Were opening and wanting to even allow employees to bring their. Children to school districts we felt we should the same strategy and that has benefited us.
We have had some great candidates who have been able to come and teach for us and then could apply for transfer transfer for their children to come as long as their district released them.
Their district didn't release them. They may have said no, thank you to the job and that then that wasn't our you know, under our control.
But if their district released them and we were willing to accept them. So we did make that that change.
Thank you for asking that question.
Nothing else. I will turn it over to Director Douglas to cast the vote. Thank you. Director Shoemaker. Aye.
Director Sloop. Chair Taylor. Director Vidal. Aye.
Thank you. Thank you. We're gonna move into school calendar, but I wanna just do a quick test.
Anybody need? Anything. Okay, you can fill your water. I need something because I need to run.
Downstairs that long hallway since that doors close. So maybe we could take like a. A quick 5 min break.
We are ahead of schedule. Which feels good. So I don't wanna be the the kink in the hose.
I am going to get us back on. Schedule. And.
Get us back on schedule. I'm going to call the meeting back to order.
And that was a. A timely break, I think. So I'm glad we all got to kind of get up, move around a little bit.
But Getting back to it, we are. At the 2,02324 proposed calendar adjustments piece of the meeting.
So I'm going to turn this back over to Dr. Ludwig in a second when she is ready.
Thank you. So we've had quite a turn of events with the weather. And so these next 2 items will be about adjusting our school calendar based on what we've.
Been experiencing the last week and there's it's two-pronged one a way we can support our middle and high schools with some calendar adjustment and then we'll talk about some, the makeup days with the inclement weather as a second prom.
For the first one, I'd like to invite Dr. Jennifer Spencer Iimes forward.
And she's going to talk about how you as a board, if you, with your approval to some elements of the calendar can actually help with.
Students concerns about. Time they've missed with class and then finals week and kind of the unevenness that it's created in semesters with this last week.
So, Dr. Spence Rhymes. Thanks so much. And so inclement weather is I don't know if there's ever a great time for it to happen.
And for us to suddenly have to cancel school. This seemed to particularly challenging right at the end of the semester and right away we were hearing from teachers and students.
The stress levels of various folks were rising as they started to anticipate. Thinking about finals without maybe having as much review or finishing some of those final opportunities.
If we had, didn't get a chance to adjust our calendar. So we wanted to get out ahead of things right away.
And one of the other things that's really important is, particularly in middle school. I'm in consultation with Dr.
Soyson and her consultation with middle school teachers and middle school principals is particularly with like the related arts classes.
That a few different instructional days really can make a big difference in balancing those really can make a big difference in balancing those opportunities for learning those opportunities for learning.
So when we are looking at a big difference in balancing those, opportunities for learning. So when we are looking at potentially adding some days at the end of the year that lengthens that semester to part of the year and if we don't do anything about adjusting that semester one, that really can create quite a big imbalance between the days or between semester one and semester 2 or the different quarters that folks are working
with. So both from that opportunity for teachers to plan and have. Affordable opportunities for learning for a student who was to take.
Say a music class. In first semester middle school and it's different student who took that music class in second semester would they get kind of a similar music experience?
Would they have something very different because it was a, you know, whole week different of learning. And then at the high school level, especially with our A, B-day schedule.
If we hadn't made this additional adjustment, it was just looking really challenging about how to move things forward.
So right as we. Saw that yes indeed it was gonna be the whole week that we were out we started connecting with teachers connecting with students connecting with our association and wanted to bring this forward as our proposed time and really that.
Main change is that the grading day that's why it's a calendar change the grading day was would have been on our original calendar was scheduled for January 20 ninth.
And the new semester, semester one was going to start January thirtieth. Under this plan that we move the grading day to Friday February second and the new semester would start February fifth.
It does have some impact. Our IT department has been, Very much in the loop and they have some work to do on the back end to make everything work in the student information system.
Because dates matter in terms of when things start and how grade books work and all of those sorts of things.
But they have been able to work with that. Our nutrition services folks, we've been in communication with them, we've been in communication with our bus company, all of the different folks that would be involved with this sort of change.
It does bring our, balance of semesters. Would be depending on what we end up doing with the unknown, Friday, but with the other, conversation you're gonna have with Dr.
Ludwig, it balances semester one and semester 2, to either 87, 87.
Which is kind of miraculous. It brings them very close on the instructional days. It could end up being 87, 88 or Some other close number, but it will bring them very close to make this shift.
So we feel good about it. The association was very supportive of this plan. Students. Our teachers reported to us that student stress level reduced very significantly as, this idea began to be circulated.
So. We bring this to you today.
Could I, could I just add that timing was incredibly important during this and so we did. Reach out to Chair Taylor and vice chair wide to see if we could quickly get this in place with their permission.
To they said yes so now we are here to use a full board to just formally make that change in the calendar.
So we did have the permission of board chair and vice chair to get this message out as quickly as possible as every day we were getting more and more inquiries from people about.
Will you please make the adjustment as soon as possible with final schedule is very imminent. So.
Okay, do we have a A motion. I move to approve the revisions to the middle and high school calendars as proposed.
I second.
Do we have any questions? Open it up for discussion.
Alright, Director Douglas.
Thank you. Bye. Check this, Lou. Vice Chair Wyatt.
Thank you.
Well, in the spirit of calendars, we move into the 2,000, 23200 no no no no.
Oh, that was it. That was it at that. Oh, no. Yeah, I'm right.
Hmm, little rusty. We're moving to the 2,02425 school calendar adoption.
And so this will require board action also. Dr. Love. So I think are we gonna do the adjustment first to this one?
I'm sorry, what's on this? Oh, I'm sorry. Did that miss one?
The second, the second part of the. That was right. Okay. I was, okay.
Then let's back up everyone and we're gonna go talk about the adjustment to the 2,02324 calendar inclement the makeup days portion of the calendar.
So thank you. Well, you've had a while to look at. Not. Long while, but you had a chance to look at the memo, what it describes is the situation that we're in when we have inclement weather.
In the school calendar that you do adopt that goes in front of the community there are what we call 3 inclement weather days that are built into the calendar.
They're circled with an oval. It's communicated that should we have closure days, we will add them on.
All the way up to as many as 3 on the end. Staff are told, stay in town for those 3 days if we don't need them.
You know, then adjust accordingly, but we really work with, our staff and our contractors to, to not leave town early in case we need those 3 days for inclement weather.
What makes it difficult is when we have more days than that built into the calendar and then we start to hear from community or staff.
It's harder to go further into June. And what have been planned. So when we had our first 3 closure days this last week, we immediately applied.
What we had told the community would do, we would, we added the twelfth, we added the thirteenth and we added the fourteenth.
That Friday and June as the last day. When we got the fourth day, which was this last Friday, it immediately put us in a different situation because there isn't.
An expectation that it would automatically be another day in June. There's now options. To consider. And that's the discussion here tonight is the options in front of you as a board in terms of how to make up.
That fourth day to either just continue to Place them in June as they go or to look at other places in the calendar where you can make changes.
When you look at our calendar, there aren't that many options that apply to K 12.
And so when we noticed what happened on Friday, we immediately had a series of meetings, Zoom Meetings that day.
We also consulted with our associations. And of the few but options for example. Do we make spring break shorter?
Do we bring people back on President's Day, which is a federal holiday for some? You know, there were these considerations of what would optimize attendance for everybody and make it a quality learning day.
Attendance for students to come as many as possible. Families would be in town and as many staff.
To be to be in town and to be attending. So in the memo you see that We landed on with our association the 2 best options which were option A.
To just add another day in June. Option B is to remove the early, the 3 remaining early release days.
Those cumulative hours add up to a day. And so students last day would still be the fourteenth that Friday.
And staff would come back to do some staff development the following week.
Simultaneously, there's a consideration that's always available to the State Board of Education in the Oregon Department of Education when there's a declared state of emergency, whether it's wildfires or in this case severe weather that they can.
Approve a waiver. Of a certain amount of instructional hours. If you recall. Prior to the year 2,015 there actually was in statute.
And in division 22 districts could take. 14 h for inclement weather. That was actually in statute.
What happened is there was leading up to 2015 is. There was just some questions about. Whether districts needed to take it.
There was also some tightening up around definitions around instructional hours. And so in 2,015.
The State Board of Education ODE with legislation made a decision to phase out that allowance. In instructional hours over the course of the next 3 years.
And by, 2018, 19 districts could no longer take. 14 h it would have to be declared.
As as an option by the state instead of just business as usual. Midway through that phase, we had that really challenging.
Winter in 1617 remember when buses were stuck kids didn't get home until 10 o'clock at night we had a large number of inclement weather and then it repeated in January there were some more days.
And we were looking at. 1011 days to make up quite a number. And so even though that legislation was in its 3 year phase out.
In 1617 the state did declare that all districts could wave up to 14 h. So in that year we did apply that waiver.
We also got rid of all of our early release days, staff development in April. We we cancelled conferences some of you may remember we added a minutes or we took away passing time and added minutes to lot.
We extended the high school day because they don't have conferences. And gain some time there and then we added some days in June.
So it was a combination of a lot of things, but that was again a standalone time where the state stepped in and gave a waiver.
Since then, there hasn't been any and and it's now up to ODE in the State Board of Education.
Each to consider a waiver. The circumstances call for it. Last week, Governor Kotech signed a declaration of emergency.
Based on the impact of the severe weather which then triggered ODE and the State Department to consider.
Again, that appeal for a waiver for school districts. So when I wrote this memo. It was a possibility.
I had been in conversation with Dr. Williams and the state attorney for ODE as well as our ESD superintendent.
I sent an email wondering is this. A possibility because we were going to be coming to this school board meeting and then I received a call Sunday night.
That a return call from ODE it's a possibility stay tuned. And an hour before our work session.
You have the memo in front of you. That came out from. The Oregon Department of Education. That.
Since the governor has declared a statewide emergency. Ode is putting a proposal in front of the State Board of Education.
They're meeting is February 15 allowing school districts. Up to 14 h for missed instructional time due to emergency school closures for adverse weather conditions and facilities failures.
And so. Districts can now request permission to count towards instructional time up to 14 h for emergency school closures.
So if that's something you want to consider. For that fourth day to have it be. Some of the hours we would submit, we would have to send a request and our reasoning for it.
And then, get that approved on the state level.
So that's, so what you have in front of you then are few options. And I've listed them as option A, B and C.
And again, these option A, B and C, these were considerations we made with our union.
And we're in support. Of any of the 3. So it's up to you which one you choose and you will have just know that the association and school staff who met.
These would be one of the 3 that we would be fine with. Okay. So you see A, which is add that.
Last day in June. Keeping though the 3 that we're already gonna make up. B is. Adjusting the early release days and making them full days so that we know more early release days.
And students would then still get out on June fourteenth or option C keep the 3 snow days that we're going to make up.
So students would still get out later on June fourteenth. But submit a waiver for that fourth day as one of the permissible.
Waver, of instructional hours to the state. And that would allow students to still get out on the fourteenth and just have to make up 3 of the 4 lost days, but staff would still work.
Come back and work that day. So they don't get a waiver. They just, they still have to come and work that extra day.
So what I'm thinking then is We'll have to have a motion for one of these.
Well. There's 2 options. We can take this as a first read and. Think it over.
Or we can take action. My preference would be for us to take action and. Again, not add more laundry in the laundry basket.
However, after a motion or could I ask Cathy a clarifying question before that.
I don't mind if you ask a clarified question, but before you ask your question, I'm going to let you know the structure of what I was going to do.
Is I'm gonna ask is there a motion for option A is there a motion for option B. And then is there a motion for option C.
So that we're not having to consider. If there's no motion for option A or B or C or A or B, then we would go to see there's no option for A or C, then we would.
Go to BI mean, so, so I would, what are you thinking? I think that.
I see where you're going and. I'm wondering if.
Potentially we could have our discussion. And ask some questions prior to making a motion because in doing so we may share out what our preferences are versus then going through a motion vote.
For each one. No, it, if we're all on the same page to vote for one of the options.
Does that make sense? I'm fine with that if that keeps us in compliance with. It does.
Okay. So then I'm fine with that. I was only gonna go the other route. Yes, I see.
Okay, so yes, I'll open it up for discussion. Thanks for clarification. Would the last day be the traditional last day where the buses come early for at the levels.
Primary bus would come early. If we moved it to Monday, would it still be the case that the buses come early on those days?
So the last day has, as you mentioned, traditionally been kind of an early release. Giving staff a little more time to.
Sometimes they Sometimes what happens is there's a grade level. Recognition that afternoon that staff were invited to so they get to attend those kinds of things.
And so those have been options that sometimes PTA takes advantage of, but, would you anticipate that that would be the, that would still be whether in each option when you get to that point I can.
Yeah. The last day would still have that early release aspect to it. Unless you wanted to change that.
With my name on it? Okay. The fifth grade recognition committee might. Might revolt.
Go ahead. Well, I'll just put out there that I'm in favor of option C.
And that is the option that allows us to make up for those 3 school days and the remainder of that final week.
So the last day of school would do Friday, June, the fourteenth. And my reasoning is for not being in favor of option A is I feel like adding a day in June.
Does not do anyone any educational service. And especially on a Monday after a weekend. And then for option BI can see the interest in getting rid of those half days, although I have come to realize how important those are for our teachers to have the chance to do some training and on-site connection building.
And so I do see the value in those half days and so would be comfortable with option C to make that adjustment, make up the 3 days and then accept the waiver from the state for that fourth day.
So that's where I am, but I'm open to other ideas.
Director of it all. I just wanted to agree with Vice Chair Wyatt. I also am in support of option C because of those reasons I think we really should take take the emergency hours a lot by the state and I think option C is the best for.
Teachers and families. Let me make a comment at this time about what we would do if we don't get the waver.
We are guaranteed a waver, right? We'd have to apply. Or did you hear that we that they're offering a waivers.
The memo is saying a waver is going to be. They just need to formalize it at the state board of education meeting.
And the way I read this is that they've already assumed if you're applying for this that you were impacted by the severe weather and could not hold school and so it's It's I don't see it as a request that would be denied unless it was for more than 14 h in that case you have to go through another process.
Appealing why you need more than 14 h. They did add in this memo that should there be more weather conditions at R only in January and we get more in February and March and it becomes clear that the fort is not helpful to all districts and they may need more that they would consider increasing that.
But right now they are adhering to the 14. So anything beyond that for a school district would have to go.
Fighting through a process that could be denied. But the up to 14 is available for school district. That was going to be my question that if we had more days that.
They did it does it automatically extend the school year out? But you're saying that there also could be.
Emergency hours that would be allotted or not allotted depending on the severity of whatever it is.
Yeah, so we were at this point. Because we are going to make up 3 of the 4. We're not going to just only make up 2 or one, we're gonna make up 3.
So we're only looking at less than 14 h that we would be. Requesting a waiver. There is a provision, you know, where you could tonight even extend a motion and authorize that one and maybe up to one more unless you want me to you know I could come back to you for one more if it happened but I think if we were to go beyond the 14 h, we should have a discussion again anyway.
So if you feel comfortable proving up to 14 and do one day and one more if we get it, you could fold that into the motion tonight.
Or you could just focus on the one day that we are. That we've had. I wouldn't feel comfortable going beyond for 14 h without coming to the board anyway.
Yeah, and I'm not comfortable, even offering beyond, the one day we're talking about, right?
This is important instructional time and I don't think we give up a day lightly. But there's loss in all these options, right?
And so I think for the sake of finishing Friday and not asking kids to come back the next Monday in June.
And for the sake of not losing, I think I think with a pretty good rhythm in our, teacher training this year, I would favor option see right now too.
I got nothing. Alright, so do we have a motion? I move to apply option C to restore the lost instructional day of January nineteenth.
And direct the superintendent to adjust the calendar accordingly and communicate the change to the school community as soon as possible.
I second. Director Device, would you call the vote? Thank you. Dr.
Shoemaker. Try Taylor. Bye.
Vice Chair Wyatt. Dr. Vidaf. Aye.
Thank you.
You're Mike wasn't Thank you. Okay. I believe it is official I am done with calendars.
No, no, no, no one more. I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, that was a joke.
Okay. Thank you, board, before you, you have proposed calendar for the 2425 school year.
You have proposed calendar for the 2425 school year so every year around this time we come before the 2425 school year so every year around this time we come before you with post calendar for the 2425 school year.
So every year around this time we come before you with post calendar for the following school year. Knowing that our staff our community our students are you know excited to learn about some of those key dates for next school year so before you you have a comprehensive school calendar it has, 173 instructional days for primary middle and high school that is our traditional calendar.
Of course, key dates include the first and last day of school. You'll note that, has been tradition in Western Wilsonville since 2017 we start prior to Labor Day and there are several reasons for doing so if you like to learn more.
After I present this, of course we have our recognized holidays, federal holidays, designated winter break and spring break, the way the calendar falls.
This coming year, it kind of feels like winter break has shifted back a week so it would actually begin December, the 20 s.
And January third with students returning that following Tuesday. Of course spring break is the last full week of March.
And the last day of school, is scheduled. I'm under this proposal to be.
June ninth, which is a Monday, kind of like what we were just talking about, knowing that, inclement weather days.
Are very possible and in fact we almost always get at least one over the course of the school year. So that is what you have before you and I should add it's important when we when we do this process that we really focus on balancing.
Both quarters and even more importantly semesters at the middle and high school level. So this proposal has 88 days scheduled for semester one and 87 days for semester 2.
I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. This is what we have before you.
Yeah, so it says 6 federally recognized holidays. Just in the first part of the memo.
But it doesn't have President's Day in February, seventeenth, but then on the calendar.
It is highlighted as a, which means school closed due to holiday. Well, can I.
It's a non contract day though for teachers. So we don't have it as a federally recognized day for teachers because.
We negotiated that it could be perhaps used as. A day to make up something if we needed it.
For staff development or something that it would be a day they'd be willing to exchange. So teachers are here.
That day? They're not, but it's it's moved from being a holiday to a non contract day.
So that's why it's SCSC means a holiday or a non contract day.
So for our licensed association, it's a non-contract day for some of our staff, it's a holiday.
Gotcha. Thank you. So that's why we in here we didn't put it as for everybody a federal.
Holiday.
You may have heard, you know, one of the days at Portland. Public school had to restore for their missed days.
They they actually are having school on President's Day. So they have some staff who. They can require to work that day and others who, under their contract, it's a, they've been given it as a federal holiday and they don't have to come to work.
So we're a little bit in that same situation.
And then Andrew, do you have a? A cliff notes version of of why we start before Labor Day just in case.
Some folks might not know or you know new board members and whatnot. Yeah, absolutely. It is a question we get asked from time to time from families community members.
And the primary reason really is our high school students. Starting before Labor Day, gives us more instructional time specifically for our students in.
AP courses and the college board actually sets the AP testing dates every year. And those are typically in May.
So they kinda. Favorite East Coast schools and that they actually start the year a lot earlier than a lot of West Coast schools do.
By starting prior to Labor Day, it provides more teaching time for teachers and students in those AP courses.
To prepare for those AP exams which are you know a pretty big deal for the students thinking about college.
It does also align with the OSA calendar a little bit better knowing that our false sports actually start in mid August with.
Games even starting the last week of August. Of course it allows more time in the event that there are implement whether it is we're not pushing so far out into June.
Under this proposal we would even with you know 3 snow days built into the calendar we would still be finishing June twelfth, which is a little bit of buffer time.
And we, of course, do we want to align our, calendars at the primary middle and high school level as much as possible knowing that families have students and multiple schools, multiple levels, grade doubles.
Those are the key reasons, Dr. I don't know if I missed any.
But that was kind of the thought process back in 2017 when the board first decided to make that switch.
Thank you. Yeah, we were typically getting out around the nineteenth and twentieth of June. Which was just feeling.
More and more we're hearing from our community that about late, they were summer programs that often started or sending their children to either college programs that started in the summer or camps that started in the summer.
And as well as just, courses that teachers were taking sometimes had an earlier summer start date and so we were getting some conflict with that.
And then if we had even more inclement weather days, you could imagine, going further and further.
So, If we were not going to start before Labor Day, our last day of school would be June twentieth.
So this does get us out earlier and then. Also allows us. To put those days in the end for increment weather and not feel like it's getting too late.
Here we made the change. Was that weather year? When, you know, the buses got stuck and, and more and more were hearing parents say, Gosh, when we're making up these days and going later in June.
And teachers for, educational reasons too saying, can we please start before? Labor Day and have more flexibility in our calendar.
Alright. Any other? Questions.
I move that we approve the proposed 2024 2025 school calendar as presented. I second.
Director Douglas with Oh, I'm sorry. One more. I just wanted to just make the brief comment that, every year when we do this, we receive comments and feedback with with people having strong preferences about whether or not school starts before or after Labor Day and.
There's no bad reason and often it's what folks are used to or maybe what they grew up with if they grew up on the East Coast or if they grew up out here.
And I just want to recognize that we receive those comments, we hear them, and there's no one right answer.
And so, I know for myself, I really, listen to some of the feedback that Director Kilstrom, shared about, some of those AP test schedules as well as our sports schedules.
But just wanna make a recognition that we appreciate the feedback and know that everybody, brings their own, family and school experiences and we appreciate, hearing from you.
So thanks to everyone.
Any other comments?
Director. Douglas, would you call a vote? Thank you. Director Shoemaker.
Why? Directive of that. Aye. Thank you.
I'm not even gonna say it.
Department of teaching and learning. Yeah.
Thank you. Could we have our slides? And, I'm gonna have Dr. Pryor join in this and it's sort of indicative of sort of the heart of this work where Dr.
Pryor in working with primary schools. Needs to speak to this also because this grant really is very much in our district at the heart of the work that we're doing in our schools when Dr.
Ludwig was sharing her school visit to slides about being at Beckman Creek. Students who are doing foundational skills lessons that day and the principal.
Had chosen to say, we need to look at how we're doing with this. And that was the focus to bring teachers on.
So for that reason, in talking about this, we want to go through this. Kara, thank you for the questions.
They're very helpful and we will speak to them. I'll speak to them as they fit in into the presentation.
One of the things, first of all, about this grant, it's a little different than some of the other grants that we're used to in the state of Oregon.
We have. The student investment account that has kind of a bundle of things in it, high school success and whatever.
We have title grants, T 1, 2, and 3. And within those grants, what you do is you define or you prioritize for you check, you survey, you ask, what is the work that we should be focusing on?
And then you submit a plan that if then it's reviewed. You get your funding. This grant is somewhat different.
It's a non-competitive grant, first of all. And ODE and in the legislation had 4 goals for the overall early literacy initiative of which this grant is one part.
They defined the goals already. This isn't one where school districts are defining the goals. And then they gave indicators in this program review, which is the first and some of the longest parts and densest slides, by the way, that we speak to that the idea is that shows what you should be working on.
It emerges. It's not that people and any level district staff. Teachers, principals say, you know, I think we should work on this.
I think we should work on that. And it's around the data and we hope to explain this evening what emerged because the voices of teachers, the work of teachers, certainly as part of this grant.
But just want to point out from the get-go that it's structured on purpose. To look at something that needs attention in the in the state of Oregon and that's why it is a little different than the other grants most of them that we do.
Next slide. Yeah, thank you. Dr. Soyson.
And just in beginning, I just want to appreciate the huge effort Dr. Soyson put into collecting information from a lot of different sources and moving on a very quick timeline to put together what's a very comprehensive grant.
Packet and application. So, you know, as Dr. Soyson was saying, just to remind you that in 2023 the Oregon legislature established early literacy as a top priority and created the early literacy success initiative by Hass Passing House Bill 31 98.
As Dr. Swayson said, school district early literacy is one of 4 components. There's also spear information, a tribal component.
A community success grant component. And a birth through 5 success component too. So this is a comprehensive effort.
And I know I speak for Wesley Wilsonville when I say we actually welcome this grant support. It the grant requirements aligned highly with priorities that were already bubbling to the surface and in place and you will see as we go through the information this evening that there is alignment with our efforts to provide training for teaching literacy skills with a very strong emphasis and steep learning curve on teaching foundational literacy skills.
That we select a very strong research base K through 5 ELA curriculum and train our teachers and specialists to teach and use it effectively.
And then continue to strengthen that daily literacy block to ensure all students learn and apply, not just reading, but reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and to do so with great enthusiasm and joy.
So the application was, it opened in December. And it was due January eighth we turned ours in in December but the way it works right now and board this is your task this evening.
They actually do the final review. And start to look at allocating funds once we send in the board minutes that this has been approved by the school board.
But the grant has already been turned in and they, you know, have already started because they're getting these from every school district almost started looking at it.
The other thing is they are looking at how they then can look at this work. The reason that this 2,023, 2,025, you're gonna hear us refer to that several times.
They're calling it a jumpstart, biennium. Because it's the first time with a grant and one of the things with legislated money you want to prove and have evidence to show that this is making a difference.
So that it continues to be a priority for the state of Oregon. So this jumpstart biennium, the idea is what we are turning in tonight and they call your literacy plan, this application.
That is in lieu of what is meant to become for school districts a literacy plan that we will have to turn in.
So after this, jumpstart biennium, then it speaks more to, I think, the question that was asked about.
Teachers deciding and does everybody have a survey because then districts will be setting their own goals and priorities.
This is considered a trial. We turn in data and then I imagine they will be doing some. Changing looking at what they've got and then setting things up for on beyond 2,023 2,025.
Next slide.
So just I think you've seen the allocation. You know, that we will be getting. And one thing when you think, well, whoa, 2,02324, it's half over.
What are we supposed to do with that? The way it's set up is you can be retroactive.
So when and we'll explain a few of the figures and there's a question about a amount of money spent, for example, that it can, you go back to October.
And so anything that was already spent through October, for example, we have literacy coaches already hired.
That is worked into the grant. And then you'll see the spending for both. And it's based on our ADM.
So that's enrollment and that's how they decide how much funding school districts get.
Let me hear you. Oh, okay. So this is what this is one of the parts where we can't decide.
Just what we want to spend the money on. This is the categories that they have given us. And they have the.
Adoption implementation of curriculum. Westland Wilsonville is in a curriculum adoption already. We had budgeted for that and so That would be something that we are not prioritizing for this and then the employment of literacy specialists, coaches, interventionists, professional development and coaching, extended learning programs and high dosage tutoring.
The last 3. You have to demonstrate that you're doing. So it's not as if we.
Pick those out. But You're expected and it says very clearly if you're not starting this this year, let us know what you plan to do.
Westland Wilsonville is starting all 3 of those this year. And that's, that's what you'll hear about what we're doing.
And so again, these are just the pieces. So much of this comes from this program. Review the indicators.
And there's these 8 sections. Those come from Oregon's early literacy framework. Which was finalized last May.
And our district participated quite a bit in that process from the time that it came out as a draft. And that was a place where some of our teachers and our specialists, for example, they had groups.
They wanted those who are language specialists, those who work in ELD programs. There were sessions.
Sponsored for them. Owalla, which is mentioned earlier this evening. Had feedback sessions.
They had them for different areas and then looked at the draft and finalized it. But those 8 sections that you're going to hear us reporting on.
Again, that's not something that we chose. To tell about our district, those are required and it's from those parts of the early literacy framework describe what you're doing that you then go ahead and you look at your application.
And then I don't think I need to explain the rest of those things. So those are just the other parts of the grant.
So the program reviews meant to be a way of working through 8 components to sort of describe where, what's the state, you know, of the district currently in 8 important areas that contribute to strong literacy growth and development.
We're gonna move through a few highlights of the 8 areas. If there's anything you'd like us to linger on, we're happy to tell you more because we could probably talk about these all night, but we know we have other things on the agenda.
But the first 2, student belonging and family and community partnerships, hopefully you are already aware that these are our strong emphasis of our district and had been the last few years.
For example, it's one reason we, began using the Panorama search survey years ago.
It provides an opportunity for students to safely and honestly and anonymously give us information around their. Sense of belonging and we can disaggregate that by their sense of belonging and we can disaggregate that by different groups.
Or levels to determine what's strong and where do we need to work to develop a strong sense of belonging.
We've been trying to increase culture responsive text in classrooms and libraries. We have we have began using a social emotional learning framework and began to be more systematic around teaching class routines in this area.
And then as you are already aware, we, we strive toward fully inclusive classrooms and an integrated model supporting.
Our ELD program. Family and community partnerships as you know we're very proud of our work around the family empowerment center this connects very strongly with this and it is an area where we can provide literacy resources, hold classes for parents.
They've held language classes there which connects directly to our work around literacy. Our schools hold school.
You see evenings and partnerships with the public library. And we have home literacy resources, which are in look for in one of our, we've been looking at the K 5 ELA curriculum.
And then we have been trying to do a much more systematic job of engaging our PTAs and partnerships.
Of school and district staff to review and provide input around our literacy goals and. That help develop our work plans.
So oral language, that is one that. Was really key and they asked about this we had to demonstrate what we're doing what we're having in place and the reason for that is in the reading research it's shown and they sometimes use the term or a see or a languages student talk making sense reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Or I see is ability to make sense out of text, starting from when you're sounding things out and starting to make meaning from it.
But it's become increasingly something that especially when you look at all learners. When you look at students who process and learn differently.
And when you look at multilingual learners that it's really key to integrate that. So the the model that we selected the 5 plus 2 pillars and the.
Early literacy framework has 5 different models and there's a strong argument for all of them.
And you'll see different pieces from them. But this is a place where we also, there was engagement going on with listening to our teachers and our specialists, we also, there was engagement going on with listening to our teachers and our specialists because of our inclusive practices commitment.
Everything you'll see it written, teachers slash specialists because they are integrated with the work we do in our classrooms.
But all of those things showed that we really needed to have a model. That was going to work and be clear.
The other reason for the 5 plus 2 model for us really straightforwardly is the clarity of it. It goes back to the national reading panel work in 2,000.
That's when it was published, but the 5 components of reading that are absolutely essential and that's Bonics Phoenix awareness fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
That research the national reading panel. And then what has emerged is this looking at ORC and then what has emerged is this looking at ORC and then also writing not taught as this looking at or see and then also writing not is this looking at ORC.
And then also writing, not taught as a separate thing, but integrated with. Reading. And so in the Oregon early literacy framework, they talk about it that when you look at word study or phonics phonemic awareness programs.
It's really important to start to involve students in writing, the transcribing. Part. And then the translating is composing and making sense of language.
So in looking at that. We have our model is one piece that they wanted to know. Did you select anything and what's your rationale for selecting it?
And that's what I've just been describing. Also, there have been and it goes back to even when we were working in mathematics with teachers development group, structured student talk.
Are there routines in place for students to explain what they're doing and why they are doing it.
And that's very much a part of our culture. Again, from our work with multilingual learners.
Sentence frames. Our 5 dimensions of teaching and learning that whole section on engagement, who's doing the talking in the classroom.
Is it always just the teacher when the students talk? Does it have some structure? So it's not just.
Share or would you get or turn and talk, but is it something where we have done something where we're learning how to make that make sense, you know, for students.
So again, those are, you know, of the indicators. Those are some of the things they're looking for because some districts might be spending some of their, grant funding on saying, yeah, that's not really a strong point for us.
Yet. So we are going to be doing the learning so we can let that emerge. And you'll hear we have other areas for growth but that's what we in our program review for that.
So foundational skills has been a very, very strong area of focus starting. And that rose from our teachers asking for more support and resources because they recognize the need and their students for for growth in this area.
So in August of 2,023 we had our first cohort attend a training at the Institute for Multiensory Education.
And then we're following that up through partnership with ESD. We were provided more spots for 2 more sessions this summer.
We actually had 72 teachers and specialists asked to participate. So Dr. Soyson had to use her best skills of persuasion and strong army to open up many, many more spots for our teachers.
Which we are able to accommodate. So we're excited to have a lot of teachers participate in a program that teaches very strong foundational learning, partnered with research around how early learners learn.
And so it's highly sensory, it involves a lot of movement, which helps young students establish strong neural connections around.
Early literacy foundational skills. We are also working with Oregon State University to develop a class on early literacy with a multilingual lens, course for Wesleyan Wilsonville teachers.
And then as Dr. Swayson mentioned, in this area of writing, reading comprehension, vocabulary, background knowledge, our teachers still hang on to the full breath of a strong literacy block with daily structure in classrooms for explicit instruction, small group and individual diffiation with routines that integrate reading and writing.
You'll also see widespread use of wordwall, sentence frames, rubrics for reading, speaking and writing, and structured for vocabulary building as a comprehensive K through 5 language arts.
Learning experience for our students. And before we change just, to speak to one of the questions about teacher training.
So we have 72, all 72 signed up. Are registered. We have 91 actually, so the others they are looking at adding a July.
Course for those. And then the idea is the we selected MZ, because as you know, there's a lot of districts who are sending people in smaller groups to letters training.
There was an analysis done of letters and MC. There's very similar and it's not to say one is better than the other.
Our reason for landing on MZ was the multisensory, the students who might not learn in exactly the same way and the kinesthetic and also more of the work with meaning and for multilingual learners when I was there and at the course.
When our teachers and specialists were there and heard them say, you know, be really careful.
You do this segmenting and nonsense syllables. Be aware of the multilingual learners and look at where you inject meaning.
So that's where we. We decided because in many many components they align. Also we are really not comfortable with.
Being able to send. Just a couple teachers here and there, we find it's more powerful to send cohorts of teachers together.
When you learn to together, you can process together and then you can bring it back and do something with it.
We are actually spending some of our grant money. Not just on sending people to MC, but on having the structured.
Assessing how am I gonna apply it to using the curriculum when they come back. So that's a key part about the the teacher training and the question about How will those who have not been trained?
Well, What's going to happen is everybody is going to be working with somebody who has been trained just by virtue of sending 72 across 9 schools.
Just so far and that will continue to grow. We have had lots of cooperation from our ESD, Dr.
Ludwig has been involved in, you know, we're all lobbying all the time.
Or we want to prioritize, but in looking at what do districts need of the 10 districts in Clackamas County?
We're building some networks so that we can do some across the multi-lingual learner, early literacy class, that class will have teachers.
Not just from Westland, Wilsonville, but from around the state. And it's going to be continually.
Offered as well because we find that we want our teachers to learn from each other. A lot of that when we kind of bring people together and work with this because we really do feel that foundational skills was our area in our program review that we said that's where we really need to grow.
So the other part that emerged, you know, again, we didn't just choose what we were going to work on, but in looking at our adoption, we were going to work on, but in looking at our adoption, we really looked at our adoption, we really looked at our reading data.
And the national literacy research. You've heard us talk about that before. The Institute for Educational Science, What Works Clearinghouse.
There's a lot of things called research out there and. It's fine, but we really look at what we call.
National and and pure reviewed, meaning the research studies have gone through and been reviewed by the discipline in that area and then evidence-based research base is theoretical.
That it's believed that when you do this, this will happen. Evidence-based is when you do it for 5 or 10 years, do you see the evidence?
So that was the piece, that we are, looking at and. Also, our assessment, this is another indicator and I think you know they're listed up there that James Webb.
Is being used there was a question about who and when, we of course screen in kindergarten and then first grade, but the process now with Ames web is you continue to work with students being all the way through middle school with Ames web for students who continue to need the monitoring sort of piece.
The benchmark is being used at a much lesser just how would that become part of a running record or a reading conference?
I'm in WA MAP as in the last 2 years added foundational skills as a domain area.
Of the assessment and the reason that's important is. Go back to when we had the achievement compact and no child left behind, third grade reading has been considered a benchmark and it looks at our children going to graduate from high school and are they going to be equipped then to take any post high school?
Learning without having to take remedial reading and writing. And third grade reading is one of the indicators.
But third grade reading starts to bring if you're going to be on an assessment at grade level in third grade reading.
There is the foundation pieces, but there's also comprehension and vocabulary built in. And that's why we use this array of assessments to look at that.
There's a question again from Those here this evening about. What's our criteria for struggling readers?
It starts with grade level. Are they at grade level as measured by these things that we showed? Andsw, by the way, has several components within it.
That you can measure. So, you know, there's the parts that we use. We use it as our dyslexia screener, but then you actually can You could even look at some aspects of comprehension with it.
But we look at grade level and then you go and you look at the specifics behind grade level.
Where are they with? Decoding, you know, where are they with, you know, some of the specific.
Factors of that assessment. So that assessment is both. Votes ongoing and then also what interventions do we plan to use was a question.
And one of the things that we'll also say about our adoption process right now is the core.
Reading programs that we're seriously considering. All of them are on the ODE list. So all of them meet that criteria.
But still, we are looking at How do we look when we have inclusive practices at having children in the classroom not?
Well, some children are fine with the foundational skills that are in the core reading program. But how about those who need something else?
Do we put them in a different program? And that's found with say struggling readers because then they always have to come back and transfer what they learned when they got that intervention.
To what they're learning all the time. So we are also looking at as part of this adoption that will be brought forward to you.
Hello, right now. I'll call them word study programs, phonics and phonemic awareness.
Are being looked at that will be. Part of that even though each of the program has that within it.
We're also looking at something that is the same program used. In special education in our school district.
So it's not this different. Peace. So you know you're going to get more about that as we start getting into the into the details of that.
And I think I've spoken to reaching all learners. We're really looking at and our special education.
Directors are part of this adopting process as well as are our ELD teachers in our dual language teachers and coordinators.
So now we'll move into the. Western, areas, our plan for, will be using the grant funds and they fall in these 4 areas, the employment of literacy coaches.
Professional development and coaching. Hi, dosage tutoring and extended learning programs. So Next slide, please.
So the first one, employment of our literacy coaches. I wish I could share with you or had thought to share with you the job description that we wrote for our literacy coaches because we really held this role up as a very exciting role for moving practice in our district because we saw all along our literacy coaches being people who not only worked right alongside students or small groups of students, those students who are going to be
needing some extra support in addition to what they get in their regular literacy block. But also as a capacity building role, someone who can come right alongside teachers and teacher teams or leading staff development to improve the capacity of all of us in becoming stronger literacy, literacy teachers.
So we held a very competitive and that many multi-layered hiring process where we were looking for people who had experience.
We're looking for people who had a successful experience in other districts. We were looking strongly for bilingual or bicultural applicants or people who had experience working with multi-lingual students.
And we have a incredibly strong crew of literacy coaches that represent a wide range of experience and and skills and there they have already been doing exactly what we hoped that they would do.
And here's some of the examples they work directly of students. They model instruction in classrooms based on teacher goals around professional learning.
They work with instructional coordinators and principals to facilitate ongoing professional learning at the school level.
They train teachers and specialists around high dosage tutoring and extended learning. And then, you know, their native habitat is in the classroom with a great level teachers and teams working right alongside they are considered a partner in a grade level team in forming a team that determines what helps students need and how to provide it in a way which enriches the literacy block that's already happening.
Next slide, please.
So, and the professional development coaching. You have to look at having, we believe, this ongoing in-house and you know if we have 6 of them, we have.
Team in house who can be working with How do we build the capacity of all teachers? So that's a lot of their, role in an ongoing way.
In addition to those who we've already described being trained. But some of the funding. Is you look at additional hours that we use and those are the rates that you see on the in the budget part.
That you look at. Some of that is occurring and will occur. Next year after school. After contract hours and some of it will occur during summer.
Sessions in looking at at that because Not only and then that will start to shift into this professional learning and coaching.
With the new materials. Because you need to continue how do we bring what we learned at MC and how do we take apart our current materials with that.
So that's why you might see that there's quite a bit of funding. There. Next slide.
So the high dosage tutoring is an element that is already in place and is developing and will continue to develop and become more cohesive as we move through the adoption process and then start to determine you know what assessment what the adoption means for assessment and for professional learning of teachers.
But what we're aiming toward is using our strong assessment tools such as. The the literacy assessments that we're already using, Aimsleb, our running records, the map assessment to determine who might need some extra support and what kind of support do they need.
And providing regular opportunities either individual or more likely in small groups with a group of light of learners who need something similar.
So that we can achieve this 90 min of extra support as part of their school day. It will be provided by sortified staff, trained literacy coaches, specialists and teachers.
As I mentioned earlier, you know, I kind of view the gold standard is it's a team working together.
So, you know, it's like these are our third-graders who is right on track and who might need some extra help and how are we going to organize ourselves so that they get exactly what they need.
Content that we've been using is based on the MC training and the 5 plus 2 pillars.
So, and we're looking at applying. What they're learning directly to reading and writing.
So it feels very meaningful to students. Currently we're using our core materials and supplemental materials as well as curriculums that have been developed by our specialists both in ELD and in student services and those will become like I said earlier at the onset much more aligned as we complete the adoption process.
I would say, and Barbara and I were meeting with primary principals today and there was an ask for we need some time right away to start sharing.
How are we rolling this out in each of our schools? Practices are particularly compelling and effective so that we can learn to together and ensure that all of our students are receiving the highest quality type of high dosage tutoring.
Next slide. So. Did we? There we go.
So I think. No, the next slide. Yeah, I think we've already. Spoken to, to most of this.
One thing about the extended learning that might not have been clear is when do you do it and the grant specifies that this should not be actually before or after school.
And the grant specifies that this should not be actually before or after school. There's an equity, issue with that, you know, for families and for children.
And so in making it part of the summer program, the funding is not being used for our summer program, the infrastructure, the busing, the the instructional coordinators, even the staff.
That comes from funds that the district is used. This is different. That comes from funds that the district is used. This is different.
It's more intensive. The funding that you see there is very much for we have to train people to do this differently than what we had.
We know that our structure last the last couple summers has worked. People come back and we know that we use our own staff.
It's also professional learning for your staff when they do this intensive work. In the summer. So just wanted to clarify though that the funding is for the actual training, the preparation, the looking at how will children have at home materials pieces, not for the infrastructure of the summer program.
And Dr. Soyson, I think we, I think I gave a head not accidentally skipped right over that extended learning slide.
If we go back one more slide. I think you hit most of it though, but the extended learning component for SS Dr.
Soyzen was saying will happen over the summer as Dr. Soyson was saying we already have a had a model that we've been using over the last few years for primary, which is already highly aligned with this because it was directly focused on developing reading skills.
And we intentionally invited students who needed some additional support and who would benefit from ongoing learning during the summer.
So, and again, this is what Dr. Sawson was just saying. We know we need to expand the amount of time that students participate to to meet this goal.
So there will be some structural changes. That occur, but we will continue using our assessment data to determine who's most going to benefit.
Will work with families to ensure that they know the invitation is there and that we make sure that they have the transportation that they need.
And anything else that they would need to participate. And I think as Dr. Soyz was saying was particularly exciting.
It's also professional learning for teachers. So we have training before it comes up and teachers set professional goals.
They get an opportunity with a smaller group of students in a shorter day to try out new strategies and perfect them before the next year starts.
And that turns out to be a big draw for for our staff. Thank you, Dr. So I was trying to pick up our pace a little bit.
And now the next slide, please. And so we're talking about that. A 1 point that was on that slide was that there will be and and looking at a first session of looking at because it was talking about research aligned curriculum and the first session will be on again January the 30 first to look at where we are so far in to give input.
Again, we were asked in the application, this is a listing again of how do we show because some.
Districts for example might have to spend their funding on having some kind of student growth assessments. One thing that we neglected to say, yes, Ames Web Plus is a dyslexia screener.
MZ is considered dyslexia training. And so that's the one of the other reasons that we selected that as the kind of the basis of our of our training.
But otherwise I think we have. I'm captured that.
So we can go. This is just, I think, things that we do all the time that you're familiar with that we communicate this plan you know through our literacy evenings across schools and district to district.
We've got some listings there of the way that we'll be doing. That. Next slide.
Just we have to show that we have. Matching funds and there's a listing there and this was in the the memo in detail that.
The the employment of literacy coaches is not coming off from the grant and the It says what it does pay for and then the other sources of funding for that.
Again the extended learning programs. It's matching funds are the district funds that pay for what I was describing as the infrastructure and Again, for high dosage tutoring, there is also.
Matching funds for that. Next slide. So this is just, this is just our listing of our current materials and ours, of course, says that we are.
In the process of adopting so that, you know, in March that we will have updates to this list.
Next slide. And then again, this was. The budget. I took all the codes out for the slide, but you have that in the memo, you know, it's more detailed.
For 2324. And then next slide, last slide. This is for 24, 25 and looking at and just a checkpoint would be okay.
Hiring high dosage tutoring extended learning professional development which is what we have identified as our 4 out of 5 areas.
So if you have. Questions for us that would be fine and then there would be a a motion made to approve and then discuss it.
And just to point, this is not the extent of what we, what we're going to spend on literacy.
This is just what we're applying the grant for. We have quite a bit of money in our general budget.
Allocated towards literacy as well.
I'm Don't we move first? What was that?
Yes, yes, I don't know why I'm stuck on that. I move that we approved the Westland Wilsonville early literacy success school district grant application.
Do we have a second?
I opened it up for questions and discussion.
Asked something. So, Obviously, this This is incredibly important. This money is available because the states getting involved too and and wants to support this work.
I'm concerned about our ability to. Sort of look at data and be. Agile with this.
So I'll just pick high doses tutoring for one piece of this, right? So we have a plan around, dosage tutoring.
Sounds like the current plan calls for most of that to happen during a student's regular block. Right?
Would probably not be perceived by anyone as extra. Which I think a lot of people might think. We might provide for someone who needs to support rather than within the same block right and and so I guess my question is How are we going to look at the data to see whether or not this is working?
And then if we do think maybe it's not working, do we have the agility? Does the grant allow us to agility?
To change that if we feel like we need to change that. Right. I'll start and then you flush that.
That's a really great question, Director Shoemaker. And I think the one thing I would say is like, I What we want is to experience a very strong sense of belonging that they're part of their classroom that they're not part of their classroom, that they're not, you know, being pulled out and missing that they're not, you know, being pulled out and missing music or PDE every day to experience
some additional instruction. Our teams are going to be as flexible as they need to be to give students what they need.
So, you know, my guess is it's going to be a little bit dependent upon how a grade level teams day is structured and that the high dosage tutoring will differ from their participation in that literacy block in that it's going to be explicit instruction based on what the assessment says that those students need.
And it very well may occur at another part in the day when the team has determined that they can provide that to a student.
So we're gonna aim toward the literacy block, but the school day is open. You know, I, I also believe that when we're doing this well, students aren't going to, it's not always going to be the same students who need this support.
If we're doing it well, they're going to catch up and then fold back. Into the class. And now we're looking at the next unit.
So it could be something intensive. That happens maybe outside the literacy block maybe within it, but will know if it's working because then they're gonna actually accelerate and catch up.
And your question was about how are we going to know, sort of thing. And I think that, one of the things that we are proud that we have in Western Wilsonville is we have Some schools call them data teams impact teams, but it's there's a process for looking at and analyzing.
Literacy data and saying what are we going to do next? Now the difference between this and what we have been doing, the high dosage.
Is instead of saying, well, yes, we divide up and students go to different, you know, reading, you know, group sort of thing.
Both the content. Has to be very specified to what the student needs to meet the criteria for high dosage to tutoring and the looking at the frequency duration and intensity of it.
So some students might be ready to move on. Especially in foundational skills and that's where you don't wait till you take the next Ames web assessment, but you know, oh, these students need this.
One of the research pieces around high dosage tutoring and by the way there's 5 states right now they're actually starting to create a rubric for looking at what are the things we should look for in the program.
So this isn't just an Oregon piece, but one of the things that can be challenging for tutoring.
Like we've had, you know, students who will go to some tutoring programs is how How do they actually transfer that?
How does classroom teacher know how to work with that student in the classroom? So actually having it within the literacy block, especially if you have 120 min in that block and you bring in what the child needs then rather than them getting it maybe after school and figuring out how to apply it the next day.
That's why we speculate that. The state of Oregon. Put this on one of the things that you need to do.
So I hear in your question that. Doing it right with these practices of what's your content and what's the duration intensity gonna be?
What are you gonna look for to know they're getting better and how are you gonna look at the overall reading data will be the pieces.
There's quarterly reporting with this and for the first biennium it starts a lot with how many children are served by and are they the same children sorts of things?
And then we expect that it'll become the actual reading data. Once we get past the first biennium.
I'm wondering too with your question about what's happening in the literacy block. And how is it going to be different is there'll be different activities than within that literacy block.
So if in the past a student had more sometime directly with the teacher but more time than off independently reading.
Or in a secondary school, you know, there are times when the teacher was teaching, then the kids were independently working on something.
If they're getting some tutoring, maybe that independent time is shortened and they're getting another opportunity to work directly again with the teacher.
So within that literacy block you can do a variety of things that actually create. Difference without having to create time outside the day.
It's just what you're doing within that. Block that's going to be different and that student gets more.
Tutorial, direct teaching, then maybe they were in the past, they were maybe having more independent time.
And we're gonna pull them in, you know, for more instruction. Does that help? Yeah.
And children might not all be in the same classroom. Because the other piece in working with principals is how are we going to look at our schedules?
So maybe there's 2 children in one classroom in the second grade 2 children in another, that can still work.
They can have their tutoring. It's during the literacy block and they're not in the same classroom.
So we know that it'll be some hybrid of. So it'll be. More intensified and different from just the small groups that we have in place.
But we do have a structure for those now, so it's a starting place. My question, my question is a statement that I don't know that anybody knows what the best.
Type of approach to this is going to be. I had a chance to talk to some people at the state when I was at a thing, you know, in November, that chance to talk to someone at the ESD.
In the fall about tutoring. And they seem to not have much of an idea about how that was gonna happen in districts.
And so to hear how what we're thinking it makes sense but it seems to me if there was some really known best practice around that that actually when I say best practice frankly I'm saying what moves the numbers right what moves kids forward.
I just want to make sure that that we aren't locked into something because if we find that There's a different shifting approach to that that we have the agility.
To shift our approach.
I'm in support of this. Grant application. I want to thank Dr. Soisen and Dr.
Pryor for all of their thorough work on this grant application. I also want to commend the Oregon State Legislature for funding.
Early literacy and, recognizing the importance of our kindergartners through third graders because I feel like their education has largely been ignored in this state for decades.
And then I'm hoping through the teacher training that we're doing in our district, the literature literacy coaches in our schools who work with those teachers that are teaching those students.
So they are working with them during the day, like Dr. Soyerson said, assessing those students.
Seeing where they are and seeing if they need to move on. Luckily, I got to visit Beckman Creek where they have already started this.
Their literacy coaches are So impressive in the way they work as a team the way the teachers work as a team with the literacy coaches really shows how our students and all the needle will be moved with these literacy coaches.
Next I am, I am in support of the high dosage tutoring, of course, and I think we have to remember that these are kindergartners through third-graders.
This is early literacy, so we're getting them during the day during class. I know we've already talked about that, but a lot of families can not afford special tutoring after school.
It's just not in their budget. So, I am just so passionate about this. Because I think.
That we will be able to do an excellent job with our grant funds and that we can show the state hopefully that this pilot is worth funding.
At even a higher level. So hopefully our education, our our school districts will receive more, dollars in the future.
So thank you.
Anything else?
Oh yeah, good. Sorry. Part of the review I saw in there, I think I saw a mention that Ames web data is now going to go K through 5.
Is that? Did I hear that? Did I see that somewhere? Is that accurate?
We have students where you can monitor, we can actually use it K. And in terms of will we have every eighth grader do aims web?
No. But in terms of when you have the indicator. By being not at grade level that you need to look at something else.
Ames web is something that can be used to. So the the reference to K 5 there is is meant to say that we could use it or are we gonna use it through all for all?
Well, right now, if there are students who are in fourth grade or fifth grade and they are monitored, their progress needs to be monitored, it can be monitored and is being monitored with Ames web, but we would not give it to all graders or fifth graders.
So as part of our. Thinking about. This this grant.
Was there any discussion of looking at what we present to all parents. In terms of data because that's something I think we heard pretty consistently from parents is that they want to have enough data.
I know there's a balance there because you can give so much data that that it's meaningless to the vast majority of people.
But has there been discussion about About how, yeah, go ahead.
Well, yes, there has been a discussion and that's one reason, you know, the adoption is part of a renewal process because there's also some interaction with the materials that we get and if we need supplemental materials to make sure our word study programs to make sure our word steady program is, and if we need supplemental materials to make sure our word steady programs to make sure our word steady program strong, that could also influence what we have available to
not only use to teach students, that could also influence what we have available to not only use to teach students, but to assess their progress, to not only use to teach students, but to assess their progress, especially at that formative stage, you know, when you start getting into sort of discrete skills and knowledge that students need to be strong readers.
But we do know there is a craving, from parents and caregivers to know how is my child doing?
What are they, thriving at? What do they need to learn? So I think the adoption.
Renewal alongside this is going to result in a stronger and more unified assessment plan across the district.
And to your point, the teaching and learning team has talked about. How do we expand on sending home the OSS?
Results. How do we look at something that's you know, a little brochure that shows, all right, this is Osas.
This is map. This is because these are different layers of data, you know, OSAS is the big summative, map is kind of interim, and then you look at progress monitoring.
When we look at say something like a benchmark assessment, that just gives your broad overall, are they at grade level, what level are they at, but you don't go, you know, further with that.
So that's a broader discussion that that we have had. And that will continue because we want to develop a way to do that.
Okay. Well. I think that is it for questions. So I'm gonna turn it over to Director Douglas for Thank you.
Director Shoemaker. AYE Nice, Chair Wyatt. Director Vidal.
Aye. Thank you.
Ball still in your court?
I'm sorry, you've got enough of me. Do you need to stretch? You need you need a Okay.
Alright.
Okay. Could we have the slides for the thank you?
So we're going to be making a recommendation. From district staff and this recommendation there will be 3 of them in 3 parts and so we will bring them forward in in 3 parts or the motions would be in 3 parts.
And this is about instructional materials adoption postponement. Next slide. So as you know, there's an adoption schedule and that was in your board memo and Dr.
Ludwig is passing that out and it lists the year for adopting new curriculum by subject area.
Adoption is part of division 22 and districts need to do. One of 3 things and.
They adopt in that year from an instructional materials list. They independently adopt using ODE criteria or they postpone adoption for up to.
2 years. Next slide.
The postponement. A purchase of stated. Out materials this is the the ruling on that.
You need to give the reason. Subjects or categories. The dates, what you'll be using in the interim.
That this will not become something that we continually do. And then this is. Sent in and the when the school board approves the recommendation.
Than ODE. Will if it has those components. Approve the postponement. Next slide.
So one of the things that can be a little bit. Misleading about, postf and say division 22 is ODE doesn't have a data deadline.
For requesting adoption postponements. To be in compliance with Division 22.
And the rationale for that is, of course, they prefer districts to let them know things as early in the school year as they can or at the beginning of the school year, but they intentionally do not make it a requirement.
For adoption of materials because of variables within school districts. That could be budget. Staff capacity and by staff capacity it's not number of people to facilitate adoptions but it sometimes can be the bandwidth of educators to work with.
Adoptions and new materials. In fast succession. It can be need for professional learning to prepare because one of the things that has been shown in, you know, 20 plus years of research is that triangle of curriculum instruction and assessment being really joined and if you don't kind of understand the or you haven't refreshed or renewed the effective instructional practices, how do you know what you're looking
for? And this does not suggest that our teachers don't know what they're looking for, but that's why.
It's recommended that you do what's called a renewal. Or that you do something to prepare for.
If you're going to make good on that investment and have materials that are used. What they say with fidelity.
And that are used consistently and coherently and they make the difference with outcomes. So that's the reason knowing that those pieces fitting together that it doesn't take the same amount of time everywhere.
Division 22 does have areas that you have to have done on time. And I've, you know, listed just a couple of examples.
And so the idea of postponement is not one of them, but that does not mean at all that ODE is just lacks about this.
Health and safety plans, June one. Screening of kindergartners for dyslexia, state assessments, they give you an assessment window.
That you have to use to give. Oh, SS and. The day that it's over is the day that it's done.
So they would describe. Postponement as being. Not like all of the other areas. For the reasons listed.
Next slide. So district staff is recommending postponement. 3 of them and we are also doing this to sort of we do not want to regularly do this and some of these like the last one K 12 science and starting on that we don't actually know if we'll need that but the choice that we're making is to go ahead and, request and to look at this in a timely manner.
So the first one is grade 6 12 VLA. And what it is doing is this is not making it any later.
Materials will be in classrooms in fall, 2,024. Just as the K 5 will be.
But K 5 already has a postponement. So that's the reason for that one and I'll go into that more in a minute and then K 5 math we're asking to have the new materials in classrooms in 2,025.
But the adoption process will be in 2425. And then science, we're looking at.
New materials and classrooms, all. 2026 adoption process 2526 And again, there'll be a separate motion.
For each postponement recommendation and I'll go through and and give the rationale because that's part of what ODE requires is that there's a rationale for each post.
Next slide. Some considerations for each of them though that apply to each of them. So. Student outcomes evidence and that's, you know.
Again, that's ODEs logo that says instructional materials. Matter. But the research around that is that the process for selecting and adopting matters, but the 2 to 3 years of implementation.
Should be part of that process. And the support that teachers get because when you buy the new materials and you take the shrink wrap off there's quite a bit of time and learning, especially with some of the curriculum programs now that have several aspects of components.
They'll have an online component, they have things to do at home. And they are much more complex.
We have been using and referring to and it's considered a major study by Carnegie Corporation just in November, 2,020.
And this was one where teachers were and it was a very large US. Survey about what they did with curriculum.
About how they participated in actually using it and it found again that teachers need and deserve the highest quality professional learning.
To support the implementation and the recommendations were spent in time in professional learning with the actual curriculum. And that districts.
In the US are not doing enough of that and that's information from teachers based on looking at how they use curriculum and I if anybody is interested in that I can make that accessible to you.
Next slide. So the recommendation for 6 12 VLA and this one is the one that has the potential to be the most confusing because we are not.
Not completing that this school year, but what was not done was Last February, there was a recommendation for a K 5.
Yeah, and 6 12. Was not part of it. It could have been included. One of the things that we have been doing in our district and in others is that, 6, 12 curriculums updated annually here.
For example, we added new units in high school and in middle school in the last 2 years. And those are standards-based curriculum units.
We have purchased not just the texts that students actually read in the unit. But we've purchased writing guides.
We purchase pieces to, you know, help their reading. We have a major 40 teachers participated last year in middle school in a rigorous reading.
Instructional practice piece. So, that the middle school and high school teachers now. Will be going ahead.
Oh, e list as we have for all of our others and looking at data. And so this. Would have been and I will just say.
Should have just said last year K 12 instead of K 5. We often do that most of the time.
We don't necessarily break down adoptions by let's do K 5 now and then 6 8 and then 9 12.
Mathematics you heard, you saw the middle school presentation. We started with high school because in mathematics it can be really good to start with where do they need to end up.
And then look at, you know, pieces that way, but that is not necessarily what we do all the time.
But that is the kind of the rationale for that. And but students will have just as they do with K 5, they will have the materials in fall, 2,000, and 24.
So this one is sort of a formal request and we actually we do consult with ODE and some of this is where formally now wanting to just do this.
You know, to the letter, sort of thing. And that's the reason for this request.
Next slide. 5 mass. We have found that the teachers in specialists, you know, with the K 5 Well, the thing with K 5 teachers is they teach everything.
And so the very same teachers in looking at what you just heard us spend quite a bit of time going into with the training and the commitment.
And this is a credit to our teachers and specialists. They are fully involved. And we have, I think Dr.
Ludwig shared with you, we have and prepared for you a the colored columns of the plan and we were going to go ahead with.
K 5 math this year. As we've gotten into it, we think we can do better. With literacy, we can do better overall.
If we slow this down. Also, We have, we have the structure in place to do that. We also don't have a sense of urgency as our K 5 schools all have what we call curriculum maps and that's a map of what standards are you teaching when, how are you teaching them, what do the units look like.
And that's been something that's been going on. We started it actually before the pandemic. So there's not a sense of, oh, our students aren't actually, you know, working with mathematics at all or our standards, you know, we don't know if we're doing that.
We actually believe it would be in the best interest of our teachers and working and then ultimately our students to be able to just.
Slow the pace of this and not have the math materials in place right now, especially because we have the curriculum maps that we're using.
There's. A map program in place. Next slide. K 12 science, this is one where it is likely that we are going to be in.
Middle and high school. First of all, in high school, high school is a little bit different when you get into courses like.
Science and because it's discrete courses. So we have some. Where for biology, you know, which is kind of a core student's take.
Yes, we'll have a textbook. For environmental science. That'll be a discrete one that we just, we update those as they're needed and the cycle usually is not as long as 7 to 8 years.
So many of our courses in science and high school are AP courses. We just. Have that when you need a new book and the college board puts out a new list, we get the book.
And we, you know, so we, it's a little different than looking at at K 8.
We'll be looking at even when we look at reading materials, for example, going back to K 5.
There's really high quality decorable books in science. We've learned as part of looking at that as part of our adoption.
So there will be some science literacy materials. So there will be some science literacy materials that we will be working on bringing in science literacy materials that we will be working on bringing in.
But again, in terms of looking at overall, programs from the ODE list. We think that it would be best for us to slow that down.
This is another area. Where our teachers worked with us. Our 6 12 teachers had worked with Kerry Schneider at Portland State for years and we have actual units developed.
And we have worked with somebody who is she's now at Wested that she was a you know a national curriculum science person when the NGSS first kind of being understood because they're different than other standards.
They're not just content standards and work. So there's actually existing units. In K 5 science and in 6 8 science and our high school teachers in bio and chemistry and physics.
Have pieces in place. Okay, will be starting. In, yeah, middle and high school science, but this last one is one that wages do not intend to come to you again.
And be asking for performance and thinking if we need if we have this piece where we need to have this, we're going to request it now and not wait the school year.
Next slide. So here's a summary of. You know, the.
What it would look like and that's in your memo as well. Of one we'd adopt and then when they're in classrooms.
Next slide.
Okay, oh, okay. Thank you. Yeah, that was okay. So, be needed for this is to go back and look at and maybe I'm gonna ask to go back to the slides that have the one that you're looking at.
To make sense of it. So for example, If you put up slide 7. Please, that would be the first one maybe to to look at make a motion.
And do them separately is what would be needed. You need them each.
Okay. So. We'll just start with number one. In the we have a motion to.
Approve postponing the adoption of grades 6 through 12 ELA. I move we approve postponing the adoption of grades.
6 through 12 ELA until the 2023, 2,024 school year with new materials in classrooms in fall 2024.
I second.
Any questions?
Okay. Yes. I think if my fellow board members are okay, what I would like to do is like perhaps we could share our.
I'm guessing that well I shouldn't assume but If folks have general comments about postponement.
Would now be a time to have that discussion and if there is something distinct for each motion, then we could have that discussion after those respective motions.
Is would that be your preference or do you want to have the same discussion after each one if there are like general comments to be made about post moment.
It's suggestions making open motion.
Well, well they have to be independent. But I understand what you're saying is having a discussion now.
Maybe to the tune of. Something specific to each one. Is that what you're saying? And then.
Yeah, yes, or if if folks are okay with it. Perhaps if our comments relate to all 3, we can just say like ditto after each one or just say this applies to all 3 if there is something that's applicable across all 3 post comments.
Yeah, I'm fine with really either. Whichever whichever way would give us the most streamlined.
Way for people to get their concerns out. Is what I would be into. And so if there's a suggestion.
Outside of what you're saying or Dr. Ludwig or that you think would work the best for this scenario.
I just don't know what the concerns are. Well, I don't know that there is.
So, I think what I hear is if there's a general question about how ODE works or division 22 or postponements in general.
Before the specific motion for each 3. Do you want to entertain those now and we can go back and?
I think we did. Then you'd have a better context and then we do each one specific. I personally don't have any questions.
So I've seen what that looks like. And so. I don't have any questions, but if any of you do, feel free to.
My questions are gonna be specific to the. Which one? Just go with a motion. Then we have to go.
So we have a motion in a second for number one. So I'll open it up to Director Shoemaker for his questions around number one.
Yeah, so I'm not gonna have a question about the 6 to 12 ELA one. So.
Okay, so that okay and I have one and so if we approve this motion Are we in compliance? With ODE.
Yes. Okay.
Any other questions? Concerns? I will turn it over to Director Douglas for the first vote.
Thank you. Yes. Hi. Bye.
Thank you. Okay. We approve postponing the adoption of K 5 math until the 2024, 2,025 school year with new materials and classrooms in fall, 2,025.
We have a second. Second. I will open it up for. Questions?
I'll start with Director Shoemaker. Thanks. First I want to say I really appreciate the work that goes into this.
I think we've heard very clearly how important these adoption processes are and I think that's validated by the effort that's being put into it.
I think the fact that we have such great participation right now among primary teachers around the ELA adoption.
I think that says a lot of about the work we're doing. And and and how much we honor the work that they do.
Having said that with respect to this.
This motion. I completely understand why we need to move K 5 math completely get that. Given that participation that they currently have I can't imagine asking a teacher to also be involved in in the math adoption when they're putting in so much work into that.
Right at the K 5 level. So I get that. It's I personally think it's the right thing to do to move it.
I don't think it's a good thing, but I think it's the right thing, right?
Just as we have described. How much learning there is when we adopt language arts. There's learning that happens when we adopt math.
I don't love our math scores either. Right. I don't love where we are, where our students are.
At map. So I don't love that we have to move it, but whether or not I love it isn't really the question here.
I think it's the right thing to do. I just want to say that I don't.
Think it's good that we have to do it. But It's a natural consequence of what we did just as moving their science and other years the natural consequence of moving language arts and then math and then science.
So that's all I wanted to say.
Just an observation about that having. Been a primary teacher for. Long time in it and a principle. There there are these moves that a primary teacher makes even though they're focused on one thing.
They do have this ability to kind of think. Gosh, there's these things I'm doing with a small group in reading.
What am I going to do with my small group in math? And so even though they may not be part of that formal process.
There is a lot of what's called kind of generalizing to another content area because they start to see the efficacy and the impact of a practice that can be then applied in another area.
So when we talked about the curriculum, the math curriculum maps are there. They did a lot of work with that prior to the pandemic and that even going through the pandemic.
So they do have some of that work to kind of anchor onto. And there is a strong belief in we're hearing from some teachers the focus I'm putting in reading I'm starting to also think about when I'm with my students and that.
How am I building clarity for that? What are the small group interventions I should be thinking about for math?
So while we may not be going through that adoption process with all new materials. Some of those practices we can still nudge.
In a way that feels manageable and transferable. If, if that helps. And I knew that that happened all the time when we were going through renewal practices.
Teachers are almost itching to kind of transfer one idea then to another content area. So I think we want to do that.
In another area too. I think I want to apply this assessment. I'm going to restructure my other content area like I did.
This one because they have the kids all day. And so they can they can do some of that. So we're not going to discourage that.
In fact, there's some nice nudging we can do without overwhelming. But it's very different than giving them a whole new set of materials to also learn.
Work with the ones you have, but other some practices that you're noticing you could apply in mathematics.
Even now that could be effective and and work to provide the intervention or more direct instruction for students. One last thing about mathematics is most of the programs now, the one that you just approved in middle school, they come with more than one component.
There's something that is the, maybe the core, the piece that's your ex, you know, your direct instruction and some group work and then for example that's amplify with Desmos, something that students work on maybe more much at their own pace.
We anticipate and that's very much what attracted our high school teachers to their program as well was the online, you know, kind of practice component.
One of the things that's happened with our K 5 ELA right now is we have had some teachers who've done some piloting of programs in the foundational areas.
And the idea that we might be doing some of that. In mathematics, you know, that's something where you get those who do have the interest, the capacity, whatever.
We're learning that that can be a very useful thing than to bring into an adoption. The 4 programs that we are looking at.
To work with our core curriculum. Have come from K 5 teachers working with those programs in their classrooms approved from us as pilots as we have still had, you know, the same materials.
So that's part of what we're looking at as well in mathematics. We don't do that in every subject area.
We're not going to have everybody go out and prize something in science or whatever. But math and literacy are ones where because they usually have 2 components anyway that we will encourage.
We know, Dr. Pryor knows we have some teachers who are interested in doing that. So We'll start that.
We just wouldn't have everybody be put into a place of engaging in that.
I just have a quick statement and a question and I think, to director, she makers point.
I think it is it's hard at first because you see the word postponement and we like live in a world of deadlines and you know, we have deadlines at work, we give our students deadlines and our teachers deadlines and then it's like, okay, so why do we have to postpone?
And I feel like one thing that I have really valued through the ELA process. Has been recognizing that we have trade offs when it comes to inclusion and including families and teacher voices in curriculum adoption.
And that trade off means that things don't go as fast because we are factoring in teacher opinion.
We're factoring in, you know, the student outcomes. And so I know that we have such smart people that work for our district that you could go out and pick a curriculum.
It would probably be great, but the value that we have is that inclusion piece. And so I find that I am willing to look at postponement not as a negative or not as meeting a deadline, but as really honoring that counterbalance of inclusion and then also expertise.
And so, I think that, you know, yes, like would it be great if we could?
Have all of those values and get it in the classroom, you know, this fall. But I think the trade off means that we're going to have that teacher buy in that is so important.
So that's my comment. And if it's a preview, what we saw with the middle school teachers that were part of that curriculum selection, I would love to see that type of joy every time we select a curriculum.
So, so I think that is a worthy trade-off. And I have the same question for this one as the last.
So if we approve this motion. Are we in compliance with ODE? Yes. Okay.
Any other questions, concerns, comments?
I will pass the vote to Director Douglas. Director Jeanica? Yes. Director Slip.
Aye. Chair Tankling. Hi, thank you. Alrighty, moving on to number 3.
Hi, I move that we approve postponing the adoption of K 12. Miami until the 2025 2026 school year with new materials and classrooms in fall.
2026.
Do we have a second?
Exactly. Alright, I open it up one more time. Or questions or comments about number 3. Anything?
Oh, just you then, I guess. I have the same question. Could I just make a comment?
Oh, yes, please. We know for the same reasons we've discussed trying to have materials this area in the fall.
Would just be checking a box on time, but may not be doing our teachers and our students the service that they deserve.
By speeding it up. That said, we don't know if we'll need.
We might find that we can move a little. Speedier in some areas and we may get some things in before the fall of 2,026.
We'd love for you to approve it so we know that we have these 2 years to work with that and then we can kind of test the waters and see.
How much we slow down and where there's some areas where we could maybe get some materials particularly. High school once a few things sooner or middle school we can be responsive but we know that doing all of it by this fall is just not where we where we are in best practices.
And so that's the reason for this postponement request, but you may see us come to you sooner than fall of 2,026.
We just don't have to come back. To you in another meeting and explain this either to a new board or to you all over again.
So doing we added this one as just a third one to while we were on this topic. On that note, can I make a comment before you ask that important question?
Thanks for saying that because I, I know how important these materials are to our teachers.
And I know I mostly know how important they are to our middle and high school teachers.
There is that point about AP materials that see more renewal and there's more change there and more recommended change.
And I and I appreciate our our ability to to meet those needs. The core few you know the first couple of classes for high school science the lab the required lab sciences the starting with biology.
Those are really important materials and all of our kids take those courses. And so I'm really interested that those students not have to wait too long before they get new materials.
But I also appreciate that there's an OP, there's there's a possibility that we might be able to approach that.
I also want to, will say thank you because I know that there is ongoing work with our current science teachers right now in high school.
I know that it's because I have friends and and they've described ongoing work so I appreciate that that work is happening right now.
Even if we don't have new materials on hand in the fall. So that's. But I'll say.
We almost tried the same. Fall of 2026 or sooner And then we thought, well, let's just make this clean.
This gives us the permission to go as late as fall of 2,026, but where we can go sooner, we will come to you.
With those approvals. For those reasons. Yeah. Okay.
And I know it's. It's in the future, but same question in approving this motion.
This is. The step we need to take to be in compliance with ODE in the future. Yeah, I've done this motion next year.
Before that bill, but we want to Sorry, But you heard me. Okay. Okay, any other?
No? Nope. Alright, I'll pass it to director Douglas.
Thank you, Director Shoemaker. Yes. Director Sloop. Aye.
Joe Taylor. And Director Vidal. Aye. Thank you.
Alright. Chair Taylor, could I make a comment before we move on to the financial report? I know that in in these conversations about the early literacy grant, you've gotten feedback.
There's also been conversations about postponement. Maybe gotten feedback. We have been in consultation quite a bit with ODE.
Both Audley Moore who works with instructional materials renewal and postponements. Susan Payne who leads the division 22 compliance area And we did raise, did contact them and raised the issue of.
We're in this place. We're in the middle of renewal. And we're using our current materials, which are Lucy Cawkins and Fontissimanel.
There has been some question to us as staff around when did that adoption occur with the Lucy Cawkins materials.
We've done our best to go back and trace that for parents who have enquired. Some of you have asked that.
When we've looked at our records, we see a lot of evidence. Of teacher training that's been in a renewal process of new materials that have been ordered.
What we cannot locate is documentation that shows a formal adoption or renewal. In a motion that a board made.
We did present that to ODE to Susan Paine and Audley Moore specifically. And said is this an issue for ODE that we can't find some documentation from 8, 10 years ago?
Both of them did say to us it's not an issue for them and that we can continue to use the Lucy Cawkins materials that we're currently using right now.
And that because we're in a renewal. And that they expect will complete it this year. It will sort itself out by having a formal renewal and adoption process.
So we did specifically ask, do we need to do anything directify that? Is there a form? Is there something we should, and they said no.
You can continue to use the materials you have now because your teachers need them. And that when you finish your renewal, you'll have your next materials.
You'll have your your board approval and to move on. So I just want to address that. I want to apologize if that.
Came to you in any way that kind of brought it. History of Haunt and clouded some of this process.
But we didn't shy away from it. We took that question. Directly to ODE, wanted them to know what we were up against.
And what their advice to us was for this situation. And it is as I've described they've said to continue doing what we're doing.
That they are fine with that. And to focus on the renewal process. And get it done and get those documents to them.
So just wanted to share that. Thank you.
Okay.
After Hughes.
So, of days will be.
The information. That. Present for prior information that I already presented to you in the furious information that I already presented to you in the curious.
Monday report. So in here, this general point financial report capture at of December, 30 first.
And under the general
We have the local and revenue, the property tax. Projected at 46.7 million with a 2.6 million higher than the other after budget.
And this, if you can see a set that value, the percentage of the accepted value can be higher than the adopted.
Budget when we build a adopted budget with your 3% 3.5% based on the Calte recommendation.
But the actual percentage came in at 4.4 5. And this by 4.4 5% is for All of the assessment value for property that within the boundary of the Klacomac County.
The second item. That projected to have revenue came in a little bit higher than the adopted budget at a SAYS conference and that projected to come in a 61.9 million which is about 400,000 more than the adapted budget.
This is based on the, the. The cost items is. The software delivery model.
That the district received a payment from Glacomac ESL. So every year Glacomac ESD will send us 2 payments one in February and one in August.
This payment based on not only the district ADM W, but also based on the state school fund that Glacomat PSD receiving from the ODE.
As well at the rebate home back and a lot of factor around that.
The nest items is the interest. The interest when we viewed a budget, we use 3% interest earned.
On the investment general fund. The actual interest so far come close to 5%. For the last 6 months so we continue to project that it will hold down at 5% or more for the next 6 months.
So that why on the projected be about 1.5 million versus 850,000 on the adopted budget.
The last item is a, tuition and fees. Situation and fees anticipate to come in higher.
Than the adaptive budget. Because we have more student participate into the preschool at well at more student participate into the extra curriculum program.
So off our own with the above reason that I mentioned the budget office anticipate to for the district to receive higher revenue.
For this year in general on fund compared to the adopted budget.
Under the expenditure. Because we have the SIA grant that came in higher with the 1.5 million higher than the adopted budget and the high school success came in low, would say, 200 and something 1,000 less than the adopted budget.
So it's allow us to shoot the quality FTE. To the general fund and form that gender on fund.
So between the salary and benefits is able to save 1.2 million for the district in this. Other items is, supply and material.
Like we mentioned about instructional material or the curriculum. So. This is just projected that we might have a 500,000 more than the adopted budget.
We don't have the accurate information at this time yet, but I will make sure to update you when the time come.
The Nest item, see the capital outlays and thus is a few. We had a copy mission budget for this year, but we have an additional that we uncounted for plus the riverside library.
So all of our own. Most of this information already familiar with you. The only information that a little bit news is the end in pan bar and for 23 that carry over to this year at Begin in Panama and for this year.
Last report I was sharing does the S. Was about, 32.8 million. But this report show 35 million.
The difference is 2.2 million. And that's it because The second payment from Blackam ESD that came through us.
In 2223 is supposed to be in our guest but we did that we did not receive the payment until September 19.
And based on the past practice. When the payment for prior year came in after 60 days, then we post it in the current year instead of the prior year.
But after consulted with the auditor and they agreed at become this is the second payment that belonged to the prior year.
So it's okay for us to post that revenue into the prior year. And because of that. With the 1.6 million in the second payment from Black.
ESD and about 600,000 that came in for prior tax year. That Gibras, probably 5 million, for the and then from Bal and 2223 or the 1 billion unbalanced for this year.
So in conclusion, the estimate for 2324 general fund in in Fan, Balan will be 21.5 million.
And that is about 16.5%. Path 2121.5 million is truly within the recommendation of the end of van that GFOA, provided to governmental agency.
According to their guideline that Gopplemento agency should How the budget reserve either 2 months of the revenue or the 2 month of the operation on expenditure.
And 2 one of our operating revenue, the 21.7 million. Or 2 months of our general fund operating as my future will be 23.9 million.
So the estimate in in for 2324, at 21.5 million. Reasonable.
To their recommendation.
Do you have along with himself? It's end of Good question. But could you? Share more about the Riverside High School Library and the 600,000.
Cause I see that. Am I reading it right? The capital outlay was the 4,439.
For the copy of machines, but then. It is it 600,000 for the library and like and tell me could you tell me more about that please?
Yeah. They're, it's budgeted 700, 1,002, have a library for Riverside. Okay.
And then when the expenditure came in, it would posted first in the, for, 400.
Got it. But because I should be in general on funds so that's why we do the 2 no and 3 to move to general on fun. Got it.
Thank you.
And I have a question in regards to the.
To the interest rate. Coming in at Almost double. What was the? What was the rationale behind the budget of 8 50, but.
And their interest rate being that was being applied. So low. Well, we can when we build a budget, the budget builds a year before and based on the, COVID.
Idea that they I see. Impossible to. Predicted high to predict the market could be stable and rise strong.
So to to stay at the conservative and safe, that's why I do the 3%. And at that time consulting with Piper Sandra, at the investment company that they're working with.
Do we percent for the budget, 2,324 seemed very reasonable at that time.
Okay. If I could just comment on the last economic forecast report that we received, things are looking really strong in Oregon and part of why we ended up with more in that corporate activity tax that gave us more money in the SIA grant.
Is because they were able to collect more. So the economy is actually doing better than people were predicting and advising.
They were expecting a slower more conservative kind of estimate and it's actually doing better. When you read, I know you get these updates from OSBA as school board members and they talk about the economic fork is doing better.
They've got more money now in their rainy day fund. They're predicting their their biennium will be strong and then more in the corporate activities tax that came in than they thought this is another area where interest rates actually got a little better instead of worse.
They just thought it was gonna be a slower rise in that direction. So we benefited from that.
But we weren't gonna project a year ago this kind of a, you know. Count on it happening and then have to cut back and make budget cuts.
So. The conservative advice. Yeah. And also we earn a little bit more because when we build a budget, they are dark with budget estimate that the infant balance is a little bit.
Less than the actor in LinkedIn. So with the base on based on the operation like how much we need to operate to spend for that month, then I will feel like, yes, we have 10 million to invest for 3 months and we have 20 million invite for 6 months.
So based on that flow and it it depends on. How much we receive from the state school fund, how much the money coming in to us from.
The property tax and how much We have money in the bond. So if we already Matt's our weekly night 1 million in the LGIP.
Then I have more money in there to do the investment. But if I don't have the maximum capacity in there, then I give the money in the LGIP.
Well, I'll say this that When we keep seeing a fund balance that and I know that's a good fun balance for 2 months expenditures, but.
If we go back to when I first joined the board. There was always this caution about the budget and cutbacks coming and all of these things and there are programs that maybe we didn't fund.
Because we were nervous about this future cut. And then you go 3 years down the road and the balance just keeps getting stronger and stronger and stronger.
It makes it really, really hard for when the next thing comes up. And you say. Well, you know, there might be a cut in the future.
For me as a board member.
Really listen to that. Now I'm a finance guy, so I understand. So trust me, I know rates shot up quick.
And before you know it, people couldn't buy houses, right? So I understand. How that happens.
Quickly and you forecast it a year before. But, magically, money keeps appearing from the state.
Magically, there's these conditions that keep being developed magically there continues to be support. For areas that we're thinking that there's not going to be support.
And I would just cautious us as a I guess as a district and myself as a board member that if something comes up.
And it's about funding something for teachers or about funding something for kids. I'm not going to listen to what might happen 2, 3 years from now.
I'm going to apply those funds to whatever the need is in that moment. And then deal with the repercussions.
Down the road now that may be that I still sit here on the board down the road or I don't. It'd be somebody else's problem.
I'm just letting you know. That it's I'm 3 years or heading 3 years in this thing.
And this budget just continues to stay strong. And what I know about the makeup of this community. We live in a community of affluent people.
Fluent people aren't gonna allow their kids to not have access to good education. So I understand that when the state says something.
There could be a part to the budget that gets hit like us we go and Westland will not settle for their kids having anything less than the best that public school has to offer.
So. You gotta take a little bit of what the state will do with the grain of salt because my taxes keep going up on my house.
Well, one thing I have to be up on is like property tax. Pop the tax according to the county.
Suggestion. It's a U 3.5% increase. When you build a budget, but because our community things.
We receive very strong support from our community. So normally it come They come in higher than 3.5%.
But because like I don't want to stand in Pun up you at the end of the school and just say I'm sorry are you 5% in Greece of all percent increase and now it's only come to 3.5 or 3%.
And then you will ask me why don't you follow the recommendation from the So that's why I'm.
I'm stuck in that. I hear you and I think that's that's exactly why sometimes when we do the budget process in May.
You'll see in the superintendent's message if we don't get what we're hoping to these would be areas.
But when we have received the funds, we haven't. Made those reductions. We added 6 reading coaches this year.
I mean, we've said, yes, to every position that has been asked by a school for an additional teacher, a course.
We've actually added more into the program for Riverside than we thought we'd be able to.
Given the first year more co-curricular more staff Warren to the library system than we had budgeted for because we know we have the strong ending fund balance.
So every request for a staff member has been approved. Now, if. Got filled, that's something outside of our control, people flying or leaving or some of these unfilled position, we're working really hard.
But there's been no holding back this year with anything for program or staffing. For the exact reason that you've mentioned we're seeing a strong ending fund balance.
Okay. What will happen in subsequent years? I don't know. We didn't know.
A year ago that we were going to have an early literacy grant. There were there were early indications that it was going to be a carve out of our students fund.
In other words, Here's what you get for your student fund. Out of that, you need to spend something on literacy.
And we say, well, then you're just. Telling us what to do with some money that's already allocated.
Right. And there was a lot of pressure then to make it a grant with additional funds. Right. But we didn't know that back in May.
So a lot of that was new as well when some of these things are coming at us. Gotcha.
Yeah. And I think that that just stresses why, yes, I mean, the balance that we, I mean, the funding balance that we receive that we learn from Dr.
Hughes is that yes, our community invests, but the other half of that is funding from the state.
And I think that it reminds us, and I was thinking about this during the literacy grant discussion, which is one of our primary roles as school board members is to continue to advocate to the legislature to adequately fund public education.
And so for us to to have that viewpoint and I think, you know, we, we all know that our community invests in our schools, but the other side of that is to continue to be strong advocates for.
A reliable funding formula from the state and when we receive early literacy grant funds for that next year and to not turn into a carve out or to say, well, we're not going to give you more money because we already gave you this money for literacy and then all of a sudden you know our hands are tight on what we spend it on and then all of a sudden, you know, our hands are tied on what we spend it on.
And so I think to balance that. Our action is to be advocates for stable school funding. And so, you know, next year when we're going through budget again, to just be that presence to say, yes, we get this local support and we need this at the state level too.
One last side of because I work on my member right then, when I complete this. So my member, some number for my member, did not match with this.
So I promise I will update my memo and then we'll bring off it.
Okay, I did wanna say thank you for your memo. It is really thorough. I mean, I can't imagine you could do that.
Without hours and hours of work. So thank you for that. That's very helpful to have that memo in advance.
Thank you. So much. Thank you.
No action on that. We do not have a second session for public comment. We've already discussed, important dates for the board, but we have a next meeting.
On February fifth. And our next board section on February twelfth, so. If there are no other.
Question. Okay. Just in terms of the work session on February, the twelfth, I know Director Sloop is liaison for those student engagement sessions.
We have a weekly 10 o'clock at with board chairs and. Director. Douglas and myself, so we'll mention that board work session and how to continue to work with our liaison director sloop on those 2 high school sessions.
Okay. Cause one was scheduled for February, one is scheduled for April. So it's coming up.
Awesome. Thank you. Meeting adjourned.