May-13-2019-Budget-worksession-Segment-2
[00:00:00] That so thank you for all of the members of the committee who submitted questions either by last Thursday when the district was able to provide written responses, but I believe other committee members have submitted questions since and so we want to make sure that those get addressed tonight as well.
So if we can just go through those first and Alaska Stephen, do you have some questions that you'd
like to ask? on page
63 around maintenance district-wide. Classified salaries I noticed the ft is going up in that area but classified salaries are going to 25% I was just curious what's [00:01:00] driving that increase.
Thank you for the question. So if you look at the adopted budget 1819 we have Night 19 total FTE. And if you just had the average 1 million divided by 19 you have about 55 points 55,000 500 or 600,000 per FTE for classify. And now it's okay 1.3 million in the 1924 Paul budget 21 fde will come up with 50.
Mm. So the first fifty five thousand six hundred that's is what the from fifty five thousand six hundred two fifty two thousand six hundred. That factor in 3% Cola increase in the classified [00:02:00] and under step going up and then talking about classified negotiation is still under the process. We're not how the final agreement with their bargaining yet.
So if you divide that average throughout the group then is very little increase.
One of the other factors that may come up throughout the evening is when you get a document like this, you're looking at the adopted budget in May compared to the proposed budget today, but a lot can happen between an adopted budget in May and the start of school in August and this is an example where in met we fell.
We were going to have 19 FTE and maintenance by August we had 21. So there was two additional FTE that we increase their so actually we've kept that stable between what we currently have [00:03:00] 21 FTE in that category and we're proposed to keep it at 21. So while it's an increase from the adopted budget in May is actually.
Static in terms of what we've been allocating this year and plan to spend again and allocate for next year. and that's just the Nuance of these kinds of documents and just keeping that in mind so it's fine to keep asking us what where things might have changed during the school year when you're starting to look at FTE comparisons between May and the proposed that makes.
So Kristen this also answer your follow-up question this morning. I believe that we can person also would like to see the FTE at the current year, but it depends on which one on which day we run that at the E. It could be changing. So if I run the report for Kristin last week [00:04:00] and then. Chelsea asking for another report which the acted is quote a different because of people moving out and coming in fluctuation throughout a year.
But would it be possible? I mean, I think my interest in asking that question was about truly understanding in what fund the reductions in staff would hit and so understanding, you know, our current situation like estimated as of today as we're looking at those reductions. I think that was more of what I was most interested in.
And then it does also raised to me that idea that should we have an estimated column when we're looking at comparing a proposed budget to current estimated year versus just looking back at a budget that maybe has changed as you explain.
and I think that was one of the most frequent questions maybe you saw across the group was [00:05:00] where. Those reductions lie and when we you know are in a position like this, we do our best to avoid a reduction in force process. So we take a look at where are their natural reductions happening retirements resignations and temporary staff were not returning so that nobody's losing their job and then we're dealing with the staff who are projected to come.
Back next year as that gets worked out and even last week you know there's another one that we're signing so we're in the middle of this is you know the season when people are making some plans or things happen with families and they're letting us know. As we're as those are happening we can hold all of those and then take a look at where would we be then not fill in with rehires to make the [00:06:00] softest most careful adjustments so we can have a lot of resignations or retirements.
Let's say for example in secondary that doesn't necessarily mean that's where the 18 is going to come from. But where could we make adjustments so that it's distributed? A little more thoughtfully across the organization that takes time and especially as more resignations or temporary staff decide not to come back every week.
It's a different nuance and if you move too fast, you might make a decision to change something that later you wish you hadn't because you didn't need to. And so that can be very upsetting and cause stress to staff if they're shared one thing and then two weeks later we say, oh actually we can cover that now so there's this holding pattern.
We still have a month of school and we've got some time to make those adjustments and how to [00:07:00] do that in a way where it's not such a big hit in either. One school or one area primary, sometimes there's an opportunity to make a blend where it could be softened and secondary. If all of a sudden you didn't need enough as many sections of something because students are also forecasting right now.
We might be able to adjust some FTE there. So we've got to be careful. We don't get too far ahead of ourselves with some of our staffing decisions. What our staff did in terms of numbers is just take some numbers out of the budget, but that doesn't mean that's necessarily where the Staffing is going to come from, but we had to take some average numbers.
You don't want to take too many senior staff that over-exaggerated. That budget amount you don't want to say let's just take all first-year teachers at under estimates the amount. So there's a little bit what is an average teacher make some [00:08:00] classified hours. And so the staff very carefully takes out of certain sections in the budget, but that may not be where we see the reduction when we walk into a building in August if that makes sense.
And by the way, that's pretty typical of most school districts with what they're doing now and as they're learning more they're making those kinds of adjustments.
Over your questions given Chelsea King Martin. Did you have some questions that you have? Thank you to all my fellow board members and budget committee members for all the questions and it's nice to be part of a team. It takes a little bit of the pressure off any one individual and thank you for this lovely document.
I've two questions [00:09:00] one has to do with the let's see check my notes because I may have worded it better when I wrote it. So I noticed that the grounds budget remains consistent and we've been hearing a lot from our community about this desire to increase alternative weed management strategies. And you know the board discussed it as you well know and there was a fair amount of Interest indicated in doing this and so I'm wondering what this two grounds budget staying consistent are they able to invest any efforts and alternative weed management strategies?
Yes, and that's that's factored in there. If it ends up that we need more we can budget adjust that's always an accommodation staff can make and as mr. Holland mentioned as long as it's under a certain amount staff can make that adjustment if [00:10:00] it's over that the board can certainly improve bad we could use some of our contingency funding if there's a cost that's really larger than what we're projecting.
We've tried a number of strategies and I want to thank Kate he's not here well it's non-toxic Wilsonville that really put a lot of research and some suggestions in front of our group and a couple of them we tried one was we did try their suggestion around the steam machines with a lot of good faith effort they're not.
Producing some effective results it maybe it's the strain of weeds in Oregon compared to California. That was a caveat from the company of you just you know, it's effective on some plants and not on others, but give it a try. So we will keep working on that and testing it but one that didn't come up from the group, but that our staff is trying out is the.
The guards along the fence [00:11:00] that really reduces where most of our weeds are and probably most of where we do spray because we don't spray playgrounds blanket. We actually just spray right where the fence is and maybe some planter areas. But the fence line is our greatest area. We have to keep that down.
It's actually we have fire inspectors that tell us if we don't keep it down to a certain amount then it becomes a fire hazard. So we've got. To can you know groups telling us to take care of this issue? We've got those laid down in a number of places right now to test the effectiveness and they're proving well so far and as we lift those and look and see we can certainly scale that.
And we'd be able to do that in the budget. So that's and that would even further reduce our application and out. We don't have it at all the schools yet. It's costing we wanted to try it out at to school. So Athey Creek and Stafford have them at this time.
[00:12:00] Is that address your question? I think so. I think what I'm hearing is that even though the budget has stayed the same that the department has been able to use some creative strategies and should can be able to continue to look at and not all of our budget is also often fully expended in that area.
So we've been keeping that in mind to just start with that and if we need additional will certainly adjust the budget for that. We've heard that priority from the board very strongly and. And we're committed to it as well. Okay. Alright, thank you. And then I just have one other one peeking at my notes Here Yeah.
So this is you know, I often have just asked about this and I don't think it's so much a question. I'm curious about. how we can continue to invest in our high-achieving K through 5 students we do need. You know [00:13:00] I hesitate with this question I struggle with it a little bit because I never wanted to seem like I want us to invest in this group of students over another group of students, but the feedback that I hear from my community over the years is that you know it when they get to secondary, sometimes it's easier to challenge them but in that K through 5 if we have students, who are.
You know if the material is easy for them. What are we doing? Do we have additional curricula or you know programs to meet those needs of those students? And you know again, I we could talk about what we do to help these students are potential strategies for the future, but it's just an opportunity to raise that point that make sense.
Yeah.
Thank you and director Reynolds. You had some questions as well. And if you'd like to go through this.
[00:14:00] What if questions was what positions will be cut including those not filled by attrition temporary positions not renewed and positions where FTE is reduced. I'm Doctor Ludwig I know you kind of alluded to the those not filled by attrition but I think there are some positions where FTE is all is reduced as well.
we're not going to go through a reduction in force process so we will let retirements and resignations and the non-renewal some temporary positions happen and that should. For certain cover those 18 to 20 ft. Okay won't be cut we won't be cutting teachers. That makes it I'm not sure if that's your question.
Um.
I just want to make sure we [00:15:00] know where and what and also include reduction. Reduction in individual position ftes. I think you're you mentioned. Temporary full 100 ft e 1.0. FTE being reduced 1.00 FTE retiring, but I think there's some where they're cut, you know cut back to part-time or they're out.
Basically they're up to e of the individual position is reduce so. And the reason I'm asking is as a policy, you know, I know we don't want to drill down to individual positions, but from a policy standpoint. I was pleased to hear about progress made in the culture related to inclusion, you know bullying in and inclusion at a high school and [00:16:00] I had heard that you know that.
That particular. position would be cut back to a point where that that inclusion work might be affected. So I want to ask a global question. But I also as a policy statement hope that we can continue that good work that I've been acting with active with the interact club and with the United Claire the Unity Club, and I just hope that that could work and continue.
Yeah, I think. Um, well tonight will just exercise some caution on speculating where those cuts would because we haven't. You know made those public were in this waiting period so far. I believe we have about 18 or 19 retirements that could even change within the next few weeks. We have resignations at least a handful of those and then some temporary that we created that we wouldn't need back.
So [00:17:00] that's well above and beyond you know what we're proposing so we really. To make sure that those get in place and not alarm Any teacher that if there's a rumor or speculation that somebody's position I would just caution me we haven't made any announcements unless something was always clear that that position would be changing and you know different than what's going on tonight or the proposal for the reductions so that could be that could be some confusion there.
And I had also asked whether there are any programs or programs or expenditures that will be cut besides those that you listed on page 4 of your budget message, but I think you say something about because it does not that were determining I think what the board and the budget committee will also want to hold in mind is that we have.
Grants we have for example [00:18:00] measure 98. And while the funding is coming at the same level from what we hear from the governor. We can adjust how we spend that and so those positions as we tried them out. In other districts are in similar situations and number them were created as temporary. To work on either piloting something or doing some work around a course or some CTE and if we adjust that for the next biennium, it could appear as a cut but it would be a shift because the dollar amount is still the same in those positions were temporary as we say, you know, now let's move from this strategy with measure 98 to another strategy.
So just keep in mind that with grant funding like that whether it's title or measure 98 those things. Happen all the time in each biennium as either the funds shift or the response with how you use the funds shifts. So it could be that a measure 98 position is Shifting in some way if it was temporary and we took a classroom teacher out of the classroom and [00:19:00] ask them to be a coach for a while there.
They're still our employee. We're going to make sure they still have a position the district. They just might not be a coach, you know, they might go back and teach in the classroom so that could be an example. Thank you. And then you under Investments you talked about strengthening counseling and I wondered what is meant by that and particularly do anticipate counseling caseloads.
Will be reduced and I had also asked about whether the healthy teens survey results would be available available. So the board can hear where students identify what you know what they identify as their needs and I also wanted to just kind of. Echo what we're hearing about instructional assistants and special needs students.
You know, I think that whole umbrella of student supports counseling special needs [00:20:00] students. I do hope that that remains a priority.
I've just passed a document that I know not all of the budget committee may have seen but certainly the board received it at the last board meeting presentation of how we have increased Staffing in those areas of support around counseling mental health professionals social workers. In the last seven years, you'll see we've even we've doubled our counselors during that time and mental health supports.
In fact, we're going from 2.5 under what's called social workers up to three. So do you the board approved the .5 of a a teacher now to 1.0 of a social worker mental health professional so there has been a consistent steady. Increase as we've heard from the board and the community each year in that regards to just [00:21:00] wanted you to have those numbers again.
Our district did not participate in the healthy teen survey. We participate in Oregon Wellness survey. So if if the board was interested in results from the healthy teen survey we could get them for you, but it would not have our students in it, but the organ Wellness survey our students did participate it was three grade levels.
And as we reported in some reports some of the steady information out of that came around students wanting deep relationships with their teachers which communicated for us to round class size and also some of the work with restorative practices and making sure students felt known giving that information to counselors out of that did come it was shared.
[00:22:00] Thank you for that I was wondering about additional information on the impact of the staff staff reductions on class size and then in your narrative you mentioned lending classes so are Blended classes so you know what grades where. Yeah, again, we haven't made those decisions yet as we're waiting to see for all the retirements resignations temporary where we would do that and places where it's the least disruption is our priority.
And then I'm glad to hear the answer regarding spraying of pesticides. I think it's a little concerning that there were [00:23:00] notices this spring of spraying throughout the district. And that I think in the fall, mr. Woodley mentioned purchasing a steam machine, but apparently it's been tested. So I hope that that testing continues and that there's a report to the board as envisioned in our in integrated Pest Management plan.
And at the board that the district does continue to review Alternatives certainly that lawsuit today was concerning and the previous q no big judgment did a back to school worker using Roundup. Yeah, and by law we have to make an annual report to the board. So that does happen will happen every year and does happen that also includes the application amounts.
And so the board does. All of that information and can see the reductions and the application so that's all transparent and on our website and [00:24:00] but there is in statute an annual report to the board about integrated Pest Management plan. then you mentioned in your message outcomes data regarding Investments particularly historical.
Well, you mentioned outcomes data. So I was wondering if the historical and Trend data regarding attendance Dropout rates ninth grade on tack on track assessments results in particularly those related to subgroups where there may be an opportunity to get a gap, you know, will the board have that data?
I'm to assisted in making its budget decisions program and budget decisions. Well, the board will not have new data because that won't come out but the 1718 that was presented in the assessment binder.
the board had a work session recently [00:25:00] with Renee sessler from oh SBA and in there was. Was that data? I think the district work plan is the product of that analysis taking from a board goal to what's actionable than and where we do. We see the resources allocated in the school because in the work Planet describes the professional development the strategies and the actions that the district is taking to affect changes around student outcomes.
So that process then just does assume that resources in the general fund will then be allocated towards that professional development or the Staffing I do have.
available then for. Because the budget committee would not have access to it unless they came to that meeting. That was the PowerPoint from that work [00:26:00] session. I don't know how deeply you want me to go into I'm just going to pass this out. And then if there's further questions additionally a copy of the district work plan.
It's been on our website, but here's a hard copy if you wanted to reference it tonight, but you'll see after this page. There's the. The district work plan. So essentially it's taking all those. The historical Trend data with attendance Dropout rates ninth grade on track assessment results. And annually, the district goes through a process of looking at that information and then determining what would go into a district work plan around strategies to affect those kinds of outcomes using that data a school would take.
Also their specific School data and create a school work plan addressing the strategies that they would take teachers take their [00:27:00] data and with their plc's or their team. Create plans and create goals for themselves to affect student outcomes. And then of course how we can have students own their own learning.
What kind of data do we share with them so that they feel empowered to affect their learning. So you'll see that in the PowerPoint. It was kind of a description of this nested idea of the various work plans and goals that do take the trends in this data and then work towards a plan all of this has to be funded.
And so that's what the budget is. Then the prediction of its the work plan plus than accommodating will have a work plan for next year. So, how do we make sure we have funds in our general fund budget to move those kinds of actions and outcomes. We don't have 1819 School data yet students are told still taking their as fact testing their map testing once we get that data.
The board would have that [00:28:00] available to them, but you wouldn't have it before. A16 and likely not before June 10th. So but you have the data from 1718 also on the website is the 1718 work plan than the progress towards that so all the results of the data. Um and where we made growth so both of those are available if you want to look at them between now and if you do decide to have a May 16th date and wanting to dive more deeply into how a work plan works with board goals data to affect strategies and actions that we would then Fund in our general budget.
thank you and just because you want more paper. I want to thank dr. Seuss and put these little gray folders together. This is the actual smarter balanced data that board members did [00:29:00] receive at that work session. So budget committee members would all now have it as well as just a summary sheet on the top of ninth graders on track and graduation.
So.
Thank you. Before we continue with the rest of the committee. Let's take a quick 10 minute break.