[I. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:14]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH WORK SESSION OF THE RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. I'M REGINA HARRIS, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.
TRUSTEE RENTERIA WILL BE HERE.
SHE WAS JUST RUNNING JUST A LITTLE BEHIND, BUT SHE WILL BE JOINING US TONIGHT.
THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:00 P M.
[V. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]
IT IS TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.MR. EAGER WILL BE DOING THAT SECTION FOR US IN PLACE OF MS. RENTERIA. DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS FOR PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? MR. EAGER. YES PRESIDENT HARRIS.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MS. HARRIS ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS.
SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS OR NON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS, THE WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER CALL MEETINGS.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. SPEAKERS HAVE 3 MINUTES TO PRESENT COMMENTS UNLESS THE TIME OF ALL SPEAKERS HAS BEEN REDUCED DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE HAVE A BRIEF VIDEO TO INTRODUCE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION AND TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
IN ADDITION, A DIGITAL TIMER WILL PROJECT ON THE SCREEN.
IN ADDITION, A DIGITAL TIMER WILL PROJECT ON THE SCREEN AND WE'LL COUNT DOWN A SPEAKERS FROM 3 MINUTES TO ZERO.
SPEAKERS MAY REFER TO THE SCREEN FOR THE REMAINING TIME.
A COPY OF THE BOARD'S PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD ARE ALSO LOCATED ON THE TABLE IN THE FOYER. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WATCHING THE VIDEO.
SO ACTION PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO CONVEY INFORMATION TO THE BOARD. SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS OR NON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS AT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS, AT WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER CALLED MEETINGS PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. A PERSON WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD BEFORE THE MEETING TO INDICATE HE OR SHE WISHES TO SPEAK.
CARDS ARE LOCATED IN THE FOYER OF THE AUDITORIUM AND COMPLETED CARDS MUST BE PLACED IN THE DESIGNATED BOX NO LATER THAN 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN.
SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE WRITTEN MATERIALS TO THE BOARD SHOULD ATTACH THEM TO THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
A STAFF MEMBER WILL PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTS TO THE BOARD.
PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH THE HORSESHOE AREA DURING COMMENTS.
THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DIALOG WITH THE SPEAKERS.
THE BOARD CANNOT DELIBERATE OR MAKE A DECISION ON ANY SUBJECT THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
A SPEAKER MAY COMPLETE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD FOR EACH MEETING.
EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 3 MINUTES, UNLESS THE TIME OF ALL SPEAKERS HAS BEEN REDUCED DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
A SPEAKER MAY NOT TAKE THE TIME OF ANOTHER SPEAKER.
SPEAKERS WHO SPEAK THROUGH A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TIME. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO PRESENT FORMAL COMPLAINTS. THE BOARD WILL ONLY CONSIDER FORMAL COMPLAINTS THAT REMAIN UNRESOLVED AFTER THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE CHANNELS AND WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
THE BOARD SECRETARY WILL STATE THE SPEAKER'S NAME AND COMMENT TOPIC OR TOPICS AS IDENTIFIED ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
A SPEAKER SHOULD APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN HIS OR HER NAME IS CALLED. EACH SPEAKER SHOULD CLEARLY STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND THE RISD SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS THE SPEAKER'S CHILDREN ATTEND OR HAVE ATTENDED BEFORE BEGINNING TO COMMENT, THE BOARD SECRETARY WILL KEEP THE TIME FOR EACH SPEAKER.
A SPEAKER MUST PROMPTLY END HIS OR HER COMMENTS WHEN THE ALLOTTED TIME HAS ELAPSED.
NOT YIELDING THE PODIUM AS WELL AS REMARKS OR OTHER CONDUCT THAT DISRUPT THE MEETING ARE CONSIDERED OUT OF ORDER AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.
VISITORS AND STAFF MUST LISTEN QUIETLY DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR STAFF OR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE TO CLAP, CHEER, BOO, DISPLAY BANNERS OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT.
PERSONS WHO DISRUPT THE MEETING WILL BE CAUTIONED TO OBSERVE MEETING RULES.
ANY PERSON WHO PERSISTS IN ENGAGING IN DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE MEETING. A PERSON WHO CHOOSES TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION IS CONSENTING TO THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF HIS OR HER COMMENTS.
A COPY OF THE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS LOCATED ON THE INFORMATION TABLE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE AUDITORIUM.
SPEAKERS. PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME.
[00:05:02]
OKAY. AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT THE ROOM TIMER, BE RESET FOR EACH SPEAKER.NOTE IF A SPEAKER EXCEEDS THE ALLOTTED 3 MINUTES.
CONCLUDE COMMENTS IF SPEAKER DOES NOT CONCLUDE THE MICROPHONE SHOULD BE.
AND SO THE FIRST PERSON THAT WE HAVE TONIGHT IS MR. ALEX STEIN.
AND I'M SORRY. HE'S SPEAKING ON AN AGENDA ITEM A.
LETTING THEM BE FREE BECAUSE I HAVE TRANSGENDER CHILDREN THAT ARE OPENLY GAY AND I JUST WANT TO TEACH HER THAT SUPPORTS HIM.
SO I SEND THEM TO RICHARDSON THINKING LIKE, OH MAN, IT'S GOING TO BE OPEN BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR.
YET I WALK INTO A MEETING AND I SEE IT'S JUST MAINLY WHITE PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR. SO LIKE I SAID, IT ALMOST REMINDS ME OF LIKE A KLAN RALLY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS EVER BEEN TO A KLAN RALLY.
I'M SURE SOME PEOPLE MAYBE HAVE.
I DON'T KNOW. BUT WHEN YOU SEE THIS ROOM, IT'S SO WHITE, IT'S REALLY NOT A GOOD REPRESENTATION. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE NEED MORE CRITICAL RACE THEORY.
WE'VE GOT TO REALLY REALIZE THAT EVERY DECISION THAT CHILDREN MAKE IS BASED IN RACISM.
LIKE YOU THINK ABOUT SLAVE TRADE.
WE NEED TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT THAT AT THE BEGINNING, AT THE FIRST, AS SOON AS THEY GET TO SCHOOL. AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BANNED BOOKS.
WE NEED THE MOST INTENSE BOOKS POSSIBLE BECAUSE LIKE LIKE I SAID, THE SCHOOL NURSE WON'T EVEN GIVE MY PUBERTY BLOCKERS.
CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW DISGUSTING IS THAT? HOW RACIST IS THAT? THAT'S TRANSPHOBIC.
SO YOU GUYS GOT A DISTRICT WITH A BUNCH OF TRANSPHOBIC NURSES? ALL I WANT. I JUST WANT THE NURSE TO GIVE MY KID THE PUBERTY BLOCKERS THAT I GOT PRESCRIBED. AND LISTEN, I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S NOT THAT MUCH TO ASK FOR, BUT YOU GUYS WON'T EVEN GIVE MY KID THAT MEDICINE.
YOU'RE SAYING, OH, MY KID HAS A CHOICE.
AND LISTEN, I GOT MY KID VACCINATED AND THEY WEREN'T EVEN OLD ENOUGH YET.
SO I AM WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP MY CHILDREN OUT.
BUT YOU GUYS WON'T HELP ME OUT.
YOU GUYS ARE AN UNSUPPORTIVE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH RICHARDSON ISD.
SO WE GUYS GOT TO REALIZE THAT IF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE RACIST THIS WHOLE TIME.
HEY, GUYS, YOU'LL ALL BE QUIET WHEN I'M TRYING TO SPEAK.
YEAH, I'M TRYING TO SPEAK. THIS IS A WORK SESSION.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S A WORK SESSION. I'M TALKING ABOUT BIG SPRINGS FUNDING.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM IS YOU ALL ARE GOING TO GIVE ALL THIS MONEY AND Y'ALL ARE GOING TO USE IT TO JUST GET RACIST LITERATURE.
WE NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR TRANS KIDS.
YEAH, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO WE GOT TO GET OUR TRANS KIDS LIKE MY KIDS, THEY'RE NOT EVEN OPENLY GAY YET.
AND WE KNOW THEY'RE GAY BECAUSE THE WAY THEY EAT MASHED POTATOES.STINE.
[VI.A. Consider Big Springs Elementary School PASS Renovations and Systems Upgrades Project - Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Amendment No. 1]
OUR FIRST ITEM IS AN ACTION ITEM TO CONSIDER THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE FOR PAST RENOVATIONS AND SYSTEMS UPGRADES AT BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.MRS. BRANUM. THANK YOU, MRS. HARRIS. WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY WE'RE IN PHASE TWO OF THE RENOVATIONS AT BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
AS YOU AND MAYBE THE COMMUNITY MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL CENTRALIZED SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNIQUELY DESIGNED FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO MAY REQUIRE PROGRAMING SERVICES IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT THAN MAYBE A SIMILAR PEER.
AND AT BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, WE HOST THE PAST PROGRAM THERE, AND THAT IS SPECIFICALLY STUDENTS WHO MAY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FOR BEHAVIOR AND REALLY LEARNING HOW TO TO DEAL WITH THE DISABILITY THAT THEY'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH BEHAVIOR.
[00:10:02]
WELL, TWO CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AT BIG SPRINGS.ONE IS THAT THEY HAVE OPEN CLASSROOMS. SO THEY WERE A PART OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THERE WERE A CONCEPT OF FLEXIBLE CLASSROOMS WHERE STUDENTS WERE MOVING BETWEEN CLASSROOMS AND THERE WAS NOT DOORS, THERE WERE NOT COMPLETE WALLS, AS WELL AS AT BIG SPRINGS IN THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE CREATING OUR PAST PROGRAMING, THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS ARE SAFE, WHERE THERE ARE COOL DOWN ROOMS, WHERE THERE IS CERTAIN FURNITURE THAT IS SELECTED, WHERE WE CAN PROTECT STUDENTS SAFETY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO PUT THEMSELVES OR A STAFF MEMBER IN HARM'S WAY.
IT IS A VERY PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO WE ARE ADDING TO OUR CONTINUUM OF SERVICES, OUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS. AND SO A PART OF THAT WORK IS THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK MISS HAYES IF SHE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL DETAILS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE. THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING AGAIN, WE'RE IN PHASE TWO.
WE FINISHED PHASE ONE A YEAR AGO, AND IT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS. MISS HAYES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PHASE TWO? THANK YOU. MRS. BRANUM.
GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE BRING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT OUR GMP FOR THE BIG SPRINGS PROJECT.
THIS WILL BE A SUMMER PROJECT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND STAFF THERE TO RENOVATE SOME OPEN CLASSROOM AREAS TO UTILIZE SOME SPACE FOR ADDITIONAL BEHAVIORAL NEEDS FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED SOME RESET TIME IN RESTROOMS AND CLASSROOMS WERE NECESSARY, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING SOME BOND 2021 WORK AT THE SAME TIME THAT WAS PLANNED FOR BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
SO WE'RE BRINGING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT THE BUDGET OF 3,822,704.
AS ARE ALL IN BUDGET AND THIS IS WORKING WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK HOA CONSTRUCTION AND PBC ARCHITECTS ARE WORKING ON THE DESIGN WITH US.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO, MISS HAYES, I DO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF RISD APPROVE THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
AS MISS HAYES JUST CITED FOR THE BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
PAST RENOVATIONS AND THE SYSTEM UPGRADES PROJECT FROM BOND 2021.
LET ME CLARIFY, THE GMP IS ACTUALLY 3,048,473 I NAMED THE ALL IN BUDGET AS THE BACKGROUND PIECE. ALRIGHT COLLEAGUES.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. THERE'S A MOTION BY MR. LINN, A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UH MS. HARRIS.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
CAN YOU TELL ME, BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS PROJECT IS ONLY INTERNAL REDESIGN ONLY.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? THAT IS CORRECT. THIS IS STRICTLY FOR CLASSROOM REDESIGN FOR THE NEED OF THE PAST PROGRAM IN THE CLASSROOMS. THIS BIG SPRINGS IS LIKE SOME OF OUR OTHER LIKE JESS HARBEN WHERE WE HAVE BIG CIRCULAR WINDOWS AND THEY HAD TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS IN A CLASSROOM.
AND SO WE NEED TO LEVEL THAT OUT, MAKE IT AD ACCESSIBLE.
THESE WERE OPEN CLASSROOMS THAT DIDN'T HAVE WALLS.
AND SO WE'RE PUTTING IN THE NECESSARY SPACES.
AND THEN, AS I SAID, THE BOND 2021 ALSO HAD SOME WORK WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE FLOORING, THE LAST RESTROOM RENOVATION AND SOME HARDWARE ACCESS CONTROLS AND LIGHTING.
THANK YOU. THEY ARE PUTTING UP A DIGITAL MARQUEE AT THE SAME TIME.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THING YOU WOULD SEE OUTSIDE.
THANK YOU, MR. LINN. MISS TIMMY? YES, THANKS, MS. HARRIS. SO JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PAST PROGRAM, THAT'S A CENTRAL PROGRAM, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IT ACTUALLY SERVES MORE SCHOOLS THAN JUST BIG SPRINGS, RIGHT? IT IS A SERVICE TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA, HOUSING STUDENTS WHO NEED THAT EXTRA SUPPORT IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS THAT BETTER MEETS THEIR IEP.
AND IT'S RIGHT. THEY REQUIRE A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS A RESET CLASSROOM, SOME SPACES FOR THEM TO HAVE SOME TIME ON THEIR OWN IF NECESSARY, RESTROOM ACCOMMODATIONS.
AND THIS IS A CENTRAL PROGRAM THAT IS HOUSED AT BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. POTEET. THE QUESTION ON THE FUNDING.
IS THERE A SPLIT ON BOND MONIES AND OTHER SOURCES, OR IS THIS ALL BOND 2021? THE 3 MILLION GMP.
WE HAVE SOME LOCAL CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THEN WE HAVE SOME BOND 2021 PLANNED PROJECTS.
IN TRYING TO UTILIZE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD THESE DAYS.
AND BE REMISS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS COMING, BUT COST ESCALATIONS AND A GMP, I'M NOT FAMILIAR. HOW IS THAT HANDLED? THE GMP, IF INDEED THERE WAS A COST ESCALATION THAT WE HAD TO BRING TO THE BOARD, IT WOULD BE A CHANGE ORDER THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE.
[00:15:02]
THE GMP DOESN'T IT'S NOT A HARD CEILING ON THIS IS A HEART.WELL, IN THE PAST IT WAS A HARD CEILING.
WE'VE NOT HAD TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THE BOARD BEFORE.
OKAY. SO THAT'S A NEGOTIATION WITH YOU AND..
THAT'S WHAT THE GMP IS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK TAKES THE RISK FOR THIS AND THAT'S THE GMP NUMBER THAT THEY GIVE US.
SO THAT'S A HARD STOP FOR THEM.
GREAT. THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY MR. LINN, SECOND BY MR. EAGER. IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. MOTION PASSES FIVE-ZERO.
[VI.B. Budget Discussion]
OUR NEXT ITEM.IS AN INFORMATION ITEM AND BUDGET DISCUSSION.
MS. HARRIS THANK YOU. BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT IS.
WE'RE IN OUR SECOND MEETING IN MARCH AND WE ARE MARCHING ONE STEP, NO PUN INTENDED.
MARCHING ONE STEP CLOSER TOWARDS THE ADOPTION OF OUR 2223 BUDGET.
AS WE HAVE SHARED WITH YOU IN THE PAST, REALLY THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON INTERNALLY TO PREPARE FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
ONE IS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME RIGHT SIZING OF OUR STAFFING ALLOCATIONS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING A BUDGET BASED UPON THE DEMOGRAPHERS REPORT THAT WE BELIEVED WE WOULD HIT 39,000 STUDENTS AND WE WOULD BE AT 39,000 GROWING TOWARDS 40,000.
AS WE HEARD IN OUR JANUARY DEMOGRAPHERS REPORT, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PRETTY STATIC WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF AROUND 37,500 ISH AND THE NEXT 5 TO 7 YEARS.
SO WITH THAT, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME RIGHT SIZING OF SOME POSITIONS AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO BETTER ALIGN WITH THAT ENROLLMENT NUMBER.
AND SO OUR STAFF HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK.
WE SPENT A FULL DAY SCRUBBING OUR BUDGET, LOOKING AT OPEN POSITIONS, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE COULD EITHER ABSORB ALLOCATIONS WHERE THERE ARE CURRENT VACANCIES, OR WHERE WE COULD FIND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR SUPPORTS AND SERVICES, WHERE IT MAY MEAN THAT WE ARE MOVING PERSONNEL, WHERE IT MAKES SENSE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ADD TO ABSORB SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS.
SO SO FAR, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU IN THE BUDGET.
AND I THINK THIS CONTEXT MOVING INTO TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD TO ALREADY BUDGET CUTS FOR CENTRAL ALLOCATIONS THAT WILL RANGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $1,000,001.2 MILLION IN CUTS.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS TO IDENTIFY CONTINUED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT RIGHT SIZING OF OUR STAFFING, BUT THAT IS IMMEDIATELY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANTED AGAIN TO LET YOU KNOW THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IN THAT AREA.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO PROVIDE CONTEXT BEFORE I PROVIDE THIS OVER TO MR. PATE IS THERE'S ONLY ONE PRIORITY THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU FROM DISTRICT STAFF FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND THAT IS OUR COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME DISTRICT REQUIRED BUDGET INCREASES, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE COST OF FUEL.
WE KNOW THAT THE PRICE OF FUEL RIGHT NOW IS HIGHER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN, AND THERE WILL BE SOME REQUIRED COSTS.
UIL OFTEN WILL INCREASE WHAT IT IS PAYING FOR OUR REFEREES OR UMPIRES, ETC.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A REQUIRED DISTRICT COST, BUT OUTSIDE OF ANY DISTRICT, REQUIRED INCREASES. THE ONLY THING THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THIS COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE OUR CONVERSATION IS GOING TO LAUNCH TONIGHT.
TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND MOST OF THE TIME TALKING TO YOU ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH STARTING SALARY, WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF RAISE AND POTENTIALLY ANY TYPE OF STIPENDS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO STAFF.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER AREAS THAT INVOLVE BENEFITS.
AND THEN ALSO, HOW ARE WE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP THE TEACHER PIPELINE? THOSE TWO THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HIT BRIEFLY TONIGHT, BUT WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF THOSE ITEMS IN THE NEXT TWO MEETING.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, WHICH IS ENCOMPASSING, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET THE CULTURE OF THE DISTRICT RIGHT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HOW MUCH YOU OFFER, WHAT YOU COMPENSATE, WHAT PROGRAMS YOU HAVE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HEALTHY CULTURE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STAY.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR TEACHER FOCUS GROUPS ABOUT TWO SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS A SYSTEM TO REALLY IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CULTURE FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF TONIGHT AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR AND LEADING INTO THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TONIGHT.
[00:20:01]
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. PATE. THANK YOU, MR. BRANUM. SO, AS SHE SAID, MOST OF TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL BE DEVOTED TO DISCUSSION OF COMPENSATION. I'M GOING TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION RELATED TO THE IMPACT ON GENERAL FUND REVENUE THAT WE HAVE FROM PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH.AND THEN WE'LL DOVE HEADLONG INTO THE DISCUSSION OF COMPENSATION.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE CERTAINLY IMPACTING PROPERTY TAXES AND PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THIS YEAR.
THE DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT, DCAD, IS REAPPRAISING A LITTLE OVER 86% OF THE PROPERTY IN RISD THIS YEAR.
THAT IS THE HIGHEST REAPPRAISAL RATE WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE 2016-17.
BUT COUNTYWIDE DCAD IS REAPPRAISING MORE PROPERTY THAN THEY HAVE IN THE LAST 40 YEARS IS WHAT THEY TOLD US WHEN I MET WITH THEM ON MARCH 7TH.
SO A LOT OF REAPPRAISAL THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING ALSO THEN SOME DELAYS AND WHEN WE WILL HAVE.
RELATIVES CERTIFIED VALUES WILL CERTAINLY THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON JULY 25TH, BUT THEY CAN CERTIFY AT A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTY THAN THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.
SO THAT MAY BE IMPACTING OUR TIMING RELATED TO PROPERTY TAX RATE ADOPTION LATER IN THE YEAR. THE OTHER THING IMPACTING PROPERTY TAX REVENUE CALCULATIONS, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE MAY BALLOT THIS YEAR THAT WILL IMPACT OR THAT COULD IMPACT PROPERTY TAXES.
ONE IS A BALLOT PROPOSITION TO INCREASE THE STATE MANDATED SCHOOL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM 25000 TO 40000.
IF THAT PASSES, THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT FOR THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR AND WILL IMPACT THE OCTOBER 22 PROPERTY TAX BILLS THAT ARE MAILED OUT.
THE OTHER ITEM ON THE BALLOT IN MAY HAS TO DO WITH THE RECALCULATION OF THE FROZEN LEVY FOR OUR OVER 65 TAXPAYERS AND OTHER TAXPAYERS THAT HAVE A FROZEN LEVY.
AND IF THAT PASSES, IT WILL REQUIRE ANNUAL RECALCULATIONS OF THE FROZEN LEVY BASED ON THE CURRENT TAX RATE TO SEE IF THOSE TAXPAYERS LEVY FREEZE IS LOWERED SO IT WOULD REDUCE THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILL.
IF THAT PASSES, IT WILL NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO IT HAS NO IMPACT IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
BUT AS WE DO, AS I WORK THROUGH THE MULTI YEAR CALCULATIONS, IT CERTAINLY WILL IMPACT 23-24 AND FUTURE STATE REVENUE AND PROPERTY TAX FUNDING CALCULATIONS.
SO MOVING INTO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING.
SO BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE TABLE THAT GOES INTO THE DATA, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REMIND YOU OF HOW STATE FUNDING WORKS UNDER HOUSE BILL THREE AND THE SLIGHT TWEAKS THEY'VE MADE TO HOUSE BILL THREE.
AND SO FOR THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS AS PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE IT, IT LOWERS THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS STILL ALLOWED TO INCREASE A LITTLE BIT.
STATE REVENUE GENERALLY GOES DOWN AND THEN RECAPTURE GOES UP.
SO REGARDLESS OF THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES, WE GET THE SAME STATE AND PROPERTY TAX REVENUE COMBINED FOR THE SAME NUMBER OF KIDS.
SO A LOT OF THINGS MOVE, BUT THEN IT JUST STAYS THE SAME AT THE END OF THE DAY.
I'VE MODELED HERE PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH OF FIVE, SIX, SEVEN AND 8%.
THESE CALCULATIONS ARE ALL BASED ON THE SAME STUDENT COUNTS, CURRENT STATE LAW AND THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE STATE MANDATED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION INCREASES FROM 25000 TO 40000.
AND ALL THIS INCLUDES IS IT'S JUST PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AND STATE FUNDING.
IT IS NOT ALL GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
IT'S JUST THOSE TWO COMPONENTS.
SO AS PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE FROM 5% TO 8%, THE TAX RATE WOULD DECLINE.
SO OUR CURRENT TAX RATES A DOLLAR $1.0409 SO AT 5% PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH, THE TAX RATE DROPS TO A $1.0324 AT 6%, DROPS A LITTLE MORE TO A $1.0296, AND CONTINUES GOING DOWN AS PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE.
PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, GOES UP AT 6%, TAKES A SLIGHT DROP AT 7% DUE TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE FUNDING FORMULA, BUT THEN BACK UP AT 8%.
[00:25:03]
AND WE SEE A SIMILAR TREND GOING ON WITH THE STATE REVENUE COMPONENT STARTS AT 55, 56.8 MILLION DROPS A LITTLE BIT, GOES UP LESS THAN $200,000 AND THEN GOES UP AGAIN TO 55.5 MILLION.BUT IT IS STILL LESS THAN IT WOULD BE AT THE 5% VALUE GROWTH.
RECAPTURE, IT JUST CONTINUES TO CLIMB AT ALL PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH LEVELS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NET REVENUE AT FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, 8%, IT IS ALL EXACTLY THE SAME.
SO. YOU KNOW, PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH JUST IMPACTS THE TAX RATE AT THIS POINT AND DOES NOT IMPACT NET REVENUE.
AND REALLY, TO SUM IT UP, WE DO NOT BENEFIT FROM PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH ANYMORE TO FUND THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE DISTRICT.
FUNDING ONLY INCREASES WHEN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS INCREASE.
AND SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS OUR NEW THAT IS OUR NEW NORMAL FOR STATE FUNDING.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL STOP HERE AT THIS BEFORE WE GET INTO THE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS ON STATE FUNDING.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S THIS LAST CONVERSATION AROUND.
AND WE KNOW I KNOW I HEAR IT WHEN I'M AT BALLGAMES ON SATURDAY OR AT THE GROCERY STORE OF I KNOW I GOT MY PROPERTY TAX BILL AND IT'S ONLY GOING UP.
AND SO WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING WITH WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH ALL OF THAT MONEY? AND SO WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING THAT AS THOSE PROPERTY TAX RATES INCREASE, YES, THOSE RATES ARE INCREASING.
BUT WHEN THAT IS PUT INTO THE FUNDING FORMULA, THEN THE STATE AID DOES GO DOWN.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME OTHER INCREMENTAL WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE STATE FUNDING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE INCREASE OUR CCMR INDICATORS, THERE ARE SOME BONUS DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. BUT IN TERMS OF ANY SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL REVENUE, REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH THE INCREASE OF ENROLLMENT.
AND SO WE JUST WE WANT TO KEEP MESSAGING THAT.
SO AS WE'RE RIGHTSIZING OUR BUDGET, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU CUTS BECAUSE WE KNOW EVEN THOUGH OUR REVENUE AND WHAT WE'RE GENERATING IN OUR REVENUE IS STAYING, STATIC COSTS, AS I MENTIONED AS I INTROED OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION, ARE GOING UP.
WE KNOW JUST THE COST OF LIVING IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OR WHETHER IT IS THE FOOD THAT WE'RE PURCHASING TO FEED OUR STUDENTS BREAKFAST IN LUNCH, THOSE COSTS ARE ALL INCREASING.
BUT THEN WE ALSO KNOW THAT THAT IMPACTS HOW WE COMPENSATE TEACHERS.
AND MORE NOW THAN EVER, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE BATTLING OUR FELLOW PEER DISTRICTS ACROSS THE METROPLEX. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A UNIQUE PROBLEM TO JUST RICHARDSON ISD OR IN OUR REGION OR IN THE STATE, BUT IT IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM THAT WE ARE WE ALL EDUCATORS ARE FACING AND TRYING TO LOOK AT INNOVATIVELY.
HOW DO WE TACKLE THAT? SO IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SO WHAT ARE WE DOING IN RICHARDSON ISD? AND AS YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO RECRUIT, RETAIN AND REWARD ALL EMPLOYEES.
AND WE ARE TACKLING THAT PROBLEM FOR THIS 20 TO 23 BUDGET THROUGH THREE WAYS.
AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT, ALL WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CANNOT DO THAT UNLESS WE HAVE A HEALTHY CULTURE.
THE FIRST BUCKET THAT WE WANT TO GO INTO IS COMPENSATION.
AND I THINK THIS COMMITMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THIS SPEAKS TO THE COMMITMENT OF PREVIOUS BOARDS AND THEIR STEWARDSHIP OF OUR FISCAL RESOURCES, BUT ALSO TO THIS BOARD.
AND THAT IS THAT WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE A COMPETITIVE PACKAGE, A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM THAT WHEN IF I'M BEING RECRUITED TO THE DISTRICT OR IF I'M CURRENTLY IN THE DISTRICT AND I'M LOOKING UP THAT SALARY, THEN I KNOW IT'S GOING TO COMPETE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO, AND IT'S JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM MY OWN HOME.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT ANYTHING THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE IT CAN BE SUSTAINABLE.
AND WHEN WE ADDRESS, LET'S SAY, NEW TEACHER COMPENSATION OR ADDRESS ADDING A RAISE, THAT INCREASES THE BUDGET AND THAT DOESN'T JUST INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR 2223, BUT YOU ARE COMMITTING THAT ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I THINK, WHAT I HOPE TONIGHT IN THE CONVERSATION IS WHERE DO WE FIND THAT RIGHT BALANCE OF BEING COMPETITIVE YET ENSURING KNOWING WHERE WE ARE IN FUNDING THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THAT OVER THE LONG TERM.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO NEXT AND REALLY, DR.
[00:30:02]
GOODSON, MR. PATE AND I WILL KIND OF BE SHARING THIS CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT.NEW TEACHER SALARY, RAISE CONSIDERATIONS AND STIPEND.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START THE CONVERSATION AROUND NEW TEACHER SALARY, BECAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO A NEW TEACHER SALARY, THAT IS GOING TO INFORM WHAT RAISE YOU GIVE.
BECAUSE IF I AM A BRAND NEW TEACHER.
AND NOW THIS YEAR I HAVE ONE YEAR'S EXPERIENCE.
IF I HIRE THE NEW TEACHER COMING IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, I WANT TO KNOW THAT I MAKE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT TEACHER WHO'S COMING IN BEHIND ME.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO START THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
SO. MR. PATE. THANK YOU, MR. BRENNAN. YES. SO HERE IS THE FOR THE 2122 SCHOOL YEAR.
HERE ARE THE CURRENT TEACHERS STARTING SALARIES FOR SOME OF OUR NORTH TEXAS PEERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE RICHARDSON, 55,000 WORKING THROUGH THE LIST THERE.
TOPPING OUT AT ARLINGTON THERE AT 58,004 AND SO THAT'S OUR STARTING POINT FOR THIS CONVERSATION. AND I DON'T KNOW, MS. BRANUM, IF YOU WANTED TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THERE.
YEAH. THE ONLY THING AND I KNOW DR.
GOODSON WOULD PROBABLY AFFIRM THIS AS WELL, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE, AS WE BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT THIS, WE ALSO WANT TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE EVERYONE HOLDS THESE NUMBERS VERY CLOSE TO THEM BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE IN COMPETITION.
SO YOU MIGHT THE FIRST QUESTION YOU MIGHT ASK IS, DO WE KNOW WHAT THESE DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO BE SETTING THEIR STARTING TEACHER SALARY AT FOR 22-23.
AND DR. GOODSON, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? WE DON'T KNOW YET.
EVERY DISTRICT IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME KIND OF CONVERSATION, LOOKING AT THEIR BUDGET.
AND SO THEY KNOW THAT AS SOON AS THEY PUBLISH WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS.
SURROUNDING DISTRICTS, THOSE THAT WE COMPETE AGAINST OR THAT THEY COMPETE AGAINST ARE GOING TO POTENTIALLY GO AND ONE UP THEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A REALLY GOOD ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKING, BUT IT'S WELL, WE'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT IT.
WE'RE STILL PROCESSING, I WOULD SAY.
I WOULD SAY IT'S FAIR THAT USUALLY AN AVERAGE INCREASE IN THAT STARTING TEACHER SALARY USUALLY IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $500 TO SOMETIMES UP TO $2000.
SO PENDING WHERE A DISTRICT FALLS IN THIS BENCHMARK WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR? AND AVERAGE INCREASE IS SOMETIMES AS LITTLE AS $500, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE AS AGGRESSIVE AS $2000-2500.00. THAT IS PURE SPECULATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THESE OTHER DISTRICTS MIGHT BE CONSIDERING FOR THEIR STARTING SALARY.
BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT RECOMMENDATION MIGHT WE HAVE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, I'M LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS AND I'M ADDING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 500 TO 1500 TO 2000 TO UNDERSTAND WHERE MIGHT WE FALL IN THE BENCHMARKING IF WE DID NOTHING OR IF WE INCREMENTALLY INCREASE THAT NUMBER? GO AHEAD, MR. PAPE. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS SLIDE HERE IS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOK AT THE EFFECT OF COMPRESSION.
LET'S LOOK AT WHERE WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR.
SO FOR 2020-2021, A NEW TEACHER OR A ZERO YEAR EXPERIENCED TEACHER, THAT SALARY WAS $54,250. IN 21-22, WE INCREASED THE ZERO YEAR EXPERIENCE TEACHER TO $55,000 AND THAT 2020-2021, TEACHER MAKING 54 TO 50 RECEIVED A 2% RAISE, TAKING THEIR SALARY TO 55,335.
AND SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NEW TEACHER IN 21-22 AND A SECOND YEAR OR ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCED TEACHER IN 21-22 WAS $335.
THAT GAP, THAT DIFFERENTIAL THERE IS WHAT WE MONITOR AND PAY ATTENTION TO FROM A SALARY COMPRESSION STANDPOINT.
REAL QUICK, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOME THE PUBLIC THAT'S WATCHING THIS, CAN YOU JUST DEFINED COMPRESSION SO THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE SALARY COMPARISONS? SO COMPRESSION AND IF I GET THIS WRONG, I KNOW MR. GOODSON WILL HELP ME. BUT AS YOU SQUEEZE THAT DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE FIRST YEAR, A ZERO YEAR AND A ONE YEAR OF EXPERIENCED TEACHER, AS YOU SQUEEZE THAT DOWN, THAT IS THE COMPRESSION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE THERE.
NO, THAT THAT'S IT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCREEN HERE, IMAGINE INSTEAD OF A DIFFERENCE OF
[00:35:06]
$335.IMAGINE THAT DIFFERENCE BEING ONLY ABOUT $100.
SO COMPRESSION HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE MOVING THE STARTING POINT AND FOR NEW HIRES, IN ADDITION TO THE RAISES FOR EXISTING STAFF AND IF ONE OUTPACES THE OTHER, THEN THE GAP CLOSES. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE CALL COMPRESSION.
BUT THE COMFORT LEVEL THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT HOW FAR THAT GAP IS REALLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO TARGET ALONG THE WAY.
AND I WOULD SHARE YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR MORE VETERAN TEACHERS TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE OF COMPRESSION WHEN THEY MIGHT LOOK AT THEIR SALARY AND THEY MIGHT BE A 15 YEAR TEACHER.
AND I'M LOOKING AT A FIRST YEAR TEACHER WHO IT FEELS LIKE I'M NOT MAKING VERY MUCH MORE THAN WHAT A ONE YEAR TEACHER IS.
AND SO IN THE PAST, AGAIN, ONE OF THE I DEFINITELY WANT TO THINK PRIOR BOARDS WHO IN THREE DIFFERENT COMPENSATION CYCLES WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE DIFFERENTIATED RAISES WHERE FOR EXAMPLE, A 1 TO 5 YEAR TEACHER MAY HAVE A 2% RAISE, A 6 TO 10 YEAR MIGHT GET A 2.5%, A 11 TO 15 MIGHT GET A 3%, AND THEN 15 AND ABOVE MIGHT GET A 3.5 OR A 4%.
IT'S JUST TO, AGAIN, TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO CREATE WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IF I'M.
THERE'S SOME SPACE BETWEEN EACH OF THOSE THOSE STEPS.
YES, SIR. AND SO THIS NEXT SLIDE LOOKS AT THAT, LOOKS AT THAT SPECIFIC ISSUE AND LOOKING TO THE 22, 23 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND SO STARTING THERE AT THE TOP, WE'VE GOT THE 2021-22 NEW TEACHER SALARY OF 55,000, THAT SECOND YEAR TEACHER SALARY OF 55,335.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK JUST ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN AND THIS THIS REALLY GETS INTO HOW NEW TEACHER SALARY AND RAISES ARE SO INTERTWINED.
AND WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION ON ONE, YOU'VE EFFECTIVELY MADE A DECISION ON ANOTHER.
BUT LET'S LOOK AT LET'S JUST START AT THE FIRST ONE.
IF THE NEW TEACHER SALARY IS RAISED TO $56,000, SO THAT $1,000 INCREASE FROM 55,000, THAT REPRESENTS A 1.82% INCREASE.
IF YOU GIVE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE EXCUSE ME, A 2% RAISE THAT TAKES THE 21-22 NEW TEACHER MAKING 55,000, THAT 2% RAISE TAKES THEM TO 56,100.
COMPRESSING THAT GAP WAS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, $335, NOW DOWN TO JUST $100.
AND SO IF YOU WANT IT IN THAT EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANTED TO MAINTAIN SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT 335, THEN YOU WOULD MOVE UP TO TWO AND A HALF PERCENT RAISE, KIND OF AT A MINIMUM TO MAINTAIN THAT SAME OR A SIMILAR GAP, PUTTING YOU AT 56,003, 75 FOR THAT TEACHER MAKING 55,000 THAT NEW TEACHER IN 21-22.
YOU CAN DO THE REVERSE AND START ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN AND GO, OKAY, WE WANT TO GIVE A 3% RAISE.
THAT RESULTS IN A NEW TEAM THAT RESULTS IN THAT.
NEW SALARY FOR THE 21-22 TEACHER BEING 56,650.
WELL, IF YOU TAKE THAT 56 650 AT A 3% RAISE AND YOU LOOK OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE, WELL, YOU'RE CERTAINLY YOU COULD, BUT I WOULD NOT ADVISE GOING TO A $57,000 NEW TEACHER STARTING SALARY. SO YOU INPUT A CONSTRAINT THERE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IS AT A 3% RAISE IS 56,650, THAT $150 ENOUGH ABOVE 56,500 OR DO YOU WANT TO GO TO SOMETHING LESS THERE. AND I'VE DONE ALL THE MATH FOR YOU, TAKING IT ALL THE WAY UP TO 58,000 AND A 6% RAISE. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF ONCE YOU DECIDE ONE, YOU'VE DECIDED THE OTHER, OR YOU'VE CONSTRAINED YOURSELF ON THE OTHER.
AND I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE AND CERTAINLY OPEN TO WHATEVER DISCUSSION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE OR COMMENTS FROM DR.
BUT I THINK SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP GOING FORWARD TO AND NO, I LIKE THIS AS A COMPARISON. I KNOW THAT WITH EACH OF THOSE CHOICES THAT WE MAKE, THERE'S A COST, TOTAL COST. AND THEN WITH EACH OF THOSE TOTAL COSTS, WE CAN SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENTIAL IS IN EACH OF THOSE. SO THAT MAY BE A COUPLE OF COLUMNS TO KIND OF THROW IN THERE JUST FROM AN ANALYSIS PERSPECTIVE.
AND I'VE GOT ALL THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
[00:40:02]
IT'S COMING.AND I STRUGGLED TO PUT IT ALL ON ONE SCREEN AND MAKE IT LARGE ENOUGH TO READ, AT LEAST FOR MYSELF TO READ ON PAPER.
BUT YES, IT WOULD BE NICER TO HAVE IT ALL IN THE SAME LOCATION AS WE GET THROUGH THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT DOES THAT COST LOOK LIKE AS WELL AS THEN ANY IMPLICATIONS FOR STIPEND AS YOU ALL GIVE US FEEDBACK ON SCENARIOS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO BRING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING, THEN WE WILL INCLUDE THAT ALL IN ONE GRAPHIC FOR YOU.
SO THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE ALL INPUTS.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR BUDGET? OKAY, DAVID, LET'S KEEP GOING THROUGH THE NEXT TWO.
AND THEN BECAUSE I THINK AGAIN, THE CONVERSATION NEEDS ALL OF THESE THINGS INTERACT AND INTERPLAY. AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS WHOLE SECTION TOGETHER.
AND SO ON THIS SLIDE, AGAIN, I'VE DONE KIND OF A LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FOR YOU.
THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS IF ALL EMPLOYEES GET THE SAME RAISE.
SO 2%, TWO AND A HALF PERCENT ON UP TO 6%.
THAT IS THE COST IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD ADD TO THIS IS THIS IS FOR ALL CURRENTLY AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
IT STILL INCLUDES THOSE VACANCIES THAT WE'VE RECENTLY IDENTIFIED FOR ELIMINATION.
SO I DO NEED TO GO BACK AND REWORK THESE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT DEFINITELY WOULD NOT BE LARGER THAN THIS.
IT WILL ONLY GET SMALLER FROM THESE NUMBERS.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, I'VE CALCULATED A DIFFERENTIATED RAISE, ASSUMING THAT CAMPUS CAMPUS BASED PERSONNEL GET THE GET THE TWO, TWO AND A HALF, THREE, ALL THAT, AND THEN CENTRAL STAFF GET A HALF PERCENT LOWER RAISE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE DONE MY BEST WORKING WITH HUMAN RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY CAMPUS BASED PERSONNEL WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
WE CAMPUS PERSONNEL IN THIS CASE BASICALLY MEANS PEOPLE THAT INTERACT, EMPLOYEES THAT INTERACT WITH CHILDREN ON A DAILY BASIS.
IT INCLUDES OUR BUS MONITORS, IT INCLUDES CUSTODIAL STAFF, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, CENTRAL STAFF THAT REALLY DO WORK WITH STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD POINT OUT ON THIS SLIDE IS.
THAT HALF PERCENT A REDUCTION IN THIS CASE FOR CENTRAL STAFF TO CAMPUS STAFF, LOWERING THEIR COMPETENCE, LOWERING THAT POPULATION'S COMPENSATION BY HALF A PERCENT IS SAVING $185,218 FOR EACH HALF PERCENT.
OR IF WE WIDEN THAT AND DID SAY 3% FOR CAMPUS AND 2% FOR CENTRAL.
IF WE WIDEN THAT TO A 1%, IT JUST YOU DOUBLE THAT 185 AND IT BECOMES $370,000.
IT'S THE SAME SAVINGS AT EVERY LEVEL.
IT'S ALWAYS IN THIS EXAMPLE, IT'S $185,218.
WE CAN CERTAINLY COME UP WITH ANY OTHER COMBINATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A STARTING POINT FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I'VE PUT TOGETHER SOME DIFFERENT STIPEND COSTS FOR YOU.
$1,000 RETENTION STIPEND AND A 1500 DOLLARS RETENTION STIPEND, AS WELL AS A 1000 NEW TEACHER STIPEND BASED ON 500 TEACHERS.
AGAIN, THIS IS BASED ON ALL CURRENTLY AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
IT WILL GO DOWN BECAUSE THOSE VACANCIES THAT MS. BRANUM MENTIONED EARLIER HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THIS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME SHIFT BETWEEN A RETENTION STIPEND AND A NEW TEACHER STIPEND.
AS WE GET, YOU KNOW, AS PEOPLE RETIRE OR OTHERWISE LEAVE THE DISTRICT BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR. SO THERE THERE IS SOME DUPLICATE COUNT IN THE RETENTION AND THE NEW TEACHER STIPEND ALWAYS IS.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO.
SO THANK YOU, MR. PATE, FOR KIND OF CLOSING US UP ON THAT SECTION.
SO REALLY KIND OF THERE ARE A COUPLE OF APPROACHES THAT WE CAN TAKE.
AND THIS IS WHERE I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO ANCHOR OUR CONVERSATION AROUND TONIGHT.
ONE IS WE CAN BE A LITTLE LESS AGGRESSIVE WITH THAT STARTING TEACHER SALARY, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE WE LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING CLOSER TO $1,000.
WE COULD THEN POTENTIALLY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE'RE AT 56,000, THAT'S STILL PROBABLY PUTS US AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR BENCHMARK DISTRICTS.
BUT WE COULD MAYBE MAKE THAT SOUND A LITTLE BIT SWEETER IF WE WERE TO IDENTIFY.
WE DO HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF ESSER FUNDS THAT ARE STILL EARMARKED TO SUPPORT
[00:45:04]
COMPENSATION, SO WE COULD USE THOSE ESSER FUNDS FOR THAT 1000 NEW HIRE STIPEND.SO IN ESSENCE, IT'S LIKE HAVING 2000.
NO, IT'S NOT IN THERE SALARY DOESN'T GO TOWARDS TRS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE ATTRACTIVE ENOUGH THAT EVEN IF OUR STARTING SALARY ISN'T AS COMPETITIVE, THAT MIGHT BE AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO CHOOSE RISD.
WITH THAT, THEN YOU COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT A AGAIN, A TWO AND A HALF, A MINIMUM OF TWO AND A HALF PERCENT RAISE FOR OUR RETURNING STAFF.
AND THEN ALSO COUPLE THAT WITH A RETENTION STIPEND OR THE OTHER STRATEGY, IN MY OPINION, IS THAT WE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE KNOWING THAT IF WE DON'T AT SOME POINT TACKLE THIS GAP THAT WE HAVE CREATED BETWEEN US AND OUR BENCHMARK DISTRICTS, THAT AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO. AND SO WHEN IS THAT RIGHT POINT TO TACKLE THAT? AND SO MAYBE WE ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE THIS YEAR AND KNOWING THAT WE ARE IN THERE'S HEATED COMPETITION FOR HIGH QUALITY TALENT.
SO DO WE GO AS HIGH, FOR EXAMPLE, AS 57,000? THAT STILL DOESN'T PUT US NUMBER ONE, BUT IT AT LEAST MAKES US A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR OUR BENCHMARK DISTRICTS.
AND THEN WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT A RAISE FOR STAFF THAT'S MORE ALONG THE 4% RAISE IN THAT SCENARIO. WE MAY NOT LOOK AT THE STIPENDS THEN BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE ACTUAL SALARY STRUCTURE.
WE MAY NOT NEED THE STIPENDS TO SWEETEN THAT AS WELL.
SO I RIGHT NOW I JUST BRING THOSE KIND OF TWO SCENARIOS FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE CONVERSATION, TO ASK STAFF QUESTIONS AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE'RE NOT BRINGING FORWARD A STRONG RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT.
WE DON'T NEED A DECISION TONIGHT, BUT MORE JUST TO HEAR YOUR CONVERSATION, YOUR FEEDBACK, AND WHAT MIGHT BE SOME SCENARIOS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO BRING FORWARD AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IDEAS. MISS TIMME.
YES, I DO. THANK YOU FOR THIS, FIRST OFF.
GREAT PRESENTATION GIVES US THE INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT'S PRETTY EASY TO DIGEST.
I THINK. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF JUST KIND OF PERSPECTIVE AND I GUESS IT'S KIND OF A QUESTION AS WELL. BUT I DO WORRY THAT IF WE ARE NOT, WE ARE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL IN TEACHER SALARIES AND IF WE EVEN IF WE DO A COMBO OF $1000 RAISE, BUT THEN IF YOU KIND OF HIDE WHERE WE ARE WITH ANOTHER THOUSAND, WE LITERALLY I FEEL LIKE PUT OURSELVES IN SUCH A BIND GOING FORWARD THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SO FAR BEHIND.
I WORRY THAT WE'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE TO CATCH UP AT ALL.
AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE HAVING THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOM IS OUR BEST INVESTMENT.
I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN OF MASKING THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR BUDGET IF WE ACTUALLY PUT THAT IN THERE ON THE WHOLE, BECAUSE I KNOW, OF COURSE, IT HAS TO, THAT HITS EVERY OTHER TEACHER GOING DOWN AS YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT OUT THROUGH THE YEARS.
BUT. I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
IF WE DO NOT MAKE UP AT LEAST SOME GROUND, WE MAY NOT MAKE UP AS MUCH AS WE WOULD WANT.
BUT IF WE DON'T MAKE UP SOME, I START LOOKING AT THE BUDGET CYCLE NEXT YEAR KNOWING THAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO INCREASE THEIR BASE SALARY AS WELL.
I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE SO FAR BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
WE'RE GOING TO A REALLY HARD TIME CATCHING UP.
AND I WOULD I WOULD LIKE PERSONALLY TO SEE THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT COMMENT OUT.
MR. EAGER. MS. TIMME'S COMMENTS. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH.
THE THING THAT I AM FRUSTRATED WITH.
IS THAT THE FACT THAT DOWN IN AUSTIN, WE'RE EXPECTED TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL.
OF REVENUE. WE'RE WE'RE EXPECTED IN WHAT I CONSIDER IS THE THE BIGGEST THING FACING THE STATE OF TEXAS IS PROBABLY EDUCATION.
AND WE ARE EXPECTED TO BUILD ORGANIZATIONS.
WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE.
AND WE HAVE GOT INFLATION RATES.
WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE PROFESSION AND WE ARE BEING ASKED TO COMPETE WITH NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
AND I BELIEVE ME, I HAVE MY EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BUILT BUSINESSES IN VERY COMPETITIVE SITUATIONS AND COMPETING WITH TALENT.
BUT THIS IS A SITUATION THAT WE ARE BEING FORCED TO BE COMPETITIVE.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO. BUT WE ARE ALSO BEING FORCED TO DIG INTO DOLLAR AMOUNTS, IF I'M CORRECT MR. PATE, THAT NOT ONLY NOW BUT IN THE FUTURE.
AND IT IS A CHALLENGE THAT IS GOING TO PUT PROBABLY OUR DISTRICT IN SOME CHALLENGING
[00:50:03]
SITUATIONS IN ORDER TO COMPETE.BUT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE TEACHERS.
EVERYTHING STOPS WITH WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS WE CAN AND WE GOT TO KEEP THE ONES WE'VE GOT. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ADEQUATELY COMPENSATED AND WE'RE BEING COMPETITIVE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, THERE IS INHERENT COST ACROSS THE BOARD GOING UP.
AND I THINK IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE FOR OUR FRIENDS DOWN IN AUSTIN TO PUT US IN THIS SITUATION. AND THAT'S MY TWO CENTS.
WE AGREE. AND I CAN I KNOW I CAN SPEAK.
WE PROBABLY EARLIER THAN I'VE SENSED IN THE PAST.
I THINK ALL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEGINNING TO UNITE AROUND WHAT ARE GOING TO BE OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES WITH ONCE AGAIN, I KNOW IN A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT WE WERE JUST AT WAR FUNDING WAS THE NUMBER ONE THAT EVERY DISTRICT BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AND SPECIFICALLY KIND OF BEGINNING TO SEE IN 23- 24, EVERY DISTRICT IDENTIFYING THAT IS GOING TO BE A CRITICAL A CRITICAL YEAR IN TERMS OF EVERY DISTRICT RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE AND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
YEAH, I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. EAGER, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. POTEET YEAH, JUST SO I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT OUR CHARTS AND WE'RE TALKING FROM 2 TO 6% AS YOU MODELED IT.
I MEAN, WE'RE PROBABLY TALKING MORE ON THE LOW END OF THAT THAN THE HIGH END OF THAT, AT LEAST SO FAR IN THE CONVERSATION.
BUT I'M LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ONE I'VE HEARD Y'ALL MENTIONED ABOUT INSURANCE PREMIUMS GOING UP. WE ALL HAVE THAT IN EVERY INDUSTRY THAT'S HAPPENING AND THEY'RE GOING UP RAPIDLY, RAPIDLY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, ANECDOTALLY THAT RAISES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS TO SOME DIDN'T EVEN MATCH WHAT THE INSURANCE INCREASES WERE.
SO YOU NEVER REALIZED ANY OF THAT RAISE PER SE? OUTSIDE OF IT NOW, IT DID HELP PAY FOR THAT INCREASE.
BUT THE REALIZATION IS IS KIND OF MASKED TO USE MS. TIMME TERM ALSO IN A LANDSCAPE OF INFLATION.
I KNOW MR. EAGAR MENTIONED THIS, BUT I JUST PICKED UP A COUPLE OF QUICK NUMBERS LOOKING AT THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROJECTIONS OF 3.1% INFLATION IN 2022.
WELL, FEBRUARY WAS 7.9% INFLATION.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2% RAISES, TWO AND ONE HALF PERCENT RAISES.
AND THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE AT WORK AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S HAVING.
BUT THOSE OF US OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SECTOR RUN WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESS MODELS THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE RISING COSTS, TYPICALLY WITH INCREASING REVENUES.
AND THAT'S THIS IS NOT A VERY GOOD BUSINESS MODEL FOR THIS KIND OF LANDSCAPE WITH INFLATION, HIGH INFLATION AND INCREASING COSTS.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK JUST HAVING THAT BIG PICTURE KIND OF GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, THAT'S I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DO WE VALUE THESE TEACHERS? HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY'S GOT A CRITICISM OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL INDUSTRY. BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CORRECT ANYTHING OR WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE SUCCESS IS GOING TO BE WITH THAT TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO, TO YOUR POINT, VALUING THAT ASSET THAT WE'VE GOT, THE HUMAN CAPITAL THAT'S IN THAT CLASSROOM, IN THIS LANDSCAPE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME PRETTY TOUGH DECISIONS.
BUT AGGRESSIVE DECISIONS IS IS WHAT I'M SEEING GOING FORWARD JUST TO TAKE CARE OF OUR GREATEST ASSET IN THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. LYNN. THANK YOU.
ARE WE GOING TO RECEIVE THOSE NEXT YEAR TO.
HOW MUCH? SO WE CAN USE THOSE FUNDS THIS YEAR FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? WELL, EXCUSE ME. FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, YES, BUT THAT'S NOT A REOCCURRING ITEM, RIGHT? CORRECT. IT RUNS OUT NEXT YEAR.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WOULD WE WOULD ONLY RECOMMEND STIPENDS ARE AN ALLOWABLE USE OF ESSER FUNDS. COMPENSATING STAFF IS ONE OF THE ALLOWABLE EXPENSES.
SO IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD ONLY RECOMMEND TO LOOK AT THAT FOR A STIPEND BECAUSE IT IS A ONE TIME COST VERSUS USING THAT MONEY.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO COUNT ON THAT MONEY IN TERMS OF A SUSTAINABILITY OF BUDGET.
WELL, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN, BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE. SO IF WE INCORPORATE THAT MONEY INTO OUR BUDGET, IT'S KIND OF THIS FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. AND THEN WE HAVE TO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'D HAVE TO START MAKING UP GROUND IN
[00:55:03]
TERMS OF FINDING DOLLARS IN ORDER TO SUPPLANT WHAT WE'RE ALREADY TRYING TO SUSTAIN.DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT, TO USE YOUR WORDS, IS A GOOD BUSINESS MODEL.
AND AND, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER SHORTAGE IS REAL.
TIMME, YOU KNOW, OUR TEACHERS ARE OUR GREATEST RESOURCE.
SO WE WANT TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AS BEST AS I CAN, AS BEST AS WE CAN, WHICH IS BEEN A FOCUS OF MINE FOR A LONG TIME.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT DIFFERENTIATED COMPENSATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING I THOUGHT THAT REALLY HELPED IN TERMS OF OUR MORE TENURED STAFF AND PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, BECAUSE THAT FIRST TEACHER SALARY DID INCREASE MANY TIMES A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE GROWTH OF THE TEACHER RAISE FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL WE STARTED PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION TO IT.
SO I THINK I THINK MY PREFERENCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS TO REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO THAT SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM.
AND TO MR. YEAGER'S POINT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I STILL HAVE HOPE THAT THEY WILL DO SOMETHING TO HELP PUBLIC ED, THAT BECAUSE WE WE CAN'T KEEP GOING THE WAY WE'VE BEEN GOING.
AND. I GUESS THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT LOOKS AT THE RAISE FOR CAMPUS IN CENTRAL OFFICE.
I DON'T REMEMBER EVER SEEING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I ASKED MR. PATE TO BRING FORWARD, BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES THE COMMUNITY MAY ASK YOU, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A RAISE, A DIFFERENTIATED, DIFFERENTIATED RAISE FOR THOSE THAT DIRECTLY ARE AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL SUPPORTING CAMPUS VERSUS THE CENTRAL OFFICE TEAM? AND WE JUST WANTED, AGAIN, IN AN EFFORT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TO PROVIDE THE BOARD EVERY KIND OF FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION.
WHAT DOES THAT HOW DOES THAT REALLY IMPACT THE BUDGET? AND AGAIN, AS YOU COULD SEE IN THE END, EVERY YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO GIVE THE THE ALL THE CAMPUS BASED STAFF 1% AND YOU GIVE THE DISTRICT STAFF A HALF PERCENT LESS, IT'S $187,000 IMPACT ON THE BUDGET.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO HAVE THAT NUMBER IN TERMS OF THE ULTIMATE PACKAGE THAT YOU DO ADOPT. AND LIKE THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, I GUESS, A NEW CONCEPT THAT I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT OF.
AND SO I GUESS IF I'M LOOKING AT CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF, THAT'S MUCH THAT'S A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT.
THE NUMBER, RIGHT? CORRECT. AND NUMBER, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S YES, I WANTED OUR CAMPUS THE QUANTITY OF PEOPLE IN THAT CASE IS IT'S A LOWER NUMBER OF PEOPLE. AND SO IT'S A SMALLER DOLLAR AMOUNT ULTIMATELY.
WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
YES. THE CALCULATION THAT DOES THIS IS ACTUALLY BY PERSON.
OKAY. THAT'D BE GREAT IF WE CAN GET THAT.
TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND TO YOUR EARLIER COMMENT ON THIS.
THE THE WAY WE NORMALLY PRESENTED SOME OF THIS IN THE PAST WAS BASED ON LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED THAT SPECIFIED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RAISE OR THAT NEW FUNDING, AT LEAST X PERCENT, GO TO PAYING FOR RAISES FOR TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, COUNSELORS, NURSES AND DIAGNOSTICIANS. AND SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT LOOK BECAUSE OF PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A LEGISLATIVE MANDATE TO LOOK AT COMPENSATION IN A CERTAIN WAY.
AND MS. BRANUM AGAIN ASKED ME TO PUT THIS ONE TOGETHER.
BUT YES, I CAN GIVE YOU THE QUANTITY OF PEOPLE IN THOSE CATEGORIES, BOTH THE QUANTITY AND THE TOTAL SALARIES FOR THOSE GROUPS.
YES, MA'AM. GOT A QUICK QUESTION.
AS I'M THINKING THROUGH THIS AND WE MENTIONED ESSER FUNDS AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'VE GOT AVAILABILITY OF ESSER FUNDS.
IT'S TERRIBLE THAT WE GOT TO THAT POINT.
BUT FOR CONTEXT, JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE INTENT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING WAS TO OFFSET LEARNING LOSS. RIGHT.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, I MEAN, WE'VE WE'VE USED A LOT OF THIS OR FUNDS TOWARDS HIRING TEACHERS, TUTORS, OTHER OTHER HUMAN CAPITAL TO HELP OUT IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE SCHOOL.
BUT WE CAN'T THE MONEY WE'VE GOT, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH HELP OUT THERE TO HIRE.
SO THAT GIVES US THE AVAILABILITY TO USE THESE IN PLAN B OR PLAN C.
[01:00:04]
SO KIND OF JUST GREAT CLARIFYING QUESTION.SO THERE'S REALLY KIND OF TWO ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION.
ONE IS ABSOLUTELY THE SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF OUR ESSER DOLLARS, AND THIS IS NOTED ON OUR WEBSITE WITH OUR OUR ESSER FUNDS, IT IS ADDRESSING HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING CAMPUSES IN ADDRESSING THE THE IMPACT THAT COVID HAS HAD FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TO A MATH AND READING INTERVENTIONIST AT EVERY ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARIES THAT ARE DOING NOTHING BUT WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS, SMALL GROUPS, TRYING TO ENSURE GROWTH.
WE HAVE ELEMENTARY, KINDER AND FIRST GRADE ESSER TEACHERS THAT ARE SUPPORTING OUR GRADE LEVELS WHO ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE TEACHER READING ACADEMIES AND WORKING WITH SMALL GROUPS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE READING ON GRADE LEVEL.
BY THE TIME THAT THEY GET TO THIRD GRADE, WE HAVE PUT IN ADDITIONAL CRISIS COUNSELORS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE BROUGHT EXPERIENCES FROM THE PAST TWO YEARS IN WHICH THERE ARE EITHER TRAUMA THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED OR BEHAVIORS THAT THEY'RE BRINGING, THAT OUR CURRENT STAFF, THE NUMBER THEY NEEDED, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT WE'VE DONE.
SO THE THE THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS, YES, SOME OF THE CURRENT AVAILABLE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 13 TO $14 MILLION.
THAT RIGHT NOW IS ALLOCATE COULD BE ALLOCATED FOR RETENTION STIPENDS.
WHETHER IT'S A NEW TEACHER OR A RETENTION COMBINATION OF BOTH HAS COME FROM WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FILL ALL THE POSITIONS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PIPELINE.
BUT THE SECOND PART THAT I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY IS THAT WHILE THAT WAS DESIGNATED AS THE FEDERAL USE FOR THOSE FUNDS, IT ALSO HAS BEEN CLEARLY COMMUNICATED TO US BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY THAT DISTRICTS SHOULD BE USING THOSE FUNDS TO SUPPLANT THEIR BUDGET.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT FOR THE ADA DECREASES THAT WE'VE SEEN BECAUSE OF COVID AND STUDENTS BEING OUT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THEY HAVE SAID DISTRICTS USE YOUR ESSER FUNDS TO SUPPLANT YOUR BUDGET.
IT HAS BEEN ON COMMISSIONER CALLS, THAT HAS BEEN IN WRITING TO US THAT WE ARE TO USE THAT AS A TOOL TO SUPPLANT OUR BUDGET.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
SO NOT TO TAKE AWAY WE WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY USING THOSE FUNDS TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO COUPLE THAT WITH WE'VE ALSO BEEN MESSAGED AND TOLD.
USE THEM TO SHORE UP YOUR BUDGET AND THAT NEEDS TO GET YOU THROUGH.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE ONE MORE EXAMPLE BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE RECEIVE EVERY BIENNIUM AND ALLOTMENT CALLED THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALLOTMENT, AND THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT DISTRICTS ARE TO USE TO PURCHASE TEXTBOOKS, MATERIALS USED TO PAY AND SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY.
AT THE VERY END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THEY MADE IT, THE LEGISLATORS MADE A DECISION TO CUT IMA BUDGET BY OVER 60%.
SO WE WALKED INTO THIS BIENNIUM NOT KNOWING THAT THEY WERE CUTTING THAT IMA FUND BY MORE THAN 60%. AND WE WERE TOLD SPECIFICALLY USE YOUR ESSER FUNDS TO SHORE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A GAP YEAR IN OUR SCIENCE ADOPTION AND WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO ADOPT THE NEW TEKS, WE WERE JUST TOLD BY THE COMMISSIONER, USE YOUR ESSER FUNDS TO SHORE UP THE SCIENCE MATERIALS YOU NEED FOR THOSE TWO GAP YEARS.
SO JUST AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AND VERY TRANSPARENT THAT WE ARE USING THOSE FUNDS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD TO USE THOSE DIRECTED TO USE THOSE FUNDS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
JUST SOME CONTEXT AROUND THAT, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE HEAR ESSER FUNDS, THEY THINK THAT'S SIMPLY FOR LEARNING LOSS AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT AROUND IT AND HOW THAT'S KIND OF OPERATED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
SO IN SUMMARY, THAT THE FUNDS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ADDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP WITH OUR LEARNING LOSS.
THAT WAS THE OBJECTIVE OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND THE STATE OF TEXAS IS SAID USE THOSE FUNDS.
TO SUPPLANT ANY SHORTCOMINGS THAT THE STATE HAS DONE AND REDUCED.
AND DO WE DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA ON THE STATE BUDGET ARE.
AND MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME WITH THIS.
IS THE STATE BUDGET SHRINKING OR ARE WE GROWING? IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING IN A REPORT THAT WE WERE JUST PROVIDED THAT THE BUDGET WILL HAVE A A SURPLUS BUDGET THAT WAS GREATER THAN WHAT WAS EXPECTED.
OKAY. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY AND A KIND OF EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY KIND OF
[01:05:03]
STANDPOINT HERE, THIS IS NOT A TAX AND SPEND APPROACH.THIS IS THE DISTRICT TRYING TO BE AS RESPONSIBLE WITH THE DOLLARS THAT OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE ENTRUST US WITH.
BUT WE ARE GETTING HIT WITH CHALLENGE AFTER CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW, WITH FUNDS GOING DOWN AND COMPETITIVE SITUATIONS TO TRY AND KEEP TEACHERS IN THE PROFESSION AND KEEP THE BEST TEACHERS AND ATTRACT NEW AND GREAT TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THESE ARE CONTINUING CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS YEAR, IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. THE CHALLENGE.
THANK YOU. I'M THE MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS HERE.
I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE MORE THING.
GO RIGHT IN. AND I THINK I WANT TO ECHO SOMETHING THAT MR. POTEET SAID EARLIER, WHICH IS RATE OF INFLATION.
RIGHT. I MEAN, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN COMPETE WITH THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE WE HAVE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE AND DO THE BEST WE CAN. BUT THERE'S I DON'T THINK I MEAN, KNOWING OUR BUDGET AND WHERE WE ARE AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS JUST FOR A 2% RAISE.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN COMPETE WITH THAT.
I JUST I WANTED TO JUST DITTO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.
THEY SAID IT ALL, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE I CAN'T TALK TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND I COMPLETELY STAND BEHIND THAT.
I THINK THAT FOR ME, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS OUR TEACHERS AND HOW WE SUSTAIN EVERYTHING TO. SO IN SPITE OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE MENTIONED HERE, IN SPITE OF AND REGARDLESS MAYBE OF THE FEDERAL STATE FUNDING, THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALL IN UNISON ABOUT THAT, ABOUT KEEPING OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE, WHICH IS THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR TEACHERS.
SO DITTO WITH MY COLLEAGUES SAID.
AND I DO WANT TO JUST ADD THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR BUDGET TO RIGHT SIZE AND WE'RE BEGINNING TO IDENTIFY THAT THAT 1 TO $1.2 MILLION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT IS PERMANENTLY IN THE BUDGET.
SO THAT IS NOT A ONE TIME COST SAVINGS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PERPETUALLY WOULD BE A COST SAVINGS IN OUR BUDGET MOVING FORWARD.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO COLLABORATE WITH THE OUR PAST SEVEN YEARS WITH THE BOARD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARDS HAVE ALWAYS, I THINK, JUST BEEN VERY JUDICIOUS WITH IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE FOR MOMENTS LIKE THIS WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE FUNDING CHALLENGES ARE REAL.
WE ARE IN THE MOST COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE I'VE EVER SEEN AS AN EDUCATOR IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT PIPELINE LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IN THE NUMBER OF THEY'RE CALLING THIS TIME THE GREAT RESIGNATION, THE TIME OF THE GREAT RESIGNATION OF EDUCATORS.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS THAT TIME WHERE, AGAIN, NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION TO DIP INTO FUND BALANCE.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS THAT REALITY AND WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE THAT AS WE WANT TO BE AS AGGRESSIVE AS THE BOARD FEELS LIKE WE CAN BE AND SHOULD BE DURING THIS TIME, I THINK NOW IS THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THOSE FUNDS SET ASIDE.
I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE THING.
I KNOW WE'RE ABOUT TO GET INTO TALKING ABOUT BENEFITS, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
I DO I DO WANT TO ADD TO THAT ANOTHER CONSIDERATION WE HAVE TO HAVE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DISTRICTS THAT WE'RE COMPETING WITH FOR STAFF, IS THAT TO BUY A HOME OR TO LIVE IN THIS AREA AND TEACH HERE IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR OUR TEACHERS.
AND SO WE ARE NOT ONLY COMPETING WITH JUST GETTING GREAT TEACHERS TO TEACH IN RICHARDSON ISD, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY HAVING TO HAVE THEM DRIVE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE TO COME HERE TO TEACH, BECAUSE IN ORDER TO LIVE HERE, THAT EXPENDITURE IS SO HIGH RIGHT NOW.
I DO THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT RAISES AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE COMPENSATING THROUGH BENEFITS AS WELL, WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
WE'RE NOT JUST COMPETING SALARY WISE.
WE'RE COMPETING WITH HAVING TO HAVE FOLKS COME HERE THROUGH OTHER DISTRICTS, MAKE A LONGER DRIVE TO TEACH IN RICHARDSON.
SO I JUST THINK IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MENTIONING THAT.
GREAT POINT. I'M HEARING MR. PATE. DR. GOODSON. I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME INPUT IN TERMS OF KIND OF LOOKING AT THIS. I THINK WHAT I WOULD LOVE, MAYBE SOME FEEDBACK IS.
[01:10:01]
IF WE WERE TO COME UP WITH A SLIGHTLY MORE AGGRESSIVE STARTING SALARY AND RAISE YOUR KIND OF APPETITE FOR ALSO LOOKING AT THE STIPEND, WHETHER IT'S A NEW HIRE STIPEND OR A RETENTION STIPEND, OR IF WE'RE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THAT STARTING SALARY IN THAT RAISE.IS THE STIPEND SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HOLD OFF ON? SO I JUST I JUST LOVE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR INPUT AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS ON THE STIPEND. I PERSONALLY LIKE THE STIPEND IDEA WITH EXTRA FUNDS.
I THINK THAT HELPS. I THINK I LIKE THIS FOR FUN STIPEND.
I LIKE IT ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW TEACHER AS WE'VE WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT AT.
PAST MEETINGS. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR GREATER IMPACT I THINK, ON RECRUITING AND IN THE PIPELINE IMPACTING THE PIPELINE.
AGAIN, THOUGH, I'M NOT FOR MASKING THE COMPETITIVE SALARY GOING FORWARD, BUT I AM FOR A STIPEND UNDER SCENARIO THAT DOES NOT DO THAT.
I AGREE WITH MISS TIMMY AS WELL TOO.
AND I'M GOING TO PUSH US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IN THAT WHILE WE'RE WE'RE STILL IN A FLUX WITH WHAT THAT STARTING SALARY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
ONE OF THE THINGS AND I CAN TELL YOU, I HAVE A STUDENT THAT IS GOING TO BE GRADUATING AND IS GOING INTO THE PROFESSION.
AND AS HE IS INTERVIEWING IN DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, IT MEANS IT SPEAKS A LOT TO A 23, 24 YEAR OLD THAT IN YOUR FIRST PAYCHECK THERE IS POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE A $1,000 STIPEND.
AND FOR US, THAT IS A HEAVY RECRUITING TOOL THAT WE CAN USE.
WHILE WE ARE NOT YET IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN SAY, HERE IS WHERE YOUR STARTING SALARY IS GOING TO BE. SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD IS COMFORTABLE WITH US AT THIS TIME, BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AS PART OF OUR RECRUITING PROCESS? I HEARD CONSENSUS THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE OKAY WITH.
DO WE HAVE A CONSENSUS BOARD? YES, I THINK I SEE A KNOT OF HEADS SAYING YES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
SO WE WILL BRING FORWARD AT OUR NEXT BOARD.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, DO WE HAVE TO CALL A STIPEND? CAN WE CALL IT LIKE A SIGNING BONUS? MAKE IT COOL. HR, DO YOU HAVE ANY? WE CAN CALL IT WHATEVER YOU WANT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REFLECTION.
WE WILL PROCESS THIS AS A TEAM.
WE'VE HEARD YOUR FEEDBACK AND THEN WE WILL BRING FORWARD OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING. MS. BRANUM, ONE LAST THING, AND YOU HAD MENTIONED JUST A SECOND AGO ON THE FUND BALANCE HEALTHY FUND.
YES, SIR. SO IN MY MIND, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A RAINY DAY FUND.
AND AGAIN, KIND OF LIKE ESSER FUNDS, THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
SO JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ALLOCATE THAT, THAT'S A ONE TIME DEAL.
SO THAT JUST POPPED UP WHEN YOU HAD MENTIONED THE FUND BALANCE PART.
AND AGAIN, I JUST I WANT TO CONTINUE TO MESSAGE THAT WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY CONTINUING TO LOOK AT WHERE DO WE IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO RIGHT SIZE.
SO WHILE WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD WHAT WE KNOW, ALREADY KNOW, WE KNOW WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND THAT WILL BE SOMETHING NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO PROCESS FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE TO HIT IT FROM BOTH SIDES.
IT ALSO BEGS TO YOUR POINT, MR. POTEET, I THINK IT ALSO BEGS AS WE GO INTO THIS FALL'S STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, THAT IF THERE'S TWO WAYS TO CREATE MORE CAPACITY IN OUR BUDGET.
ONE IS THAT WE FIND COST SAVINGS AND CONTINUE TO DO LIKE WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
AND THE OTHER IS WE'VE GOT TO GET MORE STUDENTS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. AND SO WHAT ARE SOME OTHER INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT WILL HELP POTENTIALLY ADDRESS ENROLLMENT GROWTH? AND AND SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, AS WE LAUNCH THAT THIS FALL WILL BE REALLY AGGRESSIVE IN THINKING INNOVATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD IN THE PRESENTATION MR. PATE. SO AGAIN, THESE TWO ITEMS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DIVE DEEP, BUT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T ATTACK THIS CURRENT PLACE THAT WE'RE IN AND FIGHTING FOR ALL THE SAME TEACHERS IF WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT SALARY AND COMPENSATION, BECAUSE IN THE END, THERE'S NOT GOING TO EVER BE ENOUGH DOLLARS THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO SOLELY WIN THIS RACE AND THAT IT IS ABOUT THE WHOLE PACKAGE.
[01:15:03]
AND SO IN TERMS OF BENEFITS, HERE ARE SOME JUST THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.MS.. HAYES IS HELPING TO LEAD AN EFFORT WHERE WE WILL BE LAUNCHING AN EMPLOYEE DAYCARE PROGRAM. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED TWO SITES THAT WE SORRY, WE'VE IDENTIFIED TWO POTENTIAL SITES THAT WE COULD LAUNCH AN EMPLOYEE DAYCARE.
ONE WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT WE CAN HAVE READY BY JANUARY.
WE'RE HOPING THE OTHER ONE, TOO.
MS.. HAYES, IS LOOKING AT ME WITH A POSITIVE HEAD NOD THAT, YES, THERE ARE POTENTIALLY TWO SITES.
WE HAD A CULTURE OF INNOVATION WHERE WE HAD A STAFF THAT MET FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
IT WAS A STAFF FOCUS GROUP IN WHICH ONE OF THEIR NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF THAT GROUP AROUND RETENTION.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET STAFF MEMBERS TO STAY? THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS DAYCARE AND HOW DO WE PROVIDE AFFORDABLE DAYCARE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES? SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WHEN WE GET MORE INFORMATION AS WELL AS WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET IMPLICATION. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU SAID TWO SITES.
THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE TWO SITES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR SITES FOR DAYCARE. WE HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT WE KNOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LAUNCH IN JANUARY.
THAT WOULD BE CANYON CREEK AND THE OLD NEWCOMER CENTER.
AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO POTENTIAL SITES THAT WOULD BE IN THE BERGER LEARNING COMMUNITY AND THE LAKE HIGHLANDS LEARNING COMMUNITY.
SO GEOGRAPHICALLY, EVERY ONE OF THE LEARNING COMMUNITIES WOULD HAVE AN EASY TO ACCESS DAYCARE. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE LAKE HIGHLANDS AND THE BERKNER LOCATIONS, BUT THE NEW CURRENT NEWCOMER, THE OLD NEWCOMER CENTER, SORRY AND CANYON CREEK, THOSE ARE CONFIRMED AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE THOSE READY BY JANUARY OF 2023.
AND THEN WE HOPE TO BRING ON THE OTHER TWO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
THANK YOU BOARD FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN REDUCING THAT PRE-K TUITION AND THEN FOR OUR FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. AND THEN WE ALSO ARE LOOKING HAVE CONFIRMATION FROM KEN HUTCHENRIDER AND METHODIST AND THE NETWORK FOR THE LAUNCH OF THEIR HEALTH CARE CLINIC.
THAT WAS THE NUMBER TWO THING THAT CAME OUT OF OUR CULTURE OF INNOVATION COMMITTEE WAS A CLINIC. DR. GOODSON, IS THERE ANY UPDATES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THE BOARD IN TERMS OF THE EMPLOYEE CLINIC? NO, IT'S JUST WE'RE STILL ANTICIPATING TO TRY TO GET THAT UP AND RUNNING THIS SEMESTER AS WE HAD OUR LAST CONVERSATION WITH METHODIST RICHARDSON, IT'S STILL ONE OF THOSE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, SO THEY'RE WAITING FOR ACTUAL MATERIALS TO STOCK UP THE CLINIC, MEDICAL MATERIALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY ARE VERY EXCITED TO KEEP THIS PARTNERSHIP GOING.
AND SO AS SOON AS WE HAVE MORE DETAILS, WE'RE READY TO JUST PUT THAT INTO PLACE AND ADVERTISE IT AND REALLY PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS CLINIC IS SO IMPORTANT TO NOTE BECAUSE THIS WOULD MEAN ANY EMPLOYEE, ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT COULD ACCESS THE CLINIC.
IT'S A $10 COPAY FOR THEM OR ANY MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY.
SO AGAIN, JUST REALLY TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF THE COST EVEN OF HEALTH CARE EXPENSES.
I DO, I THINK IT WAS MS. TIMME AND MR. POTEET THAT TALKED ABOUT THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND I WANT TO BE REALLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE DISTRICT STRATEGY AROUND HEALTH INSURANCE, BECAUSE WHEN THOSE PREMIUM RATES, WE DO NOT GET THOSE UNTIL USUALLY THE END OF APRIL.
TRS DOES NOT ANNOUNCE THOSE UNTIL VERY, VERY LATE IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
AND TEACHERS OFTEN ASK US, WELL, WHY IS THE DISTRICT ARE WE NOT CONTRIBUTING MORE TOWARDS OUR HEALTH CARE INSURANCE PREMIUMS? AND AS A DISTRICT, WE HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO KEEP OUR CONTRIBUTIONS IN LINE WITH SURROUNDING DISTRICTS. AND WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE FOR OUR CONTRIBUTION.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ONLY 50% OF OUR EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY USE OUR OUR HEALTH INSURANCE. SO IN TERMS OF WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT COMPENSATION AS A DISTRICT, OUR PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN AND AGAIN, AS A NEW BOARD, Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE SOME DIFFERENT FEEDBACK FOR US, BUT OUR PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN WE WANT TO INVEST THOSE DOLLARS WHERE WE KNOW 100% OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO BENEFIT.
AND WHEN WE CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTH INSURANCE, THAT DOES NOT GO TOWARDS TRS IN RETIREMENT.
WHEREAS WHEN WE ARE PROVIDING SOMETHING LIKE A RAISE, NOT ONLY DOES IT GO TO 100% OF OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT IT ALSO COUNTS TOWARDS THEIR ULTIMATE RETIREMENT PACKAGE.
SO THAT HAS BEEN OUR PHILOSOPHY, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
I THINK MS.. HAYES, YOU KNOW, COULD ALSO NOD HER HEAD THAT THAT THAT IS WHAT I'VE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD, THAT THAT'S REALLY BEEN THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF WE'RE GOING TO. INVEST IN THE SALARY AND IN THE THE RAISE VERSUS AND INCREASING THE HEALTH CARE PREMIUM. AND THEN THE LAST THING WE'RE LOOKING REALLY, DID YOU WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] DID YOU. YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
AND THEN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD KIND OF MOVED AWAY FROM A LITTLE BIT.
AND WE JUST RECOGNIZE THAT ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF COVID HAS BEEN THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
[01:20:05]
JUST WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE JOB EXPERIENCE AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE DIFFERENTLY, AND MAYBE THEY HAVE REALIZED HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE HAVING SOME TIME AT HOME, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO COMPLETELY GET OUT OF TEACHING OR COMPLETELY GET OUT OF THEIR ROLE.SO DR. HR AND HIS TEAM WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS WHERE STAFF, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME STIPULATIONS AROUND IT, BUT WHERE THEY COULD PROVIDE SOME JOB SHARING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IT MIGHT BE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I AM TEACHING ELEMENTARY, IT MIGHT BE THAT, YOU KNOW, MS. RENTERIA GOES IN IN THE MORNING AND SHE IS SUPPORTING THAT CLASSROOM IN THE MORNING AND THEN I MIGHT COME IN THE AFTERNOON AND SUPPORT IN THE AFTERNOON.
OR IT MIGHT BE IF I'M TEACHING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, THAT ON EVEN DAYS MR. PATE IS TEACHING ON EVEN DAYS AND I'M TEACHING ON THE ODD PERIOD DAYS AND THAT'S HOW WE JOB SHARE. AND SO ON TWO DAYS A WEEK, I'M IN, YOU KNOW, IN CLASSROOMS AND THE OTHER TWO DAYS MR. PATE'S IN CLASSROOMS, AND THEN WE SWITCH OFF ON THAT THIRD DAY, DEPENDING HOW THE SCHEDULE FALLS. SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE INNOVATIVE OPTIONS TO PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR TEACHERS OR COUNSELORS OR NURSES THAT STILL WANT TO STAY IN THE PROFESSION. AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GREAT INDIVIDUALS.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HONOR THAT MAYBE THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITIES THAT ARE NEEDED. AGAIN, A LOT OF SOME OF THESE HAVE BUDGET IMPLICATIONS.
WE ARE WORKING ON FINALIZING THOSE NUMBERS.
I WOULD SAY NONE OF THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT COSTS EXCEPT FOR PROBABLY THE EMPLOYEE DAYCARE THAT WILL HAVE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE BUDGET.
BUT MOST OF THESE ARE VERY REASONABLE FOR THE RETURN OF.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUR TEACHERS? IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME AN AREA THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE AHEAD OF OUR PEERS, AND I WOULD SAY IT'S IN THIS AREA KNOWING THAT AS A DISTRICT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE 2 TO 4 EMPLOYEE DAYCARES. WE WOULD HELP HAVE A HEALTH CARE CLINIC THAT HAS FLEXIBLE HOURS AND THAT WE'RE PROVIDING JOB SHARING.
THESE ARE, I THINK, SOME OF THE MORE INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LOOK AT THAT WE'RE DOING THAT MAYBE SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS ARE NOT.
AND THEN OUR LAST THING, OUR SECOND TO LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS A LITTLE BIT YOU'VE ALL SAID IT, THE PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT.
HOW ARE WE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST? NUMBER ONE, WHO WANT TO GET INTO EDUCATION AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND WANT TO COME HERE.
AND SO SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD, MR. PATE. OUTSIDE OF THE TREMENDOUS WORK OF OUR TAFFY PROGRAMS. TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF FUTURE EDUCATORS, I KNEW IT WOULD COME TO ME.
SORRY, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN TERMS OF HIGH SCHOOL TO RECRUIT STUDENTS AND TO GET THEM EXCITED TO COME AND TEACH RIGHT BACK HERE IN RICHARDSON ISD.
SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS TR HAS RELEASED THE TEXAS COVID LEARNING ACCELERATION SUPPORTS OR THEIR TW CLASS GRANTS, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE GRANTS IN WHICH THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING PRIORITIZED TO DO WHAT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO WE TAKE SOMEONE WHO IS IN COLLEGE AND THEY'VE WANTED TO BE AN EDUCATOR, BUT IT COMES TIME FOR THEIR STUDENT TEACHING.
AND WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW PROFESSIONS THAT HAS UNPAID INTERNSHIPS.
SO IN ORDER TO GRADUATE, IN ORDER TO GET YOUR TEACHER CERTIFICATION, YOU HAVE TO OBSERVE IN STUDENT TEACH FOR A YEAR.
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY YOU DURING THAT TIME.
AND THAT IS OFTEN A BARRIER THAT KEEPS INDIVIDUALS FROM ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO FINISH THEIR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
SO IN THIS MODEL, WITH THESE GRANT FUNDS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HIRE THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE WOULD PAY THEM A PARAPROFESSIONAL OR AUXILIARY STAFF MEMBER RATE THREE DAYS A WEEK.
THEY ARE BEING MENTORED BY THEIR MENTOR TEACHER.
SO THEY'RE IN THAT CLASSROOM, THEY'RE STUDENT TEACHING, THEY'RE OBSERVING THEIR LEARNING JUST LIKE YOU WOULD DO IN A TRADITIONAL PROGRAM.
ON THURSDAY THEY ARE SUBBING FOR US.
SO WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF WE HAVE A SUB BUILT INTO THAT BUILDING, BUT ALSO THEY'RE GETTING A CHANCE TO LEARN HOW DO I MANAGE MY OWN CLASSROOM AND WHAT ARE THOSE PROCEDURES, THOSE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES THAT I NEED TO HAVE IF I'M GOING TO BE A QUALITY TEACHER. BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE THE SUPPORTS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THEM AND THEN ON FRIDAY THEY ARE BACK AT THEIR COLLEGE CAMPUS ENGAGING IN THEIR COURSEWORK.
SO REALLY, AGAIN, LOOKING AT INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT PIPELINE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS.
YEAH. WE HAVE A LOT OF PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR A VERY CLOSE TO HAVING ABOUT A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
AND RIGHT NOW HAVE NO WAY, NO ENTRY POINT TO GET THAT TEACHER CERTIFICATION AND COME AND TEACH FOR US. AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH DALLAS COLLEGE.
THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED A FOUR YEAR BACHELOR'S PROGRAM AND WHICH FOR THE MOST AFFORDABLE, I
[01:25:05]
THINK IT'S LESS THAN $7,500.IF SOMEONE NEEDED A FULL BACHELOR'S DEGREE, WHICH MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DON'T. BUT IF THEY DID AND THE TEACHER CERTIFICATION, IT'S LESS THAN $7,500.
SO WE ARE IDENTIFYING OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO ARE IN THIS CATEGORY.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AND BE SELECTED.
OUR PRIORITY WILL BE FOR SCIENCE AND MATH, CLASSROOMS, BILINGUAL EDUCATORS.
WHAT ARE THOSE HIGH NEEDS AREAS THAT ARE HARD TO FILL? AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE SCHOLAR SHIPPING THAT TUITION, THAT CERTIFICATION FUNDS FOR THEM WITH THE COMMITMENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND THEY'RE GOING TO STAY AND TEACH FOR US FOR AN IDENTIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO AGAIN, JUST IN THOSE THREE AREAS, JUST REALLY LOOKING AT INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT PIPELINE.
AND BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO THEM AND THEIR GROWTH, THEY WANT TO STAY WITH US. SO GET SOME INNOVATIVE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO END WITH IS, AS I HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NONE OF THIS MATTERS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HEALTHY CULTURE.
SO OUR TEAM HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME SINCE OUR CLIMATE SURVEYS CAME OUT IN THE FALL OF REALLY DIGGING IN DEEP IN IDENTIFYING THE PATTERNS AND TRENDS THAT THE CLIMATE SURVEY SHARED WITH US.
SO OUR HUMAN RESOURCES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND OUR LEARNING COMMUNITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS MET WITH FOCUS GROUPS, AND THESE WERE SMALL GROUPS IN WHICH THEY WERE.
THERE WERE A SET OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED AND THEN REALLY JUST TIME FOR TEACHERS TO TALK. AND IF I HAD TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW, WHAT WAS THE BIG TAKEAWAY? AND WE GOT A LOT. I HAVE PAGES AND PAGES OF INPUT, BUT IF I HAD TO, THE BIG TAKEAWAY AND THE NUANCE WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AT ELEMENTARY VERSUS SECONDARY, BUT I WOULD SAY IT APPLIES TO THE OVERALL SYSTEM.
WE ARE ASKED TO HAVE A ENGAGE IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
FACILITATE ARDS, TAKE MY KIDS TO SPECIAL LIKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'M ASKED TO DO AND I HAVE 145 MINUTE PLANNING PERIOD AND THE WHAT IT TAKES FOR ME TO PLAN TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF MY KIDS, TO ALSO MEET HOUSE BILL 45, 45, TUTORING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
IT'S A LOT. AND WITHIN THAT THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF NUANCES OF HOW WE COULD PROVIDE THEM MORE TIME. THINGS LIKE IF IT TAKES ME LONGER THAN TWO CLICKS TO GET THERE, IT'S TOO MANY.
CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH MORE EXEMPLAR LESSONS WHEN I'M TRYING TO TEACH THE BEST LESSON I CAN FOR ALL FOUR SUBJECTS? IF I CAN AT LEAST HAVE AN EXEMPLAR THAT GETS ME STARTED AND LAUNCHES ME, THEN I CAN.
I CAN DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM MY KIDS, BUT AT LEAST GIVE ME SOMETHING TO START WITH.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WILL GIVE ME BACK TIME.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS ON THEIR MASTER SCHEDULES TO ENSURE THAT EVERY TEACHER HAS AN EXTENDED PLANNING PERIOD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LEAST EVERY 3 TO 4 WEEKS, EVERY ELEMENTARY PLC HAS A 92 TO 120 MINUTE PLANNING PERIOD THAT IS UNINTERRUPTED JUST FOR THEM TO PLAN TOGETHER AS A FIRST GRADER OR A SECOND GRADE TEAM.
NOW AGAIN, WHY I SAY THAT THAT IS PRIMARILY ELEMENTARY FOCUSED.
I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT OUR SECONDARY TEACHERS DIDN'T SAY THE SAME THING, BUT THE PASSION BY WHICH THEY SAID IT WAS RESOUNDING AT ELEMENTARY.
WHEREAS WITH SECONDARY YOU COULD HEAR THE PASSION.
THE RESOUNDING CONCERN WAS IN BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE THAT AFTER, YOU KNOW, OUR ALL OF OUR SECONDARY, ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES.
BUT YOU REALLY FELT IT IN OUR SECONDARY CAMPUSES WHEN YOU HAD A YEAR WHERE OUR CAMPUSES WERE AT LESS THAN 50%.
AND THEN THIS YEAR YOU HAD 100% OF OUR STUDENTS RETURNING FACE TO FACE.
AND THEN JUST EVEN STUDENTS RE-ACCLIMATING WITH ONE ANOTHER, LEARNING.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A FULL HALLWAY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN SOME STUDENTS HAVE DEVELOPED COPING MECHANISMS THAT AREN'T ALWAYS HEALTHY FOR WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED? THAT BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE HAS BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE.
GIBBONS AND OUR STUDENT SERVICES TEAM, AS WELL AS OUR SPECIAL STUDENT SERVICES TEAM, THEY HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT THE TEACHERS GAVE US TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THOSE NEXT STEPS THAT WE HAVE.
BECAUSE IF THE ENVIRONMENT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE AND IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT IT IS CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING AGAIN, THAT IS NOT SETTING ANYONE UP FOR SUCCESS.
SO I COULD PROBABLY TALK TO YOU FOR HOURS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC FEEDBACK AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO USE THOSE TWO THINGS AS REALLY ILLUSTRATING FOR YOU THAT WE
[01:30:04]
RECOGNIZE THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ON US TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A HEALTHY CULTURE WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES, AT THE END OF THE DAY, $1,000, IF I CAN GO SOMEWHERE AND MAKE 1000 MORE, ISN'T ENOUGH TO LURE ME AWAY FROM A PLACE WHERE I KNOW I'M VALUED, I'M RESPECTED, AND IT'S A PLACE THAT I WANT TO STAY.SO THOSE ARE SOME SOME KEY THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO ADDRESS TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS. GO AHEAD, MR. PATE. AND I THINK YOU WANT TO REVIEW THE CALENDAR AT ALL OR I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE CALENDAR TO YOU.
I HAVE JUST INCLUDED IT FOR YOUR INFORMATION, AND IT HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE THE LAST PRESENTATION. SO WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER FEEDBACK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US OR ANYTHING THAT ELSE THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED IN ORDER FOR US TO BRING BACK TO YOU, FOR YOU ALL TO CONTINUE IN THIS PROCESS.
VINCENT. I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON THE YOU MENTIONED MS,.
THAT WAS AT 50% THAT YOU SAID? ABOUT 50% OF OUR EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY USE OUR HEALTH CARE INSURANCE.
THE OTHER 50% USE EITHER A PRIVATE OR WITH THEIR SPOUSE OR THEIR PARTNER.
YES, MA'AM. SO I WAS GOING TO ASK IN REFERENCE TO THAT, I MEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HOW COULD WE CHANGE THAT? I MEAN, WHAT ARE SOME INCENTIVES THAT THAT WE WOULD WANT? I MEAN, IS IT THAT THEY'RE GOING WITH THE SPOUSE INSURANCE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S JUST BETTER OR CHEAPER OR DO WE KNOW WHY I, MR. PATE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE RESEARCHED THAT TO KNOW WHY.
WE DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY WHY.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
I'M ACTUALLY ON MY WIFE'S HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, DOCTORS THAT I'VE USED FOR A LONG TIME WERE IN THAT PLAN.
IT'S KIND OF EASIER TO STAY WITH THAT PLAN AT ONE POINT, MY WIFE'S INSURANCE WAS A LITTLE CHEAPER THAN DISTRICT INSURANCE.
THAT WAS BEFORE I GOT TO RICHARDSON.
COSTS HAVE CONTINUED TO INCREASE THERE.
IT'S ABOUT THE SAME NOW, BUT FORTUNATELY FOR ME, MY WIFE'S INSURANCE HAS NOT KICKED ME OFF SINCE I HAVE OTHER INSURANCE AVAILABLE AND SOME COMPANIES DO THAT.
SO THERE'S JUST THERE'S PROBABLY AS MANY REASONS AS THERE ARE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ON THEIR SPOUSES INSURANCE.
AND I WE CAN CERTAINLY DO SOME KIND OF A SURVEY, BUT I JUST I COULDN'T TELL YOU ONE PARTICULAR REASON AT THIS POINT.
OKAY. I WAS JUST WONDERING, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS WHAT YOU MENTIONED.
RIGHT, THAT IF WE HAD MORE EMPLOYEES, THAT WOULD BE BEYOND THE INSURANCE AND THAT WOULD OFFSET THE PRICE.
IS THAT RIGHT? OR IT JUST OR NO? ACTUALLY, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT THAT DECIDE TO GO WITH TRS, IT DOES NOT IMPACT OUR PREMIUMS BECAUSE THEY BASICALLY THAT IS US IS MOVING TO A REGIONAL MODEL FOR PRICING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT DOES IT COST FOR HEALTH CARE IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH REGION. AND THEY'RE GOING TO ASSIGN THAT PRICING BASED UPON THAT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY EMPLOYEES YOU DO OR DO NOT HAVE.
NOW, POTENTIALLY, IF WE HAD 100% OF OUR EMPLOYEES WITH OUR HEALTH CARE, THAT MIGHT INFLUENCE OR INFORM THE BOARD TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE MORE BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT EVERY EMPLOYEE.
AND JUST TO REITERATE SOMETHING MS. BRANUM SHARED EARLIER, WHEN WE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO WHEN WE RAISE THE DISTRICT'S CONTRIBUTION FOR INSURANCE PREMIUMS, THAT DOES NOT FACTOR INTO OUR EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT.
IT DOES NOT UP THEIR RETIREMENT IN ANY WAY.
IT'S NOT PART OF THAT CALCULATION.
BUT INCREASING THEIR SALARY DOES INCREASE THEIR POTENTIAL RETIREMENT BENEFIT, WHICH IS YOU KNOW, IT'S FINE LINE THAT WE WALK THERE.
YOU KNOW, OUR OUR LESS TENURED EMPLOYEES TEND TO WANT THE HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION.
OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CLOSER TO RETIREMENT TEND TO WANT THE INCREASE IN THEIR COMPENSATION THAT GOES INTO THEIR RETIREMENT CALCULATION.
PRESS DID SHARE WITH ME WHERE I CAN FIND SOME INFORMATION THAT COMPARES PRIVATE SECTOR INSURANCE PLANS.
SO I'LL BE BRINGING YOU PROBABLY IN MAY ONCE THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE RELEASED BY TRS, KIND OF AN UPDATE ON HEALTH INSURANCE AND PARTICIPATION RATES BY TRS PLAN.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR PLAN AND NOT IN OUR PLAN.
AND JUST SOME MORE STATISTICS AROUND THAT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU. I THINK MS. TIMME HAD A COMMENT. YEAH, I JUST JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
ONE, JUST WHILE I'M ALL ABOUT THAT WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE SALARY WISE.
I ALSO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WILL KEEP OR ATTRACT EMPLOYEES.
SO I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS TO INCENTIVIZE.
[01:35:01]
I KNOW THAT PREVIOUS BOARDS HAD MADE A COMMITMENT TO LOOKING AT DAYCARE AND PRE-K AND THOSE THINGS. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH KIND OF THAT VISION.AND I KNOW THAT HITS ONE DEMOGRAPHIC OF OUR THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO EMPLOY, BUT ALSO THEN ADDING IN THE EMPLOYEE CLINIC AND JOB SHARING, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ALL WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE ACCESS TO.
I LOVE THAT. I THINK WE'RE JUST IN A DIFFERENT TIME AND TRADITIONAL METHODS JUST AREN'T THE SAME. AND TO THAT END, I THINK I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING WHAT THE SMALL FOCUS GROUPS ARE SAYING AND THE FEEDBACK THEY'RE GIVING ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND THEN ADDRESSING THAT, I THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, IS WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR DISTRICT AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO COME AND TO STAY.
I THINK ANY ONE OF THEM ON THEIR OWN WOULD NOT BE.
SO I LIKE THE COMBINATION OF HOW YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT THAT.
I HOPE YOU ALL CONTINUE DOWN THAT PATH.
YES. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? MR. LINN. I'LL GO. I LOVE THE IDEAS, ESPECIALLY THE DAYCARE IDEA, OF COURSE.
LIKE YOU JUST SAID, MEGHAN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT FINALLY COME TO FRUITION.
SO AND I'M NOT KIDDING WHEN I SAY THIS, I'M KIND OF SAYING THIS IN A JOKING WAY.
I'VE BEEN A DART EMPLOYEE FOR 13 YEARS AND I'M AN EXPERT AT OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED, BUT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOB SHARING.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S A BENEFIT.
MS. TIMME ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED JOB SHARING WHEN THAT WAS A BENEFIT THAT THE DISTRICT ALLOWED. SO DO YOU WANT TO PERSONALLY SPEAK TO IT? I MEAN, I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT ACTUALLY THE EMPLOYEE DAY CARE AND JOB SHARING WERE TWO THINGS THAT KEPT ME IN THE DISTRICT LONGER, BECAUSE THEY WERE CERTAINLY PRESSURE POINTS THAT ALLOWED ME TO CONTINUE TEACHING AT THAT TIME IN MY LIFE.
BUT JOB SHARING. I DID A JOB SHARE WITH ANOTHER TEACHER AND SHE TAUGHT IN THE MORNING AND I TAUGHT IN THE AFTERNOONS AND IT WAS FOR A SIXTH GRADE CLASS.
AND SO IT ALLOWED ME TO STAY IN THE DISTRICT BUT ALSO HAVE TIME AT HOME WHEN MY KIDS WERE LITTLE THAT I JUST FELT WAS A CALLING FOR ME AT THAT TIME.
BUT I ALSO WASN'T READY TO GIVE UP TEACHING.
AND THEN I ALSO CAME BACK AND THEN THAT'S WHEN I STARTED MY ADMINISTRATIVE CAREER AFTER THAT. SO INSTEAD OF LEAVING THE PROFESSION ENTIRELY, IT ALLOWED ME TO KEEP MY FOOT IN AND NOT STEP ALL THE WAY. SO I, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT I DID IT AT THE TIME.
BUT IT WAS IT WAS AMAZING AND PROBABLY FOR ME KEPT ME IN THE PROFESSION, WHICH I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR.
OKAY. SO SO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, YOU BASICALLY HAVE THERE'S ONE JOB AVAILABLE AND THEN TWO PEOPLE JUST SHARE WHAT THE ONE JOB IS.
OKAY. SO WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.
WHEN I DID IT WAS WHEN I MEAN, WE WERE THEY WERE TRYING IT OUT.
IT WAS A PROPOSAL AND THEY SAID YES.
SO JUST KIND OF WORKED OUT OKAY.
AND WE JUST STOPPED DOING IT OR WHAT WHAT HAPPENED THERE? DR. H.R., DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? I WISH I COULD.
HONESTLY, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY OTHER THAN DECISIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO TO NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND TO STICK WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE STRUCTURED FROM AN ALLOCATIONS PERSPECTIVE.
DIFFERENT TIMES KIND OF GOING BACK TO WHAT MS. TIMME SAID. AND SO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN INTO THE THE ROUTINE AND NOT JUDGING, BUT IT'S JUST FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
YOU HAVE AN ALLOCATION, YOU HAVE A CERTAIN COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT, A SALARY, A SET OF BENEFITS. YOU HAVE CONSISTENCY FOR ANY STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THAT TEACHER AND.
I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY NOW.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PROVIDE, I THINK, A PRETTY GOOD STRUCTURE FOR GUIDANCE ON WHICH POSITIONS REALLY SUPPORT THAT, WHICH POSITIONS WE WOULD WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE COULD DO THAT, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS? IS THERE A SPECIAL POPULATION THAT IS BEING WORKED WITH THAT REALLY DOES NEED TO HAVE A ONE PERSON WHO IS GOING TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THEM? OR IS IT A DIFFERENT POSITION THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE IN THE CLASSROOM AT ALL, THAT WE COULD HAVE AN ALLOCATION WHERE WE SPLIT IT AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE COMES IN THE MORNING AND A DIFFERENT PERSON IN THE AFTERNOON.
DIAGNOSTICIANS, WOULD BE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OR LLSP'S SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST.
SO I THINK OVER TIME IT JUST KIND OF YOU GET ACCUSTOMED TO A PARTICULAR STRUCTURE FOR STAFFING AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO REALLY LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
SO AND THAT'S REALLY A GOOD EXPLANATION.
I APPRECIATE THAT. SO WHENEVER IF WE'RE IF WE DO LOOK AT THIS IN TERMS OF AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY CREATIVE IDEA AND I KNOW TONS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN, I'M SURE. BUT BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SALARY AND BENEFITS, IF IT'S JUST ONE JOB, THEN I ASSUME THAT TWO PEOPLE WOULD SPLIT THE SALARY, RIGHT? CORRECT. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH BENEFITS? ARE THEY OFFERED THE SAME BENEFITS OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU STILL SIGN UP FOR YOUR OWN LEVEL OF BENEFITS, WHICHEVER ONES ARE AVAILABLE BASED ON
[01:40:02]
THE PART. I MEAN, MAYBE THINK OF IT AS A HALF TIME STATUS OR PART TIME STATUS.SO YOU'VE GOT A PERSON WHO'S WORKING PART TIME FILLING A ROLE, YOU'VE GOT A DIFFERENT PERSON WORKING PART TIME AS WELL.
AND SO WE OFFER A CERTAIN LEVEL OF BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES.
DEPENDING ON THEIR WORK STATUS.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT'S UNIQUE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AS THEY SIGN UP AND GET HIRED FOR THE POSITION. YEAH.
MRS. HARRIS, MAY I ADD ONE THING JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING ON THE DAYCARE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS WOULD BE, AS MRS. TIMME, WE'VE HAD A THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD THAT WE CALLED EMPLOYEE DAYCARE FOR YEARS, AND THAT'S BEEN ABSORBED WITH OUR PRE-K EXPANSION BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THE TWO DAYCARE SITES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT NOW ARE TO CREATE AN INFANT ZERO THROUGH THREE YEAR OLD DAYCARE.
SO THIS WOULD BE A FIRST FOR THIS DISTRICT.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A DAYCARE FOR EMPLOYEES AND STAFF FROM 0 TO 3.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
YEAH. I'M I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE DAYCARE.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE BROUGHT ONE ON WHEN I WAS IN CORPORATE AND WE WERE JUST SO EXCITED.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A WIN WIN FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
MS. RENTERIA, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? MR. EAGER.
YEAH, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE TEAM BECAUSE WHAT I FOUND IN CORPORATE WORLD, THESE ARE WHAT I USED TO CALL LITTLE BIG THINGS, THAT THEY ARE A LOWER COST, BUT THEY ARE DIFFERENT. THEY ARE TRULY THE DIFFERENCE MAKER.
AND IT BECOMES A TIPPING POINT WHEN, YOU KNOW, ALL THINGS BEING YOU WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE SALARY WISE.
BUT THESE ARE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE OF WHY I COME HERE VERSUS ANOTHER DISTRICT.
AND THEN I GUESS THE QUESTION ON THE ZERO, HOW MANY OF THE DISTRICTS OFFER THAT TYPE OF BENEFIT? GOSH, WE DID THAT RESEARCH THROUGH CULTURE OF INNOVATION.
MISS HAYS, HOW MANY? MOST OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS OFFER A DISTRICT DAYCARE NOW.
SO THERE SET UP DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL AROUND THE METROPLEX THAT HAVE THAT BENEFIT.
WE'RE JUST CATCHING UP. BUT OURS IS GOING TO BE GREAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
BRANUM. NO, JUST THANK YOU BOARD FOR YOUR FEEDBACK, YOUR INPUT.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE INPUT THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND BRING BACK TO YOU A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SO THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK THIS WAS A GREAT BUDGET MEETING, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST THAT I'VE ATTENDED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS FLOOR.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING SO MANY OPTIONS TO THE TABLE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING US KIND OF THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX ON OUR OWN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND AGAIN, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE OUR NUMBER ONE RESOURCE, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AS WELL.
SO WE WILL ABSOLUTELY DO THAT AS A BOARD.
IS THAT IT FOR US? SORT OF. SORT OF.
SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I'D LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF.
WE DIDN'T STAY TOO LATE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SITTING IN THE BACK.
THANK YOU, GUYS. AND MY COLLEAGUES, OF COURSE, FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
[VII. ENTER CLOSED MEETING]
THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY IN SECTION 551.076.DELIBERATION REGARDING SECURITY DEVICES OR SECURITY AUDITS.
COLLEAGUES, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND THEN WE'LL RECONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION.
THE BOARD IS RETURNING TO OPEN SESSION AT 10:33 P.M..
[VIII. RECONVENE OPEN MEETING]
AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10:34 P.M.ON MARCH 28, 2022.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.