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[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT, HERE WE ARE, READY TO CALL TO ORDER THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WORK SESSION FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2024.

[1. Opening Items]

WE DID HAVE A BRIEF CLOSED SESSION BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING ABOUT A PERSONNEL MATTER.

AND SO NOW WE WANT TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN THE MEETING? MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE MEETING.

SECOND. SECOND. OKAY, SO TROY MADE THE MOTION.

MICHELE SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

WE ARE IN OUR OPEN SESSION FOR OUR BOARD WORK SESSION.

SO LET'S BEGIN WITH OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

THANK YOU. THAT'S NOT AS MUCH FUN AS WHEN KIDS COME INTO SCHOOLS.

THE LAST TIME WE HAD TWO SCHOOLS.

DOUBLE TROUBLE.

DOUBLE THRILL. I DON'T KNOW.

WHATEVER. SO NOW WE NEED TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.

I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

I SECOND IT. OKAY.

CHRISTY MADE THE MOTION.

MICHELE SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. WE HAVE OUR AGENDA APPROVED, AND THAT MEANS WE CAN MOVE RIGHT INTO INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS.

[2.01 Use of Fund Balance]

AND WE START WITH USE OF FUND BALANCE.

GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

THIS MORNING WE HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM COMING TO YOU DURING OUR WORK SESSION TODAY.

AND THAT IS ONE RELATED TO THE GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL/GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT CAN TAKE THIS LONG TO GET TO A FINAL BILL FOR A PROJECT WHERE WE OPENED THE SCHOOL OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR.

BUT WE ALSO DID THE GREENSBURG CENTER PROJECT AFTER THAT.

AS THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD MAY RECALL, AS YOU GUYS WERE HERE AT THE TIME WHEN WE MADE THE DECISION IN JULY OF 2021, THE BOARD DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

IT WAS PART OF THE GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT.

IT WAS COUPLED TOGETHER BECAUSE IT WAS A FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, IT HELPED OUT WITH SOME PREVAILING WAGE COSTS.

SMART MOVE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY TO KEEP THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS DOWN.

HOWEVER, THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, AND WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, THE COST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FINISHING THAT PROJECT WITH THE GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER IN PARTICULAR THE PRICE DOUBLED LARGELY BECAUSE OF MATERIAL COSTS.

THE BOARD AT THE TIME, THE THREE OF YOU, PLUS THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE, AGREED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DUTY CENTER PROJECT TO COMPLETE THAT BUILD.

AT THE TIME, WE WERE ANTICIPATING UPWARDS OF OVER $1 MILLION OF LOCAL MONEY NEEDING TO GO INTO IT TO MEET THAT FINAL COST.

WE TALKED ABOUT EXHAUSTING ALL OPTIONS TO FIND OTHER FUNDS.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

WE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM, I BELIEVE IT WAS VAN HOLLEN'S OFFICE OR THEY WERE THE I KNOW THE SENATORS DEFINITELY WORKED WITH US TO TRY TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING RESOURCES. WE ALSO TAPPED INTO RESOURCES THAT AT THE TIME AS THERESA FRENCH WAS ABLE TO SECURE AS IT RELATES TO SOME FUNDS THROUGH HER PROGRAMING AND ALL SAID AND DONE, WITH THE PROJECT NOW BEING COMPLETE AND WE HAVE ALL OF THE BILLS TOGETHER.

THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE THAT IS OWED TO CLOSE OUT THE PROJECT IS $244,750.79.

THIS IS AN UNBUDGETED ITEM WITHIN OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

AND AT THE TIME, WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO POTENTIALLY CONSIDER FUND BALANCE TO COVER THAT, WHATEVER THE REMAINING AMOUNT IS.

SO I COME TOGETHER TODAY TO ASK THE BOARD FOR THEIR APPROVAL TO UTILIZE FUND BALANCE WHICH WE ARE SITTING RIGHT NOW, RIGHT ABOUT OUR THRESHOLD OF THE 10% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET IN OUR FUND BALANCE, THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE USE OF IT.

FOR THIS PROJECT.

FOR US TO USE THAT FUND BALANCE MONEY TO COVER THE REMAINING FUND AND CLOSE OUT THE BOOKS ON GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT.

SO WHAT IS THAT? THAT CURRENT BALANCE.

THE FUND BALANCE. THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE.

4750. THAT'S THE AMOUNT.

THE AMOUNT, THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.

AS OF THE LAST REPORTING WE HAD WAS A LITTLE OVER $10 MILLION.

OH, OKAY. WE ARE AS OF OUR LAST REPORTING, WE WERE JUST UNDER THE 10% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS THE UPPER LIMIT OF OUR WHAT OUR POLICY ALLOWS.

[00:05:03]

AND WE'RE SITTING RIGHT WHERE OUR AUDITORS HAVE REALLY BEEN ENCOURAGING US TO, TO GET TO.

AT THE TIME, WE THOUGHT IT COULD BE MUCH OF $1 MILLION HIT.

YES, WE WERE ANTICIPATING CLOSE TO A MILLION, IF NOT MORE.

RIGHT. THE I BELIEVE THE GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER PROJECT WENT FROM BEING ABOUT A 1.7, IF I RECALL, BUILD TO OVER A OH, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST SHY OF $3.7 MILLION BUILD.

SAME BUILDING, NOTHING CHANGED BUT MATERIAL COSTS.

YEAH. AT THE TIME, WE WERE BEING TOLD SOME OF THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT THE PRICE HAD GONE UP, EVEN FOR JUST ONE.

IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, IT WAS A PANEL BOX.

YES. BUT THE PRICE HAD GONE UP INCREDIBLY HIGH BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND AND SUPPLY ISSUES THAT WAS IMPACTED BETWEEN THE PANDEMIC AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. THAT WAS THE BATTLE WAS COMING FROM YOU? YEAH. THIS SEEMS LIKE A HUGE SAVINGS FOR US AS A BOARD.

SO IF THERE'S NO DISAGREEMENT OR QUESTIONS, I MOVE THAT WE PAY THAT BALANCE OF $244,750.79.

NEED A SECOND.

SECOND. THE ONLY DISCUSSION I HAVE IS THAT $0.79.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THAT IN.

YEAH, WE COULD ROUND IT UP TO $0.80 MAYBE.

I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT THE FINAL BILL WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE PENNIES.

YEAH. SO IT'S REALLY A LOT OF GOOD WORK.

YEAH. ALL KIDDING ASIDE, TO GET THAT DOWN TO WHERE IT IS.

A LOT OF EFFORT.

AND IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

MY GOODNESS. YES.

SO UNLESS THERE'S FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE AYE AYE.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. AND ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM PILLAR ONE AND PILLAR FOUR UPDATES.

[3.01 Blueprint Pillar 1 and 4 Update]

SO THAT MUST BE BLUEPRINT.

YES, IT WILL BE.

SO AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR WORK SESSIONS IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE TAKING SOME TIME TO UPDATE ON OUR PROGRESS ON EACH OF OUR PILLARS.

LAST MONTH WE TALKED ABOUT PILLAR TWO WHICH WAS OUR REALLY OUR HIRING EFFORTS GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS MONTH, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT PILLAR ONE AND PILLAR FOUR, WHICH LOOKS AT OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PRE-K AND ALSO OUR MORE SUPPORTS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

SO WITH US, WE HAVE DOCTOR DOWNS AND MR. KARCHAOUI WITH US TO WALK THROUGH THOSE.

AND THEN NEXT MONTH WE WILL BE LOOKING AT PILLAR THREE WHICH IS OUR COLLEGE CAREER READINESS PILLAR.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL PASS TO DOCTOR DOWNS AND MR. HOWIE TO KIND OF WALK US THROUGH KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR PILLARS AND WHAT ARE THE KIND OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SITTING ON THE HORIZON.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. WE ARE GOING TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION.

MR. HOWIE. DOCTOR SIMMONS AND I WILL PROBABLY KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH, ADDING A LITTLE BIT HERE AND THERE AS WE GO THROUGH THE.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO CELEBRATE, AND THERE'S SOME THINGS WE WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT AND KIND OF ELEVATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THINKING ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT US DOWN THE ROAD.

SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE PUBLIC OR THE PRIVATE PROVIDER ASPECT OF SEATS FOR OUR PRE-K, THREES AND FOURS.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE PROVIDERS NOW, PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

WE WORK WITH ASPIRE, WHICH IS KIND OF AN OVERARCHING ORGANIZATION, AND THEY HAVE THEY SUPPORT TWO PRIVATE PROVIDERS IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND THEN OF COURSE HEAD START.

SO THE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT THERE.

NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGED.

THOSE ARE JUST SOME NUMBERS THAT WE SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT WE HAVE HERE.

AND AS THE BOARD RECALLS.

THE OLD BLUEPRINT IS THAT WE WOULD ALL BE AT 50% OF OUR PRE K SEATS BEING PROVIDED BY PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC PROVIDERS.

NO DISTRICT IS HITTING 50.

I DON'T BELIEVE ANY DISTRICT IS HITTING 30.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE APPLIED FOR A WAIVER AND EVERY OTHER DISTRICT HAS APPLIED FOR A WAIVER AND THE WAIVERS HAVE BEEN GRANTED.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

IT IS A BIG ASK OF OUR PRIVATE PROVIDERS FOR WHAT THEY NEED TO MEET FOR IN TERMS OF THEIR EXCELS RATING, THEIR CREDENTIALING RATINGS TO MSD, AND A BIG ASK FOR OUR PRIVATE PROVIDERS IN TERMS OF THE CREDENTIALING OF THEIR STAFF.

MRDC IS OUR NEWEST ADDITION.

LEGISLATION WAS INTRODUCED AND PASSED LAST YEAR.

ACTUALLY, DELEGATE GRACE WAS A BIG PART OF THAT THAT ALLOWED THE EXPANSION FOR HEAD START ORGANIZATIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS WHICH FOR US THAT THAT IS PROBABLY OUR LARGEST PRIVATE PROVIDER.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY PRIVATE, BUT OUR LARGEST NON-SCHOOL SYSTEM PROVIDER IN THE COUNTY.

SO ADDING THAT IN IS HELPFUL.

I KNOW THEY COULD TAKE MORE IN THEIR SEATS, BUT THEIR STAFFING, STAFFING IS A CHALLENGE AT ALL LOCATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE CREDENTIALING

[00:10:02]

THAT'S NEEDED FOR OUR PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

BUT THAT'S SORT OF WHERE THAT SITS RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE CREDENTIALS THAT ARE REQUIRED.

YES. THE CREDENTIALING THAT'S REQUIRED.

DOCTOR DOWNS KNOWS I'M A BIG CONTEXT PERSON.

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE STATE MOVED EARLY CHILDHOOD AND DAYCARE REGULATIONS OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INTO MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THAT WAS A SEISMIC SHIFT.

IT JUST HAS BEEN ON A LOT OF FRONTS.

AND THAT HAS BEEN THE HARD PART FOR STAFFING, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE TRYING TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS. YEAH, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET FUNDING.

THEY HAVE TO MEET THE CREDENTIALS, AND THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS ARE STRUGGLING WITH BEING ABLE TO PAY THOSE PEOPLE THE SALARIES THAT THEY WOULD BE GETTING BASED ON THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR CREDENTIALING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THEM.

SO A LOT OF OPTING OUT, AND THAT'S STATEWIDE, IT'S REALLY HAVING A BIGGER IMPACT.

WE'RE KIND OF QUIET AND DOING OUR JOB AND PUTTING OUR HEADS DOWN AND DOING OUR THING.

A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS ARE HAVING BIGGER CHALLENGES AND THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE VOCAL ABOUT THE ISSUE.

SO WE'LL LOOK AT THE 2425 ENROLLMENT FOR PRE-K FOR PRE-K THREES.

THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT ENROLLMENT HAS GONE DOWN.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE ELIGIBILITY BASED ON THE PILLAR ONE BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS FOR TIER ONE, HIGH LEVEL NEEDS, ECONOMIC NEEDS, FAMILIES.

SO OUR SPECIAL POPULATION, STUDENTS STILL GET ACCESS AND THEY HAVE TO BE ELIGIBLE FINANCIALLY.

SO LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS, THERE IS A DIP.

I KNOW DOCTOR SIMMONS WILL SHARE MORE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONTEXTUAL PIECE OF THAT AND HOW THAT'S IMPACTING US.

AND THIS CHART JUST GIVES YOU LIKE A BREAKDOWN OF WHO IS ELIGIBLE, WHO APPLIED.

ATTENDING THE PROGRAM IS THE THIRD LANE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MANY WE HAVE IN OUR PROGRAMS. BASED ON, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD FOR APPLIED.

AND WE ALSO HAD SOMEONE, SOME STUDENTS WHO DECLINED TO BE IN OUR PROGRAM.

AND I CAN SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE OR TWO.

AND OUR PRE-K THREE, WHICH IS WHAT THIS DATA IS, PRE-K THREE.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE IT AT FOUR OVER FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

WE DON'T HAVE IT AT ALL FIVE.

AND PART OF IT IS SPACE.

WHICH IS WHY WE DON'T HAVE THE PRE-K THREE AT DENTON.

WE SHIP OUR DENTON FAMILIES HAVE AN OPTION OF OTHER LOCATIONS IF SEATS ARE AVAILABLE.

BUT THE PRE-K THREE SHIFT AND THE BOARD PROBABLY RECALLS AS WELL.

IN ORDER FOR US TO UTILIZE STATE FUNDING THAT WAS COMING DOWN FOR EXPANSION OF PRE-K THREE THROUGH BLUEPRINT AND PRE-K EXPANSION, WE HAD TO MOVE PRE-K THREE FROM A HALF DAY PROGRAM TO A FULL DAY PROGRAM ONCE IT WENT FULL DAY.

WE ONLY HAD FOUR BUILDINGS THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE A FULL DAY, AND IT IS A LONG DAY.

IT IS A LONG DAY FOR THREES, AND IT MINIMIZES OUR ABILITY TO SERVE STUDENTS, BECAUSE WE COULD SERVE TWICE AS MANY WITH A HALF DAY PROGRAM VERSUS ONE FULL DAY PROGRAM.

BUT THE BIG SHIFT IS IT'S THE WAY WE PAID FOR IT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE FUNDING DRIVES.

TYPICALLY, YOUR RULES OF HOW YOU CAN IMPLEMENT.

CAN YOU REPEAT WHY? WHAT CAUSES IT TO BE A FULL DAY? THE PRE-K EXPANSION GRANT THAT CAME OUT THAT ALLOWED DISTRICTS TO TO MOVE FORWARD TO MEET THE GOALS OF THE BLUEPRINT REQUIRED A FULL DAY PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THE CHALLENGE WAS FOR US, A THREE YEAR OLD.

SO WE ARE AND REMEMBER THE MODEL FOR PRE K THREE AND WHERE IT'S MOVING WAS THAT IT WOULD BE A FULL DAY LIKE A CHILDCARE TYPE PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES TO UTILIZE.

RIGHT. BECAUSE IN THE IN THE EXPANDED MODEL WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS.

EVENTUALLY IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE FAMILIES WOULD BE PAYING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE PRE-K 3 OR 4 BASED ON THEIR ECONOMIC POSITION. SO IF YOU KEEP THAT IN MIND, THAT'S WHY THEY WERE TRYING TO GET TO A FULL DAY BECAUSE THEY ENVISIONED A PLACE FOR THE KIDS GO WHILE MOM AND DAD WORK.

RIGHT. YEAH.

IT'S NOT A FULL DAY.

YEAH. WHAT DO THEY DO THEN? THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT CHILD AND PUT THEM IN A CHILDCARE THE REST OF THE DAY.

SO ONE STOP SHOPPING THIS WAY.

YEAH. THERE ARE OTHER COMPLEXITIES TO THAT THEY DIDN'T FORESEE.

FOR INSTANCE, IF A STUDENT IS PLACED HERE FROM ANOTHER COUNTY BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY ENCOUNTERED THIS.

HOW DO WHICH COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STUDENT AND HOW DO YOU BILL FOR A STUDENT IN PRE-K WHEN IT'S NOT COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE? SO THAT IS ALSO A NEW WRINKLE THAT THE BLUEPRINT DID NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO WORK THROUGH.

YEAH, PRE-K IS NOT REQUIRED.

RIGHT. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO ATTEND OR NOT.

[00:15:02]

SO WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME ATTENDANCE TEAM WITH SOMEBODY.

WHEN THEY GET A SEAT, THEY'RE THERE UNTIL THEY'VE NOT COME ENOUGH.

THEN WE CAN MOVE IT ON.

BUT YEAH, THE ATTENDANCE PIECE MAKES IT A REAL CHALLENGE.

BUT THAT'S PRE-K THREE.

I HAVE A QUESTION. IT MIGHT SOUND KIND OF SILLY.

WHAT'S DNQ DOES NOT QUALIFY DOES NOT QUALIFY OKAY.

THANK YOU. YEP.

AND THINKING ABOUT WE'RE USING THE PRE-K EXPANSION GRANT.

WE TOO HAVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS CREDENTIALING AND THE SALARY REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE PRE-K THREE.

OKAY. FOUR. SO AND LIKE, DOCTOR SIMMONS SHARED THE SPACE REQUIRED FOR THAT TO BE ABLE TO HAPPEN IN OUR SCHOOLS.

AS HE SHARED, DENTON ELEMENTARY DOESN'T HAVE THE SPACE, SO WE HAD TO KIND OF SPLIT UP THE STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE IN THAT AREA AND BUS THEM.

THINKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION OF THREE YEAR OLDS, TRANSPORTATION OF FOUR YEAR OLDS.

WE HAVE TO USE THE PRE-K EXPANSION GRANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT FULL RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE NOT EVEN SERVING WHAT THE BLUEPRINT REQUIRES US TO SERVE OR WAS PLANNING ON US TO SERVE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER WITH REGARD TO PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR AND ACCESSING THAT PRE-K EXPANSION GRANT.

WE ARE USING ALL OF IT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IMPLEMENTS WITH THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE NOW.

SO NEXT SLIDE SHARES THE PRE-K FOUR ENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY BREAKDOWN.

IT'S JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE HAVE.

YEAH THIS WAS LAST YEAR'S DATA.

YEP. THIS WAS LAST YEAR.

SO KIND OF WITH THE PROJECTION IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE MISS SAILOR IS LOOKING TO SEE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, PREDICTING INDICATORS ABOUT ENROLLMENT FOR NEXT YEAR.

BUT THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE LAST YEAR.

SO THIS SLIDE, WHEN WE GET TO THE NEXT ONE, YOU'LL NOTICE A DEFINITELY A CHANGE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF KIDS SERVED BECAUSE THAT LOCAL OPTION DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE. AND AS WE MOVED INTO THE BLUEPRINT REALM THERE IS NOT FUNDING FOR THE LOCAL OPTION.

SO WE HAD TO MOVE OUT OF THAT BECAUSE THE FUNDING CAN ONLY BE APPLIED BY BLUEPRINT.

SO THE ONLY KIDS THAT WILL APPLY THIS YEAR ARE KIDS WHO ARE OVER 300% FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL QUALIFY FOR ML OR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. SO THE PRE-K MODEL WHERE WE HAD SOME BEFORE, WHO THROUGH THE LOCAL OPTION COULD GET IN.

IT'S JUST NOT A POSSIBILITY.

SO YOU'LL NOTICE OUR NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED IS DEFINITELY GONE DOWN.

MOVING INTO THIS YEAR SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR.

WE ARE SERVING LESS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE SERVING 240 WHERE LAST YEAR WE WERE SERVING IT'S AT 285 PLUS THE 57.

WE WERE SERVING LAST YEAR 340 KIDS, ROUGHLY.

WE'RE SERVING A LITTLE LESS BASED ON THE FUNDING, I WILL SAY THAT THIS SHIFT DEFINITELY CAUSED SOME CHALLENGES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

ESPECIALLY THE STATE WAS QUEUED UP FOR THE TIER TWO MODEL, AND DOCTOR DOWNS HAS A SLIDE ON THIS, SO I WON'T GO TOO MUCH INTO IT.

BUT IN THE BLUEPRINT PLAN, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SHIFT FROM TIER ONE TO STARTING TIER TWO KIDS THIS YEAR.

THE STATE PULLED BACK ON THE TIER TWO MODEL IN THE SPRING.

I 100% AGREE WITH THEIR DECISION TO PULL BACK ON THE TIER TWO MODEL, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMIC PIECES THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE FOR IT TO WORK.

BUT BY THE TIME THEY PULLED BACK ON IT, IT WAS A LITTLE TOO FAR OUT OF THE GATE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO FUND THE LOCAL OPTION ANYMORE.

WE ONLY GET FUNDING FOR KIDS WHO QUALIFY.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE PIVOT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BECAUSE WE'RE FUNDED AT LOCAL SHARE.

BUT IT ALSO SEVERELY LIMITED AND HINDERED OUR TIMELY COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS WHEN THAT CHANGED.

SO WE WERE TRYING TO GET IT OUT AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY COULD, BUT WE HAD MORE PEOPLE DECLINE FOR PRE-K THAN WE PROBABLY EVER HAD BECAUSE IT'S STRICTLY OFF OF THOSE THREE CRITERIA.

WE HAD MORE APPEALS THAT CAME IN FOR DOCTOR DOWNS AND MR. HOWIE TO HANDLE AS IT RELATES TO TRYING TO FIND A WAY AROUND WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE PARENTS PREDICAMENT THEY'RE IN, BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO NOT ENOUGH PROVIDERS OF JUST CHILD CARE, LET ALONE PRE-K OR QUALIFIED PRE-K.

IT JUST CREATED SOME REAL CHALLENGES FOR OUR FAMILIES AND FOR US.

BUT THIS DOES GIVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR STUDENTS.

I WILL SAY OUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS 100% NEED BASED.

[00:20:05]

OUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS ARE 100% NEED BASED.

SO WE ARE NOTICING IN OUR PRE-K TEACHERS DOING A GREAT JOB.

BUT THE LEVEL OF NEED IS DEFINITELY HIGHER IN OUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS THIS YEAR.

THE NUMBERS MAY BE DOWN, BUT DUE TO THE QUALIFYING CRITERIA, IT JUST BRINGS MORE CHALLENGES IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT HAVING SOME OTHER MODELS TO KIND OF EVEN SET THE ROOM A LITTLE BIT.

BUT IT HAS CREATED SOME, SOME CHALLENGES FOR THIS YEAR.

AGAIN, OUR FOLKS ARE WORKING THROUGH IT, BUT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE DOWN, IT DOESN'T MEAN THE ROOMS ARE EASIER THIS YEAR.

NOT THAT PRE-K IS EVER EASY.

LOVE THEM AT THAT AGE, BUT GOD BLESS THOSE WHO CAN ADD THE FULL DAY COMPONENT.

YEAH YEAH YEAH, STUDENTS ARE MORE IN NEED.

I CAN'T IMAGINE THREE.

YEAH. SO WE WANTED TO SHARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE WORKING AND SOME CHALLENGES AS WE MOVE INTO THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE BLUEPRINT, ADJUSTMENTS AND RECONSIDERATIONS. JUST TO SHARE.

SO WHAT IS WORKING? WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES.

AND THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO GET MORE SERVICES AS THEY MOVE THROUGH A FULL DAY PROGRAM.

WE'RE PROVIDING MORE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR PROGRAM TEACHERS.

WE'VE WORKED WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GO FROM A HALF DAY FULL TO A FULL DAY.

LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN A CLASSROOM? AND SO MISS SAYLOR AND I SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LAST YEAR DOING FIELD TRIPS, KIND OF GETTING IDEAS AND DOING SOME RESEARCH, AND SHE'S WORKING ON MORE OF A PLAY BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, BUT THAT REQUIRED PURCHASING MATERIALS THAT REQUIRED TRAINING.

SO THAT WAS WORKING REALLY WELL.

WE'RE SEEING AN IMPACT ON THAT SO FAR THIS YEAR.

IT'S GOING REALLY WELL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO ADD ADDITIONAL 18 SEATS THIS SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE MOVING IN FROM LAST TO THIS YEAR, WE STARTED LOOKING AT SOME STRATEGIC ALIGNMENTS AND SPACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT DOCTOR DOWNS UNDER THE WHAT'S WORKING FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.

OUR DUTY CENTERS ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB OF WORKING WITH OUR FAMILIES.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE.

THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO DO THAT IN A VERY ROBUST MANNER.

I KNOW SOME FOLKS HAD SOME CONCERNS WHEN WE MOVED OUT, MOVED AWAY FROM THE HEAD START MODEL.

IN OUR COUNTY, AT LEAST FOR US BEING THE PROVIDER.

THE DUTY CENTERS HAVE NOT SLOWED DOWN ONE BIT AND IF ANYTHING, HAVE INCREASED THEIR PRESENCE.

THEY'RE DOING PHENOMENAL THINGS.

WORKING WITH OUR PARENTS OF PRE-K STUDENTS FROM LITERALLY BIRTH THROUGH PRE-K DOING A GREAT JOB GETTING OUT THERE AND WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

WE PARTNER REALLY WELL WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

MISS TAYLOR IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB WITH PD OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM AS WELL.

SO WE'RE JUST REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHTED THEM AS WELL AND SORRY HAD CHALLENGES.

CHALLENGES. YEAH.

SO AGAIN WE GO BACK TO WHAT DOCTOR SIMMONS SHARED ABOUT THE LEVEL OF NEED OUR STUDENTS HAVE THAT ARE IN THE CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW AND ALSO PROVIDING THOSE SAME NEEDS TO PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

SO THE TWO ASPIRE PROVIDERS AND MRDC, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES TO THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL.

THAT CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE AND IT CONTINUES TO ADD A LITTLE EXTRA WEIGHT TO WHAT WE PROVIDE HERE AT CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES IN THE PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS ON A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, GIVING THEM THE SAME.

IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN THEIR CURRICULUM IS DIFFERENT.

SO MISS SAILOR WORKS REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COMMUNICATION.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU HAVE CURRICULUM DIFFERENCES, IT'S HARD TO ALIGN ON PRESTON DEVELOPMENT THE SAME WAY.

AND THAT WILL WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE THINGS, BUT THAT IS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGE.

AND THEN WE'VE ALSO HAD STUDENTS BEING ACCEPTED INTO SPOTS AND THEN DECIDING TO STAY WITH A PRIVATE PROVIDER, AND NOT NECESSARILY THE ONES THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIST, BUT ANOTHER PRIVATE PROVIDER.

SO WE GET KIND OF MOMENTUM GOING AND THEN WE HAVE TO PIVOT.

SO WE HAVE WAITLISTS, WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING ON.

SO IT'S KIND OF A BIT OF A JUGGLE WHEN PEOPLE START APPLYING GET ACCEPTED AND THEN THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT'S COMING THROUGH THE YEAR.

SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH REGARDS TO PRIVATE PROVIDER AND, AND US SERVING ALL THE ALL THE FAMILIES OF PROVIDER SCHOOLS OR PROGRAMS. AND OUR OWN, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME IMPACTS THAT WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE START LOOKING AT PILLAR ONE.

NEXT STEPS. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO.

AND DOCTOR SIMMONS SHARED, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK ON TIER TWO IMPLEMENTATION, AND THAT MEANS THAT PARENTS WHO MAKE MORE MONEY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS OUR PRE-K THREE FOUR PROGRAM. THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY A PERCENTAGE BASED ON THEIR INCOME.

[00:25:03]

SO IT COULD BE FROM MISS WAYMAN COULD HAVE TO PAY $855, YOU KNOW, AND MR. BARTON, HIS KIDS WOULD HAVE TO PAY $925.

IT COULD BE THAT NUANCED. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS SCALE AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW DOES A SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO'S NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE BILLING? YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR THAT.

SO AND THEN HOW DO YOU EVEN WORK ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR PROVIDING SERVICES? WE WOULD ALSO THEN OBVIOUSLY NUMBERS WOULD INCREASE.

WE'RE ALREADY FULL.

SO WE'D HAVE TO START LOOKING AT SPACE AND THINKING ABOUT A PRE-K THREE CLASSROOM.

WE CAN'T RETROFIT A CLASSROOM OR PART OF A SCHOOL WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE PLUMBING SERVICES, THE TRANSPORTATION FOR THE BUSSES, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT LITTLE CAR SEATS IN THE BUSSES. SO THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A REALLY BIG IMPACT ON WHAT WE CAN DO WITH REGARDS TO NOT ONLY THE BILLING CYCLE AND HOW WE MANAGE THE BILLING ASPECT, BUT ALSO THE SPACE AND THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE AS TRANSPORTATION.

THE OTHER PART IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE HAVE A PARENT THAT DOESN'T PAY? YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT A COLLECTION AGENCY.

SO HOW DO WE HOW DO WE WORK THROUGH THAT? AND WE'RE NOT DESIGNED FOR THAT.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER BIG CHALLENGE AS WELL.

I THERE'S A COUPLE NOTES HERE AND I'VE ALREADY JUST KIND OF GONE THROUGH AND OVER WITH YOU, BUT THIS IS MORE DETAILED.

ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE STAFFING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW WITH THE STAFFING THAT WE HAVE AND HAVING TO CONTINUE TO TRAIN THEM.

WE'D HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THOSE PIECES AS WELL, AND THAT WOULD HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON US.

SO I ANTICIPATE THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO HEAR AN AWFUL LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT PILLAR ONE IN PARTICULAR.

I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE AN AWFUL LOT OF EARLY SESSION CONVERSATION, EARLY LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONVERSATION AROUND PRE-K AROUND PILLAR ONE.

PARTLY BECAUSE TIER TWO WAS DELAYED.

IT IS A COSTLY ENDEAVOR.

IT'S ALSO AN ENDEAVOR THAT MANY HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES CAN HAVE A REALLY HIGH IMPACT.

SO I EXPECT THERE TO BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND ADJUSTMENTS TO PILLAR ONE, WHETHER FROM THE FISCAL SIDE OR PROGRAMMATIC SIDE.

THE PILLAR ONE COST.

SO THE PRE-K COSTS AND THE BLUEPRINT FORMULA.

I BELIEVE THIS YEAR WE'RE ROUGHLY A LITTLE OVER $12,000 A STUDENT.

NEXT YEAR WE'LL GO TO 14,000 A STUDENT AND UP TO, I BELIEVE, IN 2 OR 3 YEARS TO $21,000 A STUDENT.

SO COMPARED TO OUR FOUNDATION MONEY, WHICH IS THE BASE MONEY FOR ALL STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY, THE FOUNDATION MONEY IS A LITTLE OVER 8000.

IN FY 25 WE'RE IN.

IT'LL BE OVER 9000 IN FY 26.

SO JUST AS A COMPARATIVE PIECE SO I EXPECT, GIVEN THE SHORTFALL THAT THE STATE IS PREDICTING, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND PRE-K.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYTHING MOVES, BUT DEFINITELY THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT THE BOARD WILL HEAR ME.

I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS.

AND THOSE ARE ON PROGRAMMATIC PIECES.

THAT'S YOUR STAFFING, BUSSING, CURRICULUM, THOSE PIECES.

NONE OF THAT IS ON SETTING UP A TIER TWO SYSTEM FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BUILD.

AND NONE OF THAT DEALS WITH SPACE, WHICH DOCTOR DOWNES HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THE SPACE AND BUILDINGS ISSUE.

FOR US TO GO TO A UNIVERSAL PRE-K MODEL OR A MODEL THAT EVEN INCORPORATES TIER TWO AND EVENTUALLY TIER THREE KIDS, WE DO NOT HAVE SPACE IN OUR ENDS.

WE KNOW WE DON'T AT GREENSBORO.

WE DO NOT AT RIDGELY TWO YEARS AGO HAD TO FIND THE LAST BIT OF SPACE THEY COULD TO ACCOMMODATE ADDING A PRE-K CLASSROOM.

RIDGELY SITE PRESTON HAS NO ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM SPACE TO TAKE.

FEDERALSBURG IS ALREADY USING THE FEDERALSBURG DUTY CENTER ACROSS THE STREET FOR ONE PRE-K ROOM.

GREENSBORO IS ALREADY USING THE GREENSBORO DUTY CENTER FOR PRE-K.

AND DENTON DOESN'T HAVE THE SPACE AS IT IS, AND WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE.

I DO NOT I'LL PUT IT ON ME.

I DO NOT ANTICIPATE A BIG SHIFT IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE SET ASIDE FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION TO CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY, TO BE ABLE TO HELP SCHOOL SYSTEMS ADD ON. THERE IS A COMPONENT WHERE THE IAC AND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION HAS SHARED THAT FUNDS COULD BE USED TO LEASE SPACE FOR PRE-K EXPANSION.

HOWEVER, IN CAROLINE COUNTY, IN RURAL AREAS, THERE'S NOT SPACE TO LEASE FOR A PRE-K SETTING AND URBAN THERE DEFINITELY IS IN RURAL AREAS.

THERE'S JUST NOT A SPACE TO LEASE, AND IT WOULD COST US A SMALL FORTUNE TO RETROFIT TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THAT AGE GROUP.

[00:30:07]

SO THAT ALL WOULD BE YES.

AND YEAH. YOU JUST CAN'T GO WITH ADULT SIZE.

NO. AND THEN THERE ARE A BUNCH OF LITTLE IF YOU'RE LEASING SPACE, IF IT'S NOT RIGHT NEXT DOOR RIGHT NOW YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IS COMING.

WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO PUT THEM? I GUESS ORIGINALLY THEY COULD JUST ANNEX THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET, BUT STILL YOU HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET.

YEAH, BUT THERE ARE THOSE REAL CHALLENGES GO A LONG WAYS DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT IF WE WERE TO BUILD A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HAD AN OLD SCHOOL, COULD WOULD THAT BE A SPOT FOR TOWNS LIKE RIDGELY AND DENTON TO BE ABLE TO EVEN PRESTON, TO KIND OF HAVE THAT BE AN EARLY LEARNING AND EARLY LEARNING CENTER WHERE IT POTENTIALLY COULD IF THERE WAS THAT INFLUX OF RESOURCES FROM SOMEWHERE TO HELP COVER THE COST OF RETROFITTING.

YEAH, IT'S IT'S THAT KIND OF STUFF.

YEAH. THAT RETROFITTING IS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR SURE BECAUSE THE COUNTIES ARE FACING IT.

YEAH. SO THINKING ABOUT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT TIER TWO RIGHT.

THEN WE GET TO TIER THREE WHICH ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.

THEY HAVE TO PAY.

BUT COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING THAT'S PROBABLY LESS EXPENSIVE THAN DAYCARE.

SO THINK ABOUT THAT SPACE THEN ADDING ON ANOTHER LAYER OF ENROLLMENT.

SO LONG TERM, I ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS DURING THE BLUEPRINT MEETINGS AND TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS THOUGHT CAME FROM AND WHERE HOW THE COMMISSION FELT.

THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD MOVE.

THEY WERE LOOKING AT MODELS FROM OTHER STATES WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ENTIRE PROGRAMS OF EARLY LEARNING CHILD CENTER.

SO IT'S AN INDEPENDENT PIECE THAT IS FUNDED SEPARATELY.

CONCEPTUALLY THAT'S THEIR LIKE THAT'S THEIR COMMUNITY DAYCARE THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE.

SO OR THE COUNTY.

SO I THINK THAT THAT THOUGHT PROCESS WAS, OH, WE CAN YOU KNOW, THIS CAN WORK FOR US.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T BUILD THAT FIRST AND THEN THIS COMES LATER.

SO THEY'RE KIND OF PUSHED LIKE RETROFITTING IT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IS DIFFICULT.

SO LIKE BIG PICTURE I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO HAVE US BE A DAYCARE SYSTEM WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR IT.

AND THEY'RE USING MODELS WHERE THERE WAS A FULLY STANDALONE DAYCARE SYSTEM WITHIN THE WITHIN THE COUNTY OR THE STATE, WHICH HAS ITS MERITS.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE.

THAT'S IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO KIND OF PUT AND THEN PUT A TIMELINE ON IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET THIS DONE.

IT'S REALLY NOT THE BEST PRACTICE, AS YOU SAY.

WHAT'S THE DEADLINE THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE? ALL RIGHT. IF THEY SLOW IT DOWN, I THINK WE DON'T GET TO TIER THREE UNTIL SOMEWHERE AROUND FY 29, I THINK.

AND THAT BALLPARK, WHICH ISN'T THAT FAR AWAY.

EXACTLY. YEAH.

NO CONSTRUCTION TIME.

YEAH, YEAH.

AND THE STATE IS I MEAN, IN ALL FAIRNESS, THE STATE REALLY IS LOOKING AT MSD IS REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE MORE REALISTIC PERCENTAGES OF PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP.

RIGHT. YEAH. THERE'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT WHERE THERE ARE DEFINITELY PEOPLE ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU HELP MORE PEOPLE ENGAGE IN HOME DAYCARE OR DAYCARE CENTERS.

HOW DO YOU INCENTIVIZE? HOW DO YOU HELP BUILD THAT AS A BUSINESS MODEL FOR PEOPLE? BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SAY MR. WE COULD DO 100, WE COULD DO UNIVERSAL PRE-K IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

100%. LOOK, REALISTICALLY, I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING.

WOULD IT BE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME AND INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL FOR FAMILIES? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.

THAT'S IT'S THE CAPITAL.

IT'S THE SPACE. IT'S THE IF WE CAN'T GET TO THAT PORTION, YOU KNOW, WE WILL KEEP ASKING FOR WAIVERS.

OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING RIGHT NOW.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY FREELY COMING WITH THE WAIVERS.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M NERVOUS ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO BE LIKE, OH, WELL OTHER DISTRICTS ARE STRUGGLING JUST AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE.

SO I THINK JUST ELEVATING THIS AS A CONCERN, EACH DISTRICT, EACH BOARD OF EDUCATION, REALLY CONTINUING TO COMMUNICATE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO NOT GOING TO END UP WORKING WELL.

THE INTENTION IS THERE.

WE THINK THAT'S GREAT. BUT MAYBE DEVELOP ANOTHER ENTITY TO MANAGE THE PRIVATE PROVIDER PIECE.

YOU KNOW, CONCEPTUALLY IT'S GREAT, BUT REALLY WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE PRIVATE PROVIDERS, AND THE STATE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO FUND THEM.

YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CREDENTIALING THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR NOW.

YOU KNOW, THESE PRIVATE PROVIDERS, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY TEACHERS WHEN THEY'RE DOING FULL DAY.

SO AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A COLLEAGUE WHO'S ALSO AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT IN ANOTHER DISTRICT WHO HAS A DAYCARE SYSTEM.

SHE HAS, AND I WON'T EVEN PARTICIPATE IN IT IN MY OWN PRIVATE DAYCARE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FINANCIALLY WORK FOR US.

IT'S MORE OF A DRAIN ON THEM.

SO I THINK THAT JUST RESHARING THAT THIS IS WHAT THE BLUEPRINT HAS BEEN ASKING AND IS GOING TO BE ASKING OF US, AND THEN PULLING BACK ON IT LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING AS A TEAM, I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL.

[00:35:02]

I HAVE A QUESTION.

GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT STAFFING BEING A SHORTAGE DUE TO CREDENTIALS, WHICH I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND.

LOOKING AHEAD, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE CREDENTIAL TRAINING HERE WITHIN THE COUNTY, MAYBE IN COORDINATION WITH CHESAPEAKE OR WHATEVER, BUT SO THAT WE'RE BUILDING OUR OWN STAFFING IN-HOUSE? WE ARE IN-HOUSE.

YES. OKAY. I WAS REFERRING TO THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

OKAY. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING CAN THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS COME AND USE OUR RESOURCES AND GET TRAINED FOR US.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET.

I THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S THAT WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE.

THEY MIGHT.

THEY MIGHT THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY WHAT THAT PERSON NOW WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY ACCORDING TO.

IF THEY TAKE THE GRANT MONEY, THEY THEN HAVE TO PAY THEM A CERTAIN SALARY.

THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS, ONCE THEY GET THEIR CREDENTIALS, WE'RE WORKING.

WE ARE WORKING WITH CHESAPEAKE, AND CHESAPEAKE IS PART OF OUR EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL.

AND THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT. I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD SOMETHING.

I THOUGHT THAT WE SAID SOMEWHERE BACK HERE THAT WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, THE STAFFING PREVENTS US FROM TAKING MORE STUDENTS IN.

NO. FOR US, FOR US, IT'S THE FUNDING.

FOR US, IT'S THE FUNDING MODEL.

WE CAN ONLY TAKE TIER ONE THIS YEAR.

OKAY. AS THE BOARD RECALLS, WE HIGHLIGHTED, I THINK IT WAS THE SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING.

WE HAD SIX OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FOLKS COME IN.

FOR THEM COMPLETING THEIR CDA THAT WE, WE WERE ABLE TO PAY FOR THROUGH LEADS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT MODEL TO HELP SUPPORT INTERNALLY FOR US ON THE STAFFING PIECE.

WE COULD SERVE MORE, RIGHT? IF WE WERE UNDER OUR OLD POLICY.

BUT WE CAN'T BECAUSE OF WE CAN ONLY DO TIER ONE RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. HOW MANY MORE CAN WE TAKE? WE COULD WE HAVE THE SPACE AND STAFFING TO BE WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 300.

AND WHAT I SAY LIKE 350.

I THINK 340, 350.

LAST YEAR, THAT'S WHERE WE COULD BE.

BUT BASED ON THOSE WHO FULLY MEET THE CRITERIA, WE HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE CAN'T.

YES. YEAH.

AND THAT WAS ABOUT THE MAX.

WHERE WE COULD GET SPACE WAS WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.

WE WERE 20.

20 PER CLASS IS WHAT THEY CAP IT AT, WHICH IS NICE WHEN IT'S.

IT'S NICE WHEN IT'S NOT 20.

THAT'S A LOT. YEAH, THAT'S A LOT.

BUT THAT'S WHERE THE GRANT IS.

YEAH. YEAH. AND THAT'S TWO PEOPLE PER ROOM.

TWO. TWO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE WITH THEM AT ALL TIMES.

YES. AND THINKING ABOUT.

YEAH. THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE OF SOME OF THE STUDENTS.

I MEAN, YOU CAN HAVE HALF OF THE CLASSROOM WITH SOME SERIOUS NEEDS.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING. LIKE, THAT'S A LOT.

YEAH. AND I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBER WENT DOWN, THERE WAS A RECOGNITION THAT THE NEED WENT UP AND THE STAFFING DIDN'T CHANGE.

CORRECT. CORRECT.

THE STAFFING DIDN'T CHANGE.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH.

YEAH. YEAH. EVEN IF WE AND TRULY IT'S JUST REALLY REALIZING THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING SEPARATE.

IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE PROVIDERS, IT NEEDS TO BE A SEPARATE FOCUS, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

THAT SHOULD BE IF A STATE WANTS THAT AND THE STATE SHOULD PURSUE THAT WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS ON THEIR ON THEIR OWN WORK, THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR A SMALL BUSINESS AND A DECENT BUSINESS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WHETHER THEY WHETHER THEY DO THE STATE MODEL OR NOT, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN CAROLINE FOR HOME DAYCARE PROVIDERS OR CENTER BASED.

BUT EVEN FOR HOME DAYCARE PROVIDERS, THERE'S A REAL SHORTAGE IN THE COUNTY.

I THINK FROM A RECRUITMENT PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STAY ENGAGED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH BLUEPRINT, EVEN IF DECISIONS CHANGE BECAUSE IT DOES REALLY AFFECT STAFF TO NOT HAVE THE ACCESS THAT SOME OF THEM USED TO HAVE.

AND REALLY NOT HAVING A LOT OF AVAILABLE AVAILABILITY OF ANY STRUCTURES IS A HUGE CHALLENGE.

IT WAS A HUGE CHALLENGE.

YES, IT WAS, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

THERE'S A LOT OF CAROLINE BABIES COMING.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT YOU KNOW THAT THAT WAS A RESOURCE THAT ALSO WAS HELPFUL FOR AND THE TIMING PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT WITH THIS SUMMER BECAUSE THAT DECISION BY THE STATE WAS A LITTLE LATE.

SO THE COMMUNICATION WAS NOT AS FORWARD AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED IT TO BE.

SO WE'RE NOW EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE PLAYING FIELD IS.

IT WON'T BE AS TIMELY A CHALLENGE, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT LIFT.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU DOCTOR. ANY OTHER ONE? YES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT THE TEAM WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BEEN HERE.

MANY OF THEM ARE ON CONFERENCES AND WORKING IN BUILDINGS TODAY, SO THEY DID HELP DEVELOP THIS.

WE MET ON FRIDAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD COVERED EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANTED TO SHARE, AND THEY WANTED TO BE HERE.

HOWEVER, THEY HAD OTHER OBLIGATIONS.

DOCTOR DOWNS, DO YOU MIND SHARING WHO THAT TEAM IS? MISS TAYLOR IS PILLAR ONE.

WE'RE GOING INTO PILLAR FOUR.

[00:40:01]

MISS MCDONALD, WHO'S SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.

MISS HAYAKAWA, THE SUPERVISOR OF ML AND MISS FISHER, WHO IS WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS COMPONENT.

AND OF COURSE, MR. HOWARD IS HERE WITH ME. THANK YOU.

SO MOVING TO PILLAR FOUR.

KIRK, DID YOU WANT TO TALK TO THIS OR DID YOU WANT ME TO TALK TO IT? I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST THING TO SEE IS IF YOU LOOK AT THAT FAR RIGHT COLUMN, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE EXITING THAT, THAT DOES MEAN THAT THEY HAVE SHOWN PROGRESS AND THEY HAVE MET THE DIFFERENT BENCHMARKS TO MOVE, MOVE THEMSELVES OUT OF THE LEVELS OF SUPPORT.

SO THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT.

THAT MEANS WHAT OUR STAFF IS DOING IS HELPING OUR STUDENTS ACCLIMATE AND ENGAGE IN LANGUAGE.

YOU WILL SEE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE TRENDS WHERE YOU'RE SEEING KIND OF AN OVERALL GROWTH, EVEN IF YOU SEE A FEW COME DOWN LIKE YOU LOOK AT GREENSBORO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REASON WHY THEIR NUMBERS DIPPED IS THE LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT EXITED.

YOU HAD 29 STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S A HUGE THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER.

GOING DOWN TO LOCKERMAN, THEY INCREASE, BUT EVEN WITH SIX EXITING AND THEN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE SEE OUR STUDENTS WHO COME TO US LATER IN LIFE, THAT THAT CHALLENGE TO MASTER A NEW LANGUAGE BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT.

AS WE ALL KNOW, THE OLDER YOU GET, IT'S HARDER TO LEARN THAT.

SO THIS THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE'RE SEEING GROWTH AND WE ARE EXPECTING CONTINUED GROWTH IN THESE NUMBERS AS WE GO FORWARD.

THE NUMBER OF MALE STUDENTS HAS ACTUALLY EXCEEDED THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT.

YEAH, WE HAD PASSED THAT THRESHOLD LAST YEAR WITH WE DON'T WE DON'T SEE THAT CHANGING AT ANY TIME.

WHILE WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF THE EXIT WHICH IS THE MOST WE'VE HAD IN MANY, MANY YEARS.

SO WE'RE CONTINUING ON THAT TREND OF EXITING STUDENTS, AND THAT'S A LOT OF THE WORK AROUND MISS HARPER AND HER TEAM AND THE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS APPROACH SUPPORT, AND ALSO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH CONTENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED FOR ML STUDENTS WITH DIFFERENT NEED, AND USING THAT SAME TIME THAT WE HAVE, WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY MINUTES IN THE DAY.

BUT HOW CAN WE BE STRATEGIC ABOUT THAT? TIME? TO HELP THESE STUDENTS BE ABLE TO EXIT IS PRETTY AMAZING.

THE NUMBER STILL IS INCREASING, SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE EXITING MORE, WE HAVE WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS COMING IN THAT ARE ML.

SO AND THERE'S A HUGE IMPACT TO OUR STAFFING NEEDS BECAUSE EVEN IN SOME OF THESE STUDENTS ARE EXITING, THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEIR PARENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH. SO WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE MORE STAFF WHO CAN EFFECTIVELY TRANSLATE AND COMMUNICATE.

SO THAT'S AN ONGOING CHALLENGE THAT AGAIN, YOU'RE SEEING A PRETTY STEADY UPWARD GROWTH.

SO AS WE SAID, ENROLLMENT HAS BEEN INCREASING EACH SCHOOL YEAR.

EVEN WHERE WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, EVEN DENTON AND RIDGELY AND YOU SEE THE NUMBERS HERE FROM 11 TO 20 AND FROM 13 TO 20, THAT'S A THAT'S A SIZABLE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN A SMALLER SCHOOL BUILDING AND AGAIN, EVEN WITH THEM EXITING, WE STILL HAVE HIGHER ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.

KERNELS DROPPED BECAUSE THEY HAD SEVEN EXIT.

YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY IN THAT AREA RIGHT NOW.

AND GREENSBORO HAS DROPPED BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER.

SO BUT AGAIN, THE OVERALL NUMBER OF OUR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNING SUPPORT IS GROWING.

AND DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY COME TO US, IT COULD BE IMPACTING US AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SCHOOLS.

SO AGAIN, WE DO WANT TO CELEBRATE WHAT'S GOING WELL WITH 58 STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXITED THAT PROGRAM, MEANING THEY HAD TO SCORE AT LEAST A 4.5 ON THE WIDA, WHICH IS THE ASSESSMENT THEY USE TO DETERMINE THAT.

42 IN ELEMENTARY AND 16 SECONDARY.

AND THAT'S THE MOST WE'VE HAD SINCE WE EXITED 7 IN 1718.

SO THAT, AGAIN, IS SHOWING THE IMPACT OF THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

AND THE GREAT JOB THAT THESE TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE DOING TO SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

AND FUN FACT, MISS SAYLOR, SAILOR, WHO'S OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPERVISOR AND MISS HARPER WAYMAN SUPERVISOR, ARE AT THE MEDIA CONFERENCE TODAY HOPING TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND MORE RESOURCES.

NOW THESE THE FAMILY COORDINATORS.

THAT IS ANOTHER REQUIREMENT OF BLUEPRINT.

AND I CAN TELL YOU NOW THAT AS THIS GROWTH CONTINUES, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH.

THEY DO BRIDGE THAT GAP AND KIND OF HELP US WITH THE FAMILIES.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO. MISS ROSARIO AND MISS MARILYN.

EVERYBODY KNOWS BOTH OF THEM VERY WELL.

AND WE WISH WE COULD REPLICATE THEM AND HAVE THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE.

WE JUST. THEY'RE NEEDED EVERYWHERE.

THIS HAS BEEN HERE FOR YEARS.

YES. YES. ABSOLUTELY.

YES. AND WE'VE BEEN ACCESSING HER MORE AND CELEBRATING HER MORE.

THE MORE SHE PROVIDES, WE REALLY REALIZE THE BENEFIT OF HER.

AND SHE'S VERY HAPPY.

YES. WE WANT TO KEEP HER HERE.

SHE'S SERVICING FEDERALSBURG, COLONEL MIDDLE, COLONEL HIGH.

BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT GROWTH NEED AT NORTH CAROLINA AS WELL.

AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COVER BOTH ENDS OF THE COUNTY AT THE SAME TIME.

MR. ROSARIO IS MAINLY AT LOCKERMAN, NORTH CAROLINE HIGH, BUT ALSO TO ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS AS NEEDED.

[00:45:05]

AND AGAIN, HE'S NEEDED MORE.

WE NEED MORE THAN THE ONE BODY FOR BOTH OF THEM.

SO THAT THAT IS AN AREA WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND TRY TO LOOK FOR.

BUT THERE'S ALSO NOT TOO MANY MISS LULU'S AND MR. ROSARIO'S RUNNING AROUND.

I MEAN, THEY ARE TRULY EXCEPTIONAL.

YEAH. I MEAN, DO YOU THINK WE NEED I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO SAY WE NEED AT LEAST ONE MORE OF EACH OF THEM, JUST TO JUST TO FUNCTION NORMALLY.

AND IF YOU'RE ASKING ME BEST PRACTICE, I'D SAY TWO MORE OF EACH.

WELL, YOU HAVE NO BACKUP.

CORRECT. ONE OF THEM? NO.

YOU KNOW, HAS A FAMILY OR MEDICAL ISSUE THAT CAUSES THEM TO BE GONE FOR A WHILE.

NOW YOU'RE DOWN TO ONE.

AND WHILE BLUEPRINT SAYS THIS IS IMPORTANT IN A REQUIREMENT, THE FUNDING DOESN'T REFLECT WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO STAFF IT SO THAT THAT RESTS ON OUR SHOULDERS.

YES. AND WE'RE. SO IF THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE.

WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO MORE TECH BASED THINGS, LANGUAGE LINE, THOSE SORTS OF SOLUTIONS, WHICH THEY'RE WONDERFUL IN WHAT THEY PROVIDE.

BUT THERE'S A VERY DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED WHEN IT IS A TRUSTED INDIVIDUAL THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS SITTING IN FRONT OF A FAMILY OR A CHILD.

THAT CONTEXT BECOMES EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND THERE'S A TRUST THAT'S BEEN BUILT WITH THESE, THESE TWO FOLKS WHO ARE SO INGRAINED IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT THEY TRUST THEM.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEIR ISSUE IS.

IF IT INVOLVES SCHOOL, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTACT THEM.

SO HOW DO YOU CREATE TWO MORE? BE CREATIVE. YEAH.

CLONING. CLONING.

RIGHT. HIGH TECH COPY MACHINES.

YEAH. WELL, WE'RE FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON.

YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S MORE THE PERSON THAN THE.

YEAH. PERSONALITY.

YEAH. COLLABORATOR.

BUT SOMEBODY TRUSTED.

YEAH. IT'S NOT EASY.

AND MAYBE EVEN A GRADUATING STUDENT.

THAT COULD BE I WILL BUILD THAT.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS GROWING SOME OF OUR KIDS WHO GRADUATE INTO THOSE POSITIONS.

IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY DEPENDING UPON YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY GET PLACED INITIALLY.

BUT THAT YOU KNOW I THINK THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.

THERE ARE NO MORE MR. ROSARIO'S AND MISS LULU'S.

BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE EXCEED THEIR ABILITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND LIKE DEREK MENTIONED, THE LANGUAGE LINE IS INEFFECTIVE.

AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED IN THE SCHOOLS FOR THE KIDS.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY AN AREA I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE.

WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT MICHELE, YOUR WORK, THE CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE STUDENTS THERE WHO HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THAT KIND OF SPHERE OF WORK AND REALLY INTERESTED IN ADVANCING THAT KIND OF WORK.

AND MAYBE THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO, WHEN THEY FINISH THEIR EDUCATION, WOULD LOOK TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BUILD THAT COMMUNITY IN THE SKILL OF BEING MULTILINGUAL AND BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE CRITICAL.

ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF OUR STUDENTS REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF MORE.

WE'LL SEE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERNAL GROWTH THERE, BUT IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A PRIORITY.

SURE. NOW WE ALSO MOVE INTO THE REALM OF OUR STUDENTS WITH INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS OR DISABLING CONDITIONS.

AND THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT ARE THEIR DESIGNATED DISABILITY CATEGORIES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, SPEECH LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT, SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES, AND OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS ARE OUR LARGEST PORTIONS.

THAT'S FAIRLY TYPICAL.

THE OTHERS GET INTO MORE SPECIFICS.

BUT THAT'S JUST SO YOU HAVE AN EYEBALL OF HOW THESE 579 STUDENTS ARE QUALIFIED.

SO THAT MEANS THAT THEIR IEPS WILL BE TARGETED TO THOSE NEEDS.

SO DISPROPORTIONATE IDENTIFICATION AND DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE MONITORS SPECIFICALLY WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, BUT OVERALL AS WELL.

AGAIN, WE WENT OVER WHAT OUR TOP CLASSIFICATIONS WERE.

THAT'S ABOUT 10% OF OUR POPULATION.

NATIONAL AVERAGE IS AROUND 15%.

SO WE'RE STAYING IN THAT IN THE RIGHT SIZE KIND OF DISCUSSION.

NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE STUDENTS HAS INCREASED AS OUR STUDENT POPULATION HAS GROWN AS WELL.

THAT, AGAIN, IS NOT NOT SHOCKING.

OUR TIER THREE SYSTEM OF SUPPORT AND OUR PROCESSES HAVE MADE US MORE CONSISTENT IN HOW AND WHY WE EVALUATE OUR STUDENTS AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MORE IMMEDIATE INTERVENTIONS AND PROVIDE SUPPORTS.

BECAUSE THE REALITY IS WE DO NOT WANT TO CLASSIFY STUDENTS HERE IF THEY DON'T TRULY NEED THAT SUPPORT.

WE WANT TO MAKE THEM AS INDEPENDENT AND FUNCTIONAL AS WE CAN.

AND THIS IS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SUPPORT.

SO WE'VE DONE A MUCH BETTER JOB OF KIND OF GLEANING OUT WHO TRULY NEEDS THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND INTENSIVE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION.

AND MR. HOWIE WILL SHARE MORE LATER WITH US.

[00:50:01]

BUT REMEMBER WHEN LAST YEAR WE HAD THE TEAM SHARING WITH YOU THE MID-YEAR DATA AROUND INTERVENTIONS AND HOW THINGS WERE STARTING TO REALLY SHOW MOMENTUM? WE ARE RAMPING OUR RESOURCES UP.

THE COLLABORATION IS TIGHTENING.

THE WORK IS BECOMING MORE COMPREHENSIVE.

IT'S WORKING IN EACH BUILDING IS NOW FOCUSING ON THOSE RESOURCES.

AND SO WE'RE CATCHING KIDS EARLIER ON THAT IF THEY MIGHT NOT NEED ACADEMIC SUPPORT OR THEY MIGHT NEED AN INTERVENTION FOR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL OR BEHAVIORAL.

TYPICALLY IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE CROSS CONVERSATIONS AND TRIANGULATE THE DATA, WE MIGHT JUST GO RIGHT TO IDENTIFYING TO SEE IF A STUDENT HAS A LEARNING DISABILITY.

NOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE HELP KIDS BE SUCCESSFUL AND HOW TO IDENTIFY SOME BEHAVIORS OR SOME SOCIAL EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME MORE ENTRENCHED IN THEIR IN THE STUDENT'S DAY TO DAY LIFE.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING AN IMPACT ON THAT.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS PREVENTATIVE OR PROACTIVE WAYS TO ADDRESS OUR DISPROPORTIONALITY OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, WITH BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS HAVING SEL AND ACADEMIC PROBLEMS. SO THIS WILL BE SHARED MORE LATER.

BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS MTSS JUST WANT TO REMEMBER YOU, REMIND YOU BACK ON THAT TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THESE INTERVENTIONS ARE TARGETED, AND MISS MCDONALD AND HER TEAM DO A TREMENDOUS JOB OF CONTINUALLY REVIEWING THIS.

I MEAN, IT'S A CONSTANT ANALYSIS, REVIEW WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

SO SPEAKING OF THAT, SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING WELL ON THE NEXT SLIDE AS DOCTOR DOWNE SAID, THAT COLLABORATION HAS REALLY BECOME MUCH MORE ROBUST.

AND IT TRULY IS A PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE EVEN FOR MOST OF OUR STUDENTS WHO REQUIRE THIS LEVEL LEAGUE, THE MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME IS GOING TO BE SPENT IN THE GEN ED SETTING.

SO IT'S REALLY THAT PARTNERSHIP OF WORKING WELL TOGETHER THERE.

AGAIN, THE DISCIPLINE REVIEW COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH MIDTERM MEDIATION, IS HELPING US ADDRESS SOME OF OUR DISCIPLINE DISPROPORTIONALITY.

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR [INAUDIBLE] MEDIATION DOES A LOT OF REALLY IN-DEPTH CONFLICT MEDIATION.

THEY SUPPORT OUR RESTORATIVE PRACTICES.

THEY HAVE BEEN A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITIES ON THE SHORE.

THEY DON'T JUST WORK WITH SCHOOLS, THEY WORK THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEMS. THERE'S A HUGE IMPACT BECAUSE THEY'RE AN IMPARTIAL PARTY.

SO INSTEAD OF YOU GOING TO MR. HOWIE'S OFFICE, WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET A CONSEQUENCE, YOU'RE YOU MIGHT BE ENGAGING WITH THEM.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THIS OR YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT.

IT IS TRULY A PROBLEM SOLVING MISSION AT THAT POINT.

SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN AND HONEST WITH THEIR COMMUNICATION, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED AT THAT STAGE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

THEY ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND A LOT MORE TIME AND GO DEEPER.

AND I WANT YOU TO PRETEND YOU'RE AT NORTH HIGH OR COLONEL RICHARDSON.

AND THERE'S AN ISSUE BETWEEN 3 OR 4 KIDS AND YOU GOT TO FIX IT.

BUT LUNCH STARTS IN 15 MINUTES OR DISMISSALS IN TEN MINUTES.

ET CETERA. ET CETERA.

OUR ADMINS ARE TRULY AND OUR COUNSELORS ARE PRESSED FOR TIME.

MITCHELL REMEDIATION CAN MAKE THAT THEIR FOCAL ISSUE, SO THEY CAN REALLY GET DOWN TO THE DEEP ROOT OF WHATEVER THAT CONCERN IS AND HELP THEM WORK THROUGH IT.

AND AGAIN, IT'S IN A NON THEY DON'T HAVE AN EVALUATION OR CONSEQUENTIAL NATURE TO IT.

IT IS TRULY ABOUT WORKING OUT THE PROBLEMS. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE BENEFIT.

AND I THINK THEY ALSO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES AS WELL.

SO THEY GET IN FAMILIES. IF THEY FIND AN ISSUE, THEY GET THEY GET FAMILIES IN TOUCH WITH OUTSIDE RESOURCES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD ABOUT IS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS ABOUT CREATING FUNDS, GRANT FUNDS AND BEING STRATEGIC ABOUT THAT.

[INAUDIBLE] MEDIATION, THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH THEM IS A RESULT OF US CREATING GRANT FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE TO OUR FAMILIES AND OUR AND OUR AND OUR STAFF, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE WE HAVING MEDIATION, [INAUDIBLE] MEDIATION PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

WE'RE ACTUALLY USING THEM TO TRAIN OUR STAFF ON BEST PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO RESTORATIVE CIRCLES, RESTORATIVE APPROACHES, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY TRAINING OUR STAFF AND OUR AND OUR TEACHERS WILL BE GETTING THAT AS WELL SO THAT THEY CAN HANDLE AND WORK THINGS OUT IN THE CLASSROOM BEFORE IT GETS TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION OR ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.

ADDITIONALLY, IT DOVETAILS WITH CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE WHERE, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF LOOK AT IT LIKE CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE IS HOW WE HELP STUDENTS REGULATE THEMSELVES. RESTORATIVE APPROACHES AS A WAY FOR US TO REGULATE STUDENTS OR HELP THEM REGULATE AMONG EACH OTHER.

SO IT'S KIND OF A GREAT ARRANGEMENT.

AND USING OUR, OUR GRANT MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR A DISTRICT THAT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES LOCALLY. WE GET ALL OF THAT KIND OF WORKS UNDER THAT UMBRELLA OF MTSS AND OUR TIER THREE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAS BECOME BEING IMPLEMENTED IN A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL. LAST YEAR WAS THE THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO START NOW.

IT'S REALLY GETTING INTO THAT DEVELOPMENTAL AND IMPLEMENTATION STAGE WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY BEING, YOU KNOW, BOOTS ON THE GROUND, SO TO SPEAK.

[00:55:07]

AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US WITH REDUCING THAT OVERIDENTIFICATION.

AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY TIMELY AND MORE IMPACTFUL INTERVENTION IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO IT'S HANDLED AT A LOWER LEVEL SO THAT THINGS DO NOT BUILD ON EACH OTHER.

THAT ALSO GOES IN LINE WITH FOCUSING ON WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF HAVING SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION THAT'S HIGH QUALITY, INCLUSIVE.

AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE MARYLAND COALITION FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION.

MISS MCDONALD HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF REACHING OUT TO THEM.

THEY'LL BE WORKING WITH US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND AGAIN, BLUEPRINT CONNECTS ORGANICALLY TO SPECIAL ED.

IT IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT IS CRITICAL IN SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS UNDER PILLAR FOUR.

SO IT'S AN AREA THAT UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF DISTRICTS KIND OF DIDN'T TARGET.

WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THIS, THEY LOOKED AT GLOBALLY.

INSTEAD OF GETTING DOWN INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS AND OUR ML LEARNERS AND OUR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR SPECIALLY DESIGNED EDUCATION, THIS THIS IS REALLY A KEY COMPONENT OF CODE FOUR. SO SHE'S DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF INTEGRATING THIS IN SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS SHE AND MISS HART GO THROUGH, MAKING SURE THAT THIS STAYS ON THE FRONT BURNER OF CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH THIS.

AND IT GOES BACK TO OUR CONVERSATION WE HAD AROUND BLUEPRINT.

WE'RE NOT CALLING IT BLUEPRINT.

IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS.

IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR FAMILY, OUR WORK FAMILY AS WELL.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO EVERY TIME REFER TO THIS AS BLUEPRINT WORK.

IT'S REALLY CAROLINE COUNTY'S WORK, AND WE'VE INTERPRETED THE BLUEPRINT IN A WAY THAT WE KNOW IS BEST FOR KIDS, AND WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING IT WITH WE FEEL THE INTEGRITY OF THE WORK.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY ENJOYING SEEING, YOU KNOW THE RESULTS OF THAT WITH REGARDS TO PILLAR ONE.

PILLAR THREE AND PILLAR FOUR.

SO IF YOU HEAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH AIB ABOUT BLUEPRINT.

I JUST TOLD THEM IT'S PART OF WHAT IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE DON'T HAVE TO CALL IT ANYTHING, WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT A LABEL ON IT.

WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, ASSIGN IT A NUMBER.

IT IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE, AND WE'VE DEEPENED OUR PRACTICE SO THAT IT'S ORGANIC AND IT'S OURS.

WE CREATED IT WITH OUR TEAM.

IT'S NOT LIKE THE STATUTES THAT REQUIRE HAVING A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WHEN DID PEOPLE STOP REFERRING TO THE STATUTE TELLS US THIS.

AND THE STATUTE TELLS US THAT SOONER OR LATER.

THAT'S JUST PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS.

AND SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, WELL, WHY ARE WE DOING THAT? WELL, THE LAW SAYS WE HAVE TO DO X, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY THIS STATUTE.

I THINK IT'S COME A LONG WAY BECAUSE NOT THAT LONG AGO NO ONE EVEN KNEW WHAT BLUEPRINT WAS.

WE CALLED IT KERWIN, AND HE'S PROBABLY VERY HAPPY THAT HIS NAME IS NOT ATTACHED TO IT ANYMORE.

HE WAS, YOU KNOW, GETTING CUSSED OUT A LOT, SO HE PROBABLY STILL IS, BUT.

SO THAT REALLY MAKES SENSE.

THAT'S JUST HOW THINGS EVOLVE.

AND MAYBE THAT'LL HANG AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

I THINK A LOT OF IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO HOW MUCH OF IT GETS PUSHED OR DELAYED, WHICH I COULD PREDICT THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL PUSH THINGS DOWN. THEY'LL SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DELAY THAT FOR ANOTHER YEAR, AS IF THE CONCERNS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY IN THAT YEAR.

BUT I THAT'S JUST WHAT BUREAUCRATS TEND TO DO.

OR SOMETIMES ELECTED OFFICIALS FACED WITH A BIG PROBLEM.

CAN WE DELAY THIS.

CAN YOU PUSH IT DOWN TO THE NEXT PERSON.

IF YOU CROSS THE BAY BRIDGE, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT TRANSPORTATION'S DONE.

THEY JUST KEEP PUSHING THAT PROBLEM OUT.

WELL, SO THAT WILL MAKE THAT NAME LIVE LONGER.

THE MORE THAT HAPPENS. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH TO BE JUST INCORPORATING, ESPECIALLY THE REALLY GOOD PARTS IN THERE AND THE PARTS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REALLY ARE STRUGGLING WITH ARE PARTS THAT REALLY IS IT REALLY WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS? IS IT REALLY IMPACTING WHAT THE INTENTION OF THE BLUEPRINT WAS? AND WE MENTIONED THAT LAST YEAR AS WELL, THAT, YOU KNOW, PARTS OF PILLAR TWO AND FIVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WERE KIND OF NOT SEEING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN REALLY IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE KIND OF REALIZING THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF PULL BACK ON SOME OF THOSE PIECES THAT MAKE SENSE.

SO A BROADER PART OF THIS IS ESTABLISHING MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

AND THIS IS THE AREA WHERE MISS FISHER AND HER TEAM WERE COMMUNITY COORDINATORS ARE REALLY WORKING HARD TO KIND OF INGRAIN OUR SCHOOLS INTO MORE CONSISTENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS THE BOARD.

THAT STARTS WITH ALIGNING TO A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS DONE THROUGH A STEERING COMMITTEE AND A GROUP WHICH IS MADE UP OF BOTH SCHOOL BASED AND COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPANTS. THEY SHARE LEADERSHIP ON THAT TO TRY TO INCREASE COMMUNITY ACCESS.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

IF YOU'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOL HEALTH SUITES ARE STAY OPEN UNTIL 6 P.M.

SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.

THAT IS ON PURPOSE TO ALLOW OVERFLOW FROM SOME OF OUR PEDIATRIC CENTERS, STAFF AND OTHER FOLKS WHO CAN GET THEM MEDICAL SUPPORT WHEN THEY NEED IT AFTER WORK, AFTER NORMAL WORK HOURS FOR A SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THEY WILL THEN ESTABLISH THEIR GOALS TO CREATE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY TO SEE HOW THEY CAN INCREASE AND IMPROVE EACH YEAR.

[01:00:03]

WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THE CAROLINE COLLECTIVE IMPACT, AND THAT'S KIND OF HELPED ALSO DEVELOP THE CAROLINE BETTER TOGETHER, WHICH IS GOING TO END UP BEING LIKE A RESOURCE HUB WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO ONE SPOT TO FIND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.

SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, THEY COORDINATED COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT STAKEHOLDERS.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED FROM ORIGINALLY ONE COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN 2021 TO NOW WE HAVE EIGHT.

WE ARE HOPEFUL AND EXPECTING THAT OUR NINTH WILL COME ON BOARD SHORTLY.

IT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE KEEP PUSHING OUT THOSE ALTERNATIVE INCOME FORMS TO GET OUR FAMILIES TO FILL THOSE OUT? THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE MECHANISMS THAT THE STATE USES TO HELP DETERMINE WHICH SCHOOL POPULATIONS QUALIFY.

AND AND AGAIN, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THOSE QUALIFICATIONS ARE SET BY THE STATE.

AND THE AMOUNTS THAT WE RECEIVE ARE SET BY THE STATE AS WELL.

WE DON'T GET A VOTE.

AND THESE FUNDS HAVE TO STAY AT THOSE SCHOOLS.

SO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS HAVE DIFFERENT HIGHER LEVELS OF NEEDS, WILL GET DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF FUNDING, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN HOW SCHOOL FUNDING HAS WORKED IN THE PAST.

YOU TRADITIONALLY HERE'S THE MONEY YOU GET AND SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YOU DIVVY IT UP THE BEST WAY YOU SEE FIT.

NOW IT'S GOING MUCH MORE TO WHERE IS THE STUDENT NEED IN YOUR DISTRICT.

THAT IS WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO GO.

SO YOU WILL SEE SOME THINGS DIFFERENT AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THAT.

THAT'S CHALLENGING.

SO HERE'S THE MONEY YOU GET AND WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU HOW TO USE IT.

TO A DEGREE. TO A DEGREE, YES.

THERE'S A THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF FLEXIBILITY THAT ONE OF THE BIG THE BIG SHIFTS THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE HAVING.

AND I'M HOPING LEGISLATION IS INTRODUCED AGAIN THIS YEAR AND I'M HOPING IT PASSES THIS YEAR.

THE MODEL DOESN'T ALLOW A SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PRIMARILY HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO OVERSEES COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

UNLESS YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, THAT NUMBER A PERCENTAGE OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

IT'S A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

40. YES.

I DON'T EVEN MAKE SENSE. NO, IT DOESN'T.

AND IT DOESN'T YOU KNOW, DISTRICTS HAVE FOUND OTHER WAYS TO OFFER SUPPORT WHERE ONE OF THOSE THAT HAVE FOUND OTHER WAYS TO OFFER SOME SUPPORTS.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WILL BE 100% LIKELY NEXT YEAR, IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT OVERSIGHT JUST IN TERMS OF COMPARISON.

TITLE ONE FUNDING GOES TO FIVE SCHOOLS OR ALL FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

TITLE ONE, BASED OFF OF THEIR REGULATIONS, CAN HAVE A COORDINATOR AND AN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PERSON IN THE DISTRICT OF OUR SIZE.

SO WE HAVE TWO HALF TIME.

TWO PEOPLE. THAT'S HALF OF THEIR HALF TIME RESPONSIBILITIES.

OVERSEE TITLE ONE.

AND IT IS LESS MONEY THAN COMES IN THROUGH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

AND THERE'S EVEN CONSORTIUM REGULATION AROUND THE NEED FOR.

YES, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION.

SO WHEN IT I EXPECT IT TO BE REINTRODUCED THIS YEAR.

GREAT. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M HOPING WE CAN WE DID SUPPORT IT LAST YEAR.

LOTS OF PEOPLE DID, BUT IT STILL DIED ON THE VINE.

SOMEHOW, SOME WAY.

BUT WE WILL BE MORE IN TUNE THIS YEAR, AND I'M SURE MAEVE WILL BE AS WELL TO HELP TRY TO GET THAT THROUGH, BECAUSE THE WORK THEY'RE DOING IS INCREDIBLE.

THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY COMING THROUGH THIS PIPELINE EVENTUALLY, AS SCHOOLS, THE LONGER YOU ARE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL, THE MORE MONEY THAT COMES.

YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A CENTRAL OFFICE PERSON.

OVERSEEING WOULD NOT TAKE SO MUCH FROM NINE SCHOOLS THAT THEY COULDN'T OPERATE BY ANY MEANS.

I MEAN, NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THAT.

THE TITLE ONE ALLOCATION FOR OUR LARGEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE LESS THAN THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ALLOCATION BY THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE.

AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO INCREASE OVER TIME.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S A SHIFT THAT CAN THAT CAN COME.

IT'S A LITTLE IRONIC IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW MANY 40.

WE'LL NEVER GET TO 40 BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE TEN SCHOOLS.

I MEAN, HOW MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOES THAT EVEN QUALIFY? ONLY A FEW. TWO RIGHT NOW QUALIFY FOR IT, I BELIEVE.

OVERALL, IT'S MOST OF YOUR URBAN.

YEAH. YEAH.

JUST. I DIDN'T EVEN THINK IT WAS EVEN MANY.

YEAH. RIGHT. AND IN THEORY, THE PREMISE AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE THEORY OF IT.

THE THEORY IS BASED AROUND A MODEL OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND IN A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TRUE THEORETICAL MODEL.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL DOES EVERYTHING.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IS THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IS THE SCHOOL MANAGER.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OVERSEES ANYTHING DEALING WITH THE OPERATION SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OVERSEES EVERY BIT OF DOLLAR COMING INTO THE BUILDING.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. YOU CAN'T.

IT'S WAY TOO MUCH.

IN THEORY, I GET IT.

BUT IN PRACTICAL PIECE, PRINCIPAL SHOULD BE SHOULD BE A LEAD VOICE IN THE CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF DRIVING AND SETTING ALL THOSE UP.

BUT THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND THE STAFF IS NOT IN A POSITION THAT CAN MONITOR ALL OF THE GRANT REPORTING THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO IT.

STAYING ON TOP OF ALL OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MEETINGS THAT TAKE PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, THAT HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN UTILIZE FUNDS AND WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE

[01:05:06]

APPROPRIATE AND NOT, AND THEN TO COORDINATE AN INTERESTING THING FOR US THIS YEAR.

SORRY TO JUMP IN ON THIS ONE, BUT LIKE THE KERNELS REALIZED RIGHT AWAY.

SO BOTH KERNELS ARE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

KERNEL MIDDLE WAS LAST YEAR.

KERNEL HIGH IS NOW THIS YEAR.

PRESTON IS NOW A COMMUNITY SCHOOL THIS YEAR.

FEDERALSBURG HAS BEEN THERE THE OG SINCE 21.

ALL FOUR OF THEM REALIZED WE ALL SHOULD BE TALKING TOGETHER.

YEP. YOU REALLY WANT SOMEONE HELPING TO PULL THEM TOGETHER, AS OPPOSED TO FOUR PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT WITHOUT THEM PULLING TOGETHER AS A FEEDER SYSTEM.

SO IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THAT CENTRAL COMMUNITY OF OUR SIZE IS GOING TO BE PULLING FROM ALL OF THE SAME COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

RIGHT. IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO INTEGRATE AND TIE THESE THINGS TOGETHER.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THEY MY PERCEPTION IS WHEN THEY ROLL THESE THINGS OUT, THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THAT LARGER DISTRICT.

THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW IT IMPACTS A SMALLER DISTRICT.

YEAH. WHERE WHEN YOU SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT AT THE STATE LEVEL, IT'S LIKE, OH, YOU WEAR 15 DIFFERENT HATS, WHERE IF I'M IN ONE OF THESE LARGER COUNTIES, THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT I DO.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.

WE'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO ONBOARD PEOPLE AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT THIS IS A HUGE LEARNING CURVE BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLETE SYSTEMIC SHIFT FROM HOW SCHOOLS HAVE FUNCTIONED IN THE PAST.

YEAH, THEY MENTIONED THIS IN OUR BUDGET SESSION LAST WEEK.

YES THEY DID. YES.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THERE COULD BE SOME GOOD SHIFTS.

I MEAN, I WILL SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE LARGE DISTRICTS AND THE SMALL, SMALL DISTRICTS ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT ON.

LAST YEAR, WE WERE ACTUALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH SOME OF THE ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT GOT THE BLUEPRINT PASSED.

BUT WE JUST FOR SOME REASON THAT I'M NOT FULLY AWARE OF, WE JUST COULDN'T GET IT OVER THE LINE.

SO SOMETIMES YOU SAY IT TAKES 2 OR 3 INTRODUCTIONS TO GET IT THERE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT THE COLLEGE TRY FOR A SECOND INTRODUCTION THAT IT DIDN'T GET THERE, TO BE QUITE HONEST, BUT WE'LL DO OUR PART TO WORK IT.

SO ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT IS EXPANDING OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS.

AGAIN, WE LEVERAGE OUR CONSORTIUM TO ASSIST WITH THAT.

WE CONTRACT WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

SO WE HAVE VARIED COVERAGE.

WE'VE ADDED THE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PROGRAMING THROUGH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS MADE THAT SUPPORT MORE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS.

SO THESE ARE SOME EXCITING AND NEEDED ADDITIONS TO OUR SUPPORT REPERTOIRE TO HELP OUR STUDENTS BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.

THIS ALSO REQUIRES US TO ANALYZE DATA AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT THROUGH HOW OUR THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT? WE HAVE AN OVERALL INCREASE OR SHOOTING FOR AN OVERALL INCREASE IN SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS.

WE HAVE A MINIMUM OF NINE AT ALL TIMES, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE UP TO 13 NOW.

SOME ARE CONTRACTED, SOME ARE THERE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

THEY ALL HAVE TO USE, YOU KNOW, EVIDENCE BASED INTERVENTIONS THAT THEY TRACK.

WE ARE TRYING TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES AT OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO BOTH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

AND AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THIS ONGOING TO SEE WHAT'S EFFECTIVE, WHAT'S NOT, HOW WE NEED TO ADAPT OR PIVOT AND CHANGE.

AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THEY REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO ACCESS THIS WERE AT CCTC.

SO WE MADE THE PROVISION WHERE THEY COULD ACCESS THAT SUPPORT WHILE THEY'RE UP THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE AT KERNEL FOR A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO IT'S A LITTLE, LITTLE DYNAMICS LIKE THAT THAT ARE CONTINUALLY EVALUATED AS WE GO THROUGH.

AND THIS IS A KEY COMPONENT OF PILLAR FOUR AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO HAVING ACCESS TO HEALTH, WHICH WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT ON THE ON THE EARLIER SLIDE, AND THEN HAVING ACCESS TO THESE KIND OF WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS IS ANOTHER KEY MOVING FACTOR IN THIS. AND WHAT IS PRETTY EXCITING IS WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SCREENER THAT ALL STUDENTS GET FROM 3 TO 12, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS TO USE THAT TO ALSO ADD TO A DATA PIECE.

AND IT CAN HELP TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF NEED.

AND THEN THE RESOURCE ACTUALLY PROVIDES EVIDENCE BASED TIER TWO AND TIER THREE INTERVENTIONS AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE BUILDING RESOURCES AND THEN WE HAVE REFERRAL RESOURCES THAT TIE INTO THAT.

SO PRETTY EXCITING.

AND I WILL STRESS ON THIS ONE.

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE BEEN AN OUTSTANDING AND MRS. CARA CALLAWAY, WHO IS OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COORDINATOR.

CARA IS FANTASTIC.

SHE REALLY HAS ORGANIZED US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ORGANIZED OUR PROVIDERS AROUND A SERVICE MODEL AND IMPROVING SERVICE DELIVERY, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE PROVIDERS TO REDUCE WAIT LISTS IF THEY EXIST.

SHE HELPED TO WORK WITH A COUPLE OF OUR PROVIDERS WHO RECEIVED SERVICE GRANTS FROM THE CONSORTIUM ON COORDINATED COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

IT'S A MOUTHFUL, BUT BASICALLY SERVICE GRANTS TO HELP GET MORE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS WITHIN OUR COUNTY.

[01:10:01]

AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE TO GROW, NOT JUST WITH THOSE WHO ARE RECEIVING THE FUNDS, BUT TO CONTINUE TO APPLY.

SO WITHIN THE BLUEPRINT, THE CONSORTIUM WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS ALL OVER THE STATE.

AND TO HELP BUILD OUT PARTNERSHIPS AND INCREASE ACCESS.

SHORT SOAPBOX. I WON'T BE ON IT LONG, BUT TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PIECE FOR INSURANCE IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY AND VERY DIFFICULT FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES.

AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR INCOME IS OR WHAT YOUR INSURANCE IS, IT'S A PAIN.

IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO NAVIGATE.

AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE COMING THAT HELP REDUCE THOSE BARRIERS.

AND EVEN IF SHE WASN'T SITTING HERE THE WORK THAT CHOPTANK HAS DONE IN THIS ARENA, AS WELL AS CAROLINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.

IN SUPPORTING, LITERALLY, IF THERE'S A BARRIER, IT REALLY TURNS INTO, WELL, HOW DO WE GET RID OF THE BARRIER? NOT. WE CAN'T DO THAT.

IT'S. HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY SO WE CAN GET THE SUPPORT TO OUR FAMILIES AND OUR AND OUR KIDS? AND IT'S BEEN THAT THAT HAS BEEN A BLESSING THAT NOT EVERY DISTRICT HAS, HAS HAD THAT GOOD WORKING PARTNERSHIP AND INSTITUTIONAL TRUST THAT EXISTS REALLY HELPS AND MISS CALLAWAY, HAVING THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE OF HAVING WORKED IN THAT INDUSTRY REALLY ALLEVIATES SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS WITH COMMUNICATION AND REALLY IS A BENEFIT TO US AS A SYSTEM.

MISS FISHER'S WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLENGE OF TRYING TO ONBOARD ALL THESE NEW PEOPLE.

WE REALLY HAVE GOTTEN LUCKY THROUGH DILIGENCE, IN THE PROPER PLACEMENT OF PEOPLE TO REALLY CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A NEED.

WE STILL DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE AS WE GO.

SO WE'RE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF SOME OTHER SMALLER DISTRICTS BECAUSE OF THAT.

IT'S COME A LONG WAY. YEAH.

WELL, I THINK AN UNINTENDED, UNINTENDED POSITIVE CONSEQUENCE OF ALL THIS WORK WITH BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH IS PERHAPS IMPLANTING, IF YOU WILL, OR INSTILLING IN THE STUDENTS THAT THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT AREA OF THEIR HEALTH.

AND YOU KNOW THAT AGAIN COME A LONG WAY SO THAT WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THE CAREER AND LIFE READY, NOT JUST COLLEGE READY, BUT LIFE READY, THEY'LL KNOW THAT TAKING CARE OF THEIR OVERALL WELLNESS AND HEALTH MATTERS.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENTS WILL TAKE THAT WITH THEM WHEN THEY GO? WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN? BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WEREN'T PAID ATTENTION TO YEARS AGO AT ALL.

SO WHAT PERCENTAGE? THE PERCENTAGE THAT WOULD GRADUATE AND THEN PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE AREAS.

THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO ENDED UP HAVING A CRISIS, AND THEN THEY HAD TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

SO NOT UNLIKE PHYSICAL HEALTH OR ORTHOPEDIC HEALTH, IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THAT HEALTH, HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR LIFESTYLE AND SO FORTH, YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER LIFE.

SAME WITH THIS AMAZING.

AT GRADUATION, WE HAD SOME VALEDICTORIANS SPEAKING ABOUT THAT.

EXACTLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY.

PRETTY NEAT. YES.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT.

SHE LEARNED THAT SITTING IN HERE BECAUSE SHE WAS THE BUT THAT WAS REALLY POWERFUL.

YEAH, WE HAD A WE HAD A COUPLE THAT WERE ACTUALLY BOTH.

YEAH. THEY ALL TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF A CHALLENGE AS IT RELATES TO WELLNESS.

YEAH. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO HEAR THAT.

THAT'S YEAH. THEY'RE VOCALIZING IT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SHARING GETTING THE WORD OUT.

YEAH. SO THAT IS THE END OF OUR BLUEPRINT UPDATE FOR PILLARS ONE AND FOUR.

NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE BACK AT THE WORK SESSION.

MR. BARTON'S LAST WORK SESSION FOR PILLAR THREE IN NOVEMBER FOR OUR EVENING WORK SESSION.

OKAY. WELL DONE.

THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT ONE HAD TO BE AN EVENING BECAUSE OF ME.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE AN EVENING JUST FOR YOU.

THANKS A LOT. I CAN TAKE THE BLAME.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT WAS OUTSTANDING. I'LL LET THE TEAM KNOW THAT YOU APPRECIATED THE.

YEAH, YEAH.

YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY, SO UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS.

[4. Upcoming Meetings/Events]

LOTS OF THINGS WE GET THE SPREADSHEET MADE AVAILABLE TO US CONTINUE TO INDICATE WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

A LOT OF FUN THINGS COMING UP.

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, DOCTOR SIMMONS? THE SPOOKTACULAR FALL FEST.

GLAD TO SEE THAT BACK.

YEAH. IT'S EVER BIGGER THAN EVER.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY INCREDIBLE.

I WILL SAY THAT SPELLING BEE IS ALWAYS FUN.

THE HALLOWEEN OR A CHARACTER PARADES THAT TAKE PLACE AT OUR SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THEM LISTED.

THERE'S ALWAYS CHARACTERS AT THE SCHOOL.

OH, YES.

THEY'RE ALWAYS FUN AND THEY'RE ALWAYS CUTE.

WHICH IS GREAT TO GET TO.

[01:15:01]

AND I BELIEVE ALL OF OUR BOARD HAS BEEN TO AT DIFFERENT TIMES AS WELL.

THE, THE JOINT LOCKERMAN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION IS VERY WELL DONE, VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ACTIVITIES.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU FILL OUT THE GOOGLE SHEET JUST SO WE KNOW WHO'S THERE.

AND WE ALSO UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S BUSY AS WELL.

AND THAT'S VERY REAL ALSO.

THE DRAMA CLUB PRESENTATIONS ARE ALWAYS GOOD.

YES. NO MATTER.

AND MAKE SURE IF DOCTOR SIMMONS IS THERE, SIT NEAR HIM.

BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY COMEDY IN IT, HIS LAUGH WILL GET YOU GOING.

WE SAT NEAR EACH OTHER.

WE JUST FEED OFF EACH OTHER.

MY FAMILY SAYS THE SAME THING.

IT'S PRETTY. IT'S FUN.

PRETTY DISTINCT. FUN.

WELL, IT'S FUN. YEAH.

OKAY. SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.

AND WE DO HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTERWARDS.

IT'S NOT A CLOSED SESSION, BUT NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EITHER FOR THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL.

SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

OKAY. WE ARE UNANIMOUS TO BE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.