>> COULD YOU CACKLE INTO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE? [00:00:04] >> GIVEN THAT IT IS 10 O'CLOCK, [1.01 Call to Order] I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 6, 2024 BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY BUDGET WORK SESSION. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. MADISON, WILL YOU LEAD US? [1.03 Board Discussion FY25 Budget] ON THE AGENDA IS OUR BOARD DISCUSSION ON THE FY 25 BUDGET. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO DR. LAWSON, I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OUR CCPS STAFF FOR ALWAYS BEING AVAILABLE TO ANSWER BUDGET QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW OF A TIME IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN READILY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD RELATED TO THE BUDGET. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING TOGETHER ON THIS VERY SHORT NOTICE. IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE TO DO THIS BUDGET REQUEST, YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON AND BUDGET DETAIL THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED. THANK YOU. I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR BOARD MEMBERS. I KNOW IT WAS A SHORT NOTICE CALLING THIS MEETING. BUT I DO THINK IT'S A MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF TIME FOR STAFF AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER AT ONE TIME AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. ALSO, I KNOW IN AN OPEN MEETING FORMAT SO THAT IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND INCREASES TRANSPARENCY AGAIN. ALSO AGAIN, I KNOW A COUPLE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD TO TAKE LEAVE TODAY TO BE HERE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY FOR THAT. WITH THAT, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, DR. LAWSON, SO WE CAN GET STARTED. >> THANK YOU, MS. HOLLY. AGAIN, ECHOING MS. HOLLY'S COMMENTS, THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD ASSEMBLING SO QUICKLY. SUPER, THANK YOU TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. I HAVE A FEW REMARKS I WANT TO MAKE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHAT THE BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS AD- SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES HAVE DONE IS IN ADDITION TO THE BUDGET REPORTING THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND. FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, ALL OF OUR BUDGET REPORTING GOES AS UPLOADED FROM THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. WHAT HAS BEEN CREATED FOR YOUR REVIEW IS NOT A NEW INSTRUMENT, BUT INSTEAD SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE IN ADDITION TO. THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE OPEN ANYWAY. THANK YOU, MR. FERNANDO. THANK YOU. THAT SHOULD BE OPEN. THIS IS A LITTLE AWKWARD. [LAUGHTER] MS. SOPA I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ASKED FOR COFFEE. [LAUGHTER] >> WATER. >> IT WAS CLOSE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THANK YOU, KATHY. I KNOW. OPEN. BUT IN ANY EVENT, THIS REPORTING THAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS AN ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT. THIS IS NOT REPLACING WHAT WE SUBMIT TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND. WE HAVE MONTHLY BUDGET REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT, AND SO THIS IS SIMPLY FOR TRANSPARENCY FOR THE VIEWING OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. I WILL TALK ABOUT THE CHRONOLOGY OF HOW THIS HAS TRANSPIRED IN A MOMENT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO HERE TO TAKE A MINUTE AND TAKE A STEP BACK TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL BUDGET PREPARATION PROCESS. NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND JANUARY, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS MEET WITH LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS AND THEY PRESENT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, UNDER DIRECTION OF MS. SOPA, THEY BASICALLY MASSAGE THOSE REQUESTS IN A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY. IF SOMEBODY IS ASKING FOR TOO MUCH OF ONE THING AND NOT ENOUGH OF THE OTHER, IT IS BROUGHT UP AT VERY GRANULAR LEVELS OF CONVERSATION. BEHIND ME, WE HAVE MR. ZIMMERMAN, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SERVICES, MR. RICKANSRUD, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY, MISS MILLER, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. THOSE THREE IN PARTICULAR HAVE PRETTY HEAVY BUDGET IMPLICATIONS IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS. WHAT HAPPENS IS IT'S MET AND THEY GO THROUGH LINE BY LINE TO SEE IF THE ASKS ARE IN FACT REASONABLE FOR WHAT WE AS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEED. [00:05:03] I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THAT'S THE CASE. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW. ON JANUARY 19TH, THE STATE DEPARTMENT RELEASED THE STATE BUDGET BOOK AND IN THERE, WE HAD THE ARTICULATION OF OUR STATE EXPECTED REVENUE AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL EXPECTED REVENUE. THESE ARE REALLY THE STARTING POINTS AS YOU START TO CRAFT A BUDGET THAT ALIGNS EXPENDITURES WITH REVENUE. THAT WAS ON JANUARY 19TH. ON JANUARY 24TH, THE BOARD MET TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR APPROACH WAS TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY. SHOW YOU WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED IN TERMS OF WAY OF REDUCTIONS IF IN FACT ALL WE GET ARE THOSE TWO KNOWN REVENUE NUMBERS. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THE LOCAL SHARE COMING FROM THE COUNTY AND THE STATE REVENUE IF WE GET JUST THAT, THE CUTS WE IDENTIFIED ON JANUARY 24TH ARE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THAT'S NOT A MAYBE OR THEY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. YES, WE DO KNOW FOR SURE. IS THAT THE BUDGET YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED? NO, IT'S NOT. WE'RE SHOWING YOU WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF ALL WE GET ARE THE KNOWN REVENUES. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES. FEDERAL OPERATES ON THE FEDERAL FISCAL CALENDAR, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM OURS. IT'S A SEPTEMBER 30 TO OCTOBER 1ST ROTATION. BUT FEDERAL, WE ARE ASSUMING WHAT'S COMING FEDERAL. >> BUT WE KNOW WHAT WE GET. >> YEAH. NOW THAT ESTHER HAS GONE FEDERAL IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 12 TO $13 MILLION. THAT'S JANUARY 24TH. BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD THAT NIGHT, THE LEADERSHIP TEAM HAS MET AND WE HAVE BROUGHT BACK IN THOSE NUMBERS OF THE CUTS THAT YOU ALL GAVE THE INDICATION ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE WILL GIVE YOU THOSE NUMBERS TOMORROW. TOMORROW NIGHT AT OUR BOARD MEETING, WE WILL ROLL THAT OUT. ASSUMING ALL IS OKAY IN THE BOARD'S EYES, ON FEBRUARY 28TH, WE WILL PRESENT A BUDGET THAT IS THE BUDGET THAT WILL BE THE BOARD'S BUDGET TO BE APPROVED TO BE SENT OVER TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR CONSIDERATION. I'M JUST TRYING TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE LARGER PICTURE. QUESTIONS? TODAY. IN NOVEMBER, MACO, THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, PUBLISHED A LETTER BASICALLY SAYING THAT MACO'S POSITION MOVING INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE SEASON WAS TO SEE INCREASED TRANSPARENCY FROM LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. IN FACT, WHEN I SAW THE LETTER, WITHIN A DAY OR TWO, I SENT AN EMAIL TO COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT GREGORY AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DANIEL HORNBERGER, AND SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? I SEE THIS IS A PROBLEM ACROSS THE STATE. I'M ASSUMING THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM IN CECIL COUNTY BECAUSE THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY INDICATION THAT THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL NEEDS THAT WE'VE NOT PROVIDED. MISS OLSON WAS CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF GOING BACK AND LISTENING TO THE FY22 BUDGET PRESENTATION TO THE COUNTY, THE FY23 PRESENTATION, AND THE FY24 PRESENTATION, ALL OF WHICH ADDED TO ABOUT FIVE HOURS OF LISTENING. SO SHE RE-LISTENED TO EVERYTHING. NOT ONCE WAS IT MENTIONED BY COUNTY COUNCIL, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE THAT WE WERE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT AND THAT THE BUDGETS WE WERE SHOWING WERE INADEQUATE. HAD THAT BEEN THE CHARGE, HAD THAT BEEN MY CHARGE RECEIVED FROM YOU ALL MY BOSSES, SO TO SPEAK I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT THE NEXT DAY. TO THINK THAT OUR ENTIRE BUDGET PROCESS HAS NOT RECEIVED THE REQUESTED FUNDING BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TRANSPARENT, IT DOESN'T STAND THE TEST OF REASON. NOBODY HAS EVER MENTIONED IT UNTIL I SENT THE LETTER TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAYING, WHAT ELSE CAN WE POSSIBLY DO FOR YOU? THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, TRANSPARENCY BECAME THE DRIVING ISSUE. THEN IT QUICKLY MORPHED INTO A LINE-BY-LINE BUDGET, AND THEN A DOCUMENT FROM 2017 WAS LOCATED, AND THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. SOMEWHERE DOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA, TOM KAPPRA, THE FORMER CFO IS CHUCKLING. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE HE AND I WERE TOGETHER WHEN THAT 2017 DOCUMENT WAS CREATED AND WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THE WAY WE WERE PRESENTING THE BUDGET WAS TOO COMPLICATED, IT SIMPLY WASN'T BEING UNDERSTOOD BY OUR CONSTITUENTS. SO WE PIVOTED AT THAT POINT AND TRIED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT THE PRESENTATIONS WOULD BE MORE EASY TO UNDERSTAND. UNDERSTANDING THE STATE BUDGET IS HARD, IT IS HARD WORK, AND TO THINK THAT WE CAN PAY ATTENTION TO THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR 30 MINUTES TWICE A YEAR, AND YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUDGET IS MAGICAL THINKING; IT'S JUST MAGICAL THINKING. THERE ARE ACCOUNTANTS WHO SPEND THEIR ENTIRE CAREERS ON THESE BUDGETS. IT IS TOO COMPLEX TO THINK THAT, [00:10:04] WELL, YOUR AVERAGE PERSON SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO EYEBALL A $260,000,000 BUDGET AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING. THAT JUST IS NOT THE WAY ACCOUNTING WORKS. THERE ARE A REASON ACCOUNTANTS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, IT'S LIKE ATTORNEYS, THEY ARE QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS WHO SPEND THEIR LIVES DEDICATED TO A FIELD. IF THE WISH OF THIS BOARD IS THAT WE PRESENT THIS IN A MORE USER-FRIENDLY FASHION, WE HAVE CERTAINLY TAKEN A STAB AT THAT, AND WE WILL SHARE THAT IN THE COMING MINUTES. BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S HARD TO TAKE THIS, THIS IS COMING FROM COUNTY LEADERS WHO HAVE NEVER FUNDED US AT AN ADEQUATE LEVEL, NOT ONCE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN TO POINT THAT THIS IS THE DRIVING ISSUE, IT'S HARD TO REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS BEING DELIVERED TO US IN GOOD FAITH. ALL THAT ASIDE, IF THE WISH IS FOR US TO PRESENT THIS IN A MORE COGENT WAY, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN. IF WHAT YOU SEE TODAY YOU DON'T THINK IS EASY ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND, WE WILL TRY TO MASSAGE WHAT WE HAVE. BUT OBVIOUS PROBLEMS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. OKAY, LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. OBVIOUS PROBLEMS DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. YOU CANNOT JUST GLANCE AT IT IN A PASSER-BY FASHION AND SAY, WELL, THIS ISN'T EASY TO UNDERSTAND. WELL, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S A VERY COMPLEX TOPIC. FOR THOSE WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GO THROUGH THESE PAGES, THIS IS THE SIMPLIFIED VERSION, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW COMPLEX THIS IS. I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU ARE PATIENT WITH US, WE WILL LISTEN, WE WILL TRY TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING WE HAVE. WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO TURN IT OVER TO MS. SOPA. >> GOOD MORNING. I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT ALTHOUGH WE'RE PRESENTING IT IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT, THAT NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT OUR BUDGET PROCESS OR HOW WE DEVELOPED THE BUDGET. SO IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LINE-BY-LINE PROCESS, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN LINE-BY-LINE DETAIL AS EVIDENCED FROM WHAT WE HAVE POSTED FOR FY24 BY REQUEST ON OUR WEBSITE. BUT THE ISSUE IS THAT IT'S NOT EASILY UNDERSTOOD. SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE THAT WAY. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> SURE. >> CAN YOU PULL UP THAT LINK ON THE FY24? IS THAT POSSIBLE? NOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN NOW. BUT AT SOME POINT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY'S SEEN IT [OVERLAPPING]. >> THEY CERTAINLY BRING UP THE HOME PAGE AND NAVIGATE RIGHT TO WHERE THE FILE IS. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. >> BECAUSE IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO READ. >> BEHIND THE SCENES AND AS SOON AS WE GET IT UP BACK HERE. >> PERFECT. YEAH. SORRY. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING IS JUST A SIMPLIFIED WAY TO VIEW THAT INFORMATION. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE HOW WE DEVELOP THE BUDGET. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A LINE-BY-LINE BUDGET. THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN DETAIL IN THE BUDGET, AND OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE AND EXPLAINABLE FOR THE PUBLIC. I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG COMPLEMENT TO THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY WALLY WILLS AND JAMES KLEINE AND MY DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY AARON [INAUDIBLE] AND BECKY ANDERSON WHO HAVE SPENT HOURS ON THIS PROJECT WHICH REALLY WAS A BIG LIFT WITHOUT THE USE OF A CONSULTANT AND AN OUTSIDE PERSON TO DO THIS WORK FOR US. >> I'LL LIKE TO ECHO WALLY WILLS, JAMES KLEINE, BECKY ANDERSON, AND AARON [INAUDIBLE], YOU MAY NOT KNOW THOSE FOUR PEOPLE, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY'RE IN ROOMS IN THIS BUILDING EVERY SINGLE DAY DOING THE HARD WORK AND THEY TEND TO BE THOSE BOOT STREET PEOPLE THAT ARE, IT'S THIS MYSTERIOUS ENIGMA, BOOT STREET PEOPLE, THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THEY DO. >> [INAUDIBLE], IS IT POSSIBLE TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION RELATED TO THAT? IT'S BEEN SAID, I'VE SEEN IN PLACES ONLINE AND SO FORTH THAT WE BEING THE BOARD, HAS NOT BEEN AS TRANSPARENT AS WE SHOULD BE REGARDING LINE ITEMS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR IN THE PAST. HAS THERE BEEN SOMETHING GIVEN TO YOU OR SOMEONE THAT SAYS WHAT THOSE ITEMS MIGHT BE OR ARE THOSE JUST NEBULOUS? >> YEAH, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY THAT. I'M ASSUMING THEY, WHOEVER ASKED ABOUT THAT WANTS TO KNOW HOW MANY CHROMEBOOKS, HOW MANY PENS, HOW MANY SOAP DISPENSERS, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. THEY'RE ALL OUT THERE. WE WILL CERTAINLY SHOW. BUT AGAIN, 80-82% OF OUR COSTS ARE PEOPLE. SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, UNLESS IT'S A SALARY, IS THAT 18% OF OTHER STUFF WE PURCHASE? DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> YEAH, IT DOES. BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S BEEN ASKED FOR THAT WE HAVE NOT GIVEN. >> NEVER. >> OKAY. I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT. THANK YOU. >> WE'RE NOT HIDING ANYTHING. I JUST WANT TO CHECK. >> IT REALLY HIDDEN. I WANT TO ASK MR. JOHNSON TO BACK OUT OF THAT JUST PIECE OF ARTWORK HE HAS UP THERE. IF YOU GO INTO THE MAIN PAGE OF CCPS, AND THEN YOU CLICK ON, OKAY, THERE IT IS. IF YOU COME IN UNDER ADMINISTRATION, YOU GO INTO BUSINESS SERVICES, AND UNDER BUSINESS SERVICES, YOU SCROLL DOWN, YOU'LL SEE BUDGET. [00:15:03] THERE THEY ARE. NOW, THEY ARE IN THE STATE REPORTING FORMAT THAT I JUST MENTIONED. BUT THEY CAN BE READ. IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. THERE IS JUST A WAY TO READ THEM. ONE THING I LEFT OUT IS THAT WHEN I GOT THE CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, JACKIE GREGORY, I IMMEDIATELY OFFERED MS. SOPA TO GO OVER AND MEET. I SAID, WE WILL SET ASIDE DAYS TO SIT IN A ROOM AND GO THROUGH THIS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO APPROVE A BUDGET WITHOUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO READ THE DOCUMENTS. NOBODY'S EVER SAID THAT. JUST ASK WHAT YOU WANT, THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF MY LETTER. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT AND WE WILL PROVIDE IT TO YOU. >> CAN I INTERJECT TO YOU FOR A SECOND? >> YEAH, WE OFFERED THE TRAINING, IT WAS NEVER TOOK US UP ON IT. >> I THINK THIS IS WHERE SOME FRUSTRATION COMES TOO, IS THAT NOT ONLY DID WE OFFER TRAINING AND NO ONE TOOK US UP ON THAT. LAST YEAR FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, DR. LAWSON AND I MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH EVERY COUNCIL PERSON. THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, JUST EVEN ONE-ON-ONE TO SAY DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? >> NEVER ONCE. >> THERE NEVER WAS. >> NOT EVEN SUGGESTED. >> NO CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THINGS MEANT, NO CONCERNS ABOUT NEEDING MORE DETAIL. THIS IS, I GUESS, A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING WHEN AT THE LAST MINUTE IT'S BEING ASKED, WE DON'T HAVE THE REPORTING STRUCTURE TO DO IT, AND NOW WE HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF STAFF HOURS, VERY LABOR-INTENSIVE TO CREATE WHAT WE SEE HERE TODAY. IS THAT CORRECT? >> OH, MY GOSH. >> YEAH. >> IF YOU OPEN ONE OF THESE UP, DR. JOHNSON, THERE'S FY24 AND THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET DETAIL, AND THERE YOU GO. THE CHALLENGE COMES WHEN YOU HAVE TO INTERPRET THESE MULTI-DIGIT LINES RIGHT THERE BECAUSE THOSE LINES HAVE PURPOSE AND THEY ARE TELLING YOU WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO READ THEM, AND MS. SOPA IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO LAY THAT OUT FOR YOU, AS WELL AS EXPLAIN ALONG WITH DR. BUCKLEY AND DR. HAMMER EXACTLY WHAT THE BUDGET DETAIL INCLUDES. DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE READY TO GO, MOVE FORWARD? OKEY-DOKEY. >> CAN I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS QUICKLY? I KNOW MR. FERNANDO BROUGHT THIS UP. SO THIS IS A DIRECT REPORT FROM OUR TYLER MUNIS SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE SAME SYSTEM THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT USES. WE HAVE A MORE UPDATED VERSION, BUT WE USE THE SAME REPORTING SYSTEM, AND BECAUSE IT DOESN'T PRODUCE THE REPORTS, THE DETAIL AND THE YEAR-OVER-YEAR AT THE SAME TIME, THEY UTILIZE AN EXTERNAL PLATFORM, CRYSTAL REPORTS WITH A CONSULTANT WHO CREATED THOSE REPORTS. THEN THESE REPORTS WE'VE CREATED IN-HOUSE HERE. YOU GET THE SAME INFORMATION, BUT IN THESE REPORTS, IT GIVES YOU THE WHOLE STRING OF THE ACCOUNT NUMBER, IT GIVES YOU THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOUNT, IT GIVES YOU THE QUANTITY AND THE UNIT COST, AND THEN IT GIVES YOU THE TOTAL AMOUNT. YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP HERE, IT HAS BOARDS, SO THIS IS THE BOARD ACCOUNT AND IF YOU SCROLL DOWN TOTAL FOR BOARD, IT TOTALS IT UP THERE. IT DOES TOTAL AND IT DOES GIVE YOU THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING ONLY WE'VE TAKEN AWAY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE IT LOOK CONFUSING AND TRIED TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL WITH SOME ADDITIONAL YEARS BECAUSE THIS DETAIL REPORT ONLY HAS THE ONE YEAR, SO WE TRIED TO PUT THE DETAIL ON A REPORT WITH SOME HISTORY SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE SOME COMPARISONS. DOES THAT HELP? THIS TAKES US TO THE FIRST DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE, WHICH IS OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS. THE FIRST CHART OF ACCOUNTS THAT WE SENT YOU, I BELIEVE FRIDAY, WE HAD JUST INCLUDED PARTS OF THE ACCOUNTS THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT IN OUR UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH, BY THE WAY, TODAY WE'RE FOCUSING ON OUR UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET. I KNOW MISS DIXON, YOU ASKED ABOUT FEDERAL REVENUE. FEDERAL REVENUE IS ALL RESTRICTED, AND SO OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY POWER TO CHANGE. THE MONEY THAT WE'RE GETTING IS THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE, SO WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS OUR UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET. OUR DEPARTMENT WENT BACK IN AND ADDED THE REST OF THE ACCOUNT INFORMATION BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A BUDGET BOOK PRODUCED, SO IT WILL INCLUDE ALL THE ACCOUNT INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED FOR REVENUE ACCOUNTS, NOT JUST EXPENSE ACCOUNTS. EVERY ACCOUNT STRUCTURE, THE ACCOUNT STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWS THE STATE STRUCTURE. IT'S NOT IDENTICAL TO THE STATE REPORTING, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO MATCH OUR ACCOUNTS TO THE STATE ACCOUNTS FOR WHEN WE DO OUR REPORTING. OTHER THAN THAT BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT WE SEND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT IS A PAPER DOCUMENT THAT GETS EMAILED, OUR STATE REPORTING IS AN UPLOAD INTO THEIR SYSTEM. WE HAVE A CROSSWALK IN TYLER MUNIS THAT LINKS OUR ACCOUNT CODES WITH THEIR ACCOUNT CODES, [00:20:03] SO WE CAN REPORT DIRECTLY INTO THE STATE SYSTEM. YOU'LL SEE EVERY ACCOUNT THAT WE HAVE IS SET UP WITH THIS STRUCTURE. WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE HERE WHICH IS A SPECIAL ED ACCOUNT. YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WHENEVER WE HAVE NEW ADMINISTRATORS OR SECRETARIES, WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU SEE AN ACCOUNT. THE FIRST TWO DIGITS, RIGHT AWAY, WILL TELL YOU WHAT FUND THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE GENERAL FUND AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND ARE THE TWO THAT WE WORK WITH THE MOST IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE GENERAL FUND IS OUR LOCAL BUDGET, AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, ANYTHING THAT STARTS WITH A 20 IS A GRANT, SO THAT WOULD BE OUR RESTRICTED FUND. TODAY, WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTS IN FUND 10, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RESTRICTED FUNDS. THE NEXT THING IS THE CATEGORY, AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET TO THE STATE CATEGORIES THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU AT THE LAST MEETING. YOU CAN SEE A PLETHORA OF STATE CATEGORIES. WE ONLY TALKED ABOUT THE OPERATING BUDGET, THE EXPENSE BUDGET CATEGORIES, BUT THERE ARE OTHER STATE CATEGORIES THAT ARE PARTS OF OTHER BUDGETS. YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THIS ACCOUNT, THE CATEGORY 06 IS SPECIAL EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM IS 04. THE PROGRAM DESCRIBES THAT THIS IS PUBLIC SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN SPECIAL ED ACCOUNTS YOU CAN HAVE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND YOU CAN HAVE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. THIS DEPARTMENT HERE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SCROLL EVERY TIME, BUT THIS DEPARTMENT IS A SPECIAL ED SUB DEPARTMENT. IT'S RELATED SERVICES. IF YOU SCROLL DOWN IN YOUR DEPARTMENT LIST, YOU CAN SEE HERE SPECIAL ED RELATED SERVICES. RELATED SERVICES ARE THINGS LIKE SPEECH PATHOLOGIST, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, PHYSICAL THERAPIST. THEN YOU CAN SEE THE DISCIPLINE, AND THE DISCIPLINE HERE IS 710, WHICH MEANS THAT'S SPEECH. NOW, BY LOOKING AT THIS, I CAN TELL THIS IS OUR LOCAL DOLLARS. IT'S A SPECIAL ED ACCOUNT, IT'S FUNDING SOMETHING IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL, IT IS A RELATED SERVICE AND IT IS SPECIFICALLY SPEECH THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THEN HERE IN THE LOCATION, LOCATION 10 IS GILPIN MANOR, SO ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS HAVE A NUMBER. NOW I CAN TELL THAT THIS IS A SPEECH THERAPIST AT GILPIN MANOR. ON TOP OF THAT, NOW I HAVE AN OBJECT WHICH IS 0208, AND THAT TELLS US WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR. WHAT IS THE EXPENSE? IS IT A SALARY? IS IT A SUPPLY? IN THIS CASE, 0208 STANDS FOR CONTRACTED SERVICE. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH OTS, PTS, SPEECH THERAPISTS THAT WE'VE HAD TO CONTRACT WITH OUTSIDE COMPANIES. NOW WHAT THIS IS TELLING ME IS THIS IS A SPEECH THERAPIST AT GILPIN MANOR AND THEY'RE NOT ONE OF OUR SPEECH THERAPISTS, THAT'S SOMEBODY WHO'S WORKING FOR AN OUTSIDE COMPANY. THEN THE 60900 IS A PROJECT. IT USED TO BE THAT PROJECTS WERE REALLY ONLY PART OF OUR RESTRICTED FUND ACCOUNTS BECAUSE THEY WOULD LINK ALL OF OUR EXPENSES WITH THAT GRANT NUMBER. BUT NOW WITH BLUEPRINT WITH ALL OF THE RULES ON HOW WE MUST ALLOCATE OUR REVENUE, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR REVENUE FROM THE STATE AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE THEM FOR THE PURPOSE INTENDED, SO 60900 IS SPECIAL ED. THAT TELLS ME THAT THIS FUNDING IS PART OF THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING EITHER STATE OR LOCAL, IT'S SPECIFICALLY MEANT FOR SPECIAL ED. THERE'S ACTUALLY A REPORTING MANUAL FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND THAT HELPS US WHENEVER WE NEED TO CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER TO IDENTIFY, ONCE WE KNOW WHAT IT IS, HOW TO NAME THE ACCOUNT, BUT IT'S A VERY SPECIFIC ACCOUNT STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE. WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IN THIS REPORT IS WE TOOK THESE LONG STRINGS OF NUMBERS OFF OF THE REPORT FOR TWO REASONS. ONE, THEY MAKE IT A LITTLE BUSY FOR YOU TO LOOK AT, BUT TWO, IT TAKES UP ROOM ON THE PAGE SO THERE'S LESS OTHER DATA THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU IN YEAR OVER YEAR IN DETAIL. BUT IN THE BACKGROUND OF EVERY ONE OF THESE ARE THESE PARTS OF THE ACCOUNTS. TODAY, IN OUR PRESENTATION AS WE'RE SHARING, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE CATEGORY IS SPECIFICALLY LISTED AND THE DEPARTMENT, AND THE OBJECT. THE OBJECT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S TELLING US WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> EXCUSE ME. I COULD JUST REDIRECT YOUR THINKING FOR A MOMENT. NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW FROM OUR EYES, IF A COUNTY OFFICIAL IS LOOKING AT A 5-600 PAGE DOCUMENT AND EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION, WELL, I THINK THAT 10 MINUTE EXPLANATION FROM MS. SOPA PROBABLY GOES A LONG WAY IN EXPLAINING HOW YOU CAN TRACK THESE CODES. IT TURNS OUT THIS IS A SPECIAL ED POSITION THAT'S RELATED TO GILPIN MANOR, SPEECH THERAPY, IT'S A CONTRACTED SERVICE SIMPLY BY LOOK. WHAT HAPPENS IS, HAVING DONE THIS FOR A WHILE, YOU START TO KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE, SO YOU CAN TELL RIGHT AWAY WHAT'S WHAT. AGAIN, HAD THE OFFER OF OURS TO SEND MS. SOPA OVER FOR A DAY, MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE HOURS BEFORE LUNCH, TO SIT DOWN WITH COUNCIL AND SAY, HERE'S HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. AT LEAST THEN THEY CAN UNDERSTAND AND LOOK AT IT, AND THEN ON THE SIDE SAY, IS IT POSSIBLE IF YOU PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER? IT'S A LITTLE MORE EASY FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND. WE CERTAINLY WOULD DO THAT. BUT AGAIN, YOU START TO QUESTION THE MOTIVES BEHIND THE APPROACH A LITTLE BIT. [00:25:05] I'LL JUST SAY IT THAT WAY. >> A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT. IF THERE WAS A HESITATION TO NOT TRUST MS. SOPA BECAUSE SHE'S AN INSIDER, COULD, AS THE COUNTY, HAVE HAD THEIR OWN ACCOUNTANT JUST LOOK AT THE CHART OF ACCOUNTS AND THEN BE ABLE TO, VERY SIMPLY, SOMEBODY THAT DOES THIS FOR A LIVING, THEY COULD HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO THAT TRANSLATION FOR THEM, CORRECT? >> I WOULD ARGUE THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT. WHY AREN'T THEY ASKING THEIR STAFF TO DO THIS, TO INTERPRET THIS INFORMATION? I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT. JUST ANOTHER SET OF EYES. >> EITHER THEIR STAFF OR AN OUTSIDER. >> WE'RE AUDITED PRIVATELY EVERY YEAR, AND WE ARE AUDITED, I BELIEVE, EVERY FIFTH YEAR THROUGH LEGISLATION, SO WE ARE SUBJECT TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AUDITS. BUT I THINK THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS, ABSOLUTELY YES. I WILL QUESTION, WHY HAVEN'T THEY DONE THAT AT A MINIMUM? JUST BRING IN THEIR STAFF AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SUBMITTING? EVEN IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO, THEN WE WOULD SERVE AS A RESOURCE. >> EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO, YOU CAN ACTUALLY HIRE AN ACCOUNTANT INVESTIGATOR. IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO DIG INTO. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THIS ALL SHOWS WHAT THEY NEED TO SEE [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE]. >> YOU SHOW ME WHERE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG AND I HAVE NEVER ONCE BACKED AWAY FROM TRYING TO FIX IT. >> YOU HAVE TWO DOCUMENTS. I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THIS ONE FIRST. THIS IS NOT THE ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE THIS ONE DOESN'T HAVE THE LEVEL OF DETAIL. BUT THE NUMBERS AND THE DATA IN THIS DOCUMENT SHOW YOU THAT FY'21 ACTUAL NUMBERS, FY'22, AND '23 ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE APPROVED FY '24 BUDGET BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF FY'24, AND BY BOARD REQUEST, THAT MEANS WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS IS YOUR BOARD REQUEST BUDGET, THAT'S HOW IT'S LABELED IN OUR SYSTEM. WE'RE AT THE BOARD LEVEL OF THE BUDGET WHERE YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, IT'S NOT AN APPROVED BUDGET. AGAIN, IT GOES BY OUR DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN BY STATE CATEGORY, AND THEN THE OBJECTS UNDER STATE CATEGORY. REMEMBER I MENTIONED 0208 IS CONTRACTED SERVICES. THIS TELLS YOU WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING. ALL THE OTHER DETAILS IS WHAT MONEY, MAYBE WHERE, WHAT THE CONTENT AREA IS. THIS TELLS YOU ACTUALLY WHAT IT IS. THE REASON THAT WE PUT THIS TOGETHER IS BECAUSE THIS GIVES YOU MORE YEAR-OVER-YEAR INFORMATION. BUT TO GET YOU THE DETAIL, WE HAD TO PUT LESS YEARS ON A PAGE SO THAT WE COULD GIVE YOU THE DETAILS SO IT COULD BE READABLE WITHOUT A MAGNIFYING GLASS. YOU CAN REFER BACK TO THIS BECAUSE THE TOTALS FOR ALL OF THE YEARS THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE DETAILED REPORT ARE THE SAME, IT JUST DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE DETAIL FOR THIS YEAR'S REQUEST. I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT. THIS IS THE DETAILED REPORT. I WILL SAY THAT WHAT YOU WERE SENT ON FRIDAY AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, THE PORTRAIT VIEW WAS A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, SO WE DID SOME REFORMATTING, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE PUT IT ON THE SCREEN HERE TO MAKE IT MORE EASILY VIEWABLE. THE PAGE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU RECEIVED ON FRIDAY, BUT YOU DO HAVE A NEW PACKET IN FRONT OF YOU. WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, AGAIN, SIMILAR TO THE LAST REPORT THAT I JUST SHOWED YOU, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH BY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE DEPARTMENTS IS HOW WE DEVELOP OUR BUDGET. EACH DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF WORKING ON THEIR BUDGETS AND SUBMITTING THEM FOR REVIEW. THE MIDDLE HERE IS THE DETAIL FOR THE FY'25 REQUEST, WE HAVE OUR FY'23 ACTUAL TOTALS, OUR FY'24 APPROVED BUDGET TOTALS, THIS IS OUR FY'25 BOARD REQUEST. REMEMBER, THIS JUST MEANS WE'RE AT THE BOARD LEVEL, AND THEN THESE ARE THE NUMBERS, THE AMOUNTS FOR THE BOARD DETAIL. THIS LINE, THIS COLUMN HERE IS ANY INCREASE OR DECREASE. THE INCREASE OR DECREASE IS BASED ON FY'24 APPROVED TO THE FY'25 REQUESTS, SO IT'LL SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENCE. KEEP IN MIND AS WE TALK ABOUT AN APARTMENT, THE TOTALS ROLL UP INTO THE DARKER LINE. FOR BOARD, THESE ARE BOARD TOTALS AND ALL THE DETAILS UNDERNEATH. FOR EACH DEPARTMENT THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, IT'LL BE BROKEN DOWN BY STATE CATEGORY. YOU CAN SEE FOR BOARD THERE ONLY IS ONE STATE CATEGORY, AND THEN UNDER EACH STATE CATEGORY, WE'LL BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE OBJECTS WITHIN THAT STATE CATEGORY. >> MS. SOPA, JUST A REMINDER TO THE BOARD THAT I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE DEFINITIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN THE STATE CATEGORIES IN YOUR PACKET. >> YEAH. >> AGAIN, UNDER ADMINISTRATION, IT WOULD BE EASY TO SEE THAT CATEGORY AND THINK IT'S ADMINISTRATORS. WELL, THERE'S A LOT IN THERE; SAFE AND SECURE SCHOOLS, TECHNOLOGY IS IN THERE, DR. BUCKLEY'S SIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION, SOME ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE IN THERE SO THERE'S A LOT. YES. GREAT. >> GOOD MORNING. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO CATEGORY 10,000, WHICH IS THE BOARD. [00:30:02] TO FOLLOW UP, FIND MY CURSOR, YOU'LL SEE HERE THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THIS CATEGORY OF $11,413, JUST TO PICK UP WHERE MS. SOPA WAS LEAVING OFF. YOU'LL SEE THE DETAIL HERE UNDERNEATH OF THE OBJECT, UNDERNEATH THE BOARD MEMBER STIPEND, THERE WAS AN INCREASE WITH TWO OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE JUST ELECTED AS WELL AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT WHO WAS ELECTED. THEIR INCREASES ARE REFLECTED HERE IN THOSE LINE ITEMS. THEN I WOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION DOWN HERE TO THIS LINE UNDER MEMBERSHIPS. AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE AN ASSORTMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE BELONG TO AS THE BOARD IN THE AREA OF ADMINISTRATION AND THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE, AND THOSE ARE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. THEY PROVIDE LEGAL INFORMATION FOR US, THEY PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR US. YOU'LL ALSO NOTE IN THERE IS THE ESMEC ENERGY PARTICIPATION. THAT'S THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND WHERE WE WORK TOGETHER WITH AN EASTERN SHORE TO SECURE THE BEST RATES FOR UTILITIES AND ELECTRICITY. THAT'S A CONSORTIUM THAT WE'RE A PART OF AND THERE ARE DUES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND ALL OF THAT IS CONTAINED UNDERNEATH OF THE BOARD. >> BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FOR '23, '24, AND '25, BUT I'M SURE WE HAD THEM. >> THEY'RE ROLLED UP. >> YOU JUST DON'T SEE THEM. [OVERLAPPING] >> THEY'RE ROLLED UP. YOU WOULD SEE THAT UNDERNEATH OF MEMBERSHIPS THEMSELVES. >> I GOT YOU. YOU JUST DIDN'T BREAK IT OUT. I GET IT. YOU HAD ALL OF THEM THEN? >> CORRECT. AS MS. SOPA HAD INDICATED, THE DETAIL IS JUST PROVIDED FOR THIS YEAR, OTHERWISE, THE SHEET WOULD BE SO ELONGATED BECAUSE OF ALL THE DATA AND INFORMATION THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. >> THIS MAY BE A GENERAL QUESTION FOR ALL MEMBERSHIP. HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED AT THESE MEMBERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, AND THE FEES WE'RE PAYING, AND THEIR VALUE VERSUS, LET'S SAY, GIFTED AND TALENTED? I STILL THINK GIFTED AND TALENTED IS AT A ZERO BUDGET REQUEST, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS, BUT I LOOKED AT IT FOR 2025. >> THAT REFLECTS SUPPLIES, SO YES. >> WHAT'S THAT? >> THAT REFLECTS SUPPLIES FOR. >> OKAY. >> YES. >> HAVE WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THESE MEMBERSHIPS AND SAID THAT THE VALUE IS THERE? LIKE LET'S SAY FOR PSSAM, THE $20,000 THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF PSSAM IS THE VALUE THERE TO MAKE THAT WORTHWHILE VERSUS CUTTING SOME PROGRAM? I KNOW THAT MAYBE IS SOMEWHERE IN HERE. THERE IT IS. THERE'S INSURANCE INVOLVED IN THAT, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US. THEREFORE, YOU ALMOST HAVE TO BE PART OF MAYBE FOR THAT REASON BECAUSE IT'S JUST BETTER TO BE PART OF THE GROUP. HOW HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THOSE, BECAUSE THAT QUESTION CAN COME UP THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE DOCUMENT FOR MEMBERSHIPS BECAUSE THERE'S ABOUT PROBABLY 30 DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEMBERSHIPS IN HERE. >> YES, IS THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. IS THERE ONE, IN PARTICULAR, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT OR JUST IN GENERAL? >> PSSAM. >> PSSAM IS A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES A TON OF SERVICES; ADVOCACY, LEGISLATIVE CONNECTIONS. IT'S A MEMBERSHIP. >> ALL 24 ARE IN PSSAM? >> ALL 24 COUNTIES ARE PART OF PSSAM. IT'S A STATE AFFILIATION THAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF CECIL WANTS TO START PULLING OUT OF THAT. IT'S OUR BELIEF THAT THAT MONEY IS WORTHWHILE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING. I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, IT TOOK ALL OF ABOUT TWO LINES FOR THESE KINDS OF QUESTIONS TO COME UP. IF THE BOARD WANTS TO ENGAGE IN THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS, YOU CAN TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME, IT'S CERTAINLY WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A VOTE PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THAT, MS. HOLLY, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THE BOARD IS VOTING ON A PACKAGE. IF YOU WANT TO TRY TO LINE ITEM, SCRATCH THROUGH. I'M NOT AWARE OF OTHER COUNTIES AND HOW THEY HANDLE THAT PROCESS, BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS STARTS TO OPEN UP WHEN WE START TO SEE $200,000 EXPENDITURE ON CHROMEBOOKS. WELL, WHY COULDN'T IT BE 140? WHY COULDN'T IT BE 80? THIS IS WHERE OUR JOB IS TO BALANCE OUT THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND GIVE YOU A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE THINK IS APPROPRIATE. >> I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO [OVERLAPPING] >> IT'S REALLY A LARGER ISSUE [OVERLAPPING] >>I THINK REALLY THE LARGER ISSUE IS THE LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT VERSUS TRUSTING OUR EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS TO DO THIS, AND TO DO THIS FINE TOOTH CUTTING. WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, I SAW A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE CUT THAT I WOULDN'T WANT CUT. I THINK IT SHOWS THAT THE LEADERSHIP TEAM STAFF HAVE DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN GOING THROUGH WITH A FINE TOOTHCOMB AND REDUCING LINE ITEMS THROUGHOUT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AT SOME POINT AS A BOARD MEMBER, YOU CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO DO THIS FINE TOOTH LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE DETAIL WHEN WE HAVE EXPERIENCED QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS TO DO THIS JOB. [00:35:05] >> I'D SAY THAT'S THE HARD PART. [OVERLAPPING] THAT IS THE HARD PART BECAUSE I THINK IT'D BE VERY EASY TO SPEND 24 HOURS IN HERE SAYING, LET'S CONTRACT THE SERVICES, LIKE WHAT DO WE DO BEFORE BOARD DOCS? WE CAN ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IN '19 THERE WASN'T A CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR BOARD DOCS. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE DID, IT COST US $12,000, SO WHY IS BOARD DOCKS WORTH $12,000? I'M ASSUMING IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, THERE'S A LOT MORE LABOR THAT GOES INVOLVED IN BEING IN BOARD DOCS, AND YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH ALL THOSE QUESTIONS. I THINK WE COULD SPEND A BETTER PART OF A YEAR ASKING THESE TYPES OF QUESTIONS, THESE TYPES OF DETAILS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHEN REALLY THESE TYPES OF QUESTIONS ARE ONLY 17% OF THE BUDGET. THE BIGGER QUESTION IS ITS POSITIONS, ITS PEOPLE. THAT IS THE BULK OF THE BUDGET. WHEN YOU MAKE THESE BUDGET DEBT CUTS, I KNOW THEY ADD UP, BUT REALLY IT'S A TERM OF THE LABOR THAT GOES INTO IF THESE THINGS DIDN'T EXIST, WE WOULD BE SPENDING MORE TIME AND NEEDING MORE PEOPLE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> YEAH. >> IF I MAY PICK UP ON THAT POINT, MS. HOLLY, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT ON THE FIRST 50-60 PAGES OF THIS ARE THAT 17% OF THE BUDGET. THEN MS. SOPA WILL COME IN AND SHE WILL SPEAK TO THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES. THAT'S THE 80% PIECE OF THE PIE THAT WE PRESENTED AND SHARED WITH YOU AT THE LAST BUDGET. EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND, IT ONLY TOTALS ABOUT 17-20% OF OUR OVERALL TOTAL BUDGET. WE DO GO THROUGH THIS WITH A FINE TOOTHCOMB EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND WE MAKE THOSE CRITICAL DECISIONS. THE SECOND CATEGORY I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO IS 20,000 AND THAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS A REDUCTION HERE OF CLOSE TO $10,000 OVER HERE IN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN. WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP EXPENSES AND OUR EDUCATION LEADERSHIP COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND WE WILL BE SCALING BACK THAT PROCESS AS WE MOVE INTO THE SUMMER TIME. ALSO, I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO, IF I CAN FIND IT, HANG ON. HERE ON THIS LINE ITEM RIGHT HERE, 0361 YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SENSITIVE ITEMS TRACKABLE THROUGHOUT THIS DOCUMENT AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT REFERS TO IS IT'S ANY ITEM THAT'S TYPICALLY PRICED OVER $5,000 IT WILL RECEIVE A BARCODE, AND A BARCODE GOES ON THE BOTTOM OF IT. NOW OUR LAPTOPS, AND OUR DESKTOPS AND OUR CHROMEBOOKS DON'T NECESSARILY EXCEED $5,000 IN COST BUT THEY'RE WALKABLE, MEANING THAT SOMEONE CAN WALK IN, PICK IT UP, AND TAKE IT OUT AND THEY'RE DESIRABLE, PEOPLE WANT THEM. I CAN WALK IN, I CAN TAKE THAT DEVICE, AND IT'S GONE SO WE TRACK THOSE. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PEPPERED THROUGHOUT OUR PRESENTATION TODAY. SENSITIVE ITEMS TRACKABLE AND IT'LL BE 0361, THAT CATEGORY THAT BASICALLY WE'LL BE REFERRING TO TECHNOLOGY AND THAT WILL BE THE REDUCTION IN THE REPLACEMENT OF LAPTOPS, CHROMEBOOKS, DESKTOPS THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM. OUR LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS TYPICALLY HAVE A LIFESPAN OF 5-6 YEARS DEPENDING AND SO THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN CUT, BUT THEY'RE AT OR NEAR THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE FOR OUR PURPOSES SO YOU WILL SEE THAT REFLECTED THROUGHOUT HERE. WHEN YOU GET INTO MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND YOU START TO SEE SENSITIVE ITEMS INTRACTABLE, THAT COULD BE TRACTORS, THAT COULD BE SNOW PLOWS, THAT COULD BE BACKPACK BLOWERS, THAT COULD BE HAND TOOLS AND OTHER THINGS, AGAIN, THAT ARE DESIRABLE AND THAT PEOPLE CAN PICK UP AND WALK OUT WITH AND WE PUT BARCODES ON THOSE AND WE TRACK THOSE. WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH OUR FIXED ASSETS INVENTORY, WHERE WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE GOING OUT AND SCANNING THOSE DEVICES TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT AND ITS LOCATION. >> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT EQUIPMENT IS A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT ANYTHING OVER $5,000 IS BARCODED AND IT'S AN EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT AND THEN THESE THINGS ARE IN THE SENSITIVE ITEMS, TRACKABLE ACCOUNT BECAUSE THEY DON'T EXCEED $5,000 BUT THEY'RE STILL BARCODED. >> THE NEXT AREA IS IN ADMINISTRATION AREA 3,000 AND AGAIN YOU'LL SEE A REDUCTION HERE OF 31,000 THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE REDUCTION OF RIGHT HERE IN A CONTRACTED SERVICE LINE ITEM SO IT WOULD BE $35,000 LESS THERE, OTHERWISE, THAT AREA OF OUR BUDGET IS FLAT. >> WHAT IS THAT LINE [INAUDIBLE] >> THAT IS ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE DUTY DAY THAT DOLLARS ARE SPENT FOR [OVERLAPPING] >> I BELIEVE THAT'S SATURDAY BEFORE AND SUMMER. >> CORRECT, SO ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE TYPICAL DUTY DAY IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND THOSE. IN CATEGORY 30,100 HR AND BENEFITS. [00:40:04] AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE HERE OF $7,400 THAT REFLECTS BASICALLY EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HR, SO THAT WILL BE AN INCREASE IN CONTRACTED SERVICES, THE BIGGEST ONE THAT YOU'LL NOTE IN THIS AREA IS THE TIME TO CARE ACT, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE TOP OF PAGE 3 AND SO THE TIME TO CARE ACT, WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A CONSORTIUM WITH MAYBE ALONG WITH ALL COUNTIES, ALL OTHER LEA'S MOST MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND SO THAT IS OUR INITIAL INVESTMENT IN THAT NEW LEGISLATIVE ACT WHERE WE WILL BE CONTRIBUTING $12,500 AGAIN BY JOINING IN IN A LARGER CONSORTIUM WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR US ON THE LONG END OF THAT, AS WELL AS SAVING US PERSONNEL BECAUSE THEY WILL MANAGE THAT PROGRAM FOR US. THEN YOU'LL SEE IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, RECRUITMENT OF OUR TEACHERS, RECRUITMENT OF OUR STAFF ARE ALSO THERE AS WELL. AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 3, YOU WILL SEE THE NEXT CATEGORY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. THIS CATEGORY IS LENGTHY SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES THAT ARE IN HERE, IN OUR AREA OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW SO IT'S SLIGHTLY, MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT PAGE, YOU WILL SEE A DECREASE HERE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS AT THE TOP OF PAGE 4, THESE ITEMS ARE ALL COMING BACK FROM ESSER SO THOSE ITEMS, WHICH TOTALED $213,500 WERE PREVIOUSLY IN ESSER AND THESE ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE FUNCTIONALITY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR SCHOOLS AND THE OPERATING SYSTEMS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS SO YOU WILL SEE THAT THESE ITEMS TOTALING $213,000 ARE COMING BACK INTO THIS BUDGET BUT YET, OVERALL, THERE'S A NET REDUCTION OF 221,000 SO WE HAD TO CUT OTHER ITEMS THROUGHOUT THERE IN ORDER TO BRING THIS BACK IN. THIS INCLUDES OUR SOFTWARE LICENSING AND CONTRACTED SERVICE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER THINGS. >> 0267 SHOWED A BIG INCREASE 0208 SHOWED A DECREASE THEY SOMEWHAT OFFSET EACH OTHER. >>CORRECT. >> JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING WENT OUT OF CONTRACTOR SERVICES TO BE IN SOFTWARE OR AM I READING THAT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM CORRECTLY OR NO? >> WE REDUCED IN CATEGORY SO THAT WAS THE $41,000 REDUCTION IN CONTRACTED SERVICES THERE. I DON'T HAVE THAT ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. >>THE ONE WENT UP [INAUDIBLE] >> WE HAVE SOME SERVICES WE CANNOT REVIEW AND DO AWAY BUT THE INCREASE IN SOFTWARE LICENSES THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT CAME BACK WITH ESSER TWO CATEGORIES ALTOGETHER. SOME THINGS WERE REDUCED IN THAT SERVICE LINE BECAUSE SOME OF THE NEW EQUIPMENT, WE'RE PLANNING ON PURCHASING COMES WITH NEW SERVICES, SO WE REALLY NEED TO EXTEND THAT [OVERLAPPING] >> CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE THAT MR. RICKANSRUD? >> LIKE OUR FIREWALLS AND LIKE WE JUST REPLACED OUR FIREWALLS AND WITH THE FIREWALL COMES SERVICES BAKED IN, LIKE [INAUDIBLE] WHERE WE EXTENDED THE LIFE OF OUR PREVIOUS FIREWALLS, WE HAD TO PAY FOR SERVICE ON TOP OF THAT SO BY REPLACING, WE GOT A NEW SERIES OF SERVICES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR BECAUSE ALL DEBATED THE COST OF THE NEW SERVICE. >> IS THE BOARD CLEAR ON WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMING BACK FROM ESSER? >> YEAH. >> THESE ARE MATERIALS THAT WERE PAID FOR OUT OF FEDERAL GRANTS LAST YEAR, WHICH WE BELIEVE MUST STAY IN THE SYSTEM, SO NOW THEY HAVE TO COME BACK INTO THE UNRESTRICTED. >> AN OVERALL, MAYBE BIGGER QUESTION TO THAT IS IF YOU LOOK BACK A LOT IN 21, THERE'S SOME EXPENSES, ESPECIALLY IN TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE THAT WERE LOWER, THAT ARE HIGHER TODAY, I ASSUME THINGS THAT HAD TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF LEARNING FROM HOME AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THERE. >> BUT A LOT OF OUR BUDGET GOT MOVED INTO ESSER SO THEREFORE REDUCE OUR GLOBAL COSTS, SO WE MOVED A LOT OF THAT MONEY IN THERE AND THAT'S KIND OF A FIGURE WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD COME BACK FROM ESSER. >> ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO PUT INTO PLACE SINCE COVID TECHNOLOGY WISE THAT WE'RE KEEPING BECAUSE WE NEED IT THAT ARE COSTING US MORE MONEY TODAY THAN PRIOR COVID THAT'S IN A LOT OF THESE. >> THAT IS SOMETHING DONE SPECIFICALLY [OVERLAPPING] SCHOOL FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE WE ONLY HAD IT AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL WHEN COVID EXPANDED THAT SCHOOL DESCRIPTION TO COVER ALL OF OUR SCHOOL OR MOST OF OUR GRADE LEVELS LIKE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO GRADE 1 AND THEN WE APPLIED LIKE SEESAW FROM LITTLE GUY. THE OTHER THING WHAT WE DID IS WE INCREASED OUR APP PRESENCE, OUR ONLINE PRESENCE YOU'LL SEE THAT KIND OF REFLECTED HERE IN THE WEBSITE AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS, [00:45:01] THAT LINE IS A LITTLE HIGHER BECAUSE AT ONE POINT ALL WE HAD WAS A WEBSITE, WELL, NOW OUR MASS COMMUNICATION, WE CHANGE. WE HAVE A CCPS APP, SO THOSE THINGS HAVE GAINED TRACTION DURING THAT COVID TIME THAT HAS BECOME A SERVICE THAT OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ENJOY SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO BACKTRACK ON THAT. IF THAT MAKES SENSE. THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE SWIFT K12 APPLICATION THAT WE SEND OUT, OUR DIGITAL REPORT CARDS. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT UNTIL COVID CAME BECAUSE HOW ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO PRINT AND SEND HOME? WELL, NOW WE'RE KEEPING THAT PLATFORM BECAUSE THE CONVENIENCE AND AGAIN OUR COMMUNITIES ENJOY THAT. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF FLOATING IN THERE THAT KIND OF, YOU'LL SEE COMING BACK FROM ESSER THAT WE PAID FOR THAT WE'RE NOT REMOVING. ZOOM IS ANOTHER BIG ONE TOO BY THE WAY. WE ZOOMED A LOT, WE ZOOMED IT. WE HAD TO PROVIDE A REALLY GOOD PLATFORM AND NOW IT'S BECOME SUCH INTEGRAL IN PROVIDING SOME OF THOSE EXTENSION KIND OF THINGS THAT WE'RE KEEPING THAT LICENSING ON BOARD. >> IS CYBERSECURITY BAKED INTO ALL OF THIS AS WELL? CYBERSECURITY HAVE WE HAD TO INCREASE COSTS IN CYBERSECURITY? >> WE ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL CONSULTING FEES TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS FROM OUR AUDITS YES. >> WE HAVE ADDED A COUPLE OF SMALL THINGS, MULTI FACTOR AUTHENTICATION FOR ALL OF OUR EMAIL ACCOUNTS AND SO FORTH BUT THAT CONTINUES TO BE A PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO FACE AND WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THAT RIGHT NOW, AS ARE MANY LEA'S AND PEOPLE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> CAN I SAY SOMETHING? >> I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF COVID THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL TO STAY. IT WAS SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP AND SO THEREFORE OUR COSTS HAVE GONE UP SINCE THEN BECAUSE OF THAT AND NOT THAT COVID IS EXCUSE, BUT COVID DID PUT US IN WHERE WE CHANGED THE WAY WE DID SOME THINGS AND THOSE WAYS NEED TO STAY OR AT LEAST BENEFICIAL TO STAY, [OVERLAPPING] IMPROVED OUR FUNCTIONALITY. >> IT IMPROVED OUR FUNCTIONALITY AND COMMUNICATION CAPACITY WITH OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS. >> I HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT ON THAT TOO. IT WASN'T LIKE SOME OF THE COSTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, COVID AND PRE-ESSER AND NOW WE ROLL OFF OF ESSER. IT WASN'T LIKE THIS WASN'T FORECAST TO BEGIN WITH TO PEOPLE WHO NEED TO KNOW. THE RED LIGHT WAS BLINKING ON THE DASHBOARD FOR A WHILE. NOW, THIS IS NOT NEW, RIGHT? >> I WOULD SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE THOSE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS, TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, TO BE ABLE TO SEND OUT REPORT CARDS ELECTRONICALLY, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THOSE YEAR OVER YEAR. BUT THEN WHEN WE WOULD GET TO THE TABLE, IT WAS, ARE WE GOING TO REPLACE THE EQUIPMENT AND MACHINES OR ARE WE GOING TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION AND DO THAT? WE'VE BEEN IN A POSITION RECENTLY WHERE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO BOTH. WE HAD TO MAKE A VALUE DECISION AS TO WHICH WAS MORE IMPORTANT. WAS IT DEVICES FOR STUDENTS, WAS IT NETWORK TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND DO THOSE THINGS OR WAS IT TO NOT FUND THOSE AND THEN TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE IN PLACE? YES, THE ESSER FUNDING ALLOWED US TO PUT SOME OTHER THINGS IN PLACE THAT WERE A NECESSITY, AND WE'VE ELECTED TO KEEP THOSE BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THE VALUE ADDED WITH THOSE, AND WE HEAR THAT FROM OUR TEACHERS, FROM OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES. >> IF SOMEONE WERE TO SAY THAT WE WEREN'T PREPARED TO COME OFF OF COVID, BASED ON SOME OF THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT? >> LET ME HANDLE THAT ONE. COMING OFF OF COVID, AS IT'S PUT, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE COUNTY'S FUND BALANCE IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE OF COVID, BECAUSE WE WERE ARTIFICIALLY SUPPORTED THROUGH FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS AND IT ALLOWED THEM TO UNDERFUND US. I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR EFFORT WITH COVID RELIEF MONEY FOCUSED STRICTLY ON PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH ADULT SUPPORTS. IF YOU LOOK AT HOW WE SPENT OUR COVID MONEY DISPROPORTIONATELY, WE INVESTED IN PEOPLE AND WE INVESTED IN POSITIONS THAT WOULD SUPPORT STUDENTS, AND THERE'S MANY COUNTIES THAT TOOK THAT APPROACH. YES, WE CERTAINLY AUGMENTED OUR TECHNOLOGY. WE SPENT A CHUNK ON STUDENT SAFETY WITH SOME OF THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS, BUT BY AND LARGE, THIS IS WHERE WE FUNDED A LOT OF OUR STUDENT SUPPORT CENTERS, AND WE PUT EXTRA TEACHERS AND BUILDINGS TO SUPPORT CLASS SIZES. AGAIN, IT DID BUFFER SOME OF THE LACK OF FUNDING WE RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY LEVEL. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> IT DOES. THANK YOU. >> I WANTED TO ADDRESS MR. FERNANDO YOUR QUESTION WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE YEAR-OVER-YEAR, LOOKING AT THE FY-'21 ACTUAL, KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT YEAR TO YEAR AND SOME OF THOSE YEARS, THE '21, '20, '23, THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THINGS THAT ARE FUNDED IN ESSER. WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS JUST THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE BUDGET AND WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING THOSE, WE'LL HAVE A HOLE BINDER FOR YOU THAT WILL INCLUDE YOUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE, THE RESTRICTED BUDGET, AND THEN THE TOTAL. WHEN YOU SEE THE TOTAL, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S NOT SUCH A HUGE DISCREPANCY. WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW FROM '21 TILL NOW IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THINGS THAT WERE FUNDED IN [00:50:01] THE RESTRICTED BUDGET THAT ARE NOW COMING BACK. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALL THESE THINGS WE'VE ADDED, THERE ARE THINGS WE'RE PAYING FOR A DIFFERENT WAY. DOES THAT HELP? >> YEAH, IT DOES SOME. I WAS TRYING TO GET TO I GUESS AN OVERALL QUESTION OF WHERE THERE'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL OF SOFTWARE LICENSE INCREASES FROM '24-'25. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT COMES FROM. IT'S A NECESSITY FOR FIREWALL PROTECTION, IT'S A NECESSITY FOR JUST TO GENERALIZED, IF YOU LOOK THROUGH, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST INCREASED LINES THAT I NOTICED WITH SOFTWARE LICENSE. I ASSUME THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE CHANGING HOW WE DO BUSINESS AS A SYSTEM WITH A LOT MORE ONLINE. >> OR BECAUSE IT WAS PAID FOR IN ESSER AND NOW IT'S BEING PAID FOR IN OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. >> THAT IS IF IT'S UP THERE, IT WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE IN ESSER IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? >> NOT NECESSARY. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET WERE ALWAYS IN THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET AND SOME ARE COMING BACK. THE TECHNOLOGY WHEN THEY ENTERED THEIRS, THEY ACTUALLY PUT FROM ESSER FOR A LOT OF THEIR LINES, NOT EVERYONE ELSE DID THAT. IT'S KIND OF A POINT OF GOING BACK TO, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE OUR BUDGET THIS WAY, BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN PRODUCED FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION IN THIS WAY. WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR STAFF MEMBERS TOO ON HOW THEY ENTER THE DETAIL SO THAT IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE AND IT'S COMPARABLE FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT. BUT A LOT OF THE INCREASES THAT YOU'RE SEEING ARE BECAUSE WE PAID FOR IT LAST YEAR. WE JUST PAID FOR IT IN THE RESTRICTED BUDGET. >> AT THE SAME TIME OVER HERE YOU HAVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE RECENT LEGISLATIVE AUDIT. THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF INFORMATION IN THAT AUDIT THAT WAS REDACTED. IT WAS ALL REDACTED BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR SENSITIVE INFORMATION BEING SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AS IT RELATES TO DATA SECURITY. WHAT WAS REDACTED HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SPENDING, IT HAD TO DO WITH DATA SECURITY. AT THE SAME TIME, OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS INVESTIGATING WAYS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN THE AUDIT. YOU HAVE ESSER MOVEMENT AND YOU HAVE TRYING TO INCREASE THE DATA SECURITY OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BOTH PUSHING AND INFLUENCING THIS PART OF THE BUDGET. >> YOU FEEL YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS IN THERE TO ADDRESS EFFECTIVELY DATA SECURITY? I SAY THAT BECAUSE I LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S [INAUDIBLE] AND THERE'S $5,000,000 ASSIGNED FOR CYBERSECURITY. >> I WILL SAY NO JUDGED. I ADD ONE MORE THING, IS THAT ALL OF THE CONTRACT RENEWALS FOR SOFTWARE USUALLY HAVE A YEAR-OVER-YEAR UPLIFT TO THEM, AND THAT'S STANDARD WITH EVERYTHING IN OTHER WORDS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS, WHAT YOU START WITH, THERE'S ALWAYS LIKE SOME CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE OVER TIME. >> I THINK UPLIFT MEANS MORE EXPENSIVE. >> YES. THE PRICES INCREASE OVER TIME, SO YOU HAVE TO FACTOR THAT IN. THAT ALSO CAN BE CONSIDERED OVER THAT THREE OR FOUR YEARS. >> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PAGE 5 NOW. AGAIN, YOU WILL SEE HERE THIS IS CONTINUING UNDERNEATH THE SOFTWARE LICENSE UNTIL WE GET TO THE AREA 02, AND THEN WE START TO TALK ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP. YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE THERE. THAT'S GOING TO BE PRIMARILY TIED TO THE SENSITIVE ITEMS AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A REFRESHMENT OF DESKTOPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AREA. YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT NUMBER THERE TOTAL $76,000, ALMOST $77,000 REDUCTION OF DESKTOPS AND SO FORTH FOR OUR STAFF. WHAT IS ALSO CAPTURED HERE ARE TELEPHONES. WHILE WE DO HAVE VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL SERVICE, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT LINE ITEM RIGHT HERE, WE ALSO HAVE POTS LINES. POTS LINES ARE WHAT WE REFER TO AS JUST OUR PLAIN OLD TELEPHONE LINES. THOSE LINES ARE REQUIRED FOR OUR FAX MACHINES, OUR ELEVATORS, OUR FIRE ANNUNCIATOR PANELS AND SO FORTH SO THAT CALLS CAN GO OUT ON THOSE LINES. NEXT WE MOVE INTO 03, INSTRUCTION SALARIES AND WAGES. AGAIN, A REDUCTION HERE OF $50,000 ARE BEING CUT FROM THAT LINE ITEM. THEN WE MOVE INTO 04, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. AGAIN, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IN HERE IT'S GOING TO BE REFLECTED IN OTHER, LET ME GO BACK UP, IT JUMPED ON ME, AN OVERALL NET REDUCTION THERE. THEN YOU WILL FIND IN THE NEXT CATEGORY, AGAIN, WE SEE ITEMS COMING BACK FROM ESSER. ALL OF THESE ITEMS HERE ARE COMING BACK FROM ESSER. THOSE ITEMS TOTAL $323,500. AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT CATEGORY OF $385,000 HERE AT THE TOP, KEEPING IN MIND THAT $323,000 ARE COMING BACK FROM ESSER. THAT MEANS THAT ITEMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY THERE, UNDERNEATH THE SOFTWARE LICENSE OR SOMEWHERE HAVE BEEN CUT FROM THERE. [00:55:01] ALSO AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A COUNTY PURCHASE FOR $120,000, AND THAT IS A SCHOOL SERVER. YOU'VE $323,000 COMING BACK FROM ESSER AND YOU'VE GOT $120,000 SCHOOL SERVER THAT IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. YOU'LL SEE THAT ON THE TOP OF PAGE 7. YOU'LL SEE THAT LOCATED RIGHT HERE. >> CAN I ASK JUST A QUICK QUESTION, GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT. IF WE'RE NOT UPDATING OUR TEACHERS LAPTOPS AND COMPUTERS, HOW MANY YEARS CAN WE GO WITHOUT DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK IN THE BUDGET? >> CORRECT. TYPICALLY THEY'LL LAST 5-6 YEARS, DEPENDS ON WHAT THE OPERATING SYSTEM IS. >> WE'RE SKIPPING THIS YEAR? >> WE'RE SCALING BACK THIS YEAR ON MANY OF OUR ITEMS. WE CAN GET THAT DETAIL FOR HOW MANY WERE REQUESTED OR HOW MANY ARE AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE AND THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY REQUESTING. WE HAVE THAT DATA, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT, WE CAN HAVE THAT FOR YOU. >> IS THIS JUST PUTTING US BASICALLY IN THE HOLE FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR? >> SIR, KICKING THEN STARING DOWN. >> CORRECT. WE'RE PUNTING. >> BUT JACTOR LAWSON. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH TEACHERS AND PARENTS GETTING 3.75% RAISES. PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG, I THINK THEY NEED THEM. BUT DIDN'T YOU TELL US AT THE LAST MEETING THAT ONE REASON WE'RE SO TIGHT RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE RAISES? >> SALARIES THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS AND FOR THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS ARE GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR SURE. THAT'S DRIVING A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. >> WHEN WE CAN'T BUY THE CHROMEBOOKS THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY DO HAVE SOME LIFE EXPECTANCY SO THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT GIVEN THE BIG RAISES, NOTE THAT THAT'S GOING TO CATCH UP. WE WILL CATCH UP IN SOME AREAS? >> BUT THAT IS GOING TO CARRY OVER THE ONES THAT WE'RE NOT DOING NOW AND THE ONES WE'RE NOT DOING NEXT YEAR. JUST MEANS WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE THEN. THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE OUT OF LIFE. THEIR LIFE IS DONE NOW. BY NOT REPLACING THOSE NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE MORE THAT ARE NOT SURVIVING. IT'S REALLY, WE'RE JUST PUSHING IT DOWN THE ROAD JUST LIKE WE HAVE WITH A LOT OF OUR MAINTENANCE THAT WE'VE HAD TO DO, AND WE JUST KEEP PUSHING IT DOWN. >> OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE CREATED A TIMELINE WHERE WE WILL PURCHASE X NUMBER OF MACHINES EVERY YEAR KNOWING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE CYCLING OUT. TO MISS HEATH'S POINT, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS INSTEAD OF PURCHASING 200, WE PURCHASE 125 THIS YEAR. NEXT YEAR IT'S ANOTHER 200 PLUS THE 75. IF THE FUNDING IS THERE FOR THAT, THEN WE ORDER 275. IF NOT, SO IT IS A EXPONENTIAL INCREASE REPLACING THOSE. >> RIGHT AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION, I WANT TO SAY IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 2016, SO A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG, BUT THE DECISION WAS MADE BY THE THEN BOARD TO PURCHASE A LEASE AND GET A LOAN FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA, I BELIEVE, FOR FOUR YEARS TO BUY TECHNOLOGY OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD. I THINK AS THE CASE IS WITH ANY LOAN, IT SOUNDS ATTRACTIVE TODAY WHEN YOU GET THAT MONEY, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU END UP MAKING, I WANT TO SAY, IT WAS A $2 MILLION LOAN, SO WE PAID $500,000 A YEAR FOR FOUR YEARS. WHILE IT MIGHT SCRATCH AN IMMEDIATE ITCH LONG-TERM, IT ALWAYS PUTS YOU BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT. >> AGAIN IN 07, 08, 09, THOSE AGAIN REFLECT THAT WE WILL NOT BE REPLACING MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT. IN CATEGORY 10, OPERATIONAL PLANT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S THE ADDITION OF GENERAL ASSISTANT HOURS AND GENERAL ASSISTANT DAYS. OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WITH ALL THE MATERIAL WITH AGING EQUIPMENT, IT REQUIRES MORE TIME WORKING ON AND DEALING WITH EQUIPMENT THAT'S BREAKING DOWN TO INCLUDE OUR SMART BOARDS AND DOCUMENT CAMERAS AS WELL AS OUR LAPTOPS AND OUR DESKTOPS AS WELL SO WE'VE INCREASED THE HOURS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED THERE. IN THE AREA OF CONTRACTED SERVICES RIGHT HERE, 0208, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT IS FLAT. AS WE MOVE INTO THE FOLLOWING YEAR, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE DETAIL THAT'S THERE. IT'S A LOT OF OUR FIBER AND INTERNET, AS WELL AS OUR PRINTER SERVICES. THEN OUR REPAIR EQUIPMENT, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'VE GOT AGREEMENTS IN THERE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE ON OUR MACHINES. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO COME IN FLAT. THEN AS WE JUMP TO THE FOLLOWING PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS THE REPLACEMENT OF PHONES DOWN HERE. THIS WAS AN AREA, ALL OF THESE ITEMS HERE, THAT IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE AND ALL OF THAT. [01:00:01] WE INCREASED SOME OF THE VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE. WE HAD TO REPLACE SOME CIRCUITRY AS WELL AS SERVICE TO THOSE. OUR LONG DISTANCE SERVICES IN HERE, BUT OUR CELL PHONES ARE ALSO IN HERE. AS I MENTIONED AT OUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, THE CELL PHONES, BASICALLY ALL OF OUR PEOPLE, PERSONNEL WORKERS HAVE ONE OF THOSE. OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS FOLKS HAVE THOSE SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE AND RECEIVE ON TIME INFORMATION IN RELATION TO A STUDENT IN RELATION TO A NEED AT A BUILDING SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT. BASICALLY OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATION, WE CAN CONTACT 24/7 IF THERE'S A NEED IN A BUILDING IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND. THEN AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE HERE IN THE AREA OF MAINTENANCE OF PLANT SENSITIVITY ITEMS AND CAPITAL OUTLAY MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT THAT WILL NOT BE REPLACED IN THOSE AREAS THIS TIME. DR. HAMMER. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUICK UPDATE FOR ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT. IN THIS DEPARTMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THIS AREA. AGAIN, OUR SAT, AS WELL AS OUR POWER SCHOOL COSTS IN OUR NWEA, WHICH IS OUR SCREENING ASSESSMENT TOOL THAT WE USE, ARE ALL RETURNING TO OUR OPERATING BUDGET FROM ESO AT THIS POINT. THOSE REALLY ARE THE ONLY ITEMS IN THE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. ANY QUESTIONS? BACK TO SAFE SCHOOLS, DR. BUCKLEY. >> FIND IT HERE. THERE IT IS. IN THE AREA OF SAFE SCHOOLS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE HERE OF $712,000. IT'S AN ACTUAL INCREASE OF $12,000 WITH $700,000 OF THAT BEING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMERA REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. WE HAD PRESENTED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO REPLACE THOSE CAMERAS THAT HAVE AGED OUT. THEY'VE BEEN IN OUR BUILDINGS FOR 10 YEARS OR OR MORE. THEY HAVE AGED OUT. WHILE THEY ARE STILL FUNCTIONING, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS FUNCTIONING AND THERE HAVE BEEN PERIODS OF TIME WHERE WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO COVER AND SEE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF THERE. THAT $700,000 WAS ADDED BACK IN. I BELIEVE THAT'S ON THE NEXT LINE HERE. YOU'LL SEE IT RIGHT HERE, MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMERAS FOR $700,000. >> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT. IS THIS A ONE TIME COST OR DO THESE NEEDS TO BE REFRESHED EVERY YEAR? >> EVERY 10 YEARS OR SO. JUST AS OUR LAPTOPS AND CHROMEBOOKS AND SUCH HAVE A 5-6 YEAR LIFESPAN, THEY HAVE ANYWHERE BETWEEN AN 8-12 YEAR LIFESPAN. IT'S GOING TO DEPEND UPON THE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S GOING TO DEPEND UPON THE EQUIPMENT. BUT YES, THEY DO HAVE A LIFESPAN. THIS YEAR IT'S THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AS WE ROLL FORWARD INTO SUBSEQUENT YEARS, WE'LL START TO REPLACE SOME OF OUR ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY ALL CAME ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THEM VARIES IN THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE THAT IT HAS. >> IS THAT THE REASONING FOR HAVING IT IN OPERATING VERSUS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS EVEN A SMALL CAP REQUEST. I KNOW IT NEEDS IT, BUT. >> I WOULD SAY IT DOESN'T BELONG IN SMALL CAP BECAUSE WE'RE NOT UPDATING A BUILDING. I MEAN IT'S A CAMERA EQUIPMENT, SO I WOULD SAY THAT [OVERLAPPING] >> BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE OUTSIDE OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET. IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE NON-RECURRING. >> IT'S NON-RECURRING. >> IT'S NON-RECURRING BECAUSE IF YOU REPLACE THEM THIS YEAR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPLACE THEM NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR. IT COULD BE A SEPARATE NON-RECURRING COST, BUT NOT A SMALL CAPITAL COST. >> THANK YOU. I'M JUST THINKING OF THINGS SUCH AS THIS THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE PULLED OUT OF OPERATING AND BE A SEPARATE REQUEST. THE CONCERN OF MAINTAINING A MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT NUMBER ISN'T QUITE AS HIGH, BUT IT COULD STILL GET FUNDED. BUT THAT IS ALSO UPON APPROVAL BY COUNTY. >> CORRECT. >> CORRECT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH SAFE SCHOOLS? DR. HAMMER, ED SERVICES. >> HOLD ON, I HAVE A QUESTION. SORRY. I WOULD LOVE TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA INFORMATION ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE USE THERE LIKE RAPTOR AND THE 360, JUST TO SEE IF WE THINK THEY'RE WORTH WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THEM. >> WOULD YOU LIKE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT THEY ARE? >> I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. [OVERLAPPING] >> BARK TECHNOLOGIES, THAT SCRUBS OUR EMAILS AND OUR DOCUMENTS. ANYTHING THAT'S WRITTEN, IF THERE'S INFLAMMATORY AND, [01:05:01] OR THREATENING LANGUAGE OR ANYTHING THAT'S IN THERE, WE WILL GET AN ALERT. IT SCRUBS OUR EMAILS AND OUR DOCUMENTS, AND FOR STUDENTS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM. NAVIGATE360, THAT IS OUR ALICE. ANY OF OUR ALICE TRAINING COMES OUT OF NAVIGATE360. RAPTOR IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, WHERE WHENEVER VISITORS COME IN, THEY HAVE TO DROP THEIR LICENSE. THE SCAN IS CONDUCTED AND A BADGE IS PRINTED FOR THEM SO THAT WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ALLOWED WITHIN BUILDINGS OR NOT. THAT WAS A PRACTICE THAT WE WENT TO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE DOING, SECRETARIES, IT WAS A LOT OF TIME EXPENDED. NOW WITH THAT SYSTEM, IT JUST CHECKS THEM AUTOMATICALLY FOR US. ALERT US, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT LINE ITEM THERE, UNDER SOFTWARE LICENSING, THAT IS FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING. BASICALLY, WHAT THAT DOES IS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, THERE'S A SIGNAL THAT IS SENT TO THEM AND THEY RECEIVE SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEED TO EVACUATE OR SOME SORT OF EMERGENCY OCCURRING WITHIN THE BUILDING, SO THEY'RE NOTIFIED OF THAT AND THAT'S LOCATED IN SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOLS. >> HERE IS RAPTOR, IT'S NOT USED FOR SPORTING EVENTS OR FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? >> IT IS NOT. >> IT'S USED FOR A VISITOR'S PASS DURING THE DAY WHILE SCHOOL IS ACTIVE? >> CORRECT. IT'S LOCATED IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS INCLUDING HERE. ANYTIME ANYONE COMES TO VISIT, INCLUDING CONTRACTORS OR THAT, THEY ARE RAPTORED, AND SO THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT SCREENING PROCESS. >> AREN'T MOST PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THE SCHOOL BACKGROUND CHECKED PRIOR? LIKE ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, ALL ARE THAT ARE ALREADY BACKGROUND CHECKED. I GUESS CONTRACTORS, COULD WE CHECK THEM BEFORE SINCE WE KNOW WHO'S COMING? I'M JUST SAYING THAT COULD BE A, I DON'T KNOW. NO? >> THAT'S A PART OF THE CONTRACTUAL PROCESS THAT THEY'LL GO THROUGH, BUT WE ALSO DO THIS IF THEY'RE COMING INTO THE BUILDING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. IF WE GET PEOPLE THAT COME IN, GUARDIANS, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THEIR PARENT, SO THEY CAN COME IN, WE CAN VERIFY AND CHECK WHO THEY ARE. IS THAT SOMETHING? WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT, BUT WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. AGAIN, IT'S SAVED US, I THINK, TIME ON THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. >> I WOULD SUSPECT A PROGRAM LIKE THAT IS STRONGLY ENDORSED BY MR. ROUSH, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SCHOOL SAFETY, AS WELL AS SAFE SCHOOLS MARYLAND, THE COALITION THAT WORKS WITH MR. ROUSH. IF YOU LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $1.25 PER KID FOR A YEAR. THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO. HOW OFTEN IS IT SOMEBODY IS TAGGED AND FLAGGED BY RAPTOR, I GUESS WOULD BE ANOTHER QUESTION TO LOOK AT. >> WE WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE TO FIND OUT. >> YEAH. >> BUT IT HAS HAPPENED. WE DO KNOW THAT. >> IT'S $20,000 A YEAR, CORRECT? >> CORRECT. >> I'M SORRY, REAL QUICKLY. I THINK IT ALSO HELPS THE POTENTIAL TO FLAG, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTREME CASES HERE, BUT IN THE EVENT SOMEBODY CAME TO PICK UP A CHILD THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE TO PICK UP A CHILD, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PARENT CONFERENCES GOING ON SO THAT THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, I GUESS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE PEOPLE THAT VISIT THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, TO PROVIDE A SAFEGUARD. BUT AGAIN, AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING, EVEN WEDNESDAY NIGHT, WE COULD HAVE MR. ROUSH ON HAND TO SHARE WHAT HIS THOUGHTS ON RAPTOR ARE. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DR. HAMMER? >> BUCKLE UP, EVERYONE. BEFORE I START WITH THE ED SERVICES LINES ON THIS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT AS THE DIRECTORS IN ED SERVICES CAME FORWARD WITH THESE BUDGETS, THEY WERE DIRECTED TO COME WITH CUTS. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SIGNIFICANT CUTS IN THESE LINES BECAUSE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETELY ON HOLD IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT BACK. [BACKGROUND] OH, I HAD NEWS UP, WAS IT BAD NEWS? [LAUGHTER] WAS IT TOBY KEITH? I'M SORRY. LET'S JUMP INTO THIS. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THAT. I'M GOING TO PAY ATTENTION NOW. STARTING IN THE DIVISION OF ED SERVICES, THIS IS LINE 40,000. YOU'LL SEE A DECREASE IN THIS AREA, A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE. MAINLY A LOT OF THE ITEMS IN THESE LINES ARE AROUND THE AREA OF GENERAL ASSISTANCE. WE PAY FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS THE LINE FROM A CENTRAL AREA THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES COME OUT OF. YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN THESE LINES SOME INFORMATION REGARDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S THE ACADEMY OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP WHICH WE'VE CUT BACK ON, SUPPLIES. WE ALSO PAY FOR DIPLOMA COVERS AND ECA DIPLOMAS AS WELL. [01:10:02] THE COST OF THOSE HAS INCREASED JUST SLIGHTLY. CONFERENCES AND EXPENSES ALSO AND AT ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBERSHIPS, WE'VE TRIED TO PEEL BACK AS BEST WE CAN, BASED ON PREVIOUS YEAR SPENDING. MOVING ON TO PAGE 10, AT THIS TIME, YOU'LL ALSO SEE SOME MORE MEMBERSHIPS THERE. UNDER INSTRUCTIONS, SALARIES AND WAGES, YOU'LL SEE EPED POSITIONS. THESE ARE NEGOTIATED POSITIONS TO PAY FOR THE ADVISORS OF CLUBS IN THE AFTERNOONS THAT ARE IN PRETTY MUCH OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. WE ALSO HAVE PUT A CENTRAL BUDGET HERE FOR TEACHER MEETINGS AND TEACHERS WITH SUBS. IF WE NEED TO PULL TEACHERS IN AFTER THE DUTY DAY OR DURING THE DUTY DAY, JUST TO HELP WITH ANY UPDATES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT CENTRALLY INSTEAD OF BY DEPARTMENTS. IN THE PAST, SOCIAL STUDIES HAS PUT THESE LINES IN. BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT CENTRALLY TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE OVERSIGHT OF SPECIFICALLY MANAGING THAT BUDGET AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S BEING EXPENDED THAT WAY. >> DR. HAMMER, WHAT DOES EPED STAND FOR? >> EXTRA PAY FOR EXTRA DUTY. THAT PAYS THE SALARIES FOR THE ADVISORS FOR THOSE CLUBS. YOU'LL SEE THAT QUITE A BIT. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF BLUEPRINT. AS THIS WAS DEVELOPED, WE PUT A BP NEXT TO IT WITH OUR NAMING CONVENTIONS. BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND ON THOSE TEACHERS WHO ARE NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED. THIS WAS BUILT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING. WE ALSO PAY FOR THEIR FEES, WHICH IS LISTED UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES, JUST BELOW, TO PAY FOR THAT NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION PROCESS. >> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, OBVIOUSLY WE RECEIVE STATE MONEY FOR THIS, BUT WE DON'T RECEIVE ENOUGH STATE MONEY TO COVER THE $320,000 AND $14,000 LINE ITEMS, AND THAT HAS TO COME OUT OF LOCAL OPERATING. IS THAT CORRECT? >> ALL OF THE BLUEPRINT PROGRAMS HAVE A STATE FUNDING AND A LOCAL FUNDING. SINCE THE LOCAL FUNDING FOR FY25 WILL BE LOCAL SHARE, THAT MEANS EVERY DOLLAR FROM THE COUNTY OF LOCAL SHARE ALREADY IS DETERMINED FOR HOW IT MUST BE SPENT. THERE IS A DOLLAR AMOUNT. THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM THE STATE AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM THE COUNTY WOULD EQUAL THAT TOTAL. YES, IT'S NOT ALL FROM THE STATE. THANK YOU. >> JUST BECAUSE I'VE HEARD, I THINK, DIFFERENT THINGS, ANYTHING OVER LOCAL SHARE THAT THE COUNTY GIVES US IS NOT RESTRICTED, CORRECT? >> CORRECT. IT'S AT OUR DISCRETION. >> CONTINUING WITH THE SERVICES BUDGET AS WE MOVE INTO PAGE 11. WELL, THAT CLOSES OUT MOVING INTO CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THESE CTE PROGRAMS NOT ONLY OCCUR AT THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN ALL OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. THIS ALSO, IF YOU RECALL, IS A PILLAR 3 REQUIREMENT OF BLUEPRINT. IT DOES PAY FOR GENERAL ASSISTANT AND AT THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AS IT IS A PROGRAM NOT A SCHOOL. THAT'S WHY IT'S ON THIS LINE ITEM. YOU'LL ALSO SEE HERE IN THE SUMMER WE HAVE SOME PER DIEM AND SUMMER STIPENDS TO PAY FOR THE ANIMALS THAT HAPPEN TO RESIDE AT THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FED AND WATERED ON EVERY DAY. WE PAY FOR A TEACHER TO COME IN AND DO THAT AND MAINTAIN THOSE PROGRAMS OVER THE SUMMER. WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THAT. OTHERWISE SOME OF YOU MAY BE TAKING HOME A GOAT SO BE READY. [LAUGHTER] YOU'LL TAKE WHAT? MOVING DOWN HERE. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 11. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES FOR EACH OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE OPTED AWAY FROM TEXTBOOKS FOR OUR CTE PROGRAMS, MAINLY BECAUSE THE CONTENT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND EVOLVING IN THE INDUSTRY AS TECHNOLOGY IS COMING INTO PLAY. WHAT WE'VE DONE INSTEAD IS WE'RE PURCHASING ONLINE RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS. THESE SUPPORT THEIR LEARNING, AND AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE MOVED AWAY REALLY FROM THE TEXTBOOKS. THERE'S A YEARLY FEE INVOLVED FOR ALL OF THESE AREAS. YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE NAMING CONVENTIONS THAT THEY HAVE DESIGNATED THE SCHOOLS THAT THESE LINES ARE GOING TO SPECIFICALLY UNDER BUSINESS ED, CARPENTRY MOVING INTO PAGE 12, HOMELAND SECURITY, MR. DAVIS, HTMP, [LAUGHTER] INSTRUCTIONAL SOURCES FOR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, NATURAL RESOURCES. WE'RE GOING TO BUZZ TO THIS. >> JUST ENCOURAGING THE BOARD TO THROW UP A HAND IF WE GET ON [OVERLAPPING] THE ROLL HERE AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING TOO [OVERLAPPING] FAST. >> I'M ROLAND. TEACHER ACADEMY OF MARYLAND, MOVING INTO PAGE 13 EVERYONE. THAT CLOSES OUT THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE PAY FOR. MOVING TO THE SUPPLIES NEXT. WE DO HAVE ADVANCED TECH AS WELL AS BIOMED AND BUSINESS ED IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. [01:15:04] THIS IS WHERE THE SUPPLIES ARE LISTED FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. I'M GOING TO BUZZ THROUGH THOSE PRETTY QUICKLY. MOVING ON TO PAGE 14. PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO. YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY'RE DESIGNATED OUT TO CERTAIN SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO SCHOOL LEVEL SPENDING. PROJECT LEAD THE WAY. I'M MOVING ON TO PAGE 15 NOW. CRUISING RIGHT ALONG. HERE'S SOME SENSITIVE TRACKABLE ITEMS. THERE ARE SOME LAPTOP REFRESHES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THE CTE LINES. THEY'RE PART OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRACKING THOSE DEVICES. CONTINUING TO CLOSE UP CTE, WE HAVE SOME BUSINESS ED SOFTWARE THAT WE USE AS WELL AS SOME PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS SO THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOME STUDENT INCENTIVES. FINALLY, AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR CTE LINES, WE DO HOST A FIELD TRIP. THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK IS VERY, REALLY IMPORTANT. WE HOST FIELD TRIPS TO OUR FIFTH, OUR EIGHTH, AND OUR NINTH GRADERS TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN OUR CTE COURSES. WE DO EXPLORATORY WORK WITH THEM SO THEY CAN START TO LEARN WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER ESSENTIALLY. FOR A SMALL, NOMINAL FEE, WE BUDGET THAT TIME. WE ALSO FINALLY, TO CLOSE OUT CTE, WE HAVE A LINE FOR EQUIPMENT REPAIRS TO THE PROGRAMS. AS YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS EQUIPMENT IS REALLY HEAVY INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT AND REQUIRES REPAIRS AS WE MOVE ALONG. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A LINE FOR THAT. MR. FERNANDO, GIFTED AND TALENTED, YOU DO SEE HERE IS COMPLETELY ZEROED OUT. THAT IS REALLY JUST FOR SUPPLIES AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR SCHOOLS TO DO IS USE THEIR PER PUPIL ALLOCATION JUST TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS IN THOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH ANY MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES THAT THEY HAVE THERE. THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. >> I GET IT NOW. >> YOU GOT IT. NOT POSITION. >> WE'VE KEPT THE COACHES AND GIVEN THEM NO SUPPLIES [LAUGHTER]. >>THEY'LL HAVE SUPPLIES IN THEIR SCHOOLS. >> I'M JUST KIDDING. >> THEY WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE SUPPLIES IN THEIR SCHOOLS. >> WE DID PUT ALL THE POSITIONS BACK IN, BUT THEY'RE IN THE SALARIES PART OF THE BUDGET. SO THERE ARE NO FTE EMPLOYEE SALARIES. ANY SALARIES THAT YOU SEE IN THIS PART OF THE BUDGET ARE THINGS LIKE OVERTIME, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, EPED, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. >> BLENDED VIRTUAL PROGRAM IS THE NEXT LINE. THIS IS A PROGRAM, SO WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH A PER PUPIL ALLOCATION THAT BASICALLY COVERS THEIR LICENSES AND MATERIALS AND SOFTWARE THAT THEY NEED TO RUN THEIR BLENDED VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WE WILL PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH NEXT YEAR. SPECIAL EDUCATION IS A HUGE LINE. MISS MILLER? IT'S A HUGE LINE. WE'RE GOING TO JUMP THROUGH SPECIAL EDUCATION AT THIS TIME AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 17. WE HAVE A DECREASE. GOOD JOB MISS MILLER IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. WHAT YOU'LL SEE, FIRST OF ALL, UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE DO REQUIRE SOME STUDENTS WHO REQUIRE FULL TIME NURSING CARE. WE DO CONTRACT OUT THOSE SERVICES TO THOSE STUDENTS. YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE SOME OTHER CONTRACTED SERVICES RELATED TO TRANSLATIONS. ALL OF OUR LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT COME OUT OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, IF A FAMILY SPEAKS A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, WE HAVE TO TRANSLATE IT. THAT COSTS US MONEY. WE HAVE TO HAVE BUDGET LINE ITEMS FOR THAT. YOU'LL ALSO SEE CONTRACTED SEVERAL CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR DEVEREUX. THAT IS A NOTED ORGANIZATION IN DELAWARE THAT HELPS AND SPECIALIZES IN SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. THEY COME IN AND CONSULT WITH US IF WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH A STUDENT AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS. THEY COME IN AND PROVIDE US WITH ON SITE CARE AND SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN HELP OUR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH AUTISM. YOU'LL SEE AT THE BOTTOM THERE, THERE ARE SOME JUST NAMING CONVENTIONS. THOSE ARE SOME MORE OF THE TRANSLATIONS FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. PAGE 19, THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE READING INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THAT INCLUDES CORRECTIVE READING AND READING MASTERY. IF A STUDENT IS NOT MAKING PROGRESS WITH THE TYPICAL CURRICULUM, NOT ONLY WILL THEY RECEIVE THAT TYPICAL CURRICULUM, THEY'LL GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WITH THESE RESEARCH BASED PROGRAMS. WE'VE SEEN WONDERFUL SUCCESS WITH THESE PROGRAMS AND MOVING STUDENTS ALONG. BUT IT DOES REQUIRE A BUDGET FOR THEM. >> WE'VE REDUCED THAT BUDGET. >> GREAT. HAVE REDUCED THAT BUDGET? YES. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME OUT, WE'VE REDUCED THIS BUDGET BY $200,000, WHERE ARE THOSE CUTS? >> SOME OF THAT, BECKY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT SOME OF IT, I BELIEVE, IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THE TRAINING. A LOT OF THAT WAS TRAINING AND SUBSTITUTES FOR THAT TRAINING. MANY OF OUR PEOPLE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN EVERY BUILDING, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO USE THESE MATERIALS AND IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM AS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO MAKE [01:20:02] SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE ALLOCATED IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. >> ASSUMING THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED STAY. >> YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU. >> I'M ON PAGE 20 AT THIS POINT. YOU'LL ALSO SEE HERE SUPPLIES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION MATERIALS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND THOSE SUPPORT VELCRO AND LAMINATION, FILM AND TAG BOARD AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO REQUIRE VISUAL SUPPORTS FOR THEIR LEARNING. AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT PAGE, SOME SENSITIVE ITEMS, IPADS FOR STUDENTS, FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS, COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN THE IDENTIFIED BUILDINGS. I'M ON PAGE 22 AT THIS TIME, AND WE'RE ROUNDING OUT SPECIAL EDUCATION. WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. THIS IS A BIG LINE ITEM AND THIS BASICALLY IS FOR STUDENTS WITH IEPS WHO ARE BEING TRANSPORTED MAINLY TO NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENTS. WE ALSO HAVE SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION THAT IS A CONTRACT WITH FRIENDLY TAXI, AS INSTEAD OF TAKING A WHOLE BUS SOMEPLACE, WE WOULD TAKE SMALLER VEHICLES AS WELL. THE SAME THING APPLIES TO THAT VEHICLE LEASE THAT IS HERE TO HELP GET THOSE STUDENTS TO THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY ARE GETTING THEIR SERVICES. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION? >> GENERAL QUESTION THAT IS PROBABLY HIGHLY SENSITIVE. MISS MILLER, I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS ANSWER. IT'S BEEN ASKED TO ME IF WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR NEEDS IN A SIMILAR BUILDING TOGETHER, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO REDUCE EXPENSES INSTEAD OF HAVING THE DEVEREUX GOING TO 22 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS? IF IT WAS ONLY THREE SCHOOLS, WOULD THE EXPENSE BE REDUCED HAVING THEM IN ONE LOCATION, OR ANY OTHER SPECIFIC NEED, IS THERE A GAIN AND WHAT IS THE REASON WHY NOT? I KNOW THERE'S A GOOD REASON WHY NOT, BUT IT'S BEEN ASKED A FEW TIMES, SO I WANT TO BRING IT UP. >> YEAH, LET ME TAKE A 50,000 FOOT AT THAT AND THEN CERTAINLY, HOLDING BACK MISS MILLER. [LAUGHTER] >> THAT'S NOT AN EASY TEST. [LAUGHTER] >> I THINK DEVEREUX, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, TENDS TO BE TRAINING AROUND AUTISM. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF THE ESCALATION OF CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM IS JUST EXPONENTIAL, IT'S THROUGH THE ROOF, AND SO I DO THINK THAT SKILL SET IS NEEDED AT ALL SCHOOLS. IT IS THAT PROFOUND THESE DAYS. I THINK THE LARGER ISSUE AND WHAT YOU MAY BE GETTING AT IS THE ABILITY TO CLUSTER STUDENTS BASED ON LEVEL OF SERVICE NEEDED AND IS IT EASIER TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN ONE SINGLE SETTING AS OPPOSED TO 29 SETTINGS? IS THAT ACCURATE? >> YES. >> I DO THINK THAT GOES BACK SOMEWHAT TO THE PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH OF CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WHEN I CAME IN 2009, INCLUSION WAS THE BIG THING. WE HAVE IN THE LAST 5, 6, 7 YEARS, REALLY TRIED TO STRESS PROVIDING SETTINGS WHERE WE CAN DO THAT TO AN EXTENT WHILE HONORING THE BELIEF THAT CHILDREN ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO START IN A TYPICAL, WHAT I WILL CALL LRE-A SETTING, THE TYPICAL SETTING. IF THEY'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL, THEN I THINK WE LOOK TO ADJUST SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES TO THE STUDENTS. WITH THAT TEED UP THAT WAY I'LL, MISS MILLER, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? >> ASIDE FROM THE PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEF, IT'S ALSO A REQUIREMENT UNDER IDEA. WE HAVE TO START WITH THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS BASED ON WHAT THE STUDENTS NEEDS ARE INDICATED BY THE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE COMPLETE. SO TO CLUSTER KIDS JUST BASED ON DISABILITY IS ILLEGAL. IT WOULD RESULT IN A HUGE INCREASE IN OUR LEGAL FEES. WE TRY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO MEET THEIR NEEDS IN THEIR HOME SCHOOL, AND THEN IF WE HAVE CHALLENGES, WE LOOK AT WHAT'S THE NEXT BEST PLACEMENT FOR THEM MOVING THROUGH A CONTINUUM. >> BUT TO CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT, WHEN WE SAY TO CLUSTER KIDS IS ILLEGAL, I THINK TO CLUSTER KIDS BASED ON AN INITIAL PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET INTO PROBLEMS WITH IDEA. IF A CHILD IS IN A SETTING AND THEY'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL, THAT'S WHERE IT BECOMES MORE OF A LIKELIHOOD THAT. BUT OUR DEFAULT POSITION HAS ALWAYS BEEN WE DEFAULT TO LRE-A, THE A SETTING AS OUR BEGINNING POINT. >> THEN WE HAVE RISE CLASSROOMS, WHICH MEETS THE NEEDS OF CERTAIN STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE THEIR BEST PLACEMENT AT THAT MOMENT. [OVERLAPPING] >> FOR A VERY SMALL POPULATION OF STUDENTS, YES. WITH THE SUPPORT OF DEVEREUX, WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. THEY'RE GOING TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR PEERS, THEY'RE GOING TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS. >> TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME FANTASTIC FEEDBACK FROM A PARENT, THAT WOULD BE DIANE AND I WHEN WE WERE HAVING BREAKFAST THAT ONE MORNING. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO THE PARENT WAS. I WON'T SAY IT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE. BUT CAME TO SAY HOW AMAZING IT WAS THAT THEIR CHILD WAS ABLE TO STAY IN THE LOCAL SCHOOLS AND THEY'VE SEEN MORE GROWTH WITH [01:25:03] THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL KID BEING IN THEIR LOCAL SETTING WITH THEIR FRIENDS. SO YEAH, I WAS ASKING YOU SO THAT YOU COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT BETTER THAN I COULD EVER DO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. I WAS JUST TEEING IT UP A LITTLE BIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT, SO THANK YOU. >> I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION COSTS WOULD INCREASE. IF THE THOUGHT IS, OH, YOU COULD REDUCE YOUR DEVEREUX COSTS, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR TRANSPORTATION COSTS BY TRANSPORTING CHILDREN TO ANOTHER SCHOOL WHEN THEY COULD RECEIVE THE SAME SERVICES IN THEIR OWN SCHOOL. >> I DO WANT TO ALSO JUST COMMENT ABOUT THE DEVEREUX COST. WE HAVE A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE SET ASIDE FOR THEM, SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM FOR 111,000 THAT COMES OUT OF OUR LOCAL BUDGET. WE WON'T EXCEED THAT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO CONTROL BASED ON PREVIOUS COSTS, AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, RYAN B MUELLER, WHO'S THE DEVEREUX PROFESSIONAL, GOES INTO SCHOOLS AND HE TRAINS ENTIRE TEAMS. SO IT'S NOT AS THOUGH HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO A GILPIN MANOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UNLESS THE STRATEGIES THAT HE'S PROVIDED FOR THOSE TEAMS IS NOT WORKING FOR A SPECIFIC CHILD. >> THEN I WOULD THINK THAT THOSE TEAMS COULD THEN TRAIN MORE TEAMS. THE MORE THE TEACHERS LEARN, THE MORE THEY CAN SHOW THE OTHER TEACHERS. >> WELL, YES. I HAD TWO INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES THAT WERE PAID FOR WITH THE LOCAL BUDGET THAT HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE BUDGET. I HAD A AUTISM SPECIALIST COACH WHO WAS LEARNING FROM MR. B MUELLER, SO EVENTUALLY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FEED BACK THAT SUPPORT. THEN I ALSO HAD A BEHAVIOR COACH WHO WAS A REGISTERED BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN, BOTH WHOM HAVE MOVED ON TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO THOSE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE BUDGET. >> THANK YOU. >> SIMILAR LINES OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ILK, MOVING INTO NON-PUBLIC. THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES. THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT MEETING WITH SUCCESS IN THE LRE-A OR B SETTINGS IN THE SCHOOL MAY NEED TO MOVE INTO A MORE RESTRICTIVE SETTING. THESE PRIVATE PLACEMENTS FOR NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THERE'S ABOUT 52 STUDENTS HERE AT THESE SETTINGS. YOU CAN SEE THE COST OF THOSE IS CONTINUING TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY. WE'VE BUDGETED A HUGE INCREASE IN THAT AREA FOR NON-PUBLIC. >> IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN GET INTO LIKE THE ONE PLACEMENT FOR 322 WITHOUT BEING TOO DESCRIPTIVE, JUST TO GIVE US A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT COST 322,000 FOR ONE PLACEMENT? >> YES. >> OR IS THAT TWO? >> FOR EACH OF THOSE STUDENTS, WE MAKE APPLICATION TO SEVERAL LOCATIONS OF NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND NOT EVERYONE WILL ACCEPT THOSE STUDENTS. THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT THAT COSTS THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY HAS HAD TO MOVE FROM PLACEMENT TO PLACEMENT UNTIL THERE IS A PLACEMENT THAT CAN MEET HIS INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS. >> BUT I THINK MR. FERNANDO, YOU AND I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION PRETTY REGULARLY. IT DOES HIGHLIGHT THE CHALLENGES IN THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CECIL COUNTY GOVERNMENT ARE RESPONSIBLE TO EDUCATE EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN THIS COUNTY REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE. THAT'S THE BIG THING THAT'S CHANGED OVER THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS. THERE WAS A TIME WHERE EXPULSIONS HAPPENED ON THE REGULAR IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, NOT ANY LONGER. IF A STUDENT DOES SOMETHING IN THE COMMUNITY, OR IF A STUDENT DOES SOMETHING IN OUR BUILDING, WE CAN PROVIDE THE CONSEQUENCES. BUT WHAT ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES CANNOT BE, IS REMOVAL FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION. IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SERVE THEM. THERE'S SOME OF THE PRICES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR STUDENTS THAT GET IN THAT SITUATION. >> PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES ARE NEXT. WE PAY FOR ANY HOURS. WE BUDGET FOR ANY HOURS AFTER SCHOOL FOR OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, THERE'S A NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. AS WE MOVE ON TO PAGE 23, WE DO CONTRACT WITH ONE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST THAT SERVES THOSE THREE SCHOOLS. WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN TERMS OF PEARSON Q-GLOBAL SOFTWARE, THAT IS A SOFTWARE THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO SCHOOLS FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS. AS OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE ASSESSING OUR STUDENTS FOR ANY LEARNING DISABILITIES OR NEEDS, SO THAT IS AN ONLINE SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT WE USE. YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT MOVING ON TO PAGE 24, HAS BEEN PARTITIONED OUT INTO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. THAT ENDS WITH MILEAGE. THEN WE HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION RELATED SERVICES. AGAIN, NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF SEVERAL OF OUR RELATED SERVICES. THOSE INCLUDE SPEECH LANGUAGE. SLP IS SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, OT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, PT IS PHYSICAL THERAPIST. IF YOU GET ONTO PAGE 24, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A COUPLE OF OTHER ACRONYMS AND ALPHABET SOUP HERE. [01:30:03] SLPA IS A SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANT. THEY ARE WORKING TOWARDS, IN SOME CASES, THE SLP, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL THE WAY AT THAT SPEECH PATHOLOGIST LEVEL. WE ALSO HAVE VIRTUAL SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS. THEY CONDUCT THEIR SERVICES VIRTUALLY, AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN ASSISTANT WITH THEM AS WELL, SO THEY'RE VERY COSTLY. INFINITE TABLER PROGRAM IS AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 25, MOVING INTO PAGE 26. THAT BASICALLY PAYS FOR TWO SLPS, AS WELL AS INTERPRETING SERVICES AND TRANSLATIONS FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS SPECIAL NEEDS FROM BIRTH TO AGE 3, I THINK. GO AHEAD. >> I THINK IT'D BE FAIR TO SAY THAT MORE THAN 83% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO SALARY BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING MORE NOW. ALL THESE CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE JUST SALARIES BEING PAID SOMEWHERE ELSE. IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT CALCULATION LATER? LIKE NOT NOW OBVIOUSLY, BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT WE'RE PROBABLY CLOSER TO UPWARDS OF 90% SALARIES, IT LOOKS LIKE. THE PLACES WHERE WE CAN FIND MONEY ARE JUST GETTING SMALLER AS WELL. >> THAT'S RIGHT, AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE WHEN YOU MAKE CUTS THAT ARE ANYTHING OTHER THAN PEOPLE. THERE JUST ISN'T, YOU HAVE TO PAY TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. YEAH. SO THAT'S WHY WE END UP HAVING A BIG NUMBER END UP BEING POSITIONS. [BACKGROUND] BOTH. [LAUGHTER] WE'LL GET THAT FOR YOU. >> THAT'S A GOOD POINT. THANK YOU. ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 26, EARLY CHILDHOOD. SO THIS ESSENTIALLY IS PAYING FOR OUR EARLY ENTRY TO KINDERGARTEN PROCESS. WE ASSESS STUDENTS IN THE SUMMER, ELIGIBLE STUDENTS, TO SEE IF THEY ARE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN KINDERGARTEN UPON EARLY ENTRY. WE'VE BUDGETED HERE FOR $30,000 LINE HERE, YOU'LL SEE. THAT IS BASICALLY FOR OUR PRE K EXPANSION, TO PAY FOR FURNITURE FOR THOSE CLASSROOMS. THE STATE SAYS, YES, YOU CAN EXPAND PRE K, BUT THEY DON'T FUND NECESSARILY THE FURNITURE THAT GOES, THE LITTLE SINKS AND REFRIGERATORS THAT WE MAY NEED IN THOSE CLASSROOMS TO KEEP THOSE OPERATIONAL. WE'RE MOVING INTO STUDENT SERVICES. AT THIS POINT, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN STUDENT SERVICES AT $823,000. THAT ESSENTIALLY IS COMING IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. FIRST OF ALL, WE DO HAVE CONTRACTED SERVICES IN TERMS OF A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, WITH DISCIPLINARY NEEDS, AND ARE NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THE REGULAR SETTING. THAT MEANS AN IDC, WHICH IS AN IN DISTRICT CLASSROOM. WE HAVE IDC'S AT BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY, CHERRY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL. >> WHAT'S THAT? >> I'M SORRY. IN DISTRICT CLASSROOM. THAT ESSENTIALLY IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH HIGH ROADS. THOSE CLASSROOMS EXIST IN THESE BUILDINGS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT ARE IN THOSE BUILDINGS THAT WE PAY FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO RECEIVE THEIR SERVICES THERE. OUR GOAL IS OBVIOUSLY TO TRY TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE REGULAR SETTING. AND THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING AN IN DISTRICT CLASSROOM, IS BECAUSE WE CAN WORK WITH THEM IN THE REGULAR SETTING AT THAT SCHOOL WHILE THEY'RE THERE. >> IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO HEAR FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY REFER TO, WHY DON'T THEY JUST GET RID OF THE KIDS, KIND OF THING. OBVIOUSLY, AS I JUST MENTIONED, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY. WE CAN'T. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SERVE EVERY CHILD. WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS FIND SETTINGS AND PLACEMENTS THAT ARE THE BEST FOR EACH CHILD, KNOWING THEY'RE DIFFERENT. THESE 1, 2, 3, 5 LINES GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF OUR EFFORTS, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S REALLY PRICEY WORK. TO WHAT EXTENT MISS MILLER, DR. HAMMER DO THEY HAVE DISABILITIES? DO THEY NOT HAVE DISABILITIES? >> I WOULD SAY IT'S BOTH. >> IT IS BOTH. THAT'S WHY IT COMES OUT OF MR. ROUSH'S BUDGET. >> SOME OF IT IS DISCIPLINARY IN NATURE. >> WELL, THAT'S STILL A DISABILITY. >> NOT NECESSARILY. >> SOME CHILDREN HAVE IEP'S AND SOME DON'T. THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WAS SAYING. >> OKAY. >> YEAH. I HAVE TO SAY A REALLY GOOD THING ABOUT THE INDIRECT DISTRICT CLASSROOMS. ONE OF MY STUDENTS HAS BEEN IN THE IN DISTRICT CLASSROOMS AND IS GOING TO BE MOVING OUT SOON, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. >> THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S THE GOAL. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PAGE 27 AT THIS TIME, ROUNDING OUT STUDENT SERVICES. WE ALSO HAVE SUPPLY LINES, MEMBERSHIPS, PRESCRIPTIONS, MILEAGE. WE ALSO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE FOSTER CARE HOMELESS. [01:35:05] SO WE HAVE BUDGET LINES FOR THOSE PROVIDED. >> DR. HAMMER, CAN YOU EXPLAIN MCKINNEY-VENTO, AND WHAT'S REQUIRED OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTING CHILDREN THAT ARE HOMELESS? >> THE MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT IS AN ACT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS, AND THAT REQUIRES THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO TRANSPORT THOSE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY REMAIN IN THEIR HOME SCHOOL. FOR INSTANCE, IF A STUDENT ORIGINATED AT GILPIN MANOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEIR HOMELESS PLACEMENT OR WHERE THEY WERE LIVING BECAUSE THEY WERE HOMELESS, MAYBE IN PERRYVILLE. IT IS OUR JOB TO CONTINUE TO TRANSPORT THAT STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAINTAIN THE SERVICES AND THE SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL THAT THEY KNOW, AND THAT'S THEIR HOME SCHOOL AT GILPIN MANOR. THAT DOES COST US FUNDS. ALSO IF THE STUDENTS ARE OUT OF STATE, THEY ORIGINATED IN OUR COUNTY AND THEY'RE LIVING HOMELESSLY OUT OF STATE. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT TRANSPORTATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO MAYBE EVEN OUT OF STATE. SO WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A BUDGET LINE PREPARED FOR THAT. >> IS THERE A LIMITATION ON HOW FAR WE WOULD GO? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IF THEY END UP IN FLORIDA. >> IT CAN GET INTO, I DON'T WANT TO SAY NEGOTIATIONS, BUT IT KIND OF IS. I MEAN, WE COORDINATE WITH OUTSIDE DISTRICTS WHEN THAT HAPPENS. FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A CHILD IN NEWCASTLE COUNTY AND THERE'S A DISTANCE, AND SO WE'VE AGREED WE'LL PAY HALF. YOU PAY HALF. WHEN IT GETS TO THOSE KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE IS COORDINATION WITH THE OUTSIDE OF STATE DISTRICTS, BUT IN STATE IT'S PRETTY CLEAR. THE CHILD'S SCHOOL OF ORIGIN AS IT'S CALLED. IF THE CHILD IS IN A SCHOOL AND THE FAMILY BECOMES HOMELESS, IT'S THEN INCUMBENT UPON THE SERVING COUNTY TO GET THE KID BACK AND FORTH. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YEAH. NOW, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, A FAMILY ISN'T GOING TO SEND THEIR CHILD FIVE HOURS INTO. BUT NONETHELESS, THE POINT IS REAL. THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO MCKINNEY-VENTO IS A FEDERAL ACT? >> CORRECT. >> ARE FEDERAL MONIES PROVIDED FOR THAT ACT? >> NO, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. >> NOT THAT WE'RE AWARE. >> CONTINUING WITH STUDENT SERVICES, HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BLUEPRINT. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING COMING IN, AND THAT IS FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE. IT HAS TO LIVE IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET, BUT IT IS COMING IN FOR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY. THIS ADDITION HERE, THIS $667,000 IS COMING IN IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THE STATE, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY RESTRICTED. IT IS GOING TO FIVE ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOW GOING TO BE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY. WE'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE NEW SCHOOLS WILL BE BAINBRIDGE, CECIL MANOR, NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY, BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY, AND CECILTON. WE ARE REQUIRED TO USE THOSE FUNDS A CERTAIN WAY. THEY ARE NOT TO SUPPORT ANYTHING BUT THAT. HOME AND HOSPITAL IS NEXT. WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE HOME BOUND BECAUSE OF THEIR ILLNESSES. >> DR. HAMMER? >> YES. >> SORRY. THEY CAN BE USED FOR PEOPLE? >> THEY ARE BEING USED FOR PEOPLE. HOWEVER, THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY PAYS FOR A COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISOR AND A NURSE IN EACH OF THOSE BUILDINGS. >> THAT'S NOT BUDGETED HERE. THOSE ARE BUDGETED IN SALARY. SO THIS IS THE REST OF. >> EVERYTHING BUT SALARIES. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. HOME AND HOSPITAL, WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMEBOUND AND ARE ENGAGING IN THEIR LEARNING FROM THEIR HOME, MAINLY BECAUSE OF HEALTH NEEDS THAT THEY MAY HAVE. WE PAY FOR HOME AND HOSPITAL TEACHER SALARIES, AS WELL AS ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS AND MILEAGE TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS. CONTINUING WITH ALTERNATIVE ED IS THE NEXT CATEGORY. YOU'LL SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THIS AREA BECAUSE ALL OF THESE FUNDS, INCLUDING TWILIGHT IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT SECONDARY DISCIPLINE AND ATTENDANCE AFTER SCHOOL IS RETURNING FROM ESR. ALL OF THIS IS COMING BACK FROM ESR TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. BUS TRANSPORTATION IS ALSO LISTED HERE. STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES IS NEXT. SO THINK OF OUR SCHOOL NURSES. WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR A JUMPSTART NURSE, SUBSTITUTE NURSE COVERAGE TO PAY FOR THOSE SUBSTITUTE NURSES, WHICH IS A BIG LINE. CPR TRAINING FOR OUR NURSES, AED BATTERIES, PADS AND REPLACEMENTS, AS WELL AS HEALTH ROOM SUPPLIES FOR OUR SCHOOLS. PAGE 29 CONTINUES WITH THAT, WHERE WE ALSO PAY FOR NURSING LICENSES AND MILEAGE FOR THE NURSING COORDINATOR, WHO OFTENTIMES IS ROLLING UP HER SLEEVES IN OUR SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT WHEN A NURSE MAY BE ABSENT. >> CAN I JUMP IN REAL QUICK? >> YES. >> BACK TO OUR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY WITH THE NURSES. ALL THOSE SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE NURSES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. [01:40:03] BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE RN. SO DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE TO SHUFFLE NURSES AROUND OR DO WE NOT HAVE ENOUGH RNS AND WE HAVE TO FIND RNS? >> WE HAVE ENOUGH RNS, BUT WE HAVE TO MOVE BECAUSE CURRENTLY TWO OF THOSE SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE RNS IN THEM. SO WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE TWO PEOPLE. >> ARE WE OKAY TO CONTINUE WITH MEDIA? MEDIA PROGRAMMING, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN THIS MAINLY BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME THINGS COMING BACK FROM ESSER SO I'LL GO THROUGH THESE LINES WITH YOU. WE FIRST OF ALL MEDIA, LAPTOP AND PRESENTER, WHICH ARE SENSITIVE ITEMS YOU'LL SEE HERE. ALSO UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE ARE RETURNING THE HOTSPOTS THAT WE USE IN OUR MEDIA CENTERS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE THEM AT HOME. OUR DESTINY MEDIA CIRCULATION SYSTEM, YOU CAN SEE THE EXPENSE FOR THAT AND YOU CAN SEE SEVERAL OF THESE ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES THAT WE HAVE PEBBLEGO IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, PROQUEST ONLINE RESEARCH, WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA THESE ARE COMING BACK TO US FROM ESSER SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE INCREASE IN THOSE LINES THERE BUT THESE ARE ALL HELPING OUR STUDENTS IN OUR MEDIA CENTERS. GUIDANCE SERVICES IS NEXT. AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 29 YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE SOME FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR GRADE REINSTATEMENT, ATTENDANCE RECOVERY, TWILIGHT, AND DROPOUT PREVENTION AND THAT HELPS THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE SO WE HAVE BUDGET SET ASIDE FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE BUDGET SET ASIDE FOR CRISIS COUNSELING AND NAVIANCE TRAINING, YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH NAVIANCE, IT IS A PROGRAM THAT HELPS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR LIFE PLANNING AND GETTING THEM THROUGH THE COURSE WORK THAT THEY NEED AND ASSESSING THEIR OWN FUTURES WHERE THEY WANT TO HEAD SO IT'S PART OF OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELING BUDGET. HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BLUEPRINT MONEY COMING INTO OUR OPERATING BUDGET UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES IN OUR GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS BLUEPRINT FUNDS COMING IN IN THE AMOUNT OF $892,000 THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE SPENT, THEY COME IN AND GO RIGHT BACK OUT TO THE SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK. >> I DID WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, I KNOW AT OUR LAST MEETING, MISS DIXON, YOU ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS, ABOUT BEING MORE FOR FY 25, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE LESS STUDENTS AND IN OUR LAST CFO MEETING, THEY DID REDUCE THE ESCALATOR, SO WE WILL BE PAYING LESS NEXT YEAR, THIS IS A CHANGE SINCE THE LAST BUDGET PRESENTATION SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE MEET TOMORROW NIGHT, WE'VE ADDED THE THINGS BACK AND THAT YOU'VE ASKED US TO ADD. BUT THIS IS A REDUCTION FROM WHAT WE HAD IN THERE ORIGINALLY WHEN WE PROPOSED IT THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE WE'RE ALLOWED TO REDUCE THE ESCALATED COST. >> EXCUSE YOU MISS SO CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION, PIGGY BACKING ON THAT. DO YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF WE HAD LIKE A GRAPH OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWED THE MONEY THAT WERE COMING BACK IN FROM COVID AS OPPOSED TO, I MEAN THE ESSER MONEY THAT ARE NOW, SIDE BY SIDE WITH WHAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO HAVE HAD WE STILL HAD THAT MONEY. JUST KIND OF FIGURING OUT WHY THE COSTS ARE SO INCREASED, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE, I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T BROKEN OUT PER CATEGORY BUT MAYBE JUST BREAK THEM OUT TOTALLY FROM ALL THE CATEGORIES. >> OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT? >> YES. >> I CAN TELL YOU IT'S $16.4 MILLION IS WHAT WE LOST IN ESSER AND LEEDS AND SO WE EITHER HAD TO CUT THOSE THINGS OR WE HAD TO PUT THEM INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET. WE LOST 16.4 MILLION IN THAT FUNDING AND SO WE HAD TO DECIDE WHICH OF THOSE THINGS WERE ESSENTIAL AND IF THEY WERE, THEY CAME BACK INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET AND IF THEY WEREN'T, THEN WE REDUCED THEM AND THEY'RE NOT IN THE BUDGET. >> ARE YOU ASKING FOR WHAT PART OF THAT 16.4 [OVERLAPPING] >> IN CASE MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKING ABOUT WHY THE INCREASE, WHILE WE'RE ASKING, JUST TO KIND OF LINE IT UP EVEN GIVING MORE INFO TO PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO SAY THAT, WELL, WHERE ARE THE COSTS AT, GIVE US MORE TRANSPARENCY, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH BUT IT MAY NOT MATTER BUT I JUST WONDERED, THINKING OUT LOUD. >> IT'S NOT A SIMPLE CALCULATION BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH ALL OF THE ESSER AND LEEDS DOCUMENTS AND LOOK AT NOT THAT WE CAN'T DO IT, I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING THIS YEAR, 16.4 MILLION THAT WE ARE FUNDING, THAT 16.4 IS GONE FOR NEXT YEAR SO THOSE THINGS AND THOSE GRANTS ARE EITHER COMING INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET OR THEY'RE LEAVING. DOES THAT HELP? >> DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH IS BACK IN THE OPERATING AND HOW MUCH WE CUT? >> I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S ASKING [OVERLAPPING] >> THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT? >> I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR GRANT MANAGERS TO DO THAT CALCULATION BECAUSE WHEN EVERYBODY PRESENTED THEIR BUDGETS, LIKE DR. HAMMER SAID, WE ASKED PEOPLE TO COME WITH A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET AND SO PEOPLE CUT THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED, BUT WERE THE THINGS THAT THEY COULD CUT TO TRY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET SO I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU IT'S JUST NOT LIKE A [OVERLAPPING] >> IT'S LEGAL INTENSIVE, NOT A PUSH OF A BUTTON. >> BUT IT IS DOABLE. [01:45:01] >> THANK YOU. >> A QUICK QUESTION ON THE CECIL COUNTY WORKFORCE. WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE CONTRACTED OUT AND IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE CAPACITY WITHIN THE SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS TO DO THAT. >> WELL, HOUSE BILL 1,300 KIND OF LAYS OUT WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO. WE'RE REQUIRED TO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD AND IN CECIL COUNTY, IT'S THE SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK SWN IS THAT HOW IT'S CALLED? >> YEAH. >> THEY SERVE US AND HARFORD SO IT'S VERY MUCH DIRECTED WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HIRE THE JOB COACHES OURSELVES AND THEY WOULD BE OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT WE WERE DIRECTED THROUGH THE AIB THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN THROUGH THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD. WE ARE BASICALLY A PASS THROUGH AGENCY AT THAT POINT, WE'RE TAKING THE $887,000, FROM MSDE AND GIVING IT TO SWN, SWN ADMINISTERS THOSE DOLLARS. >> IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THE CAPACITY TO ACTUALLY DO THE JOB TO COMPLETION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE TRYING TO EXPAND THEIR ABILITIES. DOES THAT MONEY GET PULLED BACK AND THEN GO BACK TO [OVERLAPPING] >> I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR THAT KIND OF MAIN CAUSE TO ACTION [OVERLAPPING] >> AIB [OVERLAPPING] >> THAT'S MY [OVERLAPPING] IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US. >> AIB THEY'VE GIVEN ALL THE DIRECTION AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS SO IN SPEAKING WITH SWN, THEY ARE READY. IN FACT, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE JOB COACHING THE BUILDING NOW SO THEY WILL TELL YOU WE'RE READY AND ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. >> THEY'RE READY. THEY'RE RECEIVING TRAINING AND THEY'RE WAITING ON BACKGROUND CHECKS IS WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS. >> WE DO HAVE TO, SO ANY FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT INVOICES TO US FOR PAYMENT, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT THEIR PROGRESS AND ANY FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE NOT EXPENDED BY THE END OF THE YEAR MUST COME BACK TO US AND THEY BECOME PART OF OUR FUND BALANCE BUT THEY HAVE TO BE ALLOCATED TO THEM AGAIN IN FY 25. SO ANYTHING THEY DON'T SPEND THIS YEAR WILL GET ADDED TO THAT AMOUNT FOR FY 25, IT'LL BE IN OUR FUND BALANCE, BUT IT'LL HAVE TO BE SPENT ON SWN. >> THAT'LL BE ANOTHER LINE THAT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE AN INFLATED FUND BALANCE, BUT THAT HAS TO GO DIRECTLY TO SWN. >> THESE CONTENT AREAS AS WE GO IN HERE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE VERY LEAN BUDGETS. ONE OF THE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT IS ELEMENTARY MATH AND SECONDARY MATH AS THE PROGRAMS THAT WE USE TO TEACH THOSE MATH CONCEPTS TO OUR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY ARE COMING BACK FROM ESSER AND THAT'S IN VISION. YOU CAN SEE THAT'S THE EXPENSE, THE INCREASE THAT IS THERE. WE ARE ALSO PILOTING A MATH PROGRAM AT BOTH LEEDS AND CECILTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CALLED ILLUSTRATIVE MATH JUST TO SEE COMPARE OUR RESULTS TO THAT, SO THERE IS IT. WE HAVE BUDGETED TWO LINES FOR BOOKS AND SOFTWARE FOR THOSE TWO SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE WITH THAT PILOT INTO NEXT YEAR. SECONDARY MATH LOOKS VERY SIMILAR WE HAVE THE ENVISION MATH THAT HAS RETURNED TO THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS ASCEND MATH, WHICH IS AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT WE USE WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT MEETING WITH SUCCESS WITH THE REGULAR PROGRAMMING. AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 31, WE JUMP INTO ELEMENTARY ELA. WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BLUEPRINT SO TUTORING HAS COME INTO OUR ELEMENTARY ELA LINE. YOU'LL SEE A BIG REDUCTION IN THAT, I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT IN A MINUTE AS I MOVE FURTHER DOWN THESE LINES. THIS IS THE FACE TO FACE TUTORING THAT WE ALLOCATE TO OUR SCHOOLS THAT HAS A REDUCTION, BUT WE'RE SPENDING THAT TSI REQUIREMENT IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION THAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU CALLED CHAPTER 1. THERE'S THE TUTORING LINE WE ALSO HAVE THIS LETTERS WORKSHOP. LETTERS IS A PROGRAM THAT IS SUPPORTED BY MSDE THAT TEACHES OUR TEACHERS HOW TO TEACH READING, ESSENTIALLY THE SCIENCE OF READING. IT'S A CHALLENGING THING TO DO AND THIS PROCESS TEACHES THOSE TEACHERS, HOW TO BRING OUR STUDENTS ALONG. FUNDATIONS, YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT IS NOT A TYPO, IT'S FUNDATIONS, NOT FOUNDATIONS. FUNDATIONS IS A PHONICS BASED PROGRAM WE'RE USING IN OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOMS TO REALLY BUILD THE FOUNDATION OF LEARNING HOW TO READ. HERE'S THIS CHAPTER 1 AT THE TOP OF PAGE 32, THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE ADJUSTMENT IN THE TSI FUNDS SO THEY'RE COMING IN CHAPTER 1 IS THE HIGH IMPACT TUTORING THAT WE ARE USING IN OUR SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT BE MEETING THE MARK AND PROGRESS THAT WE WANT TO SEE THEM MAKING AT THIS TIME. SECONDARY ELA HAS A VERY TRIM BUDGET. SHE IS SUPPORTING INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND BOOKS SHE'S ALSO HAS OFFICE SUPPLIES HERE, AND SOME CONTRACTED SERVICES WITH THE TOWSON WRITING WORKSHOP IN OUR SECONDARY ELA LINE. ART IS NEXT. DR. HASTINGS HAS PUT IN HIS BUDGET THE SUBS FOR ALL COUNTY DISPLAYS. [01:50:02] WE HAVE $9,000 BUDGETED FOR A NEW KILN AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. ON PAGE 33, WE MOVE INTO REPAIR OF ART EQUIPMENT. LET ME GET THERE. REPAIR OF ANY OF OUR ART EQUIPMENT OR KILNS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. WE HAVE BUDGETED LINES FOR THAT IN CASE THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, AND THAT ROUNDS OUT THE ART BUDGET. MUSIC AT THIS TIME, WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAVE FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR ALL COUNTY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REMOVED PREVIOUSLY. WE'VE PUT BACK IN FOR ALL COUNTY REHEARSALS FOR BAND AND CHORUS, SUBSTITUTES FOR THOSE AUDITIONS, AS WELL AS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE LINES OF SUPPLIES FOR OUR MUSIC DEPARTMENTS AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS JUST TO HELP SUPPORT THE MUSIC PROGRAMMING IN THOSE SCHOOLS. LIKEWISE, AS YOU MOVE DOWN INTO CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE CONTRACT ADJUDICATORS AND ACCOMPANIMENTS FOR ALL COUNTY EVENTS. WE ALSO CONTRACT OUT CLEANING OUR BAND UNIFORMS, WHICH IS A BUDGET LINE. YOU'LL SEE SMART MUSIC AND SMART MUSIC SITE READING, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN PORTIONED OUT TO ALL OF THOSE SCHOOLS. THIS IS PROGRAMMING FOR OUR MUSIC DEPARTMENTS AND ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 35, YOU'LL ALSO SEE SOME SUPPORT FOR OUR STATE FESTIVAL EVENTS. ON PAGE 36, YOU WILL SEE TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR MUSIC, ALL OF THESE EVENTS TO GET OUR KIDS TO THOSE PLACES. YOU'LL SEE MUSIC REPAIRS. IT IS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR SOME OF THIS EQUIPMENT AND INSTRUMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED REPAIR LINES FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS BUDGETED OUT BY EACH BUILDING. PAGE 37, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO WORLD LANGUAGES IN ESOL. PLEASE STOP ME. I'M GOING FAST, FOLKS. WORLD LANGUAGES, WE HAVE BUDGETED SIMPLY. YOU'LL SEE A REDUCTION THERE. WE'VE BUDGETED FOR PD SUPPLIES AND THE AAPPL TESTING, WHICH ASSESSES INTERPERSONAL LISTENING SKILLS, READING TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO IN THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THEY'RE SPEAKING. ESOL I'LL REMIND YOU IS A BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENT OF PILLAR 4. WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE ESOL BUDGET IS A SLIGHT INCREASE. THIS IS REALLY A LOT FOR INTERPRETING SERVICES AS WELL AS PARENT OUTREACH EVENTS. I'M ON PAGE 38 RIGHT NOW. YOU'LL SEE SOME DEVICES AND REFRESH OF CHROMEBOOKS, LAPTOPS, AND PRESENTERS ON THAT ESOL LINE THERE. CONTRACTED SERVICES. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF LANGUAGES THAT ARE SPOKEN IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS PROVIDES AD ASTRA LANGUAGE LINE AND TALKING POINTS ARE ALL WAYS TO COMMUNICATE, WHETHER IN PRINT, IN FACE-TO-FACE, OR ON THE TELEPHONE. IT ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK. MOVING ON TO PAGE 39. QUESTIONS? >> WHERE THE INCREASE OF 22,000 AND THAT, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? >> TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND. [BACKGROUND] YEAH, IT'S UNDER THE SOFTWARE LICENSES. YEAH, THOSE WERE ORIGINALLY IN ESSER. THANK YOU. THOSE ORIGINALLY WERE IN ESSER, SO WE BROUGHT THOSE BACK IN. UNDER SOFTWARE LICENSES, ON PAGE 39, YOU'LL SEE DOCUSIGN IS THERE AND THE ELEVATION SOFTWARE AND LEARNING A-Z ARE PROGRAMMING THAT WE USE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES WITH US. SCIENCE BUDGET HAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE TO IT, $50,000. AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY SMALL BUDGET. IT'S ESSENTIALLY PAYING FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCIENCE KITS AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENT. WE PUT FAIR HILL NATURE CENTER BACK INTO THE BUDGET, SO THAT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES NOT TO HAVE TO PAY FOR FAIR HILL NATURE CENTER, SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THAT TRIP. MOVING ONTO PAGE 40, THIS IS OUR STEM BUDGET, WHICH ESSENTIALLY PAYS FOR THE STEM GALLERY WALK. SOCIAL STUDIES BUDGET IS VERY MINIMAL, SIMPLY JUST PAYING FOR OUR JUNIOR SCHOLASTIC PRINT AND DIGITAL VERSION FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. OUR HEALTH EDUCATION IS SIMPLY FOR SERVICE LEARNING FOLDERS, THAT'S ALL WE'RE PAYING FOR FOR THAT. PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS BUDGETED FOR FITNESS ROOM EQUIPMENT. A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE FITNESS ROOMS IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SO REPLACEMENT OF MATERIALS THERE. WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH FITNESS EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS FUNCTIONAL, ESSENTIALLY, AND WE HAVE A LINE FOR REPAIRS FOR FITNESS ROOM EQUIPMENT AS WELL. ATHLETICS. I THINK EVERYBODY WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE JV AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS RETURN TO THIS BUDGET AND [01:55:02] YOU CAN SEE THE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE. WE HAVE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MEETINGS, SECURITY, GAMES MANAGEMENT THAT YOU'LL SEE UNDER THE SALARIES AND WAGES. MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, YOU'LL SEE CPR AND AED CERTIFICATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS HEALTHY AND SAFE. WE ALSO REPLACE HELMETS FOR FOOTBALL SUPPLIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMS. UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES, ONE OF THE BIGGEST LINES YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HERE ARE THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS. COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR ATHLETIC TRAINERS HAVE INCREASED AS WELL AS OUR OFFICIAL FEES ARE PART OF OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES. >> ATHLETIC TRAINERS, ARE THEY A REQUIREMENT BASED ON OUR INSURANCE, I WOULD ASSUME? >> I BELIEVE SO. >> DO WE KNOW THAT? >> I BELIEVE SO. [BACKGROUND] >> YEAH. I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE CONNECTING. WE'RE SELF-INSURED THROUGH MABE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MABE NECESSARILY HAS A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU HAVE ATHLETIC TRAINERS ON-PREMISES. I KNOW THEY ARE OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE WHEN A STUDENT-ATHLETE GOES DOWN IN TERMS OF INJURY. BUT WE CAN CHECK ON ANY MABE REQUIREMENTS. >> I THINK THERE'S STATE LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES SOME LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS FOR INJURY. >> WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THEM AT ALL EVENTS ALL THE TIME AND THEY'RE SHARED BETWEEN. EVEN THOUGH IT'S OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE, IT'S LIKE, WELL, THEY'RE NOT REALLY NECESSARY FOR, I DON'T KNOW, TENNIS BECAUSE THERE'S LESS INJURIES AT TENNIS, BUT THEY BETTER BE UP THE HILL AT LACROSSE. WE HAVE THOSE KIND OF THINGS HAPPEN. YOUR BOARD PRESENCE HIGHLY OFFENDED IT AT THE TENNIS [LAUGHTER] SMACK ME. I GUESS YOU CAN'T GET HIT IN THE HEAD WITH A BALL AND GET A CONCUSSION. >> I JUST THINK ATHLETIC TRAINERS [OVERLAPPING]. IT MAY HAVE BEEN LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE WHERE THERE WAS A SHORTAGE AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE AT ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, AND IT WAS PRETTY FELT. [OVERLAPPING] PARENTS WERE NOT HAPPY. STUDENTS WERE NOT HAPPY. IT'S A REALLY BIG SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ATHLETIC TRAINERS. > WELL, YOU DID. [LAUGHTER]. >> I KNOW WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL IN RISING SUN BACK IN THE DARK AGES, IT WAS A [OVERLAPPING]. >> LEATHER FOOTBALL HELMET. >> IT WAS A MANAGER FROM THE TEAM THAT WAS LIKE A NINTH-GRADER THAT TAPED OUR ANKLES. SO I'M JUST WONDERING. [LAUGHTER]. >> GET SOME ICE. >> WE'VE BECOME A LOT MORE NECESSARY, I GUESS. >> WELL, ALSO WITH THE CONCUSSION PROTOCOLS TOO, I THINK IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT. >> I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TRAVELED TO OTHER, I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHETHER IT WAS KENT COUNTY OR HARFORD. I THINK IT WAS HARFORD, WHERE THEY DID NOT HAVE THEM. >> AT ALL? >> A SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE ONE. >> I THINK THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WAS THERE. >> AT LEAST THE SCHOOL THAT WE WERE AT DID NOT. >> YEAH. SO THEY DEFINITELY HAVE SCHOOLS THAT DO NOT HAVE THEM. >> THEY ARE IN HIGH DEMAND. THAT'S WHY YOU'VE SEEN THE PRICE GO UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THEIR CHARGES. >> WE ADDED MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS THAT HAPPENED DURING COVID. >> 2018. >> THAT'S BEEN ALL THE WAY BACK TO '18 [OVERLAPPING]. IT'S BEEN FOR A WHILE. WHAT I WAS WONDERING WAS, DID WE HAVE EXTRA FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT MORE? OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. >> NO, IT'S ABOUT 150-$175,000 LINE ITEM. I WILL SAY THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE UPWARDS OF 700 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE. FOR YEARS, THE COUNTY RAN WHAT THEY CALL MIDDLE SCHOOL MOVERS. WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE. I KNOW WE'VE HEARD RUMORS, IF YOU WILL, THAT THE COUNTY WANTS TO TAKE IT BACK OVER. I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THAT, AND I'LL SAY THAT NOW. IT BELONGS WITH THE SCHOOLS, WHERE THE TEACHERS ARE THEIR COACHES, WHERE THERE'S THE SENSE OF SCHOOL SPIRIT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE $150,000 DIVIDED BY SIX SCHOOLS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE $25,000 PER SCHOOL. I WOULD STRONGLY ADVOCATE THAT WE KEEP THAT. NOW AGAIN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND RECALIBRATE WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS IF WE ARE FULLY FUNDED AT THE NUMBER THAT THE BOARD WILL APPROVE EITHER TOMORROW NIGHT OR THE 28TH. WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY BRINGS BACK ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT REDUCING ON JANUARY 24TH. WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND THAT THIS ASSUMES WE'RE GOING TO GET FUNDING. >> AGAIN TO SPEAK TO MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS FOR A SECOND, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ESPECIALLY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE YOU'RE ONLY THERE FOR THREE YEARS TO BE INVESTED IN YOUR SCHOOL. IT DID ATTRACT A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF STUDENTS. IT BUILDS YOUR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT ALSO HELPS WITH ATTENDANCE AND DISCIPLINE. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR TEACHERS OR YOUR COACHES, YOU NEED TO BE AT SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE. YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN YOUR GRADES. I THINK, OVERALL, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD NOT. >> I AGREE COMPLETELY. WHEN I WAS A KID, IF I DIDN'T HAVE SPORTS, I'D BE IN A WHOLE LOT MORE TROUBLE THAN I DID GET INTO. I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH SPORTS. SOME OF THE REASONS WHY I SHOWED UP AT SCHOOL WAS [02:00:02] BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE BASEBALL GAME. WAS I A BAD STUDENT BECAUSE OF THAT? YEAH, I PROBABLY WAS, BUT THE REALITY WAS IT KEPT ME COMING. I DIDN'T HAVE IT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CUT OFF SOME OF THE ISSUES I GOT INTO IN HIGH SCHOOL IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT FRAME OF MIND EARLIER IN LIFE. >> YOUR STORY IS NOT UNUSUAL, WE SEE THAT A LOT. >> IT ALSO ENCOURAGES FITNESS. BOTTOM-LINE FITNESS. THIS IS JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY. YOUR FOOTBALL HELMETS, HOW OFTEN ARE THEY REPLACED? FOR HORSEBACK RIDING, THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY FIVE YEARS. >> WE CAN SEND A TEXT AND GET YOU THAT EXACT NUMBER WITHIN MINUTES. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] >> I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IT. >> THAT'S A REQUIREMENT. >> THEY ARE EXPENSIVE. >> I KNOW [OVERLAPPING]. >> THEY USED TO RETEST IT REGULARLY. >> THEN AFTER EVERY FALL OFF OF A HORSE, WE HAVE TO REPLACE THEM. >> FOR YEARS AND YEARS WHEN I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, REFURBISHING WAS THEY WOULD YOU ADD NEW INSIDE PADS AND PUT UP WITH CONCUSSIONS. NOW, I KNOW THE HELMETS HAVE ALL REALLY BEEFED UP AND I'D IMAGINE THEY'VE CHANGED, BUT WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES. [BACKGROUND] BUT IT'S CURIOUS TO KNOW. SURE. >> YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM LINE ON PAGE 42. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A RECONDITIONING CONTRACT WITH RIDDELL. YEAH, THERE IT IS. AT THE TOP OF PAGE 43, WE'RE COMING TO THE CLOSE IN ED SERVICES. MAT REPLACEMENT REPAIR, CLEANING, CONDITIONING, ETC, SO THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE TO REPLACE. MOVING INTO THE OFFICE OF FINANCE, MS. SOPA. >> BEFORE I GET INTO THIS, I DID ASK A QUESTION. YOU ASKED ABOUT THE MCKINNEY-VENTO. WE DO HAVE A FEDERAL GRANT FOR THAT. IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT, AND I'M WAITING TO FIND BACK. I SENT AN EMAIL BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT SUPPLEMENTS OUR COST FOR TRANSPORTATION. I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK. I WASN'T SURE. I THOUGHT WE HAD ONE, BUT I WASN'T SURE WHAT IT COVERED. BUT I'M GETTING MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU BECAUSE I [OVERLAPPING] >> THANK YOU. BECAUSE I DID SOME FEDERAL ADVOCACY LAST WEEK THROUGH MAYBE.. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR IS INCREASED FUNDING FOR MCKINNEY-VENTO. >> JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION. >> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING SOMETHING. [LAUGHTER] >> MOVING INTO THE OFFICE OF FINANCE. I KNOW DR. LAWSON MENTIONED EARLIER THE POTENTIAL OF, TURN THIS THE RIGHT WAY, USING LEASE PAYMENTS. YOU CAN SEE IN THE PAST WHERE WE HAD PAID OFF, WE WERE PAYING ON A BANK OF AMERICA LEASE THAT WAS FOR TECHNOLOGY. AS DR. LAWSON MENTIONED EARLIER, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LEASE THROUGH BANK OF AMERICA FOR TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS WHY YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING MOVING FORWARD. WHAT YOU DO SEE IN THE OFFICE OF FINANCES, INSURANCE, BUS INSURANCE, AND GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE. THESE LINES, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE COST IN INSURANCE, JUST FROM 24 TO 25 THEN YOU CAN SEE THE OVERTIME LINE THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES. WHEN OUTSIDE GROUPS USE OUR BUILDINGS AND CUSTODIANS WORK OUTSIDE OF THE DUTY DAY, THIS IS COVERAGE FOR THEIR OVERTIME. THERE ARE SOME GROUPS TO USE OUR BUILDINGS AND PAY FOR CUSTODIAL OVERTIME, AND THERE ARE SOME THAT DON'T. THIS GIVES US A BASELINE FOR PAYING FOR CUSTODIANS FOR THOSE. >> THE INSURED 32% INCREASE. DO WE HAVE A GENERAL IDEA WHY IT'S UP THAT MUCH? I KNOW INSURANCE IN GENERAL IS UP THAT'S [OVERLAPPING] >> WE ASKED SPECIFICALLY AND WE WERE JUST TOLD THE COST OF INSURANCE NATIONWIDE HAS INCREASED. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CLAIMS OR ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE ON OUR PART. EVERYTHING IS UP INSURANCE WISE. >> YEAH. BOTH OF MINE WENT UP TOO. >> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ALL, WE'RE SAYING THAT HOMEOWNERS COST 30% BOTH OF YOU FOR NOTHING. >> BUSINESS SERVICES STARTS AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 43 AND YOU CAN SEE A LINE FOR SUB SECRETARY PAY. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PAGE, WE HAVE SOME CONTRACTED SERVICES, BRINKS ARMORED CAR SERVICE. WHAT THEY DO IS THEY PICK UP ALL OF OUR CASH DEPOSITS FROM ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS AND BRING THEM TO THE CREDIT UNION. BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THEIR SCHOOL CHECKING ACCOUNTS THERE. WE ARE GOING BACK OUT TO BID FOR OUR ARMORED CAR SERVICE, TRYING TO GET A BETTER PRICE AND BETTER SERVICE RATE. E-RATE ELITE SERVICES IS A PROGRAM THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN WHERE WE GET BASICALLY REBATES FOR TECHNOLOGY AND THEN WE USE THOSE REBATES TO PUT BACK INTO OUR TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE. >> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? BACK TO BRINKS. HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE BRING IN AT A SCHOOL? THAT HAS BEEN A QUESTION OUT ON THE STREET. >> BETWEEN THE CAFETERIA AND THE MAIN OFFICE, YOU COULD HAVE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLAR IN A DEPOSIT IF THEY'RE COLLECTING FOR PROM, IF THEY'RE COLLECTING FOR PICTURES, IF THEY'RE COLLECTING FOR FIELD TRIPS, ALL OF THE MONEY THAT COMES IN FOR THEIR SCHOOL LUNCHES EVERY DAY. >> WHAT WAS HAPPENING, MISS DIXON, IS THAT WE HAD OUR EMPLOYEES GETTING A LITTLE FEARFUL ABOUT MAKING THESE TRIPS TO THE BANK FOR DEPOSITS BY THEMSELVES WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CASH. [02:05:02] I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED BEFORE I BECAME SUPERINTENDENT WHERE THE DECISION WAS MADE, MR. PER WAS HERE FOR SURE. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO HIRE AN ARMED SERVICE, IS TO PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT TO THE CREDIT UNION ON BEHALF OF OUR STAFF. >> HOW OFTEN IS IT PICKED UP? ONCE A WEEK? EVERY DAY? >> THERE'S A SCHEDULE, AND SO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, I BELIEVE, ARE ONCE A WEEK, AND THE HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TWICE A WEEK. WE CAN REVISE THAT SCHEDULE BASED ON IF THERE'S A LOT GOING ON OR NOT A LOT GOING ON, BUT THEY HAVE A SAFE WHERE THEY LOCK UP THEIR FUNDS. THE OTHER ISSUE, IN ADDITION TO SOMEONE BEING NERVOUS ABOUT TRANSPORTING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, IS THE MILEAGE AND THE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR DESK. EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DEPOSIT, YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB AT YOUR DESK. YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, AND WE'RE PAYING YOU MILEAGE BACK AND FORTH. >> YOU'RE SAYING WE NEED TO DO ANOTHER CONTRACT FOR THIS AND WE ARE ESTIMATING ONLY $65,000 FOR IT. IS THERE A WAY THAT YOU CAN CONNECT WITH THE COUNTY? BECAUSE I KNOW THE COUNTY HAS A $500,000 ASSIGNED ITEM FOR AN ARMORED CAR SERVICE. I'M JUST WONDERING THE DIFFERENCES IN PRICE. >> I THINK THAT'S FOR A NEW ARMORED CAR. [OVERLAPPING] >> AN ARMORED CAR THAT THEY'RE SPENDING A HALF ONE MILLION ON VERSUS 65,000 JUST TO DO A SERVICE. >> I BELIEVE THEY UTILIZE A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY TO TAKE THEIR DEPOSITS FROM THEIR BUILDING TO THE BANK. THE DIFFERENCE FOR US IS 29 LOCATIONS THAT WE NEED THE PICK UPS AND DELIVERY TO THE CREDIT UNION. >> WHICH JUST SEEMS A LOW PRICE, CONSIDERING. THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT. [OVERLAPPING] >> WELL, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY SINCE WE DO HAVE POLICEMEN THAT GO TO OUR SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A POLICEMAN AT EACH SCHOOL, BUT WHY COULDN'T HE PICK THE MONEY UP? NO. >> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN ASK THEM TO DO THAT. I KNOW THEY'RE EMPLOYED BY THE COUNTY TO DO THAT FOR THE COUNTY. ALSO, LIKE YOU SAID, THEY'RE NOT IN EVERY BUILDING ALTHOUGH THEY SERVICE BUILDING. YOU WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY FROM NORTHEAST POLICE AND RISING SUN POLICE AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT SURE WE COULD DO IT THAT WAY. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO INVESTIGATE OTHER OPTIONS FOR THIS THAT'S SAFE FOR THE PERSON DOING THE DELIVERY, AND COST EFFECTIVE OVERALL, THERE AREN'T MANY ARMORED CAR SERVICES OUT THERE. MOVING ON, IRON MOUNTAIN IS FOR OUR STORAGE AND SHREDDING OF DOCUMENTS. THE SCHOOL CASH REPORTING PROGRAM IS OUR ONLINE AND ACCOUNTING PROGRAM FOR THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES FUNDS. RED FLAG REPORTING IS OUR FRAUD REPORTING PROGRAM THAT YOU CAN SEE THE LINK TO ON OUR WEBSITE. WE HAVE SOME SUPPLIES AND CONFERENCES. MEMBERSHIPS FOR THE AMAZON PRIME MEMBERSHIP IS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THAT'S FOR REDUCED COSTS AND SHIPPING. FREE SHIPPING CHARGES. YOU CAN SEE THE MEMBERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE HERE WHICH ARE IMPORTANT MEMBERSHIPS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE UP TO DATE INFORMATION REGARDING PAYROLL TAXES, REGARDING PURCHASING AND OTHER ITEMS, GFOA. THOSE GIVE US TIMELY INFORMATION FOR UPDATES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CHANGES TO OUR ACFR, ANOTHER IMPORTANT FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT WE NEED. YOU CAN SEE MEMBERSHIPS FOR ASBO AND GFOA. I KNOW THIS SAYS AWARD PROGRAM, BUT IT IS A REVIEW AND REWARD PROGRAM. THEY TAKE OUR ACFR, THEY REVIEW THEM, THEY PROVIDE INPUT. IF YOU MEET THE CRITERIA, YOU RECEIVE THE AWARD. BUT IT'S REALLY A REVIEW AND CRITIQUE PROGRAM. EVERY YEAR WE GET SOME CRITIQUES BACK WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER. EVERY YEAR, PART OF OUR SUBMISSION FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND ADDRESS THOSE IN OUR RESPONSE AND SUBMIT THEM AND YOU CAN RECEIVE THE REWARD. IT'S NOT GUARANTEED THAT YOU RECEIVE THE AWARD. MOVING ON TO PURCHASING. IN PURCHASING, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF OUR LEASES FOR OUR COPIERS, AND SO COPIERS ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO THE LEASE CHARGE TO THE LEASE PAYMENT FOR THE COPIER. THEN COLOR COPIERS HAVE A CLICK CHARGE. WHAT A CLICK CHARGE MEANS IS EVERY COPY CHARGE WHEN IT'S A COLOR COPY. YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A CLICK CHARGE IN P&D, AND THEN ANOTHER COLOR COFFER ADMINISTRATION CATEGORY. YOU CAN SEE HERE, THESE ARE OUR PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION COPIERS AND THE MAIL MACHINES AT CARVER AND PRINT AND DISTRIBUTION. AND THE LEASE CHARGES FOR THOSE. WHERE YOU SEE INSTRUCTION, LEAD AND SUPPORT, THESE ARE THE COPIERS THAT ARE LOCATED IN ALL OF THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS. AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT THE LEASE CHARGES AND THE CLICK CHARGES ARE FOR THE COLOR COPIERS. THEN IT GOES BY DEPARTMENT THERE, A COPIER IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION, MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATIONS. [02:10:06] AGAIN, EACH ONE OF THOSE HAS A CLICK CHARGE FOR THE COLOR COPIER AND A LEASE PAYMENT FOR THE COPIER. HERE IN UTILITIES, WE JUST HAVE UTILITIES LUMPED TOGETHER AS ONE NUMBER FOR EACH. WE'RE ACTUALLY TRENDING WELL FOR FY24, SO WE HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR BUDGET FOR FY25 FOR UTILITIES. LOOKING AT EVERYWHERE WE CAN TO NOT INCREASE THE BUDGET. WE FEEL LIKE HOW WE'RE TRENDING IN 24, WE SHOULD BE OKAY FOR 25. NOW, THERE WAS AN SMEC MEETING RECENTLY WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT ENERGY INCREASES. IT'LL INCREASE DRASTICALLY AFTER 25. THEY HAVE SOME PROJECTIONS, BUT FOR FY25, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE OKAY. THEN STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. >> IN THE AREA OF STUDENT TRANSPORTATION, WE'LL SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE HERE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. UNDER LINE ITEM 0212 UNDER THAT OBJECT BUS CONTRACTS, WE PAY THE EXCISE TAX FOR ALL OF THE BUSES AND WE HAVE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PURCHASING 14 NEW BUSES THIS YEAR. ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE WILL BE THE DRIVER AND AIDS SALARIES. UNDER OBJECT 0215, SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION IN DISTRICT CLASSROOMS AND THE CAP CLASSROOMS THAT DR. HAMMER SPOKE OF, A SPECIAL EDUCATION. THIS WOULD BE THE TRANSPORT FOR OUR REGULAR EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT ARE ATTENDING THOSE PROGRAMS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS. THEY'RE CAPTURED HERE UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET. ALSO, AS YOU GO TO THE BOTTOM, TO THE NEXT PAGE, I THINK, HANG ON, THIS NOTE RIGHT HERE AT THE BOTTOM, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A BRAND NEW BUS, AND THAT'S A PROPANE BUS THAT IS A COUNTY OWNED BUS. THAT'S $160,000 SO THAT'S A SPECIAL EDUCATION LIFT BUS, AND IT'S A PROPANE BUS. THAT'S $160,000. MOVING INTO THE OPERATION OF PLANE. [OVERLAPPING] >> DR. BUCKLEY. >> YES. >> SORRY, REAL QUICK. OUR SOFTWARE LICENSE HERE INCREASE FROM 23 TO 24 IS THAT ALSO COMING BACK FROM SR? >> I DO NOT BELIEVE IT DID. THESE ARE JUST INCREASES IN LICENSING ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE VARIOUS SOFTWARE LICENSING. >> OKAY. THAT'S PRETTY BIG. >> SPEND IN 22 AND THAT PROBABLY COVERED SOME OF THAT. LOOK AT '22 AND '23 [INAUDIBLE] LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PAID A HEAD. >> PAID AHEAD. >> THAT'S 310 WHICH IS ABOUT 150 YEARS CLOSE. I'M JUST GUESSING. >> OKAY. >> TWENTY-THREE TO '24 WAS INCREASE IN BUSES BUT THAT WAS ALSO THE YEAR THAT WE INCREASED SALARIES FOR DRIVERS AND AIDES BECAUSE WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS WE WERE RUNNING INTO SITUATIONS WHERE DAILY WE WERE NOT HAVING BUSES AND BUS ROUTES THAT WERE BEING ABLE TO BE FILLED BY OUR CONTRACTORS. IT WAS BECAUSE OUR SALARIES HAD DROPPED OUT OF A COMPETITIVE RANGE WITH NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS AND NEIGHBORING STATES. WE INTENTIONALLY LOOKED TO INCREASE THOSE SALARIES FOR THOSE FOLKS TO BE COMPETITIVE. >> WE'RE HAVING SOME OF THE SAME PRESSURES NOW. I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S SOME. >> THEY'VE BEEN ONGOING, AND WE LOOK AT THOSE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WE NEGOTIATE WITH OUR CONTRACTORS EVERY YEAR, AND SO WE ADDRESS THAT EACH YEAR. WE NEGOTIATE WITH THEM. >> THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING UP AGAIN. >> YES. IN THE AREA OF OPERATION OF PLANT, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE IN THIS AREA. SOME OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR INCREASES IN CONTRACTING. FOR EXAMPLE, TRASH REMOVAL IS GOING UP. YOU'LL SEE THAT INCREASE THERE OF $70,000. AGAIN, THIS IS THE OPERATION OF THE PLANT SO THIS IS RELATED TO THE SCHOOLS. YOU'LL SEE INCREASE IN CLEANING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS. YOU'LL SEE INCREASE IN GAS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE EQUIPMENT AND MACHINES THAT ARE OPERATING THERE AS WELL. YOU WILL SEE A REDUCTION IN GROUNDS UPKEEP IN THAT, BUT THAT WILL BE CAPTURED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF PLANT AS WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE. AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT CATEGORY, MAINTENANCE OF PLANT. ALSO AT THE TOP OF PAGE 48, YOU WILL SEE TWO BRAND NEW MOWERS HERE FOR CALVERT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THOMPSON ESTATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THOSE ARE A COMBINATION OF MOWERS AND SNOW PLOWS FOR THEIR MULTIPURPOSE. THEIR EQUIPMENT IS VERY OLD. IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN HANDED DOWN FROM HIGH SCHOOLS TO THEM AND ITS LIFESPAN HAS EXPIRED. MOVING INTO THE MAINTENANCE OF PLANT, AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE SOME REDUCTIONS THERE, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE SOME INCREASES. I'D LIKE TO GO INTO THE NEXT SEVERAL AREAS. ELECTRICAL SERVICES, HVAC SERVICES, SAFETY SERVICES, CARPENTRY SERVICES, THESE ARE AREAS THAT OUR FOLKS ARE ABLE TO MANAGE AND WORK ON BUILDINGS ON OUR OWN. ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE ABILITY TO DO, WE WILL DO THAT. YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE IN REPAIRS AND YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN SOME LINE ITEMS FOR MATERIALS AND COST, SIMPLY BECAUSE TO BUY SWITCHES, [02:15:02] TO BUY ELECTRICAL PANELS AND BREAKERS, TO BUY CARPETING, TO BUY HVAC EQUIPMENT, IT HAS INCREASED, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE REFLECTED HERE. IN THE BOTTOM THERE YOU'LL SEE GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE. YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE OF INCREASES HERE, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO UPKEEP OF GROUNDS. IN THOSE AREAS, WE HAVE PAVING PROJECTS, WE HAVE SIDEWALK PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, OUR PAVEMENT, OUR CONCRETE IS JUST WORN OUT, AND SO WE NEED TO REPAIR THOSE. YOU'LL ALSO SEE AN AREA THERE. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE DEAD TREES THAT ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT OUR VARIOUS PROPERTIES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE EXPENDED COSTS TO TAKE A TREE DOWN AT THE OLD CHESAPEAKE CITY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING THAT IT WAS GOING TO FALL. IT WAS IN DANGER OF FALLING ONTO A HOMEOWNER'S PROPERTY. IT COST US $800 TO GET RID OF THAT AT THE DUMP. THERE ARE INHERENT COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WORK. WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT. THAT'S REFLECTED HERE IN THOSE BUDGET ITEMS. >> THE FIXED CHARGES. >> MISS HOLLY, I DID RECEIVE A RESPONSE ABOUT THE MCKINNEY VENTOGRAM, SO WE JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE OF GRANT AWARD TODAY FOR FY24. OUR GRANT IS 60,000 BUT WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE 10,000 OF THAT FOR TRANSPORTATION. WE'RE REQUIRED TO USE THE BALANCE FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES, PANTRY SUPPLIES, THOSE TYPES OF THING, LAPTOPS, HOT SPOTS, WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO USE. THAT'S WHY WE SUPPLEMENT WITH OUR OWN BUDGET. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU. >> NO, THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE HAD TO SUPPLEMENT SOME BECAUSE IT WASN'T ENOUGH. >> THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE IT TO BE SPENT ON TRANSPORTATION. THEY WANTED TO BE SPENT ON OTHER THINGS TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS. MOVING HERE INTO FIXED CHARGES. THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR WORKFORCE AND HAVING A WORKFORCE. A COUPLE OF THINGS TO POINT OUT AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM IF YOU WOULD LIKE. BUT THIS 0513 ADMIN FEE, THIS IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR THE PENSION THAT WE PAY FOR EMPLOYEES AND TEACHERS TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND RETIREMENT AGENCY. THIS IS AN ESTIMATE, NOT HAVING THE EXACT INFORMATION YET, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S BEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE EACH YEAR IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. PART OF THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT IS TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND SUPPORT STAFF. AS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE LEFT THOSE NUMBERS CONSISTENT. YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE HERE. OUR HEALTHCARE OPT OUT IS WHEN WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO OPT OUT OF OUR HEALTH CARE BECAUSE THEY'RE ON A PARENT'S HEALTH CARE OR A SPOUSE'S HEALTHCARE. THAT IS ALSO NEGOTIATED. IT ENDS UP SAVING US IN THE LONG RUN FROM THEIR HEALTHCARE CLAIMS AND COSTS. THIS 0550 HEALTHCARE LINE INCLUDES EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE. IT'S MEDICAL CARE, VISION, DENTAL, PRESCRIPTIONS, EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH ACTIVE EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE. YOU CAN SEE OUR ACTUAL FROM 23 WAS OVER 20 MILLION, 24 WE WERE BUDGETING BASED ON OUR 21, 22 NUMBERS. WE'RE ALREADY TRENDING REALLY HIGH FOR 24. WE'VE INCREASED OUR BUDGET FOR '25 FOR ACTIVE HEALTH CARE DUE TO INCREASED CLAIMS AND COSTS. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER TERM LIFE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE, WORKERS COMP IS ALSO AN INCREASE. AGAIN, THESE ARE PROJECTIONS BASED ON THE WORKFORCE THAT WE'RE PROJECTING TO HAVE. RETIREE HEALTHCARE WE'RE LEAVING STABLE. BEFORE FY23, WE HAD A COUPLE REALLY HIGH YEARS OF RETIREE HEALTH CARE. RETIREE HEALTH NUMBERS CAME DOWN, BUT RETIREE HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE TRENDING UP AGAIN THIS YEAR. WE DID NOT INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR FY25. SOCIAL SECURITY, AGAIN, BASED ON OUR PROJECTION FOR EMPLOYEES AND SALARIES FOR FY25. NOTE DOWN HERE THE TEACHER PENSION SYSTEM. THIS IS OUR LOCAL SHARE OF TEACHER PENSIONS RIGHT NOW, ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $644,000 FOR FY25. >> SOME OF THESE LINES LIKE INSURANCE IS A BEST GUESS. >> SOME OF THESE ARE ESTIMATES. WE RECEIVED ESTIMATES FROM MAYB FOR SOME OF THEM, BUT AGAIN, EVERYBODY SAYS THERE ESTIMATES. WE'RE BUDGETING BASED ON AN ESTIMATE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS. >> LIKE 24 IS NUMBER FOR 0550 IS 177, IF THAT ENDS UP BEING 20 MILLION OR SO BECAUSE THAT'S NOT CONTROLLABLE. THAT JUST KIND OF HAPPENS. THAT COMES FROM FUND BALANCE TO MADE. >> THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT FUND BALANCE LINED. >> I THINK, MR. FERNANDO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MS. SOPA BUT WHAT I DO IS WHEN I SEE SOME OF THESE NUMBERS I PAY ATTENTION DURING THE BOARD MEETING AT THE END, I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE LAST SHEET THAT MS. SOPA SHOWS. IT SHOWS HOW WE'RE TRENDING UP TO THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, AND IT COMPARES IT TO HOW WE WERE IN FY23, FY22, [02:20:04] SO YOU CAN GET AN ID IF WE'RE FAVORABLE OR NOT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE REALLY PROJECTING WHAT YOUR RETIREE HEALTHCARE COST IS GOING TO BE, DEPENDS ON THE YEAR, DEPENDS ON YOUR RETIREES. ESPECIALLY BEING A SELF INSURED SYSTEM NUMBERS CAN VACILLATE DRASTICALLY. THAT'S JUST WHAT I DID. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD I WAS GOING TO SAY WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE BUDGET REPORT EVERY MONTH. THAT SHEET THAT'S IN THERE IS JUST SUPER, SUPER HELPFUL TO SEE WHERE WE ARE TRENDING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR AT THE SAME TIME. >> YOU CAN TELL PRETTY EARLY IN THE YEAR IF WE'RE GOING TO BE FAVORABLE OR NOT ASSUMING THE TRAJECTORY IS STATIC. >> THAT WAS PART OF A SELF INSURED SYSTEM. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT. AS A COMPANY GOT OLDER THAT I WAS WITH AND THERE WERE MORE CLAIMS FOR SERIOUS CONDITIONS, OUR RATES WENT UP A LOT. LIKE WITH THE RETIREE PLAN IT WOULD DEPEND IF A RETIREE HAS SOMETHING GO WRONG THAT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE, THEN THOSE COSTS GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THAT AND WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. CORRECT? BECAUSE IT JUST IT CAN JUST HAPPEN. >> THAT IS CORRECT. WE ALSO WE HAVE TWO CARRIERS, SO WE HAVE THAT AND WE HAVE BLUE CROSS. DEPENDING UPON HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS WE HAVE IN EACH OF THOSE TWO VENDORS, IF WE HAVE A SMALL NUMBER AND ONE AND THEY HAVE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE IS HIGH, THAT COULD INCREASE THOSE COSTS. THERE ARE MULTIPLE VARIABLES THAT IMPACT THAT, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT. YES. >> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. SOPA, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A STOP LOSS. STOP LOSS, I WANT TO SAY IS JUST SHY OF 300,275. WE HAVE A STOP LOSS NUMBER THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $300,000 SO THAT WHEN A CLAIM IS MADE FOR HEALTHCARE AND IT BECOMES ONE OF THESE LIFE CHANGING KINDS OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCES, WE HAVE AN INSURANCE CARRIER THAT WILL STEP IN AND PICK UP ANY COSTS BEYOND, I'M GOING TO SAY A NUMBER LIKE $275,000. MY QUESTION FOR MS. SOPA IS DO WE HAVE THE SAME FOR RETIREE HEALTHCARE? >> GOOD QUESTION. >> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT COVERS RETIREE HEALTHCARE. RETIREES IN THE GAP BETWEEN RETIREMENT AND BECOMING A MEDICARE ELIGIBLE, THEY GO OUT ON THE EXCHANGE. WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THEIR CLAIMS. >> THAT ANSWERS IT THANK YOU. >> FROM THE TIME THEY RETIRE TILL THE TIME THEY HIT MEDICARE AGE, THEY'RE OUT ON THE EXCHANGE. THEY HAVE THEIR STIPEND, WHATEVER IT IS, BASED ON THEIR NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE, IT'S NEGOTIATED, BUT THEN THEY CAN COME BACK TO A SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN WHEN THEY'RE OF MEDICARE AGE AND MEDICARE TENDS TO PICK UP THE MAJORITY OF THAT. MY ANSWER WOULD BE LOGICALLY NO, BUT WE CAN FIND OUT FOR SURE. >> THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. >> I ALSO WANT TO BRING UP, SINCE THE POINT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS YOU KEEP IN MIND AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS. ALL OF THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO AFFECT NEXT YEAR. IF BUDGET AMENDMENTS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THE MONEY HERE, BUT NOW SOMETHING ENDS UP BEING MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE MONEY IN THE BUDGET, SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO THE FUND BALANCE. IF YOU CAN FIND MONEY IN THE BUDGET, THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT. WHENEVER YOU'RE TRANSFERRING MONEY OR A BUDGET FROM ONE CATEGORY TO THE NEXT IS WHEN IT REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. IF WE WERE GOING TO KEEP IT IN ADMINISTRATION AND MOVE IT FROM ADMINISTRATION, IT'S STILL PART OF THE REPORT, BUT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE APPROVAL BECAUSE IT WAS STILL BUDGETED IN ADMINISTRATION. BUT IF YOU TOOK IT FROM ADMINISTRATION TO INSTRUCTION LEAD AND SUPPORT, THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE THE APPROVAL HAPPENS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT FIXED CHARGES. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> NO. >> NO [INAUDIBLE]. >> OKAY, CAPITAL OUTLAY. [LAUGHTER]. >> CAPITAL OUTLAY. CLARIFICATION, THE STOP LOSS IS AT $300,000, WE JUST INCREASED IT. THEN IT DOES COVER RETIREES THAT ARE IN PRE-MEDICARE, SO IT DOES RECOVER THEM AS WELL. IN THE AREA OF CAPITAL OUTLAY, YOU WILL SEE HERE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF $700,000. IF YOU GO TO THE TOP OF PAGE 51, YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT IS LOCATED IN 06, 08 OBJECT AND THAT'S BUILDINGS, AND THAT IS THE CONOWINGO AND RISING SUN SECURE ENTRANCES THAT WE HAD TAKEN DOLLARS OUT OF OUR FUND BALANCE. YOU'LL SEE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION THERE. ANY QUESTIONS ON CAPITAL OUTLAY? >> ANY QUESTION? BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT ONE, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT WE RECESS UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK. IS THERE A MOTION? >> SO MOVED. >> SO SECOND. >> SECOND. >> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> IT'S UNANIMOUS, RECESS UNTIL 1:00. THANK YOU. SEEING IT IS 1:01. [02:25:01] RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION, OUR WORK SESSION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY, FEBRUARY 6 MEETING. DR. LAWSON, DO YOU WANT TO? >> I BELIEVE MS. SOPA CONTINUES, CORRECT? >> NO, IT'S ME DR. HAMMER. >> THAT WAS DR. HAMMER. >> WE'RE GOING TO NOW GET INTO THE PPA WHICH IS OUR PER PUPIL ALLOCATION TO THE SCHOOLS. THESE ARE BASICALLY THE BUDGET LINES THAT SUPPORT DIRECTLY OUR SCHOOLS. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ELEMENTARY, MOVE TO MIDDLE, AND THEN TO HIGH SCHOOL. UNDER THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ELEMENTARY, THIS IS WHERE THE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES THAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD CUT FROM THE BUDGET WILL APPEAR. IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, OUR STUDENTS ENGAGE. THIS PAYS ESSENTIALLY FOR THE ADVISORS FOR ROBOTICS CLUB, CHESS CLUBS, RUNNING CLUBS, THOSE THINGS AS DETERMINED BY THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAMS IN THOSE BUILDINGS. WE ALSO HAVE FUNDS IN THIS BUDGET FOR FIFTH GRADE TRANSITION THAT ALLOWS OUR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS TO GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS BEFORE THEY ENTER SIXTH GRADE, TO GET A LITTLE COMFORTABLE WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE. NEXT, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THE SCHOOLS. WE ESSENTIALLY LOOK AT OUR SEPTEMBER 30 COUNT AND WE SEE HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN EACH OF THOSE BUILDINGS. WE PROVIDE $63 PER STUDENT TO EACH OF THE SCHOOLS AND THAT $63 TURNS INTO A BUDGET FOR THAT BUILDING. THE PRINCIPAL HAS ASSESSED THE NEEDS OF THAT BUILDING AND THEN BUDGETS OUT WITHIN THE BUILDING AND THE DEPARTMENT'S IN THEIR BUILDING. SO IT'S A MINI BUDGET ALMOST, BUT FOR THE OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL. WE DO DO SOME ADJUSTMENTS AFTER THE NEXT YEAR'S SEPTEMBER 30 COUNT, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE START DEPENDING ON WHAT ENROLLMENT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. >> SO THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SUPPLIES. >> PAPER. >> PAPER. >> TONER. >> DO WE FEEL THAT $63 PER STUDENT IS ENOUGH? >> I WILL TELL YOU, SOME OF OUR SMALLER SCHOOLS STRUGGLE. >> RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU STILL NEED A LOT OF THE SAME STUFF. >> WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ONLY 250 STUDENTS, THAT'S A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY HAVE TO OPERATE THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR. IF THEY RUN INTO A PROBLEM, THEY USUALLY CONTACT US AND WE HELP TO SUPPORT THEM AS BEST WE CAN. THIS IS GOING TO GO REALLY FAST SO BUCKLE UP, HERE WE GO. WE HAVE BAINBRIDGE ELEMENTARY PREVIEW. MOVING AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 52, WE HAVE OUR C SCHOOLS. PAGE 53, SOME MORE C SCHOOLS. CHESAPEAKE CITY, CONOWINGO. PAGE 54, WE HAVE ELK NECK, GILPIN, HOLLY HALL, AND KENMORE. PAGE 55 WE'RE ROUNDING OUT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH LEEDS NORTHEAST PERRYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEN RISING SUN AND THOMPSON STATES ON 56. NEXT IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL. HERE YOU WILL SEE THE SAME THING WITH AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE HAVE A TRACK CLUB, WE HAVE CHESS CLUB, WE HAVE BOOK CLUBS, AND THESE ARE ALL CLUBS THAT ARE SPONSORED BY EMPLOYEES IN THOSE BUILDINGS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF THE KIDS IN THOSE SCHOOLS. WE ALSO HAVE BUDGETED HERE FOR THE JUMPSTART PROGRAM THAT HAS RETURNED FROM THE BUDGET FROM OUR LAST PROPOSAL TO YOU. WE ALSO HAVE FUNDS HERE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF 56 FOR THE EIGHTH GRADE TRANSITION, AND THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS CHECKING OUT THE HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE THEY GO TO HIGH SCHOOL SO THEY CAN BUILD THEIR FAMILIARITY AND COMFORT. ON 57 AND MORE PAGES, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP THROUGH THE PPA ALLOCATION FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. BO CHERRY HILL, ELKTON. NORTHEAST MIDDLE, PERRYVILLE MIDDLE, AND RISING SUN ON PAGE 58, AND AT THE TOP OF PAGE 59 IS WHERE WE HIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HIGH SCHOOL. THAT ALSO INCLUDES AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY, AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, THOSE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES MAY MEAN STAFF, FACULTY MEMBERS WHO COME TO EVENTS TO HELP WITH HOMECOMING, HELP WITH PROM, HELP WITH OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE BUILDING. BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE EXTRA PAY FOR EXTRA DUTY FOR MANY OF THE CLUBS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THIS HELPS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE AT SOME EVENTS THAT WE SPONSOR AS A SYSTEM. THIS IS IMPORTANT. HERE'S ANOTHER BLUEPRINT. YOU CAN SEE THIS WOVEN THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE BUDGET. YOU'LL SEE CCR PATHWAY BOOKS, TUITION AND FEES, AS WELL AS EARLY COLLEGE TRANSPORTATION. THESE ARE ALL FUNDS THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR DISTRICT FROM THE STATE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN 11TH AND 12TH GRADE BY LAW. OUR FUNDS HAVE GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED AT THE STATE HAS CHANGED, WHICH IS GOING TO CAUSE US TO HAVE TO NOT PAY AS MUCH AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO WE'RE HOPING FOR SOME RELIEF WITH THIS FROM THE STATE. THIS IS STILL A LITTLE BIT OF A MOVING TARGET, [02:30:01] BUT THESE FUNDS HAVE DECLINED, WHICH IS GOING TO IMPACT WHAT FAMILIES HAVE TO PAY FOR. A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT ARE OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY. WE PAID FOR THEIR COURSES THAT THEY WERE TAKING AT CECIL COLLEGE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE NINTH AND TENTH GRADE STUDENTS MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS FROM THE STATE THERE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO COVER WHAT THE LAW SAYS, AND THAT'S THE 11TH AND 12TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN DUAL ENROLLMENT IN EARLY COLLEGE. THIS AGAIN JUMPS INTO THE PPA FOR BO HIGH, ELKTON HIGH, NORTHEAST HIGH, PERRYVILLE HIGH, AND RISING SUN HIGH. LET'S SEE. WE DO PROVIDE SOME FUNDS TO THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE IT IS A PROGRAM, INSURANCE RECOVERY. >> THE PRINCIPALS OF THOSE BUILDINGS DETERMINE THOSE BUDGETS. SO WHILE THEY GET THE TOTAL ALLOTMENT, THEY DECIDE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BUDGET IN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES AND SUBMIT THAT TO US OR EACH OF THOSE OBJECTS. >> BEFORE YOU START, I KNOW I'M HUNG UP ON THE WHOLE SUPPLY THING, BUT HOW OFTEN DOES IT HAPPEN THAT A SCHOOL COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, WE NEED MORE HELP? DOES IT HAPPEN OFTEN? >> MY EXPERIENCE AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HIGH SCHOOLS, NO. NOW, I CAN'T NECESSARILY SPEAK TO ELEMENTARY AS MUCH, AND I THINK THEY'RE THE MORE CHALLENGING JUST BECAUSE THE SHEER SIZE OF SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, 250 STUDENTS, THAT'S JUST NOT MUCH MONEY. I THINK THERE'S A CULTURE OUT THERE THAT THEY'RE WELL AWARE THAT IF THEY NEED HELP, DON'T LET IT FASTER. COME AND TELL US. >> MY CONCERN IS THESE SUPPLIES ARE WHAT ARE NEEDED TO HELP OUR STUDENTS LEARN. MY CONCERN IS TEACHERS ALREADY SPEND A LOT OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY COMMON KNOWLEDGE ON SUPPLIES FOR THEIR CLASSROOM OR ON SUPPLIES FOR STUDENTS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GIVING THE SCHOOLS ENOUGH SO THAT THINGS LIKE PAPER, FOR EXAMPLE, AND COPIES THAT THEY NEED, WE HAVE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF SAVINGS. >> YES, I BELIEVE. >> REAL QUICK WHILE WE'RE STILL HERE, SORRY. IN 80,000 WHICH IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE, AND THEN 90,000 WHICH IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HIGH, WE HAD SOME BIG DROPS IN CONTRACTED SERVICES. DID WE GO THROUGH LIKE WHAT CHANGED THERE? >> MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THE REMOVAL OF NORTH BAY AND HIGH SCHOOL IS THE REDUCTION IN CCR. >> GOT IT. I HEARD YOU BUT I DIDN'T REGISTER. THANK YOU. >> FOR THE REDUCTION IN CCR, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THIS AGAIN. EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY, WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR THAT ANYMORE. WE USED TO PAY FOR IT AND IT'S TYPICALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM GETTING AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FOR COST SAVINGS PURPOSES FOR COLLEGES, A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO DON'T COME FROM FAMILIES WHO'VE ALREADY BEEN IN COLLEGE. IS THAT TYPICALLY THE CASE? DO WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A DROP IN THE APPLICATIONS FOR EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY? >> WE'RE ABSOLUTELY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE A LETTER DRAFTED TO SEND HOME TO FAMILIES WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER NINTH AND TENTH GRADE STUDENTS NEXT YEAR, AND GIVING THEM SOME OFF RAMPS IF THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. BECAUSE OF THIS REDUCTION FROM THE STATE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS. DR. FOYE, DO YOU KNOW THE COSTS THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE NINTH AND TENTH GRADERS? >> CLOSE TO AROUND 90,000 IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH JUST THE TENTH GRADE, NINTH GRADE [OVERLAPPING]. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, CAN WE GRANDFATHER IN? LIKE THE KIDS WHO ARE IN NINTH GRADE, WHO ARE ALREADY IN, GET THEM THROUGH A YEAR WHERE THEY CAN BE PAID FOR IN TENTH GRADE AND THEN OBVIOUSLY BE COVERED IN 11TH AND 12TH? >> WELL, YOU CAN. IT'S $100,000 BASICALLY. >> I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE. >> IS IT 100,000 A YEAR? IS IT 100,000 FOR NINTH GRADE AND 100,000 FOR 10TH GRADE, OR 100,000 FOR NINTH AND 10TH, OR IS IT 100,000 TO GET NINTH INTO 10TH? >> THEY'RE ALREADY THERE THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE IS WHAT DIANA IS PROPOSING. THEY'RE NINTH GRADERS RIGHT NOW, SO NEXT YEAR WHEN THEY'RE 10TH GRADERS, WE WOULDN'T BE PAYING FOR THEM, BUT WE PAID FOR THEM AS NINTH GRADERS. [02:35:02] THE ONES THAT ARE EIGHTH GRADE GOING INTO NINTH GRADE, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT, SO WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE IN NINTH GRADE NOW GOING TO 10TH GRADE. IT WOULD JUST BE THE ONE. [OVERLAPPING] >> THAT'S THE 100,000. CORRECT. >> I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY ALREADY HAVE A YEAR UNDER THEIR BELT. FOR THEM TO HAVE TO TRANSITION BACK FROM EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY TO REGULAR, WE WANT TO CALL IT REGULAR SCHOOL JUST SEEMS SO[OVERLAPPING] >> THE THINKING ON THIS JUST SO EVERYBODY HAS THE WHOLE SET OF INFORMATION IS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO FACE A SHORTFALL AS IT RELATES TO DUAL ENROLLMENT COMING OUT OF CCR BECAUSE OF THE BLUEPRINT, WE'RE GETTING ABOUT HALF THE REVENUE TO SUPPORT CCR. WE'RE BARELY MAKING IT WORK THIS YEAR WITH THE FULL TILT OF REVENUE. UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE GO INTO NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HALF THE REVENUE. THE THINKING WAS THAT WE COULD SAVE ABOUT $100,000 IF WE DIDN'T COVER THE NINTH GRADERS CURRENTLY GOING INTO 10TH GRADE. IT WAS TO BUFFER THE SHORTFALL. IT IS A BUDGET REDUCTION, BUT IT'S MORE OF A FUNCTION OF THE CCR. THE CCR, MY PREDICTION IS THAT MISS HOLLY AND I WERE IN A MAYB LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION LAST NIGHT, AND THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS, DELEGATE ATTERBURY, INDICATED THAT SHE PREDICTED THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME LEGISLATIVE RELIEF AS IT RELATES TO CCR. NOW THAT SAID, THERE WAS NO SPECIFICS. WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT WOULD HELP US AND TO WHAT EXTENT, BUT I THINK WHAT IT HIGHLIGHTS IS THAT THERE'S A STATE LEVEL AWARENESS THAT FY25 IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR CCR BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DOUBLE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO WANT THIS AND HALF THE REVENUE. WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A BAD PLACE VERY EARLY NEXT YEAR WITH CCR. >> RIGHT AND I AGREE. [OVERLAPPING] >> I'M SORRY, MISS HOLLY. THE LAST THING IS THAT THE COVERING THE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN NINTH GRADE GOING INTO TENTH. THAT'S NOT IN THE STATUTE. THAT'S NOT REQUIRED TO DO. WHAT'S REQUIRED TO DO ARE THE 11TH AND 12TH GRADERS. WE THOUGHT THIS YEAR WOULD BUY US $100,000, SO THAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND THE REDUCTION. IT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THOSE STUDENTS. [OVERLAPPING]. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, IS THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO? ABSOLUTELY NOT. >> OF COURSE NOT. >> HOW MUCH IS IT PER FAMILY, JUST FOR ONE CHILD APPROXIMATELY? >> IF THEY'RE DEPENDENT UPON WHAT GRADE THEY'RE IN [INAUDIBLE] STUDENT, THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU TAKE A 12TH GRADE STUDENT [OVERLAPPING] >> HOW ABOUT THE NINTH GOING INTO 10TH? >> NINTH INTO 10TH, I CAN PULL THAT DOCUMENT UP TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THE TUITION RANGE FOR THAT STUDENT. FOR EACH THREE CREDIT COURSE, WE'RE PAYING SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO AROUND $470, IS THAT WHAT IT IS WES? AROUND $470 PER THREE CREDIT COURSE. >> PER STUDENT, PER COURSE. >> RIGHT. THE PRICE DOES VARY DEPENDING UPON WHAT GRADES YOU'RE IN. IN THE ECA NINTH GRADE, THEY DON'T TAKE AS MANY CREDITS, 12TH GRADE, YOU'RE IN THE ECA PROGRAM FULL TIME, SO YOU'RE PAYING FOR ALL THE COURSES THEY TAKE THE 12TH GRADE YEAR. >> I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT BACK IN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS WE'RE GOING TO SEE A DROP OTHERWISE AND THEN WHERE DO THEY GO? WHERE DO THEY GO FROM THERE? BACK TO 10TH GRADE FOR A YEAR, AND THEN YOU CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT. >> THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT OF OUR UNRESTRICTED FOUNDATION. >> BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE PROPOSE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AND WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND REVISIT IT. IF FOR WHATEVER REASON OUR NEEDS AREN'T MET, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK ANYWAY AND REVISIT THINGS. >> CORRECT. >> I JUST THINK PERSONALLY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS. >> I'D SAY AT THE VERY LEAST NEEDS BASE, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT FOR THIS. ARE WE? [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ANYBODY, BUT AT THE VERY [OVERLAPPING]. >> ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE WOULD TAKE APPLICATIONS BASICALLY KIND OF? >> I THINK WHAT HE'S SUGGESTING IS THAT YOU COVER FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE FREE REDUCED LUNCH FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT, THOSE FAMILIES WOULD PAY. >> YES, EXACTLY. >> I'M SORRY, BUT AT ONE POINT, FAMILIES HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME THINGS. [LAUGHTER] LOTS OF KIDS HAVE TO WORK TO GO TO COLLEGE. WHAT IS IT THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER AND THAT'S WHY THE NINTH AND 10TH GRADERS HAVE TO GO TO CECIL? >> EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY, SO THEY GET THEIR ASSOCIATES AND THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IN 12TH GRADE. THEY APPLY TO THE EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY IN THEIR EIGHTH GRADE YEAR, AND THEN THEY START IN THEIR NINTH GRADE YEAR. >> WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE A DIPLOMA AND AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM THE COLLEGE. THEY TAKE DUAL CLASSES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEIR FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL. >> THOSE ARE HOSTED RIGHT NOW AT OAKTON AND PERRYVILLE? >> CORRECT. >> YEAH. >> THOSE KIDS AREN'T LEAVING, THEY'RE NOT LIKE PHYSICALLY GOING TO CECIL, LIKE CECIL IS COMING TO THEM FOR NINTH AND 10TH? [OVERLAPPING] >> WELL, THEIR JUNIOR YEAR THEY'RE ON CAMPUS SOME, THEIR SENIOR YEAR, THEY'RE ON CAMPUS FULL TIME. [02:40:02] >> I'M TALKING NINTH AND 10TH GRADE. >> IT WEANS THEIR FIRST YEARS. FRESHMAN, I BELIEVE THEY'RE TAKING ONE CLASS, TWO CLASSES AT THE SCHOOL. THEN THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR, THEY CONTINUE TO BE ON THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS. THEN THEIR JUNIOR YEAR, THEY HEAD TO THE COLLEGE CAMPUS. IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR, THEY'RE THERE FULL TIME. >> THE COLLEGE COMES TO THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR NINTH AND 10TH? >> YES. >> THIS YEAR WE HAD THE CCR FUNDING TO PROVIDE THIS FOR NEXT YEAR WHATEVER. WE CAN'T AFFORD IN CCR WILL HAVE TO BE FOUNDATION. IT'D BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE FUNDING WITH FOUNDATION UNLESS WE GET ADDITIONAL MONEY. IT'D BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CUT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT. >> BIRTH BAY IS STILL IN THE BUDGET NOW? >> NO. >> WE DIDN'T PUT THAT BACK IN. >> THE ONLY ONE THAT'S IN IS FAIR HILL. WHAT'S THAT VALUE VERSUS THIS? >> WHEN YOU ADDED THE TRANSPORTATION, IT'S BEEN LIKE 63. >> I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK. >> THERE'S 60% OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THIS IN THAN FAIR HILL NATURE CENTER PERSONALLY. >> HOW ABOUT WE LOOK AND SEE, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU FIRST, I'M HEARING TWO SEPARATE THINGS. THE FIRST THING IS, SEE HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE NEED BASED OUT OF OUR NINTH GRADERS GOING INTO 10TH GRADE AND SEE WHAT THAT COST IS VERSUS DOING IT FOR EVERYBODY. >> THAT'S GREAT. >> THEN SECONDLY, I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE ANY OTHER DETERMINATIONS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT IS FIRST. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU AND YOU TAKE THIS FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH THAT AS YOU IN YOUR THINKING, MOVE TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE A FINAL BUDGET ON FEBRUARY 28TH. YOU CAN ASK FOR THE THINGS YOU WANT. MY HUNCH IS THAT WHEN THE BUDGET COMES BACK FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE FORCED TO MAKE SOME VALUE JUDGMENTS AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE TIME TO MAKE THE VALUE JUDGMENT OF FAIR HILL NATURE CENTER FOR FIFTH GRADERS OR EARLY COLLEGE FOR SOPHOMORES. THAT MIGHT BE THE BETTER PLAY. >> CORRECT. AS A BOARD, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE THINK OUR STUDENTS NEED. WHAT WE WANT IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THIS. DON'T GET ME WRONG. WHAT WE WANT IS NOT GIVING STAFF COMPUTERS AND ALL THESE OTHER CUTS THAT WE SEE AREN'T THINGS WE WANT, BUT THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE THINGS WE THINK OUR STUDENTS ABSOLUTELY NEED FOR THEIR SUCCESS. I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE. >> HOW ABOUT THIS? HOW ABOUT TOMORROW NIGHT? WE WILL HAVE FOR YOU TWO NUMBERS. ONE NUMBER THAT SHOWS WHAT IT WOULD COST THE BOARD TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR SOPHOMORES GOING INTO EARLY COLLEGE, AS WELL AS BRINGING YOUR FRESHMAN SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T SKIP ANY COHORTS. WE'LL HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN BY THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE NEED BASED AND THOSE THAT AREN'T. KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE NINTH GRADE COHORT COMING IN NEXT YEAR HASN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED YET SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE POVERTY BREAKDOWN WOULD BE OF THAT. WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT YOU INCLUDE IT IN YOUR BUDGET AND THEN IF IN FACT YOU COME BACK SOME TIME AFTER MARCH 31ST AND YOU HAVE TO REDUCE, THEN YOU CAN START TO HAVE THESE KINDS OF COMPS. >> IS THAT A REALISTIC ASK? LIKE TO DO THAT IN ONE DAY? YES. >> I WOULD THINK SO. >> YES, IT IS A REALISTIC ASK. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, DR. LAWSON. WHEN YOU'RE READY TO HEAR. >> I COULD PROBABLY FIND IT. >> BUT IN TERMS OF BREAKING THEM DOWN BY NEED BASE. >> WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL. >> WE'RE REALLY ONLY LOOKING AT ONE COHORT OF STUDENTS, SO IT'S ONLY 45, 50 STUDENTS. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THIS IS A ONE-DAY TURNAROUND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. >> WILL YOU SIT DOWN AND LISTEN AND CHECK IT OFF PRETTY QUICKLY? >> I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE CCR INFORMATION, BUT IT DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO THE ECA KIDS. IT ALSO IS GOING TO BE IMPACTING OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE OFFERING QUITE AS MANY COURSES AS WE'VE DONE. WE'VE OFFERED EXPLORATORY COURSES FOR STUDENTS AND COVERED THAT BECAUSE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THE PILLAR IN BLUEPRINT. JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT TOO, IT'S NOT JUST ECA. >> WELL, PAZAM AND MAYB HAVE BOTH BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE UNDERFUNDING OF CCR FOR NEXT YEAR. IT'S GOING TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON US. >> THERE WAS A LOT AT OUR MEETING YESTERDAY SO YES. THANK YOU, DR. SAM. >> I'M SORRY. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. IF THE NINTH GRADERS ARE LIKE THE FARM KIDS, SO LET'S SAY WE SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO FUND THE FARM KIDS. WELL, ISN'T THERE A TEACHER TEACHING IN A CLASSROOM? WILL THE OTHER CHILDREN THAT WERE NOT FUNDING BE ABLE TO ATTEND THOSE CLASSES AND THE PARENTS PAY FOR IT? >> THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] [02:45:01] >> THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE. >> MAKE YOU'RE CLEAR YOU WANT THOSE NUMBERS. >> JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR, YOU WANT THOSE NUMBERS TOMORROW NIGHT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT ME TO WORK THEM INTO THE BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT'S ALREADY. >> I THINK YOU WORK THEM IN. >> DO WORK THEM IN. >> I THINK YOU WORK THEM IN BUT WE SEE THE BREAKDOWN. IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? >> YES. >> I THINK WE WANT THEM WORKED IN FOR ALL STUDENTS. EVERYBODY WHO'S NINTH TO 10TH, NOT JUST THE FARM FOOT. >> CORRECT. THAT'LL BE YOUR ASK. >> YES. >> THAT WILL BE IN YOUR ASK. >> OUR ASK WOULD BE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THEM. >> JUST EARLY COLLEGE IS WHAT WE'RE CHANGING THEN. WE'RE ADDING NINTH AND 10TH GRADE FOR NEXT YEAR. >> CORRECT. >> DO WE WANT TO ADD BOTH OR JUST 10TH? >> YOU CAN ALWAYS BACK IT OUT. >> I THINK WE'D ADD THEM AND THEN BACK THEM UP IF WE HAVE TO. >> THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GIVE YOU THE RIGHT THING. >> I THINK WE ADD THEM BOTH AND THEN BACK THEM OUT IF WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT LOWER INTEREST IF YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. >> DR. FOYE IS LOOKING UP THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW. LET'S ALLOW MS. HARPER TO CONTINUE AND THEN HE'LL JUMP IN WHEN HE HAS THE NUMBERS. >> THE NEXT PART HERE IS INDIRECT FEES. INDIRECT FEES IS A FEE THAT WE CAN CHARGE FOR MANAGING RESTRICTED FUNDS, GRANT FUNDS, AND FOOD AND NUTRITION FUNDS. THERE'S ACTUALLY AN ALLOWABLE AMOUNT YOU CAN CHARGE SO FOR STATE RESTRICTED FUNDS, IT'S 2% OF THE GRANT. FOR FEDERAL RESTRICTED FUNDS, IT'S 2.7% OF THE GRANT, AND SO THAT ENDS UP BEING A CREDIT BACK TO OUR OPERATING BUDGET. IT'S A NEGATIVE EXPENSE. THE LAST PART OF THE BUDGET IS OUR FTE SALARIES. OUR FTE SALARIES WE KEEP IN A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT OR ROLL UP CODE. THAT'S BECAUSE NO ONE HAS ACCESS TO MOVE SALARIES, DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS FROM SALARIES. THEY'RE ALL KEPT SEPARATELY. WE HAVE THEM REPORTED HERE BY STATE CATEGORY. THEN UNDERNEATH EACH CATEGORY, THE OBJECT. THESE CATEGORIES AND OBJECTS CORRESPOND TO ON THE BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT WE PROVIDED THAT HAS THE GRID, THAT HAS THE OBJECTS GOING DOWN ONE SIDE AND THE CATEGORIES ACROSS THE TOP AND WE HAD THE NUMBERS OF FTES FOR NEXT YEAR. OUR PROPOSED NUMBERS OF FTES, THOSE NUMBERS OF FTES CORRELATE TO THESE DOLLAR AMOUNTS. THE REASON WE DID NOT DISPLAY THESE BY LOCATION, FY25 IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'RE BUDGETING BY LOCATION. RIGHT NOW, IT'S STILL A BIG PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S ACCOUNT NUMBERS ARE LINED UP APPROPRIATELY WITH THEIR LOCATION. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IF WE HAVE A RELATED SERVICE PROVIDER WHO WORKS IN MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, THE WAY THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE BEFORE IS THAT PERSON'S ACCOUNT IS ASSIGNED TO THEIR HOME SCHOOL. THEIR HOME SCHOOL IS WHERE ANY INFORMATION WOULD GO TO THEM, THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED ON PROFESSIONAL DAYS AND SO THE ACCOUNT NUMBER HAS THEIR HOME SCHOOL, BUT THEY'RE REALLY NOT 100% HOME SCHOOL. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT WHAT PERCENT IS EVERYBODY IN WHAT BUILDING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE QUITE A CHALLENGE AND A LIFT TO GET EVERYBODY APPROPRIATELY INTO ACCOUNTS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PERCENT OF TIME THAT THEY SPEND AT A LOCATION. WE FELT LIKE IT WASN'T A FAIR ASSESSMENT TO SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS OF WHERE THEY SIT RIGHT NOW. BUT THESE ARE ALL THE NUMBERS PER CATEGORY, PER OBJECT, AGAIN, SHOWING YEAR OVER YEAR, AND THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES. THE NUMBERS OF FTES IS ON THAT CHART, AND IT'S ALSO IN OUR PRESENTATION AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT, AND KEEP IN MIND THIS IS JUST THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. THESE CATEGORIES AND THESE OBJECTS CORRESPOND TO THAT CHART AS WELL. YOU CAN SEE HERE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TEACHER, THIS REPRESENTS ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS; THE SALARY AMOUNT. PARAPROFESSIONALS, THIS REPRESENTS ALL SPECIAL ED PARAPROFESSIONALS AND THIS IS SALARIES. >> CAN I JUST ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? THESE POSITIONS BASICALLY JUST MAINTAIN THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY. >> THEY MAINTAIN THE POSITIONS WE HAVE CURRENTLY AND THEY ADD FIVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISORS FOR BECAUSE WE HAVE FIVE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS. >> BUT IN TERMS OF ALL THE OTHER POSITIONS, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE AWAY ANY. BUT WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY EITHER. >> WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY OTHER THAN WHAT'S BEEN ADDED THIS YEAR THROUGH RESTRICTED GRANTS. >> CORRECT. >> SO OUR CLASSROOM SIZES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A DECREASE IN CLASSROOM SIZES BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ADDING CLASSROOM POSITIONS. >> NO. >> THIS IS STRICTLY JUST TO MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. >> YES. >> DR. FOYE HAS SOME INFORMATION. >> SO TAKING A LOOK FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. IF WE WANTED TO FUND OUR 10TH GRADE ECA STUDENTS, [02:50:01] WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT $92,000. OUT OF THAT $92,000 WE HAVE 14 STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE FREE AND REDUCED MEALS. SO OUT OF THAT 49 STUDENTS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 14 OF THOSE STUDENTS. >> THAT'S 27% OF $90,000 SO YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT ABOUT $24,000. IF YOU PUT THE ONUS OF TUITION PAYMENT ON THE FAMILIES WHO WERE NOT FREE REDUCED LUNCH FAMILIES. >> MAKES SENSE? YOU FOLLOW ME THERE? OKAY. >> IN ADDITION TO IF YOU LOOK AT JUST FOR NEXT YEAR FOR EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY, IF WE COMBINE 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH. WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF $376,000. >> IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE THE FURTHER THE STUDENTS GO IN HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING MORE AND MORE COLLEGE CREDITS. THE SENIOR IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A FRESHMAN BECAUSE THE SENIOR IS TAKING SEVERAL MORE CREDITS THAN THE FRESHMAN WOULD BE. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE THAT TOMORROW NIGHT, PUSHING THIS BACK IN. >> FOR 10TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY NINTH GRADERS NEXT YEAR, 10TH GRADE WE WOULD BE LOOKING CLOSE TO AROUND $92,000, 14 OF THOSE STUDENTS WOULD BE FREE AND REDUCED WHO WOULD NEED ASSISTANCE. FOR NEXT YEAR IF WE FUNDED 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH, THAT TOTAL WOULD BE $376,000. >> IS THAT TUITION OR IS THAT ALSO BOOKS AND FEES? >> THAT'S EVERYTHING. >> EVERYTHING? >> DR. FOYE, ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE COST OF A FRESHMAN GROUP COMING IN? >> JUST A SECOND. [LAUGHTER] >> IT'S A TEST. >> AND BOOKS. THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S TUITION PLUS BOOKS AND FEES. >> DUAL ENROLLMENT IS [OVERLAPPING]. >> ANOTHER OPTION IS TO JUST DO TUITION, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT DUAL ENROLLMENT KIDS. >> KNOWING THE LION'S SHARE OF THE COSTS IS TUITION. BUT YES, CERTAINLY. >> JUST LOOKING FORWARD, IF FOR WHATEVER REASON WE HAD TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. >> WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU THE RECOMMENDATION TOMORROW NIGHT AND IT WILL INCLUDE CONTINUING EARLY COLLEGE. AGAIN, JUST KNOW THAT ONCE OUR MARCH 31 HAS COME AND GONE, THEN THE DISCUSSION CAN BE ONE OVER THE OTHER AND SO ON. >> WHEN WILL THAT DISCUSSION HAPPEN? LIKE AT A WORK MEETING OR THROUGH EMAILS OR? [LAUGHTER] >> WELL, NO. OBVIOUSLY IT'S BOARD DISCUSSION AND WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE RELEASES HER BUDGET AND FRANKLY, EVEN THEN, WE ARE GOING TO BE OPERATING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT COUNCIL APPROVES THAT BUDGET. IF SHE WERE TO GIVE US MORE THAN THE LOCAL SHARE, AGAIN, WHICH IS THE LEGALLY MINIMAL AMOUNT THAT SHE HAS TO GIVE, COUNCIL MAY CHOOSE TO PULL THAT BACK AS THEY CAN. THIS THING IS GOING TO BE IN FLUX FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME REALLY BIG DECISIONS. >> SAME DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. >> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO START TO HAVE PUBLIC DISCUSSION ONCE WE SEE WHAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET LOOKS LIKE. >> SORRY TO HOP ON THESE WHOLE ADDITIONS AGAIN. NOT ADDING POSITIONS INCLUDES THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE CERTAIN ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WHO HAVE MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL. >> AND PRINCIPALS. >> AND PRINCIPALS. >> THOSE POSITIONS ARE IN THIS BUDGET BECAUSE YOU ASKED US TO PUT THEM BACK IN. >> IN THIS BUDGET, IS THERE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT EVERY SCHOOL? >> YEAH. WELL, WE DIDN'T CUT ANY ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, SO WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. >> BUT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE'S TWO ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. >> WE DIDN'T HAVE LIKE A COMBINED OF FOUR. >> IT'S STILL THEN, BUT THE POSITION IS STILL THERE AS PART OF THE YEAR BUDGET. SO WE DID NOT CUT ANY POSITIONS, SO THIS ASSUMES MAKING THEM FULL TIME ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS IN EACH SCHOOL AGAIN. >> OKAY. PERFECT. >> IT'S IMPORTANT NUANCE. THEY'RE HERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THE SCHOOLS AT THE MOMENT. ONCE THIS GETS APPROVED, THEN BODIES WOULD BE IN THE SCHOOL. >> WELL, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HIRE BODIES NOW WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT, YOU MIGHT HAVE A JOB NEXT YEAR. SORRY. >> THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE. >> THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, IS WHAT I'M SEEING TOO, WITH TEACHER POSITIONS. I GUESS FOR ME I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO HAVE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT EVERY SCHOOL JUST FOR HELP WITH CLASSROOMS, [02:55:02] ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY REDUCTION IN CLASSROOM SIZE, DISCIPLINE, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR ADDING THOSE BACK. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> WE BELIEVE THAT'S IT. >> COME TO END OF IT, BUT THAT'S IT. [LAUGHTER] >> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OUT THERE TOO ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE MAKE. I TRULY DO THINK THAT IT'S SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WE NEED AND IT'S NOT WORTH DEFLATING MORALE OF STAFF, FIRST OF ALL, AND NOT PAYING PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE WORTH DEVALUING THEM, ESPECIALLY AS THE RESPONSIBILITY INCREASES. THE JOBS AREN'T GETTING ANY EASIER. WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY POSITIONS WHICH IF I HAD MY WANT, AND I WOULD EVEN QUESTION IF IT'S A NEED, I WOULD ADD MORE CLASSROOM POSITIONS, INCLUDING PAIRERS IN KINDERGARTENS. WE TRIED TO DO THAT LAST YEAR AND IT WASN'T APPROVED. I GUESS THE QUESTION REMAINS FOR THIS BOARD IS DO WE WANT TO ADD POSITIONS OR TRY TO ADD TARGETED POSITIONS TO HELP REDUCE CLASSROOM SIZE ESPECIALLY, OR HELP WITH HIGH CLASSROOM SIZE IN KINDERGARTEN. >> ARE YOU SAYING BEFORE WE PRESENT THIS BUDGET THAT WE LOOKED AT JUST NOW, DO WE WANT TO ADD IN MORE TEACHER? >> CORRECT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ADD IN MORE PARAS, WHICH IS WHAT WE TRIED TO DO LAST YEAR. IT'S THE SAME TARGETED POSITIONS THAT YOU LOOKED AT TO SEE WHERE COULD A SCHOOL USE AN EXTRA TEACHER TO HELP WITH SOME OF THESE CLASSROOM SIZES. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WHEN MY KIDS WERE IN KINDERGARTEN, THERE WAS A PARA. THE CLASS SIZES WEREN'T NEARLY AS BIG AS THEY ARE NOW, AND THAT PARA WAS BUSY. I'M IN KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS NOW, IT'S A LOT TO HANDLE FIVE-YEAR-OLDS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE. HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD AGREES WITH THAT, TO ADD IN A PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE GIVE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE A BUDGET WITH MORE POSITIONS. >> IF WE ADDED THOSE BACK IN, HOW MIGHT THAT LOOK? >> WHAT WAS IT LAST YEAR? ABOUT FOUR MILLION EXTRA. >> 5.6 I THOUGHT, 5.6 MILLION TO PUT ALL KINDERGARTEN PARAS BACK, AND DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS. >> THERE WERE SOME TEACHERS IN THAT AS WELL. >> YOU LOOKED AT SCHOOLS AND WHAT YOU DID IS YOU LOOKED AT SCHOOLS THAT HAD GREATER NEEDS FOR POSITIONS THAT WOULD AFFECT CLASS SIZE. WE TRIED TO ADD THAT INTO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. I HAVE THE NUMBER SOMEWHERE FROM LAST YEAR, I ASSUME THAT WENT UP A LITTLE BIT FOR THIS YEAR OR WOULD GO UP A LITTLE BIT. >> THE ONLY COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE, AND NOT THAT WE'RE NOT TOTALLY WILLING TO DO THIS, BUT WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT AND THAT'S ALL OF THE FIXED CHARGES THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING IN THE BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE BEFORE TOMORROW AND CHANGE THAT PRESENTATION, WHICH WE'RE WILLING TO DO. IT'S JUST GOING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE. >> LET ME TELL YOU HOW THIS WOULD WORK, IS THAT YOU WOULDN'T SEE AN EXACT BUDGET THAT REFLECTED MORE POSITIONS FOR WHETHER THEY'RE PARAPROFESSIONALS OR WHETHER THEY'RE TEACHERS IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS, FIXED CHARGES, THE STATE BUDGETING CODE, UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO SEE IT TOMORROW NIGHT. >> EXACTLY. >> [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] I'M SORRY, MS. SOPA. LET ME CLARIFY. >> NO, THAT'S OKAY. >> WE DON'T VOTE ON THIS UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY. >> WELCOME TO MY WORLD. >> I KNOW, SORRY. UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY. >> WE COULD PROBABLY JUST HAVE A GENERAL STATEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO ALSO ASK FOR THIS TO BE ADDED. >> ABSOLUTELY. [OVERLAPPING] >> THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN MY ASK TOMORROW NIGHT, BUT SINCE WE HAD A MEETING TODAY, I'M JUST PRE-ASKING. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? >> [OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE WHEN YOU OPEN UP THESE SHEETS UPON SHEETS, WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE GOING TO ADD 20 PARAPROFESSIONALS AND A DOZEN TEACHERS, I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE, THAT CHANGES ALMOST EVERYONE. THAT PUTS ME SO OPEN, HYPER OVERDRIVE. >> IT'S NOT DOING IT IS AN ISSUE WITH HAVING IT READY FOR A BOARD MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT? >> NO. THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. >> IT WOULD BE READY FOR YOU ALL TO VOTE ON FEBRUARY 28TH AND BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE WOULD CERTAINLY GET YOU ALL THE DOCUMENTATION OFFLINE IF YOU FELT THE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, ZOOM ON A QUICK PUT-TOGETHER BOARD MEETING TO ASK QUESTIONS, WE COULD DO THAT. YOU COULD GIVE US WHACK-A-MOLE QUESTIONS ONE AT A TIME. HOWEVER YOU ALL WANT TO DO IT, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE WHAT IT IS YOU'RE ASKING BY FEBRUARY 28TH. >> THIS MEETING WAS JUST ASSIGNED LAST FRIDAY SO I KNOW THAT YOU DID A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING TO EVEN GET READY FOR THIS. THE EXPECTATION IS NOT FOR TOMORROW, BUT I THINK A STATEMENT CAN BE MADE TOMORROW AGAIN IN [03:00:04] PUBLIC SESSION THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR BOARDS, IT'S NOT JUST ME. I SEE YOU GUYS NODDING, I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE LISTEN TO ME. >> I THINK EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BE REALISTIC, AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE BUDGET CUTS PROBABLY. BUT WE NEED MORE TEACHERS AND PARAS. >> BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE YOU CUT. >> WE JUST WENT LINE BY LINE. >> THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT YOU'RE BRINGING ON THE MOST EXPENSIVE PIECE OF OUR BUDGET, IT'S PEOPLE. WHEN YOU ADD PEOPLE, EVERY TIME YOU BRING ON A TEACHER, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY $87,000 IS THE NUMBER WE USE LATELY BECAUSE THAT'S A STEP 6 WITH FIXED CHARGES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE LINES AND YOU WANT TO BRING IN, LET'S SAY, A DOZEN TEACHERS, FIND MILLION AND A HALF. ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR PAZAM DUES AND YOUR CHROMEBOOK REFRESHES. YOU NEED A WHOLE LOT OF THAT TO GET TO A MILLION AND A HALF. I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, SCALE-WISE, YOU'RE ASKING US TO ADD IN THE VERY MOST EXPENSIVE PIECE OF OUR OPERATION. >> BUT IN THE PAST YOU HAD TOLD US FOR EVERY 15 TEACHERS, IT WAS A MILLION DOLLARS. >> LET ME TALK ABOUT THAT. ONE MILLION DIVIDED BY 15 I BELIEVE COMES TO, SOMEBODY WITH A CALCULATOR, 60,500 61,000 MAYBE. >> IT'S 66,000. >> SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND. IF THE TEACHER IS 66,000, THEN YES, THAT LITTLE RULE IS PROBABLY 15 YEARS OLD. AS TEACHERS GET MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, THAT RULE BECOMES, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE TEACHER. IF YOU HIRE 15 TEACHERS THAT ARE $87,000, 87,000 TIMES 15 IS 1.3. SO IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THE PERSON YOU'RE HIRING COSTS. PARAPROFESSIONALS, YOU'LL GET MORE THAN 15. BUT I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD RULE OF THUMB, THE 15 PER MILLION. >> MAYBE WE SHOULD SAY 13 PER MILLION. >> THAT WORKS FOR ME. >> MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT TAXES OR FICA AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF. IT'S NOT JUST YOU'RE GETTING $66,000. >> IT'S PROBABLY 10 PER MILLION. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 65,000, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS. >> THAT'S MAYBE $100,000 POSITION. THAT'S SOMEBODY THAT'S SALARY IS 80' AND THEN THEIR FIXED CHARGES AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT COSTS ARE PROBABLY CLOSE TO 20'. >> IT TOTALLY DEPENDS ON THE POSITION. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING 17 SCHOOLS WITH A LOT OF HOWEVER MANY KINDERGARTENS PER SCHOOL, THAT'S PARAS. THAT'S A DIFFERENT SCALE THAN. >> THE REAL SLOPPY WAY TO DO THIS AND QUICK, AND IT'LL MAKE SENSE WITH YOU, IS TO SIMPLY REPLICATE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM LAST YEAR BECAUSE IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, LITTLE HAS CHANGED. WELL, WE'RE DOWN 90 STUDENTS, SO WHATEVER WE HAD IN THE WAY OF TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS, IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT. WE'LL JUST PRICE IT UP WITH THESE THIS YEAR'S NUMBERS. EXACTLY. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE HAVE A WORKSHEET THAT WE DEVELOP EVERY YEAR WHERE WE TAKE THE BASE SALARY AND THEN WE HAVE SET CHARGES, WE KNOW WHAT TERM LIFE INSURANCE COSTS AND WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR INSURANCE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE FIGURING A STEP 6 TEACHER, SO WE USE A STEP 6 AS A BASELINE. IS ABOUT 87 AND CHANGE, AND THAT'S INCLUDING EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE FIXED CHARGES. THAT'S HOW WE DO OUR ESTIMATES BECAUSE THEY ARE ESTIMATES. WE COULD HIRE SOMEBODY WHO STARTS AT STEP 17 IF THEY'RE RETIRED FROM ANOTHER SYSTEM WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, OR WE COULD HIRE SOMEBODY WHO'S A STEP 1, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. >> THEY COULD HAVE A FAMILY OF FIVE THAT WE TAKE THEIR HEALTH CARE, AND THAT COMPLETELY CHANGES THINGS. WE REALLY DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU HAVE THE PERSON IN A POSITION, BUT DIRECTION IS TAKEN, WE'LL HAVE IT FOR YOU. >> BUT NOT TOMORROW. [LAUGHTER] >> WHILE WE'RE STILL TOGETHER. MAYBE A FINAL FROM ME. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTACKS ON SALARIES THAT I'VE SEEN FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, NOT SPEAKING FOR THE BOARD, BUT JUST SPEAKING FOR ME. I SUPPORT THE WORK YOU GUYS DONE. YOUR SALARIES TO ME ARE A PRETTY RIDICULOUS ARGUMENT IN MY MIND TO EVEN COMPARE SALARIES WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE WORK YOU'VE PUT INTO THE YEARS IN EDUCATION, THE DEGREES, THE SCHOOLING THAT YOU'VE GONE TO, AND COMPARING THAT TO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE QUALIFICATIONS, MEANING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE TO GET A POSITION AND TRY TO COMPARE THAT TO WHAT YOU DO. ALSO YOU COULD LEAVE AT ANY MOMENT NOW, WE KNOW THAT. ALL OF YOU COULD LEAVE AT ANY MOMENT NOW AND GO GET PAID THE SAME OR MORE SOMEWHERE ELSE. [03:05:01] DOING THE SAME THING YOU'RE DOING NOW TO SAY YOU'RE IN THIS FOR, I MEAN, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE ONLINE SAY, HEY, IF YOU'RE IN IT FOR THE KIDS, WELL, YOU CAN BE IN IT FOR THE KIDS SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT APPRECIATES YOU THE SAME OR MORE THAN WE DO AND PAYS YOU WHAT YOU'RE BEING PAID. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP YOUR CAUSE, WHICH IS WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND GET PAID LESS. SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT, I DON'T AGREE WITH ANY OF THOSE COMMENTS, I DON'T AGREE WITH ANY OF THAT. I THINK IT'S A VERY SHALLOW ARGUMENT THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THINGS TO BE LOOKED INTO MORE TO SEE WHAT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE, TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON A DAILY BASIS. I THINK IT'S IN THE SAME BREATH AS CALLING BOOTH STREET THE IVORY TOWER, AND ACTING LIKE EVERYBODY HERE DOESN'T HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. IF YOU WANT AN EXAMPLE, EXHIBIT A OF IT NOT BE AN IVORY TOWER, YOU USE THE BATHROOM IN THE HALLWAY, I'M JUST JUST BEING FUNNY. THIS PLACE IS NOT AN IVORY TOWER, THIS IS NOT LIKE WHAT SOME PEOPLE PAINTED IT TO BE, CINDERELLA'S CASTLE OR SOMETHING, WHATEVER IT IS. I'M IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOU, I THINK YOUR SALARIES MAKE SENSE BASED ON COMPETITIVE BALANCE WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, WITH OUR NEIGHBORING STATES. I THINK IT'S A RIDICULOUS, SHAMEFUL ACT TO CHALLENGE THAT IN THE WAY THAT IT WAS CHALLENGED ONLINE BY BOTH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOWED HER. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. >> I SECOND THAT. >> THANK YOU, MR. FERNANDO, FOR BRINGING BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE I AGREE 100%. JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY DOESN'T THINK YOU'RE WORTH IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE. LIKE YOU ARE, AND WE NEED TO PAY PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE WORTH, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH KIDS AND BETTER THE LIVES OF KIDS EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE NEED TO KEEP YOU HERE. THANK YOU, MR. FERNANDO FOR SAYING THAT. >> I'M IN 100% AGREEMENT WITH WHAT MR. FERNANDO AND WHAT MISS HOLLY JUST SAID, AND THAT WE'RE NOT IN A RACE TO THE BOTTOM TO TRY TO FIND THE LOWEST PAID FOLKS TO DO THE JOBS THAT WE NEED OUR PROFESSIONALS TO DO. IT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE UNLESS WE WANT OUR COUNTY TO GO DOWN TO BE THE LOWEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. SO I'M IN APPRECIATION OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO AND CONTINUE TO DO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. >> ESPECIALLY WHEN I SEE YOUR WORKLOAD, MY GOODNESS. YOU WENT FROM AN 11-PERSON LEADERSHIP TEAM TO NOW SEVEN. THE WORK HAS ONLY GOTTEN GREATER, AND THAT'S JUST LEADERSHIP TEAM. EVERYBODY IN THIS BUILDING, EVERYBODY IN EVERY SCHOOL, MAINTENANCE, FOOD SERVICES, EVERYBODY HAS BEEN DOING MORE, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING MORE WITH LESS FOR TOO LONG. THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED, THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR SYSTEM NEEDS, THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? I THINK THAT WAS THE ONLY AGENDA ITEM AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA. THIS WORK SESSION IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.