School board budget decisions require balancing fiscal constraints with educational priorities, as demonstrated by the Berkeley Unified School District's May 6, 2026 meeting where the board faced difficult choices about reducing classified positions including after-school program coordinators, restorative justice staff, and family engagement specialists. Community members, students, and labor partners advocated for retaining these positions, emphasizing their critical role in student safety, academic success, and equity outcomes. The board ultimately approved a resolution eliminating 22.9 FTE positions while rescinding some notices, highlighting the ongoing tension between budget realities and educational mission.
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Berkeley USD Regular School Board Meeting May 6 2026Added:
Good evening everyone. Please have a seat. We're going to get started.
Welcome to the May 6th meeting of the Berkeley School Board. If you'd like to follow along on our online agenda, it's posted on the district website. I'm calling this meeting to order at 712.
Do we need to take >> director Anna Vasv?
>> Director Jennifer Shinowski here.
>> Student director Armana Ardodam here. Uh vice president uh Jennifer Korn present.
>> Director >> director Kadia Brown. Welcome. Thank you. President and uh Jennifer Korn is acting president this evening. She'll be chairing the meeting and President Mike Cheng will be joining us remotely shortly. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Chidas. Um, for those who are using the audible translation option, please wear headphones. Headsets are available from Miss Chidas and must be returned after use. As a reminder of our decorum expectations during a meeting, no person shall disturb the order of the meeting. Disruptive behavior includes booing, hissing, physical disturbances, speaking out of turn, interrupting speakers, blocking access or observation, and entering restricted areas or approaching the deis without permission.
Um, let's see. Additionally, if you have any complaints against specific district employees, we encourage you to use the district complaint process via complaints.berkeley.net net as opposed to public comment on these matters. Uh now we will approve the agenda for tonight's meeting. Um at the request of staff, agenda item 12.12 will be pulled from the agenda.
>> Sorry, I'm >> I don't uh Does anyone else have any other requested changes?
>> I move to approve with the item pulled as stated. Do we have a second? I'll second.
>> All in favor of the agenda?
>> I I >> Great.
Um and now Director Shinoski is going to report out on close session both from April 29th and from tonight.
Sorry. Um, April 29th special board meeting was called to order at 5:45 p.m.
Directors Brown, um, President Chang, and Vice President Korn were present. Director Vasado and myself were absent. Um, on item 3.1, board members received a briefing from legal counsel and authorized a settlement. The motion was made by Director Korn, seconded by President Chang, and passed unanimously.
Tonight's close session was called to order at 5:44 p.m. with directors Brown, Shinoski, Vasuo, and Vice President Korn present and President Chang absent. On item 3.1.1, board members received a briefing from legal counsel and authorized a settlement. Uh the motion was moved by Director Brown, seconded by Director Vasudo, and passed unanimously.
On item 3.1.2, board members received a briefing from legal counsel and authorized a settlement. The motion was moved by Director Brown, seconded by Director Shinoski, and approved unanimously.
Finally, item 3.2, collective bargaining. The board received an update.
>> Thank you, Director Schnowski. We are now going to move to the public comment component of our agenda. There are two opportunities for public comment at each meeting. The first is now and the second comes at the end of the meeting. If you do not get to speak at the beginning of the meeting, we encourage you to stay and speak at the end. You may also always email us your comments at boardofedbererkeley.net.
Um, the board does not respond directly to comments or questions made during public comment. The board members, superintendent, and staff do take notes during public comment. Hold on a second.
I just realized that this script is wrong and that we do superintendent comments before public comment. Sorry, y'all. This is only my second time chairing a meeting. Um, Associate Superintendent Hogan is going to make superintendent comments for us this evening.
I I am indeed. Thank you, Vice President Korn. Um, good evening, B USD.
>> Evening.
>> There are a lot of you in this room today.
Good evening, B USD.
>> Thank you. I'm warming you up because this is going to be a little call-in response in a minute. Um, tonight I'm going to be making comments on behalf of the superintendent. Uh, spring is here and this is the time for pomp and circumstance and superintendent Ford Morell is on her way to attend her son's college graduation. So, we send congratulations to Javin, his parents on a graduation from Howard University. So, big big time. Um, a lot has happened since we closed out the month of April and have headed into May. On April 18th, we hosted our fourth annual BUD African-American Success Framework Middle School Transition Fair at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, welcoming nearly 300 students and families. 300.
We were truly busting at the seams a powerful reflection of community that is engaged, invested, and showing up for our young people. Our fifth graders and their families leaned in and learned what it takes to be brilliant, resilient, and strong, and to make us Berkeley hashtag Berkeley proud as our rising sixth graders prepare for middle school. Last week, our library services staff from the curriculum and instruction department proudly hosted Berkeley Unifi's 11th annual middle school battle of the books. Woohoo. It's really a fun event if you haven't been.
Um the event brought together teams of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students from across the district in a lively knowledgebased competition centered on a shared set of highquality texts. Through multiple rounds, including collaborative whiteboard responses and interactive cahoot challenges, students demonstrated deep comprehension, teamwork, and a genuine love of reading. So congratulations to this year's winners. King's sixth graders, long fellow seventh graders, and eighth graders at King. Good job.
As we enter the month of May, we are excited to begin our fifth annual celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month. This is a special time for our schools and community to recognize and honor the rich history, culture, and resilience and contributions of Jewish Americans and the many ways they have helped shaped our collective lives. May also turns our time and attention to honor the generations of Asian-American and Pacific Islander families, elders, educators, artists, activists, storytellers, and community leaders whose resilience, brilliance, and contributions continue to shape our communities. our state and our country in profound ways. Here in the Bay Area, AAPI communities have long been the forefront of movements of justice, education, and labor rights, and cultural preservation, and cross-cultural solidarity.
These cultural celebrations provide us with an opportunity not only to learn history, but also to celebrate identity, joy, belonging, and the many ways our Jewish American communities and our AAPI communities continue to enrich the fabric of Berkeley and beyond.
Last Friday was principal appreciation day. I want to take a moment to recognize our principles and our vice principles today. From preschool to adult school, our site leaders demonstrate high levels of dedication, commitment, and care for our students and families. So, thank you, principles.
We appreciate all that you do each day for our BUSD community. We can give them a round of applause, too.
All right. And this week, you may have seen some signs on the Oxford gate as you came in this morning, is teacher appreciation week across the state. And here in BUSD, we celebrate our teachers each day. Um, but teacher appreciation week gives us an opportunity to say it loudly.
So, we're going to do that together. I'm going to say, "Thank you, teachers." And you are going to say, "We appreciate you." All right. So, let's practice.
Thank you teachers.
>> We appreciate you.
>> Good job. All right. B USD teachers lean in each day to ensure our four E of excellence, equity, engagement, and enrichment are alive in every classroom and school community. Thank you teachers.
>> We appreciate you.
>> You create learning environments where students are challenged academically supported, emotionally seen for who they are, and inspired to discover who they can become. Thank you teachers.
>> We appreciate you. It's in the relationships you build, the curiosity you spark, the encouragement you give, and the unwavering belief you hold for every student. Thank you, teachers.
>> All right. Good job. Um, I'm so glad to see so many people here this evening and I hope that you stay to hear important presentations that will be shared with the board. Staff will be presenting data on our LCAP goal number three focused on attendance and suspension. Tonight, the board will also take action on reduction in force, also known as March 15th notices. These are not easy decisions during a challenging budget season, and we are at a point where we have statutory deadlines that preede a complete budget picture as the governor will be providing his budget update in the coming weeks. These recommendations are not a reflection of the importance or value of the work of our BOD employees and the service they provide to our students and families. We are working hard toward maintaining a balanced and sustainable budget and there are decisions that have not and will not be finalized until the board board votes on the final budget in June.
And finally, I want to congratulate our Berkeley High sports teams who have made it to playoff games scheduled for tomorrow. So, good luck to the girls lacrosse team who will be playing against University High School, the boys lacrosse team who will meet Redwood High School, and our boys volleyball team who will play Northgate High School. Go Jackets.
All right, thank you very much. Um, now we're going to move on to public comment. Um, this is a hybrid meeting, so we're going to have some comments here in the boardroom and then we're going to have some comments online. We only have half an hour for public comments and there are more of you who want to speak tonight than will fit in half an hour. So, I'm going to try to call people who are there are people here on a number of different topics.
So, I'm going to try to call people on all the different topics. If you're if you are called and you would like to seed your time to someone else who you want to give an opportunity to speak on that topic, you're welcome to do that.
We will get through as many as we can.
Um and then you're welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting and make comment at the end if we didn't get to you in the beginning. All right. Um so we start public comment always with our students who are with us and we have four students here this evening. I'd like to call um Anata Bera Vasquez and Harold Connelly.
So, Anata, you can speak and then Harold, come stand behind her and and when she's done, you'll be up next.
Everyone's getting one minute for public comment this evening.
To the BUSD school board members, the decision to cut the lens coordinator and athletic director positions unevaluates the very foundation of our school community because students wouldn't feel safe without many any supervis supervision at learns. In fact, because of the guidance from staff members and offie members like Miss Yenya, Coach Jarrett and other staff members from King wouldn't have any sports to play if coach Jarrett got fired. And if M Miss Yenia would be fired as well, we wouldn't have any clubs like Latinos Unidos and Latin Hispanic students or staff members would feel like disincluded. I have had the opportunity to play softball in other sports thanks to Coach Jarrett. To be honest, without the support of Coach Jarrett and coach Sims, the learns programs I attend would be unsafe to only have one staff member taking care of many students who go to learn. I am making I'm taking the time.
Thank you so much. You can send us the rest of your comments.
After after Harold, the next public speaker will be Ellis. Ellis, you can come up and get ready. Go ahead, Harold.
>> My name is Harold Connelly. I'm a freshman at Berkeley High School where I was on the JV basketball team and I'm on the student athlete leadership team. The experience I'm having as a student athlete at BHS would not have been possible without everything that Fred Sims, Jarrett, and the learned staff give gave me every day in my three years at King Middle.
Losing them would be a huge loss. So, I'm here to ask the board to support the coordinator counter proposal so that when my younger brother gets to King, he has the same opportunities I did. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Harold.
Ellis, you're up next. And after Ellis is J. Marie Howard. You can come on up and get ready. Go ahead, Ellis.
>> Hello. My name is Ellis Grind. I'm a sixth grader at King. And I think that we should keep budget going for learns because I know for a lot of families that when kids finish school, they still have time at work and they cannot come to pick up the kids the second school gets out. So learns is crucial for the kids after school and if there are less coordinators then the kids will be unsupervised and it won't be safe. And I know that my little brother who's in fourth grade is very excited to go to learns for all of the sports programs because he loves sports and without learns and he won't get to do that. So yeah, >> thank you so much Ellis J. Marie come on up.
>> Good morning all. My name is J Marie Howard. I'm a graduating senior at Berkeley High School and I'm here to speak about why Berkeley High School needs two restorative justice coordinators and why we need Miss Shelanda to stay. Before Miss Yolanda came to Berkeley High, so much responsibility fell on Stacy Scholes alone. She was even forced to carry a whole department by herself and no one should have to carry that burden by themselves. Michelanda just didn't help with the workload. She helped strengthen the entire school community. She added support, structure, and care that students depend on every single day.
Restorative justice is not just about discipline. It's about creating safety, trust, accountability, and healing. When students have adults they can talk to and rely on, conflicts decrease and school morale improves. Without enough restorative just staff, students fall through the cracks, tensions rise, and the school environment becomes less safe for everyone. One person cannot meet these needs of thousand students alone.
Brigley High needs two restorative justice coordinators. So, they work on actually being sustainable and effective. Keeping Mission Lada means keeping support systems that protect students, improve school culture, and help our community that thrive. Thank you all. Thank you so much, J. Marie.
FOLKS, FOLKS, I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT for our students, but I'd like to get through as many public comments as we can in 30 minutes. So, I'm going to ask you to hold the applause. you can do. Let's do some quiet finger snapping to support each other and our students, but let's try to keep it moving. Okay. So, I'm going to call up next two people who are speaking about our office of family engagement and equity. One is Heather Kary Kary Chan and one is Jose Rubio.
Are you here?
Go ahead. Come on up, Jose. And then Heather, you can speak right after Jose.
you know, um, you know, I'm not really prepared and I just came real quick, but I did want to say, uh, that I've noticed, you know, I've also was a keen student myself and been Berkeley resident all my life and we never had any programs like this and the uh, the funding and the support for this program is very very important. Um, I see the difference has done in students lives and if this was taken away, there'd be many students that that we would be failing. Uh there are many that feel the support in a place that they a safe place that they can go to. I mean they do anything from toy drives to taking them to appointments to helping them get eyeglasses. I mean it can be anything but I've seen the the the support that they give these students and I'm talking about from all of them. This program period should be funded all the way. Um, I know that there'll be some students that have been at risk that wouldn't even go to the school if it wasn't for this program because they get personally involved and they have the passion to help these kids because they've been through something themselves similar.
And um, I can tell you right now, if it wasn't for that program, there would be some kids that wouldn't even be going to school at all.
>> Thank you so much, Mr. Rubio. Uh, Heather, you're up next.
>> Hi, my name is Heather Kamorei Chan. I'm a teacher at Berkeley Arts Magnet. I'm calling um I'm just in support of Opie.
I had was once a RTI teacher and I work closely with um our OPI specialist Miss Neette and she is so amazing. I can't I I don't know what we would do without her. She whenever we needed contacts with families that teachers myself I could not reach that family she knew how to do it. So I often feel like she is the bridge whether it's like knowing that family needs a mattress because it's soiled from all the younger siblings. She knew how to go out and get it. She knew how to get kids to school that were not coming to school. Um and also just connecting kids. And I think it's so important that she's on the site. She knows what she what's going on and she knows how to help bridge that gap between families and teachers and and our and our staff. So we really need Opie.
Thank you so much for your comments. Um, at this point I'm going to call up four people who um are going to make comments about the Learns program. Again, there there's a lot of you who wanted to make comments about Learns this evening. So, if you're if your name is called, but you would like to seed your time to someone else to speak about Learns, you're welcome to do that. Um, so the four people on the top of my stack are Muna Dinaro, Kathleen Russell, Heather Cox, and Kim Wright. So, the four of you can go ahead and come up to make comments about the Lawrence program or give your time to someone else if you prefer.
>> Are we going in order?
>> I don't think it matters. Go ahead, Miss Russell.
>> Hello.
>> Greetings, everyone. And I had a a speech prepared, but I'm going to leave it here. I already sent you guys an email concerning the afterchool program specialist, which I want to say we're getting a lot of information that is just not correct. That previously, before there were coordinators, there were program specialists, which I still am. I was hired as a coordinator. They changed the title of the job. Then three years ago they changed that to coordinators which is a more a middle management position. We are still there providing a safe environment. We are still doing all of the things that the coordinators do. So I urge you to keep the program specialists. And I also wanted to address the troubling shift that I see which is moving positions from PCC to local 21. It's not just shuffling titles. It weakens our most hardworking union and appears to specifically design to bypass our experienced program specialists and replace them with handpicked candidates for a duplicate job.
Um, thank you.
>> Okay. Good evening. Good evening board members. My name is Kadesha Barlo, program specialist at Rosa Parks Elementary. I'm here to speak about what is working in the afterchool program at Rosa Parks. The program operates successfully without a coordinator. It is structured compliant and runs consistently with strong communication between the site and the district. Staff are trained, systems are followed and students are supposed are supported every day. Support is available through help desk led by our supervisor Miss Brazil. The outcomes are clear. Rosa Parks maintains strong enrollment and has the highest pay parent fee collection rate to date. Uh these uh there are there has not been a coordinate at this site since um the entire time. So why is now uh one one needed? Why pay more for a position to work that is already being done?
This work has always Okay, >> thank you for your comment.
Hi, my name is Heather Cox and I am a mother of two Rosa Perks students and one King Middle. I was disheartened to hear that once again you're trying to eliminate jobs from learns. Last year there was a threat of layoffs because of budget issues, but the parent fees were raised and they are now able to cover all those um salaries.
But it is said that it's not a budget issue, but a restructuring to serve more students. How can having less adults on site for a children's program possibly serve more students? These programs are essential for so many families in our community and there's already a greater need than you can provide. As you may recall this fall, the huge hubbub about not enough uh afterchool programs in middle school. It's so critical the the sports organization and the amount of communication to the parents as well as the student support is st staggering and to reduce those people and take them off some of them off site can't happen.
All right. Um, uh, thank you board members for hearing me out. Um, uh, I just have some questions that I'm going to share with y'all that I think are important to know and to have a clear answer on before, um, any anybody's jobs and, uh, uh, jobs are eliminated. Um, the first one is, how does hiring off-site administrators help serve more students? Uh number two, uh what are the key reasons the position of coordinator was reinstated and reintroduced? Um why were coordinators reclassified to specialist in the first place in 2013 after a class and comp study? That is really important. Um what are the qualitative impacts of an empowered on-site leader versus an on call administrator? Uh what are the itemized grant reductions um that were spoken of at the last board meeting?
What are the source of these compliance issues uh that precipitated it? Uh what's happening with the revenue that has been created from the parent fees?
What progress has been made to developing learned summer programs? And will B USD be known as a district for unjustified de unjustifiable demotions that are not performance-based?
>> Thank you, Jared.
>> We're going to switch topics now. Um, I'm going to call up two people to speak on the ethnic studies TSA position.
Jessica Stern and Joammy Edo Gates.
>> And again, if you'd like to seed your time to someone else, you're welcome to do so.
>> I can name >> Oh, sorry. I thought I thought she seated her time.
>> Who was it? Go. Come on up.
Stand here.
>> Sorry about that. Go for it.
>> Try to go quickly. Stand here. Hi, Ma Diero, parent from um BAM. Um so I believe that schools have a foundation and at BAM, Miss Nebette and Miss New Miss Unique are that foundation. Um I am new to the school. My son is new and I can say that I wasn't sure if it was a fit until I met Miss Unique and Miss Nebette. They rallied together quickly to get me and my son what we needed. And now I feel a sense of community at the school. That's right. They create an environment that is welcoming and safe.
My child um and I are extremely happy. I was appalled to hear that their positions would be changed or removed. I didn't know that there was a new learns coordinator. He has not been present or visible for anyone to meet or see. and we don't want anyone new. Miss Unique has everything under control. She juggles many hats and she does them extremely well.
Do not let the foundation of ban crumble due to confusion, poor decisions, or budget issues. The children need their care. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much. And I'm sorry for the confusion.
Um Joey and Jessica My name is Jeremy Itto Gates and I'm a proud parent in BUSD as well as the ethnic studies teacher on special assignment. I came this evening to speak about how imperative it is to continue to maintain my position full-time. The ethnic studies TSA job is work that can only be done at a full 1.0 FTE because the remaining work and ongoing work is tremendous. I came this evening to speak not only on behalf of myself but on behalf of all students and family in BUD because ethnic studies is our children's birthright. And if this position is cut, we will not only fail to realize our promise of TK12 grade ethnic studies, but we will be harming our district's courageous legacy of ethnic studies.
Now is not the time to cut down or cut off our ethnic studies work. But as our superintendent Ford Morell has bravely said, this is our time to hold the line and ensure that our legacy of ethnic studies continues to be beacon of hope and inspiration when fascist forces are trying to rob our children and communities of the kind of education that Berkeley has always stood for. And I stand with Opie and Learns and all of our staff. Thank you.
My name is Jessica Stern. I'm a third grade teacher at Ruth Acti and a BUSD parent and I want to speak on behalf of keeping the full-time ethnic studies position. Um we this year I've been so honored over the years to work with Joy and see her develop unbelievable ethnic studies curriculum and we as teachers need more than just having curriculum given to us and then say go. We need ongoing support because that's how we can support our students in this transformative work. We also adopted new literacy curriculum this year. And in the new literacy curriculum, there's a lot of important topics and hard history that we're teaching our students through reading. We cannot do that without ongoing to support to make sure that teachers are equipped so that we don't do more harm for our students through what they're reading. And then I just want to add on a personal note. Years ago, I had a few years ago, I had a situation in my classroom where racial slurs were being used in a third grade classroom. And rather than turn it into a how do we punish for this, I wanted to create a transformative experience. I went to Joy. She gave me so many incredible resources that made this a learning transformative experience thanks to her role.
Thank you so much, Jessica.
We have time for I think three more um comments this evening. I'm going to call up Michelle D Silva Gomez, Kamar Aguin, and Javana Blandon.
And then we're going to move to online comments. And if you didn't get to speak this evening, again, I apologize. You're welcome to stay until the end of the board meeting. We'll be here for hours.
We'd love to have you stay with us, and you can make a comment at the end. Um or you can always email us your comments.
Thank you. Come on up.
I will be translating after she's done.
So, I'm going to double her time.
My I would like to respectfully express how important it is to preserve the family support OIE and communication role at our school. As an immigrant parent, arriving in a new educational system with a different language, culture, and school structure can feel overwhelming.
Having someone like Miss Nabata has made an enormous difference for my family and for many others in our community. She has helped us understand important deadlines and opportunities that many new families would otherwise not know. Registration periods, school supply requirements, after school programs, camp opportunities, school events, available resources, and support programs for families. many times. She did not simply share the information.
She made sure we truly understood it.
She reminded us about deadline, explained school processes, answered our questions with patience, and always made herself available when families needed support. But her work goes far beyond communication by listening to families, helping us express our concerns, and helping us communicate with the school.
She helps us feel to to feel truly seen and be a part of the community um and welcomed. For immigr immigrant families that that sense of belonging is deeply meaningful because of that connection.
We no longer feel like outsiders. We begin to understand this community works. How we can participate, how we can support our children more effectively and how we can also support other families. One of the most beautiful outcomes of this kind of support is that families who once arrived feeling uncertain and alone begin to feel confident, connected, and empowered. You begin to see this community as our home. Its challenges become our challenges and its victories become our victories. And from that sense of belonging, something beautiful happens. Families who were once welcome because become families who welcome others. This role does not simply provide information. It builds trust, participation, leadership, com compassion, and a stronger community for everyone. I respectfully ask that the pos that this position be preserved for the benefit of current and future families in our community.
Thank you for the translation, Miss Chitz, and thank you, Mr. Silva, for your comment. Um, do we have Jovanna Blandon or Camaro?
Come on up.
>> OMG and action. Collegebound.
Uh, I spoke last year for Collegebound.
My daughter is a senior this year and I'm still saying the same thing I said last year. Y'all always asking for data.
Look at the data. This program has blessed my soul. Where was it in 1985 when I started high school? Because I'm still healing from the wounds of what I didn't know. So, please do not cut collegebound. I know there are some amazing people and some amazing jobs and some amazing things happening in Berkeley Unified, but the uh Melanin community, we need help. We've been needing help. And this program is uh very supportive of all ethnicities and all cultures, but especially black folk.
No offense, but I'm a substitute teacher in Oakland Unified and I see the okeyoke and I thank God for Berkeley Unified because we have a lot of uh support in this community, but there's so much more needed for the black and brown babies.
So, please, please, please, I'm turning a cartwheel for you right now. Please, I'm I'm thankful, but thank you.
>> Uh, good evening. uh Camaro Gwyn, manager, African-American Success Project. Uh also a member of the uh Melanated community. Um I'm coming here this uh evening to speak on a couple of things. Um when I came to Berkeley, I was encouraged actually not to to join our district. Uh it's because when I came, I was told that Berkeley would talk about equity, but when I got here, they wouldn't really actually be about it. Um and for the last 8 years, I have served as a department of one. And when people ask, uh what do you do? who are you? I am the guy in the district that has the responsibility to go out and say what are we doing on behalf of our African-American students and families.
Um just because I'm a department of one doesn't mean that I'm alone in this work. Uh and I wanted to just shout out uh a department and a couple folks who when I need help, I don't have to ask if they have the collective will to be able to step up. I don't have to ask if it's politically prudent to actually step up and do what we need to do for our black students. Uh, first of all, I want to just shout out uh the office of family engagement. That's it. And equity and ethnic studies. My bad.
>> Thank you, Kamar.
Um, so, Miss Chitz, we are now going to move to online comments. And again, thank you to everyone who came out tonight. If you did not yet get an opportunity to make comment, you're welcome to stay until the end of the meeting or email us your comments. Um, Miss Chidas, we have 15 hands raised, but we only have time for 10 comments.
So, I guess we'll just take the top the top 10. So, we'll start with Alex Day.
Alex, are you ready?
>> Yes. Hello. Hi everybody. My name is Alex Day. I teach ethnic studies and social living at Berkeley High School.
Um, and I'm here today to um call for Joammy Gates in the full-time ethnic studies position to be retained. But also as a side note, as I listen today, I can't help but note how all our critical needs that are being unmet potentially um show how Prop 98 is the floor, not the ceiling. So for Joy's work, especially with me as a nth grade teacher, naturally I teach a course of ethnic studies. I was also a student in the same course when I went through Berkeley schools. Um and I know how important that turning point of 9th grade is. right now looking at the work that she's just beginning with sixth and seventh grade I want to call a special attention to that as right now we have to do a lot of catchup on work that could otherwise be foundational for example when we talk about race as a social construct in the nth grade many of our students are are fully flabbergasted at this concept and so that's just one thing that could be laid the groundwork in sixth and seventh grade >> your one minute thank you >> no problem thank you everybody Email us the rest of your comments.
>> Indeed, >> Rachie Lee, let's promote Rachie next.
>> And Miss Chidz, can you go ahead and get ready to promote Alana Arbach next?
Rachie, go ahead. You're up.
>> Thank you. Good evening, um, board members, um, and assistant superintendent. I'm a parent at Berkeley High in King here to speak about the proposed reorg of the afterchool learning program. This process has moved forward without sufficient public input.
Families are totally confused. The problem hasn't been clearly defined. The options are complex. The impacts at each school site, each level haven't been fully explained. This makes it really difficult for us to give meaningful feedback. There are also important unanswered questions. One or more of the proposals appear unnecessarily topheavy with many off-site roles when resources need to be as close to the student as possible, not far away in a district office. I want to use my remaining time to speak about people at King. Yenya Moran and Jarrett Sanders are the backbone and heart of our school. They work tirelessly, literally around the clock. I've seen it for myself and know our students deeply. losing them would be a real loss to our community. Please pause and give families clear information and a real opportunity to be heard. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Our next public comment is Alana Arbuk and then after Alana will be Carla.
>> Hi, good evening. Thank you so much for taking my comment. I am a parent. My son is at Berkeley High. He's in 11th grade and he has one of his favorite classes has been ethnic studies and so I'm call I'm here to support all the people who have said I mean there's so many wonderful programs um that have been spoken about and I want to encourage you all to see where you can cut. Can you cut from some kind of security officers or some kind of I want to say quote security um and there are other ways that we can keep our our students safe because clearly everybody needs to feel safe and be safe but I'm wondering because we need ethnic studies of collegebound the PE teachers all the things that were shared ethnic studies particularly there is a multi-pronged attack statewide on ethnic studies and you all know that. So, Berkeley needs to stand strong and stand firm in ethnic studies is um the the we need to complete the goals of ethnic studies. So, please um >> thank you Alana.
>> Thank you. Yep.
>> Our next public comment is from Carla and then Lindsay will be coming up next.
Yes, my name is Carla Shik and I second the strong statements by Alex and Elena and I am a Jewish teacher who helped author the board policy on ethnic studies in Haywood Unified School District. We know from all research which is also linked in the National Education Association's website that students who take ethnic studies are more engaged in school including in other classes and are supported in their development of depth of knowledge learning. Teachers cannot provide this rigorous education without support and facilitated collaboration with their colleagues. Therefore, BUSD's full-time TOSAT gates is essential to success in implementing a cohesive ethnic studies program that is a graduation requirement. The loss of this position will harm our students and lead to such phenomena as lower graduation rates, which is also documented by studies taking by studies of students taking well-designed and systematic ethnic studies compared to cohorts of students without this opportunity. Engagement in learning, the development of critical reading, writing, and thinking skills, and the creation of lifelong learners are made possible by >> Your time is up. you can email us the remainder of your comments.
Lindsay, you can go ahead.
>> Okay. Hi, thank you for letting me speak. I appreciate it. Um, I am here as the PTA president for King Middle School and I'm also here as a parent of students at both King and Oxford. Um, I want to reiterate a lot of what's been said tonight. I think that the cuts particularly in the O um in the afterchool learns program are have not been clear. Um, it's not clear what the objectives are. Moving supervision offsite is counterintuitive to providing a safe and engaging environment for our kids after school, particularly for a lot of kids where they don't have both parents at home. They're probably working. Um, so I think it's really important to have that on-site presence.
You can't do that from a remote office.
Similarly for the OPI position um that is an critical infrastructure certainly a king for um students that are do have needs at different times and I can speak personally um to Yena and Jarrett they are at campus constantly working um with I I don't even know how to describe the amount of energy they bring to the campus your time is up Lindsay thank you so much >> thank You can email us the remainder of your comments.
>> I will. Thank you.
>> We have a student Marcella who is going to speak next.
>> Student Marcela, we're ready for you.
>> Marcela, it looks like you might be muted. Can you unmute yourself?
Oh, >> let let's move on to uh Becca Shonberg and then Nikki Bush after her.
Hello. Thank you so much um for having us. I think I just accidentally joined as a panelist. Um I'm here to speak on behalf of Miss Unique um who we love.
I'm a parent at BAM. Um I have a a child in TK and a fourth grader who has been in learn since he was in kindergarten.
Um Miss Unique is the one running the show. She shows up for our kids every day. She provides an environment that is safe, that is engaging, that is enriching. They have fun. They resolve conflicts. They do art. It is everything you could want as a parent. And it is disheartening to see that when someone shows up like that, they have to come out and also fight for their job. We should be celebrating Miss Unique and supporting her for all the energy and love and joy she brings every day to the work. I am so so so grateful for this program and I hope that that the board will do the right thing and hear what everyone is saying that we want people in person with our kids, the people who know our kids, who know our families, not someone offsite who we've never met and never heard of. So, um, Miss Unique, thank you so much for what you do. Thank you to the school board, um, for all that you do and, uh, we're grateful to be part of this community.
>> Thank you so much. Our next speaker will be Nikki Bush and then John Derio after her.
>> Hello. Hi, my name is Nikki Bush. I'm a parent of a sixth grader at King and a ninth grader at Brookley High. And I'm also a child psychologist and an international expert in adversity, trauma, and resilience. And I'm here to say that relationships are the core of children's mental, physical, and emotional well-being. And the programs that are being threatened right now and the people that they have relationships with in those programs are core to the outcomes of our children. and cutting these critical roles, especially those that serve um marginalized and stressed families, is really concerning to me, especially in Berkeley. And not only that, that you would be outsourcing that work off campus to where there's less connection, less understanding of these kids and their needs is really tragic.
And I've seen these roles play pivotal, pitiful influences on many children's lives I've been familiar with learns.
And I hope you guys will make choices to find other ways to save money rather than cutting these roles. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Is our student ready to speak? Great. Marcela is going to be up next.
Marcela, please unmute yourself.
just promoted. Marcella, no.
Okay.
Yeah, I don't see a response.
So, up next, we had Nikki Bush. We already had Nikki Bush. Let's do John Doerio.
And Miss SA, we can still hear from Marcela if you can help her get the tech figured out.
John John Derio is not joining in as a panelist but we can allow John to speak from where they are.
Can you hear us, John Doerio?
>> No response.
>> Okay, let's try one more person, Amanda, and then we're kind of out of time for online comments.
Unless we can get our student on.
She's asking if we can get her on the phone. Yeah. You want to bring the student?
>> Oh, >> Amanda has joined.
>> Okay.
>> Amanda, go ahead, please.
>> Yes. Hi, I'm a parent at Sylvia Mendes.
My name is Amanda Montes and the elimination of learns Spanish language coordinators is dangerous. We we know that ICE will target our community. Why take away the resource that can communicate clearly, quickly, and with trust among parents when our school is targeted as a vulnerable part of our community? Do you want this and future news stories to be our legacy? at our only Spanish immersion school. The school named after the child who desegregated California schools. Why take us back to Heat Wilson's California when bilingualism was shamed and rolled back from our schools? A generation of kids grew up without the support they needed. Please do not repeat the mistakes of the past and set our school board up for a recall election when we're the lead news story because of what we failed to prepare for. Please retain the resources that are so necessary in our community and that our chi children find to be vital to become the kind of people.
>> We appreciate you. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> All right. Our final public comment for this portion of the meeting will be from our student Marcella who we've got on the phone.
>> Go ahead Marcela.
>> Hi, my name is Marcella. And the reason uh Kofi is important is because if Kofi was not there uh for after school, we would not be I would not know how to sew or do needle felting.
I'm talking about learns.
>> I'm talking about Miss Matter because when I have my overloads, I'm she's the person I can go to.
removing some of her from the district would not be a good thing because she's extremely good person and important to the school district of King the school king.
>> Okay.
>> Are you done Marcela?
>> Yeah.
>> Wonderful. Thank you so much. We appreciate your comment.
All right. Thank you to everyone who made public comment. To those of you online who have your hands raised, if you're still here at the end of the meeting, there will be another opportunity for public comment or as mentioned previously, you can always email us. Um, we're going to move on now to committee comments. Are there any committees um in the house tonight who would like to make comments?
Are you here for ASAC? come on up.
Okay. Good evening, board of directors and superintendent, members of the Berkeley community. My name is Par Fischer. I'm a B USD parent and an ASAC member, a mom of two thriving daughters, a rising senior at Berkeley High, and another long fellow uh student entering 9th grade. both are taking full advantage of the ASAC of what ASAC has to offer like collegebound which by the way has an 100% success rate of black and brown graduates moving on to higher learning. So that's something very that we're very proud of Berkeley proud. Um so when I'm here speaking tonight um I'm not speaking in theory. I'm speaking as a parent who is living this in real time. I've had opportunities to stand before you many of times and I continue to show up because this work matters not just for my children but for all of our children. I attend both I did attend both the high school and middle school transition fairs that you mentioned earlier and I made sure that my daughters were there as well. Not just attending but serving as collegebound ambassadors taking talking to younger students and sharing their experiences um as they transitioned. Um, and what stood out to me the most was our focal families showed up. They showed up ready, asking questions, trying to understand what their children needed to be successful in the next step. That didn't happen by accident. ASAC members helped make that happen. As volunteers, we were calling, testing, doing outreach to make sure that our community knew that this event was there for them. Um, I want to thank the project leads, our schools principles and OFI team for their partnership and making sure that the families received the information and felt welcome. This was a shared effort and it showed over the past four years. We've seen an increase in participation from our focal families, 4% growth in high school level and 20% growth at the middle school level. Um, and that's real progress. That's what it looks like when we stay focused and build trust over time. And it's the same spirit. We also want to rec in that same spirit, we also want to recognize the schools that leaned into making sure their families were connected. At the elementary level, we had Thousand Oaks and Rosa Parks Elementary that had the highest turnout. And at the middle school level, we had Willard and Longfellow um that led the way. Because this isn't just about events, our teachers are engaged in this work as well. They are participating in ongoing professional learning, building their skills, reflecting on their practice, and learning how to better support black students in the classrooms. Um, I think it's important to say out loud that we are seeing what this looks like in our schools. Longfellow has been engaged in this work the longest and Willard is just right behind them. Both schools have been recognized as the California Distinguished Schools and again that is no coincidence. um there is alignment between the work, the consistency, the outcome and the outcomes. We're also excited to see Martin Luther King um a school being that is stepping into the work. While I'm not a formal educator, the ASAC is uh made up of members who reflect a broader the broader BUSD community where parents, caregivers, and community members who are paying attention, asking questions, and bringing forward what we are seeing and experiencing. As a district continues to make decisions, especially around budget pri budget priorities, it is um critical that the African-American success frameworks continues continues to deepen its work, not just maintaining programs, but strengthe strengthening them, especially when it comes to interventions, ensuring students don't fall through the cracks because this work is not extra. It is essential. Now, I also want to be honest. Berkeley High is one of the top schools in California when it comes to students being accepted into four-year colleges, but black students are not experiencing those same outcomes and at the same level. That gap is still there. Um, as a parent, I'm not just thinking about my daughters uh graduating because I know they will, but um I'm thinking about all the uh the the students. Are they truly prepared for college, for independence, and what comes next? That's why ASAC continues to ask important questions. We're looking closely at things like credit recovery and are these programs really helping the students move forward or are they just helping them get by? Um, and I just want to be clear, the African-American success framework is working. It's working because families are showing up. It's working because outreach is intentional. It's working because teachers are engaged in the work. and the work because we are staying focused and on our focal students the ASAC and we're not done because the ASAC will continue um to meet um and we will continue to engage and ask those questions moving forward um because we know that it does take consistency um I don't speak in the district language in the district language I speak as a parent thank you par we appreciate your COMMENTS AT THIS POINT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER committees that are here to speak this evening?
Liz, are there any committees online that we see? I don't think so. Right.
>> So, our next agenda item are comments from our labor partners. Miss Phillips, I see you coming to the microphone.
>> I am.
Good evening board members and the Berkeley community.
We are being told a fairy tale. The district claims it must deliver pink slips to veteran classified staff because of a $10.6 million deficit. Yet it's plain threecard monty with our funding.
They slide the lack of funds card across the table hoping we won't notice which shell they've hidden the real money under.
While you tell our learnings coordinators, our office supervisor, and our classified professional development coordinator that their positions are disposable, you intend to double down and spend $1 million next year on outside contracts and agencies like Emerges and Alivo.
You aren't even attempting to reduce these contracts to save the people who actually know our students names, their families, and their needs.
You are choosing to pay forprofit entities to provide coaching while laying off the veteran staff who support students, families, and staff.
You claim these cuts are being made as far away from the schools as possible.
Yet, you are targeting coordinators who work directly on our campuses every single day.
This isn't cutting from the top. It's cutting the heart of our schools.
When a learns coordinator is removed, the after-school safety net for our most vulnerable students doesn't just fray, it snaps.
When the Oy supervisor is cut, the vital bridge between our classrooms and our homes is dismantled, leaving parents in the dark.
When the professional development coordinator is eliminated, the growth of our entire staff of classified employees is stunted.
These are not administrative costs cuts.
These are frontline losses.
Crucially, this strategy does more than just hurt our budget. It tears at our fabric.
By manufacturing scarcity, you are intentionally putting staff against staff and in this case pitting local 21 against BCCE.
You are forcing us to fight for crumbs while the district hands the loaf to outside vendors.
This is an old tactic, divide and conquer.
You want us to argue over whose position is more important, whose is more essential so we don't look at the million dollar being the millions of dollars being funneled to contractors who have no stake in Berkeley, but we see through it. We are not competitors.
We are the collective backbone of BUSD and we refuse to be pitted against one another while you protect the bottom line of private companies.
Let's talk about the lack of funds narrative for what it really is. A choice. It's a choice to prioritize a contract with a legal and emergence over a living wage for Berkeley residents. It is a choice to prioritize the flexibility of a vendor over the stability of a 20-year veteran employee.
If the money exists to pay a levo, the money exists to keep our coordinators.
To claim otherwise is a direct insult to the intelligence of every worker in this room and every parent in this district.
Be advised, if the district continues to lean on this false narrative of a lack of funds to justify these layoffs, you are inviting yet another expensive and protracted legal battle.
You've been here before. You know how this ends. You will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees.
Money that could have saved dozens of positions only to be told that we are telling you tonight only to be told what we are telling you tonight. That these layoffs are unnecessary, unjustified, and legally precarious.
This litigation will only further drain the very resources you claim to be protecting.
Is that the legacy? This board wants to be remembered as the body that spent school funds on lawyers and consultants instead of students and coordinators.
A budget is not just a ledger of numbers. It is a moral document. It is a statement of your true priorities.
Right now, your priorities are upside down. You are prioritizing the ease of contracting over the equity of investment. You are choosing short-term contractors who can walk away tomorrow over the long-term staff who hold our schools together through every crisis.
We are calling for transparency and we demand that you stop the shell game. Invest in B USD employees not outside vendors. Stop the layoffs. We send the pink slips. Put the three card monty away and start being honest with the people who do the work.
Thank you, Miss Phillips.
BCCE, do you have a comment this evening?
You give Frank.
>> Yeah.
>> You have any more, Mildred?
No, I think they >> it Oh, she's gone.
>> Oh, they're personaliz.
I like my picture.
>> Go ahead.
>> All right. Good evening. My name is Mo Sharon. I'm the vice president for BCCE.
Tonight I'm going to frame this conversation through facts function and fiscal responsibility accountability accessibility answers action and most importantly after school program specialist.
When we talk about accountability we have to start with what we actually heard. So for holding ourselves accountable to what was presented we have to compare that to the actual responsibility we heard about supervision. You have been given facts that supervision was already present way back with the afterchool program specialist. Next, at the last board meeting, you heard about the inconsistency across sites.
Some sites have only a coordinator, some only a specialist, and some have both.
Yet, the responsibilities remain the same. The difference is not the work, it is not the title and the and the pay.
And these responsibilities already existed within the specialist role.
The same work is being performed at a significantly higher cost.
This work is not new.
It existed under the extended day program coordinator role prior to 2015 and was reclassified to after school specialist to 2015 to present. The misconception is that the work changed.
It did not. A new coordinator position was created and assigned work already performed within BCCE classifications.
Prior to the afterchool coordinator job description being created, challenges we're discussing were already identified. Staff and support training and program structure and the recommended actions were clear. Support specialists increase staffing with more instructional technicians. Strengthen the existence roles. At no point was the recommendation to replace the role.
This work was already happening in practice. Specialists were leading staff to me staff meetings, supporting instructional technicians, overseeing time sheets, handling program operations, and communicating with families. The structure already existed.
You have been provided with facts and folders.
We heard claims about a lack of training, structure, and support. But the documentation shows training existed, the work was already being performed, and the structure was already in place. The issue was not the absence of structure. Again, the structure already existed.
The program is already operating at a deficit and the pro the projected deficit increases significantly next year, which makes cost effective staffing decisions critical.
At the same le staffing level, 12 specialists cost approximately $1.25 million. 12 coordinators cost approximately $2 million. That is a difference of approximately 750,000 for the same work, which is why a model based on actual cost matters. This is BCCE's recommendation. 80 instructional technicians, 12 afterchool specialists, and two cohort auditors at a total cost of approximately $4.1 million. This model allows for the addition of 13 more instructional technicians, reinvesting approximately $400,000 back into student support and increases capacity by approximately 130 to 260 more studentf facing positions.
Ultimately, both roles perform the same work, but the specialist roles save our district over 750,000 every year. We will be headed towards state receiverhip because of past fiscal decisions and cronyism. Last year, this board chose not to act and we are still feeling that financial impact today. Will you make the same mistake twice or will you choose the path of fiscal responsibility that keeps our staff, student facing, and our budget balanced? The choice is yours. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Is there anyone here from BFT this evening? Doesn't look like it.
Okay, then it is time for board member comments. Would our student board director like to speak first?
>> Oh, okay.
I don't >> No, I'm told no. I'm told it's supposed to be an executive >> Oh, you're on the executive board. Is that okay?
>> Are are you officially speaking on behalf of >> BFT?
just want to say that.
>> Okay. Thank you.
Go ahead.
>> Good evening everyone. I'm excited to be back after a little break from spring break and an incredible trip to New Orleans with the Berkeley High Jazz Program. It was such a meaningful experience to perform, learn, and hear other musicians and represent Berkeley High through music. I want to invite the broader community to support the jazz program in our final concerts. where on May 12th, the 10:00 band will be performing at Berkeley High School. And on May 13th and 14th, the 11 to 3:00 and jazz ensemble will be performing at the freight. We would love to see the entire community show up and support student arts. As we wrap up the school year, I want to give a quick shout out to all the students and teachers who are currently finishing up AP and IB testing. This time of the year can be extremely stressful, and I appreciate all the hard work being put in across campus. On a related note, as a second semester senior, I'm very interested in seeing how we're going to address chronic absenteeism at Berkeley High School. From my experience, I have seen days where there have been as little as 3 to five students in a classroom when the bell rings. And this is a severe problem within our community. It is super important that we continue to stress the importance of being in class even when for some students AP and IB testing is done and it seems as though the course curriculum is finished for the school year. We need to make sure that we are having all students in class for the duration of the school year.
This is super significant for um students of color, especially black students. So, I'm looking forward to seeing how today's presentation can continue conversations about making meaningful solutions. That's all I have to say for today. So, good night and I hope to see you guys stick around.
Thank you so much.
Director Schnowski, go ahead. I'm going to keep my comments brief because I know we have a full meeting. Um, making decisions like we have to make on nights like tonight uh are the worst part of this job. It's really challenging. I think that we all look at the people at our school sites and we love them. We we build these relationships with them and we want everything to stay exactly the way that we have it and that we've come to love it. Um, you know, the people really are what make our schools such amazing, vibrant, wonderful places. And we are facing a huge budget shortfall this coming year. And that's just the reality. It is a zero- sum game when it comes to budgeting for our district. And so, I would encourage I know everybody's like, "Keep my person. Keep my person.
Keep my favorite thing." Um, next week the governor's May revise comes out and if we were to get all the funding that Prop 98 guarantees us, we would not have to lay people off the way that we are.
But the governor is holding up $5.6 billion in funding for K12 schools. It amounts to about $8 million to Berkeley Unified for next year. So, everybody that wants to keep their person and their school and their programs, do me a favor and write a letter to your senator, your assembly member, and the governor, and have all your friends do the same and tell them to fully fund Prop 98 now, not later, so that we can budget to keep our programs and keep our people. Um, I will say more when we get to the agenda items um that we'll be voting on, but um I just wanted to take a moment to say that again.
>> Uh good evening everyone. Um thank you all for for still staying. Good evening to my colleagues, superintendent uh in abstentia uh as well as the rest of our Berkeley community. I'd like to thank those of you who spoke tonight regarding uh action item 14.2 specifically in support of our afterchool staff um restorative justice coordinators of um and more. I'd also like to thank Par who spoke on behalf of the African-American Success Advisory Committee and for highlighting the incredibly planned and well attended transition fairs um and the important and critical work that is being done through the vehicle of the African-American success framework. I would also like to thank um our labor partners for first and foremost being partners um and secondly for speaking this evening on behalf of of all of our employees in the district.
Uh, as a teacher, I want to begin the I want to finish my comments um tonight, but as a teacher, I'd like to uh just recognize that this is teacher appreciation week. And I want to express my deep gratitude to the educators across Berkeley Unified School District who show up every single day for our students with dedication, with compassion, and with professionalism.
Teaching in today's society requires far more than just delivering instruction.
Uh, our teachers are our mentors, our counselors, problem solvers, advocates for our young people who are navigating an increasingly complex world. Berkeley Unified School District teachers, we are grateful for your extraordinary work, for the work that you do in the classrooms, the work that you do in our schools, and for the work that you do in our communities. I do want to say that this job is not done uh in a silo or done by itself. And so I'd like to thank all of the support staff that help our teachers be able to do what they do on a daily basis because public education is truly a collective effort.
Tonight's discussion around our 2025 2026 LCAP goals comes at uh an important moment of time for the district. The local control and accountability plan is not just a compliance document, but it is meant to reflect our values and our priorities as a district. It asks us to think critically about what students need to thrive academically, what they need to thrive socially, and what they need to thrive emotionally and personally. I look forward to this evening's discussion um and all of the information that it will bring.
I want to acknowledge that tonight's proposed uh reductions and eliminations are difficult um and sometimes even consequential.
uh the potential loss of our um afterchool staff, our family engagement specialists, our restorative justice coordinators, as was brought up earlier, um and other positions in our school communities, um have real serious concerns for many in our community because these roles are deeply connected to student belonging. They're deeply connected to school climates. They're deeply connected to student attendance, um, conflict resolution, and family partnerships. These staff members often serve as trusted adults for students and bridge the gaps between schools and families. They help students feel connected to schools, um, help prevent conflicts from escalating, help even just to get information out to families and to people uh, in our communities.
They support interventions before discipline happens. And they even just curate fun and bel fun experiences and experiences of belonging for our students, our families, and our greater community. The impact is not always captured in a test score or in a spreadsheet, but it's visible every single day, and it's visible in the relationships and the support systems that make our schools function.
I recognize the fiscal realities that the district is facing.
Please be be aware of this. As you say, success. Yes, we need this program. We really do.
>> Thank you. We we hear you, but we we need to insist on >> I'll come back to you. Thank you.
And I do want to highlight if I don't know if the comment because is because I didn't say Ofie, but it but it includes Opie always and foremost for always. And so I appreciate you bringing that up.
Um, as I was saying, I think that we have to recognize the fiscal ris um realities that the district is facing.
And I want to thank Director Shannoski for um her call to action. And this is a call to action that we call on every single year. And unfortunately, we don't get the support that we need um as it relates to the state level. And so, it is really a call to action. We can only do what we can do up here with the money that we have. We really need your support to call on the state so that education can be fully funded.
Director Shaskki said it best, the hardest job that we have is this moment in time. But we are not able to make the decisions that we want to make. we're not able to put our money where our mouth is to say what our values are if there is not enough money to go around.
So, we really really need your help to call on the state to fully fund education. I also want to acknowledge um the emotional toll that this period of budget reductions has um on our community. It has on our staff. It has on our families. It is a heavy period for us. And I don't want you to think that we sit up here, we already come in with a game plan. We are reading all of the emails you sent to us. We're receiving all of the information that you give us in public comment. We're feeling even the shout outs that you have in the meeting because this is real and these are these are people's real real lives, their livelihoods, and the difference that it makes for our families and our communities. And we know that these decisions are difficult decisions because people deeply care about our staff. They deeply care about our students. They deeply care about our schools. And sometimes we disagree on approaches and this is not the place where labor partners are pinned up against other labor partners. But I am hoping that we will be able to continue to engage with each other from a place of honesty, from a place of empathy and from a place of shared goals around equity and shared goals around student success. Um, I think I'm preaching to the choir and so I'll end my comments here. Um, and ask that you continue to engage with us, continue to work with us, but please know that these decisions that we make are not made lightly. And so help us, support us, and as we called you to action earlier, please answer the phone, answer the call. Thank you.
>> Thank you, colleagues. Um, I don't have many public comments tonight. I think I'm looking forward to the discussion and I want to thank staff for staying late. I also want to thank our associate superintendent for holding down the fort while our superintendent is out. Um and also um echo the appreciation for all the students, community members, and labor partners that came to give public comment tonight. I also want to thank everyone who's involved in our various committees because we are not making these decisions in silos and I know that a lot of you are participating in ESPback and DACA and all of our various committees to help us prioritize how we're making these decisions. So know that as my colleague uh Director Brown said, we do read your emails and we really appreciate the time that you're spending away from your families to help us make the best decisions for our children. Um I just want to give a quick shout out to the Berkeley Public Schools Fund and their spring lunchon which is taking place this Friday. I look forward to being there. I know some of my colleagues will be there and just really um want to express my grat gratitude for the schools fund for helping us especially during critical moments like this. They play a very important role in supporting our local public schools. So, thank you and I look forward to tonight's discussion.
>> Thank you to my board colleagues. Um, I'll keep my comments brief because a lot of what I wanted to say has already been said uh beautifully.
Um, I I first want to just say many thanks to all the community members, students, parents, and labor partners who came out tonight to advocate for careful, thoughtful, and equitable budget decisions. Um, as my colleagues have said, just just as my colleagues have said, I would like to also express that I am deeply grateful for the hard work of every employee in the USD and every layoff decision in front of us tonight is painful and not something that any of us take lightly. Um, you may or may not know that I work in a neighboring school district and I myself am currently being laid off. So, this is um this is not abstract for me either. Um I want to echo my colleagues call to action. Our legislators in Sacramento really do need to hear from all of us. We have constitutionally guaranteed funding for education that is not being released to schools and they need to be pressured to release that money to schools so that as director Brown said we we have the money in front of us that we need in order to make the decisions that we want to make to best support our schools and our students.
Um, I'm very much looking forward to tonight's LCAP presentation about our work to improve student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism and suspension rates. And I too want to celebrate teacher appreciation week and also it was principal appreciation day last week.
Our principles are super important leaders throughout the district who are holding down a tremendous responsibility at each of our schools. and I want to celebrate all of their hard work in addition to that of our teachers and all of our all of our classified and certificated educators throughout the district. Thank you all for being here.
Thank you for sticking around. We appreciate you not leaving at the end of public comment, but sticking it out to to listen to the discussion. And um we're let's let's move on to the next item on the agenda.
Give me just a second.
All right. Uh, it is now time to approve our consent calendar. Are there any uh questions on the consent calendar?
>> Can I have a motion and a second?
>> Second.
>> I think director Vasadev beat you to it.
Moved by Director Brown, seconded by Director Vasudv. All in favor please say I.
>> I.
>> I.
>> I. Did you say I? Great. The consent calendar is approved. And now we will move on to discussion item 13.1 the midyear data presentation on LCAP goal 3.
I don't know.
15 minutes.
>> All right. Uh good evening uh members of the board and uh members of the public.
Uh my name is Jill Hoganike. Again, I am the associate superintendent for the ed services department. And this evening I am joined by a number of rockstar colleagues from the ed services department. Uh Dorene Brackamontis who is our program manager for counseling and wellness. Rosina Karen who is a coordinator for mental health services.
Dr. Philip Shelley who is our director for student services. And Dr. Lena Sweeney our director of Brea. Um we are here tonight on the next slide to talk about our LCAP goal number three. Um which is a strong contributor to us achieving our district's mission to enable and inspire our diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to the world. Um we are going to be reviewing a few data highlights for you around attendance, chronic absenteeism and suspension. Um I know that we were talking about advocacy talking about advocacy for um at the state level. Um and I've also heard directors from the DAS point out that our attendance is also an important contributor to the revenue that we generate for the district. So for every 1% increase in attendance we have that equals about a million dollars. So I don't want to lose the opportunity to reinforce that talking point here um tonight. Um and we are also going to um share some of the strategies that we have been working on to help support to support that. On the next slide um you see that uh our LCAP goal number three is uh one of our strategic plan pillars around wellness and belonging across our many initiatives. There are is a specific call out to foster safe, welcoming, and inclusive school climates that are humanizing, culturally, and linguistically responsive for students and families so that all students can engage. Um, our state also requires us to ensure that our LCAP contains eight uh state priorities. Two of which are student engagement, which focuses on student attendance and chronic absenteeism rates, and school climate, which focuses on uh suspension and expulsion rates. And we do all of this work on the next slide through a continuous improvement lens that we have talked about before. Constantly thinking about what it is that we're trying to improve, the changes that we might make and why, and then how we would know that change is important with a particular focus on our focal student groups. Um, and so with that, I am going to turn it over to Dr. Shelley.
>> Thank you, Jill. And good evening, governing board, um, associate superintendent and community. Thank you for allowing me to present tonight. Um, next slide, please.
And so, just to, um, for those in the audience that may not be familiar with the term chronic absenteeism, it refers to a student who misses 10% of the number of days that they're enrolled in school. And, uh, attendance rates would be something a little bit different. So chronic absenteeism looks at individual students uh attendance rate chronic absentism rate and then the attendance rate or some folks call ADA looks at uh the average number of students that are at school on a given day. And so uh through the first semester we had an attendance rate of 95.5% which is a slight increase and a chronic absenteeism rate of 9.4% 4% which is a decrease in our chronic absenteeism rates. Uh both of those numbers uh outpace the uh alama county as well as the state uh averages as well. Next slide please.
And so um there's a lot of information on this particular slide and the next slides you'll see as well. Um this looks at attendance rates for students in grades uh kindergarten through uh fifth grade. Uh, one of the things I I'll I'll uh point out to you is by race and ethnicity across grade levels, you'll see some increases and decreases in uh in again across the uh board, but one of the things that does uh stand out is you'll see kindergarten and first grade are slightly down in their attendance rate. Um, just to give you a sneak preview of the next slide before we go to the next slide, you'll also see that same trend, but it'll be reversed. It'll be the 11th and 12th grade students. And typically, you see that type of data um on both ends of the uh grade span where you'll see lower rates of uh attendance or chronic absenteeism uh increased on those uh particular uh uh uh trends.
Next slide, please.
And so when we look at um again when we look at the uh upper grades or secondary grades, you'll see some of the things I spoke about. Overall though, our attendance rate at the secondary level is slightly down. Okay? And so we're slightly up at the elementary, slightly down at the uh secondary, and then there'll be a few other things I'll go over in a few slides, but just to uh give you a sneak peek of what the attendance rates look like. again across grade level and race and ethnicity. Next slide, please.
So, uh again, forgive me for the the size. There's a lot of information on there, but I will say that looking at our chronic absenteeism rates, they continue to decline um going back to the 20 2023 uh December, which we're comparing 2023, 2024, 2025. I think 2022 uh may be on there as well, but um all the chronic absenteeism rates have declined over last year except in grades uh first grade and 12th grade. Uh next slide, please. When we look at uh uh uh chronic absenteeism rates by race and ethnicity, uh again you'll see a slight decline um uh across race and ethnicity compared to the last year with the exception of uh one group was Asian which is slightly slight uptick uh in the chronic absenteeism rate. Uh everyone slows shows a decline uh in the chronic absenteeism rates. Next slide please.
And then when we look at our focal groups again similar to the other uh the last slide we've declined across multiple uh uh uh focal groups have gone down over uh last year as well.
Okay, next slide please.
And so a part of what we've been doing uh to impact our attendance our chronic aspism rate is really having a district-wide focus on attendance. Um again there's a range of things we do including celebrations, incentives, a communication uh campaign that we also have. Uh we provide transportation uh support. I mean just this morning for example I was in Oakland at AC Transit picking up uh Clipper cars that I deliver to uh the three middle schools and the high school. We also uh pay for uh car service for some of our other students who are displaced as well um and providing transportation for them.
Um we've provided professional development ongoing and then uh some of our more more fun activities like March Madness which uh we'll uh talk about how that went but March Madness is another thing but the number one thing is providing uh uh intervention for students understanding their risk factors and barriers and then uh trying to provide support uh to address those.
Next slide please.
We're also fortunate to have a McKenna Vento counselor who works closely with our foster youth and our uh McKini Vento students. And she also works across district uh uh departments as well as community organizations as well and getting supplies and and other uh things for uh families and for students. So this is some of the work that she does uh to support our families. Next slide please.
So overall when you look at this particular slide uh 48% of our chronically absent students who are chronically absent this year improved to non-chronic during the school year. 66% of students improve their attendance rate after receiving text messages uh to their families. And then 88% of our at risk students and we define at risk as uh students who are between nine and 5% uh of attendance rate uh having improved uh to satisfactory which satisfactory for us is uh 5% or less.
Next slide please. And so uh while our attendance is strong but it's still not equitable. We still have um uh gaps.
Overall attendance may be up uh but a smaller group of students with the greatest needs are missing a disproportionate amount of school which significantly impacts outcomes. We also have an equity gap that persists and attendance patterns are not evenly distributed across student groups. um you'll see that our our black and African-American students and our uh Hispanic and Latinx students show lower attendance rates compared to their peers across multiple grade levels and higher chronic absenteeism rates. And again, of course, our focal groups while showing a decline um they experience significantly higher uh rates of chronic absenteeism.
So there is much work uh that we continue to to do to support these groups and students.
Next slide.
>> All right.
>> Good evening, board of directors. It's a pleasure to be with you tonight to present our LCAP um goal three midyear update. So over the following slides, I um will demonstrate interviews capturing interviews that I did with a series of professionals around the district. And um for this presentation, I captured four of those those interviews.
Um, in order to improve attendance, schools such as BAM, highlighted here, are using data in real time through weekly coordination of service team meetings to identify students early and to respond quickly with family outreach and home visits. They're also addressing root causes, whether that's transportation, counseling, or other wraparound supports so that students are truly ready to attend. And importantly, they're balancing accountability with positive culture, recognizing both strong attendance and individual growth. The message is clear.
When we invest in relationships and remove barriers, attendance improves, and this is through my interview with Renee Molina, principal.
Next slide, please.
And here we highlight the improvement efforts of Miss Amelia Perez, our McKini Vento counselor, who's doing critical work to improve attendance for students facing some of the greatest barriers our students are experiencing homelessness.
She focuses on building trust with families by being clear, consistent, and accessible so that families know exactly who to go to and what support is available to them. Using data regularly, she identifies needs early and coordinates closely with attendance and support teams to respond quickly.
Next slide, please.
Okay, thank you. Here we highlight my interview w from Lydia, the director, excuse me, the supervisor of the office of family engagement and equity.
One of one of O of's major approaches is to partner closely with families. Lydia highlighted the tremendous amount of data that they use to identify students at risk to respond quickly, especially to those on the cusp of chronic absenteeism.
Lydia emphasizes that what sets their work apart is how they act on that data through home visits, strong relationships, and coordinated supports that address real barriers like basic needs in emergency situations.
And next slide.
Now we'll move to a brief discussion on our suspension midyear data. Our suspension data overall is in the green showing strong progress in prevention relationships and early intervention.
The focus now is on sustaining this and ensuring all focal groups are represented in the low suspension numbers.
And next slide.
Thank you. This slide shows that overall suspension rates remain relatively low across the district with a slight increase from last year from 65 suspensions at the midyear to 69.
This data continues to show disproportionality for our black African-American students.
This reinforces the importance of our continued investment in restorative practices, multi-tered systems of support, social emotional learning, positive behavior intervention and supports, and proactive student supports focused on prevention, relationships, and early intervention.
And next slide, please.
Suspensions for focal program groups as well have decreased since the 23.
Just go if you could go back.
Yeah, there you are. Okay. Um, so suspensions for focal groups have decreased since the 23 24 year and remained relatively stable over the last two school years. At the same time, students receiving special education services continue to be disproportionately represented in suspension data.
And next slide.
So, here is a snapshot of what one of our principles, Miss Jenna Holmes at Emerson, is doing to both create positive a positive school climate and to increase attendance and decrease chronic absenteeism. So over the ta past two years, she shared with me that she's led a focused schoolwide effort grounded in proactive communication and strong relationships with families. She reached nearly 90% of targeted families through a tiered personalized approach, which she shared with me in great detail and was was wonderful to learn about while also fostering a positive school culture through student engagement and PBIS. The results are clear. Emerson had 95% attendance in March, demonstrating a significant schoolwide improvement. And if you were able to see the background, which is kind of faded, it's a whole bunch of students with um with medals around their neck and just joy on their faces for getting attendance awards.
And next slide, I think I'll pass over to you, Dr. Shel.
>> Okay. Thank you. All right. This this slide highlights how we're addressing culture and climate uh systematically.
At the core is ongoing uh professional development where staff are continuously learning, practicing, reflecting and improving. This is grounded in social emotional learning, helping students build skills like self-awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision- making. At the same time, we provide access to mental health and wellness resources to support students holistically. All of this is anchored in restorative practices which shift us away from punishment and towards repair, accountability, and community. Together, these efforts create safer, more supportive school environments where students can thrive.
Next slide, please.
Another component of >> the Can you hear me? Okay, sorry about that. Another component um is the children youth behavioral health initiative that connects to goal three and our climate and culture. Um here this slide is just an articulation of services. So you can see that we've we prior to this year we were talking about wellness, mental health and counseling as related but separate and now we're under the umbrella of behavioral health services. So what are we doing? We've been identifying and matching existing BUSD services to the children youth behavioral health initiative.
Next slide. Oh, that's me.
This graphic here is something we've been sharing with the community. It codifies the behavioral health services that do exist in some manner and form at each of our schools in BUSD. And so we're able to tell our community these are the four types of behavioral health services that all of our students have access to.
And this slide here is a behind the-scenes glimpse so that we can demonstrate that um in addition to articulating items for our community, this work that we're doing with our providers, for example, our counselors, our wellness staff, R.J. coordinators, and uh wellness coaches is that we're strengthening our service delivery model. We have targeted goals for our staff members um and we're looking to align um the prioritization of the service delivery with our programming goals and I'll pass it over to my colleague.
Thank you everybody for your time tonight. So this is a very quick overview for you. You can see here the types of services that are reimburseable under the children youth behavioral health initiative program. And you'll see both um school-based and school link services. Next slide, please.
And the next slide comes along with the show and tell that you all have beautiful cards and they're all over the district now. And you can see the types um you can see this is what we're sending and sharing with their families.
And we're looking forward to this coming academic year when we're going to have automatic insurance information collected. Um and then we'll have an annual information update which will allow us to bill on the fee schedule and provide services to all of our students.
Next slide, please.
>> Go back one more. Go backwards one.
>> There you go.
>> Oh yeah. So yes, we had a successful Yeah, we had a successful March again, March Madness. Um uh the schools uh had a great month in terms of attendance.
The winners of the March Madness or Ruth were Ruth Atkkey, Sylvia Mendes, Longfellow, and Willard ended in a tie.
Believe it or not, they had the exact same attendance rate. And then from the uh high school, Berkeley High School uh cast one, Ruth Aki had the highest overall attendance rate, but I want to highlight just a few of the schools attendance rates. Ruth Aki was 96.4%.
BAM was 96.2%.
Again, Longfellow and Willard 96.1% and Sylvia Mendes had a 95.7%.
But again, overall the the the school did a great job. the families, the community really uh supported the March Madness attendance challenge and we gave out trophies and and other fun things and and again hopefully this continues our trend where uh our attendance continues to improve to finish out the uh the school year.
>> All right, that concludes the presentation. We'll take questions.
>> Colleagues, do you have questions? Go ahead.
I have some questions about attendance.
Um I'm going to put another plug in for funding. About every 1% of attendance is about a million dollars to our district in funding. So um attendance is very important. That said, I have a chronically absent student despite my best efforts and um my experience with some of the interventions is very different than what is described here.
Um so I am wondering how we are actually going going out. What I'm hearing you say is that we're not just sending the mail and sending the text. We're actually going out and targeting students that are chronically absent.
And I'm wondering how that's determined, who's doing that, the details of that entire process because that sounds great. Um, and seems like it would make a could make a big difference especially in identifying students, you know, who are not attending school for, you know, reasons that we can help support and make sure they get in. That's my first question. And then I have a question about the mental health stuff.
>> Sure. Well, again, um when you're supporting students around attendance, the first thing is to understand what their risk factors and barriers are. So then you can kind of try to provide um the most accurate type of support that you can provide. So um generally speaking, depending on what it is, it can be, you know, uh uh transportation issues, it can be because of lack of even something like having clean clothes. And so the number one thing is to understand what their particular needs are. And so across the board we do uh you know tier one supports and different things um for all groups but then you really focus in on individual students and their particular needs. And so we work with O specialists, we work with site administration, we work with other folks who provide interventions for students in some instances. Um they'll do home visits again. So, it's really about understanding what the individual students needs are and then trying to uh react to those needs and in some instances it requires us to partner with our community partners if it's something that uh the school itself can't particularly do by itself. And so, um that's where you'll see again I spoke about the um the uh clipper cart program with AC Transit, right? That's just one example of one particular uh uh intervention that we've done. And in some instances again um it's about going out to the family and finding out what the challenge and the barrier is. Um and it could be any number of things because there are as many unique challenges as there are fingerprints.
>> Can I ask a question?
>> Oh well can I ask for you >> follow up on that? Yeah.
I'm make it quick. She says, "Now I'm gonna go really slow." I'm just kidding. Um, so I'm just wondering how we're identifying that because if it is a text message where it says, you know, text back yes, if you would like support.
I I'm just wondering if we've thought of how efficient and effective something like that is and if we've tried out different things and and we're just assessing. I'm I'm not trying to criticize. I'm just sort of thinking about how how are we assessing that? Um and how are we not letting kids fall through the cracks?
>> Right? So the text messages are just one avenue where folks are receiving information and we look Right. So that's just one avenue of how we receive the the staff at the school sites also make phone calls and make contact with families um you know to support them in terms of how we track it. Uh we're looking at data in our information system on the regular right and so I for example I look at the data almost every single day and one of the things that I do with the school sites is I send them information every single month. Now they also are looking at their data and I see who's looking um at their uh their particular student data as well. But I also send them in touch bases with them every single month with um what their daily attendance looks like for every single day. Also um what it looks like for the entire month. Also the list of students who are chronically absent as well as those students who are at risk of chronic being chronically absent.
Now, the school sites, they know their um students best because they're working with the families on a on a regular uh daily occurrence, but they have access to data on a regular basis and then they act on that um data data set. So, for example, as we close out the end of the school year, I'll be giving them additional information about, you know, all the students in general who are chronically absent, but also those students who have uh less than 18 school days missing and really trying to reach out to those families as well.
>> Yeah, I guess what do just directors, what I'm hearing you say is what we're describing has not been the your personal experience. So, how do we as a system understand if we've got the interventions that we've identified, but we don't how do we know that they're happening and how do we know that they're happening consistently? And I think that that's sort of this next layer. How do we set up these foundations and make sure that people know what these the tier one and tier 2 supports are? And I will say uh Dr. Sweeney along with Dr. Shel and team are turning our attention to our MTSM MTSS framework which has been really focused on literacy to these social emotional supports. But I do think those are these key questions. If we're doing these things, how do we know that they're happening? How often are they happening?
And then we get to how well. So I don't know that we've got um the perfect system set up to determine whether or not people are acting on the data. we have the antecdotal data when we're speaking with principles, but understanding um that there are instances where um some of these things are not being applied uniformly across the PL. So, I think that's >> and I'm only bringing it up because if it's my experience, I don't think that I'm alone in that experience.
>> I get I get it.
>> Yeah. But we do have the we do have the mechanism though to see um how students are doing with their attendance uh pre-intervention and postintervention.
So we we we are able to track that data as well for individual students.
>> Um thank you all so much for your presentation. Um what has always been a challenge for me just as a teacher is how the state defines chronic absenteeism. Right? So when you hear chronic absenteeism, you're thinking about a student who's maybe missing 50 or 60% of school, but it's really just as you mentioned in the first part of your uh presentation, Dr. Shelley, it's 10% of school, right? So that's 18 days, maybe two days a month.
>> And it's for students who are um it's absences that are both excused and unexcused absences. Correct.
>> And that is such a challenge because a student could be sick two days out of the month. Um, and that could happen, you know, all school year and then they're chronically absent or they could be going to visit the college with their family and even if it's excused, it's still an absence. And so when I think about um our approach to dealing with uh students who may be uh considered chronically absent as the state defines it, I really am more so concerned about our students who are truent >> and not our students who are just absent or who have those excused absences. And so my question is, is our approach, are our interventions the same? Um, and is it really meeting the needs of students who are truent versus students who are just labeled as chronically absent?
>> That's excellent question. And so for me at least, um, the truency is is about compliance with the law, right? you can be considered a truent by the state of California just missing 30 minutes without a valid excuse three times.
Right? And so the the one thing I I always underline is you can have one student who is truining according to the state of California has missed three days or 30 minutes three times and you'll have another student who has missed you know 19 days right and so we look at the lost learning opportunities.
Now the support that we're going to provide for each one of those students whether the student is truent or the student is chronically absent and in many cases there is the same kid um it's the the approach will still be the same which is trying to solve the reason why the student is missing school and then trying to address that particular reason. And so you'll see, for example, and I spoke about it earlier, when you look at the chronic absenteeism rates for the early grades versus the chronic absenteeism rates for 11 and 12th grades, and you will see vastly different reasons again for why these things are happening. And so the approach again, you want to tailor your your tier one approach, right, for both groups of students, but you're going to have to really try to figure out what the uh issue is that's causing the uh uh the attendance issue or what's causing the truency. And in some cases, that may be the site doing their own site intervention teams. It may be a student who's referred to SARB and we bring in some of our community partners to help solve that particular attendance problem. Um and it also means again providing supports in a number of different ways and it could be counseling support. So again the number one thing is your approach to helping to solve that particular issue for that student whether it's a student who is just truent or is just you know missing for a variety of other reasons that aren't truency but still have the same intended effect which is lost learning opportunities.
Sort of on a similar vein, I'm thinking about um many students I've known over the years who their challenge has been school avoidance or school refusal. I hear you talking about some really excellent interventions around transportation and meeting basic needs, but this is sort of a whole other category of challenge and I'm wondering if there are effective interventions that you all have identified and are implementing. Yeah.
>> Yeah. And so Yeah. Some of us as parents may have also >> No. Yeah, we yeah we of course yeah we run into the school avoidance as well and in some instances is working with our um again our community partners that provide you know counseling services and behavioral health uh services. We're lucky for example to have someone like Rosina um who I call a unicorn just because of the particular type of expertise that she has also providing guidance. So even when we have a SAR meeting, Rosina is part of the SAR team um that provides support and and then really just trying to connect with the family. So if it's something that we can, you know, actively engage with the family, we do so if it calls for a a higher level of support outside of the district, we try to get families connected to that as well. And then you just continue to keep supporting the family, keep showing up, keep trying to do intervention, and keep trying to be present for the family. I mean, fully present. Um, and you continue to do that. But it's it's not an easy task.
Um, which is why chronic absenteeism is, you know, such a serious matter. again, not just in California, but across the nation where in California we're talking about the chronic absenteeism rate being like 18 19% right now in the state of California.
>> So my second question is right in line with that. So it's perfect. Um about the behavioral health supports. So how are we identifying kids for that? How are like what are the screeners? I, you know, I'm a big advocate for like really talking about mental health. I think that our kids are struggling in ways that are more extreme and more common than what we saw growing up. Um, and I'm also wondering, I know that we have a lot of services and we're doing a lot of work, but often we're like, how are we screening kids? How are we identifying who is getting services? and you know all those things. Um because I think it goes right with the school refusal. Um and and and I don't you know yeah my experience is very different than some of what's being described.
>> We'll split that uh response. So from a secondary perspective just to kind of bullet some ways that we do that. So it's uh the wellness center having a drop in the screener about um is monitored for who's showing up, who's showing up repeatedly, what are those needs for connection, what's underneath that fundamentally. And so then referrals out to the school counselor who's the hub for initiating any tiered supports goes out and then from the school counselor that would go to the cost team. So it's um teams enter inside a school site knowing when they tag in and when they refer out. Um and so that's one source, right? Then you have the school counseling team who regularly looks at attendance and grade data quarterly and by semester. And so it's having teams routinely look at these information points about um who needs our attention so that then they can apply a response to kind of understand working with the student um what that need is. Um and then so that's what it looks like at the secondary level. It's very similar at a middle school as well.
So support people knowing how to work with each other and give referrals to the right person or team. in elementary.
>> I'm gonna ask Oh, go ahead, Rosina.
>> No, please. Director.
>> Well, I was just going to say the elementary schools are a little bit different, but because our students are in our elementary schools sometimes now TK through fifth grade, the teachers like Jen Korn when she was a third grade teacher, uh they know the kids. The whole school knows all of the kids in Berkeley. None of our elementary schools are so large that or or our schools are sufficiently small that every student is known in our school. So for the students who have issues um in the elementary school, the teacher could bring it up to the cost team or the OPI specialist might know that something's going on with the family and they can bring it to the cost team or anybody walking through the hallway and you see a student who might be sad or crying or depressed.
People notice these things because our schools are really focused on supporting our whole child. And so when there's something going on with the student, especially a child who's been in elementary school for four or five or six years, then the team knows. And Dr. Sweenie is also going to talk a little bit about screeners. I believe >> I am. But first, I also I wanted to go back to some of your questions about um what what is being done to support chronic absenteeism when there are issues such as school refusal, etc. And um I hope that this came through in the interviews that I did, but I was going a little bit fast. And I want to highlight that OIE was mentioned by all of the people that I interviewed and um and and so I want to also take a minute to highlight their work around all aspects of attendance and chronic absenteeism, including school refusal. So um and then beyond that, um I believe Director Shinoski, you were going to ask about um a screener or assessment or maybe I just got my ears peeked up. Um so we are currently at Longfellow um in our second iteration or our second testing se section um of SARES. It is a universal screener for um social emotional and social emotional and behavior um used for students really it starts at second grade all the way through high school and um it's castle aligned and approved.
So, we are piloted piloting it, excuse me, with Longfellow and then um next year a couple of our elementary schools are also going to um to to begin using it. So, I'm I'm looking forward to and excited about that work and also partnering with um with our some of our other programs to support our our students in most need in in implementing that screener.
I'm gonna ask a quick follow-up question and then I'm going to pass it to director Vasuv. Um Dr. Sweeney about those those slides you had with the interviews about BAM and Emerson were so compelling and um they sort of raised the question for me of structures that we have in place for cross-pollination across schools so that if BAM for example is doing a really great job with its cost team and with its attendance supports how can we help other schools learn from the systems and structures that they've put in place at BAM and be able to implement similar processes at other sites.
>> I I would say one way in which my work is involved in that is through um bi-weekly professional learning opportunities with all of the with the RTI leaders from um TK through 5 and also with 6 through 8. So that is a time that we come together and um we we really use the expertise in the room.
Sometimes we bring in guest speakers and other other folks as well to to increase our knowledge base, but um we use the time to learn from each other and and to learn what's working at one site and how we can um adapt that and scale that for another site. So that is a primary focus of of our work with that very important um group of of of professionals.
>> Yeah, I have two questions. So, first I just wanted to look at the suspension just maybe take a little deeper of a dive on the um suspension rates for sped students and also soio economically disadvantaged students and wanted to know if maybe you could help me understand what are the common reasons why we're seeing those suspensions and how are we proactively working with families of those two focal populations to prevent those kind of suspensions.
And then what happened in 2023 2024 because it's such an anomaly year was it? Yeah, just would love to see why that particular year stands out. And then my other question is about AC transit. So I'll wait until that discussion is done and then I'll ask my transportation question.
>> Um let me see if I can remember the the complete question. Well, so the the thing is when you look at when you look at uh education code violations, right, whatever you know the administrator determines that to be and then always looking for alternatives to suspension, right? Um accepting those cases where you know it's a mandatory which is only the big five um or if there's a particular safety concern uh that you need to address but always looking for alternatives, right? And so for me meeting regularly with the vice principles who typically handle the discipline and secretary where the overwhelming majority of uh suspensions take place and uh looking at the violation and say well how can we um put together this particular intervention that supports that particular student.
Part of it is using the behavior matrix uh that we've developed that we that we update um and also uh change according when laws change. Part of it is when we uh are working with the VPs and strategizing what what's happening at your site, what are the type of things that are happening at your site, how are you addressing um different challenges that occur, right? And so again, we meet regularly. I also provide um consultation with school sites regarding uh different violations and strategies to uh support you know changing the behavior of a particular uh incident.
Um, but in terms of those particular groups, and keep in mind they may be the same student. So, I may be a student who is in multiple groups. Maybe I'm an African-American student who's also, um, socioeconomically disadvantaged who also may have an IEP. Um, but really again, uh, trying to look at alternatives and to do what we can to keep students in class because that is where the learning is taking place. So, director Vasadv, I think one of your questions was what were some of the common reasons? I don't know we've got that data in front of us, but we can get that breakdown for you.
>> Yeah, that would be helpful. And then maybe just help help me understand, right? Like if it's um fighting during lunch or whatever, right? Like how often would you meet with that vice principal and say, "Hey, maybe we stagger the lunch period or maybe you eat inside and you eat outside." like just how we're trying to proactively mitigate that and kind of you know pro because we're all in the business of prevention, right?
Like how do we prevent once we know that information and that those are two groups that we need to watch out for like what are we doing proactively?
>> Yeah, we also go ahead. Like I say, we definitely have that data and part of uh what we put into our uh student information database is additional information that provides some insight into, you know, where things may be occurring and how frequent uh these things may be occurring. So, as a principal, if I notice that in a particular time of the day, maybe it's during recess or some other unstructured time, that the same incident seems to be happening at the basketball court, right? So, I may make an adjustment uh in supervision over at the basketball court, do some other intervention, but we definitely have data on every uh co- violation and the uh the incident itself, what happened, you know, who the players are, when it happened, where it happened, etc. >> Yeah. And just kind of broad strokes, right? Like themes and how would we prevent that? And then my other question was around transportation. And I know um just working in this field with another county office, the count that the county office can play a big role and if transportation is a barrier to attendance, right, in making sure that students and parents have information around the transit equity passes in their neighborhood, whether it's through Clipper or the and for AC Transit, it's the student um transit pass program. So, do we get support proactively from AC Transit from the county office on those things or is it you Dr. Shelly go to AC Transit because that seems to me really inefficient compared to have I how I've seen that work in other counties. So I'm just curious is it up to us to find those equity programs or are they providing districts that information proactively and do we monitor like I know that in San Monteo for example we monitor very closely the distribution of those passes per site. Is that happening in the same way here?
>> Right. And so just just to be clear, the the reason I go pick the passes up is um I think about a year ago, AC Transit made a change where they were no longer going to mail the passes out. And so to say so they no longer going to melt, they had to be picked up. And so to save folks time, I designated myself who would be the one to go pick up all the passes because I believe that the the folks at the school site, you know, need to be on the school site with the kids.
And so I would go and pick all the passes up. So that's kind of how that came to pass that I'm picking the passes up and so um and then and I I go there probably once a month to pick up different passes. Um we do track uh who has the clipper cards. Um the OFI specialists are usually the ones who I take the clipper cards to after I pick them up. They know uh who their kids are who are getting the clipper cards. They even know if there's a mistake and a student's clipper card is not in the envelope. and then they come back to me so I can follow back up or where's that clipper card? Um so there's that that piece is still going on in terms of support um from the county where last year we were and it was a a part of a consortium as a part of a grant where we worked with several different school um districts whose acronyms stood for bases but we were the we were the first B in bases right for Berkeley and so we worked collaboratively with other districts. So I still work with other districts to see some of the practices that they're doing. Um that was originally facilitated by Alama County Office of Education. Um you know we still continue. So even though the basis network ended, we're still connected. Um and of course with other districts also in the in the county as well.
>> That's helpful feedback. Uh this could roll out more efficiently. So I'll look into that.
Thank you um for providing that feedback.
I'm going to ask one last question and then I think we're going to call this section done. Um my question, Miss Braamontes, is about this purple section of the heart. Um the executive function supports. Can you can you tell me what that looks like? I hear from lots of families who want to see more support for helping our children develop their executive functioning skills. So, I'm curious what we're doing and what more we could be doing.
>> Absolutely. So, two general ways. So, one, we classically um see what that looks like in special education um designated services and school psychologists are the people we would see um helping to deliver executive functioning supports, whether that's onetoone or in a group setting. in the gen ed side. An example of that would be when the school counselor team looks at um student data and they're trying to capture students who are at risk of failing a class. Our goal is to get students up to a C. And so it they are um beginning to look at and address part of what's um a barrier for them is their organization executive functioning skill building. And so they have a um systematized way of um identifying the student, setting up a meeting, creating a catch-up plan. And so that's what we mean by at the secondary level. Um >> and do we have similar supports in place at the elementary and middle school levels?
>> Well, yes, with the school psychologist or for students who are getting that support that does exist. Um, all of our elementary schools currently have one FTE counselor um, who can work with some students around whatever issues that child is um, having a challenge with and quite often it is executive functioning.
Um, we're still using toolbox also and the toolbox curriculum has your um, 12 tools and each of the tools is one yeah one example of an executive functioning skill. So that's what we've been using.
Um and the wellness centers also like um Miss Bracken Montes mentioned we have a wellness center at Beech and a wellness center at Berkeley High and those are places where if a child goes in for 10 minutes let's say once a week or even once a month each time they go they're building their skill set and oftentimes the skills are around executive functioning or emotional regulation.
>> Great. Thank you all so much for answering all of our detailed questions.
We appreciate you. Um, let's take a really quick break as we transition to the next item.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Wait, we got to take a selfie. Or did we wore blue today?
>> Well, my eyes are Yes.
>> No.
I will let you Susie.
You can always No, you would be I don't know who to I was going to steal that chair.
I'm not that tired of the fan.
>> Huh?
>> Maybe not hot, but I just never noticed.
So, um >> I get hot. So, it feels really good.
>> It does feel really I like it. You know what the names of the bands are? Or you ordered them?
>> I did not order them, but I do know. I have a picture of the box.
>> Not this.
>> And the purple phone.
>> The purple phone.
>> The purple um >> purple pen.
>> Pencil. Purple notebook. Purple pen.
>> Let Miss Pauline go. Let me get her beauty rest. Right.
>> Well, I have to present first.
>> I know. Okay. That means I pay for town home now.
>> Tyler home.
>> Miss Pauline is listening to things on her ears and she's not paying the darn attention.
Good job.
It's like 17 years. Congratulations.
I don't understand.
also teach when they're first there.
delay.
I'll be here.
A lot of energy.
>> Nine years. Years.
Oh my god.
>> Oh my god.
all the other.
Oh my god.
>> Say that again.
>> I'm tired.
How much?
All right, friends. Our five minute break >> is a little was a little longer than five minutes, but we're ready to go.
>> Yeah. So what? So um Miss Tobias Espinosa, what's your title?
Associate Superintendent. No, >> assistant superintendent. Thank you. Uh I believe you have two items for us.
Starting with item 14.1.
>> Great.
>> There we go. Now it's on. Uh so the first item is what's referred to as the declaration of need. And this is an annual form that we complete um that allows us if we cannot find highly qualified teachers um at the beginning of the school year to be able to hire teachers on um waiverss and intern credentials. If we don't submit this form, we are unable to um make those hires.
>> I'll move to >> I'll second approve.
>> All in favor say I.
>> I.
Excellent. And now for we're moving on to item 14.2.
>> The approval of a resolution to eliminate or reduce classified positions.
>> Correct. And I'm going to do a short presentation um on this topic um and refer to the two documents that are attached to the uh board agenda which are the resolution and the um OAH proposed um decision documents. um in my presentation. Uh next slide.
So we ground ourselves in our mission um to enable and inspire our diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to our world. Our objectives tonight are to provide updated information um including resolution 2640 um the OAH proposed decision and clarify the next steps.
So just a reminder that um about 80% of our budget is people um we spend about 80% of our uh entire budget on um humans doing various different jobs within our district. Next slide.
And unfortunately when we are in a budget year like this year um and the last couple years um we have to do things like play the musical chairs game where we don't have enough um chairs for all of the positions that we would like to keep in the district. And so unfortunately we have to make decisions that are very um difficult to do and um that we don't want to um which involve layoffs. And so um tonight we are here to talk about um whether or not the board wishes to provide final notices um of layoffs to our classified staff that have been identified by staff.
The timeline um the first timeline which we met um is the March 15th preliminary notices. Um we met on March 4th um to do that. Tonight we are meeting before May 15th um because we need to provide the final notices um prior to that date. Um so we are meeting tonight to discuss that um and before we give out the final layoff notices. And again none of these layoffs become effective until June 30th.
Why are we only talking about classified? Well, we didn't issue any layoff notices to certificated staff this year. Uh fortunately we were able through attrition to um only have to give reassignment letters. Reassignment is a process that is a function of the BFT contract not a legal process controlled by education code. Um and changes to any certificated positions will be brought to the attention of the board of education in June when you're making decisions on the final budget.
What is the legal basis? Why are we making layoffs and why do we have all these dates and all of this information?
Um so here on this page you have the actual education code and two pieces of the code which are the ones that have the dates in it. Um so the May 15th or March 15th is in the first box as long well as the lack of work lack of funds.
In the second box is the notice of termination that is required by May 15th.
So what are the reasons we can give classified notices? Um only for lack of funds or lack of work. Um and you will see the definitions here. A lack of funds does not require that we are losing money or that we are unable to pay our employees. Uh the courts have consistently affirmed that districts have broad discretion um to allocate our res resources and that a lack of funds reflects a current or projected inability to sustain a particular staffing structure over time even if dollars are present. Lack of work does not require that all work disappears. It includes program changes, restructuring, and reorganization where the work as currently structured is no longer needed in the same form.
So where did we start? Back on March 4th, uh we did a resolution 2626 that was approved by the board um that provide an initial notice to 79.78 FTE. This included 120 employees who were in the positions that were on that um resolution. 107 of them were BCCE members and 13 were local 21. Next slide.
Since then, we have identified 24 um people who needed to get noticed because they may be bumped by one of those 120 people. Um we also started to um exercise our ability to resend notices as soon as we were able to secure funding and make sure that we were able to afford those positions moving forward. So um out of the 144 preliminary notices as of um April 8th we had rescended 36. As of 420 we rescended 45. As of 429 we had rescended 98. And as of last Friday we had rescended 101. As of today we have actually rescended I believe it's 106.
Um as of today um next slide. So these are the recisions and retractions that we did and the reasons for them. Um so we rescended the instructional technicians. That was our first group that we rescended. Um and that was because we found that even though we were going to get a reduction in the ASUS grant, it was a small amount of only 54,000.
We also um made sure that we had FTE to support our ELD, our literacy TSAs, and our Echo classes. Um as well as TSAs for McKenna Vento. um our McKenna Vento counselor, our RTI, our RJ counselors, our middle school math support TSAs, our district T literacy TSA, and our district math TSA. We also rescended the um student welfare and attendance specialists and rescended one of the RJ coordinators at BHS.
You will notice the ones in green.
That's because those are the classified positions. And so, just because we're talking about classified, I decided to highlight those tonight. Next slide. Uh the afterchool program supervisor was rescended. Um we also res rescended the extended learning manager um position as well as the program manager for counseling and wellness. We also rescended the data integrity specialist position and four out of the eight OIE specialists.
For instructional specialists regarding cooking, we rescended as much as we could. This slide actually says there was a reduction of 0.16 but that has now been adjusted down to a 0.09 um reduction in the cooking and gardening program. Um and then we were also able to resend the nutrition and ed nutrition education program supervisor as well as an admin assistant three um and various PTA funded positions. Our PTA funds multiple positions at multiple different school sites. I did not list them all out there, but there were most um multiple positions that were classified that were u rescended. And then our most recent was an admin assistant three um that we also rescended um earlier today.
All right. So, what's the final numbers?
Um we have eliminations and we have reductions. The eliminations total of 20 total 22.9 FTE. So, we went from 79.78 down to 22.9.
It's still not a zero, which was where we wanted it to be, but um it is much lower than it was. This impacts 28 employees.
In terms of reductions, we have seven employees who would be reduced overall by a 0.57. So, it's split among those seven employees. Um, and then bumping, we have, I believe it's six employees left on the bumping list. Um, so what positions are we likely to still be able to resend even after tonight?
Um, so our BP site funds, which are voted on by our SSC's, are still um out there because our SSC's are voting this week and next. And so we are hopeful that these positions which are listed here will be able to get rescended off the list even if the board decides to vote um to give them a final notice tonight um because the BP site funds will come through um based on those votes. So as soon as we get those votes done we will resend notices. Um there is also one PTA position which my understanding is is that the um person in the position um may not be continuing. Um so that position has not been renewed yet. Um but we're hopeful that any position that's on this list may get renewed still.
So hearings um there is a process where all of the employees who are impacted by layoffs are able to request a hearing.
Seven employees requested hearings and actually um signed up and attended hearings. We had more employees who had requested hearings, but they either got rescended or they chose to withdraw the request. Five of those were in BCC positions and two of them were in local 21 positions.
Those hearings were held um with the OAH on April 24th and the employees were represented by their respective unions. The ALJ whom is the judge who makes the decision delivered the proposed decision to us on Monday. Um and the ALJ report which is in the uh attachments to the board. The proposed decision states that the district has properly identified and noticed the appropriate employees and can move forward with the issuance of final notices.
So tonight we are asking for the board to accept the OAH proposed decision as well as accept uh approve the resolution 2640.
Um again we want to note that these final notices can still be resended um based on the final decisions that are made by the board on the budget in June.
The next steps after this is any notices that you approve will be delivered to the employees prior to the end of the day on May 14th.
And the executive director of classified, Aaron Ares, will be scheduling meetings with the impacted classified staff members uh once these notifications are handed out to make sure that they understand their options including bumping, filling in vacancies and other positions they may be qualified for.
We did provide aformational webinar earlier in March um on March 23rd. It was recorded and held uh virtually. We also provided an FAQ on the district website and of course we have information about the employee assistance program um available to any of the impacted employees.
And that is the end of my presentation.
Thank you. Um colleagues, do you have any questions or comments about the presentation?
>> No. If no one has questions, um, are we ready to approve the resolution as written or does anyone have a motion to amend the resolution?
Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to remove the four OE specialists from the list.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
>> I'll second.
So, just to clarify, this is a motion to amend the resolution to remove the four OFI specialists from the list and not issue a final layoff notice to those four OE specialists. Um, sure, why don't you go ahead and speak to it?
>> Yeah, I'm happy to speak to why I'm u making that motion. I think we heard again and again tonight just in the presentations about the importance of OPI and the fact that we have these relationships with some of the families in our communities that are the very people that we want to show up more to places like this. We want to hear from more in spaces like this. Um, and I while I understand the fiscal implications, I think that these positions um are really vital to um our mission and to what we say we what we say we stand for. And um I'm prepared to make sacrifices in other areas to make sure that we keep our OB staff and we keep the supports for our most vulnerable students.
Does anybody else want to speak to the motion or um Miss Chis perhaps we could do a roll call vote?
>> Absolutely. Director >> Oh, what were you going to say?
>> Um well, I seconded the motion, so yes.
>> Um Director Shanoski, >> yes. Moved. U Director Brown, >> yes.
>> Vice President Dorn, yes. Motion carries unanimously.
Are there any further amendments to the resolution? Or if not, would anyone like to make a motion to approve the resolution with the exception of the four of positions?
I get so moved.
I'll second.
>> Can we do a roll call vote?
>> Director Vasadev, >> yes.
>> Director Shinoski, >> yes.
>> Director Brown, >> yes.
>> Vice President Korn, >> yes.
>> Student Director Aronom.
>> Yes.
Motion carries unanimously to um approve the resolution as amended.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chis.
It's a heavy vote. Um the thank you to everyone who stayed with us this evening. Um at this point, there's an opportunity for extended public comment.
Um, I have a bunch of cards from people who didn't get to speak at the beginning of the meeting, but I don't know if they're still here or not. Actually, some of them I know are here. Dante, you had a card in. Do you want to speak?
Come on up.
Can you hear me? Okay. Yeah. Okay. Good.
Um, good evening everybody. I'm Dante Gallen Odoa. I'm here because we are tired of the goalpost moving. Every time we find a solution for a problem created by the district or learns management, we get slapped in the face. When you said it was about money, we did the math and found a solution that saves more than yours. Yet, we are still insisted on creating auditor roles that provide zero direct services to kids. How does adding bureaucracy help us enroll more students? It doesn't. Furthermore, management's claim that the ACES grant are halftruths. The grant allows for funded supervisors if they are on-site 85% of the time. We are on site 100% of our shifts doing direct work. With a projected 900,000 going toward third party companies next years, don't tell us that there's a lack of funds. There's only a lack of will to protect your staff. We will not take these unethical practices lying down. Consider this our notice. we are prepared for next steps.
Thank you.
>> Thank you. Um I think I'm just going to call the names of the cards I have and if you're here and you'd like to come speak, you're welcome to. Um, Kristen Grind Grind, Fonda Yoshimoto Reed, William Barton, Stephanie Lind, uh, Grace Sukerforth, Corey Pototts. Oh, Grace, come on up.
Good evening, associate superintendent and school board. Um, just wanted to emphasize to remember this for the future fiscal years as you go through this every single year. Uh, my name is Grace Sukforth. I'm a parent of a seventh grader at King. Athletic directors, learners coordinators, learns coordinators of Jarrett Sanders, Fred Sims, Yasini Moran at King are all these staff at BC are essential workers. They keep the programs running smoothly, but more importantly, they are essential because they care about our children.
These essential staff encourage our children. These essential staff motivate our children. These essential staff at each of the campuses know each of our children. In a time when we are seeing a mental health crisis, especially in our youth, these essential staff help them feel engaged, connected, and to thrive.
I urge you to keep all these essential positions throughout Busc for the sake of their precious children's mental health.
>> Thank you. Thank you, >> Corey Pototts.
>> That's that's me. Thanks so much. Um I have a whole wonderful um thing about how great Nibet is at our site and she's incredible. But I wanted to pivot because while y'all were talking, I estimated some numbers and just want to point out that Nibet in her position as OIE coordinators do helped us achieve getting $47,000 in funds by making sure all of our FRL forms were turned in.
That's our title one money. And then if you want to talk about those improved attendance kinds of numbers, if you break down that million dollars, that might roughly break down to $100,000 or a little less per school site for each percentage. So I would like to suggest that just at our site, it's easy to achieve $147,000 without blinking for the efforts that she puts in at one site and she works at two. and you multiply that across our other OFI coordinators and it's just a fool's errand to even put those positions on the list in the first place. Thank you for your time. Thank you uh Luis Fernandez, Christina, Jamila Dunn, and Dennis Ventry.
Do you guys want to make a comment? Come on up, Lily.
Should I just start? All right. I'm Lily Howell. I'm an OPI specialist. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for um centering and valuing our work and making the move that you just did to save um four of our OPI specialists and maintain our staffing. I just want to put a really quick shout out though to our amazing and capable and dedicated and fearless supervisor Lydia who is still um on the docket and when funds um are looked at and the final budget um our work can't be done without Lydia.
She uh has been kind of the glue that has held us together these last few years. We've made so much progress under her leadership that we never really had before. um and the coordination of our services between sites. Um the data that we are starting to capture, um the district-wide initiatives, all of those things are due to the work of Lydia. So, I just want to thank you very very much and also just remind you that she is the the captain of our ship. Thank you.
Thank you.
Is there anyone else who stuck it out to the bin who has a comment for us this evening?
Uh, Miss Charz, I think I I see one hand online, two hands online.
>> Carlos first and then Jason.
>> Hi everyone. Uh my name is Carlos Esville, first grade uh parent at Washington, also co-chair for the affinity groups on the PTA and I'll be coach co-president next year. I just really want to shout out Lily and Arlene Foster, you know, OF and learns. I think it's it's a little embarrassing to be up here having a debate about reducing the role of FE learns and and and considering that Berkeley's known for its its uh community activism, its uh its its role in in public justice. We talked about equity. We talked about the various roles of that we look for in our community and we're instead of growing these roles, we're we're cutting them back. So, I just want to shout out my support. Lily How is amazing. Uh, and you know, I I hope that all of these roles are res the final notices are rescended.
>> That's it.
>> Thank you so much, Carlos Jason.
Uh, sorry you can't see me.
>> You don't have any lights, Jason.
>> Um, my name is Jason Neely. I've worked for B USD for 21 years. Um, 12 of those are as a learn site leader um, first as a coordinator um, at Thousand Oaks.
Uh my role was changed to specialist because in my estimation the district didn't feel like they wanted to pay us what we deserved um and changed our role took took responsibilities away. Um I know I don't have much time so I don't want to get too deep into that. Um, I heard a lot of great things tonight from from local 21, from BCCE, um, from parents, and I just want to say as somebody who was in the room when these changes back to coordinator were proposed, um, there's a lot of misinformation going out to parents and I think that's making the decisions that are having to be made, um, hard. Um, I think the work of all the specialists is valid and needed in our community. I don't think any of them um should be gotten rid of.
And I could tell you as somebody who's been a specialist for so long, our work is so important. Um, our work um sorry, our work um has uplifted people out of out of pandemic.
um reopened our schools. I know my time is over, but I just want to give a quick shout out to Unique. I think it will be a absolute travesty if her work um she's bailed the learns department out numerous times and for her to potentially lose her job, I think is a travesty.
>> Thank you, Jason.
>> Yeah, >> thank you for your comment. We appreciate you.
We have one more hand that went up.
Claire, we're going to give you the final word and then our extended public comment is going to be over.
>> Thank you. Sorry, figuring out your technology. Um, thanks for letting me speak. I'm a parent at Thousand Oaks and at King. Uh, I'm a I've had kids in the Learns program for about six years. And I just want to maybe echo some of what Dante said. I mean, he's an amazing human being, but the point I think is more important about the role of those coordinators. We we've seen the Learns programs with and without them. We've seen what a difference they made. And I I just want to echo that I I feel like what we're hearing from learns management about what will solve the problems they've got just doesn't quite make sense. So, I'm hoping the school board can dig a little deeper into whether that proposal actually is going to best serve our kids. It feels like adding more administration in favor or or in lie of adding more student contact time. It feels like it's a lot about paperwork and attendance records and things that just aren't about the quality of care for our kids or the number of kids served by the program.
And so, I'm I'm just making a plea if you can dig into why is that proposal being made? Is it actually saving money?
And will it actually improve the program? It it feels to us parents like it won't like that as Dante said, it feels like the budget issue got solved and then the the goalpost moved and now it's about a program organization that doesn't feel like it'll be effective.
So, I'm hoping there can be another layer of oversight on that before any truly final decisions are made once you have the final budget in June. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much, Claire.
>> All right, that concludes our extended public comment. Do any board members have additional comments? Our meeting is adjourned at 10:05. Thanks everyone.
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