 00:44:01,878
baseline, and then there are adjustments made based on

801
00:44:01,908 --> 00:44:04,458
various student-based needs,

802
00:44:05,108 --> 00:44:08,728
and the formula works from there. And is it ever

803
00:44:08,748 --> 00:44:09,868
enough? Maybe not.

804
00:44:10,888 --> 00:44:13,828
So our goal isn't to use the formula as a stick.

805
00:44:14,108 --> 00:44:14,158
Right.

806
00:44:14,348 --> 00:44:17,928
Our goal is to use the formula and this opportunity for

807
00:44:17,968 --> 00:44:21,908
performance incentives as a carrot to help those schools

808
00:44:22,928 --> 00:44:26,868
even earn more money, more importantly, with their growth measures.

809
00:44:27,528 --> 00:44:31,418
And, because not all schools are yet at that

810
00:44:31,488 --> 00:44:35,058
point of absolute achievement. In fact, many are

811
00:44:35,088 --> 00:44:38,888
not. And so our goal is to see them grow and encourage

812
00:44:38,928 --> 00:44:40,888
that growth, and to recognize that

813
00:44:41,828 --> 00:44:44,708
as a very important element of success.

814
00:44:45,608 --> 00:44:49,508
I did notice that a couple of different legislators made the comment about

815
00:44:49,608 --> 00:44:51,768
growth. I think they do understand that.

816
00:44:52,058 --> 00:44:52,058
So-

817
00:44:52,128 --> 00:44:53,268
The importance of growth

818
00:44:53,368 --> 00:44:57,308
... some of it is because our commissioner was a prior senator and did a lot of

819
00:44:57,328 --> 00:45:01,088
the education along that line. So anyway, was curious.

820
00:45:01,648 --> 00:45:02,767
Board Member Mike Matusik.

821
00:45:03,568 --> 00:45:04,448
I would... Oh, go ahead.

822
00:45:04,468 --> 00:45:04,888
Go ahead, no.

823
00:45:05,468 --> 00:45:05,608
No.

824
00:45:06,548 --> 00:45:07,578
Thank you, Carrie, for the update.

825
00:45:07,708 --> 00:45:11,388
I was just going to ask, trying to refresh my memory on the

826
00:45:11,408 --> 00:45:12,608
process of all of this.

827
00:45:13,548 --> 00:45:16,918
At some point, the task force will wrap up its work,

828
00:45:17,508 --> 00:45:21,368
deliver recommendations to the governor, and then presumably, the

829
00:45:21,388 --> 00:45:25,188
governor's office will choose some version of

830
00:45:25,248 --> 00:45:26,668
those recommendations,

831
00:45:27,488 --> 00:45:31,208
go to the legislature for whatever legislative change is

832
00:45:31,268 --> 00:45:34,988
needed to implement that, right? I mean, that's the process?

833
00:45:35,428 --> 00:45:37,368
It is at a very high level.

834
00:45:38,368 --> 00:45:41,288
Those recommendations are due in December of this year.

835
00:45:42,128 --> 00:45:42,448
So,

836
00:45:43,408 --> 00:45:47,248
in what now seems like just a few months ahead of

837
00:45:47,308 --> 00:45:47,488
us,

838
00:45:48,528 --> 00:45:52,398
the task force will continue to meet, as mentioned, and we'll begin to look

839
00:45:52,468 --> 00:45:54,388
at this from a cost estimate standpoint.

840
00:45:54,568 --> 00:45:58,148
As we begin to work through that, I think there'll be more

841
00:45:58,208 --> 00:46:00,408
opportunities for both Pamela and I to have

842
00:46:01,288 --> 00:46:05,098
deeper discussions with our board here collectively so you have a better

843
00:46:05,168 --> 00:46:08,908
understanding of those options and have insight into what will be

844
00:46:08,948 --> 00:46:11,968
recommended to the governor. But then once the governor receives it,

845
00:46:12,768 --> 00:46:16,548
that is my expectation as well, that that's how the process will

846
00:46:16,588 --> 00:46:17,348
work. But Commissioner?

847
00:46:17,368 --> 00:46:17,658
Commissioner.

848
00:46:17,948 --> 00:46:21,818
Absolutely. That is, an executive order lays all that out, that we are

849
00:46:21,868 --> 00:46:25,828
to present three models for consideration, and the governor's office

850
00:46:25,888 --> 00:46:29,528
then will then begin their work, and then it'll be folded into a

851
00:46:30,268 --> 00:46:34,228
particular piece of legislation, because we have to have legislative authority to

852
00:46:34,268 --> 00:46:36,688
be able to change the funding system that we currently have.

853
00:46:37,088 --> 00:46:39,728
So yes, and then the timeline is creeping up on us, that's for sure.

854
00:46:39,768 --> 00:46:39,798
Very much so.

855
00:46:39,798 --> 00:46:39,978
And it's

856
00:46:41,368 --> 00:46:42,048
a lot of work.

857
00:46:43,208 --> 00:46:44,928
I have to admit that it's going to be a difficult lift.

858
00:46:45,348 --> 00:46:48,468
Anytime that you change a funding formula during a time of revenue going down,

859
00:46:49,228 --> 00:46:52,788
that makes it much more difficult for people to have an understanding of winners

860
00:46:52,808 --> 00:46:55,468
and losers, because you change stuff, there's going to be winners and losers.

861
00:46:56,188 --> 00:46:59,428
Anyway, we all have a lot of work ahead of us. I think it is time.

862
00:46:59,458 --> 00:47:03,208
It's been over 20 years. This formula has been really and truly

863
00:47:03,248 --> 00:47:06,068
refreshed and looked to see, is it meeting the needs of all of our students?

864
00:47:06,117 --> 00:47:09,308
And so I feel very confident this group put together is going to give some fabulous

865
00:47:09,388 --> 00:47:12,458
models, and we're going to continue to work with the governor's office and

866
00:47:12,488 --> 00:47:15,608
legislation. Even though we hand them the models, they'll still be asking questions

867
00:47:15,628 --> 00:47:16,568
and probably

868
00:47:17,708 --> 00:47:19,648
picking our brains again, right? This is what's going to happen.

869
00:47:19,988 --> 00:47:20,958
And one of the things-

870
00:47:21,288 --> 00:47:21,378
Thank you

871
00:47:21,378 --> 00:47:24,568
... that it's important to acknowledge is Missouri, when they did it 20 years ago,

872
00:47:24,648 --> 00:47:28,568
we were very progressive. There are many states that are just now shifting

873
00:47:28,608 --> 00:47:32,248
to similar funding, and we're going to be even more progressive.

874
00:47:32,368 --> 00:47:35,508
So that's kind of exciting because there's been some real

875
00:47:35,548 --> 00:47:38,348
intentional funding for education.

876
00:47:38,488 --> 00:47:41,768
Although, I agree with the commissioner, it needed a

877
00:47:41,848 --> 00:47:45,568
refresh, and it is a heavy lift. Do you think, Carrie and

878
00:47:45,668 --> 00:47:49,528
Pam, that we could maybe during our July board retreat,

879
00:47:50,448 --> 00:47:53,028
hear a little more information, or is that too short a runway?

880
00:47:53,088 --> 00:47:55,888
No, I think in my opinion, and certainly,

881
00:47:56,988 --> 00:48:00,528
support what Pam will say as well, and rely on Dr.

882
00:48:00,608 --> 00:48:04,508
Moncet as the true expert in this space, if

883
00:48:04,588 --> 00:48:08,428
he is available to present to us for that discussion, that would be an

884
00:48:08,488 --> 00:48:11,028
ideal time with where we're at at that point.

885
00:48:11,448 --> 00:48:15,328
Yeah. I would just add to this conversation,

886
00:48:15,868 --> 00:48:18,588
first echo Carrie's point that

887
00:48:19,428 --> 00:48:22,568
having Dr. Moncet present a more substantive update would be

888
00:48:22,608 --> 00:48:26,548
great. But our biggest challenge is to make sure we

889
00:48:26,588 --> 00:48:29,728
don't introduce changes that

890
00:48:31,168 --> 00:48:34,268
create greater structural inequality.

891
00:48:34,298 --> 00:48:37,408
And so Carrie was very balanced in her

892
00:48:38,508 --> 00:48:40,808
comments around performance incentives.

893
00:48:41,248 --> 00:48:43,268
We don't want to

894
00:48:44,808 --> 00:48:47,068
provide incentives to schools that

895
00:48:47,128 --> 00:48:51,108
find it easier to grow

896
00:48:51,128 --> 00:48:54,568
their children because they've got all the structural advantage in the first place,

897
00:48:54,628 --> 00:48:57,228
and then we're just doubling down on

898
00:48:58,116 --> 00:49:01,076
um, contributing to that structural inequity.

899
00:49:01,816 --> 00:49:05,596
So the beautiful thing in all of this is that we'll be modeling

900
00:49:06,136 --> 00:49:06,776
every tweak-

901
00:49:06,996 --> 00:49:07,006
Mm-hmm

902
00:49:07,396 --> 00:49:09,556
... that we're making. And,

903
00:49:10,516 --> 00:49:11,336
I think what

904
00:49:13,576 --> 00:49:17,336
would be beneficial for this board is to see the results

905
00:49:17,516 --> 00:49:18,456
of the modeling-

906
00:49:18,616 --> 00:49:18,756
Mm-hmm

907
00:49:18,826 --> 00:49:22,516
... of the three options that are going to be presented,

908
00:49:22,596 --> 00:49:25,776
because that's where all the tweaking and the

909
00:49:26,256 --> 00:49:29,976
changing of the weights, and... So that modeling phase will be

910
00:49:30,116 --> 00:49:32,616
very important to make sure we don't do any harm.

911
00:49:32,656 --> 00:49:34,316
Mm-hmm. Board Member Millard?

912
00:49:34,356 --> 00:49:37,916
Yeah. A simple question here. So

913
00:49:37,976 --> 00:49:41,676
your task force, and I know you've been at it for seven or eight months

914
00:49:41,756 --> 00:49:41,996
now?

915
00:49:42,156 --> 00:49:42,356
Mm-hmm.

916
00:49:42,536 --> 00:49:42,676
Yeah.

917
00:49:44,316 --> 00:49:44,956
What is

918
00:49:47,056 --> 00:49:50,296
the problem you're trying to solve? In a sentence.

919
00:49:50,976 --> 00:49:54,776
Because if we have different models, and you're

920
00:49:54,816 --> 00:49:56,956
tweaking it, which you have to do,

921
00:49:57,816 --> 00:50:01,456
what is the ultimate outcome, and what are we trying to

922
00:50:01,976 --> 00:50:02,835
fix, firstly?

923
00:50:02,876 --> 00:50:04,836
We'd like to hear from both Pamela and Carrie.

924
00:50:04,936 --> 00:50:05,166
Yeah. No, no.

925
00:50:05,166 --> 00:50:08,916
Absolutely. And it absolutely is, to Mary's point,

926
00:50:09,256 --> 00:50:10,276
was a progressive

927
00:50:11,076 --> 00:50:11,676
formula-

928
00:50:12,046 --> 00:50:12,046
Yes

929
00:50:12,046 --> 00:50:15,736
... devised back in its day, but there are elements of the

930
00:50:15,776 --> 00:50:18,576
formula, without going into a lot of that detail,

931
00:50:19,496 --> 00:50:23,316
that are outdated. And so the formula needs to

932
00:50:23,356 --> 00:50:26,606
better recognize, call it today's environment, and

933
00:50:26,656 --> 00:50:30,556
have the ability to ensure that we're meeting

934
00:50:30,566 --> 00:50:34,016
the needs of the students where they're most needed.

935
00:50:35,056 --> 00:50:35,066
Mm-hmm.

936
00:50:35,676 --> 00:50:39,596
And, so it's that balance, that is, a better balance

937
00:50:39,636 --> 00:50:42,296
that is required. There are some elements of the formula that

938
00:50:44,136 --> 00:50:47,876
need to be phased out and will potentially be

939
00:50:47,916 --> 00:50:51,516
phased out in the process of these options we

940
00:50:51,536 --> 00:50:55,486
present. There is a lot going on in our state with discussions around income

941
00:50:55,576 --> 00:50:59,536
tax. There have been a lot of changes that have happened in property values in

942
00:50:59,576 --> 00:51:03,476
our state over the last 20 years. All of that has its effect

943
00:51:03,536 --> 00:51:06,016
on the formula, and so how do we

944
00:51:06,076 --> 00:51:10,056
modernize the formula

945
00:51:11,176 --> 00:51:15,056
to address those conditions, not just for today, but for the

946
00:51:15,096 --> 00:51:19,016
future as well? Build a formula that has some foresight

947
00:51:19,076 --> 00:51:23,016
into it. Importantly, to address the carrot, I think performance

948
00:51:23,076 --> 00:51:26,856
incentives are important, especially recognizing the work of

949
00:51:26,896 --> 00:51:30,256
those schools that really

950
00:51:31,216 --> 00:51:35,156
have a big hill to climb. And Mary, you mentioned

951
00:51:35,196 --> 00:51:38,496
the stick, and not to derail from your question, but accreditation,

952
00:51:39,016 --> 00:51:40,836
accountability. The accountability,

953
00:51:41,756 --> 00:51:45,626
responsibility, and accreditation responsibility we have at

954
00:51:45,676 --> 00:51:48,406
this table is where the stick comes in.

955
00:51:48,476 --> 00:51:50,056
If you want to call it a stick.

956
00:51:50,126 --> 00:51:50,126
Yeah.

957
00:51:50,136 --> 00:51:54,006
But where our other areas of responsibility. But I'll hand it over to Pamela.

958
00:51:54,006 --> 00:51:57,096
And I want to hear Pamela's comment, but I have one quick comment I want to also

959
00:51:57,196 --> 00:52:00,376
do, and clarification. Carrots don't always have to be money,

960
00:52:00,976 --> 00:52:04,936
because we've all talked about recognition opportunities that we can do

961
00:52:04,996 --> 00:52:08,616
that don't involve money, but it really, some states have.

962
00:52:08,996 --> 00:52:12,956
And so we had, Carla, what was

963
00:52:12,996 --> 00:52:16,836
the federal recognition that we tended to do, and they recently cut that

964
00:52:16,896 --> 00:52:17,596
out this year?

965
00:52:17,796 --> 00:52:21,336
They had Gold Star and Blue Ribbon, and so the, I get them mixed up.

966
00:52:21,396 --> 00:52:23,136
I think Blue Ribbon is the federal piece.

967
00:52:23,716 --> 00:52:23,976
Correct.

968
00:52:24,045 --> 00:52:27,676
And so they were recognizing school districts for growth and for improvement

969
00:52:27,756 --> 00:52:30,856
scores and things like that. But with the change in administration,

970
00:52:31,416 --> 00:52:35,306
they've dropped that program, so we're starting to look out to see what

971
00:52:35,376 --> 00:52:38,876
we can do to recognize academic achievement and some of the things we want to

972
00:52:38,916 --> 00:52:42,886
highlight, and kind of beef up our Gold Star to incorporate some of

973
00:52:42,936 --> 00:52:43,916
the aspects of Blue Ribbon.

974
00:52:44,256 --> 00:52:47,836
So I just didn't want everyone to think I'm only thinking money out here. Pamela?

975
00:52:48,076 --> 00:52:51,656
Yeah. I would just love to just directly

976
00:52:51,716 --> 00:52:54,996
answer Brooks's question and plainly state it.

977
00:52:55,456 --> 00:52:59,216
The current formula is highly inequitable, because it's based

978
00:52:59,336 --> 00:53:02,856
on funding, it's based on local property wealth.

979
00:53:03,396 --> 00:53:03,616
Okay.

980
00:53:03,796 --> 00:53:07,746
And in rural areas, you have very

981
00:53:08,676 --> 00:53:12,616
low property wealth in comparison

982
00:53:12,716 --> 00:53:16,636
to affluent urban areas, let's say

983
00:53:16,696 --> 00:53:17,955
like Ladue or Clayton-

984
00:53:18,015 --> 00:53:18,126
Mm-hmm

985
00:53:18,126 --> 00:53:19,256
... and the St. Louis region.

986
00:53:19,826 --> 00:53:19,826
Yes.

987
00:53:19,826 --> 00:53:20,356
And so

988
00:53:21,296 --> 00:53:23,416
Missouri, unlike neighboring states,

989
00:53:25,356 --> 00:53:28,376
the majority of school funding is local.

990
00:53:28,436 --> 00:53:28,606
Mm-hmm.

991
00:53:29,036 --> 00:53:32,966
If you break down the federal, state, and

992
00:53:34,156 --> 00:53:37,576
local components, the preponderance of that funding

993
00:53:37,696 --> 00:53:41,036
is local. So that dynamic

994
00:53:41,296 --> 00:53:44,316
creates huge swings in per pupil

995
00:53:44,416 --> 00:53:47,756
spending between poor rural

996
00:53:47,876 --> 00:53:51,556
areas and affluent enclaves like a Ladue or a

997
00:53:51,656 --> 00:53:53,436
Clayton, and not to single them out.

998
00:53:54,116 --> 00:53:54,416
So

999
00:53:55,496 --> 00:53:59,256
there are parts of the state that only get the state adequacy target, which is

1000
00:53:59,336 --> 00:54:02,976
now a little over $7,000 per pupil, and then there are

1001
00:54:03,016 --> 00:54:04,996
parts that get over 20,000.

1002
00:54:06,016 --> 00:54:06,476
And so

1003
00:54:07,816 --> 00:54:09,996
all the studies show you get what you pay for.

1004
00:54:10,076 --> 00:54:10,356
Mm-hmm.

1005
00:54:11,056 --> 00:54:14,836
And we have a responsibility to make sure that zip

1006
00:54:14,936 --> 00:54:18,276
code doesn't dictate educational and life

1007
00:54:18,356 --> 00:54:21,016
outcomes. And that's what we're trying to fix.

1008
00:54:21,956 --> 00:54:25,056
Thank you. Thank you both. That's very helpful.

1009
00:54:25,376 --> 00:54:27,736
And Pamela, I will share with the board.

1010
00:54:28,596 --> 00:54:31,396
Yesterday, the number we kept hearing on the...

1011
00:54:32,156 --> 00:54:34,176
It's not determined, right? Things have not...

1012
00:54:34,436 --> 00:54:36,816
But they're looking at around 6,900.

1013
00:54:37,476 --> 00:54:40,276
So to your point, it was slightly above seven.

1014
00:54:40,536 --> 00:54:43,856
It looks like it could come back to 6,900.

1015
00:54:43,956 --> 00:54:47,496
I don't think anyone wants to see that happen, but as we make

1016
00:54:47,556 --> 00:54:51,436
adjustments and cuts, that's the most common number

1017
00:54:51,596 --> 00:54:54,996
I heard yesterday. So for us to just keep in mind,

1018
00:54:55,376 --> 00:54:59,146
obviously the two of you in particular, because you will have

1019
00:54:59,176 --> 00:55:03,120
lots of impact on the future for education.Thank you

1020
00:55:03,240 --> 00:55:07,190
both. Again, just an example of all the work that's going on behind the

1021
00:55:07,280 --> 00:55:11,090
scenes, unrelated to board meetings.

1022
00:55:11,430 --> 00:55:11,580
And

1023
00:55:12,500 --> 00:55:16,440
I'll just end with this. So the whole point of the formula is to

1024
00:55:16,500 --> 00:55:17,480
smooth that out

1025
00:55:18,740 --> 00:55:20,380
and to make up

1026
00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:25,100
that gap in communities that don't have

1027
00:55:25,540 --> 00:55:28,820
the property wealth by increasing the state's contribution.

1028
00:55:29,520 --> 00:55:30,380
Does that make sense?

1029
00:55:31,160 --> 00:55:35,150
No, it does. And I can remember when it was

1030
00:55:35,180 --> 00:55:36,240
passed 20 years ago.

1031
00:55:37,040 --> 00:55:37,970
Mm-hmm.

1032
00:55:38,660 --> 00:55:42,640
And if I reflect on how much has changed

1033
00:55:42,980 --> 00:55:46,460
in property values and things in 20 years,

1034
00:55:46,670 --> 00:55:50,140
it's pretty significant. So it's got to be very out of whack-

1035
00:55:50,400 --> 00:55:50,720
Mm-hmm

1036
00:55:51,140 --> 00:55:52,160
... at the present

1037
00:55:53,380 --> 00:55:55,140
time. It just can't help to be.

1038
00:55:55,180 --> 00:55:58,660
And that goes back to Carrie's point about using frozen

1039
00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:00,700
property values from

1040
00:56:00,920 --> 00:56:02,900
2005.

1041
00:56:03,780 --> 00:56:06,000
So that goes back to her point. So

1042
00:56:07,060 --> 00:56:07,900
yes, it is.

1043
00:56:07,960 --> 00:56:08,540
Yeah.

1044
00:56:09,920 --> 00:56:13,660
As professionally said, out of whack. For sure. Thank you.

1045
00:56:13,960 --> 00:56:17,830
Let's move on to the consent agenda, please, and then we'll do a real quick

1046
00:56:17,940 --> 00:56:19,040
break. How does that sound?

1047
00:56:19,960 --> 00:56:20,220
Okay.

1048
00:56:21,240 --> 00:56:23,340
So if you have any items that you would

1049
00:56:24,480 --> 00:56:25,140
like to pull,

1050
00:56:25,960 --> 00:56:26,820
please let us know.

1051
00:56:28,460 --> 00:56:30,040
Otherwise, if I have a motion.

1052
00:56:30,940 --> 00:56:31,320
Motion.

1053
00:56:32,580 --> 00:56:35,860
Motion made by board member Carrie Casey. Do I have a second?

1054
00:56:37,620 --> 00:56:37,980
Second.

1055
00:56:38,640 --> 00:56:42,380
The second is by Mike Matusik. All those in favor say

1056
00:56:42,460 --> 00:56:42,840
aye.

1057
00:56:42,850 --> 00:56:42,850
Aye.

1058
00:56:42,960 --> 00:56:43,140
Aye.

1059
00:56:44,280 --> 00:56:48,200
Thank you. Okay, we will take a-- It is 10:00 on

1060
00:56:48,260 --> 00:56:51,980
the-- It's basically 10:00? 10 after

1061
00:56:52,080 --> 00:56:52,730
10:00?

1062
00:56:52,730 --> 00:56:52,800
Yeah.

1063
00:56:53,320 --> 00:56:54,180
Okay. Thank you.

1064
00:56:54,400 --> 00:56:54,620
Thank you.

1065
01:07:34,540 --> 01:08:30,540
I

1066
01:08:30,580 --> 01:08:32,050
can plug it in right here on this toolbox.

1067
01:08:34,021 --> 01:08:34,561
Thank you.

1068
01:08:37,721 --> 01:08:41,460
Welcome back to our board meeting for

1069
01:08:43,280 --> 01:08:43,800
April.

1070
01:08:45,181 --> 01:08:47,580
Got to get the right day. It's been a wild month.

1071
01:08:48,420 --> 01:08:52,181
14th. So we are now on to

1072
01:08:52,240 --> 01:08:53,181
items for action.

1073
01:08:54,120 --> 01:08:58,040
Our first items for action is the final consideration of a board order for

1074
01:08:58,160 --> 01:09:01,400
rulemaking to amend the Missouri State Plan for Part B

1075
01:09:02,160 --> 01:09:05,340
regulations implementing Individuals with Disabilities

1076
01:09:06,221 --> 01:09:09,860
Educational Act, IDEA Part B.

1077
01:09:10,580 --> 01:09:14,521
Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Special Education, Mark Wheatley, is

1078
01:09:14,561 --> 01:09:18,260
here to present, along with our Deputy Commissioner, Kelly

1079
01:09:18,320 --> 01:09:18,681
Jones.

1080
01:09:19,740 --> 01:09:23,130
Good morning, everyone. Mark Wheatley, Assistant Commissioner with the Office of

1081
01:09:23,260 --> 01:09:26,730
Special Education here at DESE. Thank you for having me today.

1082
01:09:26,780 --> 01:09:30,320
If you recall, in December, we brought before you a

1083
01:09:30,340 --> 01:09:33,940
notice for proposed rulemaking to amend 5 CSR

1084
01:09:34,040 --> 01:09:37,641
20-300.110, which

1085
01:09:37,681 --> 01:09:40,681
relates to the Part B component of

1086
01:09:40,780 --> 01:09:44,021
IDEA in the state plan for special education.

1087
01:09:44,980 --> 01:09:48,320
Those proposed changes have been shared out to the various

1088
01:09:48,500 --> 01:09:51,601
stakeholders throughout the regular process for rulemaking.

1089
01:09:52,200 --> 01:09:56,160
We've received a comment from public, and now we are

1090
01:09:56,200 --> 01:09:58,400
back today to ask

1091
01:09:59,240 --> 01:10:02,920
you to consider an order of rulemaking to amend 5 CSR

1092
01:10:03,360 --> 01:10:07,240
20-300.110 of the State Plan for

1093
01:10:07,300 --> 01:10:11,240
Special Education, Part B IDEA. So I will take you through

1094
01:10:11,300 --> 01:10:15,250
a couple of quick reminders just to get you back up to speed on this

1095
01:10:15,280 --> 01:10:19,270
process, or more particularly, the content that was

1096
01:10:19,320 --> 01:10:23,120
discussed in the process. And really, the most positively

1097
01:10:23,130 --> 01:10:26,910
significant change that was proposed in this came in Regulation

1098
01:10:27,240 --> 01:10:30,620
4, which involves free and appropriate public education

1099
01:10:31,300 --> 01:10:33,740
and the IEP and the least restrictive environment.

1100
01:10:34,440 --> 01:10:37,920
And part of the proposal for this order of

1101
01:10:38,000 --> 01:10:41,660
rulemaking was to change the requirement

1102
01:10:42,200 --> 01:10:46,160
of a post-secondary transition plan to be required

1103
01:10:46,200 --> 01:10:49,920
prior to the end of the eighth grade year, as compared to the

1104
01:10:50,060 --> 01:10:53,760
previously required component that they had to

1105
01:10:53,840 --> 01:10:57,760
determine the post-secondary transition plan no later than

1106
01:10:57,800 --> 01:11:01,280
the IEP for the period when the time the student turns

1107
01:11:01,480 --> 01:11:05,320
16 years of age. Why that's really significant and important,

1108
01:11:05,380 --> 01:11:08,920
again, is because we have also a

1109
01:11:08,980 --> 01:11:12,220
requirement, as part of a regulation with DESE,

1110
01:11:12,760 --> 01:11:16,740
involving the individual career and academic plans, better known as

1111
01:11:16,780 --> 01:11:20,680
the ICAPs. And that states that students

1112
01:11:20,700 --> 01:11:24,280
must have those plans in place beginning no later than eighth grade.

1113
01:11:24,360 --> 01:11:28,280
So we're really bringing those two components together to ensure

1114
01:11:28,340 --> 01:11:31,140
that we are working in an efficient manner to

1115
01:11:31,160 --> 01:11:34,110
identify both the students with

1116
01:11:34,140 --> 01:11:38,100
disabilities as considered a member of the general education

1117
01:11:38,220 --> 01:11:41,640
setting, since those students are general education students first.

1118
01:11:42,520 --> 01:11:46,360
Aside from that, there are a couple other components that were modified,

1119
01:11:46,820 --> 01:11:50,360
primarily improving clarity around some

1120
01:11:50,440 --> 01:11:53,940
language in other regulations. So there were no

1121
01:11:54,400 --> 01:11:55,220
significantly

1122
01:11:57,780 --> 01:12:01,180
impactful changes. Much of it was in language, further

1123
01:12:01,240 --> 01:12:04,750
clarification to help the LEAs ensure that they are

1124
01:12:04,760 --> 01:12:08,270
complying to IDEA as it relates. And so that was

1125
01:12:08,280 --> 01:12:09,100
included in

1126
01:12:10,460 --> 01:12:12,420
Regulation 9 involving caseloads.

1127
01:12:13,040 --> 01:12:16,920
There was always a minimum caseload requirement for those

1128
01:12:16,980 --> 01:12:20,960
early childhood special education caseloads, and so we just clarified that to

1129
01:12:21,000 --> 01:12:24,250
make sure it was very easy for the reader to understand,

1130
01:12:25,080 --> 01:12:28,620
as well as clarifying IDEA requirements for

1131
01:12:28,720 --> 01:12:31,350
students and family-paced education,

1132
01:12:32,260 --> 01:12:35,920
involving home schools and students that are parentally

1133
01:12:35,960 --> 01:12:39,800
placed in private school settings and their opportunities as

1134
01:12:39,880 --> 01:12:43,720
it relates to IDEA. So with that, we received

1135
01:12:43,840 --> 01:12:46,940
nine comments from five individuals.

1136
01:12:48,180 --> 01:12:49,240
Six of those comments

1137
01:12:50,360 --> 01:12:54,150
demonstrated concerns around the changes

1138
01:12:54,200 --> 01:12:58,000
involving the minimum required caseloads, but actually,

1139
01:12:58,040 --> 01:13:00,930
those caseload minimums didn't change at all.

1140
01:13:01,460 --> 01:13:05,260
And then two comments were outside the scope of the proposed

1141
01:13:05,300 --> 01:13:08,720
change, so they involved changes that were not included in the

1142
01:13:08,760 --> 01:13:11,760
regulations that we were looking at during this time.

1143
01:13:11,800 --> 01:13:15,730
And one comment was requesting an addition of

1144
01:13:15,820 --> 01:13:19,420
a requirement that actually already exists in the federal regulations, and so

1145
01:13:19,500 --> 01:13:23,000
Missouri already follows that with our state plan as well.

1146
01:13:23,080 --> 01:13:25,640
So with that, no changes were made from the

1147
01:13:25,680 --> 01:13:29,660
initial proposed amendments. So at this

1148
01:13:29,720 --> 01:13:33,700
time, we are asking you to consider the order of rulemaking for those changes to

1149
01:13:33,740 --> 01:13:34,400
the state plan.

1150
01:13:35,372 --> 01:13:37,512
Do we have any questions or motion?

1151
01:13:37,612 --> 01:13:38,032
So moved.

1152
01:13:38,392 --> 01:13:38,712
Second.

1153
01:13:39,372 --> 01:13:43,332
So, motion made by board member Carrie Casey and seconded

1154
01:13:43,372 --> 01:13:46,352
by Pamela Westbrook Hodge. All those in favor?

1155
01:13:46,452 --> 01:13:47,632
Can I ask a question?

1156
01:13:47,992 --> 01:13:48,762
Okay. Yes, sorry, go ahead.

1157
01:13:48,892 --> 01:13:52,682
That it's on the table. Is there

1158
01:13:53,552 --> 01:13:57,232
a belief that the caseload is too high?

1159
01:13:58,252 --> 01:14:01,052
When I was looking at the comments that you received,

1160
01:14:03,392 --> 01:14:04,912
how do we know we're balanced there?

1161
01:14:06,032 --> 01:14:06,992
You understand my question?

1162
01:14:07,132 --> 01:14:08,052
Yeah. So,

1163
01:14:08,912 --> 01:14:12,732
I think that based on the comments that I read as well, that's what I would

1164
01:14:13,432 --> 01:14:16,132
suggest the commenters were replying to.

1165
01:14:16,532 --> 01:14:20,372
But again, going back to that, that hasn't been a change that we've initiated.

1166
01:14:20,422 --> 01:14:20,422
Yeah.

1167
01:14:20,472 --> 01:14:20,732
So,

1168
01:14:22,292 --> 01:14:24,692
I would have to do a little more research into that and determine-

1169
01:14:24,722 --> 01:14:24,722
That's fine

1170
01:14:24,722 --> 01:14:28,262
... if there's anything that could be beneficial to share with the board regarding

1171
01:14:28,312 --> 01:14:30,451
that. But at this time, I think that's where we are.

1172
01:14:30,532 --> 01:14:31,152
Okay.

1173
01:14:32,672 --> 01:14:33,012
Thank you.

1174
01:14:33,202 --> 01:14:34,892
So, any other questions?

1175
01:14:35,972 --> 01:14:37,752
We have a motion on the

1176
01:14:39,212 --> 01:14:42,512
table along with a second. All those in favor?

1177
01:14:43,532 --> 01:14:43,732
Aye.

1178
01:14:43,852 --> 01:14:44,162
Aye.

1179
01:14:44,162 --> 01:14:44,192
Aye.

1180
01:14:44,412 --> 01:14:46,152
Opposed? Thank you.

1181
01:14:46,292 --> 01:14:46,512
Thank you.

1182
01:14:46,532 --> 01:14:47,492
Thank you for the report.

1183
01:14:48,112 --> 01:14:48,612
Thank you, Mark.

1184
01:14:50,292 --> 01:14:53,732
Next, we have consideration of approval of the charter school

1185
01:14:53,792 --> 01:14:57,732
application for Frontier Steam Academy Elementary

1186
01:14:57,832 --> 01:15:01,672
in Columbia. Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Quality Schools,

1187
01:15:01,772 --> 01:15:04,592
Lisa Sereno, is here to present with her team.

1188
01:15:22,832 --> 01:15:26,692
Good morning. Lisa Sereno here. I am, as President Schroeder

1189
01:15:26,772 --> 01:15:29,992
said, Assistant Commissioner in the Office of Quality Schools.

1190
01:15:30,592 --> 01:15:33,042
And we are here before you today

1191
01:15:34,052 --> 01:15:37,952
with consideration of an application for a new

1192
01:15:37,992 --> 01:15:41,542
charter school. This would be, if

1193
01:15:41,592 --> 01:15:45,432
approved, the first charter school to request and

1194
01:15:45,492 --> 01:15:48,502
to be opened in Columbia, Missouri,

1195
01:15:49,612 --> 01:15:53,172
which as you are aware, the charter statute

1196
01:15:54,952 --> 01:15:58,352
recently was updated to include

1197
01:15:58,412 --> 01:15:58,952
charters

1198
01:16:00,932 --> 01:16:02,832
being allowable in Boone County.

1199
01:16:03,882 --> 01:16:06,892
Before we get started, I would like to introduce

1200
01:16:08,112 --> 01:16:11,532
the charter sponsor from St. Louis

1201
01:16:11,632 --> 01:16:13,752
University, Dr. Alexandra Boyd,

1202
01:16:14,952 --> 01:16:18,102
and also Executive Director of

1203
01:16:18,612 --> 01:16:21,832
Frontier Schools Incorporated. Did I get that correct,

1204
01:16:22,592 --> 01:16:23,882
Mr. Eran Demirjian?

1205
01:16:24,052 --> 01:16:24,242
Mm-hmm.

1206
01:16:26,692 --> 01:16:30,572
Dr. Boyd, would you like to introduce the other representatives who are with you

1207
01:16:30,632 --> 01:16:31,291
here today?

1208
01:16:32,652 --> 01:16:34,472
Yes. Thank you so much and

1209
01:16:35,312 --> 01:16:36,232
board, thank you for your

1210
01:16:37,512 --> 01:16:38,652
service and your time.

1211
01:16:39,732 --> 01:16:43,152
With us today, we have board member Cesar Cea.

1212
01:16:43,882 --> 01:16:47,232
We also have Jennifer Gray, who's the Director of

1213
01:16:47,252 --> 01:16:49,592
Communications. We have

1214
01:16:50,432 --> 01:16:51,352
Elizabeth-

1215
01:16:52,332 --> 01:16:53,092
Adunkeh

1216
01:16:53,452 --> 01:16:54,821
... Adunkeh, who is the Director of-

1217
01:16:56,372 --> 01:16:57,492
Safety and Conduct

1218
01:16:57,852 --> 01:16:58,632
... Safety and Conduct. And we have Dr.

1219
01:16:58,882 --> 01:17:01,922
Rizvil Ghaij, who is the Chief of Academics, and then Dr.

1220
01:17:02,212 --> 01:17:06,011
Elyar Iskenderli, who is the Chief of Operations.

1221
01:17:07,572 --> 01:17:08,592
Thank you.

1222
01:17:10,872 --> 01:17:12,052
All right. So

1223
01:17:13,192 --> 01:17:16,952
we want to start, before we actually go to the

1224
01:17:16,972 --> 01:17:20,562
Frontier application at hand, and give you just a little bit of

1225
01:17:20,592 --> 01:17:21,242
background,

1226
01:17:22,152 --> 01:17:26,112
and just point out the authority around charter schools in Missouri,

1227
01:17:26,532 --> 01:17:28,452
and in particular, your authority.

1228
01:17:28,612 --> 01:17:30,812
I'm going to tell you a little bit about DESE's role,

1229
01:17:31,732 --> 01:17:34,692
and then we'll present the application for you.

1230
01:17:35,252 --> 01:17:36,572
So as you can see,

1231
01:17:37,372 --> 01:17:41,312
many entities play a role in authorizing

1232
01:17:41,352 --> 01:17:44,922
and governing charter schools from the legislature,

1233
01:17:46,272 --> 01:17:50,002
sponsors who oversee the school performance, and then the local

1234
01:17:50,152 --> 01:17:51,812
charter governing board,

1235
01:17:53,072 --> 01:17:56,942
which forms that agreement with the sponsor, and

1236
01:17:56,992 --> 01:18:00,912
they're responsible for the day-to-day operations and the governance

1237
01:18:01,052 --> 01:18:02,272
of the charter school.

1238
01:18:03,352 --> 01:18:04,812
The State Board of Education

1239
01:18:05,852 --> 01:18:06,702
authority

1240
01:18:07,692 --> 01:18:10,332
actually is to enforce

1241
01:18:10,752 --> 01:18:11,892
regulations,

1242
01:18:12,952 --> 01:18:16,792
develop regulations that primarily deal with sponsor

1243
01:18:16,872 --> 01:18:19,672
activities.

1244
01:18:21,172 --> 01:18:24,512
And today, we're going to focus on that

1245
01:18:24,592 --> 01:18:28,012
primary role. So, the State Board

1246
01:18:28,212 --> 01:18:31,772
reviews and approves sponsorship applications.

1247
01:18:31,862 --> 01:18:35,692
So when we have an entity comes forward that wants to

1248
01:18:36,132 --> 01:18:37,512
sponsor charter schools,

1249
01:18:38,532 --> 01:18:42,132
the State Board of Education evaluates sponsors every three

1250
01:18:42,212 --> 01:18:42,772
years.

1251
01:18:43,572 --> 01:18:46,012
You consider applications for

1252
01:18:46,592 --> 01:18:50,052
new charter schools, which we have before you today,

1253
01:18:50,572 --> 01:18:54,492
and then, of course, you vote on those renewals that

1254
01:18:54,552 --> 01:18:58,431
have been approved and recommended by the sponsors.

1255
01:19:00,152 --> 01:19:03,512
So, what does the department do? So,

1256
01:19:04,172 --> 01:19:08,112
the sponsor is responsible for having a

1257
01:19:08,212 --> 01:19:11,712
policy and processes in place for new

1258
01:19:11,752 --> 01:19:15,392
applications and also renewals. The department

1259
01:19:15,432 --> 01:19:19,112
reviews those items, but we don't approve them.

1260
01:19:19,132 --> 01:19:22,952
We're just reviewing them and then preparing a recommendation for

1261
01:19:23,112 --> 01:19:24,372
you.

1262
01:19:25,632 --> 01:19:29,502
In the case of a new charter application,

1263
01:19:29,532 --> 01:19:33,052
the sponsor has to approve that new

1264
01:19:33,152 --> 01:19:36,972
application before it comes to us or before it is

1265
01:19:37,052 --> 01:19:39,432
submitted to you, the State Board of

1266
01:19:39,492 --> 01:19:43,220
EducationWe have a committee

1267
01:19:43,300 --> 01:19:47,040
inside the department that does review these applications,

1268
01:19:48,140 --> 01:19:51,380
and also renewals prior to bringing them to you.

1269
01:19:52,560 --> 01:19:56,540
We also publish the annual performance report and

1270
01:19:56,680 --> 01:19:58,510
the report card for

1271
01:19:59,320 --> 01:20:02,600
all LEAs, including charter schools, and

1272
01:20:03,400 --> 01:20:06,840
we're responsible for retaining sponsorship fees

1273
01:20:07,980 --> 01:20:10,920
and making sure those get to the right place.

1274
01:20:12,880 --> 01:20:16,120
Okay. The application itself

1275
01:20:16,660 --> 01:20:18,130
is provided by

1276
01:20:19,460 --> 01:20:21,840
the charter school to the sponsor,

1277
01:20:22,800 --> 01:20:26,680
and then within a specified time period after the sponsor

1278
01:20:26,689 --> 01:20:30,040
receives the application, the proposed charter

1279
01:20:30,180 --> 01:20:33,680
school must send it to the local school

1280
01:20:33,740 --> 01:20:36,940
district, information about their

1281
01:20:37,560 --> 01:20:41,540
application, and about their plans to open a school

1282
01:20:41,600 --> 01:20:42,900
within that district.

1283
01:20:44,520 --> 01:20:47,880
After that information is reviewed and approved by the

1284
01:20:48,000 --> 01:20:51,560
sponsor, then the sponsor provides the department

1285
01:20:51,680 --> 01:20:54,780
and the State Board of Education, as I mentioned, with the

1286
01:20:54,880 --> 01:20:58,500
application. And then that starts a 60-day clock.

1287
01:20:58,960 --> 01:21:02,240
So in statute, from the time that we receive that

1288
01:21:02,250 --> 01:21:06,120
application, then we need to bring it forward

1289
01:21:06,220 --> 01:21:09,960
to you, and you must consider it, and

1290
01:21:10,760 --> 01:21:14,120
make a decision to approve or deny within 60 days.

1291
01:21:15,880 --> 01:21:19,480
There's also a time frame within statute

1292
01:21:19,490 --> 01:21:22,500
that specifies when applications must be

1293
01:21:22,600 --> 01:21:26,300
received in order for you to consider them to be

1294
01:21:26,380 --> 01:21:29,580
opened in the next school year. In this case,

1295
01:21:30,280 --> 01:21:33,360
Frontier is seeking to open a new charter school

1296
01:21:34,280 --> 01:21:35,220
in Columbia

1297
01:21:36,020 --> 01:21:39,420
beginning in the '27-'28 school year.

1298
01:21:39,460 --> 01:21:43,360
So it's not this next coming school year, it's

1299
01:21:43,400 --> 01:21:44,900
the school year after that.

1300
01:21:52,360 --> 01:21:56,150
Okay, so what is required in every application?

1301
01:21:56,420 --> 01:21:59,400
Here you see a list of the things that must be

1302
01:21:59,460 --> 01:22:03,240
included in applications for new charter schools,

1303
01:22:03,360 --> 01:22:06,540
and these are called out in statute.

1304
01:22:07,480 --> 01:22:10,270
The department evaluates these. And remember,

1305
01:22:11,620 --> 01:22:15,280
this application created by the school, sometimes

1306
01:22:15,380 --> 01:22:19,340
in collaboration with the sponsor, but it's the sponsor's

1307
01:22:19,360 --> 01:22:22,940
responsibility before they bring it to us to first review

1308
01:22:23,000 --> 01:22:24,390
it and approve it.

1309
01:22:25,560 --> 01:22:29,330
Inside the department, we convene, through the charter

1310
01:22:29,420 --> 01:22:33,100
office, a panel of experts to review the

1311
01:22:33,180 --> 01:22:36,720
application and provide comments based

1312
01:22:36,760 --> 01:22:38,920
particularly on their area of expertise.

1313
01:22:39,520 --> 01:22:43,340
So we're going to be looking at, in these components that you

1314
01:22:43,400 --> 01:22:43,900
see here,

1315
01:22:45,340 --> 01:22:48,380
academic program design and instructional model,

1316
01:22:48,880 --> 01:22:52,650
performance frameworks and assessment plans, accountability

1317
01:22:52,720 --> 01:22:53,490
measures,

1318
01:22:54,480 --> 01:22:57,120
governance capacity, board oversight,

1319
01:22:57,900 --> 01:23:01,000
sponsor-school relationships, financial

1320
01:23:01,100 --> 01:23:03,940
stability and budget assumptions,

1321
01:23:04,680 --> 01:23:08,620
enrollment projections. We'll look at their descriptions of

1322
01:23:08,680 --> 01:23:12,480
student services, including special education, English

1323
01:23:12,490 --> 01:23:16,380
learner population, and how they support their needs of

1324
01:23:16,400 --> 01:23:20,160
students. And then operational readiness, including

1325
01:23:20,240 --> 01:23:23,080
staffing plans and compliance with state and federal

1326
01:23:23,090 --> 01:23:27,000
requirements. What we're looking for

1327
01:23:27,060 --> 01:23:28,999
when we review these-- Yes.

1328
01:23:29,320 --> 01:23:31,460
Just a second. Board member Mike Matusik.

1329
01:23:31,900 --> 01:23:35,060
Thank you. Lisa, just on these, all of those

1330
01:23:35,240 --> 01:23:39,180
requirements must be met, right? If there was a missing check mark

1331
01:23:39,260 --> 01:23:40,400
on any one of those,

1332
01:23:41,500 --> 01:23:43,580
that would be an issue, correct?

1333
01:23:44,200 --> 01:23:47,900
Right. So these are the components, the topics,

1334
01:23:48,000 --> 01:23:51,190
that are required to be included in the application.

1335
01:23:51,710 --> 01:23:51,710
Thank you.

1336
01:23:51,740 --> 01:23:53,700
And so that's what we're looking for.

1337
01:23:53,780 --> 01:23:54,360
And,

1338
01:23:55,880 --> 01:23:56,560
to

1339
01:23:57,379 --> 01:24:00,680
give you a little bit more detail, we're looking for statutory

1340
01:24:00,780 --> 01:24:03,920
compliance. So we're looking for, does the

1341
01:24:04,020 --> 01:24:06,780
application include the required elements?

1342
01:24:07,580 --> 01:24:11,160
And we're going to provide feedback to the sponsor.

1343
01:24:11,300 --> 01:24:15,240
We communicate with the sponsor on these matters if we see an

1344
01:24:15,300 --> 01:24:18,720
element that is out of compliance with statute or

1345
01:24:18,800 --> 01:24:22,280
rule. We also would provide feedback regarding best

1346
01:24:22,320 --> 01:24:25,830
practice. So if we see some things that

1347
01:24:26,460 --> 01:24:30,000
are out of compliance with statute, we would not bring that

1348
01:24:30,080 --> 01:24:33,900
forward with a recommendation for you to approve.

1349
01:24:35,100 --> 01:24:38,520
However, it is possible that we might send some feedback

1350
01:24:38,560 --> 01:24:40,820
regarding best practice.

1351
01:24:42,040 --> 01:24:44,940
That wouldn't necessarily preclude us from

1352
01:24:45,000 --> 01:24:48,959
recommending the application for your approval.

1353
01:24:49,040 --> 01:24:49,400
Thank you.

1354
01:24:52,380 --> 01:24:52,800
Thank you.

1355
01:24:53,840 --> 01:24:54,560
Okay.

1356
01:24:59,260 --> 01:25:02,240
So now let's turn to the

1357
01:25:02,440 --> 01:25:04,830
specific application.

1358
01:25:05,680 --> 01:25:09,630
It's from Frontier Schools Incorporated, and that is

1359
01:25:09,680 --> 01:25:13,660
the nonprofit that proposes to govern this new

1360
01:25:13,720 --> 01:25:17,580
charter, which is Frontier STEM Academy Elementary

1361
01:25:17,640 --> 01:25:18,760
in Columbia, Missouri.

1362
01:25:20,120 --> 01:25:24,090
It also governs the Frontier schools that are already

1363
01:25:24,140 --> 01:25:26,190
in operation in Kansas City.

1364
01:25:27,460 --> 01:25:31,440
Frontier is sponsored by St. Louis University, and that's the

1365
01:25:31,500 --> 01:25:35,040
same sponsor that's bringing the application forward that you're

1366
01:25:35,080 --> 01:25:36,340
considering today.

1367
01:25:37,140 --> 01:25:40,900
It's important to note that should Frontier

1368
01:25:41,040 --> 01:25:44,940
STEM Academy Elementary in Columbia open, it would

1369
01:25:44,980 --> 01:25:48,850
be a separate and distinct LEA from Frontier

1370
01:25:48,980 --> 01:25:50,480
schools in Kansas

1371
01:25:50,520 --> 01:25:54,480
CitySo,

1372
01:25:54,520 --> 01:25:58,360
Frontier STEM Academy Elementary in Columbia, Missouri, as I mentioned,

1373
01:25:58,420 --> 01:26:02,050
within the Columbia Public School District, it's currently

1374
01:26:02,080 --> 01:26:03,420
without a facility.

1375
01:26:04,600 --> 01:26:08,360
It does plan to survey facilities in the area

1376
01:26:08,500 --> 01:26:12,380
that would meet the needs of the growing school

1377
01:26:12,440 --> 01:26:13,640
that they are proposing.

1378
01:26:15,010 --> 01:26:18,960
It requests a fall 2027 opening, as I

1379
01:26:19,000 --> 01:26:21,440
mentioned, for the '27-'28 school year.

1380
01:26:22,020 --> 01:26:25,800
And they want to start with students in pre-K

1381
01:26:25,880 --> 01:26:29,800
through grade two, and then they would add a grade in each

1382
01:26:29,820 --> 01:26:33,520
subsequent year until they would ultimately be serving those

1383
01:26:33,600 --> 01:26:36,360
pre-K through fifth-grade students.

1384
01:26:38,900 --> 01:26:41,160
Quick question. Sorry.

1385
01:26:41,420 --> 01:26:41,600
Yes.

1386
01:26:43,100 --> 01:26:45,720
Going back to that slide, is there a typo there?

1387
01:26:46,280 --> 01:26:50,080
You said it's opening in fall '27, but this says '26-'27

1388
01:26:50,620 --> 01:26:51,380
as the first year.

1389
01:26:51,800 --> 01:26:52,540
Yes, that is.

1390
01:26:53,880 --> 01:26:54,880
I apologize for that.

1391
01:26:55,900 --> 01:26:56,380
Well, thank you.

1392
01:26:56,460 --> 01:26:56,480
Okay.

1393
01:26:56,490 --> 01:26:57,460
That was a question I-

1394
01:26:57,780 --> 01:26:58,170
I had, too

1395
01:26:58,170 --> 01:26:59,200
... had in my mind, like-

1396
01:26:59,460 --> 01:26:59,540
Yeah

1397
01:26:59,660 --> 01:27:02,400
... so are they going with the '27 or the '26 numbers?

1398
01:27:02,480 --> 01:27:04,220
Thank you, John, for pointing that out.

1399
01:27:04,280 --> 01:27:04,620
Yeah.

1400
01:27:09,840 --> 01:27:13,540
The plan calls for Mr. Demirjian to continue serving

1401
01:27:13,780 --> 01:27:17,520
as executive director of Frontier Schools in Kansas City,

1402
01:27:18,180 --> 01:27:22,020
and also for him to serve as executive director of

1403
01:27:22,060 --> 01:27:24,500
Frontier STEM Academy Elementary in Columbia.

1404
01:27:25,260 --> 01:27:29,060
The same is true for Dennis L. Davis, the board chair,

1405
01:27:29,240 --> 01:27:31,220
current board chair of Frontier Schools.

1406
01:27:32,800 --> 01:27:36,340
The schools' board has plans to add additional members

1407
01:27:36,420 --> 01:27:38,060
from the Columbia area,

1408
01:27:39,040 --> 01:27:42,960
those that know the community and the population, and you'll

1409
01:27:43,020 --> 01:27:45,230
see that the first is Dr...

1410
01:27:47,240 --> 01:27:50,180
I'm not sure I'll pronounce this, Ilkay Budak?

1411
01:27:50,600 --> 01:27:50,899
That's good.

1412
01:27:52,760 --> 01:27:54,860
Currently employed with the University of Missouri.

1413
01:27:56,240 --> 01:27:59,930
Their goal is to recruit members that meet certain priorities,

1414
01:28:00,000 --> 01:28:03,900
and chief among those are that they reside in or have

1415
01:28:03,970 --> 01:28:07,460
strong ties to the Columbia, Missouri, area.

1416
01:28:08,020 --> 01:28:10,900
They reflect the diversity and demographics of the local

1417
01:28:11,000 --> 01:28:14,560
community. They bring relevant expertise in business,

1418
01:28:14,700 --> 01:28:18,200
community engagement, and other areas that are

1419
01:28:18,280 --> 01:28:19,679
important to the school.

1420
01:28:23,700 --> 01:28:27,580
And here we see the mission and vision for Frontier STEM

1421
01:28:27,640 --> 01:28:28,750
Academy Elementary,

1422
01:28:29,600 --> 01:28:33,420
provides insight into what they're calling for as a

1423
01:28:33,460 --> 01:28:35,800
focus on STEM and continued learning.

1424
01:28:41,760 --> 01:28:44,660
And here we see an excerpt, an

1425
01:28:44,860 --> 01:28:47,960
example of the performance goals

1426
01:28:48,680 --> 01:28:52,480
that are required in the performance contract

1427
01:28:52,520 --> 01:28:56,000
between the sponsor and the charter school itself.

1428
01:28:57,120 --> 01:28:58,120
So what this

1429
01:29:00,140 --> 01:29:02,600
gives us some look into

1430
01:29:03,700 --> 01:29:07,520
internal goals for each grade level that lead to mastery

1431
01:29:07,720 --> 01:29:08,620
of content.

1432
01:29:09,540 --> 01:29:13,140
And it also includes goals for operations,

1433
01:29:13,760 --> 01:29:16,220
governance, and financial accountability.

1434
01:29:17,420 --> 01:29:21,030
It's the sponsor's responsibility to take those goals in

1435
01:29:21,080 --> 01:29:24,840
combination with state and federal requirements, and also the

1436
01:29:24,900 --> 01:29:28,870
sponsor's own goals and requirements, and pull together this

1437
01:29:28,940 --> 01:29:32,660
overall performance contract. So the sponsor has

1438
01:29:32,700 --> 01:29:35,380
approved this performance contract.

1439
01:29:35,889 --> 01:29:36,130
The

1440
01:29:36,980 --> 01:29:39,580
school has agreed that it will

1441
01:29:40,640 --> 01:29:44,420
comply with these goals in the performance contract.

1442
01:29:49,760 --> 01:29:53,680
And the DESE recommendation is based on the sponsor's

1443
01:29:53,720 --> 01:29:57,630
approval, and the charter office committee's review

1444
01:29:57,720 --> 01:30:01,580
of the application and determination that

1445
01:30:01,640 --> 01:30:04,760
the application is in compliance with statute.

1446
01:30:06,120 --> 01:30:08,040
So here you have our recommendation.

1447
01:30:09,480 --> 01:30:10,600
Do we have any questions?

1448
01:30:10,640 --> 01:30:11,040
Yeah. I-

1449
01:30:11,299 --> 01:30:13,640
Board member Carey Casey, and then I'll-

1450
01:30:13,700 --> 01:30:15,570
I think Mr. Miller was first, and then-

1451
01:30:15,640 --> 01:30:15,799
Oh

1452
01:30:15,920 --> 01:30:16,620
... I'll go Brooks.

1453
01:30:17,020 --> 01:30:20,520
I have a lot of questions because I think this is the first application

1454
01:30:20,560 --> 01:30:23,579
that as a new board member we've had.

1455
01:30:24,380 --> 01:30:28,100
And I'll try to... Isn't this an

1456
01:30:28,160 --> 01:30:32,040
application that is legally being challenged?

1457
01:30:32,340 --> 01:30:33,500
Am I correct in that?

1458
01:30:34,780 --> 01:30:35,860
That is correct.

1459
01:30:36,540 --> 01:30:37,440
Okay. And

1460
01:30:38,440 --> 01:30:40,160
you do not believe that that legal...

1461
01:30:41,460 --> 01:30:41,580
John

1462
01:30:41,960 --> 01:30:44,540
I know you can't talk about legal issues, but-

1463
01:30:45,560 --> 01:30:46,540
... does that, is that-

1464
01:30:46,550 --> 01:30:47,290
John, can you come forward?

1465
01:30:47,290 --> 01:30:50,220
Is it not relevant to the approval?

1466
01:30:51,000 --> 01:30:53,160
We'll let the attorney answer that question.

1467
01:30:53,190 --> 01:30:54,140
Yeah. And I think that that's what... Yeah.

1468
01:30:54,220 --> 01:30:57,960
It is not. The board needs to do its work regardless of the status of a

1469
01:30:58,000 --> 01:30:59,610
lawsuit or whether it even exists.

1470
01:31:00,350 --> 01:31:00,350
Okay.

1471
01:31:00,380 --> 01:31:04,360
So for those who may not have picked that up if they're listening, the answer

1472
01:31:04,400 --> 01:31:06,180
to the question is, it is not relevant.

1473
01:31:06,290 --> 01:31:07,640
The board needs to continue-

1474
01:31:07,790 --> 01:31:07,790
Okay

1475
01:31:07,790 --> 01:31:09,140
... and do its work.

1476
01:31:09,440 --> 01:31:11,040
Okay. And then just a follow-up question.

1477
01:31:11,760 --> 01:31:15,600
If they fail to perform, and I know that as we've reviewed charter schools

1478
01:31:15,660 --> 01:31:18,980
and such, have we taken away any charters from schools?

1479
01:31:19,800 --> 01:31:20,420
It's not our...

1480
01:31:22,120 --> 01:31:22,380
So-

1481
01:31:22,720 --> 01:31:23,820
So if we grant them-

1482
01:31:23,880 --> 01:31:23,890
So-

1483
01:31:23,890 --> 01:31:24,700
... we can't take them away.

1484
01:31:24,760 --> 01:31:25,260
No. We

1485
01:31:26,180 --> 01:31:30,080
don't have to agree to the sponsorship, but it's actually

1486
01:31:30,120 --> 01:31:33,379
the sponsorship we take away, and we have done that.

1487
01:31:34,160 --> 01:31:37,940
That is correct, and in fact, we have also moved

1488
01:31:38,200 --> 01:31:38,880
schools

1489
01:31:39,780 --> 01:31:43,000
from certain sponsors' portfolios into other

1490
01:31:43,160 --> 01:31:43,840
sponsors,

1491
01:31:44,880 --> 01:31:48,300
related to concerns about performance and capacity of the

1492
01:31:48,400 --> 01:31:48,880
sponsor.

1493
01:31:51,620 --> 01:31:52,720
Board Member Carey Casey.

1494
01:31:53,700 --> 01:31:56,116
Thank you very much, andExcuse me.

1495
01:31:56,996 --> 01:32:00,636
I appreciate all of the opportunity here to review your application, and thank you

1496
01:32:00,676 --> 01:32:02,956
for coming before us.

1497
01:32:03,816 --> 01:32:05,456
So I have several questions.

1498
01:32:07,776 --> 01:32:10,116
Some are just information, but some are concerns.

1499
01:32:11,336 --> 01:32:15,216
First of all, and I think more importantly, if you go back to the slide

1500
01:32:15,256 --> 01:32:16,036
on goals.

1501
01:32:17,716 --> 01:32:18,755
Academic achievement.

1502
01:32:21,036 --> 01:32:24,856
Your goal is school-wide, that the percentage

1503
01:32:25,716 --> 01:32:29,696
will either be of academic achievement, will be at or

1504
01:32:29,776 --> 01:32:31,956
equal to or greater than Columbia.

1505
01:32:33,996 --> 01:32:34,496
To me,

1506
01:32:35,456 --> 01:32:39,296
if you only have 24 students starting out,

1507
01:32:39,396 --> 01:32:43,286
in fact, then if you move to your earlier slide on

1508
01:32:43,436 --> 01:32:44,816
the progression of enrollment.

1509
01:32:47,256 --> 01:32:50,746
You're starting out with 184 students, but you're starting out at lower

1510
01:32:50,856 --> 01:32:52,816
grades as well. This is important.

1511
01:32:52,876 --> 01:32:53,996
You're starting out at pre-K

1512
01:32:55,516 --> 01:32:58,906
and kindergarten. So more than half, 120,

1513
01:33:00,236 --> 01:33:04,156
130 of your students will be literally

1514
01:33:04,176 --> 01:33:06,036
at the beginning of their learning years.

1515
01:33:07,196 --> 01:33:11,076
I would expect that your academic goals would not be to

1516
01:33:11,136 --> 01:33:14,836
equal Columbia Public Schools, but that they would always be to

1517
01:33:14,876 --> 01:33:16,796
exceed Columbia Public Schools.

1518
01:33:18,956 --> 01:33:22,876
It is more difficult when children transfer in

1519
01:33:22,916 --> 01:33:25,656
at higher grades, no question. They come in behind.

1520
01:33:26,096 --> 01:33:26,716
It takes a

1521
01:33:27,616 --> 01:33:31,356
year or two years at least to make up one

1522
01:33:31,456 --> 01:33:35,436
year of academic performance. So I understand

1523
01:33:35,496 --> 01:33:38,496
that, but when you're already starting out at the lower grades with the youngest

1524
01:33:38,596 --> 01:33:38,996
students,

1525
01:33:39,876 --> 01:33:43,496
help me to understand why you're not setting more aggressive academic outcome

1526
01:33:43,576 --> 01:33:43,896
goals.

1527
01:33:44,476 --> 01:33:46,036
Yeah. That's a wonderful question.

1528
01:33:48,416 --> 01:33:51,696
So I think the main point here is that it's a

1529
01:33:52,256 --> 01:33:54,826
brand new school, so we'll be starting a brand new school.

1530
01:33:56,056 --> 01:33:59,856
And it's traditionally best practice to do at equal

1531
01:33:59,976 --> 01:34:03,935
to or above in the case where you're building in those first few years.

1532
01:34:03,976 --> 01:34:07,736
So the first five years of operation, we want to give

1533
01:34:08,296 --> 01:34:12,256
the operator time to establish the building,

1534
01:34:12,296 --> 01:34:15,216
the culture, and all of those things that go along with it,

1535
01:34:15,716 --> 01:34:19,706
communication with parents and building that collaboration with the community

1536
01:34:20,096 --> 01:34:23,976
so that they can achieve higher proficiency rates than

1537
01:34:24,036 --> 01:34:25,296
the district in which they operate.

1538
01:34:25,416 --> 01:34:28,996
But just knowing the way that schools come to

1539
01:34:29,056 --> 01:34:32,936
be and what the trajectory and timeline of those things

1540
01:34:33,036 --> 01:34:36,676
happen to be, this is best practice for the original

1541
01:34:36,716 --> 01:34:38,996
application for the first five years.

1542
01:34:39,656 --> 01:34:43,496
So you envision that you will have academic

1543
01:34:43,576 --> 01:34:46,056
goals that will actually be more aggressive-

1544
01:34:46,676 --> 01:34:47,196
Yes, ma'am

1545
01:34:47,716 --> 01:34:50,136
... when you're day-to-day working with the charter

1546
01:34:51,536 --> 01:34:52,016
leadership?

1547
01:34:52,216 --> 01:34:52,596
Yes, ma'am.

1548
01:34:53,856 --> 01:34:54,056
What

1549
01:34:55,336 --> 01:34:58,736
instruction methods are you going to be using that'll be any different than what

1550
01:34:58,776 --> 01:34:59,996
Columbia uses today?

1551
01:35:04,436 --> 01:35:05,276
We will provide

1552
01:35:06,476 --> 01:35:06,936
all the

1553
01:35:07,756 --> 01:35:10,316
courses that Columbia has been offering.

1554
01:35:11,136 --> 01:35:14,076
Plus, we will focus on STEM education.

1555
01:35:15,036 --> 01:35:18,216
So we will have additional STEM courses, as well as

1556
01:35:19,116 --> 01:35:19,396
some

1557
01:35:20,616 --> 01:35:23,576
digital arts and music classes as well.

1558
01:35:24,276 --> 01:35:24,656
And

1559
01:35:25,756 --> 01:35:29,036
with our extracurricular activities, we will offer robotics,

1560
01:35:29,956 --> 01:35:33,326
drone, science Olympiad, science fair type of

1561
01:35:33,496 --> 01:35:37,276
competition. So we will offer those STEM education

1562
01:35:37,316 --> 01:35:38,636
opportunities for our students.

1563
01:35:39,256 --> 01:35:43,056
But doesn't Columbia have STEM schools themselves today?

1564
01:35:43,456 --> 01:35:45,436
How will your STEM school be any different?

1565
01:35:46,216 --> 01:35:50,186
So my understanding, they have two schools at this time, and they have

1566
01:35:50,536 --> 01:35:54,336
18,000 students. So it will be good to expand those

1567
01:35:54,376 --> 01:35:56,296
opportunities for other parents as well.

1568
01:35:56,816 --> 01:36:00,776
So we will offer additional STEM opportunities for

1569
01:36:00,816 --> 01:36:01,816
the parents in Columbia.

1570
01:36:03,336 --> 01:36:07,156
Board Member Pamela Westbrook-Hodge, and then I'll come back to you, Carrie.

1571
01:36:07,206 --> 01:36:07,756
Yeah. Sure.

1572
01:36:07,776 --> 01:36:08,736
So we have the other two.

1573
01:36:09,596 --> 01:36:13,316
Yeah. Well, thank you all for being

1574
01:36:13,376 --> 01:36:14,636
here. Thank you, Dr.

1575
01:36:15,576 --> 01:36:18,916
Boyd. I'm just a tremendous fan of yours and to the

1576
01:36:18,936 --> 01:36:19,776
entire

1577
01:36:20,636 --> 01:36:22,936
executive leadership team of Frontier.

1578
01:36:23,836 --> 01:36:27,256
I also want to acknowledge the leadership of Columbia Public

1579
01:36:27,376 --> 01:36:28,036
Schools.

1580
01:36:29,216 --> 01:36:32,856
They're in the room as well, and that's the district where this

1581
01:36:32,876 --> 01:36:35,536
proposed school will be going.

1582
01:36:36,956 --> 01:36:40,016
And I want to very publicly congratulate

1583
01:36:40,716 --> 01:36:44,566
Columbia Public Schools for their growth over the last three

1584
01:36:44,676 --> 01:36:48,656
years. Their APR has increased by about 20

1585
01:36:48,696 --> 01:36:52,156
points, and that's remarkable.

1586
01:36:52,876 --> 01:36:54,616
So kudos to you for

1587
01:36:55,596 --> 01:36:56,436
those gains.

1588
01:36:57,496 --> 01:37:00,776
So today's application troubles me for two

1589
01:37:01,496 --> 01:37:02,076
reasons.

1590
01:37:03,296 --> 01:37:06,976
One, based on current charter school statute, the

1591
01:37:07,016 --> 01:37:08,116
voice of the people

1592
01:37:08,996 --> 01:37:11,936
was not required to bring this school forward.

1593
01:37:12,036 --> 01:37:14,116
So no one in Columbia has voted.

1594
01:37:15,106 --> 01:37:17,496
The people in Columbia have not voted for this school.

1595
01:37:18,436 --> 01:37:22,376
And I'm troubled when people whose tax dollars are being used to

1596
01:37:22,416 --> 01:37:25,236
fund a school do not approve or govern that school.

1597
01:37:26,056 --> 01:37:29,436
So that's one. Two, based on CPS's

1598
01:37:29,476 --> 01:37:31,866
performance and academic trajectory,

1599
01:37:32,896 --> 01:37:36,036
I don't understand the problem that we're solving.

1600
01:37:37,056 --> 01:37:40,416
So what gap is this proposed school

1601
01:37:40,856 --> 01:37:42,216
filling?

1602
01:37:43,536 --> 01:37:44,976
And then I would also say,

1603
01:37:48,196 --> 01:37:51,956
while pockets of challenge exist in every district and can be

1604
01:37:52,016 --> 01:37:55,676
masked by overall performance of the district of any

1605
01:37:55,736 --> 01:37:59,696
public school system, that district should be held

1606
01:37:59,736 --> 01:38:02,496
accountable for addressing the needs of those

1607
01:38:02,536 --> 01:38:05,942
childrenAnd creating a

1608
01:38:05,972 --> 01:38:09,332
completely new school and a high-performing school

1609
01:38:09,492 --> 01:38:11,732
system seems financially

1610
01:38:11,792 --> 01:38:15,612
irresponsible. In particular, in a state

1611
01:38:15,622 --> 01:38:19,192
that is struggling to make its current educational budget

1612
01:38:19,252 --> 01:38:22,722
commitments and that is losing population,

1613
01:38:23,252 --> 01:38:26,812
and our schools are shrinking, our enrollment bases are shrinking,

1614
01:38:27,172 --> 01:38:30,272
and we're talking about creating a new school.

1615
01:38:33,192 --> 01:38:36,652
And so finally, for the benefit of everyone who's listening,

1616
01:38:39,032 --> 01:38:42,162
I just want to convey that you should be troubled that the current

1617
01:38:42,232 --> 01:38:45,492
requirements do not include a requirement for

1618
01:38:45,552 --> 01:38:48,412
fiscal efficiency. That's troubling.

1619
01:38:49,712 --> 01:38:53,702
Yet, those current requirements and that law requires

1620
01:38:53,752 --> 01:38:57,432
this board to approve the application because all the other

1621
01:38:57,452 --> 01:38:58,792
requirements have been met.

1622
01:39:00,392 --> 01:39:01,872
So, in summary,

1623
01:39:03,112 --> 01:39:06,432
based on the denial of choice to the people of

1624
01:39:06,472 --> 01:39:10,282
Columbia, based on the letter of objection from

1625
01:39:10,332 --> 01:39:13,692
CPS, the stellar growth of CPS,

1626
01:39:14,732 --> 01:39:18,492
I find this application problematic, and it's difficult for

1627
01:39:18,552 --> 01:39:21,632
me as a financial professional to

1628
01:39:22,552 --> 01:39:23,192
support it.

1629
01:39:24,772 --> 01:39:25,591
Thank you, Pamela.

1630
01:39:26,872 --> 01:39:30,182
Board Member Mike Matusik, did you have a comment earlier?

1631
01:39:31,312 --> 01:39:31,632
I didn't.

1632
01:39:31,642 --> 01:39:31,672
That maybe we missed.

1633
01:39:31,692 --> 01:39:34,832
I mean, I do, but I think Carrie and Brooks might have had... Oh.

1634
01:39:35,432 --> 01:39:35,662
Well, I-

1635
01:39:35,762 --> 01:39:37,832
I'm going to come back to Carrie, so don't worry about her.

1636
01:39:37,932 --> 01:39:39,492
If you've got a comment, please make it.

1637
01:39:39,572 --> 01:39:39,852
Yeah.

1638
01:39:40,912 --> 01:39:44,622
Well, I guess following up on what Pamela said, and then Brooks's

1639
01:39:44,652 --> 01:39:45,182
question,

1640
01:39:47,112 --> 01:39:49,102
going back to the statute, I guess, is it

1641
01:39:50,232 --> 01:39:53,592
correct to say that for the board to not

1642
01:39:53,632 --> 01:39:56,012
approve this application

1643
01:39:57,492 --> 01:40:00,392
or that we would essentially have to

1644
01:40:01,772 --> 01:40:05,392
have information or take the position that DESE has

1645
01:40:05,492 --> 01:40:09,112
erred in its review of the application

1646
01:40:09,172 --> 01:40:11,132
itself, right? In other words,

1647
01:40:11,972 --> 01:40:15,252
if you've reviewed the application and

1648
01:40:16,292 --> 01:40:18,352
believe that it meets all of the requirements,

1649
01:40:19,372 --> 01:40:22,192
what authority does the board have to not approve it?

1650
01:40:23,312 --> 01:40:24,992
So our understanding

1651
01:40:25,912 --> 01:40:29,152
and in consultation with counsel that the

1652
01:40:29,252 --> 01:40:29,932
statute...

1653
01:40:30,892 --> 01:40:33,972
Yes, you are correct, Board Member Matusik.

1654
01:40:34,312 --> 01:40:34,512
Thank you.

1655
01:40:34,572 --> 01:40:35,792
Yeah.

1656
01:40:36,092 --> 01:40:36,892
I'm sorry. Could you-

1657
01:40:36,972 --> 01:40:39,282
Board Member Carrie Casey, you got a question, so let's move forward with that.

1658
01:40:39,282 --> 01:40:40,732
Thank you very much.

1659
01:40:41,052 --> 01:40:45,032
To that very last question and point, could you restate what he is correct

1660
01:40:45,052 --> 01:40:45,372
about?

1661
01:40:45,662 --> 01:40:48,112
Yes. Our understanding is that

1662
01:40:49,052 --> 01:40:52,352
you have the option to approve or

1663
01:40:52,492 --> 01:40:56,232
deny the application. Denial would be based on

1664
01:40:56,332 --> 01:40:59,432
failure to meet the statutory requirements.

1665
01:41:00,072 --> 01:41:00,852
And so,

1666
01:41:01,752 --> 01:41:01,992
yes,

1667
01:41:02,872 --> 01:41:06,312
in this case, then that would require you to

1668
01:41:06,352 --> 01:41:10,112
disagree with the staff analysis that all of

1669
01:41:10,172 --> 01:41:11,672
those boxes have been ticked.

1670
01:41:11,952 --> 01:41:12,292
Thank you.

1671
01:41:13,352 --> 01:41:17,252
And further on that point to what Pamela mentioned, is

1672
01:41:17,292 --> 01:41:20,612
there a requirement specifically around,

1673
01:41:21,992 --> 01:41:23,732
how did you word it, Pam? Financial-

1674
01:41:24,452 --> 01:41:25,002
Fiscal, I think

1675
01:41:25,002 --> 01:41:27,432
... fiscal responsibility. Clearly it's very important.

1676
01:41:27,632 --> 01:41:30,692
I think what Pamela's mentioning, I agree with her, is important.

1677
01:41:30,712 --> 01:41:34,072
But how is that reflected in the statute?

1678
01:41:35,232 --> 01:41:35,612
Right there.

1679
01:41:35,652 --> 01:41:39,572
So I can't quote the statute to you, but I can show you

1680
01:41:39,652 --> 01:41:42,192
that in the list that a financial plan

1681
01:41:43,392 --> 01:41:45,652
is something that's a required element.

1682
01:41:46,852 --> 01:41:50,532
They do have a financial plan. There

1683
01:41:50,672 --> 01:41:54,152
were some comments that in the evaluation that we

1684
01:41:54,192 --> 01:41:55,772
sent back,

1685
01:41:56,812 --> 01:42:00,112
and asked for either clarification or

1686
01:42:00,172 --> 01:42:01,952
suggested a

1687
01:42:02,932 --> 01:42:03,372
change.

1688
01:42:04,772 --> 01:42:08,412
So, Dr. Sereno, just to clarify, we're talking about the overall

1689
01:42:08,432 --> 01:42:11,642
fiscal efficiency of the system, not the individual

1690
01:42:11,772 --> 01:42:12,521
school. So-

1691
01:42:13,392 --> 01:42:16,572
Right. You're talking about something different than what I'm talking about. Yeah.

1692
01:42:16,632 --> 01:42:17,992
So...

1693
01:42:18,032 --> 01:42:19,572
Yeah. It's two different things. Understood.

1694
01:42:20,151 --> 01:42:20,812
And Commissioner?

1695
01:42:20,972 --> 01:42:24,552
I'm just going to mention that when one

1696
01:42:24,632 --> 01:42:28,612
statute says, yes, the board has opportunity to approve or

1697
01:42:28,692 --> 01:42:32,512
to not support the recommendation of the department, is really based on the

1698
01:42:32,552 --> 01:42:34,532
elements which they're required to apply.

1699
01:42:34,992 --> 01:42:38,892
All of these things that you see on the screen right now are things that have been

1700
01:42:38,952 --> 01:42:42,612
vetted by the department, that they have met the statutory requirements, and so

1701
01:42:42,672 --> 01:42:44,992
that's why they're listed. So the

1702
01:42:46,172 --> 01:42:49,932
idea that we would bring something to you that doesn't meet all the

1703
01:42:49,952 --> 01:42:53,372
statutory requirements won't happen because then we would not be recommending.

1704
01:42:53,872 --> 01:42:57,152
And really and truly, the only option here is to say, have they done their

1705
01:42:57,161 --> 01:43:00,212
diligence, and is it an opportunity for them to move forward?

1706
01:43:00,772 --> 01:43:04,512
And if I've had legal counsel to be even more specific,

1707
01:43:05,052 --> 01:43:08,392
it's confusing in the statute. I can just say that.

1708
01:43:08,452 --> 01:43:12,062
It says it both ways. So if they've met all the requirements by

1709
01:43:12,152 --> 01:43:16,072
statute to be able to open up a school, then that's pretty much the position

1710
01:43:16,112 --> 01:43:17,172
that we take as a department.

1711
01:43:18,112 --> 01:43:19,132
Board Member Carrie Casey.

1712
01:43:19,492 --> 01:43:19,792
Thank you.

1713
01:43:20,992 --> 01:43:24,952
A very critical part of the success of any school lies with the board of

1714
01:43:24,992 --> 01:43:26,452
directors of that school.

1715
01:43:27,452 --> 01:43:31,092
The local board members have a significant responsibility towards

1716
01:43:31,592 --> 01:43:35,192
ensuring good governance, overseeing that the

1717
01:43:35,232 --> 01:43:39,022
school or the district is indeed achieving

1718
01:43:39,632 --> 01:43:43,252
the goals that are established, and that those goals are

1719
01:43:43,292 --> 01:43:46,632
appropriately established, meaning with the highest of expectations.

1720
01:43:47,412 --> 01:43:51,312
So tell me more about the board of this school and who, or rather

1721
01:43:51,352 --> 01:43:54,272
not who, but what training will they receive?

1722
01:43:55,456 --> 01:43:59,336
And who will be providing that training, and what's the

1723
01:43:59,436 --> 01:44:01,116
ongoing development of that board?

1724
01:44:02,216 --> 01:44:04,476
Thank you for that question.

1725
01:44:05,376 --> 01:44:09,136
So at St. Louis University, we are working with our schools to

1726
01:44:09,156 --> 01:44:13,016
provide board training for all of the boards in our portfolio.

1727
01:44:13,056 --> 01:44:15,616
Some boards are more mature than others.

1728
01:44:15,946 --> 01:44:19,736
I will say that the Frontier board is especially efficient at

1729
01:44:19,776 --> 01:44:20,396
this time.

1730
01:44:21,256 --> 01:44:24,456
They get a ton of work done, and they do so

1731
01:44:24,656 --> 01:44:25,436
within

1732
01:44:26,616 --> 01:44:28,276
statute and best practice.

1733
01:44:29,716 --> 01:44:33,556
The support that we will provide to them is annually we remind

1734
01:44:33,616 --> 01:44:37,556
them of the things that everybody needs to be reminded of,

1735
01:44:37,596 --> 01:44:39,846
like Sunshine Law and things like that.

1736
01:44:40,616 --> 01:44:44,466
And then additionally, we will go in and work with schools to help

1737
01:44:44,496 --> 01:44:48,256
them understand both proficiency and growth with the support of our SLU

1738
01:44:48,336 --> 01:44:52,316
Prime team to explain those things, and make sure

1739
01:44:52,356 --> 01:44:55,896
that board members are equipped with the right questions to

1740
01:44:55,956 --> 01:44:58,636
push their executive director forward.

1741
01:44:58,756 --> 01:45:02,736
So we do this at different levels with different

1742
01:45:02,756 --> 01:45:06,376
boards. So we are customizing those board trainings.

1743
01:45:06,596 --> 01:45:07,796
I will say,

1744
01:45:09,176 --> 01:45:12,756
the board at Frontier does a really excellent

1745
01:45:12,816 --> 01:45:13,176
job.

1746
01:45:14,296 --> 01:45:17,236
And so a lot of times we use them as an

1747
01:45:17,296 --> 01:45:21,206
exemplar for other schools when they may need support around their

1748
01:45:21,216 --> 01:45:24,936
governance pieces. And then I'll also let Mr. Demirjian add on.

1749
01:45:25,376 --> 01:45:25,956
Yes, we have

1750
01:45:26,996 --> 01:45:29,036
nine board members currently

1751
01:45:30,676 --> 01:45:31,336
in our board.

1752
01:45:32,296 --> 01:45:35,876
We have the committees, school performance committee, facilities committee,

1753
01:45:36,016 --> 01:45:38,696
governance committee, finance committee.

1754
01:45:39,136 --> 01:45:42,496
They meet before the regular board meeting.

1755
01:45:42,576 --> 01:45:46,046
We discuss all the items in the

1756
01:45:46,756 --> 01:45:49,596
committee meetings first. And then

1757
01:45:50,456 --> 01:45:54,295
in the regular board meeting, we would like to be as

1758
01:45:54,376 --> 01:45:58,276
efficient as we can. We have board meetings.

1759
01:45:59,036 --> 01:46:02,716
And so there are some opportunities sometimes for our board members

1760
01:46:03,655 --> 01:46:06,376
from our association, Charter School Association.

1761
01:46:06,576 --> 01:46:08,796
So when we have those

1762
01:46:11,056 --> 01:46:12,056
opportunities, we

1763
01:46:12,856 --> 01:46:16,516
send our board members. And our legal counsels,

1764
01:46:16,916 --> 01:46:20,216
counsel time to time, give board training to our board members.

1765
01:46:20,896 --> 01:46:24,476
And as well, also there are some internal trainings.

1766
01:46:24,816 --> 01:46:28,336
Our chief operating officer, chief academic officer,

1767
01:46:28,976 --> 01:46:32,936
they explain about the state test system, how we

1768
01:46:32,976 --> 01:46:36,806
are doing. So instead of just giving the results, first

1769
01:46:36,856 --> 01:46:39,356
we explain them how the system works.

1770
01:46:39,386 --> 01:46:43,296
So generally, those items take 20 or 30 minutes to explain them

1771
01:46:43,356 --> 01:46:46,336
first, and then to inform them about results.

1772
01:46:47,016 --> 01:46:50,496
So we give also internal trainings to our board members.

1773
01:46:50,836 --> 01:46:54,616
And I would also just like to take the opportunity to let you know, at

1774
01:46:54,656 --> 01:46:58,336
the most recent meeting of the board, they

1775
01:46:58,416 --> 01:47:01,496
passed a resolution to say that as board

1776
01:47:02,356 --> 01:47:06,216
seats become open, they will prioritize finding board members

1777
01:47:06,236 --> 01:47:09,956
from the Columbia area to fill the needs that are left by

1778
01:47:09,976 --> 01:47:13,936
those vacancies. And as they were preparing this application, when

1779
01:47:13,996 --> 01:47:17,876
they did have an opening for a board seat, they did go out and seek a member

1780
01:47:17,916 --> 01:47:20,106
from the Columbia community to fill that seat.

1781
01:47:20,936 --> 01:47:23,496
Board member Pamela Westbrook-Hodge.

1782
01:47:24,396 --> 01:47:28,256
Thank you, all. Would

1783
01:47:28,296 --> 01:47:31,676
it be, and you can tell me if it is, would it be inappropriate

1784
01:47:31,756 --> 01:47:35,566
to hear from CPS regarding their STEM offerings?

1785
01:47:36,146 --> 01:47:39,896
Since essentially we're determining whether or not this

1786
01:47:39,976 --> 01:47:42,376
application is filling an unmet need.

1787
01:47:42,756 --> 01:47:43,596
I'd refer to legal.

1788
01:47:43,716 --> 01:47:44,296
Yes.

1789
01:47:45,016 --> 01:47:45,206
And

1790
01:47:46,296 --> 01:47:46,406
Joel?

1791
01:47:46,716 --> 01:47:46,876
Joel.

1792
01:47:47,696 --> 01:47:47,836
So

1793
01:47:48,636 --> 01:47:49,656
we just need some guidance here.

1794
01:47:52,236 --> 01:47:53,126
I think he gave us guidance earlier.

1795
01:47:53,136 --> 01:47:56,576
Yeah. Would it be permissible to hear from CPS

1796
01:47:57,396 --> 01:47:59,056
on their STEM

1797
01:47:59,876 --> 01:48:00,496
offerings?

1798
01:48:09,336 --> 01:48:10,746
We probably cannot at this time.

1799
01:48:10,756 --> 01:48:12,755
What I'm hearing is that it's not advisable-

1800
01:48:12,956 --> 01:48:13,186
Okay

1801
01:48:13,186 --> 01:48:15,986
... that it needs to be part of the agenda item and something like that.

1802
01:48:16,096 --> 01:48:17,056
Understood. Thank you.

1803
01:48:18,356 --> 01:48:22,096
Any additional que-- Oh, John Otto, you are on the line, so

1804
01:48:22,156 --> 01:48:24,436
sorry. Do you have comments or questions?

1805
01:48:26,656 --> 01:48:30,076
I did not. No, I just had to step away for a second, but I'm

1806
01:48:30,636 --> 01:48:34,536
back now. So I apologize for missing the last portion of the discussion, but

1807
01:48:34,616 --> 01:48:34,996
I don't

1808
01:48:36,156 --> 01:48:36,856
have any questions.

1809
01:48:37,096 --> 01:48:38,276
Board Member Brooks Miller.

1810
01:48:38,506 --> 01:48:42,406
I just have a final comment because I'm assuming we're getting real close to taking

1811
01:48:42,436 --> 01:48:45,336
a vote on this. And I really

1812
01:48:45,376 --> 01:48:48,876
appreciate your comments, Pamela, or Mrs.

1813
01:48:49,036 --> 01:48:49,996
Westbrook-Hodge. And-

1814
01:48:50,016 --> 01:48:50,856
You can call me Pamela

1815
01:48:50,976 --> 01:48:52,976
... Oh, yeah. Well, I like to be respectful.

1816
01:48:55,296 --> 01:48:55,836
But in

1817
01:48:57,056 --> 01:48:59,676
my assumption, what you,

1818
01:49:00,516 --> 01:49:04,496
our staff, are saying, because they've met all

1819
01:49:04,536 --> 01:49:08,316
the requirements which we have said they're required to meet,

1820
01:49:09,316 --> 01:49:12,216
we have no other option but to support this.

1821
01:49:13,476 --> 01:49:17,336
Because you're approving the application based on the requirements.

1822
01:49:17,376 --> 01:49:17,556
Correct.

1823
01:49:17,576 --> 01:49:18,536
And they've been met.

1824
01:49:18,696 --> 01:49:22,456
And they've been met. And so at this time, and I think

1825
01:49:22,466 --> 01:49:25,796
those are great comments, but it would be

1826
01:49:25,836 --> 01:49:28,236
inappropriate for us to move the goalpost

1827
01:49:30,736 --> 01:49:32,216
because of the issues expressed here.

1828
01:49:32,316 --> 01:49:35,856
And so for that, I will vote to support it. Just...

1829
01:49:37,036 --> 01:49:40,996
And I think that would be a legislative process in order for

1830
01:49:41,176 --> 01:49:44,896
actually to have those changes. So I think you had one additional comment

1831
01:49:45,076 --> 01:49:45,916
you'd like to make.

1832
01:49:46,256 --> 01:49:48,720
Thank youPresident.

1833
01:49:50,120 --> 01:49:51,020
I just want to say

1834
01:49:51,960 --> 01:49:55,829
that at St. Louis University, we believe that Missouri is

1835
01:49:55,880 --> 01:49:58,500
our community and it's our job to make our community better.

1836
01:49:58,920 --> 01:50:02,560
We like to sponsor schools that are innovative and/or support marginalized

1837
01:50:02,620 --> 01:50:06,000
communities. Frontier STEM Academy does both of those things.

1838
01:50:06,550 --> 01:50:09,680
And I also want to say that I'm very excited about the

1839
01:50:09,720 --> 01:50:13,320
possibility of the leadership of Frontier working with the

1840
01:50:13,380 --> 01:50:17,240
leadership of CPS to build something that's dynamic for the entire

1841
01:50:17,360 --> 01:50:20,940
state, because both of their systems are improving

1842
01:50:21,040 --> 01:50:22,340
drastically.

1843
01:50:23,240 --> 01:50:27,140
And so I'm just really excited about the work that we might be able to do with this

1844
01:50:27,150 --> 01:50:30,840
campus being in Columbia, using SLU Prime,

1845
01:50:30,940 --> 01:50:33,039
using all of the resources we have at St.

1846
01:50:33,080 --> 01:50:36,840
Louis University to increase and improve academic outcomes for

1847
01:50:36,900 --> 01:50:39,540
students, and especially in math.

1848
01:50:39,640 --> 01:50:43,500
I think the state is doing a great job of improving academic outcomes in

1849
01:50:43,600 --> 01:50:45,540
reading and literacy. We know what that is.

1850
01:50:45,880 --> 01:50:49,620
Our friends here at Frontier are doing an excellent job with math.

1851
01:50:49,900 --> 01:50:53,520
In the last iteration of the MAP testing, the Black

1852
01:50:53,700 --> 01:50:57,260
students improved proficiency by 13%.

1853
01:50:57,560 --> 01:51:01,400
That's not just growth, that's a proficiency improvement of Black

1854
01:51:01,460 --> 01:51:05,000
students in math by a whole 13%. So I

1855
01:51:05,060 --> 01:51:08,640
just want to say that we're looking forward to working with

1856
01:51:08,760 --> 01:51:12,020
everybody in the Columbia community to provide what's best for

1857
01:51:12,100 --> 01:51:16,020
students. And so also so that their ZIP code does

1858
01:51:16,080 --> 01:51:19,400
not dictate where they get their education from.

1859
01:51:20,540 --> 01:51:22,260
Deputy Commissioner Lisa Saron.

1860
01:51:24,900 --> 01:51:28,320
Notwithstanding any of the content, there is just one point of

1861
01:51:28,460 --> 01:51:32,200
procedure. Should the Board of Education

1862
01:51:32,260 --> 01:51:35,960
deny an application for a new charter,

1863
01:51:37,800 --> 01:51:41,360
they are required to put that denial in

1864
01:51:41,560 --> 01:51:45,440
writing and specify the statutory basis

1865
01:51:45,540 --> 01:51:46,660
for the denial.

1866
01:51:48,400 --> 01:51:51,960
And that's in the statute regarding new charter applications.

1867
01:51:52,360 --> 01:51:54,280
Just wanted you all to be aware of that.

1868
01:51:54,620 --> 01:51:56,379
Thank you. Do we have-

1869
01:51:56,400 --> 01:51:56,580
I got-

1870
01:51:57,220 --> 01:51:57,920
Any... Oh, John?

1871
01:51:57,940 --> 01:51:58,140
Sorry, one more.

1872
01:51:58,599 --> 01:51:58,780
Sure.

1873
01:51:58,980 --> 01:52:01,109
Sorry, one more question. That said,

1874
01:52:02,080 --> 01:52:05,900
can you provide, and maybe it's not even right now, but if you

1875
01:52:05,920 --> 01:52:07,260
could... Obviously, this is

1876
01:52:09,380 --> 01:52:12,700
just one step in this school

1877
01:52:13,480 --> 01:52:14,620
opening, and

1878
01:52:16,000 --> 01:52:17,460
there's obviously litigation going on.

1879
01:52:17,530 --> 01:52:21,380
So if just somebody could give us an update on what the next steps

1880
01:52:21,500 --> 01:52:25,480
are as the litigation proceeds or whatever.

1881
01:52:25,880 --> 01:52:27,860
Like I said, I know this is just the one step-

1882
01:52:28,540 --> 01:52:29,300
So anything-

1883
01:52:29,420 --> 01:52:29,660
... in our role in this.

1884
01:52:30,420 --> 01:52:33,000
Yes. Yes. Board Member Otto, anything regarding the

1885
01:52:33,280 --> 01:52:36,780
litigation would be something for a closed session.

1886
01:52:37,330 --> 01:52:40,700
So we wouldn't comment on that. What I can tell you-

1887
01:52:40,710 --> 01:52:43,980
Well, are we still a party to... I don't think we're a party anymore, are we?

1888
01:52:44,260 --> 01:52:47,460
Litigation's public record, but at any rate, we can talk about it later.

1889
01:52:47,520 --> 01:52:48,220
I just wanted to-

1890
01:52:48,360 --> 01:52:48,560
Yeah

1891
01:52:48,570 --> 01:52:51,460
... get an update on this after the fact. That's all.

1892
01:52:51,480 --> 01:52:51,800
Sure.

1893
01:52:51,880 --> 01:52:53,480
That's really all I'm stating.

1894
01:52:54,080 --> 01:52:57,980
So thank you, Board Member Otto. We appreciate that, and

1895
01:52:58,140 --> 01:52:59,680
certainly something to think about.

1896
01:53:00,000 --> 01:53:03,900
At this time, we now have a recommendation

1897
01:53:04,360 --> 01:53:07,160
and on the floor to accept

1898
01:53:08,240 --> 01:53:09,080
the application.

1899
01:53:10,280 --> 01:53:11,520
Do we have a motion?

1900
01:53:12,180 --> 01:53:12,520
Motion.

1901
01:53:13,160 --> 01:53:17,060
A motion to accept by Carey Casey. Do we have a second?

1902
01:53:17,090 --> 01:53:17,090
Second.

1903
01:53:17,180 --> 01:53:18,860
Second by Mike Matusik.

1904
01:53:19,860 --> 01:53:20,880
All those in favor?

1905
01:53:22,120 --> 01:53:22,270
Aye.

1906
01:53:22,270 --> 01:53:22,680
Aye.

1907
01:53:22,760 --> 01:53:23,380
Opposed?

1908
01:53:23,620 --> 01:53:23,880
Nay.

1909
01:53:25,600 --> 01:53:29,260
Okay. The motion passes, and we appreciate

1910
01:53:29,680 --> 01:53:30,080
everyone.

1911
01:53:30,800 --> 01:53:32,320
I don't know if it's a point of order.

1912
01:53:33,680 --> 01:53:36,260
Should we have a roll call vote on this? No?

1913
01:53:36,620 --> 01:53:37,820
It's not required.

1914
01:53:37,920 --> 01:53:38,040
It's not required.

1915
01:53:38,050 --> 01:53:40,120
And nobody asked me to do it before we did it.

1916
01:53:40,180 --> 01:53:40,480
Yeah.

1917
01:53:40,720 --> 01:53:44,340
But we have one nay, and the rest were yeas.

1918
01:53:44,520 --> 01:53:44,980
It carries.

1919
01:53:47,240 --> 01:53:48,740
But if we wanted to have a roll call...

1920
01:53:49,100 --> 01:53:50,400
In the future, you can just ask.

1921
01:53:50,700 --> 01:53:51,380
Before?

1922
01:53:51,400 --> 01:53:51,590
Mm-hmm.

1923
01:53:51,760 --> 01:53:52,930
Okay. Thank you. I know sometimes-

1924
01:53:52,930 --> 01:53:53,210
Yeah, we don't-

1925
01:53:53,210 --> 01:53:55,390
... we do it and sometimes we don't and...

1926
01:53:55,440 --> 01:53:58,320
Well, there's certain sections where we absolutely have to do-

1927
01:53:58,380 --> 01:53:58,390
Right

1928
01:53:58,390 --> 01:54:01,940
... individuals. But this is just in our regular motion, our

1929
01:54:02,100 --> 01:54:04,400
action items, and so it's not required.

1930
01:54:04,620 --> 01:54:04,940
Thank you.

1931
01:54:06,820 --> 01:54:07,380
So thank you-

1932
01:54:07,480 --> 01:54:07,630
Thank you

1933
01:54:07,660 --> 01:54:09,240
... for your time. We appreciate it.

1934
01:54:09,400 --> 01:54:12,480
And thank you to Columbia Schools for attending. We appreciate that.

1935
01:54:13,360 --> 01:54:16,540
Let's move now to our next item of

1936
01:54:16,640 --> 01:54:20,080
consideration. It's consideration of the approval of commissioners'

1937
01:54:20,140 --> 01:54:22,430
evaluation tool and governance policies.

1938
01:54:23,020 --> 01:54:25,840
And Board Member John Otto will be presenting.

1939
01:54:26,720 --> 01:54:27,020
So

1940
01:54:28,040 --> 01:54:30,840
John, I will turn this over to you.

1941
01:54:32,200 --> 01:54:34,960
All right. Thank you very much, Madam President.

1942
01:54:36,160 --> 01:54:37,080
Just wanted to

1943
01:54:37,940 --> 01:54:41,380
start off by saying again, I apologize for not being there in person.

1944
01:54:41,460 --> 01:54:45,120
I had some personal family issues I had to attend to, and so I

1945
01:54:45,160 --> 01:54:48,420
appreciate everyone being flexible

1946
01:54:49,080 --> 01:54:50,240
in that regard. But

1947
01:54:51,220 --> 01:54:53,820
just wanted to give an overview, I guess.

1948
01:54:54,840 --> 01:54:58,420
So, as we discussed at our prior board meeting, we presented the

1949
01:54:59,700 --> 01:55:01,920
draft of the commissioner evaluation tool.

1950
01:55:02,920 --> 01:55:05,600
It's in the board materials from last month.

1951
01:55:05,720 --> 01:55:09,700
We made a couple of minor edits to that, which is mostly regarding

1952
01:55:09,740 --> 01:55:11,980
the timeline. Those are the comments that we received.

1953
01:55:13,560 --> 01:55:14,080
And so

1954
01:55:15,100 --> 01:55:18,900
that is what we are approving today, along with there are some

1955
01:55:18,980 --> 01:55:19,840
corresponding

1956
01:55:22,140 --> 01:55:25,900
changes to our board policies in connection with the adoption of the

1957
01:55:26,000 --> 01:55:27,760
tool. And so we'll need to

1958
01:55:28,800 --> 01:55:31,120
approve the amendments to

1959
01:55:32,120 --> 01:55:35,180
our board policies, which those are in your packet for this month.

1960
01:55:35,260 --> 01:55:37,760
There's a red line version that shows the changes.

1961
01:55:38,260 --> 01:55:39,900
Most of the changes are to

1962
01:55:41,060 --> 01:55:43,280
section 4D,

1963
01:55:44,580 --> 01:55:48,180
and it's incorporating the changes that we discussed last month.

1964
01:55:48,600 --> 01:55:49,680
It also incorporates

1965
01:55:50,720 --> 01:55:54,540
a proposed timeline, and that timeline is really

1966
01:55:54,940 --> 01:55:58,728
for going forward, butAs we discussed, or

1967
01:55:58,908 --> 01:56:02,128
as Board Member Casey mentioned earlier,

1968
01:56:02,768 --> 01:56:04,448
this document is

1969
01:56:05,668 --> 01:56:08,628
new, and so there's going to be changes and amendments as we go.

1970
01:56:08,678 --> 01:56:11,288
And so that's what the governance committee is tasked with.

1971
01:56:12,148 --> 01:56:13,368
If there are changes needed,

1972
01:56:14,248 --> 01:56:18,028
we will make them going forward. So this is our first amendment since this has been

1973
01:56:18,068 --> 01:56:21,778
adopted. And there will be more, but just letting

1974
01:56:21,808 --> 01:56:25,688
everybody know, just to clarify that these changes are not etched

1975
01:56:25,748 --> 01:56:28,908
in stone at this point, but we can change them.

1976
01:56:28,947 --> 01:56:30,348
We have flexibility going forward.

1977
01:56:30,408 --> 01:56:30,608
But

1978
01:56:32,808 --> 01:56:33,628
let's see.

1979
01:56:34,628 --> 01:56:35,788
So yeah, again,

1980
01:56:36,688 --> 01:56:37,628
the other changes

1981
01:56:39,168 --> 01:56:41,708
to the policies are-

1982
01:56:42,068 --> 01:56:42,848
Excuse me, John.

1983
01:56:43,748 --> 01:56:43,988
Go ahead.

1984
01:56:44,328 --> 01:56:48,168
Should we have a motion on that recommendation

1985
01:56:48,248 --> 01:56:49,628
from the governance committee?

1986
01:56:50,688 --> 01:56:54,668
And that is that change that you've recommended that we

1987
01:56:54,708 --> 01:56:57,848
do at this time, because as you've said, this will be a dynamic

1988
01:56:58,408 --> 01:57:00,628
process with our governance policies.

1989
01:57:00,688 --> 01:57:04,388
But I think we need to have a motion to change that since we voted on it in

1990
01:57:04,448 --> 01:57:04,968
January.

1991
01:57:05,428 --> 01:57:05,928
Yeah. We

1992
01:57:07,688 --> 01:57:11,448
can do it two different ways. We could either do one

1993
01:57:11,528 --> 01:57:13,928
motion that adopts the tool and

1994
01:57:14,128 --> 01:57:17,908
makes the corresponding amendments

1995
01:57:17,918 --> 01:57:21,508
to our policies, or we can do one motion to approve

1996
01:57:21,528 --> 01:57:25,428
the adoption of the tool as presented, the commission

1997
01:57:25,488 --> 01:57:29,108
evaluation tool, and then another separate motion to approve the

1998
01:57:31,428 --> 01:57:35,188
corresponding amendments to the policies.

1999
01:57:35,288 --> 01:57:39,008
There's also one other section that's not necessarily related to

2000
01:57:39,068 --> 01:57:42,988
the commission evaluation tool, and that's the inclusion of

2001
01:57:43,048 --> 01:57:46,468
the committee charters in this, because they were not in the previous

2002
01:57:48,568 --> 01:57:52,508
policies that we adopted. And so that's a separate change, so we could even

2003
01:57:52,528 --> 01:57:55,348
do three motions if you want, or we could just do it all at one.

2004
01:57:55,468 --> 01:57:57,908
I was preparing to just do it all at one-

2005
01:57:58,408 --> 01:57:59,498
I'm comfortable as long as the other board-

2006
01:57:59,508 --> 01:58:00,038
In one swoop. We're efficient. It'd be just the same.

2007
01:58:00,208 --> 01:58:02,908
No, that sounds great. I'm comfortable as long as the rest of the board members

2008
01:58:03,008 --> 01:58:05,588
are. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that, John.

2009
01:58:06,808 --> 01:58:07,648
Okay. So yeah, I

2010
01:58:08,748 --> 01:58:12,428
will actually read the motion at the end or recommend the

2011
01:58:12,468 --> 01:58:14,928
motion, and then we can vote accordingly at the end.

2012
01:58:14,968 --> 01:58:15,108
But

2013
01:58:15,948 --> 01:58:18,188
yeah, so going back to

2014
01:58:19,228 --> 01:58:19,768
the

2015
01:58:21,388 --> 01:58:25,318
changes to the board policies, like I said, it includes an executive summary of the

2016
01:58:25,908 --> 01:58:28,788
commissioner evaluation tool that we will be adopting today.

2017
01:58:30,348 --> 01:58:33,348
And it also includes the committee charters.

2018
01:58:34,568 --> 01:58:37,767
So we had previously adopted the governance committee charter, but this one now

2019
01:58:37,868 --> 01:58:41,848
includes the rest of the committees, which is the strategic planning committee, the

2020
01:58:41,908 --> 01:58:45,177
finance committee, and the legislative priorities committee.

2021
01:58:45,297 --> 01:58:48,708
And those were previously sent out to the board.

2022
01:58:49,428 --> 01:58:53,248
And so I didn't really receive any comments other than I know

2023
01:58:53,268 --> 01:58:56,428
that the finance committee reviewed the finance committee charter.

2024
01:58:59,448 --> 01:59:03,088
But if there are changes, like I said, just submit them and we will

2025
01:59:03,108 --> 01:59:06,848
discuss and propose an amendment to the policies going forward.

2026
01:59:08,388 --> 01:59:09,108
Are there any questions?

2027
01:59:10,668 --> 01:59:11,108
Thank you.

2028
01:59:11,188 --> 01:59:11,448
Uh-uh.

2029
01:59:11,978 --> 01:59:12,348
No. Okay.

2030
01:59:13,608 --> 01:59:14,788
So with that,

2031
01:59:15,768 --> 01:59:19,348
there is one comment I did want to make with regards to

2032
01:59:19,408 --> 01:59:21,457
the timeline

2033
01:59:22,688 --> 01:59:26,668
for the commissioner evaluation tool, and so we can discuss that, but that will be

2034
01:59:26,708 --> 01:59:30,028
included in this motion. And so,

2035
01:59:30,268 --> 01:59:34,068
the proposed timeline, it basically goes on

2036
01:59:34,128 --> 01:59:37,428
an annual basis, and it's taking into account

2037
01:59:38,008 --> 01:59:41,708
that this tool and this process has already been adopted,

2038
01:59:41,748 --> 01:59:44,688
and it's kind of inefficient.

2039
01:59:45,948 --> 01:59:49,788
The efficiency of the process is already kind of incorporated in this draft motion,

2040
01:59:49,888 --> 01:59:50,588
but since

2041
01:59:51,528 --> 01:59:53,128
that timeline doesn't really

2042
01:59:54,888 --> 01:59:57,548
align with where we are now, I think that

2043
01:59:59,048 --> 02:00:00,868
at least with respect to the

2044
02:00:02,628 --> 02:00:05,968
qualitative measures for the commissioner evaluation

2045
02:00:06,188 --> 02:00:10,148
component, we can start that now because our commissioner has been in that

2046
02:00:10,188 --> 02:00:13,738
role for at least two years, I believe, and all of this board has-

2047
02:00:13,818 --> 02:00:14,318
Close

2048
02:00:14,328 --> 02:00:17,068
... I think most of this board is familiar with her

2049
02:00:18,288 --> 02:00:19,768
for at least a year, and so

2050
02:00:20,608 --> 02:00:23,928
I was going to propose that the commissioner can do a

2051
02:00:23,988 --> 02:00:25,088
self-evaluation.

2052
02:00:26,208 --> 02:00:30,118
We can do our board evaluation in May, and then we can have

2053
02:00:30,228 --> 02:00:33,808
a closed session discussion here in June, which is what we kind of discussed

2054
02:00:33,908 --> 02:00:35,428
briefly at the beginning of this meeting.

2055
02:00:35,448 --> 02:00:39,368
But I do intend to send around a timeline that

2056
02:00:39,448 --> 02:00:41,528
has kind of a modified

2057
02:00:42,508 --> 02:00:46,108
timeline for this first year since we're establishing the baseline, and then going

2058
02:00:46,188 --> 02:00:50,048
forward, it'll just be a regular cadence, starting

2059
02:00:50,108 --> 02:00:52,648
with the start of 2027.

2060
02:00:53,788 --> 02:00:57,738
And so I'll have that more in detail that I can

2061
02:00:57,768 --> 02:01:00,968
send around after this meeting, but that's just kind of what I was thinking and

2062
02:01:01,048 --> 02:01:04,328
discussing with some of the other board members, is that I think we

2063
02:01:04,348 --> 02:01:08,288
can hit the ground running, particularly in light of our

2064
02:01:08,388 --> 02:01:12,108
discussions with the governor yesterday and the priorities that

2065
02:01:12,368 --> 02:01:13,088
they discussed.

2066
02:01:13,908 --> 02:01:17,888
And so John, after this meeting, you will send us what you received from

2067
02:01:17,928 --> 02:01:21,748
the governor's office as well as the timeline so everyone will

2068
02:01:21,808 --> 02:01:23,768
understand exactly when you need to have

2069
02:01:24,688 --> 02:01:26,048
our information back, right?

2070
02:01:26,888 --> 02:01:30,828
Yes. And like I said, just initially, we'll start

2071
02:01:32,268 --> 02:01:36,218
in May, with the May meeting. This'll obviously give me some time to get

2072
02:01:36,268 --> 02:01:39,788
this timeline set up, and the tool is already finalized.

2073
02:01:39,828 --> 02:01:40,598
But

2074
02:01:41,788 --> 02:01:43,548
again, this is just the qualitative piece.

2075
02:01:43,628 --> 02:01:47,548
The quantitative piece is the student data outcomes and things like that, and that

2076
02:01:47,588 --> 02:01:49,528
data typically is not even available-

2077
02:01:50,008 --> 02:01:50,248
Yeah

2078
02:01:50,328 --> 02:01:52,108
... until the fall. And so that's why

2079
02:01:52,928 --> 02:01:56,908
we're establishing a baseline there, and I still was working with the commissioner.

2080
02:01:56,968 --> 02:02:00,048
We're kind of waiting to hear back on some details

2081
02:02:00,168 --> 02:02:04,038
on those items that were included in the initial draft of this,

2082
02:02:04,168 --> 02:02:07,732
butIn the interest of time, I figure we can at least get started on the

2083
02:02:07,772 --> 02:02:11,492
qualitative piece, and then the quantitative we can evaluate in the fall.

2084
02:02:11,552 --> 02:02:15,452
Like I said, this will just be a modified timeline than what's in the

2085
02:02:15,832 --> 02:02:18,092
tool. But I will send out the details

2086
02:02:19,532 --> 02:02:23,332
before our May meeting, and then like I said, with the goal of we can all

2087
02:02:23,372 --> 02:02:27,292
have a closed session discussion in June.

2088
02:02:28,332 --> 02:02:31,292
That sounds great. We have a question from board member Mike Matusik.

2089
02:02:31,992 --> 02:02:35,632
Hey, John. Thank you for that overview, especially on the updates.

2090
02:02:36,372 --> 02:02:38,992
And I guess a question for you and for the board,

2091
02:02:41,272 --> 02:02:45,012
the qualitative portion of the

2092
02:02:45,052 --> 02:02:48,992
evaluation, is that something that we envision

2093
02:02:49,002 --> 02:02:52,312
doing every year or just the first year, kind of like a

2094
02:02:52,392 --> 02:02:53,012
mid-year-

2095
02:02:53,432 --> 02:02:54,052
Every year.

2096
02:02:54,112 --> 02:02:54,732
Every year-

2097
02:02:55,022 --> 02:02:55,262
Every year

2098
02:02:55,272 --> 02:02:58,232
... mid-year type cycle separate from

2099
02:02:59,792 --> 02:03:01,452
the rest of it? Or-

2100
02:03:01,612 --> 02:03:04,732
Yeah, no, it is something that will be done annually every year.

2101
02:03:04,952 --> 02:03:05,452
It's just

2102
02:03:06,552 --> 02:03:10,292
typically, at least in my initial envision, and again, I'm not an HR

2103
02:03:10,352 --> 02:03:11,352
professional. I'm kind of

2104
02:03:12,292 --> 02:03:14,812
going by the seat of my pants and kind of what I've seen other

2105
02:03:15,992 --> 02:03:19,772
school boards do and other professional organizations that I've been

2106
02:03:19,932 --> 02:03:20,632
involved with.

2107
02:03:21,892 --> 02:03:25,732
It was all going to be one process, but given the timing, that's why

2108
02:03:25,772 --> 02:03:29,552
we kind of separated out to do the qualitative now and then the quantitative

2109
02:03:29,592 --> 02:03:33,232
later. But if that works based on the timing of

2110
02:03:33,332 --> 02:03:36,152
our... Like I said, we get data in

2111
02:03:37,072 --> 02:03:40,912
the summer and then it's late summer, September, and so just

2112
02:03:40,972 --> 02:03:43,172
to keep in line, it might be best to do the

2113
02:03:43,552 --> 02:03:47,432
biannual kind of review. There was always going to be a

2114
02:03:47,492 --> 02:03:49,032
mid-year review component anyway,

2115
02:03:49,832 --> 02:03:51,092
but I think

2116
02:03:52,472 --> 02:03:56,072
with the way that our timing works and being on a calendar year

2117
02:03:57,292 --> 02:04:01,032
basis, I think we can start it this way, doing the qualitative

2118
02:04:01,092 --> 02:04:02,832
first and then the quantitative later.

2119
02:04:03,712 --> 02:04:04,532
Thank you. I have one-

2120
02:04:04,812 --> 02:04:04,912
Sure

2121
02:04:04,922 --> 02:04:06,312
... just one quick follow-up to that.

2122
02:04:08,012 --> 02:04:08,372
So

2123
02:04:09,672 --> 02:04:11,472
most of the student performance data

2124
02:04:12,632 --> 02:04:12,852
is

2125
02:04:14,492 --> 02:04:16,212
finalized or published in

2126
02:04:16,252 --> 02:04:19,072
September-ish. So

2127
02:04:20,552 --> 02:04:22,912
is the sort of the January

2128
02:04:23,872 --> 02:04:25,952
timeline to start the review process?

2129
02:04:25,982 --> 02:04:28,332
There's a several month gap there.

2130
02:04:30,032 --> 02:04:33,872
Yeah, no, that'll be modified. So like I said, once I was looking at

2131
02:04:33,932 --> 02:04:37,902
this and if based on the timing, so what's in here now, that's

2132
02:04:37,912 --> 02:04:41,482
why I was saying that what has been proposed

2133
02:04:42,192 --> 02:04:45,312
as far as a timeline that we are adopting today will probably be

2134
02:04:45,392 --> 02:04:49,092
modified later after we've kind of

2135
02:04:49,161 --> 02:04:50,792
finalized our timeline and things like that.

2136
02:04:50,832 --> 02:04:51,032
So

2137
02:04:51,952 --> 02:04:55,352
like I said, that was kind of an initial goal based on where we are at

2138
02:04:55,412 --> 02:04:59,212
now. But looking at the reasons you just said, like the

2139
02:04:59,221 --> 02:05:02,992
data comes in September, October, we should start

2140
02:05:03,052 --> 02:05:04,792
evaluating that right then. You know what I mean?

2141
02:05:04,832 --> 02:05:08,652
There's no reason to wait, particularly with all the other stuff that we have

2142
02:05:08,712 --> 02:05:12,552
going on at the end of the year. I don't want to delay things, and so that stuff

2143
02:05:12,572 --> 02:05:15,532
will kind of work itself out once the dust settles, I'm hoping.

2144
02:05:16,052 --> 02:05:18,752
But this is just the first modification to that.

2145
02:05:19,452 --> 02:05:19,721
Thank you.

2146
02:05:19,721 --> 02:05:20,132
If that makes sense.

2147
02:05:20,292 --> 02:05:21,412
Yeah, thank you for clarifying that.

2148
02:05:21,452 --> 02:05:24,532
It was a misunderstanding on my part, so appreciate that, John.

2149
02:05:24,592 --> 02:05:26,732
No, no, no. It's easy to misunderstand.

2150
02:05:26,972 --> 02:05:27,412
It's a lot-

2151
02:05:27,872 --> 02:05:28,132
And Mike

2152
02:05:28,142 --> 02:05:29,102
... a lot of moving parts here.

2153
02:05:29,912 --> 02:05:33,792
To your point, because of when the data comes in, and this

2154
02:05:33,872 --> 02:05:37,452
is a new committee and it's been

2155
02:05:37,812 --> 02:05:40,412
dynamic, but I think John's done such a great job.

2156
02:05:40,632 --> 02:05:44,532
I think his encouragement, we vote on it at this meeting, we

2157
02:05:44,672 --> 02:05:46,992
start assessing the first portion.

2158
02:05:47,292 --> 02:05:51,092
We'll have a closed session in June where we can have discussion with the

2159
02:05:51,112 --> 02:05:53,252
commissioner, and she can have discussion with us.

2160
02:05:53,812 --> 02:05:57,612
And then to your point, it'll be fall before we'll have those

2161
02:05:58,352 --> 02:05:59,932
numbers that we can really look at.

2162
02:06:00,042 --> 02:06:03,272
And it may be possible that the board will then decide that

2163
02:06:04,012 --> 02:06:06,592
they want to do their evaluation annually in January.

2164
02:06:07,032 --> 02:06:10,132
So this first year is just getting it started.

2165
02:06:10,252 --> 02:06:14,092
I think to John's point, he really wanted us to move forward.

2166
02:06:14,172 --> 02:06:17,552
The commissioner's been very supportive and wants to see us move forward.

2167
02:06:17,952 --> 02:06:21,072
But next year may be before you have

2168
02:06:21,112 --> 02:06:24,812
completely utilized the tool as originally

2169
02:06:24,851 --> 02:06:28,352
intended all at once, or it may stay, as John said,

2170
02:06:28,572 --> 02:06:31,172
split, and the board can kind of decide that.

2171
02:06:31,892 --> 02:06:32,982
Does that sound good, John? Am I

2172
02:06:34,692 --> 02:06:36,192
accurate on that?

2173
02:06:36,252 --> 02:06:38,092
Yeah, I think that summarizes what I said.

2174
02:06:39,652 --> 02:06:42,112
So is there any other questions regarding that?

2175
02:06:42,372 --> 02:06:42,632
Sorry.

2176
02:06:43,292 --> 02:06:44,712
So Board Member Mike Matusik?

2177
02:06:45,732 --> 02:06:47,452
Yeah, not a question about the timeline, but

2178
02:06:48,592 --> 02:06:52,032
I guess how does the evaluation

2179
02:06:53,772 --> 02:06:55,732
correlate with the strategic plan?

2180
02:06:57,492 --> 02:06:58,792
Does the strategic plan

2181
02:06:59,612 --> 02:07:01,192
need to be approved or in...

2182
02:07:03,212 --> 02:07:05,512
We currently have a strategic plan that we're currently working with.

2183
02:07:05,552 --> 02:07:06,252
Right.

2184
02:07:06,272 --> 02:07:10,172
And then, of course, the refresh will bring additional metrics, hopefully available

2185
02:07:10,272 --> 02:07:13,912
for us to have those kinds of quantitative pieces

2186
02:07:14,152 --> 02:07:18,112
actually to be a little bit more transparent, and we can see what's

2187
02:07:18,132 --> 02:07:21,092
going on across our state. But we have a strategic plan.

2188
02:07:21,112 --> 02:07:24,852
We'll be doing a refresh. But yes, the evaluation will inform, or the

2189
02:07:24,952 --> 02:07:28,432
strategic plan metrics and things like that will help to inform the

2190
02:07:28,452 --> 02:07:29,052
evaluation.

2191
02:07:29,812 --> 02:07:30,132
Thank you.

2192
02:07:30,972 --> 02:07:34,692
And I think the June board meeting, there'll be some more discussion

2193
02:07:35,452 --> 02:07:38,432
probably at the May and the June board meeting, right, with strategic plan?

2194
02:07:39,132 --> 02:07:41,372
That was my understanding from earlier conversation.

2195
02:07:41,772 --> 02:07:42,012
Correct.

2196
02:07:42,092 --> 02:07:42,712
On the edits.

2197
02:07:43,332 --> 02:07:44,212
Okay. Sounds good.

2198
02:07:44,232 --> 02:07:48,052
Yeah. And to follow up on that, yeah, Mike, the

2199
02:07:48,132 --> 02:07:49,852
strategic plan, once it's adopted,

2200
02:07:50,832 --> 02:07:53,972
100% portions of that will be incorporated into

2201
02:07:54,172 --> 02:07:58,132
this tool and future tools and goal-setting items as well.

2202
02:07:58,202 --> 02:08:02,192
And so since we didn't have it yet, I didn't want to wait before

2203
02:08:02,232 --> 02:08:04,092
we even set the goals until this summer.

2204
02:08:04,372 --> 02:08:06,112
I think a lot of those qualitative items

2205
02:08:06,292 --> 02:08:10,116
areAs you can see from the tool,

2206
02:08:10,236 --> 02:08:10,676
it's

2207
02:08:11,756 --> 02:08:15,716
leadership style skills, things like that, that we all should be familiar

2208
02:08:15,756 --> 02:08:18,816
with at this point. And like I said, I'm just trying to streamline the process so

2209
02:08:18,856 --> 02:08:19,946
that we're not overwhelmed

2210
02:08:20,816 --> 02:08:24,675
at the end of this calendar year. If that makes sense.

2211
02:08:25,236 --> 02:08:27,086
Sounds great. Any other questions?

2212
02:08:28,896 --> 02:08:32,486
So we have a recommendation on the floor. Do we have a motion?

2213
02:08:32,486 --> 02:08:32,506
Yeah.

2214
02:08:32,506 --> 02:08:33,566
Oh, sorry.

2215
02:08:33,676 --> 02:08:35,726
I can read it here. So I

2216
02:08:36,596 --> 02:08:40,396
wanted to be clear for the record. So the

2217
02:08:44,776 --> 02:08:48,336
Governance Committee Commissioner Evaluation Subcommittee recommends

2218
02:08:49,096 --> 02:08:53,085
approval of the Commissioner Evaluation Tool as

2219
02:08:53,116 --> 02:08:56,396
it's presented. Also, the modified

2220
02:08:56,656 --> 02:09:00,276
evaluation timeline as we've discussed, and also the corresponding

2221
02:09:00,376 --> 02:09:03,076
amendments to our board policies.

2222
02:09:05,196 --> 02:09:07,956
Okay. We have a motion on the floor. Do we have a second?

2223
02:09:08,146 --> 02:09:08,146
Second.

2224
02:09:08,196 --> 02:09:10,936
We have a second from board member Mike Matusik.

2225
02:09:11,676 --> 02:09:13,876
Well, actually, that wasn't my mo-- somebody else has to move it.

2226
02:09:13,936 --> 02:09:14,246
That was just-

2227
02:09:14,316 --> 02:09:14,836
So moved.

2228
02:09:15,356 --> 02:09:15,536
Okay.

2229
02:09:15,576 --> 02:09:15,886
There you go.

2230
02:09:15,886 --> 02:09:19,206
So Mike will move it, and Carrie has seconded.

2231
02:09:20,116 --> 02:09:23,356
Do we have any additional questions? All right. Thank you.

2232
02:09:23,396 --> 02:09:25,966
And John, thank you for your great explanation.

2233
02:09:25,996 --> 02:09:28,536
So all those in favor of the recommendation?

2234
02:09:29,556 --> 02:09:30,436
Aye.

2235
02:09:30,496 --> 02:09:32,856
Opposed? Okay. Thank you.

2236
02:09:33,976 --> 02:09:34,456
Thank you.

2237
02:09:34,836 --> 02:09:38,826
Your great work. Yes. So now we are into

2238
02:09:38,876 --> 02:09:39,936
our discussion items.

2239
02:09:41,216 --> 02:09:44,876
And first up on our discussion items is governmental

2240
02:09:44,936 --> 02:09:46,076
affairs update.

2241
02:09:55,536 --> 02:09:59,056
Were your ears burning because Brooks was singing your praises?

2242
02:09:59,936 --> 02:10:00,816
Don't believe that.

2243
02:10:02,536 --> 02:10:03,336
I floated in here.

2244
02:10:03,776 --> 02:10:07,436
Oh, okay. There you go. You did a very, very fine job yesterday, and I just

2245
02:10:07,696 --> 02:10:09,016
shared that with the rest of the board.

2246
02:10:09,156 --> 02:10:09,656
Thank you.

2247
02:10:09,836 --> 02:10:12,436
I think you do very good work and have a great relationship.

2248
02:10:12,596 --> 02:10:13,296
Yes. Thank you.

2249
02:10:14,236 --> 02:10:14,286
With legislators.

2250
02:10:14,286 --> 02:10:17,206
Well, good morning. Perry Goerrel, chief of governmental relations.

2251
02:10:18,416 --> 02:10:20,016
Just going to give you a brief update.

2252
02:10:20,696 --> 02:10:22,856
It honestly won't take a whole lot of time.

2253
02:10:23,976 --> 02:10:24,676
Yesterday's

2254
02:10:26,616 --> 02:10:30,236
connection with those legislators was a great opportunity for

2255
02:10:30,316 --> 02:10:33,676
the state board members to visit with legislators and

2256
02:10:35,776 --> 02:10:39,596
maybe get some direction or ideas, or listen to the ideas of which

2257
02:10:39,656 --> 02:10:40,156
they have

2258
02:10:41,296 --> 02:10:43,216
in the legislative process.

2259
02:10:44,216 --> 02:10:47,736
As you all know, we're approaching the end of the session.

2260
02:10:48,536 --> 02:10:50,516
There's about four and a half, five weeks left.

2261
02:10:51,386 --> 02:10:54,076
And they still have a budget to pass.

2262
02:10:54,996 --> 02:10:58,696
I'm sure Dr. Cruz here later will talk about the budget process, so I'm

2263
02:10:58,996 --> 02:11:01,916
not going to talk about that a whole lot.

2264
02:11:01,936 --> 02:11:05,606
But what I will share with you is that because of that process is still in

2265
02:11:07,336 --> 02:11:10,976
process or rolling down the tracks, that takes floor time.

2266
02:11:11,176 --> 02:11:14,976
And most of the conversation that we are seeing in and around the

2267
02:11:15,036 --> 02:11:19,016
capital this year is truly focused in and around the budget.

2268
02:11:20,196 --> 02:11:24,016
They do a heavily scrutinization of fiscal notes this year,

2269
02:11:24,976 --> 02:11:28,736
and when it goes to fiscal review. So if a piece of legislation

2270
02:11:28,796 --> 02:11:32,746
is passed out of one chamber and moving to the next,

2271
02:11:32,896 --> 02:11:36,516
it'll go through a review process of what will that cost

2272
02:11:36,896 --> 02:11:40,756
the state. And so there are times that pieces of legislation that

2273
02:11:40,796 --> 02:11:44,626
may have a heavy price tag may slow down in that process,

2274
02:11:44,776 --> 02:11:48,476
or if they do cross the chamber, may not get floor

2275
02:11:48,536 --> 02:11:52,516
time on the other side. And so there are times that educational

2276
02:11:52,596 --> 02:11:56,496
bills will have a fiscal note of some sort, and it will

2277
02:11:56,556 --> 02:12:00,236
slow down. Now, if it's a practice or something that

2278
02:12:00,296 --> 02:12:01,996
doesn't have a high fiscal note,

2279
02:12:02,956 --> 02:12:04,816
we will see at times those things are moving.

2280
02:12:05,696 --> 02:12:06,156
And so,

2281
02:12:07,856 --> 02:12:11,836
I think I shared last week with you all about Senate

2282
02:12:11,856 --> 02:12:13,206
Bill 1383.

2283
02:12:14,236 --> 02:12:16,356
It's the Elementary Ag Literacy Bill.

2284
02:12:16,996 --> 02:12:18,216
And what Senate Bill

2285
02:12:19,056 --> 02:12:22,936
1383 does, we had a pilot program back

2286
02:12:22,976 --> 02:12:26,636
in 2020 that will introduce elementary ag

2287
02:12:27,136 --> 02:12:30,936
in the lower levels. The reason why I raised this up

2288
02:12:31,016 --> 02:12:34,536
is that that is the one education bill, although it's not

2289
02:12:34,616 --> 02:12:36,796
titled the Department of Elementary and

2290
02:12:37,316 --> 02:12:40,066
Secondary Education,

2291
02:12:40,956 --> 02:12:43,656
that has the opportunity to become an omnibus bill.

2292
02:12:44,036 --> 02:12:46,956
And so last week in the

2293
02:12:48,016 --> 02:12:51,666
Special Committee on Emerging Rural Issues, they attempted to

2294
02:12:52,116 --> 02:12:54,176
put 11 other subjects on that bill.

2295
02:12:54,956 --> 02:12:58,616
Now, what I will share with you is that it failed, and the reason why it failed is

2296
02:12:58,656 --> 02:13:02,496
that those members didn't have a true understanding of what

2297
02:13:02,536 --> 02:13:05,836
that process looked like, why were they adding it to this bill.

2298
02:13:07,376 --> 02:13:09,356
One of the bill sponsors was in that committee.

2299
02:13:10,576 --> 02:13:11,116
And so,

2300
02:13:12,016 --> 02:13:15,996
it failed to be added to Senate Bill 1383 on

2301
02:13:16,036 --> 02:13:16,836
the House side.

2302
02:13:18,236 --> 02:13:22,076
What I expect to happen sometime this week or next week on the

2303
02:13:22,116 --> 02:13:25,716
House side is that Senate Bill 1383 will become the

2304
02:13:25,756 --> 02:13:29,696
vehicle for other educational bills, and they will amend

2305
02:13:29,756 --> 02:13:31,016
that bill on the floor.

2306
02:13:31,916 --> 02:13:34,076
Now, to do that, they're going to have to change the title.

2307
02:13:34,246 --> 02:13:37,476
And then when they do that, then it'll have to go back to committee, back to the

2308
02:13:37,516 --> 02:13:40,686
Senate side. The Senate will either pick it up or it'll go to conference.

2309
02:13:41,496 --> 02:13:44,996
And once it goes to conference, they make a committee, and they can strip off what

2310
02:13:45,036 --> 02:13:47,636
they want to agree, and then it goes back to both chambers.

2311
02:13:48,716 --> 02:13:51,346
Again, I told you there's four and a half, five weeks left, and they still got a

2312
02:13:51,356 --> 02:13:53,696
budget, so there's a lot to happen in that.

2313
02:13:53,716 --> 02:13:57,436
But Senate Bill 1383 and House Bill

2314
02:13:57,616 --> 02:14:01,406
2097 may become the vehicle for an omnibus bill for

2315
02:14:01,456 --> 02:14:05,356
education this year. And so as we get towards the end of the session, we start

2316
02:14:05,416 --> 02:14:06,476
watching that bill,

2317
02:14:07,356 --> 02:14:11,200
and watching what will be added to thatWe

2318
02:14:11,340 --> 02:14:13,260
have a bill that was actually,

2319
02:14:14,640 --> 02:14:17,840
I won't call it necessarily a priority bill, but it was a cleanup bill.

2320
02:14:17,860 --> 02:14:21,810
We call them cleanup bills for the department for this year, and

2321
02:14:21,860 --> 02:14:23,810
that is House Bill 1627.

2322
02:14:24,700 --> 02:14:28,410
Or yeah, 1626, Representative Haley has, and it's a current

2323
02:14:28,480 --> 02:14:31,520
technical education advisory committee cleanup bill.

2324
02:14:31,980 --> 02:14:35,800
That bill in statute, we wanted to clean up the terms, we

2325
02:14:35,840 --> 02:14:38,400
wanted to clean up who could be on the committee, all those things.

2326
02:14:38,420 --> 02:14:41,800
It's very non-controversial. It could be a consent bill.

2327
02:14:42,860 --> 02:14:46,520
We would like for that to be attached to this bill as it moves

2328
02:14:46,560 --> 02:14:49,840
forward. But to do that, they will have to change the title of the bill.

2329
02:14:50,230 --> 02:14:53,940
And when they change the title of the bill, then it's like opening up the

2330
02:14:53,960 --> 02:14:57,920
door. And when you open up the door, you don't necessarily control who

2331
02:14:57,980 --> 02:15:01,840
comes in. And so I'm working on trying

2332
02:15:01,920 --> 02:15:05,880
to change the title in a way that it does not open up the door

2333
02:15:05,940 --> 02:15:09,570
for a lot of different things, but it still focuses on the current

2334
02:15:09,640 --> 02:15:12,780
technical education, because that's truly what ag literacy is.

2335
02:15:13,700 --> 02:15:13,940
So

2336
02:15:15,400 --> 02:15:19,200
again, that bill there, Senate Bill 1383 and House Bill

2337
02:15:19,300 --> 02:15:22,660
2097 will be the vehicles. House Bill

2338
02:15:22,840 --> 02:15:24,820
2097 is on the Senate side,

2339
02:15:25,780 --> 02:15:29,220
and so we'll be monitoring that bill on both sides

2340
02:15:29,700 --> 02:15:33,600
of the chambers to see what is added.

2341
02:15:33,660 --> 02:15:34,060
I think you

2342
02:15:34,940 --> 02:15:37,720
heard me at the last board meeting, I spoke about House Bill

2343
02:15:37,900 --> 02:15:41,760
2748, the physical activity bill, requiring that

2344
02:15:42,140 --> 02:15:45,780
physical activity be required for all students K through

2345
02:15:45,840 --> 02:15:49,770
12 for 60 minutes. That bill had a hearing

2346
02:15:49,770 --> 02:15:51,170
this morning on the Senate side.

2347
02:15:52,720 --> 02:15:54,000
The sponsor of that bill,

2348
02:15:56,500 --> 02:16:00,440
it's encouraging. The bill sponsor has assured members

2349
02:16:00,450 --> 02:16:04,270
that they will pare back that requirement of 60 minutes of

2350
02:16:04,320 --> 02:16:08,140
physical activity for all students to be limited to only

2351
02:16:08,580 --> 02:16:12,440
the elementary grades, and then to limit it

2352
02:16:12,500 --> 02:16:13,260
down to

2353
02:16:14,800 --> 02:16:15,500
150

2354
02:16:16,520 --> 02:16:17,820
minutes of work in that range.

2355
02:16:18,640 --> 02:16:22,380
So the best that I can see now is that there'll be 10 minutes to the day

2356
02:16:22,500 --> 02:16:26,100
added for physical activity above what is now being

2357
02:16:26,140 --> 02:16:28,640
required for elementary students.

2358
02:16:28,720 --> 02:16:30,680
Now, I've not seen that in writing.

2359
02:16:30,689 --> 02:16:34,361
That's just the conversation that was had today.

2360
02:16:34,420 --> 02:16:38,220
Because as we move forward and we look at these bills, we also have the

2361
02:16:38,260 --> 02:16:41,020
literacy bill, which is House Bill 2872.

2362
02:16:41,900 --> 02:16:43,770
And House Bill 2872,

2363
02:16:45,600 --> 02:16:47,611
there's

2364
02:16:48,420 --> 02:16:50,861
really two things that this bill does.

2365
02:16:51,680 --> 02:16:53,600
The literacy bill from the House side

2366
02:16:54,460 --> 02:16:58,240
will require EPPs or educator prep programs to

2367
02:16:58,340 --> 02:17:00,720
only teach the science of reading.

2368
02:17:01,240 --> 02:17:05,060
And so those prep programs will be

2369
02:17:05,121 --> 02:17:08,320
required to do that now, and there's some reporting and vetting that we will have

2370
02:17:08,361 --> 02:17:12,220
to do as an agency. But the piece that gives probably the

2371
02:17:12,380 --> 02:17:14,080
most conversation has to do with

2372
02:17:15,960 --> 02:17:17,800
this in and around third-grade retention.

2373
02:17:18,580 --> 02:17:22,400
And so the House version has a very modified, a lot of parental

2374
02:17:22,441 --> 02:17:26,300
involvement, parental consent, parental input, parental

2375
02:17:27,361 --> 02:17:28,361
activity to that.

2376
02:17:29,220 --> 02:17:32,840
But that bill, again, was heard this morning in the Senate committee along

2377
02:17:33,621 --> 02:17:37,541
with the physical activity bill. There was a lot of conversation in

2378
02:17:37,580 --> 02:17:39,861
and around third-grade retention.

2379
02:17:39,920 --> 02:17:40,340
And so

2380
02:17:42,281 --> 02:17:46,210
as you hear in the news, you will hear about whether or not

2381
02:17:46,260 --> 02:17:50,140
we should be retaining third graders if they have a

2382
02:17:50,180 --> 02:17:53,920
substantial or are on a reading success plan.

2383
02:17:54,320 --> 02:17:54,840
And so

2384
02:17:55,941 --> 02:17:58,500
House Bill 2872 will be one we monitor.

2385
02:18:00,080 --> 02:18:03,710
We've not weighed in as a department on the third-grade retention

2386
02:18:03,800 --> 02:18:04,140
piece.

2387
02:18:05,260 --> 02:18:09,000
We have weighed in on pieces of it to ensure that the

2388
02:18:09,041 --> 02:18:12,400
language matches up to what we are currently doing with Senate Bill

2389
02:18:12,621 --> 02:18:15,861
681, because it did change some language.

2390
02:18:16,621 --> 02:18:20,281
It was using below basic, basic, proficient, advanced language,

2391
02:18:20,800 --> 02:18:24,720
MAP testing, and we know that that language is not

2392
02:18:24,760 --> 02:18:28,361
the same as when it comes to identifying students.

2393
02:18:29,099 --> 02:18:33,000
And so we worked with the bill sponsor on that just in language, to ensure

2394
02:18:33,060 --> 02:18:36,660
that it's obvious that it's based upon

2395
02:18:37,060 --> 02:18:40,781
literacy and not MAP testing to make sure that we try to keep the two

2396
02:18:40,880 --> 02:18:41,260
separate.

2397
02:18:43,060 --> 02:18:46,781
The other bill that has made it out of the Senate chamber that I

2398
02:18:46,820 --> 02:18:50,380
reported to you last month is Senate Bill 863.

2399
02:18:51,781 --> 02:18:54,020
Senate Bill 863 is the

2400
02:18:55,260 --> 02:18:58,180
Interscholastic Activities Association Appeals Board.

2401
02:18:59,460 --> 02:19:02,781
There was a Senate substitute at one point in time that was

2402
02:19:02,820 --> 02:19:06,281
bringing 100% of that association here,

2403
02:19:07,080 --> 02:19:10,781
and it has been peeled back to, or rolled back to, is

2404
02:19:10,861 --> 02:19:14,100
that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

2405
02:19:14,820 --> 02:19:18,121
shall oversee a board of five

2406
02:19:18,160 --> 02:19:18,960
individuals.

2407
02:19:19,861 --> 02:19:22,300
That will be another avenue to appeal

2408
02:19:23,300 --> 02:19:26,201
certain things that are appealable, such as

2409
02:19:26,260 --> 02:19:28,180
transfers and

2410
02:19:29,160 --> 02:19:32,820
event situations that may arise that need a

2411
02:19:33,600 --> 02:19:35,320
review or an appeals committee.

2412
02:19:36,320 --> 02:19:39,680
It will not replace a board, the current board of this

2413
02:19:39,760 --> 02:19:43,691
association. It will not replace the appeals process that

2414
02:19:43,691 --> 02:19:47,220
they have currently in place. It will only become another

2415
02:19:47,300 --> 02:19:50,760
opportunity or avenue for them to appeal to a different

2416
02:19:50,820 --> 02:19:53,530
individual that is outside of that association.

2417
02:19:54,340 --> 02:19:54,420
So,

2418
02:19:55,940 --> 02:19:59,830
I don't know where that will go. What I do think is that

2419
02:20:00,820 --> 02:20:04,440
it will probably have a good chance to making it through the House as it is.

2420
02:20:05,420 --> 02:20:08,700
They probably won't make many changes to it because there is a sponsor on the other

2421
02:20:08,780 --> 02:20:11,500
side that had kind of the same language to begin with.

2422
02:20:11,560 --> 02:20:11,720
And

2423
02:20:12,640 --> 02:20:16,474
soSenate Bill 863, I think will be something that

2424
02:20:16,504 --> 02:20:18,764
will possibly get across the finish line.

2425
02:20:18,784 --> 02:20:22,104
But again, there's four and a half, five weeks left of session.

2426
02:20:22,984 --> 02:20:26,624
And what happens when any Senate bill goes to the

2427
02:20:26,724 --> 02:20:29,184
House, they start piling things on it.

2428
02:20:29,524 --> 02:20:31,324
And if they pile one thing on it,

2429
02:20:32,904 --> 02:20:35,324
of any one thing, it goes back to the Senate.

2430
02:20:35,964 --> 02:20:36,054
And

2431
02:20:37,404 --> 02:20:39,244
remember I said there's four and a half, five weeks left.

2432
02:20:39,324 --> 02:20:42,944
They have the budget to do, and the budget is going to take them a lot of

2433
02:20:43,004 --> 02:20:45,824
time in the Senate. And so,

2434
02:20:48,184 --> 02:20:51,824
time will tell whether or not that gets across the line.

2435
02:20:51,864 --> 02:20:55,084
The other thing that's going to take time, and which they're going to start on

2436
02:20:55,124 --> 02:20:59,044
tomorrow, is House Joint Resolution 173 and 174

2437
02:21:00,184 --> 02:21:02,144
on the Senate side. And so,

2438
02:21:03,244 --> 02:21:06,044
that bill there has to do with the

2439
02:21:06,964 --> 02:21:08,844
governor's priority on income tax.

2440
02:21:10,224 --> 02:21:12,894
And that bill, again, is also going to take time.

2441
02:21:13,804 --> 02:21:17,124
I share these with you because last year

2442
02:21:17,284 --> 02:21:21,174
at this time, many education bills had really made their way

2443
02:21:21,204 --> 02:21:24,604
through and we knew exactly where they're going to be.

2444
02:21:25,194 --> 02:21:29,004
The Senate is running out of time to do things, and because of that,

2445
02:21:29,804 --> 02:21:33,684
the chances of some legislation or maybe

2446
02:21:33,754 --> 02:21:37,024
any legislation, educational legislation getting

2447
02:21:37,034 --> 02:21:40,624
through, the clock is ticking. So,

2448
02:21:42,664 --> 02:21:44,284
that's all I have for updates.

2449
02:21:45,164 --> 02:21:46,384
Okay. Thank you.

2450
02:21:47,684 --> 02:21:47,754
Taking questions.

2451
02:21:47,764 --> 02:21:51,604
So I think we have a question from Board Member Pamela Westbrook-Hodge.

2452
02:21:52,324 --> 02:21:55,974
Yeah. I really want to make sure we collectively,

2453
02:21:56,924 --> 02:22:00,264
intimately understand the impact

2454
02:22:00,564 --> 02:22:04,064
of legislation that potentially

2455
02:22:04,144 --> 02:22:07,244
lowers the revenue base for the state.

2456
02:22:08,204 --> 02:22:08,624
So,

2457
02:22:10,564 --> 02:22:14,524
173 and 174, the income tax effort.

2458
02:22:15,264 --> 02:22:18,864
Have we quantified the budgetary, the

2459
02:22:18,924 --> 02:22:22,634
revenue impact if it is passed to the state, and

2460
02:22:22,703 --> 02:22:26,614
then how that trickles downstream to funding our educational

2461
02:22:26,684 --> 02:22:27,344
mandates?

2462
02:22:29,044 --> 02:22:31,964
So, I don't know that we have dived into that

2463
02:22:33,244 --> 02:22:36,484
extensively at the agency. In fact, I know that we have not,

2464
02:22:37,344 --> 02:22:40,264
because we know that it's a part of the legislative process.

2465
02:22:40,924 --> 02:22:44,644
It's in the legislative process. There are a lot of

2466
02:22:44,704 --> 02:22:46,904
outside agencies and groups that have

2467
02:22:47,724 --> 02:22:50,944
differing opinions of how it will impact.

2468
02:22:51,764 --> 02:22:55,744
And so as an agency, we're not

2469
02:22:56,144 --> 02:22:59,964
typically weighing in on that, but it's something that we have to be mindful of.

2470
02:23:01,044 --> 02:23:05,034
And so, I'm actually

2471
02:23:05,064 --> 02:23:07,364
going to defer this question to Dr. Cruz.

2472
02:23:07,414 --> 02:23:10,824
I apologize, because he's the finance guy, but I think it's

2473
02:23:10,864 --> 02:23:14,824
important to understand that this piece of legislation

2474
02:23:14,864 --> 02:23:17,384
will impact all state agencies, and so...

2475
02:23:18,784 --> 02:23:19,504
Or may not.

2476
02:23:20,844 --> 02:23:24,584
Yeah. And I think the point I want to just

2477
02:23:24,744 --> 02:23:28,724
underscore is all the COVID dollars masked

2478
02:23:28,784 --> 02:23:31,884
the impact of all of those tax cuts.

2479
02:23:31,924 --> 02:23:35,884
And so, with the COVID monies gone, we're feeling

2480
02:23:35,944 --> 02:23:39,484
the impact of diminished

2481
02:23:39,544 --> 02:23:40,224
revenues.

2482
02:23:40,344 --> 02:23:40,564
Right.

2483
02:23:41,024 --> 02:23:41,384
So,

2484
02:23:42,504 --> 02:23:45,904
we need to understand how those

2485
02:23:45,964 --> 02:23:49,324
cuts, and this particular cut, will impact

2486
02:23:49,864 --> 02:23:53,504
the money that we will have available to run our

2487
02:23:53,644 --> 02:23:54,084
state.

2488
02:23:55,344 --> 02:23:59,144
Yeah. And I just-

2489
02:24:00,244 --> 02:24:01,554
I think Dr. Cruz will be able to-

2490
02:24:02,004 --> 02:24:03,284
I don't feel like we've-

2491
02:24:04,004 --> 02:24:04,284
Yeah.

2492
02:24:04,304 --> 02:24:07,744
We've considered the impact of those things sufficiently, and

2493
02:24:08,644 --> 02:24:10,864
now we're struggling to meet our educational mandates.

2494
02:24:10,904 --> 02:24:13,144
Yep. I believe Dr. Cruz will be able to answer.

2495
02:24:13,154 --> 02:24:13,424
Commissioner.

2496
02:24:13,464 --> 02:24:17,244
Let me just mention one thing. It is a little bit difficult to be able to

2497
02:24:17,304 --> 02:24:20,684
assess exactly what the local revenue impact will be because there are so many

2498
02:24:20,724 --> 02:24:24,644
variations in local revenue tax codes and

2499
02:24:24,704 --> 02:24:28,524
all kinds of things that are-- Like each county would have their own

2500
02:24:28,544 --> 02:24:30,243
different kind of tax code and levies.

2501
02:24:30,604 --> 02:24:33,623
So it's hard to see overall, especially when we know that

2502
02:24:34,464 --> 02:24:37,804
the local dollar is really the supporter of public ed in the state of Missouri,

2503
02:24:37,904 --> 02:24:39,684
more so than federal or state.

2504
02:24:40,824 --> 02:24:44,024
The reason I bring this up is because we have looked at and tried to

2505
02:24:45,304 --> 02:24:46,844
estimate what would happen if.

2506
02:24:48,244 --> 02:24:51,474
But running those scenarios through a formula or something is very hard to do.

2507
02:24:51,504 --> 02:24:53,944
So here's what's problematic. If we can't do it-

2508
02:24:54,184 --> 02:24:54,844
Mm-hmm. Yeah

2509
02:24:54,854 --> 02:24:58,434
... then how are those projections and models being made

2510
02:24:58,444 --> 02:25:00,614
before the legislation is being-

2511
02:25:00,904 --> 02:25:04,344
Well, there's fiscal notes on the legislation, and we are trying to provide as much

2512
02:25:04,364 --> 02:25:07,264
information as we possibly can with what we do know. Yes.

2513
02:25:07,604 --> 02:25:09,644
Board Member Casey, you had a comment?

2514
02:25:09,924 --> 02:25:12,204
I think that's a really important point that Pam is making.

2515
02:25:12,384 --> 02:25:14,764
I do have another question, but just to add a comment on that.

2516
02:25:15,244 --> 02:25:19,184
But wouldn't it be

2517
02:25:19,204 --> 02:25:22,464
the responsibility of the legislature to have the full,

2518
02:25:23,304 --> 02:25:24,844
as best as possible, because-

2519
02:25:25,133 --> 02:25:26,644
They do provide fiscal notes, yes.

2520
02:25:26,664 --> 02:25:28,643
But we provide, but so does every other agency.

2521
02:25:28,684 --> 02:25:29,814
Yes, every agency does too.

2522
02:25:29,844 --> 02:25:30,144
But there

2523
02:25:32,244 --> 02:25:35,664
is an overarching impact

2524
02:25:36,024 --> 02:25:39,504
statement or study done. The governor wouldn't sign a bill without

2525
02:25:39,704 --> 02:25:43,684
understanding what at least is believed to be the impact,

2526
02:25:43,744 --> 02:25:44,384
because nobody-

2527
02:25:44,524 --> 02:25:44,534
An estimate.

2528
02:25:44,534 --> 02:25:48,404
Yeah. So that is something that's getting put together, just not in

2529
02:25:48,444 --> 02:25:51,064
a... We provide input to a bigger, broader-

2530
02:25:51,724 --> 02:25:51,984
Correct

2531
02:25:52,024 --> 02:25:52,364
... point.

2532
02:25:53,164 --> 02:25:53,584
So the depart-

2533
02:25:53,594 --> 02:25:54,994
Because it is important, to Pam's point.

2534
02:25:55,044 --> 02:25:55,264
Yeah.

2535
02:25:56,104 --> 02:25:59,394
I'm sure the Department of Revenue is putting together all the scenarios

2536
02:26:00,224 --> 02:26:04,164
based upon the legislation that is currently being proposed.

2537
02:26:04,884 --> 02:26:05,574
Mm-hmm.

2538
02:26:06,024 --> 02:26:09,964
I am positive that that will be changed in the Senate to some extent because there

2539
02:26:10,004 --> 02:26:13,024
were some carve-outs that were supposed to occur that haven't occurred or-

2540
02:26:13,104 --> 02:26:13,324
Mm-hmm

2541
02:26:13,924 --> 02:26:17,823
... and maybe they've attached it by now, but it came

2542
02:26:17,924 --> 02:26:21,644
out of the House, this House Joint Resolution came out of the

2543
02:26:21,684 --> 02:26:25,214
HouseWithout some carve outs

2544
02:26:25,694 --> 02:26:26,654
for some

2545
02:26:30,274 --> 02:26:33,414
ag, for instance, agriculture, there was no exemption for that.

2546
02:26:33,514 --> 02:26:37,334
So everything in ag currently is exempt from

2547
02:26:37,394 --> 02:26:39,934
paying sales tax on wasn't carved out in the House.

2548
02:26:40,194 --> 02:26:43,854
So expect that to happen somewhere, and it may have already happened.

2549
02:26:44,874 --> 02:26:46,504
Okay, Carrie, you had a follow-up question.

2550
02:26:46,594 --> 02:26:48,113
One other quick question unrelated

2551
02:26:49,054 --> 02:26:52,894
to that particular bill. If you could go back, I might not have heard

2552
02:26:52,934 --> 02:26:56,734
correctly. I think it was 2872 House bill, and you were speaking

2553
02:26:56,794 --> 02:26:57,014
about-

2554
02:26:57,034 --> 02:26:57,614
Literacy

2555
02:26:58,434 --> 02:26:58,463
... literacy.

2556
02:26:59,634 --> 02:27:01,844
Could you re-explain what you stated about we're

2557
02:27:02,754 --> 02:27:06,684
working to address language in that

2558
02:27:06,714 --> 02:27:10,414
bill that would separate literacy from MAP testing?

2559
02:27:10,614 --> 02:27:10,934
So the

2560
02:27:11,514 --> 02:27:15,094
first

2561
02:27:17,014 --> 02:27:20,854
presented bill had the same language that we use for MAP

2562
02:27:20,914 --> 02:27:21,334
testing,

2563
02:27:22,314 --> 02:27:25,844
below basic, basic, proficient, advanced.

2564
02:27:26,384 --> 02:27:29,424
And we use approaching, and I can't remember.

2565
02:27:29,774 --> 02:27:31,454
We use other language,

2566
02:27:32,274 --> 02:27:36,194
to classify our readers. And what we didn't want to

2567
02:27:36,234 --> 02:27:39,734
occur was we just wanted to match what we're currently doing

2568
02:27:39,774 --> 02:27:43,614
in practice, what our school districts are

2569
02:27:43,694 --> 02:27:47,594
using to identify. It's the classifications that we

2570
02:27:47,914 --> 02:27:50,314
utilize for our readers. That's what we'd done.

2571
02:27:50,374 --> 02:27:53,894
It wasn't necessarily changing the four categories, but it

2572
02:27:53,954 --> 02:27:57,614
was making the language the same as what we currently have in

2573
02:27:57,654 --> 02:27:58,214
practice.

2574
02:27:58,714 --> 02:28:02,614
And it makes sense to have a common language, but that confuses me because

2575
02:28:02,694 --> 02:28:04,194
we shouldn't have a different language.

2576
02:28:04,294 --> 02:28:08,154
I know I've seen approaching and that before in our presentations,

2577
02:28:08,274 --> 02:28:11,814
so I feel that we should be all using the same

2578
02:28:11,874 --> 02:28:14,954
language, and if our MAP tests are

2579
02:28:15,194 --> 02:28:18,714
rated at... We determine literacy

2580
02:28:18,974 --> 02:28:22,814
based on whatever levels, cut scores included, and now

2581
02:28:22,894 --> 02:28:23,434
the insertion-

2582
02:28:23,574 --> 02:28:23,794
So the-

2583
02:28:23,844 --> 02:28:24,574
... of grade level.

2584
02:28:24,614 --> 02:28:26,894
Yeah, so the thought behind that and the

2585
02:28:28,394 --> 02:28:32,314
original inception of Senate Bill 681 is the language that was in

2586
02:28:32,354 --> 02:28:33,534
Senate Bill 681.

2587
02:28:34,634 --> 02:28:36,054
But also understand that

2588
02:28:37,034 --> 02:28:37,464
these

2589
02:28:38,614 --> 02:28:40,364
reading diagnostics that they're taking

2590
02:28:41,434 --> 02:28:45,184
are not summative tests, and so these

2591
02:28:45,214 --> 02:28:47,694
plans are developed over time with these students.

2592
02:28:47,914 --> 02:28:50,854
It's just giving them where they at in the process.

2593
02:28:51,374 --> 02:28:54,614
Whereas a MAP test, it's a summative test at the end,

2594
02:28:55,294 --> 02:28:58,534
and so there needed to be a distinguishable difference.

2595
02:28:58,614 --> 02:29:00,954
So the bill is not speaking to-

2596
02:29:00,994 --> 02:29:01,444
The second one

2597
02:29:01,444 --> 02:29:03,354
... academic outcomes.

2598
02:29:03,434 --> 02:29:03,444
No.

2599
02:29:03,634 --> 02:29:04,894
It's speaking to-

2600
02:29:04,974 --> 02:29:07,874
So I think the commissioner was going to have an explanation.

2601
02:29:08,054 --> 02:29:11,194
Just to clear that up, I think the intent of the

2602
02:29:13,074 --> 02:29:16,934
person who created the bill was that if a

2603
02:29:16,954 --> 02:29:19,254
student is not reaching a certain

2604
02:29:20,454 --> 02:29:23,874
point in literacy, to make sure these kids are reading by third grade.

2605
02:29:23,934 --> 02:29:27,854
So they're trying to match up the literacy assessment with

2606
02:29:28,074 --> 02:29:31,534
the language in the bill. So it's different than the summative MAP at the end with

2607
02:29:31,594 --> 02:29:32,754
just English language arts.

2608
02:29:33,594 --> 02:29:37,334
Also, it has to be aligned to literacy because that's the intent.

2609
02:29:37,674 --> 02:29:38,314
That helps.

2610
02:29:38,574 --> 02:29:39,514
Board Member Miller?

2611
02:29:40,594 --> 02:29:43,294
And I don't know whether it's the same bill we're talking about.

2612
02:29:43,334 --> 02:29:47,134
I think we're using different verbiage, but you talked about a three-year reading

2613
02:29:48,094 --> 02:29:49,194
retention plan.

2614
02:29:49,214 --> 02:29:50,774
Third grade retention, yep.

2615
02:29:50,934 --> 02:29:54,314
Yeah. But that doesn't have anything to do with this?

2616
02:29:54,414 --> 02:29:56,714
No, so third grade retention is a part of this-

2617
02:29:56,874 --> 02:29:57,314
Yep

2618
02:29:57,324 --> 02:29:57,494
... bill.

2619
02:29:57,994 --> 02:30:01,814
Well, so my question is, if this were to

2620
02:30:01,854 --> 02:30:02,334
pass,

2621
02:30:03,554 --> 02:30:06,654
what is the number of third graders that would need to be retained?

2622
02:30:09,054 --> 02:30:10,424
I've seen that number somewhere but-

2623
02:30:10,454 --> 02:30:14,084
We have an estimate because we do use these reading recovery plans in the zero one,

2624
02:30:14,294 --> 02:30:15,534
kindergarten, first, and second grade.

2625
02:30:15,614 --> 02:30:19,354
So we kinda have a sense of how many students have to or need

2626
02:30:19,674 --> 02:30:23,534
additional support in reading. But as far as the number, when it gets to

2627
02:30:23,554 --> 02:30:26,764
third grade, and when this actually comes into play, it'd just be a ballpark at

2628
02:30:26,794 --> 02:30:27,154
this point.

2629
02:30:27,214 --> 02:30:28,154
So what would it be?

2630
02:30:28,314 --> 02:30:29,623
I don't have that answer but-

2631
02:30:29,634 --> 02:30:30,534
So let me ask you this-

2632
02:30:30,874 --> 02:30:30,884
Yeah

2633
02:30:30,884 --> 02:30:31,614
... is it a problem?

2634
02:30:32,774 --> 02:30:33,494
I think that,

2635
02:30:34,694 --> 02:30:38,414
anytime that you have a drop dead thing that's around

2636
02:30:38,474 --> 02:30:41,694
time for a kid's learning, then yes, you're going to have some kids backing up.

2637
02:30:42,114 --> 02:30:42,654
I do believe.

2638
02:30:42,934 --> 02:30:44,054
And here's my point.

2639
02:30:44,874 --> 02:30:48,114
Why is it that our policies need to be legislated?

2640
02:30:48,414 --> 02:30:48,624
Mm-hmm.

2641
02:30:49,004 --> 02:30:51,914
And why do we not develop them internally already?

2642
02:30:52,954 --> 02:30:56,814
To me, it's really unfortunate that we have to have

2643
02:30:56,894 --> 02:31:00,674
a bill come across that retains third graders

2644
02:31:00,714 --> 02:31:04,594
because they can't read. Now, that seems like a very common sense

2645
02:31:05,114 --> 02:31:07,894
that we as a department are responsible for-

2646
02:31:08,514 --> 02:31:08,524
Mm-hmm

2647
02:31:08,524 --> 02:31:09,494
... and not the legislature.

2648
02:31:10,654 --> 02:31:13,454
This is quirky here a little bit, I think.

2649
02:31:14,254 --> 02:31:16,854
And sorry for using that word, but,

2650
02:31:18,274 --> 02:31:21,914
I do not understand why the

2651
02:31:21,934 --> 02:31:25,794
Department of Education, if there is a problem with

2652
02:31:25,814 --> 02:31:29,634
third-grade reading performance, we are not taking

2653
02:31:29,714 --> 02:31:31,034
steps to improve it.

2654
02:31:31,594 --> 02:31:31,914
So,

2655
02:31:32,894 --> 02:31:34,214
I do want to share,

2656
02:31:35,234 --> 02:31:36,774
probably past stance

2657
02:31:37,774 --> 02:31:38,714
with the department

2658
02:31:39,654 --> 02:31:43,554
and the board in general has been on items like this to

2659
02:31:43,614 --> 02:31:47,434
not necessarily develop policy. I think the

2660
02:31:47,474 --> 02:31:51,094
board has that ability to work with the

2661
02:31:51,114 --> 02:31:51,894
department.

2662
02:31:51,934 --> 02:31:55,774
Yeah, the responsibility comes in the classification or accreditation of

2663
02:31:55,794 --> 02:31:58,774
school districts, and if they don't hit the score, then they don't become.

2664
02:31:58,814 --> 02:31:59,214
Yeah.

2665
02:31:59,234 --> 02:32:03,053
So there's that. But as far as a rule or reg that specifies

2666
02:32:03,114 --> 02:32:06,694
retention at the third-grade level, that hasn't been something that this

2667
02:32:06,754 --> 02:32:07,894
agency has been driving.

2668
02:32:07,954 --> 02:32:08,214
Okay.

2669
02:32:08,334 --> 02:32:08,474
Right.

2670
02:32:10,254 --> 02:32:11,934
And that's why they had to put a bill out there-

2671
02:32:11,954 --> 02:32:11,964
Mm-hmm

2672
02:32:12,114 --> 02:32:14,414
... because we as an agency don't address it.

2673
02:32:14,444 --> 02:32:17,954
And I'll get back to you as far as authority wise, because I'm not sure that we

2674
02:32:17,974 --> 02:32:19,674
even have the ability to police it.

2675
02:32:19,934 --> 02:32:22,874
Well, I disagree, but at the same

2676
02:32:22,914 --> 02:32:26,818
time-I think it goes back to my first question, is

2677
02:32:26,878 --> 02:32:30,498
how many kids would be retained? I don't believe we have that information

2678
02:32:30,938 --> 02:32:34,538
to say, "This is a problem, and this is what DESE needs to be

2679
02:32:34,618 --> 02:32:35,268
working on,"

2680
02:32:36,358 --> 02:32:40,218
and then bring it from DESE to the legislature if we need to get it

2681
02:32:40,278 --> 02:32:43,118
passed or whatever. It's

2682
02:32:44,518 --> 02:32:46,058
frustrating for me-

2683
02:32:46,118 --> 02:32:46,178
I think-

2684
02:32:46,188 --> 02:32:47,498
... for us to talk about this and-

2685
02:32:47,518 --> 02:32:51,008
There's a little bit of a shift mindset, but

2686
02:32:51,078 --> 02:32:54,438
to our commissioner's point, we want to make sure we do have

2687
02:32:54,958 --> 02:32:58,438
the authority. But Brooks, I agree with you, based on the feedback we've been

2688
02:32:58,518 --> 02:33:01,258
getting on some of these policies that

2689
02:33:02,498 --> 02:33:06,198
they'd really like to see the state board lead, along with the

2690
02:33:06,218 --> 02:33:08,658
department, in these particular areas.

2691
02:33:08,758 --> 02:33:10,538
So Board Member Casey?

2692
02:33:10,578 --> 02:33:14,558
Yeah, a couple of points. I certainly share your frustration, Brooks, on

2693
02:33:14,678 --> 02:33:18,418
a couple of aspects of it. I think as we look

2694
02:33:18,498 --> 02:33:21,898
towards a July agenda, that we

2695
02:33:21,958 --> 02:33:25,698
continue or we build on the conversation that we attempted to have last

2696
02:33:25,758 --> 02:33:27,998
July that maybe laid a foundation.

2697
02:33:28,058 --> 02:33:31,598
Clarity and understanding the scope of authority of our board,

2698
02:33:31,838 --> 02:33:32,178
because

2699
02:33:33,258 --> 02:33:36,338
we mentioned it yesterday with the governor, we are a state of locals.

2700
02:33:38,118 --> 02:33:41,838
So to what point can we set policy versus does it

2701
02:33:41,878 --> 02:33:43,058
require legislation?

2702
02:33:43,518 --> 02:33:43,528
Right.

2703
02:33:43,528 --> 02:33:45,468
And there's a fine line there, I'm sure.

2704
02:33:45,518 --> 02:33:48,858
And to the extent that we can influence policy versus set

2705
02:33:48,898 --> 02:33:51,828
policy, and that we can influence legislation.

2706
02:33:52,438 --> 02:33:56,338
Because I personally feel when we see a problem and

2707
02:33:56,398 --> 02:34:00,318
we have evidence of after proper discussion,

2708
02:34:00,358 --> 02:34:04,078
we agree that a particular policy would address that problem,

2709
02:34:04,848 --> 02:34:05,238
we need to

2710
02:34:06,298 --> 02:34:07,918
better understand our authority there.

2711
02:34:07,938 --> 02:34:10,308
The other thing I would say is back to the point on the number,

2712
02:34:12,378 --> 02:34:15,838
not to digress into a different, whole bigger conversation on

2713
02:34:15,918 --> 02:34:19,298
literacy here, but we do see it, but we'd have to

2714
02:34:19,318 --> 02:34:22,618
extrapolate it from the map results we get, and

2715
02:34:23,438 --> 02:34:27,318
x percent of our students are basic and below basic, and

2716
02:34:27,358 --> 02:34:30,638
then therefore... And we do see it at third-grade level and fourth-grade level in

2717
02:34:30,678 --> 02:34:34,098
our various updates. And you can go in and extrapolate that

2718
02:34:34,138 --> 02:34:37,538
information from other data. That goes

2719
02:34:37,678 --> 02:34:39,738
to the point, though,

2720
02:34:39,778 --> 02:34:43,598
the questions that

2721
02:34:43,678 --> 02:34:44,498
we have

2722
02:34:45,578 --> 02:34:49,498
should drive the information that we're receiving in our updates.

2723
02:34:49,528 --> 02:34:53,078
And I think that's what we're doing through our committee work, is evolving

2724
02:34:53,538 --> 02:34:57,098
that so with our input to the staff and working right

2725
02:34:57,138 --> 02:35:00,618
alongside, they're part of our committees, that they can

2726
02:35:00,658 --> 02:35:04,238
understand the kind of questions we're coming with and then provide the information

2727
02:35:04,298 --> 02:35:08,118
to us in a way that helps us better see and

2728
02:35:08,778 --> 02:35:11,498
better address the challenges that we're facing here.

2729
02:35:11,938 --> 02:35:12,458
So can I res-

2730
02:35:12,518 --> 02:35:13,128
Just, well-

2731
02:35:13,818 --> 02:35:15,008
I need to respond to this, please.

2732
02:35:15,038 --> 02:35:16,378
So Brooks would like to respond.

2733
02:35:17,118 --> 02:35:21,077
Yeah. And here's where I somewhat disagree with you.

2734
02:35:21,178 --> 02:35:24,978
Once again, we don't need to dig out that information.

2735
02:35:26,098 --> 02:35:28,248
This institution needs to dig out that information.

2736
02:35:28,278 --> 02:35:29,258
And that's what I'm saying.

2737
02:35:29,638 --> 02:35:30,218
And they need to-

2738
02:35:30,498 --> 02:35:31,898
What's disappointing is-

2739
02:35:32,028 --> 02:35:32,028
Yes

2740
02:35:32,028 --> 02:35:33,898
... we don't have that information.

2741
02:35:35,458 --> 02:35:39,318
You say we have it, but yet is third-grade

2742
02:35:39,398 --> 02:35:40,858
reading a problem?

2743
02:35:42,458 --> 02:35:46,378
And if it is, why are we not talking about that in our board meetings

2744
02:35:47,038 --> 02:35:50,758
about the programs we're going to improve on and how we're going to make an

2745
02:35:50,838 --> 02:35:54,158
impact on improving on that? It's a

2746
02:35:54,178 --> 02:35:57,838
frustration for me that we look at this big book.

2747
02:35:58,158 --> 02:36:01,858
I look at a big book every month. There's nothing about vision, there's nothing

2748
02:36:01,918 --> 02:36:05,538
about improvements. And then we have to

2749
02:36:05,578 --> 02:36:09,318
rely on legislators to come in here and push down our throat

2750
02:36:09,358 --> 02:36:12,598
something that because we are not proactive.

2751
02:36:13,538 --> 02:36:16,908
I'm not being disrespectful, it's just my feeling.

2752
02:36:17,338 --> 02:36:20,718
We are not being proactive in the work that we're supposed to be doing.

2753
02:36:20,778 --> 02:36:21,598
That's where I come from.

2754
02:36:22,138 --> 02:36:25,598
But because we are a local control state, I have to remind everybody, we are a

2755
02:36:25,658 --> 02:36:27,458
local control state.

2756
02:36:27,498 --> 02:36:27,758
Okay.

2757
02:36:27,838 --> 02:36:30,818
And we've had that conversation, too, with the governor's office as well.

2758
02:36:31,278 --> 02:36:35,258
So we do have a little bit of a line

2759
02:36:35,298 --> 02:36:36,818
that we have to balance and navigate.

2760
02:36:36,878 --> 02:36:38,498
Madam Chairman, I'm going to make a comment.

2761
02:36:38,658 --> 02:36:38,838
Okay.

2762
02:36:39,198 --> 02:36:42,998
If that is the reason that we cannot do our job is because we're a locally

2763
02:36:43,038 --> 02:36:46,988
controlled state, we need to disband the State Board of Education because

2764
02:36:47,038 --> 02:36:51,008
we're not doing a darn thing. And I don't want to hear the excuses

2765
02:36:51,008 --> 02:36:54,618
anymore why we can't do stuff, because that's what we're here to

2766
02:36:54,658 --> 02:36:58,418
do. We're here to take care of business as it relates to education.

2767
02:36:58,458 --> 02:37:00,848
And it's getting very frustrating

2768
02:37:01,958 --> 02:37:02,118
to

2769
02:37:02,998 --> 02:37:06,718
hear these things. I'm not throwing stones or anything

2770
02:37:06,758 --> 02:37:10,668
else. This is the reality. We have a legislator who knows that

2771
02:37:10,678 --> 02:37:13,858
it's important for third graders to be able to read.

2772
02:37:13,918 --> 02:37:17,218
Do we support the bill?

2773
02:37:17,938 --> 02:37:21,918
Does DESE come out and say, "Hey, we support that."

2774
02:37:22,058 --> 02:37:24,678
So we take a neutral stance on all legislation?

2775
02:37:25,078 --> 02:37:25,318
Okay.

2776
02:37:25,418 --> 02:37:27,578
And that's Brook's point exactly.

2777
02:37:27,618 --> 02:37:28,358
Yeah. No.

2778
02:37:28,558 --> 02:37:28,718
We should not.

2779
02:37:28,758 --> 02:37:29,778
This is ridiculous.

2780
02:37:29,918 --> 02:37:30,038
Yeah.

2781
02:37:30,338 --> 02:37:31,988
And I'm sorry to use those words-

2782
02:37:32,138 --> 02:37:32,608
And so I-

2783
02:37:32,628 --> 02:37:36,437
... but I'm passionate about this, and we need to be making changes for the

2784
02:37:36,498 --> 02:37:38,858
better of education in the state of Missouri.

2785
02:37:39,498 --> 02:37:41,778
And quit kicking this ball down the road.

2786
02:37:41,938 --> 02:37:42,728
And I'm frustrated and-

2787
02:37:42,788 --> 02:37:44,218
Pamela, I'm going to let you speak-

2788
02:37:44,288 --> 02:37:44,288
Sorry

2789
02:37:44,288 --> 02:37:46,838
... because you have waited about 15 minutes now to speak.

2790
02:37:46,958 --> 02:37:50,558
Strategic plan. So I echo

2791
02:37:50,678 --> 02:37:52,058
those sentiments. We

2792
02:37:53,118 --> 02:37:53,658
need to

2793
02:37:56,018 --> 02:37:58,888
keep our thinking caps on at all times, and

2794
02:38:00,518 --> 02:38:03,438
just because something is or is not in statute

2795
02:38:04,598 --> 02:38:08,458
does not relieve us of the responsibility to

2796
02:38:08,578 --> 02:38:09,338
think.

2797
02:38:09,378 --> 02:38:09,998
Right.

2798
02:38:10,118 --> 02:38:10,568
And

2799
02:38:11,398 --> 02:38:13,358
with that, I'm going to quickly

2800
02:38:14,458 --> 02:38:17,498
pivot back to 173 and

2801
02:38:17,718 --> 02:38:21,018
174, because we have an obligation

2802
02:38:21,698 --> 02:38:25,398
as board governors to think, not just to

2803
02:38:25,478 --> 02:38:28,738
do what we're told to do, but to challenge things

2804
02:38:28,798 --> 02:38:32,338
that constrain our ability to do what we're supposed to do.

2805
02:38:32,578 --> 02:38:32,658
Right.

2806
02:38:34,628 --> 02:38:38,448
We have a current charter school law that

2807
02:38:38,528 --> 02:38:42,388
has gaps. It does not require a local vote, which

2808
02:38:42,428 --> 02:38:45,168
is problematic because we are a local control state.

2809
02:38:45,228 --> 02:38:46,548
Right.

2810
02:38:46,578 --> 02:38:47,408
That is a problem.

2811
02:38:48,148 --> 02:38:48,328
I agree.

2812
02:38:48,468 --> 02:38:51,678
And it does not require fiscal

2813
02:38:51,708 --> 02:38:55,308
efficiency of the entire educational delivery system.

2814
02:38:56,108 --> 02:38:57,468
That is a problem.

2815
02:38:58,868 --> 02:39:02,308
Secondly, we have a proposed income tax elimination,

2816
02:39:03,048 --> 02:39:06,128
and based on studies that I literally just looked at,

2817
02:39:07,468 --> 02:39:11,308
the projection is that it will create a $5

2818
02:39:11,548 --> 02:39:15,388
billion hole in Missouri's budget,

2819
02:39:16,188 --> 02:39:19,248
which has already been reduced by tax cuts.

2820
02:39:20,708 --> 02:39:24,468
That will lead to an inability

2821
02:39:24,528 --> 02:39:26,268
to fund public education.

2822
02:39:28,188 --> 02:39:29,108
As governors

2823
02:39:30,568 --> 02:39:34,498
who have legislative priorities, we should be concerned about these

2824
02:39:34,508 --> 02:39:34,958
things.

2825
02:39:36,828 --> 02:39:39,528
And it is not enough to say that if the

2826
02:39:39,568 --> 02:39:43,548
requirements are X, then all we can do is just

2827
02:39:43,928 --> 02:39:45,528
govern according to the requirements.

2828
02:39:45,648 --> 02:39:49,448
No, our job is to challenge any requirement

2829
02:39:49,688 --> 02:39:52,428
that will do downstream harm. That is our job.

2830
02:39:54,548 --> 02:39:54,928
So,

2831
02:39:57,568 --> 02:40:01,548
chairman of legislative priorities, I

2832
02:40:01,568 --> 02:40:02,698
think these are things-

2833
02:40:02,818 --> 02:40:03,038
Mm-hmm. I agree

2834
02:40:03,038 --> 02:40:04,228
... that we should be talking about.

2835
02:40:04,328 --> 02:40:08,248
I agree totally. And our last vote was unfortunate because I think

2836
02:40:08,268 --> 02:40:12,218
there were some very valid issues that it may be in statute with

2837
02:40:12,268 --> 02:40:13,248
regards, but-

2838
02:40:13,808 --> 02:40:14,928
He's talking about the charter-

2839
02:40:15,248 --> 02:40:15,488
The charter

2840
02:40:15,498 --> 02:40:16,488
... that we had to vote on today.

2841
02:40:16,708 --> 02:40:16,908
Yeah.

2842
02:40:18,578 --> 02:40:22,168
Yeah. There was great comments brought up there, and there are definitely things we

2843
02:40:22,188 --> 02:40:25,598
can do legislatively, and we've got a great legislative chair, there's no question

2844
02:40:25,648 --> 02:40:29,228
about that. But I also think to Brooke's point,

2845
02:40:29,588 --> 02:40:33,228
we also want to be able to develop policy when it's appropriate to develop

2846
02:40:33,308 --> 02:40:37,268
policy without everything having to go through the legislative lens, so.

2847
02:40:37,338 --> 02:40:41,108
And to his point, we should have an opinion

2848
02:40:41,188 --> 02:40:42,568
on things that matter.

2849
02:40:43,488 --> 02:40:44,758
Yes. I think the board-

2850
02:40:44,758 --> 02:40:46,918
Like third graders should know how to read.

2851
02:40:46,988 --> 02:40:50,968
You're right. And I do feel like that has been a push from the board

2852
02:40:51,368 --> 02:40:55,088
for a while, for a couple of years. So

2853
02:40:55,368 --> 02:40:59,328
I feel like I'm seeing positive trends in that direction, and we want to

2854
02:40:59,368 --> 02:41:03,228
continue to do that. Now, Board Member Casey, if you don't mind, I'm going to call

2855
02:41:03,268 --> 02:41:03,908
on Board Member-

2856
02:41:04,068 --> 02:41:04,428
Excellent

2857
02:41:04,438 --> 02:41:05,747
... Schelle first, please.

2858
02:41:05,968 --> 02:41:08,028
So let's see, how do I circle back to what my thought was?

2859
02:41:08,088 --> 02:41:11,708
So totally hijacking our governmental

2860
02:41:11,768 --> 02:41:15,748
affairs update, but just, if the only way that we can get things done is

2861
02:41:15,808 --> 02:41:19,528
through legislation, and we're local

2862
02:41:19,598 --> 02:41:22,858
control, then we had a comment yesterday-

2863
02:41:22,918 --> 02:41:22,918
Mm-hmm

2864
02:41:22,918 --> 02:41:26,858
... that we had sort of some sidebar conversation about getting in touch with these

2865
02:41:26,908 --> 02:41:30,848
supervisors and seeing where their local discussions are and

2866
02:41:30,888 --> 02:41:32,668
what they're doing about third-grade reading.

2867
02:41:33,198 --> 02:41:33,198
Mm-hmm.

2868
02:41:33,228 --> 02:41:36,748
So if it's important there, if it's important here, and we're talking about it,

2869
02:41:36,828 --> 02:41:38,448
then we need to go locally to them-

2870
02:41:38,528 --> 02:41:38,638
Mm-hmm

2871
02:41:38,638 --> 02:41:41,358
... have them come here, present to us what they're seeing, what they're doing-

2872
02:41:41,428 --> 02:41:42,508
Right

2873
02:41:42,518 --> 02:41:45,728
... about it, and then how we join forces with them and give them what they need to

2874
02:41:45,748 --> 02:41:49,568
get it done. So, okay, so we've got a checkbox to where

2875
02:41:49,588 --> 02:41:51,008
that's the only way we can get it done.

2876
02:41:51,228 --> 02:41:53,908
But having the influential conversations-

2877
02:41:54,108 --> 02:41:54,158
Mm-hmm

2878
02:41:54,208 --> 02:41:55,248
... maybe that'll get it done.

2879
02:41:55,488 --> 02:41:55,588
You bet.

2880
02:41:56,048 --> 02:41:58,738
So, I would like to continue that conversation-

2881
02:41:58,868 --> 02:41:58,878
Sure

2882
02:41:58,878 --> 02:42:00,568
... of how we present that. Is it July retreat?

2883
02:42:00,688 --> 02:42:02,858
Is it we have two or three of them come every meeting?

2884
02:42:03,668 --> 02:42:07,128
How do we hold those locals accountable, I guess is the word.

2885
02:42:07,268 --> 02:42:08,048
Mm-hmm. Commissioner?

2886
02:42:08,388 --> 02:42:10,908
Sure. That was a great suggestion by our board members.

2887
02:42:11,788 --> 02:42:14,718
Yes, having the state supervisors, being able to get some information about what's

2888
02:42:14,728 --> 02:42:17,708
going on across the field and out and about.

2889
02:42:17,738 --> 02:42:21,048
And Board Member Brooks, I'd like to just comment

2890
02:42:21,058 --> 02:42:24,708
that what you're saying about all of these things that are

2891
02:42:24,748 --> 02:42:28,268
so in your face, right? Is reading important? Absolutely.

2892
02:42:28,368 --> 02:42:31,328
Have we known for several years that the literacy rate of the kids in the state of

2893
02:42:31,348 --> 02:42:33,248
Missouri has been going down? Absolutely.

2894
02:42:33,668 --> 02:42:36,308
You look at what happened in the MAP scores, anything else that you have as an

2895
02:42:36,368 --> 02:42:40,348
academic performance indicator, and from COVID on, it went way down

2896
02:42:40,368 --> 02:42:42,428
and has yet to recover where we would like for it to be.

2897
02:42:43,308 --> 02:42:46,548
The thing that I think has been part of the

2898
02:42:47,028 --> 02:42:50,848
work of this agency is that, yes, we

2899
02:42:50,967 --> 02:42:54,388
want to be able to influence. We do do a lot of work in the areas in which we

2900
02:42:54,428 --> 02:42:57,488
believe that they are insufficient and we need to be able to provide resources.

2901
02:42:58,348 --> 02:43:01,828
The thing that I don't see, and when I was sitting over there as a senator, I

2902
02:43:01,908 --> 02:43:05,128
couldn't see, is that where is it that we have the

2903
02:43:05,288 --> 02:43:08,968
authority or some way of actually saying, "You

2904
02:43:09,088 --> 02:43:09,348
will,"

2905
02:43:10,368 --> 02:43:13,748
or... Because I can't reduce monies.

2906
02:43:14,388 --> 02:43:16,288
The classification thing is in statute.

2907
02:43:16,688 --> 02:43:20,648
All these things are as far as how we make them do what we believe

2908
02:43:20,668 --> 02:43:21,528
is correct and right.

2909
02:43:22,368 --> 02:43:26,028
And I know that it makes it feel like the board is

2910
02:43:26,088 --> 02:43:29,548
irrelevant, and it's not. I do think that there is

2911
02:43:29,628 --> 02:43:33,268
opportunity for us to look to see what is the actual authority and

2912
02:43:33,368 --> 02:43:36,888
role of a board to implement things that are, like

2913
02:43:36,948 --> 02:43:39,568
third-grade retention. If we think that's a good idea, do it.

2914
02:43:40,748 --> 02:43:44,328
But I don't think that this agency has been put in that position,

2915
02:43:44,988 --> 02:43:47,668
even though I've said the same things that you're saying.

2916
02:43:48,048 --> 02:43:51,468
I've said the same things with what is the role of the department if you cannot

2917
02:43:51,568 --> 02:43:55,188
influence the quality of reading and if you cannot make folks do what we think they

2918
02:43:55,208 --> 02:43:55,908
we need to do.

2919
02:43:56,508 --> 02:43:58,108
With all due respect-

2920
02:43:58,168 --> 02:43:58,198
Mm-hmm

2921
02:43:58,198 --> 02:43:59,428
... and I mean this seriously,

2922
02:44:01,368 --> 02:44:05,268
what is your job then? If you can't sit at this table and

2923
02:44:05,368 --> 02:44:08,828
tell us what our responsibility is and what

2924
02:44:08,908 --> 02:44:12,648
opportunities we have to improve or take action or

2925
02:44:12,728 --> 02:44:12,908
im-

2926
02:44:14,028 --> 02:44:15,098
Sure. And true

2927
02:44:15,107 --> 02:44:18,618
... then what is your job? And that's what my

2928
02:44:18,648 --> 02:44:21,988
disappointment is, is that I've sat in here for seven

2929
02:44:22,028 --> 02:44:25,868
months. We've seen no vision. Now, I know we're working on a strategic plan-

2930
02:44:26,508 --> 02:44:26,598
Yeah

2931
02:44:26,828 --> 02:44:30,188
... which we've been working on for some time, and I'm certain it's going to be

2932
02:44:30,288 --> 02:44:31,148
very comprehensive.

2933
02:44:31,168 --> 02:44:31,178
Mm-hmm.

2934
02:44:31,508 --> 02:44:34,578
But I also guarantee it's not going to say anything about third-grade reading

2935
02:44:35,812 --> 02:44:37,632
So she does have academic performance-

2936
02:44:37,672 --> 02:44:39,212
It doesn't say anything about third-grade reading.

2937
02:44:40,072 --> 02:44:43,792
And let's get specific here. We don't have good numbers.

2938
02:44:43,872 --> 02:44:45,412
We don't know what it's going to take.

2939
02:44:45,432 --> 02:44:45,512
We

2940
02:44:48,272 --> 02:44:51,812
are operating in a fog, in my opinion,

2941
02:44:52,252 --> 02:44:55,992
without quality data to tell us what we ought to be doing.

2942
02:44:56,072 --> 02:44:59,552
And when we talk about statutes, well, how do we change a

2943
02:44:59,632 --> 02:45:00,192
statute?

2944
02:45:02,532 --> 02:45:03,032
Ourselves?

2945
02:45:03,132 --> 02:45:03,232
Yeah.

2946
02:45:03,292 --> 02:45:05,492
The department? You make recommendations to the legislature.

2947
02:45:05,502 --> 02:45:05,502
Okay.

2948
02:45:05,512 --> 02:45:06,512
Because I can't file a bill.

2949
02:45:06,812 --> 02:45:08,832
Okay. But that's fine.

2950
02:45:08,932 --> 02:45:09,012
Yeah.

2951
02:45:09,132 --> 02:45:10,812
But then that's what we ought to be doing.

2952
02:45:11,332 --> 02:45:14,752
When we have a question like we had, which was extremely important,

2953
02:45:15,232 --> 02:45:18,712
about the motion that we agreed to, that's wrong to have

2954
02:45:18,772 --> 02:45:22,172
something that all it does is check the box, in my

2955
02:45:22,212 --> 02:45:25,392
opinion. But at the same time, we're

2956
02:45:25,452 --> 02:45:27,672
required to support it because that's what it said.

2957
02:45:27,932 --> 02:45:29,852
We need to change the statute.

2958
02:45:30,972 --> 02:45:31,852
And we do not-

2959
02:45:32,872 --> 02:45:33,012
So-

2960
02:45:33,072 --> 02:45:36,112
And this is an important conversation. I don't want to be interrupted with it.

2961
02:45:36,652 --> 02:45:40,332
I'm just asking you, Madam Chairman, I think we need to leave this open

2962
02:45:40,792 --> 02:45:44,752
if it's in line with what we can do and get feedback from other

2963
02:45:44,792 --> 02:45:46,912
board members, whether you agree with it or not.

2964
02:45:47,192 --> 02:45:47,432
Because-

2965
02:45:47,582 --> 02:45:50,722
Well, I don't think anyone disagrees with you, Brooks, and I think that's the whole

2966
02:45:50,832 --> 02:45:53,252
point we're all trying to make here. We all agree.

2967
02:45:53,672 --> 02:45:56,532
There have been some pretty significant

2968
02:45:57,512 --> 02:46:01,412
differences on the role of the board and the department

2969
02:46:01,452 --> 02:46:03,972
in just the last three or four years.

2970
02:46:04,832 --> 02:46:08,432
We've been able to put forward legislation which, when I first came on the

2971
02:46:08,512 --> 02:46:11,412
board, the stance was we can't do anything.

2972
02:46:11,792 --> 02:46:15,292
And our first legislation we put forward were things like

2973
02:46:15,652 --> 02:46:19,512
looking at teacher pay and retention, looking at trying to

2974
02:46:19,552 --> 02:46:23,432
create success ready. Up until that time, the department had not

2975
02:46:23,472 --> 02:46:25,212
really ever put anything forward.

2976
02:46:25,712 --> 02:46:29,672
And just like all things culturally, which you understand this

2977
02:46:29,772 --> 02:46:32,852
because you were the executive director for

2978
02:46:33,592 --> 02:46:36,832
the Jordan Valley for years. I've had my own practice.

2979
02:46:36,872 --> 02:46:39,172
We have several of us who've been in businesses or work.

2980
02:46:39,772 --> 02:46:43,622
Culture takes some time to shift. I think this is a really pivotal

2981
02:46:43,752 --> 02:46:46,511
time. I'm super excited. That's what you can feel, too.

2982
02:46:46,652 --> 02:46:50,472
You see this as a pivotal time. We can step up.

2983
02:46:50,672 --> 02:46:51,572
We can do more.

2984
02:46:52,572 --> 02:46:56,472
But I also think that, like yesterday,

2985
02:46:56,532 --> 02:47:00,512
as we met with multiple legislators, there's differences of

2986
02:47:00,552 --> 02:47:04,092
opinions of what are the priorities and how to approach them.

2987
02:47:04,112 --> 02:47:06,722
And I just want us to be mindful of

2988
02:47:07,852 --> 02:47:11,612
as much as we can work together and, like you said, have these open conversations

2989
02:47:11,632 --> 02:47:14,202
because we've never had an open conversation like this-

2990
02:47:14,202 --> 02:47:14,202
No

2991
02:47:14,202 --> 02:47:17,641
... at the board regarding the legislature. So I think that's very good.

2992
02:47:17,732 --> 02:47:21,292
I think it's very healthy. I think the recommendation from

2993
02:47:21,852 --> 02:47:25,292
Board Member Scholz, excellent. She'd mentioned it last night.

2994
02:47:25,332 --> 02:47:26,632
There had been some conversation.

2995
02:47:27,492 --> 02:47:29,132
I've been on the board seven years now.

2996
02:47:29,462 --> 02:47:33,392
We've never really had the district superintendents come in and report what's

2997
02:47:33,432 --> 02:47:36,972
going on, nor have most of us had a close relationship with our district

2998
02:47:37,052 --> 02:47:40,152
superintendents, where we're not in the loop, we're not working together

2999
02:47:40,212 --> 02:47:44,162
collaboratively. So there are many things moving forward

3000
02:47:44,312 --> 02:47:47,282
I think we can do to address that are better.

3001
02:47:47,612 --> 02:47:51,272
But I also just want to acknowledge that we have been moving forward.

3002
02:47:51,312 --> 02:47:54,012
It's not like we've been totally standing still.

3003
02:47:54,632 --> 02:47:55,732
And I

3004
02:47:57,292 --> 02:48:01,152
am certain after you will have been on the board five to seven years, you'll

3005
02:48:01,192 --> 02:48:01,562
have

3006
02:48:02,392 --> 02:48:05,772
board members that will come in that will feel like there wasn't as much forward

3007
02:48:05,812 --> 02:48:06,792
movement as there could have been.

3008
02:48:06,832 --> 02:48:10,782
I disagree with you totally, because if I'm on this board in five years and it

3009
02:48:10,812 --> 02:48:14,332
continues to operate this, I won't be on this board for five years.

3010
02:48:14,432 --> 02:48:18,252
I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to sit in here and go

3011
02:48:18,312 --> 02:48:22,152
through mundane facts and figures and no consistency on what we

3012
02:48:22,172 --> 02:48:25,972
really know or don't know and how we can improve school

3013
02:48:26,012 --> 02:48:26,662
performance.

3014
02:48:27,492 --> 02:48:31,152
We don't even talk about what's our lowest, how many

3015
02:48:31,272 --> 02:48:34,912
schools... And the other frustration I have, we put out a

3016
02:48:34,952 --> 02:48:38,532
report that 91% of all schools are doing above

3017
02:48:38,542 --> 02:48:40,272
average, I think it was.

3018
02:48:41,032 --> 02:48:41,552
C or better.

3019
02:48:41,852 --> 02:48:42,412
C or better.

3020
02:48:42,872 --> 02:48:43,502
70% are better.

3021
02:48:43,552 --> 02:48:45,972
Okay, so we don't have any problems. We're 91%.

3022
02:48:46,752 --> 02:48:48,632
That's not the message. I mean, that-

3023
02:48:48,962 --> 02:48:52,931
It is confusing because the annual performance report,

3024
02:48:53,032 --> 02:48:56,941
which gives you a listing of what it is that this board has

3025
02:48:56,972 --> 02:48:58,952
established, historically has established-

3026
02:48:59,001 --> 02:48:59,042
Mm-hmm

3027
02:48:59,042 --> 02:49:02,692
... as you get these points for these things that you do, that there are

3028
02:49:02,992 --> 02:49:06,932
90 some odd percent that are making C or better, which means they met the standard,

3029
02:49:06,972 --> 02:49:07,792
which they're accredited.

3030
02:49:08,032 --> 02:49:08,662
Okay. So that's-

3031
02:49:08,662 --> 02:49:10,112
So 91% are accredited, yes.

3032
02:49:10,152 --> 02:49:11,482
If they're all Cs, but-

3033
02:49:12,432 --> 02:49:13,812
Well, I don't know if they're all Cs, but yeah.

3034
02:49:13,952 --> 02:49:16,162
Yeah. We're saying that's okay. And- ...

3035
02:49:17,392 --> 02:49:21,232
once again, I go back to it. What are the 20 schools in our state

3036
02:49:21,242 --> 02:49:24,872
that we ought to be looking at to provisionally accredit because of their

3037
02:49:24,892 --> 02:49:28,272
performance? We've never had a conversation about that.

3038
02:49:28,302 --> 02:49:28,402
It's been-

3039
02:49:28,412 --> 02:49:32,352
We've talked about St. Louis, but we have not taken a look at

3040
02:49:32,452 --> 02:49:36,212
other schools, and that's one of the comments that the governor's office

3041
02:49:36,312 --> 02:49:39,892
gave us yesterday. Where are the schools at that are really having

3042
02:49:39,932 --> 02:49:41,602
problems that we need to be focusing on?

3043
02:49:42,132 --> 02:49:45,032
Now, why does the governor's office have to tell us to do that?

3044
02:49:45,052 --> 02:49:46,532
And why do we not do it ourselves?

3045
02:49:46,732 --> 02:49:50,432
We do know the schools that are having trouble, the 20 of them or 25, yes.

3046
02:49:50,492 --> 02:49:53,942
Then why aren't we discussing it at this board meeting and what we're doing about

3047
02:49:53,942 --> 02:49:53,942
it?

3048
02:49:54,412 --> 02:49:57,912
It has not been the role of the board to do those specific operational pieces, is

3049
02:49:57,932 --> 02:49:58,492
what I'm saying.

3050
02:49:58,892 --> 02:49:59,692
Board Member Casey.

3051
02:50:00,752 --> 02:50:01,472
I love this.

3052
02:50:04,312 --> 02:50:08,192
I think it is exactly the level

3053
02:50:08,202 --> 02:50:12,112
of conversation that we should have at every meeting because there are

3054
02:50:12,152 --> 02:50:15,272
many things that are challenging us in our state.

3055
02:50:16,022 --> 02:50:18,212
And I think so much work is being done.

3056
02:50:18,472 --> 02:50:18,572
Mm-hmm.

3057
02:50:18,772 --> 02:50:22,432
Maybe it's not always understood or maybe it's just not always communicated.

3058
02:50:22,552 --> 02:50:25,972
That's one side of it. But I think on the other side of it, it is all

3059
02:50:26,032 --> 02:50:29,762
about our priorities, clarity on our priorities, spending

3060
02:50:29,912 --> 02:50:31,712
time on our priorities.

3061
02:50:32,812 --> 02:50:35,912
We have

3062
02:50:36,172 --> 02:50:39,832
responsibilities within our agenda, and we spend time on rules and

3063
02:50:39,892 --> 02:50:43,612
regs, and they make sense, and what was presented to us earlier was

3064
02:50:43,732 --> 02:50:46,512
great. But at the same time, the bigger

3065
02:50:47,312 --> 02:50:51,104
challenging issuesOf why aren't third

3066
02:50:51,164 --> 02:50:54,964
graders reading? Why don't we have fiscal awareness?

3067
02:50:55,964 --> 02:50:57,854
Looking at everything that Pam expressed.

3068
02:50:58,444 --> 02:51:02,064
Those are so critically important, and that's where the thought

3069
02:51:02,084 --> 02:51:03,744
leadership of this board needs to come in.

3070
02:51:03,784 --> 02:51:07,524
There should not be a bill out there about third-grade retention that we,

3071
02:51:07,644 --> 02:51:11,024
one, haven't weighed in on. But Brooks, I'll challenge you back.

3072
02:51:11,124 --> 02:51:13,664
That's the role of your committee to know what's going-

3073
02:51:13,824 --> 02:51:13,834
It is.

3074
02:51:13,864 --> 02:51:17,644
Yeah. And to have discussed it and then brought it to the

3075
02:51:17,704 --> 02:51:17,944
board.

3076
02:51:17,964 --> 02:51:20,904
We should've talked about it yesterday with everybody we met to say, "We really

3077
02:51:20,964 --> 02:51:24,884
support this bill, and do everything you can to get it across the line because

3078
02:51:24,904 --> 02:51:25,784
this is how it's going to improve it."

3079
02:51:25,844 --> 02:51:26,444
Yeah.

3080
02:51:26,684 --> 02:51:26,884
I mean-

3081
02:51:27,324 --> 02:51:29,684
And we welcome your leadership in doing that.

3082
02:51:29,784 --> 02:51:33,404
Yeah. I'd like to finish. So I agree with that

3083
02:51:33,464 --> 02:51:36,804
frustration, and that's why I think the work of our committees is so important.

3084
02:51:37,464 --> 02:51:41,144
It is feeling like we're inertia

3085
02:51:41,153 --> 02:51:44,854
here, that why we haven't. But this is our

3086
02:51:44,924 --> 02:51:48,664
opportunity to do it. I think it's important that the

3087
02:51:48,704 --> 02:51:52,514
legislative committee, through committee work, lead discussions on all

3088
02:51:52,544 --> 02:51:55,444
these important questions that tie back into either

3089
02:51:55,484 --> 02:51:58,794
proposed legislation already or

3090
02:52:00,264 --> 02:52:04,244
new legislation that we want to propose, and then you bring a more succinct

3091
02:52:04,284 --> 02:52:06,554
version to the board for conversation.

3092
02:52:07,044 --> 02:52:10,604
The same thing is going to happen, is starting to happen in the finance committee.

3093
02:52:11,184 --> 02:52:12,494
Operating budgets,

3094
02:52:13,304 --> 02:52:16,924
delving into results of

3095
02:52:16,964 --> 02:52:20,444
programs and cost analysis. The other thing will happen in the

3096
02:52:20,464 --> 02:52:24,024
student... We'll call it the student outcomes committee at the moment.

3097
02:52:24,744 --> 02:52:28,664
In terms of where we're going and what is happening, where

3098
02:52:28,744 --> 02:52:32,324
are we seeing these problems, and then bringing the proper level discussion to the

3099
02:52:32,344 --> 02:52:35,084
board. But I want to say another thing.

3100
02:52:35,144 --> 02:52:37,594
It's like we're here for a given reason.

3101
02:52:38,754 --> 02:52:41,744
A meeting or two ago, there was a complaint that we were here for too long.

3102
02:52:41,804 --> 02:52:41,924
Well,

3103
02:52:44,104 --> 02:52:47,814
we should be here for as long as we are needed to address these

3104
02:52:48,224 --> 02:52:52,194
bigger issues. I would like to not spend as much time on some of the

3105
02:52:52,284 --> 02:52:54,324
lesser issues and spend more time on this.

3106
02:52:54,424 --> 02:52:57,844
We're working to maybe have a working lunch and leave at 1:30.

3107
02:52:58,024 --> 02:53:01,814
We should be here till 6:00 tonight and spend the afternoon grappling with

3108
02:53:01,844 --> 02:53:05,064
big questions. We need to change our

3109
02:53:05,104 --> 02:53:08,713
methodology, I think, to a degree, because we have

3110
02:53:08,724 --> 02:53:12,304
responsibilities in it. But we may talk only about literacy

3111
02:53:13,864 --> 02:53:17,774
twice a year. I'm making that up. I'm sure we talk about it

3112
02:53:17,864 --> 02:53:17,984
more.

3113
02:53:18,054 --> 02:53:18,054
Okay.

3114
02:53:18,084 --> 02:53:19,964
But we let

3115
02:53:21,564 --> 02:53:24,864
agenda items drive our

3116
02:53:24,884 --> 02:53:28,534
discussion instead of our belief in what's important to be

3117
02:53:28,544 --> 02:53:32,433
discussing driving the agenda. And we need to take another look at

3118
02:53:32,524 --> 02:53:36,444
that because we're not... And the strategic

3119
02:53:36,464 --> 02:53:39,004
plan is absolutely going to help that to happen.

3120
02:53:39,034 --> 02:53:39,034
Absolutely. Yeah. It will.

3121
02:53:39,044 --> 02:53:42,933
But I really think we need to step back, and Madam

3122
02:53:42,964 --> 02:53:46,864
President, from your role, and even you, Brooks, as

3123
02:53:46,924 --> 02:53:50,264
the vice president and the commissioner, to really take a look at how our

3124
02:53:50,304 --> 02:53:53,624
agendas can be structured in a way that we can

3125
02:53:55,104 --> 02:53:57,864
be tackling, if you will, or discussing

3126
02:53:57,924 --> 02:54:01,904
particular meaty issues and concerns

3127
02:54:01,924 --> 02:54:03,153
and learn more about them,

3128
02:54:04,484 --> 02:54:08,464
and have the right discussion so that the right input goes to

3129
02:54:08,484 --> 02:54:10,484
whether it's legislature or

3130
02:54:11,384 --> 02:54:14,244
back into the department. And the last thing I would say is,

3131
02:54:15,004 --> 02:54:17,944
I'm waiting. When will we start talking about our

3132
02:54:18,004 --> 02:54:20,904
next year's legislative priorities?

3133
02:54:21,394 --> 02:54:21,504
Yeah.

3134
02:54:21,584 --> 02:54:25,424
That's really important. And so that's the process I think we can

3135
02:54:25,464 --> 02:54:29,164
be using to address all those very important concerns, because I

3136
02:54:29,224 --> 02:54:30,264
totally agree with you.

3137
02:54:30,444 --> 02:54:33,304
So one thing that I do want to address the 1:30.

3138
02:54:33,524 --> 02:54:36,024
I don't know that anyone wanted to get out of here at 1:30.

3139
02:54:36,064 --> 02:54:37,254
Wait, no. Right.

3140
02:54:37,324 --> 02:54:38,194
But I understand your example.

3141
02:54:38,194 --> 02:54:39,194
With the way our agenda's lining up, it looked like we-

3142
02:54:39,194 --> 02:54:42,694
But when we did go till 5:00, pretty much every board member gave me a little

3143
02:54:42,744 --> 02:54:46,653
feedback except you. So, we just know

3144
02:54:46,684 --> 02:54:50,534
how much time. With that being said, on this particular agenda today,

3145
02:54:51,424 --> 02:54:55,384
as you can see, our two biggest items, in my opinion, are coming up,

3146
02:54:56,584 --> 02:55:00,504
right? Because we're going to talk about the strategic plan refresh,

3147
02:55:00,744 --> 02:55:02,384
and I think that could take,

3148
02:55:03,224 --> 02:55:07,124
I'm going to say an hour, hour and a half if we dig in very deeply, and I think

3149
02:55:07,164 --> 02:55:10,044
that's kind of what the commissioner, you'd said it's going to be a lengthy

3150
02:55:10,124 --> 02:55:10,543
conversation.

3151
02:55:10,584 --> 02:55:14,444
I assumed it would be, yes. And I'm hoping that what you see in the strategic

3152
02:55:14,484 --> 02:55:18,424
plan, you'll see where those specific pieces of how are we measuring, how

3153
02:55:18,464 --> 02:55:21,814
will this board know, and some of that information will be provided through some of

3154
02:55:21,844 --> 02:55:22,224
that work.

3155
02:55:22,504 --> 02:55:23,814
But I do think, and-

3156
02:55:23,814 --> 02:55:24,174
Go ahead

3157
02:55:24,304 --> 02:55:27,464
... to your other comment real quick, and John, then I'll call on you and Pamela.

3158
02:55:27,964 --> 02:55:31,954
But the working lunch, the negative is that it doesn't

3159
02:55:32,004 --> 02:55:33,784
allow us to sit around the table and visit.

3160
02:55:33,924 --> 02:55:37,744
And there may be taking that 30 or 40 minutes for us to

3161
02:55:37,844 --> 02:55:41,824
eat and sit around and visit because some of the conversation, that time that

3162
02:55:41,924 --> 02:55:45,084
I think everybody wants so much, we can allow for that.

3163
02:55:45,184 --> 02:55:48,384
So I'll be mindful of that if you all prefer to do that in the future.

3164
02:55:49,524 --> 02:55:52,284
So with that said, John, I know you had a comment you were going to make.

3165
02:55:53,124 --> 02:55:54,364
Yeah, no, real quick. I

3166
02:55:55,744 --> 02:55:57,724
was going to make a kind of a jokey comment

3167
02:55:58,664 --> 02:56:02,404
based on what Carrie said. I agree with everything she said about

3168
02:56:03,264 --> 02:56:07,174
we need to be more intentional about organizing our agenda, be specific about

3169
02:56:07,204 --> 02:56:09,604
what we want to talk about, and what you just said,

3170
02:56:10,884 --> 02:56:12,334
President Schrog, with

3171
02:56:13,484 --> 02:56:16,464
respect to the next two items being the most important.

3172
02:56:16,524 --> 02:56:20,494
I think we should organize our agenda that way, knowing that

3173
02:56:20,544 --> 02:56:23,864
if we're going to spend an hour and a half, and I think we made comments before

3174
02:56:24,124 --> 02:56:27,864
about putting a timeframe or something like that, just so that we can kind of know

3175
02:56:27,924 --> 02:56:31,844
what the big agenda items are. And that way we can

3176
02:56:31,904 --> 02:56:32,304
focus.

3177
02:56:33,164 --> 02:56:36,784
I just think that it would be good to

3178
02:56:36,864 --> 02:56:39,984
have a better organized agenda

3179
02:56:40,704 --> 02:56:43,594
going forward. Now, the joke I was going to make is that I don't want to stay till

3180
02:56:43,784 --> 02:56:44,544
6:00 o'clock, but

3181
02:56:45,544 --> 02:56:49,504
if we need to, we need to. But at least knowing ahead of time

3182
02:56:49,564 --> 02:56:52,924
that there are some big-ticket items or really important things, like

3183
02:56:52,944 --> 02:56:53,884
particularly the

3184
02:56:54,672 --> 02:56:57,452
The legislative priorities, I think those are things that we need to talk.

3185
02:56:57,472 --> 02:57:00,512
I think that was a very good discussion we had, and that's what we need to be

3186
02:57:00,552 --> 02:57:04,272
having every meeting, and we need to allow time for that.

3187
02:57:04,352 --> 02:57:05,472
And so, I

3188
02:57:06,812 --> 02:57:08,492
really just wanted to reiterate what

3189
02:57:09,432 --> 02:57:10,292
Kerry said about

3190
02:57:11,432 --> 02:57:14,972
organizing the agenda in a way that maximizes the

3191
02:57:15,012 --> 02:57:16,412
efficiency of our meetings.

3192
02:57:17,592 --> 02:57:17,992
Pamela?

3193
02:57:20,272 --> 02:57:22,862
Ditto to everything that's been said.

3194
02:57:22,972 --> 02:57:25,332
I love this conversation.

3195
02:57:27,652 --> 02:57:28,732
We are

3196
02:57:29,992 --> 02:57:32,872
in a state, in a local control state,

3197
02:57:33,692 --> 02:57:35,132
that has almost

3198
02:57:35,172 --> 02:57:38,632
550-ish school

3199
02:57:39,352 --> 02:57:39,952
districts.

3200
02:57:41,692 --> 02:57:42,242
And

3201
02:57:43,052 --> 02:57:45,912
an average local control state has about

3202
02:57:46,152 --> 02:57:47,072
350.

3203
02:57:47,352 --> 02:57:47,672
Right.

3204
02:57:49,312 --> 02:57:52,692
So, as we live with the

3205
02:57:52,812 --> 02:57:56,792
aftermath of tax cuts, as we contemplate

3206
02:57:56,852 --> 02:58:00,832
a $5 million or a billion dollar hole from an

3207
02:58:00,952 --> 02:58:02,112
income tax cut,

3208
02:58:03,472 --> 02:58:06,832
we need to find ways to more efficiently

3209
02:58:07,352 --> 02:58:10,842
deliver educational excellence in this state because

3210
02:58:10,992 --> 02:58:11,792
the

3211
02:58:12,612 --> 02:58:15,032
appetite and the revenues for

3212
02:58:16,952 --> 02:58:20,552
our budget are diminishing. That being

3213
02:58:20,672 --> 02:58:24,252
said, if we're not, as a board, having a

3214
02:58:24,372 --> 02:58:26,672
conversation about

3215
02:58:27,912 --> 02:58:29,492
all of these school districts

3216
02:58:31,052 --> 02:58:33,552
and whether or not we have both

3217
02:58:34,752 --> 02:58:37,092
educational excellence and operational

3218
02:58:37,272 --> 02:58:41,052
efficiency simultaneously,

3219
02:58:41,632 --> 02:58:45,052
then we are not doing our

3220
02:58:45,152 --> 02:58:45,812
jobs.

3221
02:58:47,372 --> 02:58:50,962
And that is a conversation that no one wants to have,

3222
02:58:52,092 --> 02:58:55,472
and we just don't bring it up, and we keep going about our

3223
02:58:56,072 --> 02:58:56,652
business.

3224
02:58:57,852 --> 02:59:00,112
And then there's this big white elephant in the room.

3225
02:59:01,192 --> 02:59:04,991
And at some point, we've got to look at the structures that

3226
02:59:05,072 --> 02:59:08,532
we're maintaining and figure out how we're going to

3227
02:59:08,952 --> 02:59:10,852
deliver education more efficiently.

3228
02:59:11,612 --> 02:59:14,712
Because that's the big elephant in the room that we're not talking about.

3229
02:59:16,372 --> 02:59:18,922
And I hope and pray we don't have a

3230
02:59:19,752 --> 02:59:23,372
retreat that doesn't address this big structural

3231
02:59:23,572 --> 02:59:24,172
issue

3232
02:59:25,092 --> 02:59:28,432
and the fact that we're not going to have the revenues to keep doing what we're

3233
02:59:28,472 --> 02:59:28,872
doing.

3234
02:59:30,432 --> 02:59:30,752
So,

3235
02:59:31,832 --> 02:59:35,712
I just wanted to put it out there for all to hear, to hold us accountable

3236
02:59:35,752 --> 02:59:37,312
to having a conversation about it.

3237
02:59:37,692 --> 02:59:41,672
I do think the committee structure that is going to be more in-depth will,

3238
02:59:41,972 --> 02:59:42,472
I hope,

3239
02:59:43,472 --> 02:59:46,972
move things forward more because we have expanded on that.

3240
02:59:47,061 --> 02:59:50,912
And also, I think we're giving our committees more latitude than what they've

3241
02:59:50,952 --> 02:59:54,452
had in the past, and I anticipate that that will continue.

3242
02:59:55,372 --> 02:59:59,322
With that being said, on the agenda as we go through,

3243
03:00:01,152 --> 03:00:03,912
I'm definitely open for us to reorder it.

3244
03:00:04,152 --> 03:00:07,772
I think the items for action, I think the assumption is that

3245
03:00:08,252 --> 03:00:12,082
most of the time that's a little more efficient and

3246
03:00:12,132 --> 03:00:14,292
quicker because you've had the data, we've discussed it.

3247
03:00:14,412 --> 03:00:18,152
We're not asking anyone for an action item that hadn't been discussed at least at

3248
03:00:18,192 --> 03:00:19,972
one board meeting and sometimes multiple.

3249
03:00:20,752 --> 03:00:24,472
So it seems like it's easier to do those type of

3250
03:00:24,512 --> 03:00:27,792
things like the consent agenda, quick reports,

3251
03:00:28,292 --> 03:00:32,232
and then our action items so that when we get later into the day where

3252
03:00:32,292 --> 03:00:35,072
we can have a little more time for discussion.

3253
03:00:36,072 --> 03:00:36,812
There isn't

3254
03:00:39,592 --> 03:00:43,172
any time frames that we have set on these

3255
03:00:43,232 --> 03:00:47,132
meetings, but at the same time, I have had board members say, "I'd

3256
03:00:47,172 --> 03:00:50,792
like to see us get a little more efficient. I'd like to move a little quicker.

3257
03:00:50,972 --> 03:00:52,442
I don't want to be out of here at 5:00."

3258
03:00:53,412 --> 03:00:57,372
So we're just trying to make everybody as happy as we can with this.

3259
03:00:57,412 --> 03:01:00,962
So why don't we talk about that? Why don't we, as a board, we talk about that

3260
03:01:01,432 --> 03:01:02,842
so that we hear everybody's opinion?

3261
03:01:02,882 --> 03:01:06,172
And I want to know who says that we need to get out of here by 5:00.

3262
03:01:06,252 --> 03:01:09,492
Now, I appreciate those that have the driveaways and things like that.

3263
03:01:09,992 --> 03:01:12,552
We talk about this stuff and then we push it off.

3264
03:01:12,682 --> 03:01:16,072
And because we have this ridiculous 60-day

3265
03:01:16,152 --> 03:01:19,932
moratorium on issues for our agenda, we can't talk about it in

3266
03:01:20,072 --> 03:01:23,992
30 days, it's 60 days. And so you're pushing everything so far out,

3267
03:01:24,572 --> 03:01:26,892
and this world's turning pretty darn fast.

3268
03:01:27,292 --> 03:01:30,832
And we need to be able to address some of these things, but we've never had a

3269
03:01:30,952 --> 03:01:34,892
serious conversation since I've been on the board about our roles and

3270
03:01:34,932 --> 03:01:35,872
responsibilities,

3271
03:01:36,712 --> 03:01:40,192
what we should and shouldn't be doing, how this agenda is put together.

3272
03:01:41,092 --> 03:01:43,412
It's just business as usual it seems like.

3273
03:01:43,472 --> 03:01:43,562
And-

3274
03:01:43,992 --> 03:01:45,792
I'm teasing you, but I'm also serious.

3275
03:01:45,872 --> 03:01:49,312
You were one that said how we don't need to be here till 5:00. I'm just so tired.

3276
03:01:49,412 --> 03:01:50,372
I did not say that.

3277
03:01:50,822 --> 03:01:50,822
Okay.

3278
03:01:50,892 --> 03:01:54,352
I did not say that. Because I'm going to tell you, I've taken plenty of board

3279
03:01:54,672 --> 03:01:56,712
meetings past where I needed to be.

3280
03:01:57,132 --> 03:02:00,792
But if I felt it was important, by God, we're going to talk about it.

3281
03:02:00,872 --> 03:02:01,132
Yeah.

3282
03:02:01,242 --> 03:02:03,432
And I believe student education's important.

3283
03:02:03,732 --> 03:02:05,212
So we stayed till 5:00 because-

3284
03:02:05,412 --> 03:02:05,632
I don't-

3285
03:02:05,642 --> 03:02:06,222
... you did think it was important

3286
03:02:06,252 --> 03:02:08,302
... I don't care if we're here till 8:00 or 10:00.

3287
03:02:08,302 --> 03:02:08,452
Okay.

3288
03:02:08,502 --> 03:02:12,392
I don't. And I don't mean to speak for John who has to travel

3289
03:02:12,432 --> 03:02:15,162
and Mike has to travel and Pamela and things.

3290
03:02:15,302 --> 03:02:16,431
I'm here as long as we need it.

3291
03:02:16,772 --> 03:02:19,832
What is more important than taking care of the children?

3292
03:02:20,112 --> 03:02:20,192
Right.

3293
03:02:20,252 --> 03:02:24,012
What is more important in our whole life besides our family,

3294
03:02:24,092 --> 03:02:28,012
direct families, than taking care of kids and improving outcomes

3295
03:02:28,032 --> 03:02:29,712
in education?

3296
03:02:29,742 --> 03:02:29,742
True.

3297
03:02:30,152 --> 03:02:34,072
We talk about these issues like we open them up in a box

3298
03:02:34,112 --> 03:02:37,272
of C*****r Jacks or something, and then we throw it away, and these are

3299
03:02:37,632 --> 03:02:39,052
extremely important.

3300
03:02:40,172 --> 03:02:44,032
But unless if we as a board don't have any responsibility

3301
03:02:44,072 --> 03:02:46,942
for any of that, then I think we ought to be able to get in and out in an

3302
03:02:47,012 --> 03:02:50,928
hourI mean, that's just the reality

3303
03:02:51,008 --> 03:02:51,248
of it.

3304
03:02:51,928 --> 03:02:55,568
I think that's just such a great way to frame it, Brooks.

3305
03:02:55,598 --> 03:02:55,598
Yeah.

3306
03:02:55,628 --> 03:02:58,738
I mean, either we're in this or we're not in this.

3307
03:02:58,768 --> 03:02:58,778
Yeah.

3308
03:02:58,778 --> 03:03:02,638
And so I think we need to start with, we did try this

3309
03:03:02,708 --> 03:03:05,428
last year, honestly, and you guys were so new.

3310
03:03:05,448 --> 03:03:08,728
But to better understand, we've talked about it for years.

3311
03:03:08,768 --> 03:03:12,628
Where does our authority rest? Where do we have that...

3312
03:03:14,108 --> 03:03:16,107
We can repeat all the past conversation.

3313
03:03:16,208 --> 03:03:16,428
Mm-hmm.

3314
03:03:17,368 --> 03:03:21,208
First things first, let's make sure we really grapple with that

3315
03:03:21,308 --> 03:03:21,488
and

3316
03:03:22,928 --> 03:03:26,908
push the envelope on it as well. That was that discussion we

3317
03:03:26,968 --> 03:03:27,708
had yesterday.

3318
03:03:27,948 --> 03:03:28,058
Mm-hmm.

3319
03:03:28,168 --> 03:03:30,588
And then the other thing is, let's

3320
03:03:31,388 --> 03:03:34,718
get those priorities out that are part of the strategic plan, and

3321
03:03:34,788 --> 03:03:35,648
put

3322
03:03:36,568 --> 03:03:39,488
a meaty discussion item on every single agenda-

3323
03:03:39,928 --> 03:03:40,088
Yeah

3324
03:03:40,097 --> 03:03:43,688
... that helps us delve into it. And then I leave that to you,

3325
03:03:43,828 --> 03:03:46,938
Brooks, to the three of you. I got the authority here.

3326
03:03:47,048 --> 03:03:50,917
Sorry about that. More respectfully, I think it is the responsibility of

3327
03:03:50,948 --> 03:03:51,128
the

3328
03:03:51,988 --> 03:03:53,268
executive group there-

3329
03:03:53,728 --> 03:03:53,738
Mm-hmm

3330
03:03:53,738 --> 03:03:56,878
... to help discern that as to how that should-

3331
03:03:57,648 --> 03:03:59,988
And truly, that is the plan with the strategic plan-

3332
03:04:00,038 --> 03:04:00,038
Yeah

3333
03:04:00,038 --> 03:04:03,908
... is that once those priorities are agreed upon, then each agenda item addresses

3334
03:04:03,928 --> 03:04:05,308
those priorities as we go forward.

3335
03:04:05,388 --> 03:04:08,848
And I think it's great we have a strategic plan, but I think it's the biggest

3336
03:04:08,888 --> 03:04:10,548
excuse for why we don't do something.

3337
03:04:10,948 --> 03:04:12,868
Because we're going to put it in the strategy.

3338
03:04:12,948 --> 03:04:13,298
No.

3339
03:04:13,368 --> 03:04:15,968
Why can we not in 60 days make changes?

3340
03:04:16,428 --> 03:04:19,468
Well, that to me, that concerns me, your point that

3341
03:04:20,768 --> 03:04:24,748
I've always viewed the future agenda

3342
03:04:24,848 --> 03:04:28,368
as informative but not

3343
03:04:30,008 --> 03:04:31,068
cast in stone.

3344
03:04:31,118 --> 03:04:31,118
Right.

3345
03:04:31,128 --> 03:04:33,908
In other words, we can work with you to have something-

3346
03:04:34,008 --> 03:04:35,908
I do think we have added a few things the next month.

3347
03:04:36,098 --> 03:04:36,098
Sure. Okay.

3348
03:04:36,128 --> 03:04:39,948
The past practices had been 60 days, but Brooks, you and I are very

3349
03:04:39,988 --> 03:04:41,868
much aligned in that attitude there.

3350
03:04:41,918 --> 03:04:41,918
Okay.

3351
03:04:41,918 --> 03:04:43,528
And I think we have added some things.

3352
03:04:44,248 --> 03:04:48,228
And you and I get to go over the agenda with the commissioner before it

3353
03:04:48,308 --> 03:04:52,248
gets posted. So I feel like what I'm hearing is there

3354
03:04:52,268 --> 03:04:56,208
is a charge being made by the rest of the board to you and I, and

3355
03:04:56,248 --> 03:05:00,188
we'll talk through this and figure out how we can make sure

3356
03:05:00,228 --> 03:05:02,268
we have discussion time for the important things.

3357
03:05:02,988 --> 03:05:06,848
Gretchen and Mike, you've had a comment and things, but

3358
03:05:07,008 --> 03:05:08,798
Mike, where do you stand on it?

3359
03:05:10,428 --> 03:05:14,278
Yeah, I don't recall ever saying... I don't have an issue with time.

3360
03:05:14,448 --> 03:05:16,628
I think my comment has been, if I'm here, I'm here.

3361
03:05:16,888 --> 03:05:17,308
Yeah.

3362
03:05:17,348 --> 03:05:20,208
I block my entire Tuesday. So I can't get here on Monday nights

3363
03:05:21,308 --> 03:05:25,048
for work and family reasons, but Tuesdays are board meeting time.

3364
03:05:25,428 --> 03:05:25,768
Mm-hmm.

3365
03:05:25,778 --> 03:05:26,168
Good.

3366
03:05:26,208 --> 03:05:27,408
I don't think I've ever said otherwise.

3367
03:05:28,228 --> 03:05:28,568
Any-

3368
03:05:28,948 --> 03:05:29,928
Oh, and sorry. I

3369
03:05:31,508 --> 03:05:35,468
agree with what Brooks, the overall point he's making here.

3370
03:05:39,028 --> 03:05:39,908
And that's all I'll say.

3371
03:05:42,088 --> 03:05:42,648
Absolutely.

3372
03:05:42,928 --> 03:05:45,368
Any other comments? Any questions?

3373
03:05:45,448 --> 03:05:48,068
So Perry, do you have anything else that you need or want to add?

3374
03:05:48,128 --> 03:05:52,008
I would say you do need to touch on our budget

3375
03:05:52,048 --> 03:05:55,578
conversations from yesterday. I think the whole board needs to have some kind of

3376
03:05:55,588 --> 03:05:58,108
concept of what we heard from the state rep, though.

3377
03:05:58,908 --> 03:06:01,368
I think he wants it from our meetings versus Cal-

3378
03:06:01,408 --> 03:06:01,748
As in-

3379
03:06:02,668 --> 03:06:05,448
What the potential cuts to our budget might be.

3380
03:06:07,388 --> 03:06:11,228
The forward look on the level of

3381
03:06:11,268 --> 03:06:12,168
revenue at the state.

3382
03:06:12,198 --> 03:06:12,788
Representative Fogle's comments with regards to this.

3383
03:06:12,828 --> 03:06:14,028
I think Kyle's coming up.

3384
03:06:14,128 --> 03:06:14,988
Here comes the CFO.

3385
03:06:15,008 --> 03:06:17,288
So this has to do with Representative Fogle-

3386
03:06:17,468 --> 03:06:17,558
I'm glad you came

3387
03:06:17,728 --> 03:06:20,268
... and the conversation that she had is that

3388
03:06:21,828 --> 03:06:25,788
this year they're trying to cut right at 600 million plus within the

3389
03:06:25,828 --> 03:06:26,208
budget.

3390
03:06:27,448 --> 03:06:31,088
And then next year's budget is going to be looking for a

3391
03:06:31,128 --> 03:06:32,028
million plus.

3392
03:06:32,288 --> 03:06:32,568
A billion.

3393
03:06:34,308 --> 03:06:36,848
Or a billion plus. Yes, a billion plus, not a million.

3394
03:06:36,888 --> 03:06:37,428
Mm-hmm.

3395
03:06:37,448 --> 03:06:41,308
And so, because of that, there are many things strategically,

3396
03:06:41,708 --> 03:06:44,948
in that budget, is that everything has to

3397
03:06:45,008 --> 03:06:48,388
be looked at with scrutiny and to determine,

3398
03:06:49,908 --> 03:06:53,688
is it effective or not? And so, Representative Fogle was just

3399
03:06:53,768 --> 03:06:55,248
laying out the picture

3400
03:06:56,528 --> 03:07:00,368
about what future budgets will look like for all

3401
03:07:00,448 --> 03:07:03,508
state agencies, not only this state agency.

3402
03:07:04,388 --> 03:07:08,248
And I would share with you, that's why I share with you that

3403
03:07:08,328 --> 03:07:10,218
any legislation moving forward

3404
03:07:11,968 --> 03:07:15,958
this year not only is being scrutinized very heavily, but most

3405
03:07:15,988 --> 03:07:19,448
of the conversation is in and around this year's budget because they

3406
03:07:19,528 --> 03:07:21,478
know that next year,

3407
03:07:21,668 --> 03:07:25,478
FY28 budget, because we're working on

3408
03:07:25,568 --> 03:07:29,368
FY27 budget, correct? FY28's budget

3409
03:07:29,548 --> 03:07:30,208
will be

3410
03:07:31,028 --> 03:07:34,748
even further cuts. Whether they pass any income tax or

3411
03:07:34,788 --> 03:07:37,368
not, there will be future cuts coming.

3412
03:07:37,428 --> 03:07:41,068
And so, Representative Fogle was just trying to

3413
03:07:41,308 --> 03:07:44,878
share with the group that there are future cuts coming,

3414
03:07:45,308 --> 03:07:48,988
or further cuts coming with the FY28 budget.

3415
03:07:49,028 --> 03:07:51,088
Yeah. And it wasn't education, but overall-

3416
03:07:51,568 --> 03:07:52,928
Just the state in general

3417
03:07:52,948 --> 03:07:53,708
... the state in general.

3418
03:07:53,888 --> 03:07:54,128
Yes.

3419
03:07:54,368 --> 03:07:58,188
And that's to your concerns, what you're already dealing with,

3420
03:07:58,688 --> 03:08:00,348
and what it could mean in the future.

3421
03:08:00,618 --> 03:08:04,428
And I would just say from those conversations, I think we

3422
03:08:04,488 --> 03:08:05,888
need to get our house in order.

3423
03:08:07,908 --> 03:08:11,768
These are going to be big challenges for us going

3424
03:08:11,828 --> 03:08:12,728
forward. And I think,

3425
03:08:14,108 --> 03:08:17,348
we and the staff and everybody else need to have an

3426
03:08:17,368 --> 03:08:21,008
understanding of these challenges and take it on, and

3427
03:08:21,388 --> 03:08:22,668
we're going to win at this thing.

3428
03:08:23,568 --> 03:08:27,088
Education is at not the second largest as far as funded

3429
03:08:27,468 --> 03:08:31,208
departments. So, we are second only to, I

3430
03:08:31,308 --> 03:08:33,118
think, Health and Human Services. Is that correct?

3431
03:08:33,148 --> 03:08:33,808
That is correct.

3432
03:08:34,148 --> 03:08:37,868
So obviously, you're always going to be a target when you're at the top.

3433
03:08:38,488 --> 03:08:38,558
Yeah.

3434
03:08:38,628 --> 03:08:39,568
And so there will be-

3435
03:08:39,868 --> 03:08:43,108
And also understand there is a constitutional requirement in there,

3436
03:08:43,348 --> 03:08:45,008
that has to be met.

3437
03:08:45,768 --> 03:08:47,878
Okay. Board Member Westbrook-Fudge.

3438
03:08:47,928 --> 03:08:49,968
I want to say this very plainly

3439
03:08:51,840 --> 03:08:55,380
Given what's coming, we need to figure out how to do

3440
03:08:55,440 --> 03:08:57,340
more with less,

3441
03:08:58,460 --> 03:08:59,060
and do-

3442
03:08:59,260 --> 03:08:59,310
I agree

3443
03:08:59,310 --> 03:09:02,790
... a critical analysis of our entire educational delivery

3444
03:09:02,840 --> 03:09:06,470
system to figure out where we can

3445
03:09:06,600 --> 03:09:10,300
restructure, retool to more

3446
03:09:10,340 --> 03:09:13,800
efficiently deliver high-quality education.

3447
03:09:14,980 --> 03:09:18,100
Exact statements that we made and discussed with the governor yesterday.

3448
03:09:18,110 --> 03:09:18,210
Yesterday. Yeah.

3449
03:09:18,260 --> 03:09:20,990
We need to be innovative in that regard. We need to do more with less.

3450
03:09:20,990 --> 03:09:22,020
And that might be painful.

3451
03:09:22,560 --> 03:09:22,720
Yes.

3452
03:09:22,760 --> 03:09:25,500
Right. It will be painful. It's not going to be might.

3453
03:09:25,580 --> 03:09:28,060
It will be painful, and we will have cuts.

3454
03:09:28,120 --> 03:09:30,700
John, I can hear you have something to say.

3455
03:09:30,780 --> 03:09:34,040
Yeah, I just said what you said. I said might be. It will be painful.

3456
03:09:34,160 --> 03:09:36,740
But I did have one brief comment.

3457
03:09:37,960 --> 03:09:41,860
This is going back to the agenda thing just for 30 seconds, but

3458
03:09:41,940 --> 03:09:45,680
I don't want to disrupt Harry if he's got anything

3459
03:09:45,720 --> 03:09:45,980
else.

3460
03:09:46,920 --> 03:09:48,460
No, unless you have further questions.

3461
03:09:50,040 --> 03:09:50,800
Okay. We'll go back-

3462
03:09:50,810 --> 03:09:51,220
Yeah. Okay

3463
03:09:51,680 --> 03:09:52,070
... to the agenda.

3464
03:09:52,120 --> 03:09:52,750
So yeah, just

3465
03:09:53,580 --> 03:09:55,360
that I thought this was good discussion.

3466
03:09:55,439 --> 03:09:58,940
I think, though, I don't typically like having board meetings where there's a lot

3467
03:09:58,980 --> 03:10:01,820
of good discussion ideas, but then no action items out of it.

3468
03:10:02,500 --> 03:10:02,520
Oh.

3469
03:10:02,540 --> 03:10:06,360
So I think the action item is, the executive

3470
03:10:06,400 --> 03:10:07,500
committee should meet

3471
03:10:08,500 --> 03:10:12,420
before the next board meeting, should meet a week in advance or whatever,

3472
03:10:12,460 --> 03:10:16,320
and go over the agenda and make sure that what's in there is what we

3473
03:10:16,360 --> 03:10:20,060
want to talk about. And that way, going forward, that's the

3474
03:10:20,080 --> 03:10:20,660
process.

3475
03:10:21,020 --> 03:10:21,330
So Brooks and I-

3476
03:10:21,330 --> 03:10:24,320
Because otherwise, we're going to keep running into the same issue every month

3477
03:10:24,380 --> 03:10:25,370
unless we do something.

3478
03:10:25,380 --> 03:10:27,599
Right. Brooks and I have done that the last two months.

3479
03:10:27,760 --> 03:10:30,780
We obviously both need to hone in and do a better job.

3480
03:10:31,800 --> 03:10:35,360
And that's what I was acknowledging. So we will. This will be our third month.

3481
03:10:36,580 --> 03:10:40,280
Because I'm in the conversation, John, here's my thoughts to

3482
03:10:40,360 --> 03:10:42,140
that. I approve it,

3483
03:10:43,160 --> 03:10:47,040
and I don't question hardly any of it, but we don't know where

3484
03:10:47,120 --> 03:10:50,060
we're going to say what should we put in here.

3485
03:10:50,540 --> 03:10:53,460
What should the priorities of our agenda be?

3486
03:10:55,640 --> 03:10:59,600
You know what I'm saying? I mean, I bet we've had this agenda for 10 years.

3487
03:10:59,640 --> 03:11:01,420
How long have you had this agenda like this?

3488
03:11:03,180 --> 03:11:05,240
I don't remember exactly if there's been much change.

3489
03:11:05,360 --> 03:11:06,020
I do know that there's-

3490
03:11:06,120 --> 03:11:06,420
Yeah. And I mean-

3491
03:11:06,529 --> 03:11:07,840
... there has been changes to it-

3492
03:11:07,950 --> 03:11:07,950
Yeah

3493
03:11:07,950 --> 03:11:08,749
... but there's not been significant changes.

3494
03:11:08,780 --> 03:11:11,900
So I guess that's what I'm saying. I think maybe we need to have a...

3495
03:11:11,960 --> 03:11:14,330
And I'm happy to volunteer my time too, if you want,

3496
03:11:15,440 --> 03:11:18,460
as part of the governance committee, since this kind of falls under the umbrella.

3497
03:11:18,520 --> 03:11:22,210
But if you want, we can do that before the next meeting, just take an hour and have

3498
03:11:22,240 --> 03:11:23,029
a Zoom call and-

3499
03:11:23,340 --> 03:11:23,420
Yeah

3500
03:11:24,100 --> 03:11:24,560
... handle it.

3501
03:11:24,620 --> 03:11:25,310
That sounds great.

3502
03:11:25,310 --> 03:11:26,029
I think that'd be great.

3503
03:11:26,080 --> 03:11:28,520
And I think it's so important what Brooks is saying.

3504
03:11:30,640 --> 03:11:34,540
Not our biggest priority. Our biggest priority

3505
03:11:34,580 --> 03:11:37,600
is ensuring excellence in education for these children.

3506
03:11:37,640 --> 03:11:37,730
And

3507
03:11:39,480 --> 03:11:43,360
how we get there, every little element of it is that level

3508
03:11:43,380 --> 03:11:45,280
of priority, tackling these big questions.

3509
03:11:45,360 --> 03:11:46,340
But I think it's that

3510
03:11:47,400 --> 03:11:51,220
what we have discussed and what you, Carla, you've stepped up to,

3511
03:11:51,660 --> 03:11:52,580
but we want more.

3512
03:11:53,660 --> 03:11:55,180
Your vision, your

3513
03:11:56,480 --> 03:12:00,370
priorities, and you've shared and discussed, and you update on some, but

3514
03:12:01,400 --> 03:12:05,240
let's work on that even more so, and I know you'll do that through the strategic

3515
03:12:05,300 --> 03:12:09,260
plan, but it can't be just the strategic plan and then refer

3516
03:12:09,340 --> 03:12:12,720
back to the plan. We've got to continue to

3517
03:12:13,640 --> 03:12:15,060
feel your leadership

3518
03:12:16,140 --> 03:12:19,990
in the focus on the key issues that

3519
03:12:20,040 --> 03:12:23,900
we should always be in front of or that should be in front of us.

3520
03:12:23,960 --> 03:12:27,880
And I'm hopeful that that's where we're going with this.

3521
03:12:28,020 --> 03:12:31,240
I'm trying to reinforce where we're going to go with the strategic plan, but it

3522
03:12:31,320 --> 03:12:33,910
just can't be a bullet point reference over to that.

3523
03:12:33,940 --> 03:12:37,700
It's got to permeate into actions within

3524
03:12:37,780 --> 03:12:41,600
this board and the behavior within the board on what we focus

3525
03:12:41,700 --> 03:12:42,120
on

3526
03:12:43,220 --> 03:12:44,540
and how we focus on it.

3527
03:12:45,900 --> 03:12:46,240
Absolutely.

3528
03:12:46,420 --> 03:12:48,680
Good comments. Any other comments?

3529
03:12:49,980 --> 03:12:50,220
So-

3530
03:12:50,960 --> 03:12:51,360
Sorry.

3531
03:12:51,400 --> 03:12:53,060
No. Board Member Scholze?

3532
03:12:53,240 --> 03:12:56,500
Just to jump off of that. As an example, and then I'll stop.

3533
03:12:56,940 --> 03:13:00,620
Just because, okay, well, so literacy is a huge thing.

3534
03:13:00,720 --> 03:13:04,380
Numeracy is a huge thing. Well, how often is it actually an agenda item?

3535
03:13:04,700 --> 03:13:08,499
It's not, because it's wrapped up in, "Oh, yeah, we got it in our strategic plan.

3536
03:13:08,620 --> 03:13:12,340
Oh, we got it in a few legislative items." So therefore, food for thought,

3537
03:13:13,160 --> 03:13:16,680
hey, how about that's a hot button item that we come back around to every single

3538
03:13:16,700 --> 03:13:18,480
meeting and say, "Where are we at on that?

3539
03:13:18,520 --> 03:13:19,220
Where are we at on that?"

3540
03:13:20,440 --> 03:13:24,080
And we can definitely do that on those priority items, and we should be doing it.

3541
03:13:24,180 --> 03:13:27,980
So, I think Brooks and I have our marching orders from the

3542
03:13:28,000 --> 03:13:31,730
board. We'll work with the commissioner on that, and we will try to improve that

3543
03:13:31,760 --> 03:13:33,960
for the May meeting, which will be in St. Louis.

3544
03:13:35,100 --> 03:13:36,480
At this time, it is

3545
03:13:38,360 --> 03:13:42,200
time for us to take a little... It's 12:15, so we're going to take a

3546
03:13:42,240 --> 03:13:46,220
lunch break for about 30 minutes so you all can visit and have

3547
03:13:46,260 --> 03:13:49,780
some downtime, and then we will resume at 12:45.

3548
03:13:49,840 --> 03:13:53,700
I know that's rather quick, but hopefully that gives everybody time to

3549
03:13:53,760 --> 03:13:56,960
have some downtime and some conversation. Thank you.

3550
03:13:57,800 --> 03:13:58,519
President Schroeder?

3551
03:13:58,740 --> 03:13:59,320
Yes, sir.

3552
03:14:00,840 --> 03:14:03,889
Well, I'll text you or give you a call real quick.

3553
03:14:03,920 --> 03:14:06,300
Okay. Sounds great. Thank you. Appreciate it.

3554
03:54:43,164 --> 03:54:46,184
Welcome back to the April board meeting.

3555
03:54:47,924 --> 03:54:51,774
And we are now moving forward to our next

3556
03:54:51,774 --> 03:54:55,454
discussion item, which will be Deputy Commissioner of Finance and

3557
03:54:55,524 --> 03:54:59,124
Administrative Services, Dr. Kyle Kruse, who will present on the

3558
03:54:59,204 --> 03:55:02,084
fiscal year 2027 budget report.

3559
03:55:07,133 --> 03:55:12,484
I'll

3560
03:55:14,104 --> 03:55:16,884
be right there.

3561
03:55:17,744 --> 03:55:21,044
Good afternoon. Kyle Kruse, Deputy Commissioner of Financial Administrative

3562
03:55:21,144 --> 03:55:24,204
Services. I'm joined by Pam Victor, our Chief Budget

3563
03:55:24,304 --> 03:55:28,284
Officer. I wanted to start by talking

3564
03:55:28,304 --> 03:55:31,484
about my report today is actually in multiple pieces.

3565
03:55:31,504 --> 03:55:35,084
There are three parts to the report. We'll keep it fairly brief. But Ms.

3566
03:55:35,164 --> 03:55:39,024
Pamela, if you'd like, I can discuss briefly the income tax

3567
03:55:39,484 --> 03:55:42,364
situation that you referenced in the last part of our session.

3568
03:55:42,814 --> 03:55:42,814
Yes, sir.

3569
03:55:42,824 --> 03:55:44,964
Or if you feel that's been handled, we can go forward.

3570
03:55:45,404 --> 03:55:46,004
No, please.

3571
03:55:46,584 --> 03:55:46,824
Okay.

3572
03:55:50,684 --> 03:55:54,064
As I understand the legislation and the way it looks

3573
03:55:54,364 --> 03:55:55,844
like it would be structured,

3574
03:55:56,944 --> 03:56:00,384
the idea is to diminish the income tax over time

3575
03:56:01,304 --> 03:56:04,824
and essentially given the legislature permission to replace the

3576
03:56:04,864 --> 03:56:08,704
revenues that would be lost with other forms of

3577
03:56:08,744 --> 03:56:12,264
taxation, whether it's increases on sales tax or use tax.

3578
03:56:13,104 --> 03:56:16,624
And the crux of that, in my opinion, is that it's difficult to know

3579
03:56:17,324 --> 03:56:21,124
where the legislature will land in terms of how aggressively

3580
03:56:21,483 --> 03:56:25,424
they would try to pursue revenues that could replace the income tax

3581
03:56:25,504 --> 03:56:26,664
that would not be coming in.

3582
03:56:28,224 --> 03:56:29,404
I've also been

3583
03:56:30,284 --> 03:56:33,794
watching discussion about the current drafting of the bill, and

3584
03:56:33,844 --> 03:56:37,064
there's some discussion that some kind of a drafting error

3585
03:56:38,364 --> 03:56:42,084
has emerged that would actually result in a multi-billion

3586
03:56:42,144 --> 03:56:45,524
dollar decrease in just the first year, but I've also read

3587
03:56:45,664 --> 03:56:49,564
that's going to be addressed. And so it's not clear

3588
03:56:49,664 --> 03:56:53,504
yet where the actual truth lies or how that language will

3589
03:56:53,604 --> 03:56:54,654
ultimately end up.

3590
03:56:55,504 --> 03:56:59,394
So it's very difficult to predict right now what the final

3591
03:56:59,464 --> 03:57:03,384
outcome should be if this legislation passes, and then if it

3592
03:57:03,444 --> 03:57:04,824
passes at the ballot box.

3593
03:57:05,644 --> 03:57:07,684
I will say that at the moment,

3594
03:57:08,704 --> 03:57:12,204
there is difficulty in funding the current formula.

3595
03:57:12,993 --> 03:57:13,444
And

3596
03:57:14,344 --> 03:57:18,204
a move in this direction would seem likely to increase the difficulty

3597
03:57:18,224 --> 03:57:19,804
to fund the formula going forward.

3598
03:57:20,424 --> 03:57:24,124
And whether that difficulty is a billion

3599
03:57:24,184 --> 03:57:24,544
dollar

3600
03:57:25,564 --> 03:57:29,504
shortfall or a multiple billion dollar shortfall, and if that

3601
03:57:29,524 --> 03:57:33,464
would all fall on education or not, I suspect it would not all fall on

3602
03:57:33,504 --> 03:57:37,284
education. But as was mentioned earlier, education and

3603
03:57:37,544 --> 03:57:41,244
health and services are probably the two biggest pieces that

3604
03:57:41,864 --> 03:57:45,784
need general revenue. So I'm afraid that was an incomplete answer to

3605
03:57:45,824 --> 03:57:46,404
your question,

3606
03:57:47,424 --> 03:57:51,324
but I do see some difficult times on the horizon.

3607
03:57:52,424 --> 03:57:52,884
Thank you.

3608
03:57:53,884 --> 03:57:54,764
Challenging times.

3609
03:57:55,744 --> 03:57:57,944
Challenging. Let's go with that. Thank you.

3610
03:57:59,044 --> 03:58:02,804
Okay, now to the report that I have today, first off, I'd like to thank

3611
03:58:03,604 --> 03:58:04,144
Mr. Miller

3612
03:58:04,984 --> 03:58:08,544
for hisRequest in the past that we develop

3613
03:58:08,964 --> 03:58:12,314
an executive summary of the budget, and

3614
03:58:12,984 --> 03:58:16,704
included in your packet today was an early version of that summary.

3615
03:58:17,294 --> 03:58:21,244
And I want to thank Ms. Casey, because since that first version was provided

3616
03:58:21,254 --> 03:58:24,964
to her, she and I have had discussions, and we actually went

3617
03:58:24,984 --> 03:58:28,584
back and have revised and expanded the executive summary.

3618
03:58:29,094 --> 03:58:32,104
And so you have a new copy that's been printed at your station today.

3619
03:58:33,124 --> 03:58:35,724
And, if I could point out just a couple of things.

3620
03:58:36,144 --> 03:58:40,044
On the first page, you do have the total authorized budget for DESE

3621
03:58:40,164 --> 03:58:43,134
for fiscal year '26. So that is current year,

3622
03:58:43,984 --> 03:58:45,744
is about eight and a half billion dollars.

3623
03:58:46,234 --> 03:58:47,164
And you'll see that

3624
03:58:48,384 --> 03:58:52,174
general revenue is about just over half of our total, and the other

3625
03:58:52,264 --> 03:58:55,724
portions come from federal funds, and then from other funds.

3626
03:58:56,114 --> 03:58:58,304
And on the other funds, it's a variety of things.

3627
03:58:58,384 --> 03:59:02,204
A large portion of that is actually Prop C

3628
03:59:02,244 --> 03:59:02,653
dollars,

3629
03:59:03,504 --> 03:59:07,384
and those are sales tax dollars that actually are distributed

3630
03:59:07,444 --> 03:59:10,504
back to school districts. And that comes from a

3631
03:59:10,564 --> 03:59:14,144
1982 measure that passed a one-cent sales tax

3632
03:59:14,784 --> 03:59:18,344
that was originally intended to go, I think, half the money to school districts and

3633
03:59:18,404 --> 03:59:21,644
half used to roll back property taxes.

3634
03:59:22,224 --> 03:59:25,964
However, in the years since, approximately two-thirds to

3635
03:59:25,974 --> 03:59:29,904
three-fourths of our districts have received full waivers from their local

3636
03:59:29,924 --> 03:59:33,804
voters. So now it ends up being a full revenue stream into a lot

3637
03:59:33,844 --> 03:59:36,724
of districts. But that's a big portion of the other funds.

3638
03:59:37,244 --> 03:59:41,084
I won't read to you the rest of the executive summary, but we

3639
03:59:41,164 --> 03:59:42,704
did try to pool it

3640
03:59:43,644 --> 03:59:47,584
in major areas of emphasis. And we did also try

3641
03:59:47,624 --> 03:59:51,484
to put in the summary what percent of

3642
03:59:51,504 --> 03:59:54,084
our total budget each of these items are.

3643
03:59:54,844 --> 03:59:58,824
And we didn't describe in detail some of the very minor pieces or some

3644
03:59:58,864 --> 04:00:00,554
pieces that really aren't under our purview.

3645
04:00:01,064 --> 04:00:04,814
But if there are questions about the executive summary, I'd be happy to answer

3646
04:00:04,844 --> 04:00:04,944
them.

3647
04:00:06,724 --> 04:00:07,264
And I would just

3648
04:00:08,484 --> 04:00:10,714
like to add that, again, Kyle, thank you for that.

3649
04:00:11,924 --> 04:00:15,743
All the time we spent. And while this is absolutely a first pass at

3650
04:00:15,804 --> 04:00:19,564
some revisions, we can see already we've been discussing

3651
04:00:19,584 --> 04:00:23,424
format approaches, just more

3652
04:00:23,484 --> 04:00:27,364
insightful information. Other areas that I've asked that

3653
04:00:27,444 --> 04:00:30,924
we'll start to include are just a summary of any

3654
04:00:31,244 --> 04:00:35,124
material differences that we should be aware of and key risks

3655
04:00:35,144 --> 04:00:38,024
and concerns, so that the right level of-

3656
04:00:38,124 --> 04:00:38,264
Mm-hmm

3657
04:00:38,284 --> 04:00:42,164
... issue is highlighted to us without having to walk through all

3658
04:00:42,204 --> 04:00:45,284
the detail. And, so again, thank you, Kyle.

3659
04:00:45,304 --> 04:00:48,704
And I know Pam and team contributed to this, but

3660
04:00:49,584 --> 04:00:50,384
you'll be seeing

3661
04:00:51,684 --> 04:00:55,444
future variations of this going forward to make it a more efficient

3662
04:00:55,484 --> 04:00:55,764
read.

3663
04:00:57,384 --> 04:00:58,264
Okay. Thank you for that.

3664
04:00:58,384 --> 04:01:01,504
Are you happy with it? You understand the

3665
04:01:04,004 --> 04:01:04,603
request?

3666
04:01:05,544 --> 04:01:09,364
I think I do. And I find it to be a useful document as kind of a

3667
04:01:09,424 --> 04:01:13,384
shorthand of the budget. So if it meets with the needs of the board,

3668
04:01:13,804 --> 04:01:16,844
I'm happy we put it together. I think it's useful for all parties concerned.

3669
04:01:16,884 --> 04:01:17,384
This is great.

3670
04:01:17,404 --> 04:01:18,504
And I appreciate you doing it.

3671
04:01:18,524 --> 04:01:18,684
Yeah.

3672
04:01:18,724 --> 04:01:19,164
I really do.

3673
04:01:19,544 --> 04:01:19,654
Okay.

3674
04:01:19,654 --> 04:01:20,104
Well done.

3675
04:01:20,184 --> 04:01:24,014
And it already highlights some questions that we will

3676
04:01:24,044 --> 04:01:25,344
discuss at the committee level.

3677
04:01:26,224 --> 04:01:30,164
John and I have had some brief conversation, just as you look at the headcount

3678
04:01:30,404 --> 04:01:32,884
breakout, and you're wanting to better understand,

3679
04:01:33,844 --> 04:01:37,564
wanting to offer better insights that helps the board

3680
04:01:38,004 --> 04:01:40,784
better understand where our dollars are being spent.

3681
04:01:41,604 --> 04:01:42,354
And also the-

3682
04:01:42,354 --> 04:01:43,864
Its relation to other things.

3683
04:01:44,004 --> 04:01:47,844
The task force recommendations. It's helpful that you're on the task

3684
04:01:47,904 --> 04:01:51,124
force, so you kind of understand the direction of the conversation, although you

3685
04:01:51,144 --> 04:01:53,284
don't know for sure where the governor will land.

3686
04:01:53,504 --> 04:01:53,804
Sure.

3687
04:01:53,844 --> 04:01:57,084
But it'll also, you and Kyle, you worked through it with John,

3688
04:01:57,964 --> 04:02:01,864
can make these recommendations or at least keep us very informed on the

3689
04:02:01,904 --> 04:02:02,704
board level-

3690
04:02:02,784 --> 04:02:02,804
Mm-hmm

3691
04:02:02,844 --> 04:02:05,684
... which is nice that everybody doesn't have to dig as deep.

3692
04:02:06,464 --> 04:02:10,084
True. We will continue to refine this document and

3693
04:02:10,124 --> 04:02:13,584
provide updated versions in the future, but I'm glad that

3694
04:02:14,244 --> 04:02:16,124
you find it helpful, and we'll work to keep doing that.

3695
04:02:17,044 --> 04:02:20,824
I would note that in the packet that's in your online

3696
04:02:20,864 --> 04:02:24,684
agenda, that the second part... Okay, I actually put two

3697
04:02:24,744 --> 04:02:28,544
items together. This fiscal year '26 executive summary is the first

3698
04:02:28,644 --> 04:02:28,884
part.

3699
04:02:29,944 --> 04:02:33,784
And then the second part under that item, the actual PowerPoint

3700
04:02:33,904 --> 04:02:34,374
slides,

3701
04:02:35,644 --> 04:02:38,034
that is the fiscal year '27,

3702
04:02:39,004 --> 04:02:41,974
the budget that's being considered by the legislature right now, update.

3703
04:02:42,594 --> 04:02:46,524
And that document is exactly the same as it was last month because there have

3704
04:02:46,544 --> 04:02:49,004
been no additional changes to it since that time.

3705
04:02:49,424 --> 04:02:52,884
Last month, we had the House markups, and those were incorporated,

3706
04:02:53,384 --> 04:02:56,204
and the Senate markups actually took place just today.

3707
04:02:56,684 --> 04:02:56,764
Mm-hmm.

3708
04:02:56,964 --> 04:02:58,944
So we should get the

3709
04:03:00,364 --> 04:03:04,024
new numbers in the next few days, and at your next update

3710
04:03:04,384 --> 04:03:07,884
on this topic, we'll of course, have a lot more information available.

3711
04:03:08,424 --> 04:03:11,904
By then, actually, we will probably be past the date at which the budget will have

3712
04:03:11,944 --> 04:03:15,684
been adopted, and we'll be able to tell you pretty much how things have

3713
04:03:15,724 --> 04:03:19,024
played out, excepting the fact that there will still be

3714
04:03:19,384 --> 04:03:23,344
governor vetoes and/or withholds and/or restrictions.

3715
04:03:23,884 --> 04:03:27,804
But we'll provide you another update next month that probably will give you a

3716
04:03:27,904 --> 04:03:29,704
pretty long, clear picture of what's going on.

3717
04:03:31,604 --> 04:03:35,334
I want to discuss briefly, though, something not in your packet, but something that

3718
04:03:35,644 --> 04:03:39,424
the president, Mary shrug, referenced earlier in terms

3719
04:03:39,584 --> 04:03:39,754
of

3720
04:03:40,564 --> 04:03:44,204
speaking with the legislators and shortfalls in the budget.

3721
04:03:45,084 --> 04:03:45,424
And

3722
04:03:47,104 --> 04:03:47,464
we've

3723
04:03:48,564 --> 04:03:52,344
been going through and watching the formula and the payout for the formula.

3724
04:03:53,284 --> 04:03:57,104
Right now, the state adequacy target is calculated to

3725
04:03:57,144 --> 04:03:59,524
be $7,145.

3726
04:04:00,404 --> 04:04:04,244
And that's the target that we would want each district to have per

3727
04:04:04,284 --> 04:04:07,204
child through a combination of state and local dollars.

3728
04:04:08,424 --> 04:04:10,144
When we start paying the SAT

3729
04:04:10,964 --> 04:04:14,940
in July-We always start low, and the

3730
04:04:14,960 --> 04:04:18,520
intention is to build up throughout the year, and at the end of the year, make

3731
04:04:18,560 --> 04:04:22,490
everyone whole with the full SAT. And we do this because there have

3732
04:04:22,520 --> 04:04:26,340
been times in the past when the funding did not materialize

3733
04:04:26,740 --> 04:04:30,680
to pay out the full SAT. So rather than pay the full

3734
04:04:30,760 --> 04:04:33,420
SAT from the word go,

3735
04:04:34,280 --> 04:04:37,320
and then at the end of the year have a major discrepancy.

3736
04:04:38,000 --> 04:04:41,619
Actually, in one year, I think around 2003, there was no June payment.

3737
04:04:42,320 --> 04:04:45,009
And that's an awkward spot for a district to be in if they've been counting on this

3738
04:04:45,020 --> 04:04:47,590
the whole year. So we tell schools, "Hey, be careful.

3739
04:04:47,920 --> 04:04:51,180
We're going to start at a lower SAT and move up." We started at

3740
04:04:51,200 --> 04:04:54,540
$6,900 this year, intending to move towards

3741
04:04:54,580 --> 04:04:58,350
$7,145. And I've been checking on a monthly basis since

3742
04:04:58,380 --> 04:05:02,360
about October, looking for the ability to move the SAT

3743
04:05:02,480 --> 04:05:04,170
up. Well, it requires,

3744
04:05:05,180 --> 04:05:08,300
A, the appropriation permission from the legislature

3745
04:05:08,340 --> 04:05:12,280
to spend that, and B, cash on hand

3746
04:05:12,320 --> 04:05:16,240
to actually do it. And we've not been able to move the SAT

3747
04:05:16,500 --> 04:05:19,460
up off of that $6,900 number.

3748
04:05:20,440 --> 04:05:23,040
And here's a little insight into what's going on.

3749
04:05:26,180 --> 04:05:29,280
There's three funds I'd like to talk about.

3750
04:05:30,100 --> 04:05:34,040
There's a lottery proceeds fund, state school monies fund, and

3751
04:05:34,050 --> 04:05:37,900
a classroom trust fund. And I won't walk you through it in detail

3752
04:05:37,940 --> 04:05:41,540
unless you'd like me to. But a few years ago,

3753
04:05:42,480 --> 04:05:43,520
three, four, five years ago,

3754
04:05:44,640 --> 04:05:48,580
we had an appropriation for lottery, especially, at about this level,

3755
04:05:49,340 --> 04:05:51,480
and revenues were coming in at about this level.

3756
04:05:52,460 --> 04:05:56,380
And what happened for a couple of years is that distinction, that

3757
04:05:56,460 --> 04:06:00,400
gap, that increase, the excess, actually built up a

3758
04:06:00,580 --> 04:06:02,160
balance in the lottery fund.

3759
04:06:03,120 --> 04:06:04,180
Well, a couple of years ago,

3760
04:06:05,200 --> 04:06:08,940
they switched it. And instead of

3761
04:06:09,020 --> 04:06:12,280
appropriating the amount of revenue that could be expected in one year,

3762
04:06:12,960 --> 04:06:16,480
or perhaps a little less, they began appropriating more dollars

3763
04:06:17,320 --> 04:06:21,200
than could be expected to come in as a way to, I think, help

3764
04:06:21,220 --> 04:06:23,280
use up some of that lottery proceed

3765
04:06:24,420 --> 04:06:26,620
balance and get the money out to schools.

3766
04:06:27,500 --> 04:06:28,520
As time went forward,

3767
04:06:29,540 --> 04:06:33,120
that gap between appropriation and the actual

3768
04:06:33,140 --> 04:06:36,320
projected revenue has kind of continued to exist.

3769
04:06:36,380 --> 04:06:38,529
The appropriation's not yet been right-sized.

3770
04:06:39,720 --> 04:06:43,680
So for fiscal year '26, that gap was kind of baked

3771
04:06:43,780 --> 04:06:47,400
into the current year budget. And at this point, between the

3772
04:06:47,460 --> 04:06:49,740
lottery state school monies fund,

3773
04:06:50,580 --> 04:06:54,440
that's cigarette tax, and classroom trust fund, that's gaming

3774
04:06:54,480 --> 04:06:54,840
dollars,

3775
04:06:55,700 --> 04:06:58,100
we're projecting a shortfall of about

3776
04:06:58,110 --> 04:07:01,820
$138.9 million between those three

3777
04:07:01,920 --> 04:07:02,280
funds.

3778
04:07:03,140 --> 04:07:06,240
And that's money that's been appropriated to the formula, but that we can't pay

3779
04:07:06,320 --> 04:07:10,180
out. So at this point, we have notified schools.

3780
04:07:10,520 --> 04:07:14,510
I actually went to the MASA conference a couple of weeks ago and

3781
04:07:14,540 --> 04:07:17,900
put the word out that we are probably looking at an

3782
04:07:18,100 --> 04:07:21,040
SAT actual paid this year in the

3783
04:07:21,280 --> 04:07:25,200
6,900 range. We may get a little above that, depending on what comes in.

3784
04:07:25,720 --> 04:07:27,640
But at this point, that's kind of where we're at.

3785
04:07:28,980 --> 04:07:31,930
Well, that has implications for fiscal year '27.

3786
04:07:33,440 --> 04:07:36,980
Assuming the same numbers stay in the budget for

3787
04:07:37,020 --> 04:07:40,660
appropriation, and assuming there's not a big growth in those

3788
04:07:40,720 --> 04:07:43,180
revenues, and there's not projected to be.

3789
04:07:43,320 --> 04:07:46,580
I think we're projecting $20 million increase in revenue in lottery.

3790
04:07:47,800 --> 04:07:48,080
Then

3791
04:07:48,940 --> 04:07:51,420
the shortfall in those three funds

3792
04:07:52,280 --> 04:07:54,020
for fiscal year '27, next year,

3793
04:07:54,860 --> 04:07:57,760
looks like about $118 million and change.

3794
04:07:58,620 --> 04:08:01,380
So that would be money that couldn't be paid out for the formula.

3795
04:08:03,160 --> 04:08:06,680
In addition to that, we actually had to ask for next

3796
04:08:06,720 --> 04:08:09,580
year for an increase of

3797
04:08:09,590 --> 04:08:11,520
$190.6 million

3798
04:08:12,540 --> 04:08:15,380
in order to fully fund the formula as calculated.

3799
04:08:16,300 --> 04:08:20,260
So you're looking at $190.6 million, which so

3800
04:08:20,340 --> 04:08:24,200
far has not been put in any budget for the department to

3801
04:08:24,260 --> 04:08:28,080
receive, and also the shortfall of $118 million.

3802
04:08:28,180 --> 04:08:31,640
So it works out to about a shortfall of $308 million for fiscal year

3803
04:08:31,650 --> 04:08:33,870
'27 if nothing changes.

3804
04:08:34,980 --> 04:08:37,280
And that works out to

3805
04:08:38,100 --> 04:08:41,660
districts can probably expect an SAT payment

3806
04:08:42,300 --> 04:08:46,260
in the $6,700 range. And of course,

3807
04:08:46,340 --> 04:08:50,000
we would start below that number. So we are probably headed back to a

3808
04:08:50,060 --> 04:08:53,980
situation where we will pay out less next year than we

3809
04:08:54,000 --> 04:08:55,140
did last year.

3810
04:08:56,140 --> 04:08:58,560
So I wanted you to be aware of those factors that are in play.

3811
04:08:59,940 --> 04:09:03,850
Pam did give me a little update from the Senate markup, and I

3812
04:09:04,320 --> 04:09:06,030
was glad to hear that

3813
04:09:07,140 --> 04:09:10,360
this discrepancy between appropriation and expected

3814
04:09:10,440 --> 04:09:13,220
revenue has been noted,

3815
04:09:14,140 --> 04:09:17,840
and there's some movement to rightsize

3816
04:09:18,240 --> 04:09:22,140
the appropriation. Now, whether that'll play out to fully

3817
04:09:22,150 --> 04:09:25,820
address the issue, I don't know. And there's also some other things that they're

3818
04:09:25,860 --> 04:09:29,800
looking at doing in order to fund the formula with one-time money for

3819
04:09:29,840 --> 04:09:33,830
fiscal year '27, which helps '27, but then

3820
04:09:33,840 --> 04:09:37,520
it creates a hole for '28. So in Mr.

3821
04:09:37,740 --> 04:09:40,320
Miller's terms, we're looking at challenging times-

3822
04:09:40,800 --> 04:09:41,030
Mm-hmm

3823
04:09:41,040 --> 04:09:42,240
... current year

3824
04:09:43,220 --> 04:09:46,880
'27, and very likely '28,

3825
04:09:47,360 --> 04:09:51,350
barring some dramatic change in the revenue fortunes of the state of

3826
04:09:51,360 --> 04:09:54,660
Missouri. So that was kind of what I wanted to make you aware of today.

3827
04:09:54,790 --> 04:09:55,440
Kyle, we've got a question here-

3828
04:09:55,700 --> 04:09:55,940
Yes

3829
04:09:56,080 --> 04:09:57,080
... and I've got a comment, too.

3830
04:09:57,440 --> 04:10:01,380
And at some point, I don't think it needs to be today, but yesterday when we

3831
04:10:01,400 --> 04:10:04,160
were talking about the budget issues and such,

3832
04:10:06,320 --> 04:10:09,740
Perry said, "Well, it's not really this

3833
04:10:10,420 --> 04:10:14,000
because there's this pool." And an understanding of funding streams,

3834
04:10:14,080 --> 04:10:15,340
because are they tied--

3835
04:10:16,240 --> 04:10:19,920
The other, like the sin tax and things like that, it's not tied to

3836
04:10:20,000 --> 04:10:22,528
ourThat we have to

3837
04:10:22,828 --> 04:10:26,328
pay so much off of general

3838
04:10:26,408 --> 04:10:29,748
revenue, right? That's just the standalone amount that's

3839
04:10:29,788 --> 04:10:31,468
determined all the way through.

3840
04:10:32,368 --> 04:10:34,008
I'm not sure I follow your question.

3841
04:10:34,068 --> 04:10:34,138
If you-

3842
04:10:34,138 --> 04:10:35,968
Well, a lot of times they're matching dollars.

3843
04:10:36,888 --> 04:10:37,148
Oh.

3844
04:10:37,268 --> 04:10:39,408
If you make $10, we're going to give you another dollar.

3845
04:10:39,648 --> 04:10:40,858
Yeah, that's not the situation.

3846
04:10:40,858 --> 04:10:41,948
But that's not. So that's the way it is.

3847
04:10:42,188 --> 04:10:42,268
Yeah.

3848
04:10:42,288 --> 04:10:45,848
And so why have we seen a drop in those other

3849
04:10:45,968 --> 04:10:46,408
funding?

3850
04:10:47,108 --> 04:10:48,628
As far as lottery, gaming-

3851
04:10:48,808 --> 04:10:48,818
Mm-hmm

3852
04:10:48,818 --> 04:10:49,428
... cigarette tax,

3853
04:10:50,288 --> 04:10:53,968
this would be speculation, so it's worth exactly what you're paying for it today.

3854
04:10:53,977 --> 04:10:54,188
Yeah.

3855
04:10:57,148 --> 04:10:57,808
If it was

3856
04:10:59,268 --> 04:11:00,548
the question being posed to me-

3857
04:11:00,848 --> 04:11:01,108
Mm-hmm

3858
04:11:01,228 --> 04:11:04,428
... I have a suspicion that a few things are in play.

3859
04:11:04,488 --> 04:11:05,088
First off,

3860
04:11:06,808 --> 04:11:09,948
there are a lot of those gray market gaming machines.

3861
04:11:10,108 --> 04:11:10,188
Oh.

3862
04:11:10,428 --> 04:11:14,208
And I find they're located in convenience stores, which is where a lot of

3863
04:11:14,248 --> 04:11:17,868
lottery proceeds come from. So I suspect that the gaming

3864
04:11:17,908 --> 04:11:19,218
machines are

3865
04:11:20,208 --> 04:11:23,428
scavenging from lottery proceeds. I think that's in play.

3866
04:11:24,688 --> 04:11:26,248
I think, as far as the

3867
04:11:27,628 --> 04:11:30,508
gaming revenues, riverboat and such,

3868
04:11:31,368 --> 04:11:35,168
I suspect that now a lot of folks can gamble via your

3869
04:11:35,208 --> 04:11:36,028
mobile device.

3870
04:11:36,488 --> 04:11:36,568
Right.

3871
04:11:36,618 --> 04:11:39,708
And I suspect that's probably taken a toll on the gaming revenues.

3872
04:11:40,808 --> 04:11:44,658
And then a third thing, I suspect that in the state of

3873
04:11:44,688 --> 04:11:48,648
Missouri, generally, there's only so much money that our

3874
04:11:48,688 --> 04:11:52,428
citizens are willing to allocate out of their personal

3875
04:11:52,468 --> 04:11:55,008
finances to gambling.

3876
04:11:55,048 --> 04:11:55,448
Mm-hmm.

3877
04:11:55,528 --> 04:11:56,628
And instead of

3878
04:11:57,848 --> 04:12:01,688
increasing and going on, we're carving up the same pie in different

3879
04:12:01,728 --> 04:12:04,108
ways and siphoning some off to the gaming machines.

3880
04:12:04,668 --> 04:12:08,188
That's my take on it, and certainly not

3881
04:12:08,568 --> 04:12:10,168
the end of the game.

3882
04:12:10,288 --> 04:12:11,588
Okay. So one other question.

3883
04:12:14,128 --> 04:12:16,688
Yesterday also, we talked about

3884
04:12:18,288 --> 04:12:22,048
when we talk to legislators, we talk to people, when can we know...

3885
04:12:22,948 --> 04:12:26,828
If we face this kind of deficit in our general revenue, you know

3886
04:12:26,848 --> 04:12:27,418
what I'm saying?

3887
04:12:28,408 --> 04:12:32,157
When can we, as a board, know where we're going to make that

3888
04:12:32,248 --> 04:12:32,488
up?

3889
04:12:33,768 --> 04:12:37,608
You understand what I'm saying? Because we've got to have a

3890
04:12:37,648 --> 04:12:38,528
balanced budget, right?

3891
04:12:39,928 --> 04:12:40,228
Yes.

3892
04:12:40,328 --> 04:12:40,528
Yes.

3893
04:12:40,868 --> 04:12:41,828
There's a balanced budget.

3894
04:12:43,208 --> 04:12:46,518
And all I'm saying is, I've always felt like it's a good

3895
04:12:48,628 --> 04:12:52,548
thing to be able to share what the impact of

3896
04:12:52,588 --> 04:12:54,988
their decisions are going to impact over across-

3897
04:12:54,998 --> 04:12:55,228
Sure

3898
04:12:55,238 --> 04:12:58,688
... this side of the street. And if there's a way that we can have an

3899
04:12:58,748 --> 04:13:01,968
understanding about what that may be.

3900
04:13:02,538 --> 04:13:02,538
Uh.

3901
04:13:02,588 --> 04:13:04,108
And we're a little late now and things-

3902
04:13:04,228 --> 04:13:04,408
Sure

3903
04:13:04,508 --> 04:13:06,028
... as far as the budget goes, but...

3904
04:13:06,828 --> 04:13:10,588
Are you talking about if the SAT is paid out at less than

3905
04:13:10,668 --> 04:13:10,888
the-

3906
04:13:11,228 --> 04:13:11,328
Mm-hmm. Yeah

3907
04:13:11,428 --> 04:13:14,978
... projected amount, the calculated amount, what school districts will do?

3908
04:13:15,168 --> 04:13:19,097
What school districts, what services they're going to have to draw back on, or

3909
04:13:19,128 --> 04:13:22,788
what we, as DESE, are going to have to draw back on.

3910
04:13:22,908 --> 04:13:26,018
Right. It will largely fall on school districts.

3911
04:13:26,128 --> 04:13:30,048
We don't have the capacity internally in our budget to actually move things to help

3912
04:13:30,108 --> 04:13:30,888
fill up-

3913
04:13:30,898 --> 04:13:30,978
Mm-hmm

3914
04:13:31,068 --> 04:13:34,988
... the formula appropriation, and we don't have the money in our budget

3915
04:13:35,028 --> 04:13:35,548
to do that.

3916
04:13:36,388 --> 04:13:39,368
It'll be largely school districts, and the easy one to point to would be the fact

3917
04:13:39,428 --> 04:13:39,708
that

3918
04:13:40,848 --> 04:13:44,468
transportation dollars are very likely to

3919
04:13:44,488 --> 04:13:45,108
decrease

3920
04:13:46,208 --> 04:13:49,348
next year and possibly the year after from what we're paying currently.

3921
04:13:50,128 --> 04:13:54,088
And so what that translates to is districts who end

3922
04:13:54,168 --> 04:13:57,768
up trying to run fewer buses, longer routes, or

3923
04:13:58,228 --> 04:13:58,988
there's actually,

3924
04:14:00,728 --> 04:14:03,748
I hate to quote it, but districts are only

3925
04:14:03,868 --> 04:14:07,728
required to provide busing service, I think for three miles

3926
04:14:08,108 --> 04:14:12,088
and farther from the district. And a lot of districts pick

3927
04:14:12,148 --> 04:14:12,908
up every kid.

3928
04:14:13,028 --> 04:14:13,228
Mm-hmm.

3929
04:14:13,328 --> 04:14:17,308
And so there could be a modification in at what point we offer bus service

3930
04:14:17,328 --> 04:14:18,368
and what part we don't.

3931
04:14:19,328 --> 04:14:20,208
As far as

3932
04:14:21,308 --> 04:14:22,688
how it plays directly into

3933
04:14:23,568 --> 04:14:24,338
other activities,

3934
04:14:25,188 --> 04:14:28,488
we don't pay for bus rides to ball games.

3935
04:14:28,968 --> 04:14:31,148
That's not part of the calculation. That's on the district.

3936
04:14:31,568 --> 04:14:33,708
However, if you've got to make up

3937
04:14:36,248 --> 04:14:40,127
money out of the general district budget to

3938
04:14:40,168 --> 04:14:43,838
pay for just the bus routes, then it would affect all the other areas of the

3939
04:14:43,888 --> 04:14:46,428
budget. That's one area that's really easy to enumerate.

3940
04:14:47,148 --> 04:14:47,888
Another would be,

3941
04:14:49,228 --> 04:14:50,548
if the formula's coming in short,

3942
04:14:52,048 --> 04:14:54,077
schools would begin very likely,

3943
04:14:55,228 --> 04:14:56,988
reducing their staffing by attrition.

3944
04:14:57,288 --> 04:14:57,488
Mm-hmm.

3945
04:14:57,668 --> 04:14:59,788
As teachers leave, not replace them.

3946
04:15:00,308 --> 04:15:04,188
There could be situations where class sizes go up or even some

3947
04:15:04,248 --> 04:15:05,628
programming is no longer offered.

3948
04:15:05,698 --> 04:15:08,008
So it's a variety of responses depending on the district.

3949
04:15:08,568 --> 04:15:08,698
And I-

3950
04:15:08,708 --> 04:15:09,208
So-

3951
04:15:09,748 --> 04:15:11,298
I just think it's good to have that and-

3952
04:15:11,348 --> 04:15:11,968
Absolutely.

3953
04:15:12,008 --> 04:15:15,688
So yesterday, during one of our meetings, early on, one of our very first

3954
04:15:15,748 --> 04:15:19,258
legislator's comment was, and because I keep hearing,

3955
04:15:20,808 --> 04:15:24,488
I feel like I've heard the question, "How are we going to

3956
04:15:24,528 --> 04:15:25,398
gap the money-

3957
04:15:25,668 --> 04:15:25,848
Mm-hmm

3958
04:15:26,448 --> 04:15:30,088
... changes?" And she said, and this is how it

3959
04:15:30,368 --> 04:15:31,008
works because

3960
04:15:31,828 --> 04:15:35,368
the Hancock Amendment, we have limited abilities, can't hold

3961
04:15:35,888 --> 04:15:39,868
for rainy day fund, those type of things, that her recommendation would be

3962
04:15:39,908 --> 04:15:43,888
to cut capital expenditures. I thought, that is a

3963
04:15:43,948 --> 04:15:45,908
tough decision. You heard the same thing, Carrie.

3964
04:15:46,768 --> 04:15:50,728
That's a tough decision, right? Because capital expenditures is part of

3965
04:15:50,768 --> 04:15:54,508
our infrastructure, but I think she preferred to do that over

3966
04:15:54,928 --> 04:15:55,458
programming.

3967
04:15:56,258 --> 04:15:56,258
Mm.

3968
04:15:56,308 --> 04:16:00,098
Because I think certainly early childhood education was one of the particular

3969
04:16:00,108 --> 04:16:03,988
pieces. We all know the research shows if we can get kids into early childhood

3970
04:16:04,028 --> 04:16:06,888
education, they will be more successful in

3971
04:16:08,228 --> 04:16:10,577
everything that we're trying to get accomplished, reading, math-

3972
04:16:10,768 --> 04:16:10,798
Sure

3973
04:16:10,798 --> 04:16:11,138
... everything.

3974
04:16:12,248 --> 04:16:15,608
I would point out, our cigarette tax is

3975
04:16:15,888 --> 04:16:19,808
if not the lowest in the nation, in the top

3976
04:16:19,928 --> 04:16:23,848
five lowest in the nation. So there, Arkansas, Kansas, all

3977
04:16:23,908 --> 04:16:27,904
around usHave a higher, as Brooks call it,

3978
04:16:27,924 --> 04:16:30,084
a sin tax, but the cigarette tax.

3979
04:16:31,424 --> 04:16:35,004
So as we have lost revenues coming in across the state,

3980
04:16:36,084 --> 04:16:39,884
that's a tough one. But there are areas

3981
04:16:39,964 --> 04:16:43,034
with, I think, education being important, as in

3982
04:16:43,064 --> 04:16:46,924
healthcare, where I don't really understand why our tax is so low.

3983
04:16:47,364 --> 04:16:48,204
That's what I'm going to say.

3984
04:16:48,444 --> 04:16:50,184
Yeah. I will offer one bright spot.

3985
04:16:50,594 --> 04:16:50,594
Okay.

3986
04:16:50,644 --> 04:16:53,984
And that is the Prop C sales tax I referenced at the

3987
04:16:54,044 --> 04:16:55,184
start.

3988
04:16:56,664 --> 04:17:00,574
That fund, we've appropriated, I think, 1.3 billion and

3989
04:17:00,644 --> 04:17:04,084
change to go out to districts the last two or three years, the same exec

3990
04:17:04,144 --> 04:17:07,904
appropriation. There's actually been a balance built in

3991
04:17:07,984 --> 04:17:08,544
that fund.

3992
04:17:08,964 --> 04:17:09,084
Okay.

3993
04:17:09,244 --> 04:17:13,094
We've actually had more money going into that fund than we've had permission,

3994
04:17:13,424 --> 04:17:14,824
appropriation authority to send out.

3995
04:17:15,444 --> 04:17:16,214
And so that

3996
04:17:17,204 --> 04:17:20,824
balance, I think, is approaching $190 or $200 million

3997
04:17:21,284 --> 04:17:24,964
right now. So there actually has been some discussion,

3998
04:17:25,364 --> 04:17:28,804
that I understand, of potentially increasing the appropriation in Prop

3999
04:17:28,884 --> 04:17:32,584
C to let us send more dollars out. And whether

4000
04:17:32,624 --> 04:17:36,184
that'll manifest in the budget or not, I couldn't say.

4001
04:17:36,904 --> 04:17:37,184
But

4002
04:17:37,984 --> 04:17:39,504
that probably is the

4003
04:17:41,324 --> 04:17:44,864
one bright spot there might be in school finance at the moment,

4004
04:17:45,184 --> 04:17:48,884
is that sales tax has remained pretty dependable

4005
04:17:49,424 --> 04:17:50,364
over the last few years.

4006
04:17:50,604 --> 04:17:51,644
Well, it's good to hear.

4007
04:17:53,184 --> 04:17:54,564
Okay. I'd be glad to answer any questions.

4008
04:17:55,984 --> 04:17:56,824
Okay. Thank you.

4009
04:17:58,044 --> 04:17:58,484
Thank you.

4010
04:18:00,484 --> 04:18:02,924
For your work on this. I appreciate you both.

4011
04:18:05,204 --> 04:18:09,044
Gary, we are very excited with you and John with the finance

4012
04:18:09,104 --> 04:18:11,124
to continue to work closely with Kyle.

4013
04:18:11,504 --> 04:18:15,244
And I do enjoy... Thank you, Kyle, for letting us know about

4014
04:18:15,324 --> 04:18:16,044
Prop C and-

4015
04:18:16,444 --> 04:18:16,454
Mm-hmm

4016
04:18:16,454 --> 04:18:17,984
... kind of more details.

4017
04:18:18,824 --> 04:18:22,674
I think we certainly have a lot of work to do, but it's good work

4018
04:18:22,744 --> 04:18:24,764
and informative work. It'll help the board.

4019
04:18:25,744 --> 04:18:26,524
Absolutely.

4020
04:18:26,624 --> 04:18:27,344
And the commissioner.

4021
04:18:28,044 --> 04:18:28,554
Absolutely. Yep.

4022
04:18:28,554 --> 04:18:29,243
And the department.

4023
04:18:29,684 --> 04:18:32,404
And speaking of the commissioner, our next-

4024
04:18:33,024 --> 04:18:33,034
There we go

4025
04:18:33,034 --> 04:18:36,984
... is, yes, we are ready for a discussion on the strategic plan.

4026
04:18:38,144 --> 04:18:39,063
Come up, my friends.

4027
04:18:45,404 --> 04:18:46,004
Hello, Evan.

4028
04:18:48,604 --> 04:18:48,664
Oh.

4029
04:18:50,204 --> 04:18:53,464
So I thought I would do it from here because it just seems more appropriate than to

4030
04:18:53,484 --> 04:18:57,204
sit up there, because we're going to do this as a collaborative piece.

4031
04:18:57,264 --> 04:19:01,004
The individuals that are joining me here for this particular agenda

4032
04:19:01,104 --> 04:19:04,934
item, to my left is Jill Pecinski, I always mess up your last name,

4033
04:19:05,004 --> 04:19:08,473
with Watershed. And then we have Evan Rhinesmith, and he's

4034
04:19:08,984 --> 04:19:11,564
been helping us with our data, and some research, and some

4035
04:19:12,404 --> 04:19:16,144
really good work. And the reason that I've brought these two folks up to help share

4036
04:19:16,424 --> 04:19:20,184
where we are with strategic plan, is that they are folks who are

4037
04:19:20,224 --> 04:19:23,864
weighing in with expertise around

4038
04:19:24,464 --> 04:19:27,704
specifically metrics and research as to what is good practice and what it is that

4039
04:19:27,744 --> 04:19:31,664
we want to see. They're bringing to the table a lot of information that has to do

4040
04:19:31,724 --> 04:19:35,324
with across the states, these states that have truly made a

4041
04:19:35,364 --> 04:19:38,864
difference and are moving things forward, so they're bringing that kind of

4042
04:19:38,904 --> 04:19:39,704
information in.

4043
04:19:40,844 --> 04:19:44,604
But really and truly, I could share the entire strategic plan with you and give you

4044
04:19:44,624 --> 04:19:48,324
all the background, but I thought it was an opportunity for you to meet these folks

4045
04:19:48,804 --> 04:19:52,484
and be able to see who we have on our team doing this work.

4046
04:19:53,124 --> 04:19:56,584
And I need to mention before I get started also is that, even though it's just the

4047
04:19:56,604 --> 04:20:00,424
three of us that are reporting to you, there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds

4048
04:20:00,464 --> 04:20:04,104
of people that have been engaged in this work, and we're going to give you some

4049
04:20:04,124 --> 04:20:07,973
more detail around that. So to get us started, I will just...

4050
04:20:08,284 --> 04:20:08,714
First off,

4051
04:20:09,824 --> 04:20:11,484
I am not good at clickers, but I'll try.

4052
04:20:12,804 --> 04:20:16,454
Okay. So here's our update. Obviously, we were charged with

4053
04:20:17,244 --> 04:20:20,064
revamping the strategic plan, and we're very, very grateful, and I forgot to

4054
04:20:20,134 --> 04:20:23,604
mention our strategic plan committee chair, Pamela Westbrook-Hodge,

4055
04:20:24,104 --> 04:20:28,084
and just the oversight that she provides and the opportunity to work with her and

4056
04:20:28,104 --> 04:20:30,244
bring her expertise to the table has been very beneficial.

4057
04:20:31,304 --> 04:20:34,854
This strategic plan, I believe, the whole target is for it to lay out a clear

4058
04:20:35,304 --> 04:20:38,864
and actual vision for addressing the most pressing needs of our state.

4059
04:20:39,253 --> 04:20:41,733
And I'm going to repeat that, because I do believe we have a board member that

4060
04:20:41,744 --> 04:20:44,223
says, "I haven't heard a vision." And hopefully, we're going to provide you a

4061
04:20:44,244 --> 04:20:44,994
vision here, Brooks.

4062
04:20:46,283 --> 04:20:50,004
That we need to achieve success, and in the upcoming years, DESE commits

4063
04:20:50,014 --> 04:20:53,714
to measuring the ability to meet these goals and holding

4064
04:20:53,764 --> 04:20:57,354
itself accountable, and that's the purpose of this document, for achieving these

4065
04:20:57,404 --> 04:20:58,864
outcomes for students and stakeholders.

4066
04:21:00,724 --> 04:21:03,824
What we're going to do today's presentation is to provide the board with a

4067
04:21:03,904 --> 04:21:06,984
comprehensive update. We're going to overview what we have been working on for the

4068
04:21:07,024 --> 04:21:10,864
past several months and the current status of the strategic plan, including the

4069
04:21:10,884 --> 04:21:13,834
initial headlines, you could say, the next steps towards finalization, and

4070
04:21:13,904 --> 04:21:14,604
implementation.

4071
04:21:15,684 --> 04:21:18,544
It's important to note that we are not requesting final approval today.

4072
04:21:18,584 --> 04:21:21,604
We're asking for, this is the information.

4073
04:21:21,624 --> 04:21:25,544
We're going to ask not only later, but if you have any comments as we go

4074
04:21:25,584 --> 04:21:28,814
through, to get a sense of, are we going the right direction?

4075
04:21:28,924 --> 04:21:30,344
Is this the work that you guys like to see?

4076
04:21:31,764 --> 04:21:35,284
So I'm joined today, as I mentioned before, by Jill Pecinski, Managing Director at

4077
04:21:35,324 --> 04:21:39,054
Watershed Advisors, and Evan Rhinesmith, who's the founder of Blue Wing

4078
04:21:39,164 --> 04:21:43,094
Educational Insights. And I've had the opportunity to work with these two and their

4079
04:21:43,144 --> 04:21:46,554
team throughout this process, and I can tell you they bring measurable

4080
04:21:46,704 --> 04:21:49,424
expertise for us to be able to develop this plan.

4081
04:21:50,144 --> 04:21:53,124
So I'm going to turn it over, and Jill is going to introduce herself, and she's

4082
04:21:53,144 --> 04:21:57,124
going to share a little bit about just her basic history of how we got

4083
04:21:57,164 --> 04:22:01,144
here. Evan is going to come in and talk about the metrics around the things that

4084
04:22:01,164 --> 04:22:03,084
we're going to be measuring and how we're going to be measuring it.

4085
04:22:03,604 --> 04:22:06,664
And all this kind of folds into a lot of the conversation you guys were having

4086
04:22:06,673 --> 04:22:09,104
previously. So I introduce Jill.

4087
04:22:09,134 --> 04:22:09,134
Thank you.

4088
04:22:09,164 --> 04:22:10,784
And here is your... I'll pass the clicker.

4089
04:22:12,124 --> 04:22:14,404
I also always struggle with clickers.

4090
04:22:15,704 --> 04:22:19,384
Nice to meet you all, and thank you, Commissioner, and thank you all for

4091
04:22:19,464 --> 04:22:21,864
allowing us to be here and share about our work.

4092
04:22:22,464 --> 04:22:25,884
As Commissioner said, I'm Jill Pecinski, I'm a Managing Director at Watershed

4093
04:22:25,944 --> 04:22:29,884
Advisors, and I lead our K-12 systems team.

4094
04:22:29,984 --> 04:22:33,804
Our work is to partner with states like Missouri to

4095
04:22:33,884 --> 04:22:34,124
help

4096
04:22:34,820 --> 04:22:38,140
Turn the fragmented world of education into a

4097
04:22:38,180 --> 04:22:41,870
coherent strategy. And over the last several months, we have

4098
04:22:41,980 --> 04:22:45,600
partnered with the commissioner and with the leadership at

4099
04:22:45,640 --> 04:22:46,040
DESE,

4100
04:22:46,920 --> 04:22:50,779
to synthesize the work of the work groups, to bring our own

4101
04:22:51,620 --> 04:22:53,910
knowledge and expertise from states around the country,

4102
04:22:54,920 --> 04:22:58,880
and to help shape that into concrete priorities that

4103
04:22:58,900 --> 04:23:01,280
will ultimately drive improvement in the state.

4104
04:23:01,340 --> 04:23:05,220
Now, I am under no illusion that a

4105
04:23:05,240 --> 04:23:08,960
strategic plan in and of itself is going to change the experiences of

4106
04:23:09,020 --> 04:23:12,779
kids, and I am excited about the work

4107
04:23:12,840 --> 04:23:16,320
that is captured here, the way it brought together so many

4108
04:23:16,360 --> 04:23:20,250
voices and the opportunity that it brings to get focused and

4109
04:23:20,380 --> 04:23:22,180
clear about what matters most.

4110
04:23:26,140 --> 04:23:29,760
This strategic plan refresh builds on the previous

4111
04:23:29,800 --> 04:23:30,560
strategic plan,

4112
04:23:31,420 --> 04:23:34,700
which had priority areas, and foundations.

4113
04:23:34,920 --> 04:23:37,680
And that has guided DESE's work in the past.

4114
04:23:38,300 --> 04:23:42,140
And this refresh is building on the work of these areas,

4115
04:23:42,920 --> 04:23:46,480
and it is trying to get concrete. One question we asked over and over again is:

4116
04:23:47,720 --> 04:23:51,000
What does DESE have to get an A on? What matters most?

4117
04:23:51,060 --> 04:23:52,760
So this is not representative of all the work.

4118
04:23:52,820 --> 04:23:54,720
There is so much work going on in the agency.

4119
04:23:55,580 --> 04:23:56,740
This is what matters most.

4120
04:24:00,580 --> 04:24:03,460
And that's what a strategic plan does, right?

4121
04:24:03,560 --> 04:24:06,620
It guides the direction of the board,

4122
04:24:08,020 --> 04:24:11,740
and it addresses those needs and ensures that everyone in the

4123
04:24:11,820 --> 04:24:15,410
ecosystem in the state feels clear about

4124
04:24:15,440 --> 04:24:18,000
what DESE is showing up every day focused on.

4125
04:24:18,460 --> 04:24:20,600
It's about clearing out the noise and

4126
04:24:21,420 --> 04:24:22,460
driving that focus.

4127
04:24:26,180 --> 04:24:26,450
Mm-hmm.

4128
04:24:26,460 --> 04:24:27,810
So I'm going to talk a little bit...

4129
04:24:28,580 --> 04:24:31,560
Also please feel free to jump in with questions as we're going through.

4130
04:24:32,640 --> 04:24:34,410
I want to share a little bit about the process,

4131
04:24:35,360 --> 04:24:36,440
because I think,

4132
04:24:37,560 --> 04:24:41,440
and this is thanks to Board Member Westbrook's initiative to

4133
04:24:41,560 --> 04:24:45,320
get these work groups going. This work started in

4134
04:24:45,400 --> 04:24:49,340
fall of 2025. There was a survey that went out

4135
04:24:49,400 --> 04:24:50,340
across the state.

4136
04:24:52,060 --> 04:24:54,600
We'll talk a little bit more about each of these pieces in detail in a minute.

4137
04:24:55,400 --> 04:24:58,860
My team pulled together national and state data.

4138
04:24:58,960 --> 04:25:02,890
So we did an audit of what is true already, what do we know, and when

4139
04:25:02,920 --> 04:25:06,600
we look to states that are driving national

4140
04:25:06,660 --> 04:25:07,100
trends,

4141
04:25:08,000 --> 04:25:10,810
what can we learn from them to inform this process?

4142
04:25:11,640 --> 04:25:15,530
And then the work group started the really work in earnest of bringing

4143
04:25:15,540 --> 04:25:17,980
together stakeholders in the field,

4144
04:25:18,780 --> 04:25:22,370
who are showing up every day trying to do this work, to think about

4145
04:25:22,400 --> 04:25:25,180
what can the state do differently.

4146
04:25:25,230 --> 04:25:28,780
I heard a lot of conversation today about the role of different parts of the

4147
04:25:28,820 --> 04:25:30,900
system, and a big

4148
04:25:31,740 --> 04:25:35,680
focus of these conversations was: What is the role

4149
04:25:35,760 --> 04:25:36,560
of DESE,

4150
04:25:37,440 --> 04:25:41,020
and how can they use their position to create

4151
04:25:41,080 --> 04:25:41,980
change in the field?

4152
04:25:44,120 --> 04:25:47,840
The work groups wrapped up their work in the

4153
04:25:47,880 --> 04:25:51,820
winter. There's one group, the Transforming Underperforming Schools

4154
04:25:51,880 --> 04:25:55,700
and Need-Based Funding... Sorry, that's two groups, that continued past that.

4155
04:25:56,800 --> 04:25:59,769
And then the work group leads have been sort of synthesizing all that work,

4156
04:26:00,260 --> 04:26:03,560
bringing that to DESE leadership and to our team.

4157
04:26:03,620 --> 04:26:07,240
And what we have been doing is trying to take all of that and say, "Okay, across

4158
04:26:07,260 --> 04:26:11,140
10 work groups, we had tons and tons of feedback.

4159
04:26:11,240 --> 04:26:15,030
How do we synthesize that up into a set of concrete actions?"

4160
04:26:16,200 --> 04:26:19,980
And then, as you'll hear Evan talk more about, he has been helping shape

4161
04:26:20,360 --> 04:26:24,300
how are we going to set performance metrics so that this doesn't just sit on a

4162
04:26:24,320 --> 04:26:28,240
shelf, but actually gives us measurable outcomes that we can

4163
04:26:28,300 --> 04:26:29,480
track over time.

4164
04:26:31,080 --> 04:26:32,120
So

4165
04:26:33,020 --> 04:26:36,620
from today, we're sharing sort of the first thought, and then that work will

4166
04:26:36,640 --> 04:26:38,100
continue, and we'll talk more about that as we go.

4167
04:26:39,520 --> 04:26:42,620
Absolutely.

4168
04:26:44,880 --> 04:26:48,860
So again, I'll double-click in a little bit on the process here.

4169
04:26:50,320 --> 04:26:53,939
The survey got responses from over 2,000 stakeholders from every

4170
04:26:54,000 --> 04:26:55,820
level of the community.

4171
04:26:56,760 --> 04:27:00,680
I think the next slide, or maybe two slides after this, has headlines

4172
04:27:00,700 --> 04:27:04,500
from that survey. We did that national landscape scan,

4173
04:27:05,300 --> 04:27:08,520
and we relied heavily on other national experts

4174
04:27:08,760 --> 04:27:11,780
in each area to weigh in.

4175
04:27:12,740 --> 04:27:15,940
And there were over 148 leaders from across the state who participated in those

4176
04:27:15,980 --> 04:27:18,780
work groups, and that is really a huge feat. That is a big ask.

4177
04:27:18,820 --> 04:27:22,720
These people are volunteering their time to show up, share their input,

4178
04:27:23,220 --> 04:27:27,180
and guide this. And not just their time, but the time of DESE's

4179
04:27:27,360 --> 04:27:31,100
team. They worked so hard to make sure those work groups were

4180
04:27:31,140 --> 04:27:32,960
intentional and thoughtful.

4181
04:27:34,780 --> 04:27:38,720
Again, the survey represented a huge swath

4182
04:27:38,980 --> 04:27:42,480
of people across the state, and we

4183
04:27:42,580 --> 04:27:46,020
asked people to focus on three things in the survey.

4184
04:27:46,040 --> 04:27:47,920
First, where are we getting it right?

4185
04:27:48,260 --> 04:27:49,060
What are some things that

4186
04:27:49,940 --> 04:27:52,080
we can celebrate and say, "Okay, we're doing a good job."

4187
04:27:53,160 --> 04:27:56,950
And we saw safe and healthy schools, early learning, and

4188
04:27:57,040 --> 04:28:00,640
success-ready students and workforce development get the most

4189
04:28:00,680 --> 04:28:02,180
support as places were

4190
04:28:03,040 --> 04:28:06,410
doing well. Then, what could we do

4191
04:28:06,440 --> 04:28:07,180
better?

4192
04:28:08,180 --> 04:28:12,060
Educator recruitment and retention was a strong leader on where

4193
04:28:12,100 --> 04:28:13,940
there's opportunity to do better.

4194
04:28:14,020 --> 04:28:17,980
Literacy, and then while success-ready students and workforce development is a

4195
04:28:18,040 --> 04:28:19,770
strength, it is also an opportunity.

4196
04:28:20,660 --> 04:28:23,380
And of course, that is a big bucket to work on.

4197
04:28:25,060 --> 04:28:26,310
And then lastly, we said, "What

4198
04:28:27,120 --> 04:28:30,660
do you need DESE to do to create change in these

4199
04:28:30,740 --> 04:28:34,480
areas?" And funding opportunities aligned to core priorities was

4200
04:28:34,540 --> 04:28:38,524
a bigMost popular choice here, and you'll see that

4201
04:28:38,544 --> 04:28:42,404
reflected in the strategic plan. I think commissioner has some

4202
04:28:42,444 --> 04:28:43,104
really

4203
04:28:44,224 --> 04:28:48,064
smart thoughts about how to do this in a way that aligns the priorities,

4204
04:28:48,124 --> 04:28:50,014
right? This isn't just about more money.

4205
04:28:50,014 --> 04:28:53,224
It's about using the money that you have more effectively.

4206
04:28:54,564 --> 04:28:57,844
Policy guidance, always an opportunity to get clear about what districts and

4207
04:28:58,044 --> 04:29:01,524
schools get. And then data reporting and transparency, which is a

4208
04:29:01,564 --> 04:29:04,224
huge endeavor that the state has already taken on.

4209
04:29:07,824 --> 04:29:08,484
All right.

4210
04:29:10,204 --> 04:29:11,184
I think you went past one.

4211
04:29:14,924 --> 04:29:16,084
Yep. Looked through.

4212
04:29:19,284 --> 04:29:22,664
I said we did a national scan. I just want to

4213
04:29:22,744 --> 04:29:25,064
highlight what we looked at in that scan.

4214
04:29:25,844 --> 04:29:29,624
And on all of these, we looked at what is the current state

4215
04:29:29,724 --> 04:29:30,744
in Missouri,

4216
04:29:31,604 --> 04:29:35,354
both the good and the bad. What do we want to keep doing and not

4217
04:29:35,384 --> 04:29:39,244
lose, and what needs to improve? And then also examples

4218
04:29:39,304 --> 04:29:41,924
across the country. And we looked at data

4219
04:29:42,984 --> 04:29:46,504
overall and trends over time. We looked

4220
04:29:46,624 --> 04:29:47,364
at

4221
04:29:48,644 --> 04:29:52,344
evidence-based practices in literacy and numeracy, and there's a lot of good

4222
04:29:52,384 --> 04:29:55,164
stuff in literacy already happening in Missouri that we want to

4223
04:29:56,024 --> 04:29:59,764
capture and scale and make sure is really reaching kids across the

4224
04:29:59,804 --> 04:30:00,184
state.

4225
04:30:00,224 --> 04:30:01,234
Mm-hmm.

4226
04:30:01,534 --> 04:30:03,924
School improvement strategies in particular.

4227
04:30:04,504 --> 04:30:08,404
How do we get into districts that are struggling the most, and what actually

4228
04:30:08,424 --> 04:30:08,834
works?

4229
04:30:09,664 --> 04:30:12,704
And then, of course, we also had early childhood workforce development, et cetera.

4230
04:30:13,864 --> 04:30:17,064
And again, all of this stuff went into the

4231
04:30:17,124 --> 04:30:18,744
ultimate document.

4232
04:30:18,964 --> 04:30:19,464
Mm-hmm.

4233
04:30:19,884 --> 04:30:21,764
And then, yes, 10 work groups,

4234
04:30:23,124 --> 04:30:24,864
they dug into these topics.

4235
04:30:26,524 --> 04:30:29,604
You will not see a strategic plan that is 10 different topics.

4236
04:30:29,644 --> 04:30:31,864
That is too much to focus.

4237
04:30:32,684 --> 04:30:36,454
So we pooled takeaways across all 10 work

4238
04:30:36,464 --> 04:30:40,304
groups, and they are reflected in each of the priorities in

4239
04:30:41,024 --> 04:30:42,584
the strategic plan.

4240
04:30:45,324 --> 04:30:46,664
All right. That was a lot of process.

4241
04:30:48,564 --> 04:30:52,484
I'm going to hand it back to the commissioner to talk about the high-level

4242
04:30:52,564 --> 04:30:53,024
vision,

4243
04:30:53,844 --> 04:30:54,354
and then we'll get into-

4244
04:30:54,384 --> 04:30:57,624
Absolutely. And I want you to know that all throughout this process,

4245
04:30:58,944 --> 04:31:01,594
both of these teams have been working directly with the work groups, directly with

4246
04:31:01,624 --> 04:31:05,054
the leadership. So this has been an ongoing piece, and it's been something that

4247
04:31:05,524 --> 04:31:07,784
every week we touch on to get to this place.

4248
04:31:07,824 --> 04:31:11,254
So in the refreshed strategic plan, we're proposing key priorities and actions that

4249
04:31:11,264 --> 04:31:12,944
will guide DESE's work over the next three years.

4250
04:31:13,304 --> 04:31:16,044
It's important that these actions are aligned to DESE's vision for Missouri

4251
04:31:16,104 --> 04:31:16,484
schools.

4252
04:31:17,464 --> 04:31:18,924
So basically,

4253
04:31:19,824 --> 04:31:23,464
I'm just going to go right here. Here's the vision for Missouri schools, and I want

4254
04:31:23,504 --> 04:31:26,004
you to know that there's got three broad buckets here.

4255
04:31:26,044 --> 04:31:29,984
So this is a shift from what you have seen prior, and what you saw prior was

4256
04:31:30,024 --> 04:31:31,584
we had several different things

4257
04:31:32,544 --> 04:31:33,124
within our

4258
04:31:33,944 --> 04:31:36,804
poster of what it is that we are working on within the department.

4259
04:31:37,444 --> 04:31:40,884
But I think you could see these three buckets, and you could find every child ready

4260
04:31:40,904 --> 04:31:42,004
for their first day of kindergarten.

4261
04:31:42,044 --> 04:31:44,564
So you see all of the things within literacy and early childcare.

4262
04:31:45,144 --> 04:31:46,824
Every student experience excellent education.

4263
04:31:46,884 --> 04:31:50,224
There's your academic performance, there's your accountability, Carrie, there's

4264
04:31:50,344 --> 04:31:54,324
meet or exceed grade-level expectations, and then the far

4265
04:31:54,404 --> 04:31:58,144
one is around post-secondary. So you have every student graduates high

4266
04:31:58,244 --> 04:32:01,554
school and school ready for post-secondary success.

4267
04:32:02,324 --> 04:32:06,084
Now, the reason that you have these emphasis is because we want to

4268
04:32:06,124 --> 04:32:08,984
address the concerns that we have, and we do have concerns.

4269
04:32:09,004 --> 04:32:12,944
When we look at the NAEP and we see that 73% of fourth graders are not proficient,

4270
04:32:13,264 --> 04:32:17,204
77% of eighth graders are not proficient in math, we have work to do.

4271
04:32:17,664 --> 04:32:21,484
We also see that 10% of the kids 16 and above are neither working or going to

4272
04:32:21,584 --> 04:32:25,364
school. We have work to do. We see that there's a quality

4273
04:32:25,904 --> 04:32:29,364
piece around early childhood, 42% of our early childhood education

4274
04:32:29,444 --> 04:32:33,324
programs did not meet or exceed. Well, that's of the ones that we measure.

4275
04:32:33,384 --> 04:32:35,644
So there's tons out there as well. So we just want to make sure that we have

4276
04:32:35,684 --> 04:32:37,984
high-quality opportunities for all our kids.

4277
04:32:39,144 --> 04:32:42,364
One thing I will mention, though, is that we have made some progress because we

4278
04:32:42,504 --> 04:32:45,564
have unified the state's early childhood programs from the Office of Childhood.

4279
04:32:46,124 --> 04:32:48,854
We strengthened the educator pipeline and launched the nation's first statewide

4280
04:32:48,854 --> 04:32:51,584
educator job board. There has been progress made.

4281
04:32:51,884 --> 04:32:53,843
We've expanded for both students and educators

4282
04:32:54,804 --> 04:32:57,343
to move towards more English language arts proficiency.

4283
04:32:57,774 --> 04:33:01,304
And we developed new and improved data tools, which is really and truly the

4284
04:33:01,344 --> 04:33:04,154
driver of this work, because if we can't measure what we're doing, then we don't

4285
04:33:04,185 --> 04:33:06,444
have an idea of whether we're making progress.

4286
04:33:07,525 --> 04:33:10,444
We know that there is more work to be done, and these areas for growth are the

4287
04:33:10,504 --> 04:33:13,444
forefront for DESE as it considers the path forward.

4288
04:33:13,455 --> 04:33:16,615
The strategic plan is focused on addressing these pressing issues.

4289
04:33:20,004 --> 04:33:23,964
So here we are. In this refresh, we have six, what we consider to be

4290
04:33:24,104 --> 04:33:28,004
key priorities. So you have the three big buckets. You have six priorities.

4291
04:33:29,874 --> 04:33:32,705
And this will be over the next three years, informed by stakeholder feedback

4292
04:33:32,744 --> 04:33:34,754
through the work groups and the study groups.

4293
04:33:35,884 --> 04:33:39,424
Here's our priorities. So what I'm seeing is, is

4294
04:33:39,504 --> 04:33:42,914
that when we look at what we're doing as a department and how we're moving

4295
04:33:42,944 --> 04:33:46,814
forward currently, but obviously we're still taking

4296
04:33:46,845 --> 04:33:49,624
information and feedback, so there could be some improvements here.

4297
04:33:49,644 --> 04:33:53,353
But currently, we are looking at one through six, and I don't want to read them all

4298
04:33:53,404 --> 04:33:56,064
to you, but I think you can see that number one is strengthen academic

4299
04:33:56,104 --> 04:33:59,564
foundations, and then with great teaching, where you see all of the educator

4300
04:33:59,664 --> 04:34:03,224
quality work. Focused support for underperforming schools and districts.

4301
04:34:03,685 --> 04:34:07,345
We know that we have to lean in and be intentional and be able to address the needs

4302
04:34:07,365 --> 04:34:11,205
of those school districts. I go on down the line and you can see that kindergarten

4303
04:34:11,244 --> 04:34:14,924
readiness, secondary success, the data system work that we're doing,

4304
04:34:15,384 --> 04:34:19,345
and also addressing the idea that we've got to have a true strategic

4305
04:34:19,884 --> 04:34:23,224
addressing attendance, and in our safe and healthy schools.

4306
04:34:24,764 --> 04:34:25,284
Okay.

4307
04:34:27,624 --> 04:34:31,484
So from here, Jill's going to walk us through a little bit of the strategic

4308
04:34:31,504 --> 04:34:34,984
plan priorities. So you have the big buckets, the priority, the goal statement.

4309
04:34:35,045 --> 04:34:36,205
Well, she can do it. Go ahead.

4310
04:34:38,937 --> 04:34:42,777
So, we have a lot of slides that follow, and I'm not going to read

4311
04:34:42,976 --> 04:34:44,216
every single one to you.

4312
04:34:44,286 --> 04:34:44,286
No.

4313
04:34:44,296 --> 04:34:44,917
But I want to

4314
04:34:45,816 --> 04:34:49,456
make sure you have a chance to skim them, and also you guys are

4315
04:34:49,496 --> 04:34:53,136
welcome to reach out separately, and we can answer questions here or

4316
04:34:53,216 --> 04:34:56,546
offline. But the strategic plan is

4317
04:34:56,617 --> 04:34:59,597
structured with a goal statement, a set of

4318
04:34:59,676 --> 04:35:03,136
strategies for advancing the priority.

4319
04:35:03,216 --> 04:35:07,176
So there's two to four strategies for each

4320
04:35:07,396 --> 04:35:11,035
of the priorities, and then measurable outcomes.

4321
04:35:11,296 --> 04:35:11,437
Mm-hmm.

4322
04:35:11,896 --> 04:35:15,576
And we're going to walk through, and Evan and I will tag team, and

4323
04:35:15,636 --> 04:35:16,796
Commissioner, please feel free to-

4324
04:35:16,826 --> 04:35:16,826
Sure

4325
04:35:16,826 --> 04:35:20,556
... jump in on each of these and just share what the headlines

4326
04:35:20,597 --> 04:35:23,516
are. Evan, do you want to share anything on the measurable outcomes?

4327
04:35:23,716 --> 04:35:27,676
Yeah. So the focus with the metrics conversation is really ensuring

4328
04:35:27,736 --> 04:35:31,556
that within each priority area, we have this outcome

4329
04:35:31,636 --> 04:35:32,597
that we're focused on.

4330
04:35:33,516 --> 04:35:35,597
And to do that, it has to be measurable and actionable.

4331
04:35:35,656 --> 04:35:39,277
We can't just say we're going to do something without having an actual plan to say-

4332
04:35:39,626 --> 04:35:39,626
Yeah

4333
04:35:39,626 --> 04:35:41,286
... well, are we accomplishing this?

4334
04:35:43,556 --> 04:35:47,376
And that's working within each of these work groups that feed into each of the

4335
04:35:47,396 --> 04:35:50,336
priorities into those three big buckets that the commission was referencing.

4336
04:35:50,716 --> 04:35:52,036
So we have to make sure that we have

4337
04:35:52,996 --> 04:35:56,956
a plan to establish baseline data so we know where we sit today, and

4338
04:35:57,016 --> 04:36:00,117
we can start to lay out the roadmap for what's coming next.

4339
04:36:00,656 --> 04:36:04,316
Identifying the tools and resources that we need to collect timely

4340
04:36:04,336 --> 04:36:04,856
information

4341
04:36:05,716 --> 04:36:08,536
for each of these measures, because we have to be able to act on it in a

4342
04:36:09,216 --> 04:36:11,437
relatively quick fashion. Three years is a...

4343
04:36:11,836 --> 04:36:14,356
It seems like a long time, but that can move very quickly.

4344
04:36:15,876 --> 04:36:18,757
Within that, you have to have a realistic time-bound goal.

4345
04:36:19,277 --> 04:36:19,597
So

4346
04:36:20,597 --> 04:36:23,476
we don't want to make progress for something that's going to take 15 years when we

4347
04:36:23,576 --> 04:36:26,876
know that this plan is laying out what's supposed to happen over the next three

4348
04:36:26,896 --> 04:36:30,716
years, and we need to have some sort of central platform that we

4349
04:36:30,777 --> 04:36:31,476
can look at

4350
04:36:32,556 --> 04:36:35,976
how we're doing and review and make sure that we're monitoring progress along the

4351
04:36:36,016 --> 04:36:37,216
way.

4352
04:36:39,376 --> 04:36:39,636
Okay.

4353
04:36:41,076 --> 04:36:41,917
Good. Great. So

4354
04:36:42,917 --> 04:36:46,016
we can jump to priority one.

4355
04:36:46,156 --> 04:36:46,236
Mm-hmm.

4356
04:36:46,796 --> 04:36:49,617
And I think as you see these slides, you'll see how this is structured.

4357
04:36:52,456 --> 04:36:53,187
First priority,

4358
04:36:54,556 --> 04:36:57,976
nothing changes in classrooms without great teachers,

4359
04:36:58,716 --> 04:37:02,236
and this is our commitment to ensuring that the educator

4360
04:37:02,277 --> 04:37:06,216
workforce has the support, resources, and tools that they need

4361
04:37:06,277 --> 04:37:08,736
to deliver great literacy and math

4362
04:37:08,956 --> 04:37:11,196
instruction.

4363
04:37:11,816 --> 04:37:15,696
The four strategies that are named

4364
04:37:15,716 --> 04:37:19,656
here, again, this is not the summation of all of the work in the

4365
04:37:19,777 --> 04:37:23,417
state, but these are the four key strategies that

4366
04:37:23,796 --> 04:37:26,656
we are naming as, we got to get an A on these.

4367
04:37:26,696 --> 04:37:26,726
Mm-hmm.

4368
04:37:26,726 --> 04:37:28,836
These matter most in the next three years.

4369
04:37:30,896 --> 04:37:33,136
Supporting teacher... Well, actually, why don't we jump to the next-

4370
04:37:33,356 --> 04:37:33,406
Sure

4371
04:37:33,406 --> 04:37:33,836
... slide.

4372
04:37:35,277 --> 04:37:38,696
The text is small here. That's why I'm not going to read everything on here.

4373
04:37:38,746 --> 04:37:38,746
No.

4374
04:37:38,757 --> 04:37:40,277
But I do want to give you a chance to skim.

4375
04:37:40,696 --> 04:37:43,757
We've got teacher recruitment, career planning, development.

4376
04:37:43,816 --> 04:37:46,896
How do we get good teachers in the classroom and help them stay

4377
04:37:46,956 --> 04:37:50,417
there? Second is scaling the usage of

4378
04:37:50,476 --> 04:37:54,176
high-quality instructional materials and aligned professional

4379
04:37:54,437 --> 04:37:57,736
learning across the state. So that means making

4380
04:37:58,356 --> 04:38:00,216
sure districts know what those materials are,

4381
04:38:01,396 --> 04:38:05,097
giving them the support to adopt those materials, and

4382
04:38:05,816 --> 04:38:09,196
supporting their teachers to actually implement those every day in the classroom.

4383
04:38:09,216 --> 04:38:13,056
This also includes letters, training, and other tools, particularly in the science

4384
04:38:13,097 --> 04:38:16,536
of reading in those early grades. And this is in both

4385
04:38:16,576 --> 04:38:19,896
ELA and in math. Third

4386
04:38:20,016 --> 04:38:23,716
is supporting the usage of the state-approved literacy assessments statewide.

4387
04:38:23,796 --> 04:38:27,687
One thing we heard as we were learning across the state is the assessment lists

4388
04:38:27,736 --> 04:38:30,735
exist. There are good assessments on that list.

4389
04:38:30,766 --> 04:38:30,937
Mm-hmm.

4390
04:38:31,336 --> 04:38:35,056
And districts are getting there in terms of adopting them,

4391
04:38:35,597 --> 04:38:38,937
and they still need support to do that and to use them

4392
04:38:38,996 --> 04:38:42,566
effectively so that... I heard a conversation earlier today about- ...

4393
04:38:42,597 --> 04:38:46,476
third grade retention. And you cannot retain kids in third grade if you

4394
04:38:46,536 --> 04:38:50,496
don't know that they're behind in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, so

4395
04:38:50,536 --> 04:38:52,696
that they ideally don't get to that place.

4396
04:38:52,956 --> 04:38:53,496
Sure.

4397
04:38:53,777 --> 04:38:57,105
And then lastly, I think a big conversation nationally is

4398
04:38:57,355 --> 04:39:00,675
literacy coaching, and Missouri has a literacy coaching model.

4399
04:39:00,716 --> 04:39:03,937
We want to make sure that every K through three teacher, particularly those in the

4400
04:39:03,976 --> 04:39:07,676
highest need schools serving the students who are farthest behind, have

4401
04:39:07,736 --> 04:39:11,556
that job-embedded coaching to help them make better

4402
04:39:11,597 --> 04:39:13,516
decisions every day on how they deliver instruction.

4403
04:39:14,356 --> 04:39:18,126
Absolutely. So you can see that you have the priority, you have the strategies, and

4404
04:39:18,156 --> 04:39:20,757
now Evan's going to talk a little bit about the outcomes and this.

4405
04:39:20,786 --> 04:39:24,696
So the outcomes piece is really the monitoring of how do we know?

4406
04:39:24,736 --> 04:39:26,136
How do we know we're getting the job done?

4407
04:39:26,216 --> 04:39:27,777
How are we focusing on the right things to

4408
04:39:28,656 --> 04:39:32,456
show that we're making progress and that the department is relevant?

4409
04:39:32,496 --> 04:39:33,956
So if you want to talk about the outcomes.

4410
04:39:33,966 --> 04:39:33,966
Yeah.

4411
04:39:33,996 --> 04:39:36,437
So each one of these priorities will have a list of outcomes to them.

4412
04:39:36,777 --> 04:39:40,736
Yeah. And for each of the priorities, I'll sound like a broken record

4413
04:39:40,776 --> 04:39:44,456
going through this. The focus with each of these outcomes is that we're making sure

4414
04:39:44,496 --> 04:39:47,636
that they're measurable and that it's something that the department can stay

4415
04:39:47,676 --> 04:39:51,396
focused on. And these are not just pulled from anywhere.

4416
04:39:51,436 --> 04:39:54,696
It's done in partnership with each of the work groups.

4417
04:39:55,216 --> 04:39:58,756
And you'll see that we had those separate work groups, all of them are feeding

4418
04:39:58,816 --> 04:40:02,676
into separate priorities and how they all sort of work together.

4419
04:40:04,276 --> 04:40:07,756
Not surprisingly, you'll see things like improvement on the map assessment and

4420
04:40:07,856 --> 04:40:10,136
increasing access to high-quality training.

4421
04:40:12,116 --> 04:40:16,056
We can adapt these a little bit to emphasize math, but we know that it's not just a

4422
04:40:16,096 --> 04:40:19,876
lift and set sort of mentality, so we do have to focus a little bit more

4423
04:40:19,916 --> 04:40:21,236
on what's coming down the pike-

4424
04:40:21,976 --> 04:40:21,986
Yeah

4425
04:40:21,986 --> 04:40:23,516
... for mathematics in particular.

4426
04:40:24,396 --> 04:40:25,556
And within this, the

4427
04:40:26,556 --> 04:40:29,316
great folks in the teacher recruitment and retention work group gave some

4428
04:40:29,356 --> 04:40:31,396
additional feedback that we're able to

4429
04:40:32,216 --> 04:40:34,776
identify and loop in with this as well.

4430
04:40:38,516 --> 04:40:39,375
Right, and then priority two.

4431
04:40:41,416 --> 04:40:41,556
Great.

4432
04:40:42,696 --> 04:40:46,576
This priority is really, in a lot of ways, just a double-click down of the

4433
04:40:46,636 --> 04:40:50,396
first priority, which is how do we make sure that our most

4434
04:40:50,476 --> 04:40:54,356
struggling schools and districts know that they are

4435
04:40:54,396 --> 04:40:58,316
struggling, they have the data that identifies them clearly, and that they

4436
04:40:58,356 --> 04:41:01,746
get the targeted support that will drive improvement?

4437
04:41:03,216 --> 04:41:06,406
I think what's most interesting about this is it's strategies that have been pooled

4438
04:41:06,436 --> 04:41:08,636
from across all the different working groups-

4439
04:41:08,676 --> 04:41:08,806
Mm-hmm

4440
04:41:09,296 --> 04:41:13,276
... as key to driving change in underperforming schools and districts.

4441
04:41:13,916 --> 04:41:16,036
So first is, again, you can't

4442
04:41:17,016 --> 04:41:20,055
help those districts if you don't know who they are.

4443
04:41:20,085 --> 04:41:20,085
Mm-hmm.

4444
04:41:20,136 --> 04:41:24,076
And so one strategy here is about clear, transparent

4445
04:41:24,136 --> 04:41:25,826
information on student performance.

4446
04:41:26,336 --> 04:41:30,146
And part of this is the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority-

4447
04:41:30,836 --> 04:41:34,456
... and ensuring that as that pilot starts to gather data

4448
04:41:34,466 --> 04:41:37,765
and we learn how it's going, we use that

4449
04:41:37,836 --> 04:41:38,516
to

4450
04:41:39,536 --> 04:41:42,956
think about what we can be doing to make sure we have strong assessments across the

4451
04:41:42,996 --> 04:41:43,096
state.

4452
04:41:43,116 --> 04:41:44,056
We have a question from-

4453
04:41:44,156 --> 04:41:44,306
Yeah. Thank you

4454
04:41:44,306 --> 04:41:45,456
... Board Member Mike Matusik.

4455
04:41:46,536 --> 04:41:47,696
Not a question on content, yet.

4456
04:41:48,516 --> 04:41:49,306
This presentation,

4457
04:41:51,336 --> 04:41:54,276
we don't have this on our computers, do we?

4458
04:41:54,336 --> 04:41:55,056
We do not.

4459
04:41:55,336 --> 04:41:55,896
We don't?

4460
04:41:55,906 --> 04:41:55,946
No. I'm sorry.

4461
04:41:55,946 --> 04:41:57,296
It was emailed as an attachment.

4462
04:41:57,376 --> 04:41:57,896
Yeah. So okay.

4463
04:41:58,036 --> 04:41:58,596
Okay. I'm sorry.

4464
04:41:58,606 --> 04:42:01,916
So I have that open. I keep looking at my phone. I have it on my phone.

4465
04:42:01,956 --> 04:42:03,116
I'm not looking at something.

4466
04:42:03,136 --> 04:42:03,146
Yes.

4467
04:42:03,156 --> 04:42:04,006
I'm looking at this.

4468
04:42:04,056 --> 04:42:04,066
Yes.

4469
04:42:04,086 --> 04:42:05,246
But I just wanted to make sure that-

4470
04:42:05,336 --> 04:42:05,536
Yes

4471
04:42:05,656 --> 04:42:07,356
... and let you guys know I'm not just like-

4472
04:42:07,566 --> 04:42:10,436
And as I mentioned, of course, we were still working on parts of this, and this

4473
04:42:10,476 --> 04:42:12,516
will be posted as soon as the meeting's over, so you'll get there.

4474
04:42:12,576 --> 04:42:12,816
Thank you.

4475
04:42:12,976 --> 04:42:13,236
Both of those.

4476
04:42:13,296 --> 04:42:14,266
I have it on my phone, but-

4477
04:42:14,296 --> 04:42:17,396
Okay. Yes. We don't think you're looking at your phone.

4478
04:42:17,576 --> 04:42:19,436
Well, yeah. So anyway.

4479
04:42:19,856 --> 04:42:20,016
Okay.

4480
04:42:20,076 --> 04:42:21,096
That's helpful to know. And if you need me to

4481
04:42:22,096 --> 04:42:24,616
pause on anything so you can read from the screen-

4482
04:42:24,656 --> 04:42:24,666
Yes

4483
04:42:24,666 --> 04:42:24,966
... let me know.

4484
04:42:25,416 --> 04:42:29,296
And can you go back and explain

4485
04:42:29,336 --> 04:42:33,116
to the board on the innovative, just to make sure that everybody's on the same page

4486
04:42:33,176 --> 04:42:35,846
about what you're talking about with the tool there?

4487
04:42:37,676 --> 04:42:38,036
Yes.

4488
04:42:38,276 --> 04:42:38,776
Okay. Thank you.

4489
04:42:39,276 --> 04:42:40,936
And others in the room-

4490
04:42:41,016 --> 04:42:41,116
Sure.

4491
04:42:41,386 --> 04:42:43,476
... should feel free to jump in here, but

4492
04:42:44,436 --> 04:42:48,116
the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority is a

4493
04:42:48,126 --> 04:42:51,855
federal law that allows states to say, "We have an idea

4494
04:42:51,865 --> 04:42:55,856
about how to deliver assessments or state summative

4495
04:42:55,896 --> 04:42:58,976
assessments to students in a different way."

4496
04:43:00,216 --> 04:43:03,976
It's not new that we all worry about over-testing for kids and

4497
04:43:04,056 --> 04:43:06,986
the impact of those high-stakes tests at the end of the year.

4498
04:43:07,556 --> 04:43:11,536
And so, a handful of states over the last decade have said,

4499
04:43:11,556 --> 04:43:13,406
"Yeah, we have an idea." And-

4500
04:43:13,476 --> 04:43:13,486
Mm-hmm

4501
04:43:13,486 --> 04:43:13,486
...

4502
04:43:15,096 --> 04:43:18,896
a number of stakeholders in Missouri put forward the idea of a

4503
04:43:19,036 --> 04:43:22,956
through-year test, which is an idea that we've seen states adopt across

4504
04:43:22,996 --> 04:43:26,856
the country. And the idea is that instead of having one big

4505
04:43:27,076 --> 04:43:31,056
scary test at the end of the year, you break that test up into pieces.

4506
04:43:31,096 --> 04:43:34,906
You make the results available to teachers more quickly, so that instead of

4507
04:43:34,936 --> 04:43:35,486
waiting till

4508
04:43:36,696 --> 04:43:39,656
sometimes as late as August or later to-

4509
04:43:40,296 --> 04:43:40,305
Mm-hmm

4510
04:43:40,305 --> 04:43:43,416
... get that end of year test, they actually are getting data along the way.

4511
04:43:45,176 --> 04:43:45,796
And

4512
04:43:48,156 --> 04:43:51,556
ideally, sort of take some of the stakes off for kids, too, you're sort of

4513
04:43:52,456 --> 04:43:55,296
three smaller tests instead of one big test.

4514
04:43:55,996 --> 04:43:57,316
Right now, Missouri,

4515
04:43:58,356 --> 04:44:01,396
they piloted in, I think, five districts this year.

4516
04:44:01,456 --> 04:44:02,276
Proof of concept. Mm-hmm.

4517
04:44:02,376 --> 04:44:05,416
Yep. So truly just like, can we do this at all?

4518
04:44:06,056 --> 04:44:09,896
And the part of the federal demonstration authority is you have to

4519
04:44:09,936 --> 04:44:13,726
prove comparability. So they have a technical advisory group that is

4520
04:44:13,756 --> 04:44:17,346
supporting the work that will be gathering data, both qualitative and

4521
04:44:17,376 --> 04:44:21,256
quantitative, to ensure that the results, even though the test

4522
04:44:21,296 --> 04:44:24,896
has been split up into three parts, that those results

4523
04:44:25,016 --> 04:44:26,716
are comparable in terms of rigor,

4524
04:44:27,736 --> 04:44:31,276
and relevance, and tied to the standards in the same way as the state

4525
04:44:31,356 --> 04:44:31,776
test.

4526
04:44:32,206 --> 04:44:32,206
Mm.

4527
04:44:32,236 --> 04:44:35,236
So the next year will expand to

4528
04:44:35,776 --> 04:44:36,236
more

4529
04:44:37,176 --> 04:44:40,876
districts, and at every step of the way, DESE has to get federal

4530
04:44:40,936 --> 04:44:44,476
approval and show that they are meeting those rigorous

4531
04:44:44,896 --> 04:44:47,376
expectations in terms of technical

4532
04:44:48,216 --> 04:44:49,386
soundness and

4533
04:44:51,316 --> 04:44:55,046
comparability. And so the plan is it expands each year and

4534
04:44:55,136 --> 04:44:58,775
in a small number of... So I think it starts in just fifth

4535
04:44:58,816 --> 04:44:59,196
grade-

4536
04:44:59,996 --> 04:45:00,006
Mm-hmm

4537
04:45:00,006 --> 04:45:03,496
... where it would, just for those students, replace the

4538
04:45:05,516 --> 04:45:07,596
state assessment and the accountability formula.

4539
04:45:07,616 --> 04:45:10,656
But again, all of that is dependent on

4540
04:45:11,396 --> 04:45:12,096
the proof-

4541
04:45:12,176 --> 04:45:12,186
Yeah

4542
04:45:12,186 --> 04:45:13,546
... of concept along the way,

4543
04:45:14,476 --> 04:45:15,816
and it is still just-

4544
04:45:16,056 --> 04:45:19,136
Been talking about today. Right. And the one thing that I want, that we have a

4545
04:45:19,156 --> 04:45:23,116
commitment from the department, a commitment and actually obligation to our US

4546
04:45:23,156 --> 04:45:26,656
Department of Education, is that they have to give us the approval all the way

4547
04:45:26,716 --> 04:45:30,096
along to where it is the same rigorous, it is comparable, that we're not

4548
04:45:30,136 --> 04:45:32,855
reducing rigor, that we're not lowering the bar.

4549
04:45:33,356 --> 04:45:36,096
And that wouldn't be anything that I would be able to support anyway.

4550
04:45:36,926 --> 04:45:38,016
Board Member Kerrie Casey?

4551
04:45:38,556 --> 04:45:39,656
Thanks. I'll be brief.

4552
04:45:41,076 --> 04:45:41,636
I

4553
04:45:43,476 --> 04:45:47,146
think there is enthusiasm for "let's be innovative." It's certainly something that

4554
04:45:47,176 --> 04:45:50,766
we have even just talked about today, the importance of being innovative,

4555
04:45:51,176 --> 04:45:55,096
especially when it comes to how we're using our resources and in ways that we

4556
04:45:55,136 --> 04:45:58,656
can more effectively reach the children. Totally for that.

4557
04:45:59,416 --> 04:46:02,896
However, when it comes to this particular program,

4558
04:46:02,996 --> 04:46:06,876
IADA, and this is a monumental change that I

4559
04:46:06,996 --> 04:46:10,926
think in our initial discussion last month, brought

4560
04:46:10,996 --> 04:46:14,756
about many questions. And this isn't the time to kind of drill

4561
04:46:14,816 --> 04:46:18,656
into those questions, but I just want to reiterate the importance of a

4562
04:46:18,696 --> 04:46:22,596
follow-up discussion on that at the board level to go over the kind of

4563
04:46:22,656 --> 04:46:26,356
questions that we were posing and really pros and

4564
04:46:26,476 --> 04:46:30,076
cons around this. And again, there's great excitement and

4565
04:46:30,116 --> 04:46:33,936
reason for that excitement, but there's also serious concerns

4566
04:46:34,016 --> 04:46:37,956
about the doability of this, if you will.

4567
04:46:37,996 --> 04:46:41,926
And I did do some digging and research with the Center of

4568
04:46:41,996 --> 04:46:45,816
Assessment last week and learned a lot more about what

4569
04:46:45,856 --> 04:46:46,556
those states

4570
04:46:47,908 --> 04:46:51,148
That we'd ever want to jump into something that we're not ready to do or that we're

4571
04:46:51,168 --> 04:46:54,808
not going to be able to do well. So yes, absolutely.

4572
04:46:54,888 --> 04:46:56,918
All right. So where are we at, Jill? Priority two?

4573
04:46:56,918 --> 04:46:57,708
Yeah. So

4574
04:46:58,528 --> 04:46:59,188
secondly here, and I

4575
04:47:00,168 --> 04:47:03,988
am excited about this concept of a district

4576
04:47:03,998 --> 04:47:07,688
playbook, and this is really about how do we get clear once we've

4577
04:47:07,728 --> 04:47:09,448
identified the districts and said,

4578
04:47:10,518 --> 04:47:11,888
"This is a challenge"-

4579
04:47:12,148 --> 04:47:12,328
Mm-hmm

4580
04:47:12,348 --> 04:47:15,848
... how do we get really concrete about the steps that are

4581
04:47:15,928 --> 04:47:19,388
taken, both in terms of process, like how do you get

4582
04:47:19,448 --> 04:47:22,188
identified, and then also what do you do?

4583
04:47:22,428 --> 04:47:24,848
So there's a commitment here to building that playbook,

4584
04:47:25,568 --> 04:47:29,288
using district

4585
04:47:29,388 --> 04:47:33,078
and school accountability to identify and

4586
04:47:33,128 --> 04:47:34,258
target those supports.

4587
04:47:35,128 --> 04:47:36,958
And then lastly, I

4588
04:47:38,048 --> 04:47:39,748
talked about the commissioner's-

4589
04:47:40,288 --> 04:47:40,298
Mm-hmm

4590
04:47:40,298 --> 04:47:44,128
... commitment on aligning funding and a priority here is streamlining

4591
04:47:44,248 --> 04:47:47,778
grants management. That sounds so unexciting, but it

4592
04:47:47,828 --> 04:47:48,758
is...

4593
04:47:49,658 --> 04:47:52,988
Districts spend a huge amount of time filling out different plans

4594
04:47:53,028 --> 04:47:54,848
saying, "Here's what we're going to do for Title 1.

4595
04:47:54,908 --> 04:47:57,048
Here's what we're going to do for 1003." And

4596
04:47:58,128 --> 04:48:01,888
there's a strategy here that would allow

4597
04:48:01,928 --> 04:48:05,628
districts to streamline that work so

4598
04:48:05,688 --> 04:48:09,608
that we know the limited dollars that we have are

4599
04:48:09,628 --> 04:48:13,548
being targeted to the improvement strategies, particularly in these

4600
04:48:13,588 --> 04:48:14,688
low-performing schools and districts.

4601
04:48:14,708 --> 04:48:18,188
Yeah. This is the type of work that I've seen in other states that have come

4602
04:48:18,228 --> 04:48:21,408
together, and pretty much what it is, you take all of these grants and federal

4603
04:48:21,488 --> 04:48:25,088
programs, and you have one consolidated application.

4604
04:48:25,388 --> 04:48:29,108
You can focus on the main objectives within the state and not all of these various

4605
04:48:29,968 --> 04:48:32,748
things, kind of like a shotgun approach, more focused approach. So...

4606
04:48:33,228 --> 04:48:34,728
And if underscore or highlight.

4607
04:48:36,808 --> 04:48:39,838
I'm reading it. Well, basically, every one of

4608
04:48:39,888 --> 04:48:43,838
these particular focuses, a lot of this

4609
04:48:43,868 --> 04:48:47,408
came out of the Transforming Schools work, the work that we were talking about,

4610
04:48:47,418 --> 04:48:51,408
especially that district playbook, because that truly is the first opportunity

4611
04:48:51,428 --> 04:48:53,868
that we get to come in and do a rubric on a school system.

4612
04:48:53,908 --> 04:48:57,428
You see that they're low. So then you come in, you have a rubric, you find out

4613
04:48:57,447 --> 04:49:01,398
specifically what the issues are, you align your resources to it, and you put

4614
04:49:01,448 --> 04:49:03,448
a plan together so that there's improvement.

4615
04:49:03,508 --> 04:49:07,428
So it's not just a report out that says, "This many districts are

4616
04:49:07,448 --> 04:49:11,308
failing." It's an opportunity for us to operationalize that work.

4617
04:49:13,028 --> 04:49:13,668
And then-

4618
04:49:14,588 --> 04:49:15,297
Board Member Casey

4619
04:49:15,308 --> 04:49:17,928
... comment more so maybe than a question.

4620
04:49:17,988 --> 04:49:21,648
In that process, and much more to discuss, I think, as we

4621
04:49:21,688 --> 04:49:25,628
dig deeper into the plan, that

4622
04:49:25,668 --> 04:49:27,868
process prioritizes those schools.

4623
04:49:27,888 --> 04:49:28,128
Yes.

4624
04:49:28,168 --> 04:49:31,758
So the ones with the greatest needs, with the fewest resources,

4625
04:49:32,348 --> 04:49:32,628
where

4626
04:49:36,228 --> 04:49:40,068
our resources are aligned in a way that we are identifying

4627
04:49:40,218 --> 04:49:41,428
the greatest needs.

4628
04:49:41,468 --> 04:49:42,148
Yes.

4629
04:49:42,208 --> 04:49:42,418
Mm-hmm.

4630
04:49:42,928 --> 04:49:43,327
Absolutely.

4631
04:49:43,608 --> 04:49:44,368
Hey, Carla?

4632
04:49:44,688 --> 04:49:45,008
Yes.

4633
04:49:45,128 --> 04:49:47,258
I just want to underscore, I'm sorry, Dr.

4634
04:49:47,488 --> 04:49:49,978
Eslinger, that this is huge.

4635
04:49:50,808 --> 04:49:54,598
This is a huge departure, a really good

4636
04:49:54,608 --> 04:49:58,008
departure from past plans

4637
04:49:58,068 --> 04:50:00,028
that kind of treated every,

4638
04:50:01,068 --> 04:50:02,808
I hate to say it, treated everyone the same.

4639
04:50:03,048 --> 04:50:03,308
Yes.

4640
04:50:03,348 --> 04:50:07,228
DESE area supervisors have to show up differently in schools that

4641
04:50:07,948 --> 04:50:10,088
are struggling, and they should be

4642
04:50:10,948 --> 04:50:14,188
carefully monitored through metrics on a dashboard.

4643
04:50:14,848 --> 04:50:18,528
So as we talk about the 20 that have the APR chronically

4644
04:50:18,568 --> 04:50:22,508
below 70, those schools would clearly fall

4645
04:50:22,608 --> 04:50:23,528
into this. It's the

4646
04:50:24,788 --> 04:50:28,688
concerns that you were voicing earlier about where's the focus on

4647
04:50:28,728 --> 04:50:30,548
those schools? Why aren't we talking about them?

4648
04:50:31,208 --> 04:50:34,768
So this pretty much gives you an opportunity to do almost a diagnostic on a school

4649
04:50:34,788 --> 04:50:38,508
system to where you can actually see where is it that you can make the immediate

4650
04:50:38,548 --> 04:50:41,297
improvements and get the resources and time there.

4651
04:50:41,388 --> 04:50:44,688
I believe that is a thing that we have not done as a department.

4652
04:50:44,728 --> 04:50:47,968
If you think about it, the department has, I believe, historically

4653
04:50:48,688 --> 04:50:52,488
been considered more of a library, where if you have resources, or if you have an

4654
04:50:52,528 --> 04:50:55,708
interest, or if you have something that you need, call us and we'll try to help

4655
04:50:55,788 --> 04:50:55,908
you.

4656
04:50:55,968 --> 04:50:56,868
This is much more proactive.

4657
04:50:56,928 --> 04:51:00,668
Much more proactive and leaning in on these areas that we know we need to focus on.

4658
04:51:01,688 --> 04:51:01,888
Okay.

4659
04:51:02,048 --> 04:51:02,278
Jill?

4660
04:51:02,308 --> 04:51:03,008
Board Member Casey.

4661
04:51:03,767 --> 04:51:07,748
One very quick question. Not to get ahead, but what's going

4662
04:51:07,788 --> 04:51:10,798
to be important, and I hope you'll cover it by the end of the presentation,

4663
04:51:11,908 --> 04:51:15,768
obviously next steps, but the importance of how the board's going to be

4664
04:51:15,828 --> 04:51:19,768
informed about all these things on an ongoing basis, not just a

4665
04:51:19,828 --> 04:51:20,898
once a year update or-

4666
04:51:21,288 --> 04:51:21,388
Right

4667
04:51:21,428 --> 04:51:22,598
... just how you are going to-

4668
04:51:22,618 --> 04:51:26,608
My goal would be obviously, and that's a great question, is that the changes in

4669
04:51:26,648 --> 04:51:30,328
your agenda, which I suspected would happen after this comes about, each one of

4670
04:51:30,368 --> 04:51:33,818
those priorities would be reflected in your agenda to where you're addressing

4671
04:51:33,828 --> 04:51:35,428
priority one, priority two, priority three.

4672
04:51:35,588 --> 04:51:38,888
Once you land on the six that you believe is what you want to do. Yes.

4673
04:51:40,388 --> 04:51:40,708
Thank you.

4674
04:51:41,288 --> 04:51:43,728
And Evidence can provide all the metrics so we can measure this.

4675
04:51:44,248 --> 04:51:44,528
Yes.

4676
04:51:45,328 --> 04:51:46,288
And Carla-

4677
04:51:46,308 --> 04:51:46,347
Yes

4678
04:51:46,358 --> 04:51:50,288
... not to get in the weeds, but, and this is something I've

4679
04:51:50,328 --> 04:51:54,308
had a concern over, we already have the data that shows that the

4680
04:51:54,348 --> 04:51:56,808
least prepared instructors or teachers-

4681
04:51:56,838 --> 04:51:56,838
Yes

4682
04:51:56,838 --> 04:51:57,908
... are in

4683
04:51:58,788 --> 04:52:01,558
front of our most challenged schools and

4684
04:52:01,628 --> 04:52:05,378
environments. It would be my hope and

4685
04:52:05,468 --> 04:52:07,608
expectation that that data-

4686
04:52:07,708 --> 04:52:08,407
Yes

4687
04:52:08,668 --> 04:52:09,948
... is clearly present

4688
04:52:10,808 --> 04:52:12,228
as we talk about this priority.

4689
04:52:12,268 --> 04:52:12,348
Right.

4690
04:52:12,828 --> 04:52:13,268
Absolutely.

4691
04:52:14,808 --> 04:52:15,668
Which will be monthly.

4692
04:52:16,428 --> 04:52:18,688
Well, each month on your agenda, if you change your agenda-

4693
04:52:18,888 --> 04:52:18,978
Yeah

4694
04:52:19,108 --> 04:52:19,368
... we agree.

4695
04:52:19,788 --> 04:52:20,068
Right.

4696
04:52:20,148 --> 04:52:21,608
All right. Are we ready for-

4697
04:52:22,488 --> 04:52:22,948
I think for Evan

4698
04:52:22,968 --> 04:52:24,728
... Evan, do you have anything about this one? Mm-mm.

4699
04:52:24,928 --> 04:52:25,407
I think the next

4700
04:52:26,268 --> 04:52:28,528
slide has data metrics.

4701
04:52:28,588 --> 04:52:29,328
Okay.

4702
04:52:29,408 --> 04:52:33,288
And so I think one thing I just heard was an opportunity to add something on

4703
04:52:33,328 --> 04:52:35,088
the percent of qualified teachers in this.

4704
04:52:35,168 --> 04:52:38,428
Absolutely. So to just make sure that we're aware,

4705
04:52:39,028 --> 04:52:42,768
each one of these outcomes, like Evan's going to spend time tomorrow with these

4706
04:52:42,888 --> 04:52:46,668
work group leads that are DESE staff and try to really

4707
04:52:46,708 --> 04:52:49,468
hone in on the specific metric to measure these

4708
04:52:49,528 --> 04:52:53,416
outcomes.The difference that I'm seeing in this strategic plan

4709
04:52:53,456 --> 04:52:57,396
development from what I've seen in previous pieces, I'm not saying it wasn't

4710
04:52:57,436 --> 04:53:01,376
good, but we're building upon that, is that we're very specific about what the

4711
04:53:01,416 --> 04:53:05,376
expectation is and having a metric around whether we're making a difference or not.

4712
04:53:05,826 --> 04:53:09,576
And I think that is definitely moving the agenda forward.

4713
04:53:10,596 --> 04:53:11,456
Okay. Evan?

4714
04:53:11,936 --> 04:53:13,966
I was just going to offer the other-

4715
04:53:14,016 --> 04:53:14,276
There you go.

4716
04:53:14,446 --> 04:53:15,256
... piece of this with

4717
04:53:16,396 --> 04:53:19,896
as we're crafting the metrics and as you look at each of the priorities, what I

4718
04:53:19,916 --> 04:53:23,826
think is shifting in this refresh of the strategic plan is you're

4719
04:53:23,856 --> 04:53:27,596
combining and creating more opportunities for crossover between the

4720
04:53:27,616 --> 04:53:29,636
different work groups and the departments.

4721
04:53:29,676 --> 04:53:29,706
Mm-hmm.

4722
04:53:29,796 --> 04:53:32,686
And that's an important aspect, especially when you think about focusing on

4723
04:53:33,076 --> 04:53:36,946
underperforming schools, we have in there improvement in both ELA and

4724
04:53:37,016 --> 04:53:38,116
math. While you

4725
04:53:39,096 --> 04:53:41,756
don't want to measure both of those things simultaneously, you do want to have that

4726
04:53:41,796 --> 04:53:45,096
embedded to say, "If we're going to see improvement, we have to

4727
04:53:45,156 --> 04:53:47,896
have clear, coherent information and-

4728
04:53:49,326 --> 04:53:53,296
... a clear understanding of the metrics that are already available for schools so

4729
04:53:53,336 --> 04:53:55,196
they can make those course corrections along the way."

4730
04:53:55,316 --> 04:53:58,636
So it looked to me in the past slide that there was something about, and-

4731
04:53:58,976 --> 04:54:00,186
We'll try to get us on the right slide

4732
04:54:00,186 --> 04:54:02,136
... I don't know if the board will make that decision or...

4733
04:54:02,176 --> 04:54:05,696
But the percentage of increase in ELA, the percentage

4734
04:54:05,776 --> 04:54:09,296
of proficiency increase in mathematics, right?

4735
04:54:09,386 --> 04:54:09,386
Mm-hmm.

4736
04:54:09,416 --> 04:54:12,416
So we will establish what that needs to be.

4737
04:54:12,476 --> 04:54:15,716
That's also that measurable goal that we can use for the assessment tool.

4738
04:54:15,796 --> 04:54:16,176
Yes.

4739
04:54:16,236 --> 04:54:17,966
And the timelines with those goals.

4740
04:54:17,966 --> 04:54:18,596
And the timelines, yes.

4741
04:54:18,606 --> 04:54:18,876
Exactly.

4742
04:54:19,156 --> 04:54:20,036
Okay. Pamela West-Cott.

4743
04:54:20,056 --> 04:54:23,756
I just want to interject that the last time

4744
04:54:23,816 --> 04:54:27,696
Carrie and I were challenged with the

4745
04:54:27,736 --> 04:54:30,946
percentages by which... The goal percentages,

4746
04:54:33,116 --> 04:54:36,976
it was really difficult for us to compromise

4747
04:54:37,056 --> 04:54:39,636
on the amount of growth we wanted to see,

4748
04:54:41,216 --> 04:54:45,196
and then temper that with realism and the growth that had

4749
04:54:45,316 --> 04:54:49,166
actually been achieved, and what leaders

4750
04:54:49,276 --> 04:54:52,996
felt was achievable. So I just want

4751
04:54:53,016 --> 04:54:56,416
to get everyone to thinking about,

4752
04:54:56,996 --> 04:55:00,836
you're each individually going to be challenged with

4753
04:55:00,856 --> 04:55:04,276
that. We'll want the moon, and then we'll have to compare the

4754
04:55:04,416 --> 04:55:07,876
moon to what's actually achievable with the

4755
04:55:07,916 --> 04:55:11,556
resources that we have and other constraints.

4756
04:55:11,636 --> 04:55:12,016
So,

4757
04:55:12,896 --> 04:55:14,816
just prepare yourselves for-

4758
04:55:14,976 --> 04:55:15,316
Mm-hmm

4759
04:55:15,676 --> 04:55:19,656
... for that very difficult experience

4760
04:55:19,756 --> 04:55:20,476
because it-

4761
04:55:21,876 --> 04:55:23,416
Well, that's why I brought it up.

4762
04:55:23,916 --> 04:55:24,096
Yeah.

4763
04:55:24,176 --> 04:55:26,346
Is so because we kind of slipped past that and

4764
04:55:27,356 --> 04:55:31,156
I've heard a lot of discussion today about things we want to get done

4765
04:55:31,216 --> 04:55:34,865
and who's responsible and how we're going to be accountable, but this is

4766
04:55:34,896 --> 04:55:38,056
something where everyone's going to have to make those decisions.

4767
04:55:38,076 --> 04:55:40,926
And you are right, everybody wants big growth,

4768
04:55:42,136 --> 04:55:45,596
but we've got to look at... We don't want to set

4769
04:55:45,676 --> 04:55:46,816
low goals.

4770
04:55:46,856 --> 04:55:46,936
No.

4771
04:55:47,376 --> 04:55:50,976
And so, I'm hoping we'll get some good guidance here.

4772
04:55:50,996 --> 04:55:54,926
Carrie, I know you and Pam have been working on this, and you have some thoughts,

4773
04:55:55,016 --> 04:55:56,276
so you'll be able to help guide us.

4774
04:55:57,096 --> 04:56:00,976
I know with Brooks, that you hope that we can make big goals, what I

4775
04:56:01,016 --> 04:56:02,736
call big, hairy, audacious goals.

4776
04:56:03,276 --> 04:56:06,336
So how do we balance that out as we move forward?

4777
04:56:06,556 --> 04:56:06,706
Absolutely.

4778
04:56:06,706 --> 04:56:07,996
And this is-

4779
04:56:08,096 --> 04:56:09,176
With fewer resources.

4780
04:56:10,556 --> 04:56:14,296
Well, we had that conversation earlier today too.

4781
04:56:14,336 --> 04:56:14,706
Oh, yeah.

4782
04:56:14,726 --> 04:56:14,726
So... Yes.

4783
04:56:14,776 --> 04:56:14,936
Okay.

4784
04:56:14,946 --> 04:56:14,946
Okay.

4785
04:56:15,136 --> 04:56:15,276
I have.

4786
04:56:15,696 --> 04:56:16,016
Oh, yes.

4787
04:56:16,116 --> 04:56:16,896
Mike Matusik?

4788
04:56:17,956 --> 04:56:20,696
Thank you. Kind of another general question.

4789
04:56:20,896 --> 04:56:23,816
I saw a copy of the draft strategic plan,

4790
04:56:24,636 --> 04:56:26,096
I think, in late January. I

4791
04:56:27,196 --> 04:56:28,436
got a copy from Kyle.

4792
04:56:28,576 --> 04:56:30,796
Mm-hmm. Yeah. And that had-

4793
04:56:30,826 --> 04:56:31,286
Has that been sent out?

4794
04:56:31,326 --> 04:56:34,736
... tons and tons of stuff in it. And part of the challenge with that, because

4795
04:56:34,796 --> 04:56:35,896
every work group had,

4796
04:56:36,896 --> 04:56:40,776
I don't know how many, 20 or 30, but anyway, so we have to bring it in.

4797
04:56:40,856 --> 04:56:42,115
So the look is much different.

4798
04:56:42,516 --> 04:56:45,856
But so has it been sent around since, and I missed the email or-

4799
04:56:46,156 --> 04:56:46,406
It just came.

4800
04:56:46,406 --> 04:56:47,056
This is the first-

4801
04:56:47,176 --> 04:56:47,206
Today.

4802
04:56:47,206 --> 04:56:50,206
This is the first that we've sent this out, this version, this cleaned up version.

4803
04:56:50,236 --> 04:56:50,776
Last Friday.

4804
04:56:51,816 --> 04:56:52,466
And we're not asking-

4805
04:56:52,466 --> 04:56:54,666
What we shared with you was really not ready for prime time.

4806
04:56:54,666 --> 04:56:55,696
Just draft. Mm-hmm.

4807
04:56:55,766 --> 04:56:56,096
And not-

4808
04:56:56,696 --> 04:56:57,356
Yeah.

4809
04:56:57,416 --> 04:56:57,696
Yeah.

4810
04:56:59,576 --> 04:57:00,286
So, so this-

4811
04:57:00,426 --> 04:57:00,466
And today's really the first time

4812
04:57:00,466 --> 04:57:02,046
... these priorities, this is-

4813
04:57:02,636 --> 04:57:05,956
The six priorities are the current draft of the strategic plan for your

4814
04:57:05,996 --> 04:57:06,656
consideration.

4815
04:57:07,396 --> 04:57:09,185
And it's just our first blush, as we've been saying.

4816
04:57:09,185 --> 04:57:09,185
So-

4817
04:57:09,185 --> 04:57:09,976
We get your discussion-

4818
04:57:10,216 --> 04:57:10,336
Yeah

4819
04:57:10,456 --> 04:57:13,476
... here, and then I will reach out to each individual and make sure that

4820
04:57:14,216 --> 04:57:17,756
this plan reflects what you believe should be included, get your

4821
04:57:17,836 --> 04:57:21,256
feedback. We're continuing to work on the metrics, continuing to work with the work

4822
04:57:21,296 --> 04:57:24,116
groups. We have some great feedback from Pamela as well.

4823
04:57:24,196 --> 04:57:27,396
She's going to meet directly with the Watershed group and myself, and this is an

4824
04:57:27,456 --> 04:57:28,436
ongoing process.

4825
04:57:29,296 --> 04:57:33,256
My goal is that we get this done and that we're able to truly and be able to say,

4826
04:57:33,676 --> 04:57:35,816
"Here's a metric. Here we're measuring it.

4827
04:57:35,896 --> 04:57:36,756
Are we making a difference?"

4828
04:57:38,776 --> 04:57:41,356
And what do we do? And what do we do if we're not?

4829
04:57:41,736 --> 04:57:45,616
You indicated earlier today, Carla, that you would be

4830
04:57:45,676 --> 04:57:46,756
reaching out to each of us-

4831
04:57:46,766 --> 04:57:46,766
Yes

4832
04:57:46,776 --> 04:57:48,146
... individually for our feedback-

4833
04:57:48,216 --> 04:57:48,226
Yes

4834
04:57:48,226 --> 04:57:50,076
... possibly even a survey. Did I hear that?

4835
04:57:50,136 --> 04:57:50,356
Yes.

4836
04:57:50,716 --> 04:57:50,916
Okay.

4837
04:57:51,196 --> 04:57:54,136
Mm-hmm. There's the first blush of this.

4838
04:57:54,236 --> 04:57:57,696
I would assume that you would like to have some time to digest and look at it and

4839
04:57:57,756 --> 04:58:01,276
really be able to give me some specific feedback because I want to be able to have

4840
04:58:01,336 --> 04:58:01,936
that reflected.

4841
04:58:04,196 --> 04:58:04,496
Mike?

4842
04:58:05,176 --> 04:58:05,936
Sorry. So,

4843
04:58:07,436 --> 04:58:08,456
priority one for... I

4844
04:58:10,196 --> 04:58:13,756
was talking with someone earlier about my prior

4845
04:58:13,856 --> 04:58:17,376
superintendent was able to sort of dumb things down for me in a way that I could...

4846
04:58:18,216 --> 04:58:19,836
Because this is a lot of complicated stuff.

4847
04:58:20,126 --> 04:58:20,236
Yeah.

4848
04:58:20,876 --> 04:58:24,406
There's only two of the board members that have been involved in this over the last

4849
04:58:24,436 --> 04:58:25,296
seven or eight months.

4850
04:58:26,856 --> 04:58:30,676
And so, I think they're able to speak

4851
04:58:30,716 --> 04:58:32,836
about it more, I think, than most of us.

4852
04:58:32,936 --> 04:58:33,036
But,

4853
04:58:34,076 --> 04:58:36,756
so when I'm looking at priority one, for example,

4854
04:58:40,856 --> 04:58:42,176
where it talks about literacy,

4855
04:58:43,216 --> 04:58:43,536
so

4856
04:58:44,436 --> 04:58:48,276
can you kind of get into a little bit

4857
04:58:48,316 --> 04:58:51,976
more detail on how this strategic plan would improve literacy?

4858
04:58:53,244 --> 04:58:57,184
There's things within the strategic plan, a priority that

4859
04:58:57,224 --> 04:59:00,964
addresses increase in the number of letters trained teachers.

4860
04:59:01,404 --> 04:59:01,644
There's

4861
04:59:02,504 --> 04:59:03,004
specific

4862
04:59:04,064 --> 04:59:06,564
strategies, I guess you would say, for each priority.

4863
04:59:07,064 --> 04:59:10,734
Right. So I saw also the outcomes,

4864
04:59:11,084 --> 04:59:11,804
for example,

4865
04:59:12,944 --> 04:59:16,264
increase the percentage of grade three students earning proficient or above in

4866
04:59:16,604 --> 04:59:19,614
ELA and math on MAP grade level assessment.

4867
04:59:21,824 --> 04:59:24,864
Increase the percentage of districts that have adopted high-quality instructional

4868
04:59:24,924 --> 04:59:26,684
materials in ELA and mathematics.

4869
04:59:27,804 --> 04:59:30,424
Increase the percentage of teachers and school leaders experiencing...

4870
04:59:30,744 --> 04:59:30,804
So,

4871
04:59:33,624 --> 04:59:34,013
basically,

4872
04:59:35,524 --> 04:59:36,624
educator training,

4873
04:59:38,184 --> 04:59:39,344
that is what's going to solve

4874
04:59:40,224 --> 04:59:42,824
literacy or improve literacy in the state?

4875
04:59:43,024 --> 04:59:46,554
We have to have highly trained teachers or very good teachers in front of the kids,

4876
04:59:46,584 --> 04:59:50,224
and research will tell you that that is the most significant indicator

4877
04:59:50,344 --> 04:59:53,004
of kids being successful, is the quality of the teacher.

4878
04:59:53,044 --> 04:59:56,884
If they have the ability to teach reading within we know the way we

4879
04:59:56,924 --> 05:00:00,464
know is the best way to teach reading, we're going to have increased scores in ELA,

4880
05:00:00,524 --> 05:00:03,824
increased scores in literacy. So it's all a build.

4881
05:00:03,834 --> 05:00:07,044
But yes, that is the way in which you increase reading proficiency.

4882
05:00:07,184 --> 05:00:09,904
I would also argue that the entire strategic plan-

4883
05:00:10,384 --> 05:00:10,424
Yes

4884
05:00:10,484 --> 05:00:13,884
... is intended to improve

4885
05:00:13,964 --> 05:00:17,624
outcomes in literacy and math. Everything that is in here is

4886
05:00:17,664 --> 05:00:21,624
because those are inputs that we know

4887
05:00:21,664 --> 05:00:24,884
contribute. Some of them are longer term, right?

4888
05:00:25,284 --> 05:00:29,214
Changing an educator prep program is an investment far in

4889
05:00:29,244 --> 05:00:32,404
the future because it'll take a long time before those teachers are delivering

4890
05:00:32,424 --> 05:00:35,724
instruction in classrooms. Some of this, like

4891
05:00:36,964 --> 05:00:40,764
providing direct support in our most struggling schools, is an

4892
05:00:40,824 --> 05:00:44,614
immediate. Getting coaches into schools is an immediate thing.

4893
05:00:44,984 --> 05:00:48,664
But all of these, including safe and healthy schools, all of that is about

4894
05:00:48,724 --> 05:00:52,204
creating the environment aligned all the way from the State

4895
05:00:52,284 --> 05:00:53,144
House-

4896
05:00:53,154 --> 05:00:53,154
Yeah

4897
05:00:53,154 --> 05:00:56,714
... down to the classroom to ensure that teachers show up every day with the

4898
05:00:56,804 --> 05:01:00,564
tools and resources and curriculum that

4899
05:01:00,684 --> 05:01:04,444
research has shown will result in better instruction.

4900
05:01:04,553 --> 05:01:04,824
I was in a

4901
05:01:05,644 --> 05:01:09,444
school recently, it's a really exceptional school, it's in our neighboring

4902
05:01:09,524 --> 05:01:10,324
state, Arkansas.

4903
05:01:12,324 --> 05:01:15,624
And the principal was talking about

4904
05:01:16,184 --> 05:01:20,164
how their job was to take everything else off of

4905
05:01:20,173 --> 05:01:22,224
a teacher's plate so that they could-

4906
05:01:22,724 --> 05:01:23,124
Focus

4907
05:01:23,144 --> 05:01:24,984
... deliver the quality instruction.

4908
05:01:25,044 --> 05:01:28,964
So if that meant running copies for the teacher, they were running copies

4909
05:01:28,984 --> 05:01:31,494
for the teacher. And so the goal here is to get really clear

4910
05:01:32,784 --> 05:01:36,524
about what we want teachers to be spending their time doing, and that

4911
05:01:36,624 --> 05:01:40,324
is delivering instruction using high-quality instructional materials

4912
05:01:40,884 --> 05:01:44,224
aligned to the standards, using assessment

4913
05:01:44,424 --> 05:01:45,184
data from-

4914
05:01:45,354 --> 05:01:45,444
Mm-hmm

4915
05:01:45,464 --> 05:01:49,024
... rigorous assessments, starting with the early literacy screeners in

4916
05:01:49,044 --> 05:01:52,434
kindergarten, to direct targeted supports.

4917
05:01:52,494 --> 05:01:54,784
And I think you see a lot of the tools.

4918
05:01:54,804 --> 05:01:58,634
When we look across Missouri, you see a lot of initiatives and strategies that

4919
05:01:58,704 --> 05:02:02,484
are in and of themselves good. So the coaching strategy, letters,

4920
05:02:02,504 --> 05:02:04,724
training, all of those things are good.

4921
05:02:04,954 --> 05:02:08,624
Part of what the strategic plan is saying, how we bring all those together to

4922
05:02:08,664 --> 05:02:12,514
create coherence and focus, and what are we asking teachers,

4923
05:02:12,824 --> 05:02:13,393
districts-

4924
05:02:14,024 --> 05:02:14,184
Mm-hmm

4925
05:02:14,324 --> 05:02:17,893
... or even DESE to do that's getting in the way of that, and how do we get that

4926
05:02:17,964 --> 05:02:20,664
off their plate? I don't know if that answers your question, but that's how I think

4927
05:02:20,724 --> 05:02:23,284
about it from sort of a national perspective.

4928
05:02:23,344 --> 05:02:25,624
I know you guys have a lot more Missouri context, but that's-

4929
05:02:25,944 --> 05:02:25,954
Mm-hmm

4930
05:02:26,184 --> 05:02:29,804
... how we try to think about what we elevated in the strategic plan.

4931
05:02:29,924 --> 05:02:33,564
Yesterday, in the governor's office, that was the number one mandate, that we

4932
05:02:33,684 --> 05:02:37,393
drive the literacy and the math, that we continue to get those

4933
05:02:37,444 --> 05:02:39,884
numbers up and get back to the basics. That was number one.

4934
05:02:40,044 --> 05:02:43,064
So, I do believe this is tying back to that.

4935
05:02:43,504 --> 05:02:44,064
Karen Casey?

4936
05:02:44,384 --> 05:02:46,724
And I think in our true fashion,

4937
05:02:47,804 --> 05:02:50,624
as a board, we tend to want to jump ahead.

4938
05:02:50,804 --> 05:02:51,024
And

4939
05:02:51,844 --> 05:02:54,044
we're kind of already going there because- ...

4940
05:02:54,164 --> 05:02:57,984
I really appreciate the framework that you're presenting to us, but this is

4941
05:02:58,024 --> 05:03:00,664
not the entire strategic plan. This is not the end.

4942
05:03:00,804 --> 05:03:04,004
You'll have specific roadmaps, and Evan will get into that just a minute, about the

4943
05:03:04,044 --> 05:03:04,704
reporting out-

4944
05:03:04,744 --> 05:03:04,754
Okay

4945
05:03:04,754 --> 05:03:07,004
... and how we're going to manage and make this operational.

4946
05:03:07,344 --> 05:03:08,624
Yeah. Because to Mike's point,

4947
05:03:09,664 --> 05:03:12,244
what we're seeing is very good.

4948
05:03:12,704 --> 05:03:12,994
High level.

4949
05:03:13,004 --> 05:03:16,824
But extremely high level, and until we can appreciate what those

4950
05:03:16,864 --> 05:03:20,784
goals and the shooting for the moon and where we land, and maybe it's

4951
05:03:20,824 --> 05:03:23,664
the dark side of the moon that now we're going to shoot for.

4952
05:03:23,924 --> 05:03:26,764
It's just so important that we see the whole picture.

4953
05:03:26,784 --> 05:03:28,824
And this is not intended to be the whole picture.

4954
05:03:28,914 --> 05:03:32,754
No. These broad strokes, these priorities, strategies, and

4955
05:03:32,864 --> 05:03:36,594
outcomes, we have to land on that so that we can build the operational

4956
05:03:36,624 --> 05:03:37,204
side of it.

4957
05:03:37,484 --> 05:03:39,584
So you'll get our feedback on this much-

4958
05:03:39,594 --> 05:03:39,594
Yes

4959
05:03:39,594 --> 05:03:40,804
... of the strategic plan?

4960
05:03:41,304 --> 05:03:41,544
Yes.

4961
05:03:41,564 --> 05:03:44,404
But in parallel, Evan, you'll be working on...

4962
05:03:44,464 --> 05:03:45,064
Okay. Correct.

4963
05:03:45,224 --> 05:03:45,494
Mike?

4964
05:03:46,844 --> 05:03:49,184
But this is what we'll actually be approving or

4965
05:03:50,044 --> 05:03:52,024
considering next month, what we're looking at.

4966
05:03:52,064 --> 05:03:53,663
If you're ready for that next month.

4967
05:03:53,744 --> 05:03:53,864
Right.

4968
05:03:56,184 --> 05:03:59,904
Okay. So I was so confused because I was looking at what Kyle had sent me back in

4969
05:03:59,944 --> 05:04:01,944
January, and I was like, "Well, this looks nothing like that."

4970
05:04:02,244 --> 05:04:02,344
Yeah.

4971
05:04:02,724 --> 05:04:02,864
And I-

4972
05:04:03,164 --> 05:04:06,944
That's why I was hesitant to send it to you, because it's just so much, and it's a

4973
05:04:06,964 --> 05:04:10,044
draft, and so much moving parts, I was afraid that that would

4974
05:04:10,584 --> 05:04:14,554
probably create a little bit of not sure what you see this

4975
05:04:14,584 --> 05:04:17,264
time, because you're trying to compare the two, obviously. Yeah.

4976
05:04:17,444 --> 05:04:21,404
I think we really want to make sure the board has a good look at things.

4977
05:04:21,434 --> 05:04:24,084
So, what are our six most important priorities?

4978
05:04:24,224 --> 05:04:27,964
And ultimately, when we finish with this

4979
05:04:28,024 --> 05:04:28,954
conversation today,

4980
05:04:29,784 --> 05:04:33,114
there could be a decision, there could be a lot of feedback that

4981
05:04:33,164 --> 05:04:36,384
maybe there's something that's not exactly a

4982
05:04:36,424 --> 05:04:40,364
priority. What I have seen is very much in line with what I feel

4983
05:04:40,444 --> 05:04:44,364
like I've heard the board talk about, and also what we heard yesterday

4984
05:04:44,424 --> 05:04:48,094
in terms of literacy and reading, addressing these, and

4985
05:04:48,124 --> 05:04:51,604
transforming schools. That was the number two thing.

4986
05:04:51,964 --> 05:04:52,624
Sarah asking-

4987
05:04:52,764 --> 05:04:55,704
Oh, John? Sorry. Are you back?

4988
05:04:56,044 --> 05:04:58,164
Yeah. I'm back. I'm sorry. I've been listening in.

4989
05:04:58,224 --> 05:04:58,464
I'm in

4990
05:04:59,984 --> 05:05:00,144
the

4991
05:05:01,736 --> 05:05:05,496
On my phone. But just one thing to just chime in is that

4992
05:05:06,136 --> 05:05:09,576
I think it might be helpful for those of us board members who are not on that

4993
05:05:09,656 --> 05:05:10,116
committee

4994
05:05:10,936 --> 05:05:14,176
to have... I know that we've been doing webinars and things like that, which has

4995
05:05:14,216 --> 05:05:17,896
been helpful, and that might be a good opportunity for us to provide feedback and

4996
05:05:17,916 --> 05:05:21,436
really do a deep dive and digest this.

4997
05:05:22,396 --> 05:05:26,236
Because this is a lot, and we haven't really been involved at all

4998
05:05:26,616 --> 05:05:29,496
other than occasionally talking about it at these meetings.

4999
05:05:29,526 --> 05:05:32,436
And so I think if this is something that we want to

5000
05:05:32,496 --> 05:05:36,396
adopt as a board, as our guiding principles, we should at

5001
05:05:36,436 --> 05:05:38,296
least all of us have some more

5002
05:05:39,376 --> 05:05:39,836
input-

5003
05:05:40,536 --> 05:05:40,656
Sure

5004
05:05:40,776 --> 05:05:42,216
... and feedback into this.

5005
05:05:42,876 --> 05:05:44,025
I think that the commissioner-

5006
05:05:44,036 --> 05:05:44,476
What we're doing-

5007
05:05:44,596 --> 05:05:44,606
Yes.

5008
05:05:44,616 --> 05:05:47,546
I mean, that's the intent of this discussion, to kick off that part of the process.

5009
05:05:47,556 --> 05:05:48,376
Right. I guess what I'm saying...

5010
05:05:49,696 --> 05:05:53,485
Yeah, and that's fine. I just think this one board meeting just kind of sprung on

5011
05:05:53,536 --> 05:05:54,266
us is not-

5012
05:05:54,296 --> 05:05:54,656
Yeah.

5013
05:05:54,716 --> 05:05:57,176
I want more bites at the apple is basically what I'm saying.

5014
05:05:57,656 --> 05:05:57,756
Yeah.

5015
05:05:57,816 --> 05:06:00,576
And you should, and I absolutely we will provide that.

5016
05:06:00,586 --> 05:06:03,306
This is the first opportunity we've been able to roll this out-

5017
05:06:03,616 --> 05:06:03,696
Yes

5018
05:06:03,716 --> 05:06:07,616
... and we're ready for feedback and for you all to take time and dive into

5019
05:06:07,676 --> 05:06:07,876
this.

5020
05:06:08,176 --> 05:06:08,326
And I think-

5021
05:06:08,326 --> 05:06:09,496
We'll have workshops or-

5022
05:06:09,526 --> 05:06:12,556
... Commissioner, you've already talked about, you and Pam today, about moving it

5023
05:06:12,596 --> 05:06:16,456
back even to June. So we'd still have between now and

5024
05:06:16,516 --> 05:06:17,076
June, right?

5025
05:06:17,316 --> 05:06:17,796
Mm-hmm. Sure.

5026
05:06:18,196 --> 05:06:18,866
Yeah. And, I think-

5027
05:06:18,866 --> 05:06:19,676
It's on your all's pace

5028
05:06:20,036 --> 05:06:21,296
... to John's point,

5029
05:06:21,556 --> 05:06:25,336
first, I think we

5030
05:06:25,376 --> 05:06:29,306
need a framework, and the framework is this

5031
05:06:29,376 --> 05:06:30,316
is the what.

5032
05:06:30,676 --> 05:06:30,866
Mm-hmm.

5033
05:06:31,006 --> 05:06:34,036
The next layer down in the roadmaps is the how.

5034
05:06:34,536 --> 05:06:37,556
Like, what are the specific strategies that we'll

5035
05:06:38,936 --> 05:06:40,596
execute over the next three years-

5036
05:06:40,656 --> 05:06:40,666
Mm-hmm

5037
05:06:40,666 --> 05:06:44,066
... to accomplish these high-level priorities?

5038
05:06:44,716 --> 05:06:45,276
So,

5039
05:06:46,236 --> 05:06:49,746
they're not bucketed the way that everyone is accustomed to seeing

5040
05:06:50,076 --> 05:06:53,906
topically like literacy, mathematics, but all of those

5041
05:06:53,976 --> 05:06:56,246
concepts are woven throughout-

5042
05:06:56,836 --> 05:06:56,846
Yes

5043
05:06:56,846 --> 05:06:57,816
... each of the six.

5044
05:06:59,816 --> 05:07:03,686
So maybe there's some mapping that we could do, and Carla and I talked about

5045
05:07:03,686 --> 05:07:03,996
that-

5046
05:07:04,226 --> 05:07:04,626
Yes. And I want you to know-

5047
05:07:04,626 --> 05:07:05,716
... to make it digestible.

5048
05:07:05,756 --> 05:07:09,306
Yeah. We did, and with the help of these two folks here, and

5049
05:07:09,396 --> 05:07:13,256
also people across this agency and others who have volunteered, we have

5050
05:07:13,276 --> 05:07:17,206
done roadmaps with every one of the suggestions that came from those work groups,

5051
05:07:17,616 --> 05:07:21,136
and we're able to lay it out to say, "Yes, it's included" or "No, it's not." So

5052
05:07:21,176 --> 05:07:25,005
that we can have conversations around, is it something that is more of a

5053
05:07:25,116 --> 05:07:28,876
build towards or whatever. So those documents will also be available to you

5054
05:07:29,056 --> 05:07:29,556
as well.

5055
05:07:30,896 --> 05:07:31,126
Sounds good.

5056
05:07:31,126 --> 05:07:33,066
Again, the purpose of this conversation was-

5057
05:07:33,876 --> 05:07:34,266
This is the what

5058
05:07:34,266 --> 05:07:35,256
... this is where we are.

5059
05:07:36,136 --> 05:07:39,956
Just so we can have those, because really and truly, all the

5060
05:07:39,996 --> 05:07:43,966
work that you're talking about wanting to do as a state board and

5061
05:07:43,976 --> 05:07:47,885
be responsible for moving education forward can sit right here with

5062
05:07:47,896 --> 05:07:51,296
these metrics and these pieces where you can show, "This is our work,

5063
05:07:51,796 --> 05:07:55,376
this is how we know," and it truly creates an opportunity for our

5064
05:07:55,396 --> 05:07:57,876
department to become relevant. So thank you.

5065
05:07:59,496 --> 05:08:00,076
Mike Mattesi?

5066
05:08:00,186 --> 05:08:03,906
Sorry, one last question, because I know we'll have

5067
05:08:04,436 --> 05:08:05,456
webinars and things like that.

5068
05:08:05,466 --> 05:08:05,466
Yes.

5069
05:08:05,476 --> 05:08:09,366
But so, again, back to priority one with

5070
05:08:09,756 --> 05:08:10,416
literacy.

5071
05:08:11,616 --> 05:08:12,266
So the

5072
05:08:15,236 --> 05:08:18,896
plan basically says that high-quality instructional

5073
05:08:18,936 --> 05:08:21,456
materials and better educator training,

5074
05:08:22,456 --> 05:08:25,136
those are the top two strategies to

5075
05:08:25,176 --> 05:08:27,776
improve literacy in Missouri.

5076
05:08:28,176 --> 05:08:32,116
Well, there's more priorities or more strategies on other areas within other

5077
05:08:32,136 --> 05:08:36,096
priorities, right? There's more strategies that will address literacy, not

5078
05:08:36,136 --> 05:08:39,756
just in priority one. Priority one is one place you'll see it, but you'll probably

5079
05:08:39,776 --> 05:08:41,036
see it in some other places as well.

5080
05:08:42,836 --> 05:08:46,136
In other words, not to harp on structure, but if we go...

5081
05:08:46,196 --> 05:08:50,136
The vision that's on slide 13, right, is that every kid

5082
05:08:50,196 --> 05:08:52,056
enters kindergarten ready to learn.

5083
05:08:53,056 --> 05:08:56,836
Every kid gets an excellent education so that they are on grade

5084
05:08:56,876 --> 05:08:59,056
level in English and math.

5085
05:09:00,096 --> 05:09:04,046
And every kid graduates high school ready for whatever comes

5086
05:09:04,096 --> 05:09:07,916
next. That is what everything in the strategic plan is intended to

5087
05:09:07,956 --> 05:09:09,956
drive. And I do think I hear

5088
05:09:10,936 --> 05:09:11,736
part of what you're picking on is,

5089
05:09:12,756 --> 05:09:16,596
the only place in the priorities, in the sort of like headline goal, where you see

5090
05:09:16,616 --> 05:09:20,326
literacy and math explicitly named is on that priority

5091
05:09:20,436 --> 05:09:24,096
one. And I think we could do more to make it clear that actually

5092
05:09:24,176 --> 05:09:27,036
every single one of these is in service of that vision.

5093
05:09:27,836 --> 05:09:31,116
And it shouldn't be in here if it's not going to

5094
05:09:31,916 --> 05:09:32,536
drive-

5095
05:09:33,196 --> 05:09:33,396
Mm-hmm

5096
05:09:33,836 --> 05:09:35,636
... better literacy and numeracy outcomes.

5097
05:09:36,136 --> 05:09:36,496
Absolutely.

5098
05:09:36,696 --> 05:09:38,276
I don't know if that responds to your question, but that-

5099
05:09:38,336 --> 05:09:42,236
It does. Well, and so, like the material that you're working, all sort of the

5100
05:09:42,256 --> 05:09:45,896
details that... Will that get more specific in terms

5101
05:09:45,956 --> 05:09:48,646
of high-quality instructional material?

5102
05:09:48,776 --> 05:09:52,216
Does that mean more rigorous books that students are reading?

5103
05:09:52,756 --> 05:09:56,716
Does that mean having reading assignments come home with students?

5104
05:09:56,836 --> 05:09:57,096
Or

5105
05:09:57,936 --> 05:09:59,456
what does that actually mean?

5106
05:09:59,876 --> 05:10:00,796
That's on the roadmap.

5107
05:10:00,856 --> 05:10:01,436
That's okay.

5108
05:10:01,536 --> 05:10:02,726
It's in the roadmap.

5109
05:10:02,746 --> 05:10:02,746
Yes.

5110
05:10:02,856 --> 05:10:03,116
Okay.

5111
05:10:03,696 --> 05:10:03,706
Yes.

5112
05:10:03,706 --> 05:10:07,426
Yeah. So from the metrics standpoint, what we're also seeing is that we're

5113
05:10:07,476 --> 05:10:10,646
outlining the outcomes, which is what we want to result from the activities that

5114
05:10:10,956 --> 05:10:12,216
DESE will be committing to-

5115
05:10:12,516 --> 05:10:12,546
Mm-hmm

5116
05:10:12,596 --> 05:10:15,736
... what we're asking every school in the state to be committing to as well.

5117
05:10:16,096 --> 05:10:19,936
So that's the output side, where you're saying, "These are the actions that we

5118
05:10:19,986 --> 05:10:23,776
are taking on. Here's how we're going to measure progress within each of

5119
05:10:23,836 --> 05:10:27,516
these actions, and that will lead to the intended

5120
05:10:27,596 --> 05:10:31,576
outcome of improved proficiency in math and ELA," and

5121
05:10:31,636 --> 05:10:34,476
how each of these fall under the priority area.

5122
05:10:34,596 --> 05:10:38,206
So for priority one, we are focusing on great teaching.

5123
05:10:38,896 --> 05:10:41,236
What goes into great teaching if we want to improve literacy and math?

5124
05:10:41,816 --> 05:10:44,476
It's we have to scale high-quality instructional materials.

5125
05:10:44,496 --> 05:10:48,006
We have to ensure that every teacher has access to high-quality professional

5126
05:10:48,076 --> 05:10:50,346
learning as well to improve their practice.

5127
05:10:50,716 --> 05:10:54,636
That will result in improved outcomes for students as well.

5128
05:10:54,676 --> 05:10:58,266
So that's sort of how it's getting structured underneath this, is we have this

5129
05:10:58,296 --> 05:11:01,616
priority that focuses on something like great

5130
05:11:01,676 --> 05:11:03,836
teaching. What goes into great teaching?

5131
05:11:04,056 --> 05:11:07,806
Well, these are the things that DESE is going to require to say, "This is what

5132
05:11:07,836 --> 05:11:08,976
great teaching looks like."

5133
05:11:09,788 --> 05:11:13,568
Yeah, it's interesting that you talk about rigorous materials and reading, because

5134
05:11:13,608 --> 05:11:17,328
I think we're also using shorthand when we say high-quality instructional materials

5135
05:11:17,728 --> 05:11:20,608
for exactly that. So the high-quality instructional

5136
05:11:20,648 --> 05:11:24,588
materials is a way in the sort of like education

5137
05:11:24,628 --> 05:11:28,378
world that we talk about materials that are

5138
05:11:28,448 --> 05:11:32,288
aligned to rigorous grade level standards, and the reason that

5139
05:11:32,348 --> 05:11:36,288
is core to the strategy for improving outcomes is,

5140
05:11:36,608 --> 05:11:40,388
TNTP actually did a big study, I don't know how long ago now,

5141
05:11:40,428 --> 05:11:43,488
but they found that particularly in

5142
05:11:43,968 --> 05:11:45,618
our lowest-performing schools-

5143
05:11:46,028 --> 05:11:46,128
Mm-hmm

5144
05:11:46,728 --> 05:11:50,028
... and schools serving our hard-to-serve student populations, kids were

5145
05:11:50,048 --> 05:11:53,308
getting grade materials that were on average something like two or three grade

5146
05:11:53,328 --> 05:11:54,168
levels below-

5147
05:11:54,178 --> 05:11:54,178
Ooh

5148
05:11:54,178 --> 05:11:58,048
... where the kid actually was. So how can you expect a kid at the end of third

5149
05:11:58,088 --> 05:12:01,157
grade to be proficient on third-grade reading-

5150
05:12:01,568 --> 05:12:01,858
You're not teaching

5151
05:12:01,858 --> 05:12:05,517
... when all you've taught them all year is first-grade reading skills?

5152
05:12:05,768 --> 05:12:09,688
And teachers were consistently sort of, they would get students who had

5153
05:12:09,728 --> 05:12:10,068
gaps,

5154
05:12:11,148 --> 05:12:14,918
and they would dumb down the material to meet the kids where they were instead of

5155
05:12:14,947 --> 05:12:17,178
supporting the kids up to reach where they were.

5156
05:12:17,178 --> 05:12:21,098
And so we're sort of using shorthand in some of this in places where

5157
05:12:21,168 --> 05:12:24,488
I think one takeaway here is how do we use language that is accessible to

5158
05:12:24,528 --> 05:12:27,398
everyone? But when we talk about high-quality instructional materials, it

5159
05:12:27,508 --> 05:12:31,348
is how do we make sure that kids are accessing grade

5160
05:12:31,408 --> 05:12:35,248
level content every single day? And then teachers,

5161
05:12:35,428 --> 05:12:36,928
well, if a teacher

5162
05:12:37,808 --> 05:12:41,008
doesn't know what to do to help that kid who comes into third grade on-

5163
05:12:41,108 --> 05:12:41,128
Mm-hmm

5164
05:12:41,148 --> 05:12:42,148
... a first-grade level-

5165
05:12:42,228 --> 05:12:42,638
Need help with

5166
05:12:42,638 --> 05:12:46,458
... access, well, they need to both feel really fluent in the materials and

5167
05:12:46,488 --> 05:12:49,918
understand, okay, can I give this kid tutoring?

5168
05:12:50,028 --> 05:12:53,008
Can I send them different readings home?

5169
05:12:53,108 --> 05:12:55,068
How do I help that kid get where they need to be?

5170
05:12:55,078 --> 05:12:58,948
And that's where the coaching and additional sort of like surrounding support.

5171
05:12:59,068 --> 05:13:02,808
So first is core instruction, tier one instruction, every kid

5172
05:13:02,908 --> 05:13:06,808
getting grade level learning and the best way to scale that across a

5173
05:13:06,948 --> 05:13:10,928
state, and this is really what we saw in Mississippi that drove their outcomes

5174
05:13:11,088 --> 05:13:14,668
is give every teacher materials that we know are on grade level, make sure they

5175
05:13:14,708 --> 05:13:18,528
have them in the classroom. That is where kids are doing that good reading, deep

5176
05:13:18,568 --> 05:13:21,508
diving, reading, writing every day.

5177
05:13:21,668 --> 05:13:21,828
Mm-hmm.

5178
05:13:22,698 --> 05:13:26,548
And then surround that teacher and kid with the supports that

5179
05:13:26,588 --> 05:13:30,557
allow them to access that. So again, maybe you already know all that,

5180
05:13:30,588 --> 05:13:33,228
but I realized as you were asking that question that actually-

5181
05:13:33,548 --> 05:13:33,958
Oh, I don't know all that

5182
05:13:33,958 --> 05:13:36,968
... we're just using this language that means something in the education world and

5183
05:13:37,088 --> 05:13:38,177
might not transfer.

5184
05:13:38,208 --> 05:13:38,708
But all of that

5185
05:13:40,248 --> 05:13:41,868
detail will be in the roadmap.

5186
05:13:41,908 --> 05:13:43,578
Yeah, it is in the strategies that are in-

5187
05:13:43,628 --> 05:13:44,008
Are in here

5188
05:13:44,048 --> 05:13:44,228
... this deck.

5189
05:13:44,248 --> 05:13:45,177
High-quality materials-

5190
05:13:45,348 --> 05:13:45,448
Right

5191
05:13:45,458 --> 05:13:46,328
... professional development.

5192
05:13:46,368 --> 05:13:46,608
Yeah.

5193
05:13:46,638 --> 05:13:46,758
Yeah. Those things.

5194
05:13:46,778 --> 05:13:48,828
But it doesn't explain sort of what that means, which we can-

5195
05:13:49,348 --> 05:13:49,488
Yeah

5196
05:13:49,648 --> 05:13:50,018
... flesh out.

5197
05:13:50,308 --> 05:13:52,918
I think suffice it to say, Mike, and I here

5198
05:13:53,768 --> 05:13:55,108
can feel where you're coming from.

5199
05:13:57,148 --> 05:14:00,928
But I think these roadmaps, again, devil in the details.

5200
05:14:01,628 --> 05:14:05,168
These roadmaps are really important to see how it all knits together.

5201
05:14:05,468 --> 05:14:05,848
Yes.

5202
05:14:05,888 --> 05:14:09,748
This is the top-down look, and the

5203
05:14:09,768 --> 05:14:13,208
roadmap will help us see it from a bottoms-up look,

5204
05:14:13,608 --> 05:14:16,647
along with, very importantly, the

5205
05:14:17,248 --> 05:14:21,128
goals and the timelines and the very specific goals

5206
05:14:21,168 --> 05:14:23,088
and whether or not they're aggressive enough.

5207
05:14:23,117 --> 05:14:27,058
And like Pam said, we're going to have very vigorous debate around all of those,

5208
05:14:27,168 --> 05:14:30,938
I'm sure. So there's a lot more for the board to take in

5209
05:14:31,048 --> 05:14:31,848
and discuss.

5210
05:14:32,028 --> 05:14:33,908
And when will we see that all?

5211
05:14:33,948 --> 05:14:37,568
Well, first we have to be able to agree upon, are these the right six

5212
05:14:37,648 --> 05:14:38,228
strategies?

5213
05:14:38,538 --> 05:14:38,538
Yeah.

5214
05:14:38,548 --> 05:14:40,608
I mean, the priority areas. Is this the right six?

5215
05:14:40,948 --> 05:14:44,868
And then do you agree with the pieces that we have

5216
05:14:44,928 --> 05:14:46,868
underneath them describing those

5217
05:14:47,688 --> 05:14:50,768
particular strategies? Are we measuring them with the right thing?

5218
05:14:51,508 --> 05:14:54,918
Then you're going to see more of the operational side of who, when, what.

5219
05:14:55,328 --> 05:14:56,927
But we have to agree upon this first.

5220
05:14:57,208 --> 05:14:58,268
Okay. Thank you.

5221
05:14:59,968 --> 05:15:00,168
Okay.

5222
05:15:01,128 --> 05:15:02,228
Board Member Schall.

5223
05:15:02,288 --> 05:15:06,168
Well, I'm just thinking out loud, and it'll probably be for the surveys and the

5224
05:15:06,208 --> 05:15:07,748
conversation that we get between this.

5225
05:15:07,828 --> 05:15:11,048
But since you called on me, just as you're talking, so

5226
05:15:11,808 --> 05:15:14,978
the whole presentation, I was kind of writing down things for-

5227
05:15:15,268 --> 05:15:15,428
Mm-hmm

5228
05:15:15,548 --> 05:15:17,518
... the next email or the next conversation.

5229
05:15:17,658 --> 05:15:20,588
And every bullet point, it was like, okay, how?

5230
05:15:21,068 --> 05:15:22,328
Okay, what next?

5231
05:15:22,368 --> 05:15:22,378
Mm-hmm.

5232
05:15:22,508 --> 05:15:26,087
Okay, how will this help? So as you were

5233
05:15:26,188 --> 05:15:30,068
asking questions just now, let's get through these priorities to agree

5234
05:15:30,108 --> 05:15:33,938
upon or further discuss the next conversation

5235
05:15:34,008 --> 05:15:37,508
out of that, which will be an explosion into every one of these PowerPoint

5236
05:15:37,608 --> 05:15:39,918
slides should have five or six more details-

5237
05:15:39,918 --> 05:15:40,828
Operational pieces

5238
05:15:41,248 --> 05:15:41,258
... off of them later.

5239
05:15:41,258 --> 05:15:41,258
That's right.

5240
05:15:41,288 --> 05:15:45,248
Yes. And it will be okay, what will happen to the student

5241
05:15:45,668 --> 05:15:48,248
at each of these priorities? What will happen to the teacher?

5242
05:15:48,308 --> 05:15:49,268
What will we give them?

5243
05:15:49,278 --> 05:15:50,298
Mm-hmm.

5244
05:15:50,928 --> 05:15:54,528
So how will each one of those bodies be affected by this

5245
05:15:54,568 --> 05:15:58,378
plan? Then what will the data or the outcomes

5246
05:15:58,468 --> 05:16:02,168
be with transparency to the community members

5247
05:16:03,088 --> 05:16:04,308
who own these children?

5248
05:16:05,208 --> 05:16:09,008
And then where would the accountability be to where we

5249
05:16:09,048 --> 05:16:12,698
get to have the feedback on the information, and then we get

5250
05:16:12,768 --> 05:16:16,578
to discuss and assess changes

5251
05:16:16,628 --> 05:16:18,458
if those outcomes are not acceptable.

5252
05:16:19,188 --> 05:16:19,508
Mm-hmm.

5253
05:16:19,708 --> 05:16:20,288
So that's just

5254
05:16:21,208 --> 05:16:24,788
organizational stuff of what I expect the next conversation

5255
05:16:25,388 --> 05:16:26,748
in a board meeting style.

5256
05:16:26,828 --> 05:16:26,838
Mm-hmm.

5257
05:16:27,088 --> 05:16:30,928
Right. And it could take us, we may include

5258
05:16:30,948 --> 05:16:33,168
this as part of our July retreat.

5259
05:16:33,198 --> 05:16:33,198
Sure.

5260
05:16:33,208 --> 05:16:37,128
That's why we need to get dates. It could be August before we choose to

5261
05:16:37,168 --> 05:16:40,878
vote on it. So we're trying to move forward,

5262
05:16:41,548 --> 05:16:45,468
but also not so fast that everybody doesn't have chance

5263
05:16:45,528 --> 05:16:48,308
for input and true understanding.

5264
05:16:48,368 --> 05:16:51,608
Because when it's all said and done, the strategic plan is much like a mission

5265
05:16:51,728 --> 05:16:55,548
statement in the business. It needs to be concise enough that the

5266
05:16:55,648 --> 05:16:59,608
average employee should be able to repeat it and preferably

5267
05:16:59,628 --> 05:17:02,348
understand it, right? What is the intention?

5268
05:17:02,968 --> 05:17:06,928
So we want to make sure we do that, Mike, for you and for all of us here

5269
05:17:06,948 --> 05:17:10,108
on the board. So this is truly a first blush.

5270
05:17:11,860 --> 05:17:15,210
All right, so you've seen the first three priorities, then we have priority four,

5271
05:17:15,280 --> 05:17:18,400
which is focusing around the post-secondary success.

5272
05:17:18,500 --> 05:17:18,680
Oh,

5273
05:17:19,660 --> 05:17:20,060
kindergarten.

5274
05:17:21,380 --> 05:17:21,920
Pardon?

5275
05:17:22,000 --> 05:17:23,300
Did we do kindergarten? Sorry.

5276
05:17:23,580 --> 05:17:24,320
Oh, I didn't move it.

5277
05:17:25,820 --> 05:17:28,160
I forgot to move it. We haven't done kindergarten at all?

5278
05:17:29,620 --> 05:17:30,570
I don't think so. I thought-

5279
05:17:30,710 --> 05:17:31,690
I might get this printer mixed up

5280
05:17:31,700 --> 05:17:34,780
... we just finished on- ... the transforming schools.

5281
05:17:35,200 --> 05:17:36,919
Pardon me, you're doing kindergarten here as priority three?

5282
05:17:37,500 --> 05:17:37,840
Mm-hmm.

5283
05:17:38,320 --> 05:17:40,580
Okay. So here is priority three, basically.

5284
05:17:40,980 --> 05:17:43,730
This is where your Office of Childhood and all of your early childhood work comes

5285
05:17:43,779 --> 05:17:47,180
through, statewide leadership to maximize access and ensure every student

5286
05:17:47,600 --> 05:17:49,789
shows up ready for kindergarten. And there's all these various

5287
05:17:50,600 --> 05:17:52,620
strategies which are on the back page,

5288
05:17:53,480 --> 05:17:53,780
right there.

5289
05:17:54,700 --> 05:17:57,000
There's your strategies for that priority.

5290
05:17:58,820 --> 05:17:59,060
Okay.

5291
05:17:59,900 --> 05:18:03,800
One of the things I noticed, Carla, on the last slide, because we do

5292
05:18:03,900 --> 05:18:06,380
have lots of children that come into the system-

5293
05:18:06,860 --> 05:18:06,990
Mm-hmm

5294
05:18:07,000 --> 05:18:10,440
... that don't have the pre-K and don't have the prior learning, and I think you've

5295
05:18:10,520 --> 05:18:11,480
kind of addressed that.

5296
05:18:11,720 --> 05:18:11,880
Mm-hmm.

5297
05:18:12,640 --> 05:18:13,120
Is that true?

5298
05:18:14,220 --> 05:18:17,480
It will be addressed in the quality assurance in the

5299
05:18:18,040 --> 05:18:19,040
pre-K areas.

5300
05:18:19,500 --> 05:18:20,360
Well, it's on the first-

5301
05:18:20,380 --> 05:18:21,420
The very first slide

5302
05:18:21,430 --> 05:18:21,490
... slide.

5303
05:18:21,500 --> 05:18:21,820
The qual-

5304
05:18:21,960 --> 05:18:22,420
Yeah.

5305
05:18:22,430 --> 05:18:22,610
Yeah. Mm-hmm.

5306
05:18:23,180 --> 05:18:27,070
Yeah. In kindergarten readiness, we really think about

5307
05:18:27,100 --> 05:18:31,000
three pieces. Access, how do we make sure every kid

5308
05:18:31,100 --> 05:18:34,590
has access to quality experiences before

5309
05:18:34,620 --> 05:18:38,390
kindergarten? And that looks different for every family, but the goal is to make

5310
05:18:38,440 --> 05:18:42,380
sure if a family is trying to seek care, they can get

5311
05:18:42,420 --> 05:18:42,620
it.

5312
05:18:43,840 --> 05:18:46,720
Two, how do we measure quality? How do we define quality?

5313
05:18:47,420 --> 05:18:51,380
For a long time, in the world of early childhood, you can't just give

5314
05:18:51,400 --> 05:18:54,620
kids a test to measure whether the classroom's doing a good job.

5315
05:18:54,660 --> 05:18:58,440
So how do we make sure we know that the experiences that we're supporting in

5316
05:18:58,500 --> 05:19:00,920
that space are of quality? And then,

5317
05:19:02,400 --> 05:19:05,540
third, the early childhood system isn't really a system.

5318
05:19:05,760 --> 05:19:07,380
This is true nationally. You've got

5319
05:19:08,260 --> 05:19:11,640
childcare centers, public school-based

5320
05:19:11,800 --> 05:19:14,200
centers or pre-K, you've got

5321
05:19:15,900 --> 05:19:19,380
Head Start, and they all operate in silos and with different rules.

5322
05:19:19,540 --> 05:19:23,260
And so being able to look across all those, and I'm looking at

5323
05:19:23,340 --> 05:19:27,120
Deirdre, who is our exiting expert in the

5324
05:19:27,180 --> 05:19:30,130
world of early childhood, and she was just telling me earlier about this, but this

5325
05:19:30,160 --> 05:19:33,890
is what we see nationally. That getting these things to all work together

5326
05:19:34,260 --> 05:19:38,130
requires a coherent system, and so one way to get at that

5327
05:19:38,220 --> 05:19:40,980
here is thinking about the data infrastructure.

5328
05:19:41,380 --> 05:19:45,220
And we still have kiddos that stay at home until they admit them to kindergarten,

5329
05:19:45,260 --> 05:19:48,489
and they may or may not have begun the process of

5330
05:19:49,160 --> 05:19:51,720
letters and numbers and colors.

5331
05:19:51,740 --> 05:19:52,070
Mm-hmm.

5332
05:19:52,070 --> 05:19:56,050
And those are things that we have to be mindful of, because as

5333
05:19:56,080 --> 05:19:58,310
we're held accountable for success,

5334
05:19:59,380 --> 05:20:01,640
that's a piece that's a little difficult.

5335
05:20:02,600 --> 05:20:04,620
I assume, though, we'll have strategies in place.

5336
05:20:04,660 --> 05:20:08,500
All kinds. So the one thing that I think is a real challenge for us when it

5337
05:20:08,540 --> 05:20:08,810
comes to the

5338
05:20:09,840 --> 05:20:13,160
zero to five population early childhood programs, is we really don't have a data

5339
05:20:13,280 --> 05:20:16,880
system in place to collect data across all of these.

5340
05:20:16,940 --> 05:20:20,860
So, that is also another push, that we have to be able to create an

5341
05:20:20,920 --> 05:20:24,560
opportunity to collect data within these centers that these kids are being

5342
05:20:24,620 --> 05:20:24,920
served.

5343
05:20:25,880 --> 05:20:29,800
Okay, so we'll move on to the outcomes of priority three,

5344
05:20:29,920 --> 05:20:32,720
which is the things that we're looking at right now to be able

5345
05:20:32,800 --> 05:20:36,700
to... What is it that we can measure and see whether or not the

5346
05:20:36,760 --> 05:20:39,400
work that we're doing with these strategies is having the impact that we'd like for

5347
05:20:39,420 --> 05:20:43,320
it to do. So that is the priority three,

5348
05:20:44,040 --> 05:20:46,660
and then if you guys have any questions, we'll go to priority four.

5349
05:20:49,560 --> 05:20:52,060
So here's four. This is post-secondary success.

5350
05:20:53,680 --> 05:20:54,980
Do you have anything to add to that?

5351
05:20:55,100 --> 05:20:57,880
Jump right to the other end from early childhood-

5352
05:20:58,000 --> 05:20:58,510
Post-secondary

5353
05:20:58,560 --> 05:20:59,110
... to high school.

5354
05:21:00,720 --> 05:21:00,730
Mm-hmm.

5355
05:21:00,740 --> 05:21:04,730
But interesting, high school has a lot of similarities to early childhood, which is

5356
05:21:04,820 --> 05:21:07,340
you've got all these different actors in the system.

5357
05:21:08,380 --> 05:21:11,480
And our goal is to make sure that kids get experiences outside of the core

5358
05:21:11,540 --> 05:21:12,380
academics. So,

5359
05:21:13,860 --> 05:21:17,850
this isn't about instead of core academics, it is in addition to core academics.

5360
05:21:18,470 --> 05:21:21,620
How do we strengthen work-based learning and employer engagement, get kids

5361
05:21:21,660 --> 05:21:24,730
experiences outside of the classroom that will carry them

5362
05:21:24,760 --> 05:21:25,810
through?

5363
05:21:27,780 --> 05:21:31,640
Expanding that early career exploration, that starts

5364
05:21:31,679 --> 05:21:35,640
with counselors, and advising systems that enable access

5365
05:21:35,740 --> 05:21:39,170
to exploration and information. And then,

5366
05:21:40,780 --> 05:21:44,300
lastly is about career and technical education.

5367
05:21:44,820 --> 05:21:45,200
For so

5368
05:21:46,340 --> 05:21:50,080
long, CTE has operated in a silo. It is the sort of

5369
05:21:50,140 --> 05:21:54,120
like if kids aren't cutting it in the academic world, we stick

5370
05:21:54,160 --> 05:21:57,400
them over to CTE, and that is just not true in

5371
05:21:57,560 --> 05:21:58,230
2026.

5372
05:21:58,260 --> 05:21:58,400
No.

5373
05:21:58,820 --> 05:22:01,980
It is equally rigorous to the academic pathways,

5374
05:22:04,320 --> 05:22:06,160
but families don't always understand that.

5375
05:22:06,260 --> 05:22:10,060
And we want to make sure that we're supporting

5376
05:22:10,120 --> 05:22:13,360
districts and our partners to deliver that and ensure-

5377
05:22:13,390 --> 05:22:13,390
Mm-hmm

5378
05:22:13,390 --> 05:22:17,300
... that kids who want to and would thrive

5379
05:22:17,320 --> 05:22:19,500
and benefit in a CTE experience have access to it.

5380
05:22:20,120 --> 05:22:21,560
Absolutely. Have high academic achievement

5381
05:22:22,460 --> 05:22:23,260
skills as well.

5382
05:22:23,820 --> 05:22:25,580
Yeah. I would just have a question.

5383
05:22:27,780 --> 05:22:31,440
And I may be totally off here, and please correct me if I'm wrong,

5384
05:22:31,520 --> 05:22:34,980
but we spent most the morning talking about local control-

5385
05:22:35,560 --> 05:22:35,710
Mm-hmm

5386
05:22:35,780 --> 05:22:39,600
... of schools. And so, how do we

5387
05:22:39,660 --> 05:22:40,680
incorporate this

5388
05:22:41,740 --> 05:22:44,900
into schools without buy-in from the

5389
05:22:44,960 --> 05:22:47,260
superintendent who reports to a board?

5390
05:22:47,440 --> 05:22:47,600
Sure.

5391
05:22:47,980 --> 05:22:48,120
Yeah.

5392
05:22:48,560 --> 05:22:52,080
Because opportunity, we go out to every

5393
05:22:52,780 --> 05:22:56,500
regional meeting, our state supervisors, we have a network of regional

5394
05:22:56,520 --> 05:22:57,820
professional development centers.

5395
05:22:58,160 --> 05:23:02,100
There's all kinds of opportunities for us to connect with the school

5396
05:23:02,140 --> 05:23:05,240
system directly and talk about, "These are things that work.

5397
05:23:05,300 --> 05:23:08,380
We want you to be successful," and that kind of work.

5398
05:23:08,420 --> 05:23:12,120
Me saying, or even this board saying, "You must do

5399
05:23:12,260 --> 05:23:15,480
this," is very hard to police. But hopefully,

5400
05:23:16,380 --> 05:23:19,520
obviously, we want to be able to get, "Here are some quality

5401
05:23:19,560 --> 05:23:23,192
materials."How can we help you? And really approach it on a

5402
05:23:23,232 --> 05:23:24,082
regional level.

5403
05:23:24,412 --> 05:23:28,212
But it seems like that's already in place and we don't utilize it.

5404
05:23:28,672 --> 05:23:31,352
We have not utilized it to the extent it should be, I don't believe.

5405
05:23:31,492 --> 05:23:35,212
And I think that putting down these specific priorities and the specific

5406
05:23:35,332 --> 05:23:39,192
outcomes drives the focus more

5407
05:23:39,252 --> 05:23:40,632
so on best practice.

5408
05:23:40,672 --> 05:23:44,392
Okay. So my challenge to you is, I'm not certain we have the

5409
05:23:44,412 --> 05:23:45,852
capability to do this.

5410
05:23:46,872 --> 05:23:47,972
Oh, I hope we do. Yes.

5411
05:23:48,032 --> 05:23:50,251
Well, and so that's my challenge to you.

5412
05:23:50,312 --> 05:23:50,512
Okay.

5413
05:23:50,652 --> 05:23:52,072
I have real concerns about...

5414
05:23:53,252 --> 05:23:55,932
I think that some of this stuff is really good.

5415
05:23:56,072 --> 05:23:57,712
I think we already know some of it,

5416
05:23:58,912 --> 05:24:02,112
and we have the opportunity to already address it, and we haven't done it.

5417
05:24:03,372 --> 05:24:05,752
And so, that's a caution I throw to you.

5418
05:24:05,832 --> 05:24:07,992
But I also know this is a grant, right?

5419
05:24:08,072 --> 05:24:10,112
I mean, we have a grant that's paying for this?

5420
05:24:10,192 --> 05:24:10,202
Mm-hmm.

5421
05:24:10,252 --> 05:24:12,572
I thought this was a million-dollar grant that we had for-

5422
05:24:12,712 --> 05:24:16,152
No, sir. This is just the work of the department.

5423
05:24:16,232 --> 05:24:16,552
Okay.

5424
05:24:16,592 --> 05:24:19,642
What we're trying to do is what I believe this board would like for us to do and

5425
05:24:19,652 --> 05:24:23,312
charge us to do: become focused and strategic on the way in which that we can

5426
05:24:23,352 --> 05:24:25,372
impact academic achievement for kids in the state.

5427
05:24:26,192 --> 05:24:27,012
So that's my purpose.

5428
05:24:29,112 --> 05:24:30,871
Okay, so priority four was around,

5429
05:24:32,212 --> 05:24:36,032
preparing kids for secondary success. Here are the strategies around that.

5430
05:24:36,152 --> 05:24:39,112
Strengthening work-based learning, expanding early career exploration,

5431
05:24:39,772 --> 05:24:42,842
communication. Obviously, we know that strategic communication is huge because

5432
05:24:42,872 --> 05:24:46,552
you're partnering with industry and with business leaders across the state.

5433
05:24:47,412 --> 05:24:49,222
So we can go on to priority four,

5434
05:24:50,252 --> 05:24:52,712
and that is the post-secondary success.

5435
05:24:53,612 --> 05:24:57,412
And these are the outcomes that are around that. So you want to mention...

5436
05:24:57,672 --> 05:25:01,032
And we are diving in, and I told you earlier that

5437
05:25:01,632 --> 05:25:05,492
this group is working tomorrow, they're going to be with us all day

5438
05:25:05,532 --> 05:25:09,492
with our various work groups and trying to really get

5439
05:25:09,532 --> 05:25:12,662
very clear on the outcomes and the metrics around it to make sure that we do have

5440
05:25:12,672 --> 05:25:15,662
the data available to measure the outcome, and that we can be successful doing

5441
05:25:15,712 --> 05:25:15,872
this.

5442
05:25:16,432 --> 05:25:20,222
Yeah, I would say, too, as we get clearer on the metrics and the outcomes-

5443
05:25:20,412 --> 05:25:20,511
Yeah

5444
05:25:20,572 --> 05:25:23,342
... that gives you the opportunity to dive into exactly what you're-

5445
05:25:23,352 --> 05:25:23,402
Yeah

5446
05:25:23,672 --> 05:25:24,252
... starting to highlight.

5447
05:25:24,322 --> 05:25:24,322
Sure.

5448
05:25:24,332 --> 05:25:27,922
Which is, if we are falling short of what the goal is-

5449
05:25:28,092 --> 05:25:28,262
Mm-hmm

5450
05:25:29,152 --> 05:25:32,152
... how do we start to dive in and understanding from the baseline data within

5451
05:25:32,192 --> 05:25:35,272
these metrics, are there certain pockets of the state where we're not seeing...

5452
05:25:35,632 --> 05:25:38,572
Because these outcomes that you'll see on priority four are really focused heavily

5453
05:25:38,632 --> 05:25:42,312
on access from the student side. So if we're seeing that, what

5454
05:25:42,572 --> 05:25:46,452
structurally are we missing in certain parts of the state that might be preventing

5455
05:25:46,492 --> 05:25:46,622
that?

5456
05:25:46,872 --> 05:25:48,512
Yeah. And I totally agree with that.

5457
05:25:48,632 --> 05:25:50,872
And I think it's just words like maximize.

5458
05:25:50,932 --> 05:25:52,752
Well, what the hell does maximize mean?

5459
05:25:53,592 --> 05:25:54,712
More.

5460
05:25:54,772 --> 05:25:56,652
More. Yeah. There's nothing

5461
05:25:57,612 --> 05:25:59,392
solid here at this point-

5462
05:25:59,492 --> 05:25:59,562
Mm-hmm

5463
05:25:59,562 --> 05:26:00,872
... in this project, I think,

5464
05:26:01,712 --> 05:26:05,232
to really give us an idea. And so, that's where my trepidation comes from.

5465
05:26:05,312 --> 05:26:05,432
So

5466
05:26:06,772 --> 05:26:09,292
please continue on. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer.

5467
05:26:09,332 --> 05:26:12,932
I'm just expressing to you the concerns I have, the way it

5468
05:26:13,032 --> 05:26:15,252
stands right now and what our ability...

5469
05:26:15,612 --> 05:26:19,092
Because we haven't had much effect in changing school

5470
05:26:19,192 --> 05:26:19,872
performance

5471
05:26:21,052 --> 05:26:21,692
to date.

5472
05:26:21,792 --> 05:26:21,992
Excuse me.

5473
05:26:22,081 --> 05:26:25,551
And now we're going to do all this, and

5474
05:26:27,132 --> 05:26:29,332
I think every... The concern I have.

5475
05:26:29,352 --> 05:26:29,592
That's-

5476
05:26:30,612 --> 05:26:33,912
Well, I think part of what you're describing as well is we just don't have a clear

5477
05:26:33,952 --> 05:26:37,192
line of sight yet on what the baseline is for a lot of these different outcomes.

5478
05:26:37,212 --> 05:26:37,222
Correct.

5479
05:26:37,312 --> 05:26:40,792
So we say we want to increase the percentage of students participating in

5480
05:26:40,832 --> 05:26:41,572
work-based learning.

5481
05:26:42,632 --> 05:26:45,902
Part of this process is we have to identify where do we sit today?

5482
05:26:45,992 --> 05:26:46,672
Baseline.

5483
05:26:46,682 --> 05:26:46,682
Yeah.

5484
05:26:46,772 --> 05:26:50,532
And what can we say three years from now, this is what we want to accomplish.

5485
05:26:50,592 --> 05:26:52,892
And to your point of we want to shoot for the moon, right?

5486
05:26:53,732 --> 05:26:56,352
You set the high goal that is measurable and actionable

5487
05:26:57,212 --> 05:27:00,932
to where you are at a point to say, "We wanted to do this, we didn't

5488
05:27:01,012 --> 05:27:01,692
quite meet that."

5489
05:27:01,832 --> 05:27:02,012
Mm-hmm.

5490
05:27:02,412 --> 05:27:06,212
But we want to show measurable improvement, so you can say, "We may not have hit

5491
05:27:06,252 --> 05:27:09,712
the goal, but we did make a big difference for a lot of kids here in the state."

5492
05:27:10,021 --> 05:27:13,892
And the other thing I heard you say is if there are gaps throughout the state,

5493
05:27:14,152 --> 05:27:17,902
like for example, early childhood education, we know we have

5494
05:27:17,952 --> 05:27:21,732
1,700 children on the list for the subsidized.

5495
05:27:21,812 --> 05:27:25,772
We know that we'll have better outcomes if children get a chance to go

5496
05:27:25,852 --> 05:27:29,512
through a formalized early childhood education program.

5497
05:27:29,922 --> 05:27:30,052
Mm-hmm.

5498
05:27:30,532 --> 05:27:34,212
But we, I guarantee, we have desert spots in the

5499
05:27:34,292 --> 05:27:34,692
state.

5500
05:27:34,832 --> 05:27:35,172
Without a doubt.

5501
05:27:35,252 --> 05:27:35,692
Absolutely.

5502
05:27:35,832 --> 05:27:39,172
And I'm sure we'll find the same for some of this

5503
05:27:39,312 --> 05:27:43,152
CTE, right? That some of the industries, or there's not a lot of industries.

5504
05:27:43,432 --> 05:27:45,132
Maybe it's all farming and farmland.

5505
05:27:45,252 --> 05:27:49,172
So on that scenario, I think it's helpful at least to be able to

5506
05:27:49,212 --> 05:27:53,012
have an understanding and then see if there's a way to address it, you

5507
05:27:53,052 --> 05:27:53,792
know? And so...

5508
05:27:53,892 --> 05:27:54,032
Yeah.

5509
05:27:54,912 --> 05:27:56,272
But it's a pretty big sandwich to bite.

5510
05:27:56,332 --> 05:27:57,272
It is a big sandwich.

5511
05:27:57,552 --> 05:27:57,962
It is always a big sandwich.

5512
05:27:57,962 --> 05:27:59,292
And my feeling is that,

5513
05:28:00,412 --> 05:28:04,132
if we can't define third graders who can't read,

5514
05:28:04,852 --> 05:28:07,052
why are we looking at such a broad

5515
05:28:08,632 --> 05:28:09,992
effort here to start with?

5516
05:28:10,152 --> 05:28:10,372
Think-

5517
05:28:10,532 --> 05:28:11,412
Do you understand what I'm saying?

5518
05:28:11,572 --> 05:28:15,372
Absolutely. But I think all of these priorities feed into and help

5519
05:28:16,032 --> 05:28:17,862
kids become successful at third-grade reading.

5520
05:28:18,332 --> 05:28:22,212
And there is a piece in here, I think we have a strategy in

5521
05:28:22,252 --> 05:28:24,872
here that talks about the ability of the children to read at third grade.

5522
05:28:25,412 --> 05:28:27,152
So it's part of the strategies that are here.

5523
05:28:28,712 --> 05:28:31,922
So there's strategy four, priority four, post-secondary success.

5524
05:28:32,632 --> 05:28:35,332
And here's five, and this is kind of...

5525
05:28:35,432 --> 05:28:37,352
I made sure this was here because, to me, it's

5526
05:28:39,132 --> 05:28:42,992
probably one of our weaknesses. One of our biggest weaknesses is this data

5527
05:28:43,012 --> 05:28:46,452
system and being able to use quality data to drive decisions.

5528
05:28:46,472 --> 05:28:49,572
And so we're doing some work there. I wanted to make sure it was reflected here.

5529
05:28:49,612 --> 05:28:52,892
And this work continues on. So here's your priority.

5530
05:28:53,372 --> 05:28:57,292
Those are the couple of strategies there, and then we have

5531
05:28:57,352 --> 05:29:01,122
the outcome place right here. And these are the outcomes

5532
05:29:01,132 --> 05:29:04,642
we're looking at to measure. But again, like I said, this will be things that

5533
05:29:04,652 --> 05:29:08,602
are ongoing. And I think an important thing is that you'll get a document that

5534
05:29:08,612 --> 05:29:12,052
shows here's your baseline for each one of these outcomes, so you can see where we

5535
05:29:12,152 --> 05:29:15,972
started and where we're going, and put a timeline on those. Okay?

5536
05:29:17,112 --> 05:29:20,948
Anything else? So there's priority five, and then we have priority sixAnd

5537
05:29:21,008 --> 05:29:24,868
this is really around, we all know that one of our biggest issues

5538
05:29:24,928 --> 05:29:28,908
is attendance, and we've got to make sure that we have opportunities to encourage

5539
05:29:29,528 --> 05:29:31,928
high quality or to higher levels of attendance.

5540
05:29:32,748 --> 05:29:36,328
And so these are strategies around to help school districts implement

5541
05:29:36,338 --> 05:29:40,328
that. And you also see when we're talking about healthy schools,

5542
05:29:40,348 --> 05:29:44,108
safe and healthy schools, we have lots of work around making sure that the

5543
05:29:44,148 --> 05:29:45,778
kids are safe when they come to our schools.

5544
05:29:46,268 --> 05:29:50,007
And so we are making sure that this is being reflected in your strategic plan.

5545
05:29:50,628 --> 05:29:53,748
Here's your priority six. These are your strategies around priority

5546
05:29:53,808 --> 05:29:55,388
six. Basically,

5547
05:29:57,028 --> 05:29:59,837
you can read them. We'll dive into them further. There's four of them.

5548
05:30:00,388 --> 05:30:03,408
And I think one of the things that it seems like a lot of words and a lot of stuff,

5549
05:30:03,528 --> 05:30:06,968
but when you look at the limited number of strategies per

5550
05:30:07,008 --> 05:30:10,948
priority, it is causing us to be very focused on what we're trying

5551
05:30:10,988 --> 05:30:14,968
to get done. So getting this right first is the foundational piece

5552
05:30:15,348 --> 05:30:16,868
of us being able to move our state forward.

5553
05:30:17,368 --> 05:30:20,568
Here are the outcomes that we're looking at right now to measure priority six.

5554
05:30:21,338 --> 05:30:25,278
So you see we just have a couple of them right there and go from

5555
05:30:25,328 --> 05:30:27,768
there. So there's your strategic plan.

5556
05:30:27,808 --> 05:30:30,528
You've got six priorities. You have lists of strategies.

5557
05:30:30,648 --> 05:30:34,148
You have lists of outcomes. And I'm going to turn it over to Evan to talk about a

5558
05:30:34,188 --> 05:30:36,088
little bit of the tracking that he's going to help us do,

5559
05:30:37,048 --> 05:30:40,348
so that we can have a dashboard and monitor these outcomes in real time.

5560
05:30:40,788 --> 05:30:44,668
Yeah. Part of the task that I've been given is helping to just have

5561
05:30:44,868 --> 05:30:48,728
a clear line of communication, both across departments and offices

5562
05:30:48,768 --> 05:30:51,048
within DESE, and sort of vertically as well.

5563
05:30:51,148 --> 05:30:54,668
So we have a clear understanding of what have we already been doing,

5564
05:30:55,248 --> 05:30:58,328
what do we have coming down the pipe, so we know what steps we have to take.

5565
05:30:58,438 --> 05:31:02,068
And part of that is just we only have so many hours in the

5566
05:31:02,108 --> 05:31:06,048
day that we can't occupy everything with meetings about what's been going on.

5567
05:31:06,388 --> 05:31:09,628
We have to give everybody the opportunity to be able to get this work done.

5568
05:31:09,658 --> 05:31:13,368
And we also have to have clear line of sight, not just within the department, but

5569
05:31:13,448 --> 05:31:17,428
also for the board, so you can come back to the department as well

5570
05:31:17,448 --> 05:31:21,148
and say, "We're not seeing the progress that we were hoping to see on some of these

5571
05:31:21,388 --> 05:31:24,108
key metrics. What's sort of happening? What are we missing?

5572
05:31:24,228 --> 05:31:28,168
What can we commit to, to sort of course correct on that?" So that is something

5573
05:31:28,178 --> 05:31:32,008
that we are trying to build out right now, is just this clear tracking dashboard

5574
05:31:32,348 --> 05:31:36,228
communication tool that we can use internally and hopefully

5575
05:31:36,288 --> 05:31:40,118
be able to make a little bit more forward-facing so everybody has a clear line of

5576
05:31:40,188 --> 05:31:44,148
sight on how are we doing on what we've committed to in these priorities.

5577
05:31:45,128 --> 05:31:46,888
And I'm really excited about the tracking tool.

5578
05:31:46,988 --> 05:31:49,968
I think that is going to be a game changer for us, is that we're going to be able

5579
05:31:50,008 --> 05:31:53,918
to have at least quarterly updates on where are we going, how are we doing

5580
05:31:53,948 --> 05:31:54,048
it?

5581
05:31:55,028 --> 05:31:58,298
All right. So there's your six priorities, and basically just a little bit about

5582
05:31:58,328 --> 05:31:59,548
moving forward, our next steps.

5583
05:32:01,348 --> 05:32:05,257
We want this strategic plan to have a clear direction for DESE's work, and

5584
05:32:05,288 --> 05:32:08,268
its impact will depend on strong, consistent implementation.

5585
05:32:09,128 --> 05:32:12,808
Absolutely stay focused with the plan, don't get diverted, stay with the plan.

5586
05:32:13,428 --> 05:32:17,108
In addition to what's included in this report, work group members

5587
05:32:17,118 --> 05:32:18,998
provided valuable recommendations and feedback.

5588
05:32:19,628 --> 05:32:23,537
We received so much good information from those hundreds and hundreds of people

5589
05:32:23,548 --> 05:32:26,988
coming through. It's not like that stuff didn't get applied in other

5590
05:32:27,108 --> 05:32:31,068
areas. It's just with a strategic plan, you have to focus on what is

5591
05:32:31,128 --> 05:32:32,448
it that's going to move the needle.

5592
05:32:32,868 --> 05:32:35,628
So that is why you see these specific things raised up.

5593
05:32:37,328 --> 05:32:39,228
We want to be able to improve student outcomes.

5594
05:32:39,288 --> 05:32:42,508
It also requires sustained partnership and a shared vision.

5595
05:32:42,888 --> 05:32:46,328
This board, the department, community, we want this to be a shared vision.

5596
05:32:46,368 --> 05:32:49,548
We all want good things for our kids, every single one of them.

5597
05:32:50,188 --> 05:32:52,348
And with the leadership of the state board and the collaboration of these

5598
05:32:52,408 --> 05:32:55,488
educators, families, stakeholders across the state, these great folks,

5599
05:32:56,828 --> 05:33:00,788
excuse me, DESE's work will focus on aligning resources,

5600
05:33:00,828 --> 05:33:03,688
supporting schools and districts, and maintaining our commitment to the goals.

5601
05:33:03,708 --> 05:33:05,068
I've got a tickle. Excuse me.

5602
05:33:06,928 --> 05:33:07,388
Sorry about that.

5603
05:33:07,448 --> 05:33:07,928
Want some water or...

5604
05:33:08,748 --> 05:33:12,468
Basically, measurable outcomes that are outlined in this plan give us true

5605
05:33:12,528 --> 05:33:14,018
direction of where we're going to be going.

5606
05:33:15,568 --> 05:33:18,948
So our next steps, we're going to collaborate with Watershed Advisors, continue on.

5607
05:33:19,068 --> 05:33:21,948
I want you all to know the true expertise that we're bringing in,

5608
05:33:22,788 --> 05:33:23,248
in that

5609
05:33:25,008 --> 05:33:27,508
these folks have been working with other states on strategic plans.

5610
05:33:27,638 --> 05:33:31,588
And so they're bringing a national perspective in, as well as all of that

5611
05:33:31,628 --> 05:33:34,508
information we gathered. They're doing analysis and being able to focus on what

5612
05:33:34,568 --> 05:33:38,378
really matters. We're going to collaborate with Evan on developing metrics, and

5613
05:33:38,408 --> 05:33:42,388
we're going to also finalize strategic plan, and we had on here the May

5614
05:33:42,448 --> 05:33:44,888
board, but we're going to be ready for whenever you guys are ready. Okay?

5615
05:33:45,968 --> 05:33:49,428
So that is it, unless you have any more questions about all of this. Pamela?

5616
05:33:50,188 --> 05:33:51,068
I'm sorry, Mary.

5617
05:33:51,108 --> 05:33:52,268
You can kill me later.

5618
05:33:52,938 --> 05:33:53,308
It's fine.

5619
05:33:53,808 --> 05:33:54,108
But,

5620
05:33:56,688 --> 05:33:58,248
we have to address,

5621
05:34:00,068 --> 05:34:02,348
I think the priority areas are right.

5622
05:34:02,568 --> 05:34:03,028
They're-

5623
05:34:03,728 --> 05:34:04,108
Thank you

5624
05:34:04,268 --> 05:34:04,268
...

5625
05:34:06,128 --> 05:34:09,808
they're stated a little differently, and there's overlap-

5626
05:34:09,858 --> 05:34:09,858
Yes

5627
05:34:09,858 --> 05:34:13,447
... between the content areas. But

5628
05:34:13,528 --> 05:34:17,088
the additions are the right additions, a

5629
05:34:17,268 --> 05:34:18,708
focus on attendance,

5630
05:34:19,648 --> 05:34:20,688
a focus on

5631
05:34:21,528 --> 05:34:22,748
struggling schools.

5632
05:34:24,368 --> 05:34:25,728
But the big white elephant

5633
05:34:27,208 --> 05:34:27,598
is,

5634
05:34:29,368 --> 05:34:33,088
that we have diminishing revenues against a backdrop of increasing

5635
05:34:33,128 --> 05:34:33,568
needs.

5636
05:34:34,968 --> 05:34:38,848
And that's not currently reflected in this

5637
05:34:38,888 --> 05:34:41,968
plan, and we have got to address that.

5638
05:34:42,608 --> 05:34:43,108
We'll take that.

5639
05:34:44,648 --> 05:34:46,198
Any... Brooks, anything you want to?

5640
05:34:46,408 --> 05:34:49,928
No, I agree totally. I think that is

5641
05:34:50,348 --> 05:34:53,988
the elephant in the room, as you say, and it's going to be...

5642
05:35:00,348 --> 05:35:03,928
The resources that go towards this, which will be probably pretty

5643
05:35:03,968 --> 05:35:06,148
significant as far as human resources,

5644
05:35:07,288 --> 05:35:08,788
to get it in place and things will

5645
05:35:10,148 --> 05:35:10,318
probably-

5646
05:35:10,348 --> 05:35:11,968
I think it plays... Yeah.

5647
05:35:11,978 --> 05:35:11,978
Yeah.

5648
05:35:12,068 --> 05:35:15,938
I think the resources to take to be able to address the things that are here, I

5649
05:35:15,948 --> 05:35:19,738
think it goes both ways. Some things we won't be doing because they're

5650
05:35:19,768 --> 05:35:23,628
not part of what this work is. So you're going to see where time of staff and

5651
05:35:23,688 --> 05:35:27,188
time of resource, and those things are going to be more focused towards these

5652
05:35:27,228 --> 05:35:29,988
intentional pieces that we believe moves the needle

5653
05:35:31,438 --> 05:35:31,998
Carrie Casey.

5654
05:35:32,418 --> 05:35:35,938
Thank you. And I agree, Pam, especially on the attendance point.

5655
05:35:35,978 --> 05:35:38,728
And I definitely need to just step back and-

5656
05:35:38,738 --> 05:35:38,828
Sure

5657
05:35:39,098 --> 05:35:43,058
... in the quiet and think about this and look at then a bigger picture even

5658
05:35:43,118 --> 05:35:43,838
around it to

5659
05:35:44,858 --> 05:35:47,438
give you other kinds of feedback.

5660
05:35:49,238 --> 05:35:53,198
From the work that we've done in the past, Pam, from where we started, attempted

5661
05:35:53,208 --> 05:35:55,938
to start five, four years ago,

5662
05:35:56,938 --> 05:36:00,658
this is dramatically different. And it does, to me,

5663
05:36:01,858 --> 05:36:02,638
embrace

5664
05:36:03,698 --> 05:36:07,638
what I believe is the broad view

5665
05:36:07,718 --> 05:36:11,678
of how we need to be looking at education and how all pieces come

5666
05:36:11,718 --> 05:36:15,358
together. Obviously, devil in the details, important to

5667
05:36:16,018 --> 05:36:18,018
measure, track, et cetera.

5668
05:36:18,918 --> 05:36:22,818
But from a framework standpoint, at this point, without deeper

5669
05:36:22,878 --> 05:36:25,438
study myself, I think we're in the right direction.

5670
05:36:26,218 --> 05:36:30,058
I had a few quick notes that I'll just list off, similar to what

5671
05:36:30,678 --> 05:36:34,418
Gretchen did, building on that beyond the specific goals and timelines.

5672
05:36:35,458 --> 05:36:39,198
And Gretchen alluded to this, but it's very important that

5673
05:36:39,278 --> 05:36:42,838
we see the governance and accountability within the control, et

5674
05:36:42,858 --> 05:36:44,158
cetera. However,

5675
05:36:45,618 --> 05:36:49,538
you, and I know you've been striving to do that already, and you've been working

5676
05:36:49,558 --> 05:36:52,858
behind the scenes with the schools, but we need more visibility to that.

5677
05:36:53,448 --> 05:36:56,558
And so while we don't want to measure every single thing,

5678
05:36:57,588 --> 05:37:01,458
we have to be selective on, we want to measure

5679
05:37:01,498 --> 05:37:05,158
results, but there are some critical components or

5680
05:37:05,338 --> 05:37:09,097
actions that are going to be required within the plan that we have to

5681
05:37:09,198 --> 05:37:12,238
also measure. And I'm not saying... And that would be one of them.

5682
05:37:12,738 --> 05:37:15,798
Which schools are using high-quality materials? Which ones aren't?

5683
05:37:15,838 --> 05:37:19,728
Which ones are using the assessment? Which ones aren't? That type of thing.

5684
05:37:20,218 --> 05:37:22,258
So I just put that out there as a thought.

5685
05:37:22,358 --> 05:37:25,078
Governance and accountability for each element in the roadmap,

5686
05:37:26,018 --> 05:37:28,158
not only at the DESE level, but at the board level.

5687
05:37:30,078 --> 05:37:31,958
Cost and budget reduction risks.

5688
05:37:32,918 --> 05:37:36,278
How will each element in the roadmap lead to reading and math literacy?

5689
05:37:36,438 --> 05:37:39,938
Do that weave together so that we can see.

5690
05:37:40,097 --> 05:37:42,958
What barriers will you have to implementation?

5691
05:37:43,607 --> 05:37:47,518
What other departments or organizational dependencies are there?

5692
05:37:48,098 --> 05:37:51,858
Are obviously office of administration, possibly the whole data collection, but

5693
05:37:52,018 --> 05:37:54,318
where else will we have dependencies?

5694
05:37:55,718 --> 05:37:59,357
And, what org structure changes will be needed in your

5695
05:37:59,418 --> 05:38:01,198
organization to support this?

5696
05:38:02,458 --> 05:38:06,167
And in the process of the specific goals and

5697
05:38:06,238 --> 05:38:10,078
timelines, I think it would be important to not only see, so that this can

5698
05:38:10,118 --> 05:38:13,838
be more impactful, not only see that our goal is

5699
05:38:15,798 --> 05:38:19,458
100% of the children or 90% of the children will X.

5700
05:38:20,358 --> 05:38:20,368
Mm-hmm.

5701
05:38:20,398 --> 05:38:24,358
How many children does that mean? When we can relate to it in the

5702
05:38:24,398 --> 05:38:28,218
number of, and I think it was the way Brooks alluded to the, or asked the

5703
05:38:28,258 --> 05:38:31,988
question earlier. I know we know that because we know what our

5704
05:38:31,998 --> 05:38:35,978
proficiency rate is, but it's lost on us when we don't think of it in terms

5705
05:38:36,018 --> 05:38:37,398
of the actual number of children.

5706
05:38:38,438 --> 05:38:42,107
And so it's important to see the percentage, and we need to see both in those key

5707
05:38:42,258 --> 05:38:42,738
cases.

5708
05:38:43,318 --> 05:38:47,278
And to Carrie's point, even at 75%, that

5709
05:38:47,298 --> 05:38:50,098
doesn't, maybe some people think, "Well, that's not a very high goal." Well,

5710
05:38:50,398 --> 05:38:51,858
600,000-plus students.

5711
05:38:53,238 --> 05:38:56,438
That's a lot of students to move forward percentage-wise, right?

5712
05:38:56,638 --> 05:39:00,498
And so I think, one, it's helpful for the board, but also maybe

5713
05:39:00,558 --> 05:39:04,538
helpful for the legislature and for the community in general to understand,

5714
05:39:04,618 --> 05:39:08,558
because I think sometimes it's easy to lose track of the numbers.

5715
05:39:08,588 --> 05:39:10,738
And I think it was Pamela who said earlier,

5716
05:39:11,638 --> 05:39:15,508
on the average we have, many of the states have

5717
05:39:15,598 --> 05:39:18,748
around 350 school districts. I think Florida-

5718
05:39:18,758 --> 05:39:19,778
They're local control-

5719
05:39:20,068 --> 05:39:20,068
Yes

5720
05:39:20,068 --> 05:39:20,908
... medium-sized-

5721
05:39:20,998 --> 05:39:21,098
Yes

5722
05:39:21,238 --> 05:39:21,857
... states. Yeah.

5723
05:39:21,868 --> 05:39:25,368
And Florida, who has quite a bit larger population than us,

5724
05:39:25,938 --> 05:39:29,558
has 318. So volume does make a

5725
05:39:29,578 --> 05:39:33,098
difference in this scenario in terms of the amount of work and

5726
05:39:33,178 --> 05:39:37,098
effort, and it sounds like we have lots of resources, but when

5727
05:39:37,138 --> 05:39:38,778
you really start looking at the numbers.

5728
05:39:39,298 --> 05:39:43,278
So I think putting it that way kind of helps enlighten everyone

5729
05:39:43,698 --> 05:39:47,298
a little bit about the volume and the lift that is involved here.

5730
05:39:47,778 --> 05:39:48,598
I do think,

5731
05:39:49,938 --> 05:39:53,458
Dr. Scholl's recommendation, too, of having our

5732
05:39:53,467 --> 05:39:57,118
district superintendents come in and present every so often,

5733
05:39:57,198 --> 05:39:58,938
because I assume when they come and present-

5734
05:39:59,858 --> 05:39:59,868
Supervisors.

5735
05:39:59,898 --> 05:40:02,678
Oh, yes. Well, supervising superintendents, right?

5736
05:40:02,798 --> 05:40:02,898
Yeah.

5737
05:40:03,678 --> 05:40:07,408
That they will actually address, and that's part of the

5738
05:40:07,658 --> 05:40:11,558
benefit of having a strategic plan, so it can be very focused on

5739
05:40:11,598 --> 05:40:15,138
what they're reporting back. How are we doing in early childhood education?

5740
05:40:15,218 --> 05:40:18,648
How are we doing in CTE? How are we doing in terms

5741
05:40:18,738 --> 05:40:22,578
of reading? And obviously, I think it's the legislature has moved

5742
05:40:22,638 --> 05:40:24,978
forward on the science of reading, right?

5743
05:40:25,278 --> 05:40:26,268
That they would like to

5744
05:40:27,338 --> 05:40:30,438
implement that in all the educational programs.

5745
05:40:30,818 --> 05:40:33,198
So obviously, they see the value in this as well.

5746
05:40:33,298 --> 05:40:36,618
So it's not like chasing rabbits. But initially,

5747
05:40:37,118 --> 05:40:39,278
we only put that forward three years ago.

5748
05:40:39,998 --> 05:40:40,378
So,

5749
05:40:41,358 --> 05:40:43,938
prior to that, everybody could use whatever system they wanted.

5750
05:40:44,738 --> 05:40:44,918
So

5751
05:40:46,078 --> 05:40:47,098
we can measure those things.

5752
05:40:47,598 --> 05:40:48,458
Sure. Mike?

5753
05:40:49,498 --> 05:40:52,078
Thank you. And I apologize for my confusion earlier.

5754
05:40:53,178 --> 05:40:56,958
When Kyle had sent me the materials earlier in the year, it had all of the how,

5755
05:40:57,738 --> 05:41:00,968
the metrics, here's the percentage of improvements, and that was what I

5756
05:41:01,018 --> 05:41:02,508
was sort of expecting-

5757
05:41:02,508 --> 05:41:02,508
Yes

5758
05:41:02,508 --> 05:41:05,638
... to see. I actually thought this was just a summary

5759
05:41:05,798 --> 05:41:09,648
of the strategic... And that was why I was asking some of

5760
05:41:09,658 --> 05:41:13,048
those questions. It was just confusion on my part. So.

5761
05:41:13,258 --> 05:41:17,208
No worries. And a lot of the material, of course, we worked on was all of that

5762
05:41:17,358 --> 05:41:19,078
data, which is some of the stuff that you received.

5763
05:41:19,098 --> 05:41:22,178
Because all of these work groups had national data.

5764
05:41:22,248 --> 05:41:25,058
They had what's going on in the state. All kinds of things.

5765
05:41:25,118 --> 05:41:28,858
And so they could come up with things that were really addressing the deficiencies.

5766
05:41:30,378 --> 05:41:31,277
Yeah, and it would

5767
05:41:32,786 --> 05:41:36,426
So just to clarify, will we see all of that

5768
05:41:36,546 --> 05:41:40,446
stuff before we vote on the strategic

5769
05:41:40,566 --> 05:41:41,546
plan or no?

5770
05:41:42,206 --> 05:41:43,596
Talking about the data that was used to inform?

5771
05:41:43,606 --> 05:41:46,936
All of the how, sort of what I had seen earlier this year.

5772
05:41:46,936 --> 05:41:50,806
It's the next layer, the additional layers of the plan, the

5773
05:41:50,866 --> 05:41:51,486
final plan-

5774
05:41:51,606 --> 05:41:51,616
Right

5775
05:41:51,616 --> 05:41:52,526
... as you pull it together.

5776
05:41:52,566 --> 05:41:55,826
There'll be more material available, yes. I'm not sure exactly, but yes.

5777
05:41:55,866 --> 05:41:59,526
And when we have a conversation, you can help enlighten me what you're looking for.

5778
05:41:59,566 --> 05:42:02,546
But I think what you're talking about is more the how, a specific-

5779
05:42:02,646 --> 05:42:02,726
Correct

5780
05:42:02,926 --> 05:42:03,666
... who, timeline.

5781
05:42:03,696 --> 05:42:07,366
Mike was saying, will he get to see the how, and will we have time to discuss the

5782
05:42:07,406 --> 05:42:09,506
how before we do a full vote, right?

5783
05:42:09,806 --> 05:42:09,816
Yes.

5784
05:42:09,816 --> 05:42:12,186
Carla, typically the how is in the roadmaps-

5785
05:42:12,266 --> 05:42:12,326
Yes

5786
05:42:12,336 --> 05:42:16,266
... which is our methodology we've adopted from before.

5787
05:42:16,446 --> 05:42:20,376
So when we meet offline, we can align on what the next layer down looks like.

5788
05:42:20,376 --> 05:42:21,546
Sure. Wonderful. Thank you.

5789
05:42:21,966 --> 05:42:25,896
But I think Mike's question, wasn't it, that when we vote, you'll have

5790
05:42:25,966 --> 05:42:28,425
all the information before we vote?

5791
05:42:28,466 --> 05:42:28,645
Yes.

5792
05:42:28,746 --> 05:42:29,606
Was that not your question?

5793
05:42:29,626 --> 05:42:30,226
Correct. Yes.

5794
05:42:30,266 --> 05:42:33,136
Thank you. Yeah, I thought, and that's what he was asking.

5795
05:42:33,266 --> 05:42:34,175
I assume we will-

5796
05:42:34,276 --> 05:42:34,276
Yes

5797
05:42:34,276 --> 05:42:36,866
... see all of this. As a board member, I would expect to see it all.

5798
05:42:37,105 --> 05:42:37,636
You'll see the full plan.

5799
05:42:37,685 --> 05:42:41,246
I would say yes, and we'll meet

5800
05:42:41,286 --> 05:42:45,166
offline and determine with our experts what that

5801
05:42:45,226 --> 05:42:48,826
next layer down is. Traditionally, it's been

5802
05:42:48,886 --> 05:42:49,566
roadmaps.

5803
05:42:49,766 --> 05:42:49,986
Mm-hmm.

5804
05:42:51,006 --> 05:42:52,406
And so we'll align on-

5805
05:42:53,046 --> 05:42:53,446
Absolutely

5806
05:42:53,686 --> 05:42:55,206
... on what the how looks like.

5807
05:42:56,146 --> 05:42:56,286
Thank you.

5808
05:42:56,326 --> 05:42:57,146
Because that's important.

5809
05:42:57,356 --> 05:42:57,546
Sure.

5810
05:42:58,926 --> 05:43:00,346
And with that, I think that is-

5811
05:43:00,926 --> 05:43:04,856
Board Member Otto, do you have anything to add? Any questions?

5812
05:43:08,286 --> 05:43:09,426
No, I don't have any questions.

5813
05:43:09,666 --> 05:43:09,876
Okay.

5814
05:43:10,066 --> 05:43:10,406
Thank you.

5815
05:43:10,446 --> 05:43:11,016
Okay.

5816
05:43:11,426 --> 05:43:14,306
I just have one more quick comment, and that's a thank you to Pam.

5817
05:43:15,226 --> 05:43:19,106
I know having been in-- And Carla as well, clearly the

5818
05:43:19,146 --> 05:43:19,866
collective effort-

5819
05:43:20,386 --> 05:43:20,416
Yeah

5820
05:43:20,416 --> 05:43:20,866
... of the team,

5821
05:43:21,706 --> 05:43:25,216
because I know the heavy lift that it was to just

5822
05:43:25,506 --> 05:43:27,446
bring this to this point,

5823
05:43:28,296 --> 05:43:31,566
having worked in this space with you previously.

5824
05:43:31,626 --> 05:43:33,906
And thank you for what you've done.

5825
05:43:34,066 --> 05:43:34,556
This is

5826
05:43:35,406 --> 05:43:35,886
hard

5827
05:43:37,626 --> 05:43:41,065
work, and the challenge for me is the pivot

5828
05:43:41,226 --> 05:43:43,625
from the clean buckets,

5829
05:43:45,046 --> 05:43:48,966
literacy, numeracy, safe and health, those buckets

5830
05:43:49,046 --> 05:43:52,426
to more blended priorities that

5831
05:43:52,526 --> 05:43:54,826
traverse multiple content areas.

5832
05:43:55,646 --> 05:43:56,306
But,

5833
05:43:59,346 --> 05:44:03,206
because it's not as easy to just make it succinct.

5834
05:44:04,026 --> 05:44:04,666
So,

5835
05:44:05,526 --> 05:44:09,266
it's work in progress. Thank you for the support.

5836
05:44:09,506 --> 05:44:13,486
Just having Watershed and Evan with us has been tremendous as

5837
05:44:13,546 --> 05:44:17,146
well. I will challenge Watershed

5838
05:44:17,206 --> 05:44:17,906
Advisors,

5839
05:44:19,126 --> 05:44:23,006
if you could look at other states and

5840
05:44:23,066 --> 05:44:26,846
give us insight on what other

5841
05:44:26,906 --> 05:44:30,806
states have done structurally to

5842
05:44:30,846 --> 05:44:33,946
advance efficiency, and in particular,

5843
05:44:34,686 --> 05:44:38,306
so we're a 900,000-student,

5844
05:44:38,746 --> 05:44:39,896
medium-sized,

5845
05:44:41,126 --> 05:44:42,206
local control state.

5846
05:44:43,386 --> 05:44:46,226
Typical number of school districts, about 350.

5847
05:44:46,886 --> 05:44:47,806
So we're almost

5848
05:44:48,846 --> 05:44:52,566
way past that. So what do

5849
05:44:52,686 --> 05:44:56,126
other states with our context, local control,

5850
05:44:56,306 --> 05:45:00,286
medium-sized, 900 K through 12 students, what have they

5851
05:45:00,426 --> 05:45:01,766
done to advance

5852
05:45:02,666 --> 05:45:06,586
operational efficiency and to make those educational dollars

5853
05:45:06,596 --> 05:45:07,086
stretch

5854
05:45:08,486 --> 05:45:09,926
structurally?

5855
05:45:09,946 --> 05:45:13,226
There are great examples, and one of the things that I've seen across the state,

5856
05:45:13,276 --> 05:45:16,686
and I'll let Jill answer the question since it was posed to her, is the

5857
05:45:17,646 --> 05:45:18,626
consolidation of all the

5858
05:45:19,486 --> 05:45:22,786
state grants and the federal grants into a focused, instead of just

5859
05:45:23,126 --> 05:45:25,806
shotgun across, is much more efficient. But do you have any other?

5860
05:45:26,906 --> 05:45:29,915
That is top of my answers. I will say,

5861
05:45:30,766 --> 05:45:34,006
before we founded Watershed Advisors, my leadership team and

5862
05:45:34,766 --> 05:45:38,686
I were at the Louisiana Department of Ed for about a decade.

5863
05:45:38,706 --> 05:45:41,356
And in that time, our budget was cut in half.

5864
05:45:42,346 --> 05:45:42,566
Not a

5865
05:45:43,706 --> 05:45:46,826
single additional dollar came from the legislature to our agency,

5866
05:45:47,586 --> 05:45:51,186
and we had to cut in half the size of our agency

5867
05:45:51,286 --> 05:45:51,766
footprint.

5868
05:45:52,786 --> 05:45:53,206
And

5869
05:45:54,706 --> 05:45:58,686
as you can see in the latest NAEP results, we saw progress in literacy

5870
05:45:58,726 --> 05:46:01,306
and math, and graduation outcomes, and

5871
05:46:01,826 --> 05:46:05,746
attainment of credentials every single year

5872
05:46:06,306 --> 05:46:07,706
over that period.

5873
05:46:10,586 --> 05:46:14,136
Do I think that education resources should be cut in half? Obviously not.

5874
05:46:14,666 --> 05:46:18,516
And it forced us to get really clear about

5875
05:46:18,546 --> 05:46:22,496
what matters. And what has been the great privilege of doing this work in

5876
05:46:22,526 --> 05:46:24,146
partnership with the commissioner,

5877
05:46:25,246 --> 05:46:28,986
and with the DESE leadership and staff, is that willingness to

5878
05:46:29,046 --> 05:46:31,906
say, "We have to get clear on our priorities.

5879
05:46:32,186 --> 05:46:33,426
We cannot do everything."

5880
05:46:33,506 --> 05:46:33,866
Mm-hmm.

5881
05:46:34,326 --> 05:46:34,866
And

5882
05:46:35,706 --> 05:46:38,906
that means, if I'm being honest, even within the strategic plan,

5883
05:46:40,086 --> 05:46:40,786
it's still a lot.

5884
05:46:42,146 --> 05:46:42,446
It's

5885
05:46:43,806 --> 05:46:46,566
still a lot to do. We have to get really focused,

5886
05:46:47,426 --> 05:46:49,026
and that means there are things that we're doing that

5887
05:46:50,846 --> 05:46:54,366
might be legislative favor. There are things that have to be less

5888
05:46:54,426 --> 05:46:58,346
important. So some of it is just the laser-like focus

5889
05:46:58,466 --> 05:47:02,316
of, if I have 350 districts, some of whom I

5890
05:47:02,326 --> 05:47:03,546
know are tiny,

5891
05:47:04,366 --> 05:47:07,126
I cannot send them 10 memos in a week

5892
05:47:07,966 --> 05:47:11,546
with this expectation, and the next expectation, and then the next

5893
05:47:11,606 --> 05:47:14,536
one from 10 different offices in the agency.

5894
05:47:14,536 --> 05:47:16,126
They can't keep the main thing the main thing.

5895
05:47:16,136 --> 05:47:19,476
No. They can't. So how do we get

5896
05:47:19,566 --> 05:47:23,476
clear, and the strategic plan is a step in that direction

5897
05:47:23,506 --> 05:47:27,226
of saying, "Okay, well, if this is what we care about, then every communication

5898
05:47:27,266 --> 05:47:30,476
that goes out to a district should be couched in this language so that they hear it

5899
05:47:30,566 --> 05:47:34,266
over and over again. The thing we care about is rigorous grade-level

5900
05:47:34,306 --> 05:47:37,606
instruction every day. Every memo you're going to get from us is about rigorous

5901
05:47:37,626 --> 05:47:41,414
grade-level instruction every day." AndThere's also

5902
05:47:41,454 --> 05:47:43,364
just institutional clarity.

5903
05:47:43,424 --> 05:47:43,424
Absolutely.

5904
05:47:43,454 --> 05:47:46,624
So I think some of the data system stuff we've talked about is about building those

5905
05:47:46,654 --> 05:47:50,454
internal systems to make sure that everyone's working together.

5906
05:47:50,494 --> 05:47:54,134
And I think a huge amount of the work I have seen you take over,

5907
05:47:54,294 --> 05:47:56,614
and your leadership team, has been just

5908
05:47:57,474 --> 05:47:58,614
getting the agency

5909
05:48:00,214 --> 05:48:04,194
more clear on roles and responsibilities

5910
05:48:04,234 --> 05:48:07,314
day-to-day, just basic customer service.

5911
05:48:07,334 --> 05:48:10,664
When a district calls, we answer the phone, we help them.

5912
05:48:11,434 --> 05:48:14,844
So it is some of that too. And then, the last thing I'll say is

5913
05:48:14,914 --> 05:48:17,464
absolutely, I am so excited that

5914
05:48:18,214 --> 05:48:21,774
Missouri is committed to pursuing the path of

5915
05:48:21,814 --> 05:48:25,494
consolidated federal grant

5916
05:48:25,554 --> 05:48:26,214
funding.

5917
05:48:27,954 --> 05:48:31,704
When you talk about inefficiency, having districts do 20

5918
05:48:31,774 --> 05:48:35,534
plus plans a year is such a waste of everyone's time, and then your team

5919
05:48:35,594 --> 05:48:39,544
at DESE is reviewing 20 plus plans a year that are often asking

5920
05:48:39,594 --> 05:48:42,174
them different versions of the same question.

5921
05:48:42,184 --> 05:48:42,184
Yeah.

5922
05:48:42,854 --> 05:48:45,364
But the best part about the approach is that it's not just

5923
05:48:46,914 --> 05:48:50,674
going from 20 plans to one plan. It is about literally the plan will be a drop-down

5924
05:48:50,694 --> 05:48:51,014
menu.

5925
05:48:52,214 --> 05:48:53,554
What curriculum are you using?

5926
05:48:54,594 --> 05:48:58,234
Who are your professional learning providers? Pick from this list.

5927
05:48:59,414 --> 05:49:02,294
So we are no longer asking people to write lengthy applications.

5928
05:49:02,334 --> 05:49:05,194
We're saying, "These are the six things we care about."

5929
05:49:05,334 --> 05:49:07,634
Spending time on the things that matter.

5930
05:49:07,694 --> 05:49:11,494
Yeah. Sorry, that was a long-winded application to say

5931
05:49:11,534 --> 05:49:13,594
mostly the same thing that the commissioners did.

5932
05:49:13,704 --> 05:49:13,704
Offers a lot.

5933
05:49:13,704 --> 05:49:15,714
Really, it offers us good insight, though. Thank you.

5934
05:49:15,734 --> 05:49:16,194
Yes.

5935
05:49:16,204 --> 05:49:16,204
Yeah.

5936
05:49:16,214 --> 05:49:17,634
But the work there is-

5937
05:49:17,794 --> 05:49:17,804
Yeah, I'd say too

5938
05:49:17,804 --> 05:49:20,654
... because here, we're driving them to the right decision.

5939
05:49:22,034 --> 05:49:22,294
Yes.

5940
05:49:22,354 --> 05:49:25,054
Instead of everything they could possibly apply for, you're driving them to the

5941
05:49:25,074 --> 05:49:28,034
right decision, so they do have good outcomes.

5942
05:49:28,114 --> 05:49:31,904
Yeah. I will say one, actually, other thing, at the risk of when

5943
05:49:31,954 --> 05:49:35,384
people are... I'm keeping you here instead of going home, but

5944
05:49:37,414 --> 05:49:40,734
local control is something I hear in every state we walk into, and it is something

5945
05:49:40,774 --> 05:49:44,594
I heard every day in my decade tenure in Louisiana.

5946
05:49:45,054 --> 05:49:46,014
And that isn't to say it isn't real.

5947
05:49:46,054 --> 05:49:49,914
It is absolutely real, and I believe deeply that the people

5948
05:49:49,954 --> 05:49:52,554
closest to kids should make decisions.

5949
05:49:52,634 --> 05:49:56,294
And the language we use is, "Make the right choice the easy choice."

5950
05:49:58,034 --> 05:49:59,814
If you're a district superintendent

5951
05:50:01,154 --> 05:50:05,034
in an under-resourced district with limited capacity, and you're

5952
05:50:05,054 --> 05:50:07,654
probably driving the school bus and

5953
05:50:08,654 --> 05:50:12,574
teaching the math class and coaching the football team,

5954
05:50:13,914 --> 05:50:17,654
you don't have time to sift through a stack of

5955
05:50:17,694 --> 05:50:20,954
resources and research the best curriculum.

5956
05:50:21,754 --> 05:50:24,174
But you got to purchase a curriculum. It's still your job.

5957
05:50:24,774 --> 05:50:26,944
How do we make that easier?

5958
05:50:26,944 --> 05:50:26,984
Right.

5959
05:50:26,984 --> 05:50:30,494
Not every district. Look, some of your districts are more than

5960
05:50:30,534 --> 05:50:34,403
capable of doing that research themselves, and we're not

5961
05:50:34,454 --> 05:50:36,914
saying we're going to stop you from doing that.

5962
05:50:36,934 --> 05:50:40,374
But we are going to make it easier for the districts who want that guidance.

5963
05:50:41,594 --> 05:50:43,794
And the way we did that in Louisiana is we said...

5964
05:50:45,214 --> 05:50:47,334
First, we gave them all the resources. We said, "Here's all the tools.

5965
05:50:47,674 --> 05:50:51,554
We're going to keep giving this. Here's the list." And then, as

5966
05:50:51,594 --> 05:50:54,554
districts started adopting and said, "Okay, actually, we kind of like this," and

5967
05:50:54,574 --> 05:50:57,034
they started talking to each other and they're like, "Actually, this curriculum's

5968
05:50:57,054 --> 05:51:00,614
pretty good. Maybe have you tried it?" Then we said, "And by the

5969
05:51:00,654 --> 05:51:03,874
way, if you are a struggling school, and you've been identified as one,

5970
05:51:04,534 --> 05:51:05,614
and you want to use-"

5971
05:51:05,954 --> 05:51:06,104
Mm-hmm

5972
05:51:06,734 --> 05:51:07,894
... school improvement dollars-

5973
05:51:08,554 --> 05:51:09,144
You do this, this, and this

5974
05:51:09,144 --> 05:51:10,314
... you have to do this.

5975
05:51:11,134 --> 05:51:15,014
And I think that's what's outlined here, is opportunity to get clearer about who

5976
05:51:15,074 --> 05:51:18,934
is struggling, align the resources, and limit the

5977
05:51:18,954 --> 05:51:22,364
set of decisions that your 350 districts are making.

5978
05:51:22,364 --> 05:51:24,514
And in the process, drive accountability.

5979
05:51:24,594 --> 05:51:25,714
Yes.

5980
05:51:25,834 --> 05:51:27,674
Voluntary accountability.

5981
05:51:28,594 --> 05:51:29,594
Absolutely. Thank you.

5982
05:51:29,683 --> 05:51:29,683
Thank you.

5983
05:51:29,714 --> 05:51:33,154
Well, I do want to say, I actually love the layout.

5984
05:51:33,334 --> 05:51:34,814
I love the buckets. I

5985
05:51:35,934 --> 05:51:38,834
was on the board when we did the

5986
05:51:38,894 --> 05:51:42,104
prior strategic plan initially, as

5987
05:51:42,214 --> 05:51:44,374
was Pam and Carrie. So

5988
05:51:45,274 --> 05:51:49,154
to me, I think this really moves the needle

5989
05:51:49,214 --> 05:51:52,954
of what we want done, and I think as we dig into it, it'll be

5990
05:51:52,994 --> 05:51:56,814
great. But I think this is, at a high level, assuming the

5991
05:51:56,834 --> 05:51:57,794
board agrees with it,

5992
05:51:59,494 --> 05:52:02,674
this is easy for everybody to understand and to track.

5993
05:52:02,694 --> 05:52:06,654
And I think sometimes that's been the biggest challenge in the past.

5994
05:52:08,654 --> 05:52:08,954
Thank you.

5995
05:52:10,614 --> 05:52:10,994
All right.

5996
05:52:11,034 --> 05:52:13,094
And thank you to Jill and to Evan and to-

5997
05:52:13,194 --> 05:52:13,394
Yes.

5998
05:52:13,514 --> 05:52:14,634
Jill has her whole team here.

5999
05:52:14,694 --> 05:52:15,034
Yes.

6000
05:52:15,074 --> 05:52:15,794
This has been great.

6001
05:52:15,854 --> 05:52:17,394
Everyone to actually do the work.

6002
05:52:17,734 --> 05:52:18,654
They're ready to go.

6003
05:52:18,854 --> 05:52:18,864
Team.

6004
05:52:18,914 --> 05:52:20,894
So we're excited. We really are excited.

6005
05:52:20,954 --> 05:52:23,234
We think that this is the right step for the department and the state moving

6006
05:52:23,274 --> 05:52:23,974
forward. So thank you.

6007
05:52:24,354 --> 05:52:24,794
Thank you.

6008
05:52:25,434 --> 05:52:25,754
Thank you.

6009
05:52:25,814 --> 05:52:27,034
Good work. We appreciate it.

6010
05:52:27,334 --> 05:52:27,674
Yes.

6011
05:52:28,634 --> 05:52:30,654
So, Brooks, Miller?

6012
05:52:31,754 --> 05:52:35,474
I move that the State Board of Education go into closed session as posted by

6013
05:52:35,574 --> 05:52:39,034
executive assistant to consider the following: legal actions,

6014
05:52:39,374 --> 05:52:43,364
causes of action, litigation, or legal work product relating to

6015
05:52:43,394 --> 05:52:46,594
the State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary

6016
05:52:46,604 --> 05:52:50,314
Education, as well as any confidential or privileged

6017
05:52:50,354 --> 05:52:53,094
communications between those entities and legal counsel.

6018
05:52:53,694 --> 05:52:54,554
Need a second for that.

6019
05:52:55,554 --> 05:52:55,854
Second.

6020
05:52:56,934 --> 05:52:58,014
We do not have any closed-

6021
05:52:58,774 --> 05:52:59,114
We don't?

6022
05:52:59,174 --> 05:53:00,294
We have a litigation report.

6023
05:53:00,374 --> 05:53:00,854
Oh, we do.

6024
05:53:00,874 --> 05:53:01,454
I was going to say, yeah.

6025
05:53:01,674 --> 05:53:04,474
Is Jill going to give a... Oh, never mind. Didn't see that one.

6026
05:53:04,594 --> 05:53:05,954
I don't think Jill plans on that.

6027
05:53:06,934 --> 05:53:07,634
Go ahead.

6028
05:53:07,674 --> 05:53:08,374
Who did the second?

6029
05:53:09,534 --> 05:53:10,574
So do we have a second?

6030
05:53:11,254 --> 05:53:11,614
Second.

6031
05:53:11,934 --> 05:53:11,944
Oh.

6032
05:53:11,974 --> 05:53:13,384
I don't know that we need it, but the-

6033
05:53:13,414 --> 05:53:14,614
Lady Gretchen. Got it.

6034
05:53:17,734 --> 05:53:19,294
So we have Brooks and Gretchen.

6035
05:53:20,914 --> 05:53:21,454
Ms. Carrie?

6036
05:53:22,814 --> 05:53:23,034
Yes.

6037
05:53:24,054 --> 05:53:24,534
Mr. Miller?

6038
05:53:24,814 --> 05:53:24,994
Yes.

6039
05:53:25,474 --> 05:53:26,154
Mr. Matusik?

6040
05:53:26,894 --> 05:53:27,294
Yes.

6041
05:53:27,394 --> 05:53:27,914
Mr. Otto?

6042
05:53:29,194 --> 05:53:29,434
Yes.

6043
05:53:29,794 --> 05:53:30,294
Dr. Shull?

6044
05:53:30,554 --> 05:53:30,794
Yes.

6045
05:53:30,934 --> 05:53:31,754
Ms. Westbrooks-Hodge?

6046
05:53:31,954 --> 05:53:32,234
Yes.

6047
05:53:32,474 --> 05:53:33,094
President Schrog?

6048
05:53:33,454 --> 05:53:33,734
Yes.

6049
05:53:34,554 --> 05:53:36,514
I got to run as soon as we're done.

6050
05:53:36,874 --> 05:53:37,344
Oh, hold on one second.