* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] GOOD MORNING. [Roll Call of Members] THE TIME IS NOW 9 0 7. WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION. IT'S NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025. I'M GONNA TAKE ROLE MS. NEWBELL. PRESENT DR. RIVAS. PRESENT. MR. MELVIN? HERE. MS. REGO? HERE. MS. GOMEZ? HERE. MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN. PRESENT BOARD PRESIDENT SCHROEN PRESENT. OKAY. THAT'S SEVEN ALL ACCOUNTED FOR. WE'LL NOW GO AHEAD [Consent Items] AND SET THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE ITEMS UP FOR APPROVAL. UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS A PROCEDURAL MECHANISM THAT THE BOARD USES TO VOTE ON A BATCH OF ITEMS ALL AT ONCE. SO AS TO AVOID HAVING TO TAKE EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY AND SAVE EVERYBODY SOME TIME. SO THE WAY WE DO IT IS I READ THROUGH THE CONSENT CALENDAR AND THE BOARD SAYS CONSENT, DISCUSSION, OR QUESTION. IF AN ITEM IS ON CONSENT CALENDAR, THAT MEANS IT IS GOING TO BE APPROVED. SO, UM, WHEN IT GOES ON CONSENT, IT MEANS THAT THERE'S NO DISCUSSION FOR IT AND THE BOARD PLANS TO APPROVE THE ITEM. UH, RIGHT. SO TAB ONE, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ACCELERATED CHARTER ACADEMY. SET CONSENT TAB TWO. APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR CITIZENS OF THE WORLD SCHOOL, WORLD CHARTER SCHOOL MAR VISTA. CONSENT. CONSENT TAB THREE. APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ICEF VISTA MIDDLE ACADEMY. CONSENT TAB FOUR. APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ICEF VISTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. CONSENT ELEMENTARY ACADEMY CONSENT. THANK YOU. TAB FIVE, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR CATCH PREP AT CHARTER HIGH CONSENT TAB SIX, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR, UH, EXTRA PUBLIC SCHOOL. NUMBER TWO, CONSENT TAB SEVEN. APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION PETITION FOR EQUITAS ACADEMY. FIVE. CONSENT TAB EIGHT. APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR HITECH LA CONSENT TAB NINE, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR HITECH LA MIDDLE TAB 10. APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR MAGNOLIA SCIENCE ACADEMY. FOUR. CONSENT TAB 11 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR THE FOR PROCO CHARTER ELEMENTARY CONSENT. CONSENT TAB 12 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ALLIANCE CORY HUNTER. MIDDLE CONSENT CONSENT TAB 13 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR STELLA MIDDLE CHARTER ACADEMY. SENT TAB 14 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR STEM PREPARATORY ELEMENTARY. TAB 15 APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED MATERIAL REVISION FOR STEM PREP ELEMENTARY CONSENT CONSENT TAB 16 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR VALLEY INTERNATIONAL PREPARATORY HIGH. TAB 17 APPROVAL FOR THE PETITION FOR VALOR ACADEMY HIGH TAB 18 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR WALLACE ANNENBERG HIGH TAB 19 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ICEF INNOVATION LOS ANGELES CHARTER TAB 20 APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR CITY LANGUAGE IMMERSION CHARTER TAB 21, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR CAMINO NUEVO HIGH TAB 22, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR THE NEW LOS ANGELES CHARTER. OKAY. AND, UH, TABS 23, 24 AND 25 DENIALS CANNOT BE ON CONSENT. SORRY, MR. CLEAN TAB 12 IS NOT ALLIANCE, IS IT? ISN'T IT RISE? YEAH. ALLIANCE WAS LAST, LAST MONTH. OH, HERE, I'M, I APOLOGIZE. SO LET ME, OH, MR. COLE GUTIERREZ, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO, OKAY, HERE, LET ME JUST TURN ON YOUR MIC AND THEN YOU STATE IT CLEARLY. 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY I DON'T HAVE A HANDLE ON IT. IT'S JUST THAT QUESTION THAT ITEM 12 IS, UH, RISE ANG ELEMENTARY IS WHAT WE HAVE, JUST FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE POINTING THAT OUT TO ME. WE WANT THAT ON CONSENT. OKAY. SO I'M JUST GONNA READ IT AGAIN INTO THE RECORD. SO, UM, TAB 12, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR RISE. UM, CHARTER ANG 12. THANK YOU. CONSENT. MY APOLOGIES, EVERYONE. TABS 23, 24 AND 25 CANNOT BE ON CONSENT BECAUSE THEY ARE DENIAL OF RENEWAL PETITIONS. TAB 26, CHARTER'S FOR, UH, PUBLIC HEARING. UM, IT'S NOT FOR ACTION, BUT FOLKS GET TO SPEAK ON IT. UH, WHEN WE TAKE THE PUBLIC HEARING. UM, I'M GONNA READ THE PUBLIC HEARING STATEMENT FOR TABS, UH, ONE THROUGH 13, 14 16 THROUGH 22. EVERYTHING THAT IS ON THE CALENDAR TODAY, [00:05:01] 16 THROUGH 25. UH, BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN ON THE FOLLOWING BOARD REPORTS, A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD FOR TABS ONE THROUGH 14 AND 16 THROUGH 25, WHICH I HAVE ALREADY READ INTO THE RECORD. THIS CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC HEARING ON THOSE SCHOOLS. A MAXIMUM OF 15 INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS WILL BE HEARD. THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN UP ONLINE AND HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP. ONLINE SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY NAME. UH, SO WHILE WE ARE HERE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TAKE THE CONSENT ITEMS? MOVE. SECOND. SECOND. MOVED BY MS. EZ, SECONDED BY DR. RIVAS. OKAY. SO I'M JUST GONNA READ, UM, THE CONSENT ITEMS WE'RE VOTING ON, AND THEN THE BOARD WILL VOTE. SO THAT'S ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, AND 22. OKAY. VOTE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THOSE ITEMS. MS. NEWBELL? YES. DR. RIVAS? YES. MR. MELVIN? YES. MS. GRIEGO? YES. MS. GOMEZ? YES. MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN? YES. UH, BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON? YES. OKAY. THAT'S SEVEN AYES ON THOSE CONSENT ITEMS. NOW, JUST PLEASE GIVE ME A MOMENT TO GET READY FOR THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAR. OH, YEAH. WHAT IS THE MECHANISM? OKAY, SO IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO WAS ON AN ITEM SET TO SPEAK FOR A CONSENT ITEM, UM, YOU MAY FEEL FREE TO SPEAK, BUT YOU CAN ALSO WAIVE THAT TIME SEEING AS HOW THAT ITEM HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. UM, AND WE ALSO NEED TO GET WORD TO FOLKS OUTSIDE WHO MIGHT BE WAITING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. TABS ONE THROUGH 22 HAVE ALL HAVE ALL BEEN APPROVED. UM, SO ARE THERE FOLKS IN THE ROOM WHO STILL WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED? WE'RE GONNA, OKAY, SO NOBODY IN THE ROOM IS GONNA SPEAK ON ITEMS AL THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. SO IT LOOKS LIKE, AND WE'RE GONNA GET WORD TO THE FOLKS OUTSIDE, UH, THERE'S A, FOR THOSE NOT HERE IN PERSON TODAY, THERE'S A LONG LINE OF FOLKS OUTSIDE WAITING TO SPEAK AND WE'RE GONNA LET THEM KNOW THAT ALL THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED, BUT THEY'RE STILL WELCOME TO SPEAK ON THEM. [00:10:51] THE REASON FOR THE BRIEF PAUSE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T FOLKS WHO WANTED TO SPEAK, UM, HAVE NOT BEEN DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. SO I'M GONNA GO CHECK OUTSIDE. OKAY. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I CHECKED OUTSIDE WITH AS MANY FOLKS AS I COULD. THERE'S ONLY, UH, A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO STILL WISH TO SPEAK RIGHT NOW THAT IS JUST, UH, ONE INDIVIDUAL. UM, SO LET ME, LEMME MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MECHANISM IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLK, THAT PERSON CAN COME UP AND AND TALK. OKAY. UM, IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO ME THAT WE RETAKE THE VOTE, SAME VOTE, JUST TO MAKE SURE ANYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UM, SO, UH, MR. TOSKI, YOU'RE THE, YOU'RE THE LONE SPEAKER. UH, SO, UH, WE HAVE A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT WITH YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES OF, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING THIS, HOW YOU WERE SIGNED UP ON EIGHT, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY GIVE YOU 24 MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT. SO YOU GET YOUR FIVE, AND THEN WE WILL, UM, RETAKE THE VOTE. AND MY MISTAKE, I WAS 10. UM, BUT SINCE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO TWO MINUTES, GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO, AT LEAST AS THE TIMER'S ON THE WRONG NUMBER, IS TO BRING UP A COUPLE POINTS. ONE IS, UH, THE, THE THREE THAT ARE SIX YEAR APPROVALS, UM, THAT MEANS THEY'VE HIT A STANDARD AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WE SHOULD BE LEARNING SOMETHING FROM. SO IN YOUR MATERIALS, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION OF THE THREE CHARTERS THAT MET THE HIGHER STANDARD. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE LABORATORY SELF EXPERIMENTATION TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. [00:15:01] OKAY. SO, UM, NUMBER TWO, UH, THE, THERE'S A POLICY ISSUE WHERE WE STILL CONTINUE TO PUT SAME GRADE, UH, SCHOOLS ON THE SAME CAMPUSES. I THINK THAT REQUIRES A BOARD CHANGE TO THAT IF IT FITS YOUR MAJORITY OPINION. BUT TO PUT A MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS WITH A MIDDLE SCHOOL CHARTER DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. IT, IT CAUSES, UM, STEALING OF CHAIRS, ALLEGATIONS OF TAKING KIDS. THERE'S WAYS TO STRUCTURE IT KTK 12 SO THAT IF SOMEBODY EXPERIENCES A CO-LOCATION, THAT THE FAMILIES GET TO SEE THAT THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD BE OKAY FOR THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHARTER SCHOOL TO ATTEND. OR SECONDARY THE SAME THING. IT'S A POLICY AND SCHOOLS, ALTHOUGH THERE'S NOT MANY NEW, BUT YOU'RE NOW IN THE, IN THE CO-LOCATION PERIOD OF PROP 39, YOU SHOULD ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S THE POLICY. YOU WANT TO PUT A MIDDLE SCHOOL ON DUKE ELLINGTON, THAT'S ALSO A CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN HAVE TO, UH, NEGOTIATE PEACE TREATIES BETWEEN THE THREE. NUMBER THREE, THE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, THREE RECOMMENDATIONS OF DENIAL. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT IF THE STRATEGIC ENROLLMENT TEAM THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT HAS MADE ANY CONTACTS WITH PARENTS. IF, IF IN FACT, OR WHAT THE SCHEDULE WILL BE FROM NOW TILL JUNE. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT 95% OF THE STUDENTS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS WHEN THEY GET CLOSED, DO NOT COME BACK TO THE LA UNIFIED IN ANY WAY. AND SO SOMETHING IS WRONG, AND I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHAT THAT MIGHT BE, BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM IF YOU DO THAT CLOSE SCHOOLS AND THEN NOBODY COMES BACK TO LA UNIFIED, THAT MEANS THERE'S BEEN A MARKETING PROBLEM. MAYBE PEOPLE AREN'T READING THE BACK OF THE, UH, MTA BUSES OR THE BUS BENCHES, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG IF YOU CLOSE SCHOOLS AND THEN THE KIDS, 95% OF THEM DO, DO NOT COME BACK. UM, NEXT, UH, MY, MY COMMENT ABOUT AFFILIATED, UH, IN, IN A SCHOOL THAT IS BEEN WARNED AND IS MAYBE GONNA BE SET TO, UM, BE CLOSED BY YOUR VOTE, UM, SHOULD BE OFFERED IN SOME STRUCTURAL WAY, UH, TO BECOME AN AFFILIATED SCHOOL. THAT IS TO SAY THAT BRIDGES THAT PROBLEM OF WHERE DO THE KIDS GO IF IN FACT IT'S A LOW ENROLLMENT THING. IN MANY, MANY CASES, ACTUALLY, THE LOW ENROLLMENT IN CHARTER SCHOOL IS NOT AS LOW AS THERE ARE IN, IN LA UNIFIED, UH, SCHOOLS. BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO TRANSFER MONEY FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. 'CAUSE THEY MIGHT BE A SOLE CHARTER, BUT IF THEY CAME IN AS AN AFFILIATED OR GIVEN THE OFFER TO FIND OUT WHY, IN FACT THEY NEVER BECAME AN AFFILIATED CHARTER, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO FIND THAT OUT. AND AS THEY CLOSE, THE SECOND THING IS TO OFFER THAT AND GROW THE AFFILIATED CHARTERS. WE HAVE AN ENROLLMENT PROBLEM IN LA UNIFIED AND ACROSS THE STATE, BUT SO MANY OF THE SCHOOLS IN LA UNIFIED ARE OF CHOICE TO FAMILIES AROUND THIS COUNTY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATE RESULTS OF THE 88 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN LA COUNTY, YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU, THE ONE THAT YOU GOVERN IS ONE OF THE HIGHER PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY. THAT MEANS THERE ARE FAMILIES IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST BY PERMIT, BUT BY THE CHOICE OF GOING TO A, AN AFFILIATED CHARTER, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME, BUT YOU HAVE NOT STRUCTURED THAT IN ANY WAY. AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE POLICY THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING UP TO YOU. UM, AND, AND IN PARTICULAR, SOME OF THE CHARTERS THAT WERE APPROVED JUST A MOMENT AGO, UH, LIKE I SAID, THE SIX YEAR CHARTERS, PARTICULARLY THE ACCELERATED CHARTER, WHICH IS A UNION CHARTER, UH, WHICH IS A, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS, WHICH HAS A LEASE AGREEMENT, A LENGTHY LEASE AGREEMENT, UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP IN OTHER CONTEXTS, WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL IS, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD UNION, WHETHER THE SCHOOL HAS A LEASE AGREEMENT OR NOT. THOSE ARE INSIDE THOSE CHARTERS AND SOME OF THEM HAVE HIT THE SIX YEAR MARK, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST. MARK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE'RE GONNA RETAKE THAT VOTE REALLY QUICK. UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND? MOVED, MOVED. SECONDED. UH, MS. CONEZ. SECOND BY MR. MELVOIN. UH, MS. NEWBELL? YES. DR. RIVAS? YES. MR. MELVOIN? YES. MR. REGO? YES. MS. CONEZ? YES. MR. T FRANKLIN? YES. BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON? YES. ALRIGHT. SEVEN AYES. AND NOW WE HAVE TABS, UH, 23, 24, 25, AND 26. UM, EACH WITH 15 PUBLIC COMMENTS EACH, AND THEN A PRESENTATION, UH, BY THE SCHOOL THEMSELVES. SO FOR TAB 23, [23. Denial of the Renewal Petition for Ingenium Charter Middle [PUBLIC HEARING] Charter Schools Division] [00:20:01] UH, DENIAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR, UH, INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOVE IT. SECOND. MOVED BY MR. MOLSON, SECONDED BY MS. EZ. AND DO WE HAVE THE PRESENTER FOR THE SCHOOL? I'M SORRY. OH, OKAY. SO LET ME, LET ME MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EFFECTUATE THAT. LET ME GET THE NAME OF THE PERSON AND I'LL GO OUT THERE. OKAY. FOR TAB 23, WE'RE ALL READY. MR. BILL TOME, I, I BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE. UH, WE'VE GOT YOUR PRESENTATION QUEUED. YOU'RE ALSO SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION. SO YOU REQUESTED MAY, MAY I JUST USE MY TWO MINUTES FOR THE PRESENTATION, PLUS THE TWO MINUTES FOR SIGNING UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THE AGREEMENT IS YES. SO YOU'LL HAVE FOUR TOTAL MINUTES. UM, AND WE'LL BEGIN THE TIMER AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN. THERE'S A LITTLE CLICKER RIGHT THERE WITH ARROW BUTTONS FOR MOVING YOUR PRESENTATION. THEN, UM, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, THE, UH, THE BOARD IS READY. OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT SCHON, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS BILL TOOMEY AND I'M SUPERINTENDENT OF INGENIUM SCHOOLS. I'VE SPENT MORE THAN 25 YEARS LEADING CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS LOS ANGELES THAT SERVES STUDENTS WHO ARE TOO OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND UNDERSERVED. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL OF OUR FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL IS BOTH FLAWED AND UNFAIR AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE REALITY OF WHO WE SERVE, THE PROGRESS OF OUR STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE MAKING, OR THE LAW THAT GOVERNS MIDDLE PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS. LET ME BEGIN WITH CONTEXT THAT MATTERS MOST. AND GENIUM SERVES ONE OF THE HIGHEST NEEDS MIDDLE SCHOOL POPULATIONS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. OVER 90% LATINO, 94% SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, NEARLY 40% ENGLISH LEARNERS ALMOST DOUBLE THAT OF NEARBY L-A-U-S-D SCHOOLS. OUR STUDENTS FACE DAILY CHALLENGES BEYOND ACADEMICS, HOUSING INSTABILITY, FOOD INSECURITY, TRAUMA AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS, YET THEY SHOW UP, THEY GROW AND THEY THRIVE IN OUR SMALL SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VERIFIED DATA, THE STORY IS CLEAR. ON THE 2024 DASHBOARD, OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS OUTPACED THE STATE EARNING A GREEN RATING ON THE EL PROGRESS INDICATOR. WHILE THE STATE REMAINED [00:25:01] ORANGE IN BOTH MATH AND ELA AND JENNY M PERFORMS COMPARABLE TO OR STRONGER THAN OUR RESIDENT SCHOOLS WHEN DEMOGRAPHICS ARE CONSIDERED. AND OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS OUTPERFORMED THOSE AT SUTTER AND CANOGA PARK MIDDLE, OUR NWEA RESULTS VALIDATED AND SUBMITTED TO THE DISTRICT SHOW ONE YEAR OR MORE OF ACADEMIC GROWTH ACROSS NEARLY ALL GROUPS. THIS IS EXACTLY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE REQUIRED. I ALSO WANNA BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE PARTICIPATION RATE CONCERN. THE DISTRICT USED AN OUTDATED ENROLLMENT NUMBER IN MISINTERPRETED NWEA GROWTH EVENTS, WHILE NOT PARTICIPATION COUNTS USING THE CORRECT TESTING WINDOW, ENROLLMENT, ICMS MEETS THE 95% REQUIREMENT IN MATH AND READING. MY COLLEAGUE WILL SPEAK IN GREATER DETAIL ON THIS SHORTLY. I MUST ALSO CLARIFY ANOTHER CRUCIAL ISSUE IN THE FINDINGS. ERNEST LAWRENCE, GIFTED MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL IS NOT A VALID COMPARISON SCHOOL. IT'S A SELECTIVE MAGNET PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ATTRACT HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS. DOES NOT REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHICS NEEDS OR ENTRY BARRIERS EXPERIENCED BY OUR FAMILIES. USING IT AT A A BENCHMARK DISTORTS OUR PERFORMANCE AND CONTRADICTS THE GOAL TO EVALUATE PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT WHEN IN THE CONTEXT OF COMPARABLE SCHOOLS. EVERY PROFESSIONAL EDUCATIONAL STANDARD SUPPORTS THIS. IT'S NOT AN EQUITABLE COMPARISON BEHIND ACADEMICS AND GENIUM IS A LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES. WE PROVIDE THREE MEALS A DAY, AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING, SATURDAY SCHOOL, TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT, COUNSELING, AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES. OUR CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IS NEARLY 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS DOWN THIS YEAR, AND OUR SUSPENSION RATE REMAINS ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE AREA. BECAUSE WE RELY ON RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, OUR AUDITS ARE CLEAN, OUR GOVERNANCE IS STRONG. OUR L-A-U-S-D OVERSIGHT RATINGS ARE HIGH. OUR ENROLLMENT IS ACTUALLY INCREASING, NOT DECLINING. A CLEAR SIGN OF COMMUNITY TRUST. FAMILIES TRUST US, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CLOSING INGENIUM IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS. IT WOULD DISRUPT A SAFE NURTURING ENVIRONMENT THAT FAMILIES INTENTIONALLY CHOOSE BECAUSE THEY NEED SOMETHING SMALLER, MORE SUPPORTIVE, AND MORE RESPONSIVE THAN THEIR TRADITIONAL OPTIONS. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR LENIENCY, WE'RE ASKING FOR FAIRNESS FOR CONTEXT, AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE PROGRESS OUR STUDENTS ARE ALREADY DEMONSTRATING. ON BEHALF OF OUR FAMILIES, STAFF, AND STUDENTS, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO VOTE TO RENEW INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR FIVE YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR DISCUSSION THAT WILL HAPPEN AT THAT TIME. ALISON, BOB, RIGHT HERE. ALISON B AND THEN AFTER ALISON IS, UH, SARATA SARA, A AND THEN YOLANDA GONZALEZ. SO ALLISON ILLA, SARA, AND THEN YOLANDA. COME ON UP. WE HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. ALLISON B AS SOON AS YOU'RE READY. HELLO, MY NAME IS ALLISON BOBADILLA AND I AM A SEVENTH GRADER AT ICMS. CLOSING. ICMS IS NOT IN MY BEST INTEREST. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH AT ICMS. I'VE LEARNED HOW TO WRITE BETTER AND USE GRAMMAR PROPERLY. I LOVE OUR SPORTS TEAM, AND I'M CURRENTLY ON OUR GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL TEAM, WHICH CAME IN THE TOP THREE IN OUR DIVISION AND HOPE TO BE ON OUR BASKETBALL TEAM. NEXT. I AM IN STUDENT COUNCIL AND I LOVE PLANNING EVENTS FOR OUR SCHOOL CLOSING. ICMS IS NOT IN MY BEST INTEREST. THIS IS MY SECOND HOME AND I AM SUPPORTED HERE AND I FEEL LIKE I BELONG HERE AND I NEVER FELT THAT AT ANY OTHER SCHOOL. WHEN I NEED HELP WITH MY SCHOOLWORK, I CAN GO TO MY TEACHER, I CAN GO TO OUR COUNSELOR IF I NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO. I DO NOT WANNA GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL WHERE I WON'T BE SEEN OR HEARD. I WANT TO COMPLETE MY MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS AT ICMS WITH MY FRIENDS AND STAFF WHO KNOW ME AND CARE ABOUT ME. PLEASE RENEW ICMS FOR FIVE MORE YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE SUBMITTED A DIFFERENT ORDER. IS THAT OKAY OR DO YOU WANNA GO IN THE ORDER OF THE REGISTRATIONS? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN ORDER AND I, I CAN'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHO IS ACTUALLY SPEAKING PRECISELY TO SUPPORT OR AGAINST INGENIUM. SO, UM, WHO, WHO DID YOU SUBMIT THE ORDER TO? MAYBE THAT WOULD BE EASIER. WE SENT A LETTER TO THE SECRETARIAT. THAT'S ME. OKAY. UM, YESTERDAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YESTERDAY. UM, LET'S DO YOUR ORDER, BUT YOU GOTTA GIMME THE NAME OF THE PERSON FIRST SO I CAN CHECK THEM OFF AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SIGNED UP. I DON'T, OKAY, SO SPEAKER NUMBER TWO IS DR. JULIE TTI, WHICH [00:30:01] IS ME. ALRIGHT, THERE'S DR. DR T. THERE YOU ARE. OKAY. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ESTEEM BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO. HELLO AND THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DR. JULIE TTI AND I AM THE PRINCIPAL AT INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. CSDS DENIAL RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON OUR PARTICIPATION RATE, BUT CSDS CALCULATIONS ARE INCORRECT AND UNFAIRLY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE ENROLLMENT NUMBER CSD USED TO CALCULATE OUR PARTICIPATION RATE IS FROM NORM DAY RATHER THAN FROM THE ENROLLMENT AT THE TIME OF TESTING AS CALIFORNIA DOES. THEIR RATE DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS WHO ARE NEWCOMERS AND TAKE THE SPANISH LANGUAGE MAP GROWTH ASSESSMENT YET INCLUDES OUR STUDENTS ON ALTERNATE CURRICULUM WHO DO NOT QUALIFY TO TAKE THE MAP GROWTH ASSESSMENT UNDER EC 4 7 6 0 7. IT STATES THAT ON ALT CURRICULUM, STUDENTS MUST TAKE AN ASSESSMENT. HOWEVER, NWEA DOES NOT OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT AND THEY SHOULD BE COUNTED IN. THEY SHOULD NOT BE COUNTED IN THE OVERALL PARTICIPATION RATE AND DO NOT SHOW UP IN THE NUMBER OF GROWTH EVENTS, THUS MAKING THE PARTICIPATION RATE APPEAR LOWER THAN IT IS. IMPORTANTLY. LAST JUNE, AS WE WERE TESTING, ICE RATES WERE TAKING PLACE EVERY DAY IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN FACT, ONE ICMS STUDENT WAS PICKED UP OFF THE STREETS AND SENT TO A DETENTION CENTER BEFORE DEPORTATION. THIS LEFT OUR POPULATION OF OVER 90% HISPANIC FAMILIES AFRAID TO COME TO SCHOOL DURING TESTING. EVEN WITH THE ICE RAIDS, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET THE PARTICIPATION THRESHOLD. WE WORKED HARD TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR STUDENTS KNOWING WHAT A DIFFICULT AND UNPRECEDENTED TIME WE ARE LIVING IN. IF CORRECT DATA WAS USED, YOU WOULD FIND THAT WE MET THE PARTICIPATION RATE. AND EVEN IF YOU SUB, IF YOU SUBTRACT THE STUDENT WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO TEST DUE TO BEING IN A DETENTION CENTER, WE MET THE 95% REQUIREMENT ICMS STUDENTS MADE AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S GROWTH. AND OUR VERIFIED DATA REPORTS ARE VALID. IF YOU RECOGNIZE THIS, YOU WILL NEW RENEW ICMS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU WILL LET OUR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES KNOW THAT THEY COUNT AND THAT THEY MATTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. I HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF ME NOW. JOSE RIVAS. JOSE RIVAS, YOU EXCUSE MR. RIVAS IS, UM, HOSPITALIZED WITH PNEUMONIA, BUT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. SO I'M, I'M TALKING ON BEHALF OF HIM AND THE REST OF THE PARENTS. SLANDA GONZALEZ, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD MORNING. UH, MY NAME IS YOLANDA GONZALEZ, DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR ENGINEERING SCHOOLS. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MR. JOSE RIVAS, OUR PARENT LEADER AT I-I-C-M-S. MR. EVA IS CURRENTLY HOSPITALIZED WITH PNEUMONIA, BUT HE FULLY INTENDED TO BE PRESENT, UM, TO REPRESENT ICMS FAMILIES WHO WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO WORK SCHEDULES AND OTHER PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS MORNING I'M HERE TO CONVEY A CLEAR AND UNIFIED REQUEST FROM OUR FAMILIES, THE, UH, TO THE BOARD TO VOTE YES ON THE RENEWAL OF ENGINEER CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. A DENIAL WILL HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WE SERVE. I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THIS, UM, THIS MANY FAMILIES AND DEEPLY UNDERSTAND THEIR FRUSTRATION AND URGENCY ON THIS DECISION. OUR FAMILIES FEEL SAFE, SUPPORTED, AND CONFIDENT WHEN SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO ICMS, MANY WARD TWO, EVEN THREE JOBS, AND THEY RELY ON OUR PROGRAM STABILITY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE AS A SCHOOL PROVIDE BOARD MEMBERS. SCOTT, SHE AND I'M AP MY APOLOGIES IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU RESPECTFULLY AND DIRECTLY PARENTS IN THE AREA OF CANOGA PARK VOICE SUPPORT. CLEARLY WE HAVE COLLECTED MORE THAN A HUNDRED PARENTS SIGNATURES AND PETITIONS, UH, FROM FAMILIES WHO CHILDREN ENROLL AT ENGINEERING CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OUR SISTER SCHOOL IN CANOGA PARK, AND WHO PLAN, UM, FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO CONTINUE AT ICMS FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION. YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED IN THE PAST THAT YOU'LL LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND WE TRUST YOU ONCE AGAIN TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. ON BEHALF OF ALL THE CURRENT PARENTS AND THE FUTURE FAMILIES FROM OUR SISTER SCHOOL, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THIS BOARD TO APPROVE FIVE YEARS OF RENEWAL FOR INGEN CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT, LEROY COLLINS AND THEN SARA. ALL RIGHT. LEROY COLLINS AND THEN SARAY, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD [00:35:01] MORNING. A USD BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS LEROY COLLINS AND I'M A TEACHER AT GENUINE CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. ICMS IS PART OF OUR DEDICATED TEACHERS AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TAILORED TO MIDDLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE CONSISTENT ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT AS SEEN BY INTERNAL BENCHMARKS, ATTENDANCE RATES, AND GRADUATION READINESS. ICMS OFFERS SPECIALIZED SUPPORT FOR LEARNING DIFFERENCES AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS AND STEM ART INITIATIVES THAT WOULD BE LOST IF ICMS WERE CLOSED. OUR SPORTS PROGRAM, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM CLUBS, FOOD DRIVES AND WINTER CLOTHES DRIVES, SERVES AS A HUB FOR OUR FAMILIES. WHO WOULD BE WORSE OFF IF WE WERE TO CLOSE? ICMS? NOT ONLY WILL CLOSING ICMS, THIS PLACE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS CREATING LONGER COMMUTES AND OVERCROWDED AT OTHER SCHOOLS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CONSISTENCY AND SENSE OF BELONGING ARE CRUCIAL FOR EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. OUR SMALLER SETTING FOSTERS MENTORSHIP, SAFETY, AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPS. PLEASE DO NOT DENY OUR PETITION AND PLEASE ALLOW US TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SARA. A COME ON UP. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. MY NAME IS SARATA. I AM A STUDENT AT INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU NOT JUST ABOUT THE SCHOOL ITSELF, BUT AT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP AND HOME I'VE CREATED AT THIS SCHOOL. OF COURSE, I CAN SAY THIS SCHOOL HAS AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, BUT I EVEN MORE PROUD TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT AT THIS SCHOOL. ICMS STUDENTS TRUST THE STAFF. WE KNOW THAT WHAT WE SAY IS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL. WE ARE CARED FOR AND ALL OF OUR VOICES ARE HEARD. AT ICMS, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS UNFAIR. WE ARE A FAMILY. MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN SO GOOD HERE, AND I WANT OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING. THIS SCHOOL CHECKS ALL THE BOXES THAT I WANTED IN A SCHOOL. THEY CARE ABOUT OUR FUTURE AND WANT US TO GROW UP TO BE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE. WELL, I THINK I MAY WANT TO GO INTO MEDICINE. THE PRINCIPAL THINKS I MAKE A GREAT ATTORNEY BECAUSE I LIKE TO ARGUE . THEY PREPARE US FOR LIFE. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MY ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES AND I'M NOT JUDGED BY MY PAST ACTIONS. THEY'RE NOT HELD AGAINST ME. THIS SCHOOL BELIEVES IN GIVING CHANCES. STUDENTS FEEL UPLIFTED HERE. STAFF WILL GIVE US PEP TALKS TO KEEP US MOTIVATED. YOU DON'T FEEL LONELY HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MUCH SUPPORT. I COULD SAY SO MUCH ABOUT HOW THIS SCHOOL HAS HELPED ME AND OTHERS, BUT I KNOW THAT I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES. ALTHOUGH OVERALL, THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN AMAZING FOR ME AND MY PEERS AND SHOULD STAY OPEN SO OTHERS CAN EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT COVANA LEDESMA, THEN VERONICA SANDOVAL, AND THEN NICOLE DOWNS. UH, COME ON UP, HOVANA. GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. PRESIDENT MOLSON, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALHO. MY NAME IS JOA LEDESMA. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT INGENIUM SCHOOLS. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WE SERVE AT INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY OUR NEWCOMERS AND ENGLISH LEARNERS, ARE CHILDREN WHO HAVE ALREADY ENDURED MORE CHANGE, FEAR, AND UNCERTAINTY THAN MOST OF US CAN IMAGINE. AND YET, AT ICMS, THEY'RE FINALLY EXPERIENCING WHAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES, A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL, UM, SAFE, SEEN AND SUPPORTED, WHICH IS SOMETHING I WISH I EXPERIENCED AS A STUDENT. AND GROWING UP IN EAST LA OUR SCHOOLS SERVE AS MUCH HIGHER NUMBER OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AND STUDENTS FROM ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED BACKGROUNDS THAN MANY OF OUR SURROUNDING SCHOOLS. THESE ARE THE STUDENTS WHO OFTEN GO UNSEEN OR UNHEARD IN LARGER ENVIRONMENTS, BUT AT INGENIUM, THEY ARE NOT INVISIBLE. THEY ARE KNOWN, THEY'RE GROWING AND THEY'RE ACHIEVING SOMETHING. EVEN THE DISTRICT'S OWN DATA HAS REAFFIRMED THIS GROWTH IS HAPPENING BECAUSE WE MEET WITH, MEET THEM WITH ATTENTION AND HEART. UNLIKE SELECTIVE PROGRAMS, WE'LL OPEN OUR DOORS FOR EVERY CHILD WHO WALKS THROUGH THEM. WE DO NOT CHOOSE OUR STUDENTS, UM, BUT WE CHOOSE TO SHOW UP FOR THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY. AT ICMS, WE MEET WITH NEWCOMERS REGULARLY AT LUNCH, DURING ADVISORY, AND WHENEVER A CHILD NEEDS SUPPORT. THESE ARE HUMAN MOMENTS WHERE A STAFF MEMBER PULLS UP A CHAIR AND GENTLY ASKS, HOW IS TODAY GOING? HOW CAN WE HELP? BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS DEEPLY AND CONNECT WITH THEM CONSISTENTLY, WE CAN RESPOND IMMEDIATELY WITH WHAT THEY NEED. FOOD, COUNSELING, TUTORING, TRANSPORTATION HELP, OR SIMPLY A TRUSTED ADULT WHO REMEMBERS THEIR STORY. THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE REASON OUR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING. THEY ARE THE REASON THEY ARE HEALING AND THRIVING. IF ICMS IS CLOSED, IT WON'T JUST BE A SCHOOL THAT DISAPPEARS. IT WOULD BE THE PLACE WHERE A NEWCOMER FIRST WHISPERED A WORD IN ENGLISH, THEN A SENTENCE, THEN A STORY. AFTER EVERYTHING THESE STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY ENDURED, ASKING 'EM TO START OVER AGAIN WOULD BE DEEPLY HARMFUL. OUR NEWCOMERS, OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS, AND OUR FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT. PLEASE RENEW INGEN M CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR A FULL FIVE YEAR TERM. THANK YOU. [00:40:01] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. VERONICA SANDOVAL. UH, I'LL BE SPEAKING IN VERONICA SANDOVAL'S, UM, PLACE. UH, WHAT SHE, SHE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY. OKAY. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS DAVID RA. I'M ONE OF THE TEACHERS AT IN GENERAL CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. THANK YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, MR. CARVALLO, TO THE BEST OF FELLOW AMONG MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR HEARING US. SEVEN YEARS AGO, I, I ARRIVED AT ICMS AS AN OUTSIDER. I HAVEN'T LEFT SINCE. AT ICMS, WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR LEARNING. WE HAVE BUILT AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE MAKE CONNECTIONS AND BUILD POSITIVE RAPPORT WITH ALL STUDENTS. OUR SCHOOL HAS BECOME A WELCOMING PLACE FOR OUR NEWCOMERS AND ENGLISH LEARNERS. IN OUR DESIGN ELD CLASSES, WE USE CURRICULUM SPECIFICALLY FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS. ENGLISH LEARNERS HAVE, UH, WHERE WE HAVE CLASSES ON A DAILY BASIS. WE HAVE STAFF AND TEACHERS WHO ARE FLUENT IN SPANISH AND PROVIDE A COMFORTABLE SPACE FOR COMMUNICATION FOR OUR PARENTS. MANY PARENTS HAVE MENTIONED THEIR GRATITUDE FOR OUR SCHOOL AND WHAT WE PROVIDE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. PARENTS OF ENGLISH LEARNERS HEAR ABOUT US FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS AS THEY SHARE THEIR POSITIVE, UH, POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH ICMS. TEACHERS AND STAFF COLLABORATE TO IMPROVE THEIR CRAFT ON A DAILY BASIS. AND ALWAYS, UH, WE CREATE AN INCLUSIVE POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH P PLCS, GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS AND SUBJECT MATTER GROUP MEETINGS, WE SHARE DATA AND MONITOR STUDENT PROGRESS, BOTH IN ACADEMICS AND BEHAVIOR. WE HAVE TRAINING AND CULTURAL RELEVANCE IN ELE STRATEGIES AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT HELP US PROVIDE AN AN EQUITY BASED CLASSROOM. I TRULY BELIEVE WE PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT SERVICE FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR NEWCOMERS, BUT FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND, AND, AND IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. FOR MANY THAT ICMS, UH, IS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM. WE ADVOCATE FOR PARENT PARTICIPATION TO BETTER OURSELVES AS A SCHOOL. UH, WE HAVE MADE THIS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF COMMITMENT. CONTINUING TO GROW AND IMPROVE. UH, CONTINUING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ICMS. UH, WE TIRELESSLY WORK TO GROW AND PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS THE SAFEST AND POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NICOLE DOWNS. NICOLE DOWNS. COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD MORNING. UH, PRESIDENT SCHMEAR LISTON, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO, AND MEMBERS OF THE L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL BOARD. UH, MY NAME IS NICOLE DOWNS. I'M THE VICE, UH, CHAIRPERSON FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND I PROUDLY SERVE, UM, AS A MEMBER FOR THE SCHOOLS. UH, I STARTED MY CAREER AS A TEACHER IN COMPTON AND I'VE SPENT MY CAREER WORKING IN AND WITH URBAN AND RURAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS. I HAVE HELPED THOSE SYSTEMS BUILD STRONG PEOPLE-CENTERED CULTURES THAT EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS AND GROW AND SUCCEED. THAT SAME PHILOSOPHY IS WHAT DREW ME TO INGENIUM. I JOINED THE BOARD BECAUSE OF THE HANDS-ON LEADERSHIP OF SUPERINTENDENT BILL TOME AND CHIEF OF SCHOOLS AR LEADER ABADAN. THEIR VISION FOR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND WHOLE CHILD SUPPORT IS CONTAGIOUS AND THEY'VE GRASPED THIS WITH STAFF AND PARENTS ALIKE. ICMS STAFF UNDERSTANDS THAT ACADEMIC SUCCESS STARTS WITH MEETING BASIC AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS. AND TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MR. TOOMEY AND STAFF HAVE SAID, THEY PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION, NUTRITION, COUNSELING, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, EVEN CLOTHING AND SUPPLIES. WHEN YOU MEET THESE BASIC NEEDS, STUDENTS CAN FOCUS ON LEARNING AND THRIVING. WHILE SERVING ON THE BOARD, I'VE WITNESSED A POWERFUL RENEWAL OF ENERGY AND FOCUS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. ATTENDANCE IS UP, PARENTS ARE ENGAGED, AND THE SCHOOL CULTURE HAS FLOURISHED. FAMILIES SHARE THAT. INGENIUM IS THE FIRST PLACE, AS YOU HEARD FROM THE STUDENTS TODAY, SAY THAT THEY HAVE EVER FELT TRULY SEEN AND SUPPORTED. CLOSING THIS SCHOOL WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS LOSS, NOT ONLY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES, BUT THE WINNETKA COMMUNITY TOGETHER. ICMS FEELS A VITAL NICHE. IT WELCOMES STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE STRUGGLED ELSEWHERE AND THIS SCHOOL GIVES THEM A CHANCE. I KNOW YOU REVIEWED THE CSD REPORT, BUT I ASK YOU ALSO CONSIDER THE REAL LIFE EVIDENCE, THE GROWTH, THE COMMITMENT, AND THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES, EXCUSE ME, THAT CONTINUE TO UPHOLD EVERY DAY ON CAMPUS. INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A SOLID, IMPROVING AND DEEPLY CARING SCHOOL THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE RENEW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY, THE NEXT THREE SPEAKERS ARE MARIA ROSA, EDITH, MARIA, AND ERICA HANSON. SO MARIA ROSA, COME ON UP. MARIA, UH, MS. ROSA IS GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING IN ENGLISH AS SHE'S SPEAKING IN SPANISH, PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND WE'LL GET YOU THESE TRANSLATION HEADSETS. , [00:45:06] WE'RE HANDING OUT TRANSLATION HEADSETS SO FOLKS CAN EXPERIENCE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION. OKAY, THAT'S IT. OKAY. GOOD MORNING, ROSA. MY NAME IS MARIA ROSA. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. TWO. THAT ONE IS THAT ATTENDING INGENIOUS AND SEVENTH GRADE, AND THE OTHER ONE IS IN SIXTH GRADE AND THE OTHER ONE THIS RENOVATION. AND THIS IS WHY I'M HERE TO RECEIVE YOUR VOTE. BOTH MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IN THE TWO SISTER SCHOOLS. AS A MOTHER, I CHOSE THESE SCHOOLS SINCE KINDER AND NOW FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHY? BECAUSE THEY ARE SAFE AND MY CHILDREN AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE. I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR MY CHILDREN, AND I KNOW THE TEACHERS AND THEY'RE VERY ATTENTIVE. AS A MOTHER, I WANT THESE SCHOOLS TO REMAIN OPEN. I WANT TO CONTINUE AND FEELING SAFE JUST AS MY CHILDREN DO. THEY HAVE OPTIONS TO ATTEND SMALLER, THEY HAVE OPTIONS TO ATTEND A SMALL SCHOOL, WHICH IS INGENIOUS, AND SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE RECEIVING THE ATTENTION FROM THE TEACHERS. THEY'RE VERY ATTENTIVE. PLEASE BOARD MEMBERS OF L-A-U-S-G APPROVE THE RENOVATION FOR FIVE YEARS OF INGENIOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. EDITH MORILLO. EDITH MARIA, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD MORNING LE SD BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT CARLO. MY NAME IS EDITH MORILLO AND I HAVE BEEN BOTH A PARENT AND EMPLOYEE AT INGENIUM SCHOOL FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. ICMS HAS BEEN A SECOND HOME TO ME AND MY FAMILY. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ICMS AS BOTH A PARENT AND STAFF MEMBER IS THAT THE SMALL SCHOOL SETTING ALLOWS FOR THE BUILDINGS OF DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH STAFF MEMBERS AND STUDENTS. ICMS STAFF REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, EVEN IF THEIR STUDENTS AREN'T ON THEIR ROSTERS. AS A PARENT, I HAVE ONE DAUGHTER ABOUT TO GRADUATE FROM ICMS AND ANOTHER DAUGHTER WHO HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT EL CAMINO REAL HIGH SCHOOL. AFTER GRADUATING ICMS AS A STAFF MEMBER, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. I AM ABLE TO WORK IN AREAS THAT I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT, SUCH AS COACHING THE GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL TEAM DURING AFTER SCHOOL, DURING THE DAY AS A YARD SUPERVISION, I AM ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN ACTING INTEGRAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENTS. OUR STUDENTS ARE BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF IC MEDS. PLEASE RENEW US FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ERICA HANSEN, PLEASE COME ON UP. ERICA HANSON. UM, GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT, SUPERINTENDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS ERICA HANSON AND I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING THE INGENIUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, I WORK AS A STRATEGIC ADVISOR, COACH EDUCATOR, AND AN ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION EXPERT THAT REORGANIZES CORPORATIONS. UM, THAT PERSPECTIVE HAS GIVEN ME A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR WHAT INGENIUM MAKES, MAKES INGENIUM SPECIAL. THROUGH CHALLENGING YEARS, ONES THAT TESTED EVERY SCHOOL IN THE NATION, I'VE WITNESSED UNWAVERING COMMITMENT FROM THE LEADERS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF OF THE INGENIUM SCHOOLS, ALL TO THEIR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS THEY SERVE. WHAT STANDS OUT MOST IS THAT INGENIUM DOESN'T SHY AWAY FROM SERVING HIGH NEEDS AND UNDERSERVED STUDENTS. WE SEEK THEM OUT, WELCOME THEM, AND LIFT THEM UP. FOR OVER 15 YEARS, INGENIUM HAS BUILT A COMMUNITY OF EDUCATORS, DEEPLY COMMITTED TO STUDENT GROWTH. MANY HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR DECADE OR MORE AT INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE. DESPITE OPERATING ON A SMALL SHARED PROP 39 FACILITY, OUR TEAM HAS CREATED A SAFE, NURTURING, ENVIR AND VIBRANT SCHOOL OFFERING AFTERSCHOOL CLUBS, ACTIVITIES, AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS THAT STUDENTS ARE PROUD TO BELONG TO. I'VE PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE OVERSIGHT VISITS AND AUDITS AND CAN CON CONFIDENTLY SAY INGENIUM HAS CONSISTENTLY EARNED TOP RATINGS IN GOVERNANCE, OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. ALWAYS CLEAN, ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE. CLOSING THE SCHOOL WILL BE A SERIOUS LOSS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE GIVE STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE STRUGGLED ELSEWHERE A SECOND CHANCE, A CHANCE TO CHANGE THEIR ACADEMIC AND LIFE TRAJECTORY THAT'S NOT JUST GOOD FOR FAMILIES, AS GOOD FOR ALL OF US. I URGE YOU TO VOTE TO RENEW INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE, SO WE CAN CONTINUE SERVING AS A STRONG COLLABORATIVE PARTNER WITH L-A-U-S-D AND TO KEEP CHANGING LIVES FOR THE BETTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY, THE NEXT THREE FOLKS ARE GENEVA PERRY, JESSICA RAY, AND ARIETA ALBARRAN. SO, GENEVA, ARE YOU HERE? COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. HELLO? [00:50:01] AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS GENEVA PERRY AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT INGENIUM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL, A CAMPUS WHERE WE TRULY CONSIDER A SAFE HAVEN FOR OUR STUDENTS AT INGENIUM, EVERY STUDENT WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS IS MET BY A TEAM OF EDUCATORS WHO ARE DEEPLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEIR WELLBEING AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I SEE FIRSTHAND OUR COMMITTED STAFF ARE, UM, OUR COMMITTED STAFF WHO IS SUPPORTIVE TO OUR WHOLE CHILD. WE KNOW THAT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TRY TO HIDE HOW THEY'RE FEELING, BUT THEIR CONSISTENT CARE, PRESENCE AND TRUST BUILDING, THOSE SAME STUDENTS EVENTUALLY OPENED UP TO A TRUSTED ADULT, WHETHER THAT'S A TEACHER, SUPPORT STAFF OR MYSELF. AND WHEN THEY DO REINSURE, THEY RECEIVE THE COMPASSION, THE GUIDANCE, AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING IS ESSENTIAL TO EMOTIONAL SAFETY, WHICH IS WHY WE OFFER A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT HELP STUDENTS FEEL CONNECTED. PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR LUNCH BUNCH, OUR DRAGON STUDENT STORE, OUR DRAGON ATTENDANCE, AND JOYFUL FUN FRIDAYS. THIS GIVES STUDENTS A SAFE SPACE WHERE THEY CAN BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, EXPLORE INTERESTS, AND EVEN FEEL SEEN AND VALUED IN GENIUM. CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL IS NOT JUST A SCHOOL, IT'S A COMMUNITY, A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEY MATTER, WHERE THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, AND WHERE THEIR MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND ACADEMIC GROWTH IS NURTURED EVERY SINGLE DAY. PLEASE CONSIDER REOPENING OUR SCHOOL FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS REALLY THRIVE IN THIS SMALL COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFE, SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE ONE FOR OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, JESSICA RAY, COME ON UP. JESSICA RAY, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT SELS, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO, AND MEMBERS OF THE L-A-U-S-D BOARD. MY NAME IS JESSICA RAY AND I SERVE AS THE BOARD CHAIR FOR ENGEN SCHOOLS. I HAVE SPENT THE PAST 20 YEARS IN EDUCATION ENSURING WORKING TO ENSURE THAT UNDERSERVED STUDENTS GET THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, THRIVE, AND DREAM BIG AS ANY OTHER CHILD. THAT'S WHY INGENIUM MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. INGENU CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WINNETKA IS THE KIND OF SCHOOL EVERY COMMUNITY DESERVES. A PLACE WHERE STUDENT, WHERE TEACHERS KNOW EVERY STUDENT BY NAME, WHERE LEARNING FEELS PERSONAL, WHERE KIDS WHO MAY HAVE STRUGGLED ELSEWHERE REDISCOVER CONFIDENCE AND JOY COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC. OUR SCHOOL DIDN'T JUST RECOVER, IT REBUILT STRONGER. TODAY, ICMS OFFERS A FULL-TIME COUNSELOR, DEAN OF STUDENTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND A YEAR ROUND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. WE MAKE SURE EVERY STUDENT, NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND, HAS THE ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THEY NEED AND IT'S WORKING. ATTENDANCE IS ABOVE 93%. CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM HAS DROPPED 10%. ENROLLMENT HAS INCREASED MORE THAN 30% IN THREE YEARS. AND ACADEMICALLY, WE ARE STEADILY IMPROVING EVERY YEAR. I'VE READ THE C-S-D-C-C-S-D FINDINGS AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY DON'T TELL THE FULL STORY. THE ANALYSIS COMPARES US TO EARNEST LAUREN MIDDLE, A MAGNET SCHOOL WITH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC AND ADMISSIONS CRITERIA. THAT'S NOT FAIR. AND IT DOESN'T REFLECT WHO WE SERVE OR HOW FAR OUR STUDENTS HAVE COME. IF ICMS WERE TO CLOSE, IT WOULD DEVASTATE FAMILIES. IT OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ALREADY FEEL UNSEEN BY THE SYSTEM, ARE IN GENUINE CHARTER. ELEMENTARY FAMILIES IN PRESIDENT SCHMUEL'S DISTRICT RELY ON ICMS AS THEIR PREFERRED FEEDER SCHOOL. I URGE YOU, PLEASE VOTE TO RENEW ICMS FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. THIS SCHOOL WORKS AND IT'S A SCHOOL THAT CHANGES LIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND THE LAST SPEAKER IS ARITA ALBARRAN ARITA. HELLO, GOOD MORNING BOARD PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO. MY NAME IS AR ALBARRAN AND I'M THE PROUD CHIEF OF SCHOOLS FOR INGENIUM. TODAY I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF NJM CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILIES WHO HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO YOU TODAY, ALONG WITH STUDENTS, STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS. YOU'VE HEARD THEIR STORIES AND THE DATA YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU REFLECTS THAT ICMS IS MAKING A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN STUDENT LIVES. OUR SCHOOL SERVES STUDENTS WHO BRING INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE. MANY ARE ENGLISH LEARNERS, NEWCOMERS AND STUDENTS NAVIGATING ECONOMIC AND HOUSING AND STABILITY. THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO DESERVE A SCHOOL THAT UNDERSTANDS THEM, MEETS THEM WHERE THEY ARE, AND MOVES THEM FORWARD WITH COMPASSION AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS. THAT IS WHAT ICMS DOES EVERY SINGLE DAY. [00:55:01] I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT OUR CO-LOCATED CAMPUS TO SEE FIRSTHAND HOW OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF SUPPORT STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY AND HOW OUR FAMILIES PARTNER WITH US IN THAT WORK. AND AS YOU EVALUATE OUR SCHOOL, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE ICMS NOT TO BE COMPARED TO GIFTED MANIC SCHOOLS OR SCHOOLS SERVING VERY DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. THOSE COMPARISONS OVERLOOK OUR STUDENTS' REALITIES AND THEY OVERLOOK THE PROGRESS THAT THEY ARE MAKING. ICMS IS A MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOL, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT IS A SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS ARE GROWING WHERE THEY FEEL SEEN, SAFE, KNOWN AND SUPPORTED. OUR RISING ENROLLMENT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS A MESSAGE FROM OUR FAMILIES. THEY'RE ACHIEVING ICMS BECAUSE IT MEETS THEIR NEEDS IN WAYS THAT OTHER SCHOOL OPTIONS DO NOT. AND IT GIVES OUR CHILDREN AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE IN OTHER SCHOOLS ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE BOARD TO PLEASE RENEW ICMS FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. DOING SO SUPPORTS OUR STUDENTS, HONORS OUR FAMILIES, AND ADVANCES EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN EDUCATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF TAB 23. IT'S NOW OPEN FOR DISCUSSION, HAVING BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED BY THE BOARD. YES, GO AHEAD TANYA. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE, UM, PRESENTATION. UM, AND MAYBE WE'LL START WITH CSDI, UH, AM GRAPPLING WITH THE CRITERION FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ONE PIECE IS ACADEMIC GROWTH AND THERE'S DEBATE ABOUT PARTICIPATION RATES THAT I WANNA DIG INTO A LITTLE BIT. UM, BUT THAT THE OTHER IS THAT THE SCHOOL IS UNLIKELY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM TO MOVE THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH. BUT IN THE REPORT, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO DISTINGUISH KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT PIECES. I, I SEE THE HISTORY OF THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE HISTORY IS BEING USED AS THE UNLIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. SO I GUESS IN, IN YOUR ASSESSMENT, ARE THEY TWO DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS OR, OR UNDERSTANDINGS LIKE THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAM IS HERE AND THEN THE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO GROW THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH SEEMS TO ME A DIFFERENT ANALYSIS THAT I DIDN'T SEE IN THE MATERIALS. AND I GUESS WE HAVEN'T HISTORICALLY, BUT I THINK IT REALLY MATTERS FOR THIS SCHOOL. UM, AND I'LL ALSO ASK THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE, I DON'T THINK WE HEARD IT IN THE COMMENTS. UM, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? AND THEY'RE NOT A LOW PERFORMING SCHOOL, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO PRESENT A PLAN. BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT WOULD KIND OF BE HELPFUL TO SAY, HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO MOVE YOUR ACADEMIC GROWTH GIVEN THE HISTORY HASN'T BEEN AS SOLID. SO DOES MY QUESTION SORT OF MAKE SENSE ON LIKE THE DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THOSE TWO CRITERION? UM, YES. I'LL TRY TO EXPLAIN IT. THANK YOU. SO YOU CAN SEE IN OUR FINDINGS IN UNDER CRITERION TWO THE SAME ANALYSIS WE DO FOR ALL SCHOOLS. AND THAT IS THE, WE DO A THREE YEAR ANALYSIS OF THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE WRITING THE REPORT. AND THAT FIRST ANALYSIS IS THE COMPARISON TO THE STATE. AND THEN FOR A MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOL CURRENTLY, UM, WE ALSO CONSIDER THEIR VERIFIED DATA. AND THEN IN, UH, LOOKING AT BOTH OF THOSE, UH, IF WE NEED TO DO FURTHER ANALYSIS, WE DO A COMPARISON TO THE RESIDENT SCHOOL SCHOOL'S MEDIAN ALSO IN A THREE YEAR ANALYSIS. AND SO THAT IS IN ESSENTIALLY THE CRITERION TWO FOR MIDDLE PERFORMING OUR CASCADING ANALYSIS AND FOR THE BEST INTEREST ANALYSIS. UM, AND THAT'S PART ONE OF THE FINDINGS. AND WE EVEN DROP FURTHER DOWN WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL, UH, CLOSURE RECOMMENDATION FOR A CLOSURE. WE LOOK AT, WE DROP ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MET AND EXCEEDED ON THE CASP AND ALSO LONG-TERM ENGLISH LEARNER RATES. I WILL NOTE AT THE TIME OF THE WRITING OF THIS REPORT, WE DID HAVE THE MOST RECENT CASP DATA. UM, AND IT IS HERE ON PAGE 6 97 WHERE THEY WERE, UH, LOWER THAN THE RESIDENT SCHOOL MEDIAN FOR ALL GRAY LEVELS. AND THAT WAS THE 24 25 CSP. THEN YOU'RE CORRECT. THE SECOND PART OF THE REPORT IS TALKING ABOUT UNLIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT. AND THAT IS LOOKING AT A, A DIFFERENT PIECES. SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT HERE IS WE LOOKED AT OVER THE TERM THEIR OVERSIGHT SCORES IN THE AREA OF ENDEMICS. AND YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE 6 99, THE SCHOOL HAS GOTTEN, HAS RECEIVED ONES AND TWOS ACROSS THEIR TERM IN THE AREA OF ACADEMICS. IN ADDITION, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT THE ACADEMIC BENCHMARK THAT HAD MIXED RESULTS. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO KIND OF YEAH, PIECES THAT WE LOOKED AT. SO MORE ON THE SECOND ONE, IT'S IT'S ONES AND TWOS IN THEIR ACADEMIC RESULTS. SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE PLAN TO GROW THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. 'CAUSE WHEN I READ, AND SORRY, THIS HASN'T COME UP BEFORE, BUT THE UNLIKELY TO DEMONSTRATE OR TO, YOU KNOW, SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM, I READ IMPLEMENTATION AS WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MOVE THE [01:00:01] NUMBERS? AND SO WHEN YOU DO THE OVERSIGHT VISITS, ARE YOU LOOKING AT HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, DATA CYCLES, LIKE THE STRATEGIES TO ACTUALLY GROW? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND WHAT WE HAVEN'T YET HEARD IS WE GOT THE DATA, WE SEE WHERE IT IS, HOW ARE WE MOVING IT? DO THEY PRESENT TO YOU ALL IN THOSE OVERSIGHT VISITS AND AND DOES IT GIVE YOU A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT THEY ARE DOING THE THINGS THAT WILL GROW THEIR STUDENT PERFORMANCE? UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY, I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL TOO, LIKE HOW ARE THEY PLANNING ON MOVING THEIR STUDENT PERFORMANCE? SO, UM, AS TO THE OVERSIGHT VISIT FOR EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL THAT WE DO AN OVERSIGHT O OVERSIGHT VISIT, WE REVIEW THEIR MOST RECENT DASHBOARD DATA AND ANY OTHER PERTINENT DATA. FOR EXAMPLE. NOT DATA. NOT DATA STRATEGIES. YEAH. SO WELL, SO WHAT ESSENTIALLY AS PART OF THAT VISIT THOUGH, WE ASK WHAT'S CALLED GUIDING QUESTIONS. OKAY. AND THE SCHOOL RESPONDS BACK ON AREAS THAT THEY, THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND THEY CAN SEE IN THEIR DATA THAT NEED SOME IMPROVEMENT. SO THEY PROVIDE THAT AT AS AN ANNUAL BASIS EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THE OVERSIGHT. IN ADDITION, OUR TEAM WALKS, UH, THE CLASSROOMS, THEY, THE SCHOOL WILL IDENTIFY CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON. SO LET'S SAY THEY'RE FOCUSING ON A PARTICULAR INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY. WE IDENTIFY THAT TOGETHER AND THEN WE WALK CLASSROOMS TOGETHER TO SEE IF WE CAN SEE IS, IS THAT STRATEGY BEING IMPLEMENTED? WE TRIANGULATE AT OUR OVERSIGHT VISIT WITH THE WRITTEN MATERIAL, YOU KNOW, THE DATA AS IT IS WITH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN AT THE OVERSIGHT VISIT WITH THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDED. WE TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN WE ACTUALLY WALK CLASSROOMS TO, TO SEE IF IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED. AND SO WE DO THAT AS A REGULAR BASIS EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THE ANNUAL OVERSIGHT VISIT. AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU DIDN'T SEE IN CLASSROOMS THE STRATEGIES THAT WERE ARTICULATED TO GROW THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? I WOULD HAVE TO REFER BACK TO ALL THE OVERSIGHT REPORTS AND, AND VISITS TO DETERMINE THAT. BUT I WILL SAY, REVIEWING THE OVERSIGHT SCORES, THEY HAVEN'T, THEY DIDN'T GROW. AND SO OVERALL, IT DIDN'T APPEAR THE PLANS THAT THEY HAD BEEN PUT IN PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF THE TERM, UH, IT RESULTED IN INCREASES IN THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVE ACHIEVEMENT. LET ME ADD ONE ADDITIONAL POINT. THANK YOU. UH, MS. WILMONT, I, YOU'RE ACCURATE THERE AND, AND DISCUSS THE PROCESS AT THE END OF THE DAY, BOARD MEMBER ORTIZ FRANKLIN, WHAT THE OVERSIGHT SCORES SHOW IS NOT ONLY INPUTS. INPUTS ARE CERTAINLY IN THE AUTONOMY OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL TO ADVANCE SCORES. THE LAW IS CLEAR AND IN THE PROCESS IS CLEAR. OUTCOMES ARE CRITICAL. AND SO THE SUMMATIVE OVERSIGHT REPORTS DO THE REPORTS GET INTO DETAILS ABOUT DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, THE GUIDING QUESTIONS, ET CETERA. BUT THE OUTCOMES ARE ULTIMATELY WHAT ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS. SO WE RECOGNIZE THE GROWTH, BUT THE OUTCOMES AND THE FINAL ANALYSIS ARE KEY. I GET THAT. AND WE, YOU KNOW, WANT SCHOOLS WHERE STUDENTS ARE SUCCEEDING. UM, SO MAYBE IF IT'S OKAY, I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL TOO, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S NOT A LOW PERFORMING SCHOOL. THIS IS A REALLY HIGH BAR FOR ME THAT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF KIDS, WE SHOULD CLOSE THE SCHOOL AND ASK THEM TO GO ELSEWHERE. AND SO IT WOULD HELP TO KNOW AND TO GIVE THE BOARD SOME SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING OF, GIVEN YOUR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, LIKE WHAT ARE YOUR FO I TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR KIDS? BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP UNDERPERFORMING. AND IT WOULD HELP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, YOU KNOW, TOP THREE TO FIVE, NOT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING, BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE THAT KEEPING YOUR SCHOOL OPEN IS GOING TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS. SURE. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF OF POINTS THAT, THAT WERE MADE HERE. UM, WHEN, WHEN, UH, THE STATEMENT'S MADE THAT WE SCORE THE LOWEST IN ALL CATEGORIES. WHEN YOU PUT IN THE MEDIUM, THAT DOES INCLUDE THE MAGNET SCHOOL. IF YOU DO TAKE THAT OUT, WE'VE RERUN THE DATA WITH THE TWO VERY COMPARABLE SCHOOLS IN OUR, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT'S, IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE. WE DID PROACTIVELY INCLUDE AN ACTION PLAN IN OUR PETITION BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE NOT SATISFIED. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW. UM, BUT I WAS, UH, PRESENT, UM, AT ALL THE OVERSIGHT VISITS. AND I CAN CLEARLY REMEMBER A COMMENT FROM STAFF AT HOW IMPRESSED THEY WERE WITH INSTRUCTION, WITH OUR TEACHER'S PROFESSIONALISM, WITH THE ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS, WHICH CAUSED US TO GO FROM A ONE TO A TWO IN THE PAST YEAR. THEY SAW THE PROGRESS THAT THEY, UH, THAT THEY WERE HAPPY ABOUT. AND IT WAS A DIRECT STATEMENT THAT WHEN THE, WHEN THE GROUP LEFT, WE ALL CELEBRATED. 'CAUSE WE KNEW THAT'S A, THAT'S A KEY STATEMENT THAT, UH, THAT THE GROUP MADE AND THAT WE WERE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING. I'LL HAND OVER THE SPECIFICS TO OUR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IN REGARDS TO OUR PROACTIVE ACTION PLAN AND WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING, YOU KNOW, AS OF TODAY. THANK YOU. SO OUR ACTION PLAN INCLUDES TWO MAIN FOCUSES. ONE IS ATTENDANCE, BECAUSE IF A STUDENT IS NOT IN CLASS, THEY CANNOT LEARN. SO IT'S INCREASING ATTENDANCE, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM BY 10% OVER LAST YEAR AT THE SAME TIME. AND OUR A DA RIGHT NOW IS OVER 93%. WE OFFER TRANSPORTATION. WE HAVE VANS, WE'LL GO PICK UP KIDS, WE'LL DO ANYTHING IN OUR POWER TO GET THE [01:05:01] KIDS ON CAMPUS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN THEY'RE AT HOME, THEY'RE NOT LEARNING. THIS HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON ACADEMICS. SO AS FAR AS IN ACADEMICS, WE ARE USING IXL, WHICH IS TO HELP SUPPLEMENTAL ENGLISH AND, UH, MATH. ADDITIONALLY, IN MATH, WE HAVE ADOPTED THIS PROGRAM CALLED THINK FIRST, WHICH IS A, AN AI TUTORING PROGRAM THAT TAKES OUR NWEA DATA AND SPECIFICALLY SETS GOALS AND PRACTICE ITEMS FOR EACH STUDENT INDIVIDUALLY. AND SO IT TAKES ALL, IT INCORPORATES INTO NWEA. SO THERE'S A VERY, VERY STRUCTURED IMPROVEMENT PLAN. YEARLY. WE WORK ON OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH OUTLINES WHAT WE PLAN TO DO. WE ALSO HAVE SATURDAY SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO MAKE UP TIME IF THEY'VE MISSED SCHOOL, THEY CAN MAKE UP WORK WITH OUR CREDENTIALED TEACHERS WHO ARE LEADING OUR SATURDAY SCHOOL. WE HAVE AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING FOUR DAYS A WEEK, UH, COVERING BOTH ELA AND MATH THAT ARE ALL LED BY CREDENTIAL TEACHERS. WE ALSO HAVE SUPPORT STAFF IN THE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE ABLE TO HELP PULL OUT SMALL GROUPS. WE HAVE THROUGH OUR, UM, ELA CURRICULUM, WE HAVE MENTOR AND COACHING SERVICES AVAILABLE THAT OUR, OUR TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO USE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK TO HELP ALL OF US PERFECT OUR CRAFT. SINCE WE ALL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN IT FOR. WE ALSO, THIS YEAR WE'LL BE DOING THE INTERIM SBAC ASSESSMENTS TO REALLY GET THAT HARD DATA. WE'RE NOT WAITING TILL, UH, JUNE FOR IT. WE'LL BE DOING THAT AS SOON AS WE RETURN FROM WINTER BREAK. AND WE'VE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF DISTRACTIONS IN CLASS BY IMPLEMENTING THE YONDER POUCHES. EVERY SINGLE STUDENT TURNS IN THEIR PHONE BEFORE ENTERING OUR GATES. AND IT'S MADE SUCH A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. AND BECAUSE WE'RE A SMALL SCHOOL, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY TURN THEIR PHONES IN AND EVEN THE STUDENTS WILL TELL US THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY'D LIKE IT. BUT BEING DISTRACTION FREE AND NOT HAVING THAT PRESSURE OF HAVING TO EITHER HIDE TO CHECK THEIR PHONE OR BEING DISTRACTED IN CLASS HAS REALLY HELPED. WE ALSO ARE OFFERING THE PSAT THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THAT COLLEGE GOING ATTITUDE IN OUR STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM NEVER KNEW COLLEGE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COLLEGE BOARD RIGHT NOW, AND WE ARE, UM, DOING QUITE A BIT OF TUTORING AND WE'LL BE DOING A PREPARATION SERVICE FOR THAT. WE DO HIGH SCHOOL TOURS BECAUSE WE KNOW IN EIGHTH GRADE, A LOT OF TIMES STUDENTS MIGHT GET BURNED OUT, BUT WHEN THEY GET TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO, IT'S A REALLY BIG MOTIVATOR. SO WE DO HIGH SCHOOL TOURS AND WE, UM, ARE JUST, WE REALLY MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE CLASSROOMS, THEY'RE ALL STANDARDS ALIGNED MATERIALS. AND WE MAKE SURE THE STANDARDS ARE IDENTIFIED SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE HEADED TOWARDS. SO IN EVERY CLASSROOM WITH EVERY LESSON, THERE IS THE ATTACHED ESSENTIAL STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE UN UNPACKED IN OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. WE HAVE TWO SPECIFIC CURRICULUM THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR ELD STUDENTS. ONE IS LANGUAGE LAUNCH THAT IS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR NEWCOMERS. SO IT REALLY GOES INTO A LOT OF COMMUNITY-BASED LANGUAGE RATHER THAN FOCUSING DIRECTLY ON ACADEMIC LANGUAGE, IT'S GETTING THEM USED TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS. AND THEN WE HAVE ENGLISH 3D, WHICH IS ABOUT THE ACADEMIC LANGUAGE AND GETTING STUDENTS WITH SPEAKING, WITH WRITING, WITH READING COMPREHENSION. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, WE HAVE WITH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOLUTION TREE IN OUR PLCS AND OUR, OUR TARGETED FOCUS THIS YEAR IS ON READING COMPREHENSION. WE'VE STARTED WITH READING COMPREHENSIONS ASSESSMENTS EVERY OTHER WEEK, BRINGING THE DATA IN OUR PLCS. AND IN THE, UM, IN THE READING COMPREHENSION, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THREE THINGS, WHICH IS IDENTIFYING THE MAIN IDEA, IDENTIFYING AND UNDERSTANDING AND DEFINING THE ACADEMIC VOCABULARY. AND CITING EVIDENCE. SO EVERY OTHER WEEK, THE STUDENTS ARE NOW BEING ASSESSED ON THAT, REGARDLESS OF THE CLASSROOM, SO THAT WE COULD REALLY HAVE, UM, WE REALLY HAVE OUR, OUR THUMB ON THE PULSE OF WHERE OUR STUDENTS' CHALLENGES LAY AND WHERE WE NEED TO DO A BETTER AND MORE RIGOROUS AND ROBUST JOB OF HELPING THEM GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. BECAUSE OUR GOAL FOR ALL OF US IN EDUCATION IS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. OF COURSE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I, I THINK I MISSED WHAT'S YOUR ELA CURRICULUM? OUR EL, OUR ELA IS INTO LITERATURE FROM HMH. OKAY. UM, AND THEN JUST BRIEFLY BEFORE I, YOU KNOW, TURN TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE PARTICIPATION RATES, I HEARD YOU SAY IN JUNE THERE WERE A LOT OF RATES HAPPENING AND ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS WAS DETAINED. UM, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE PARTICIPATION FOR MATH WAS HIGHER THAN IT WAS FOR, UH, ELA, YOU KNOW, DEBATES ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND, AND HOW THAT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, DETERMINED. BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT KIND OF HINGES ON A HANDFUL OF [01:10:01] KIDS WHO WEREN'T THERE FOR ELA TESTING. HOW LONG WAS YOUR ELA WINDOW? OUR ELA WINDOW WAS TWO WEEKS. AND THEN THE REASON THE ELA PARTICIPATION RATE LOOKS LOWER IS BECAUSE IT DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, OUR NEWCOMERS, AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE NINE OF THEM. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A, A POPULATION, AN ENROLLMENT OF UNDER 200, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT COUNTS. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THAT'S LIKE, YEAH. SO THE PARTICIPATION RATE THAT CSD IDENTIFIED DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WHO TOOK THE NWEA MAP GROWTH IN SPANISH. OKAY. AWESOME. THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU, NICK. UH, I SAW MS. EZ HAND AS WELL. THANK YOU. UH, MS. ES FRANKLIN ASKING MANY OF MY QUESTIONS TO THE SCHOOL. I GUESS ONE QUESTION FOR CSD AND THEN A FEW COMMENTS. UM, THE, UH, THE ACTION PLAN THAT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT, I KNOW THE SCHOOL DIDN'T HAVE TO SUBMIT ONE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT LOW PERFORMING, THEY'RE MIDDLE PERFORMING. I DIDN'T SEE IT REFERENCED A LOT IN THE BOARD MATERIALS. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT ACTION PLAN MADE IT INTO YOUR ANALYSIS. WELL, I WOULD SAY AS A MIDDLE PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOL IS ALREADY NOTED, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE RENEWAL CRITERIA. AND SO, UM, AS PART OF OUR POLICY AS WELL, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL, WE DO NOT HAVE A BACK AND FORTH WITH THE PETITIONER. AND THAT'S CONSISTENT IN OUR PROCESS. I'LL ALSO SAY FOR ALL MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOLS, UM, THERE'S NOT A, WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN THAT'S SUBMITTED, THAT'S REVIEWED. UM, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE CRITERIA. RIGHT. AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE PRESUMPTION OF RENEWAL. MY, I WOULD ASSUME AT THE STATE LEVEL. BUT GIVEN THAT THEY SUBMITTED ONE AND ARTICULATED IT, ARE YOU SAYING THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ON THE RECOMMENDATION? IT'S, WE LOOK AT THE OUTCOMES. IT'S REALLY BASED ON THE OUTCOMES, UM, OF THE DATA. OKAY. SO WHAT I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S INCONSISTENT, BUT WHAT THEY JUST ARTICULATED IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, WAS NOT, I MEAN, IT DIDN'T HELP THEM, IT DIDN'T HURT THEM, BUT WAS NOT PART OF THE ANALYSIS. WE REVIEWED THE, WE REVIEWED THE WHOLE PETITION, AND WE LOOKED AT THE OUTCOMES OF THE DATA BASED ON OUR CONSISTENT PROCESS OF REVIEWING DATA FROM MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOLS PER THE POLICY. OKAY. I MEAN, I THINK I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT EVEN IF IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT REQUIRED BECAUSE THERE'S A PRESUMPTION OF RENEWAL. THEY SUBMITTED IT. UM, AND I THINK IT'S JUST RELEVANT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE GROWTH TRAJECTORY THAT THEY'RE ON. I WILL SAY, UM, ONE, APPRECIATE THE THOROUGH ANALYSIS ONE FOR ALL THESE SCHOOLS. THIS WAS A BIG MONTH AND, UH, SO, SO KUDOS TO YOU AND, AND THE, THE TEAM. I HAVE TO SAY, AS I'VE BEEN OUT VISITING SCHOOLS, UM, INCLUDING THIS ONE IN MY BOARD DISTRICT, I AM HAVE HEARING GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR CHARTER PARTNERS AROUND CSDS OVERSIGHT AND, UH, A LOT OF GRATITUDE. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, AND, AND, UH, AND SAY THANK YOU THERE. UM, THIS IS A SCHOOL, UH, THAT IS IN MY BOARD DISTRICT. I'VE VISITED MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. UH, AND, UM, AND I THINK THAT CONTEXT MATTERS. THEY'VE ALSO BEEN A GOOD PARTNER. AND I WILL SAY, I DON'T THINK THIS WAS MENTIONED IN THEIR PRESENTATION, BUT THEY HAD SUBMITTED A MATERIAL REVISION TO GET OFF A CO-LOCATION. UM, AND, UH, THEY MENTIONED THEY HAVE ONE SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT, ONE SCHOOL IN MR. SCH SEN'S DISTRICT, AND THE CHARTER SCHOOL'S DIVISION HAD RECOMMENDED THAT FOR DENIAL. UM, AND I THINK IN WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL, OR WHEN I CHECKED IN WITH THE LEADERSHIP TOO, THEY WITHDREW AS A RESULT AND KIND OF WENT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. AND I JUST THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT GIVE AND TAKE, RATHER THAN BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD AND, AND TRYING TO, UM, UH, CIRCUMVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST AS SIGN OF A PARTNERSHIP AND REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT MIGHT NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS AT THE TIME. I APPRECIATE THE OVERSIGHT. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE SCHOOL'S RULE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE BAR FOR CLOSURE, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S STATE LAW, IT SHOULD BE VERY HIGH. WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS, I'LL SAY, AND THIS WILL COME UP IN, I KNOW OUR NEXT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE REMAINING SCHOOLS. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I MENTIONED IN THE LAST MONTH, MY CONCERN AFTER, UH, CRETE AND NEW DESIGNS WERE BOTH, UM, SHUT DOWN BECAUSE SO MANY STUDENTS FROM CRETE WENT TO NEW DESIGNS. AND I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, ABOUT, UH, WHAT OUR PROCESS IS WHEN IT COMES TO A, THE THRESHOLD OF BEST INTEREST FOR STUDENTS, BUT B, CLOSING A SCHOOL AND MAKING SURE THOSE STUDENTS, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS WILL BE RELEVANT, I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MATRIX IN A FEW MINUTES. BUT, UH, I, I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A CLOSE CALL, AND I THINK SOME OF THE FACTUAL DISCREPANCIES THAT THEY'VE ADDRESSED AND THAT MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN ASKED ABOUT, UM, I THINK CREATE A MORE NUANCED PICTURE, WHETHER THAT IS THE PARTICIPATION RATE, UH, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME OF CONCERNS AROUND IMMIGRATION AND ICE RAID AS THE SCHOOL SAID. UM, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING OVER NINE OR 12 STUDENTS, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU CUT IT, IT'S ALSO, I THINK THE COMPARISON SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND THEY PUT THE DATA UP THERE. IT, IT IS REALLY NOT FAIR, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE ASKING CHARTERS TO SERVE HIGHER NEEDS POP POPULATIONS, AND WE CRITICIZE THEM WHEN THEY DON'T, TO THEN COMPARE THEM TO GIFTED MAGNETS WHERE THEIR POPULATION OF STUDENTS, UM, THAT ARE SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED IS SO MUCH LOWER. [01:15:01] ENGLISH LEARNERS IS ALMOST A THIRD. UM, AND I THINK BASED ON THE SCHOOL'S ANALYSIS, AT LEAST IN THE LETTER THEY SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD, ONLY 12 STUDENTS THEY THINK WOULD'VE ATTENDED, UH, ERNEST LAWRENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT SO IT, SO IT STRIKES ME, YOU KNOW, AS IF NOT UNFAIR, AN OPEN QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE A, UM, A COMPARISON SCHOOL. THE MOST RELEVANT ONE, BECAUSE THEY'RE CO-LOCATED WITH IT IS SUTTER. UH, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THEY NOTICED THAT. THEY DO NOTE THAT SUTTER HAS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 19.6 VERSUS 13.9, BUT THEIR ENGLISH LEARNER POPULATION IS HIGHER. THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE IS HIGHER, THEIR LATINO IS HIGHER. UM, AND I THINK THAT THOSE SCHOOLS, TO BE CANDID, NEITHER SCHOOL IS HITTING IT OUTTA THE PARK. UH, WE'RE SEEING GREAT TRAJECTORY ON BOTH. I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT, UH, SUTTER, WHO'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, I THINK, WITH THE CHARTER, AND ALSO IS DOING A, A WONDERFUL JOB, UH, THERE. SO I DON'T, I HOPE, I ASSUME ALMA'S NOT WATCHING, SHE'S RUNNING A SCHOOL, BUT KUDOS TO ALL UNIFIED PRINCIPAL THERE. SO I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOL. THERE'S A PRESUMPTION OF RENEWAL TO OVERTURN THAT PRESUMPTION. I THINK THERE'S A HIGH BAR, AND I, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE MET IT HERE WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACTUAL DISCREPANCIES AND THE GROWTH TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE ON, AND THIS ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY ENGLISH LEARNERS, AND THEY SERVE SUCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE. SO, YOU KNOW, I PLAN TO VOTE AGAINST THIS RECOMMENDATION TODAY. HERE'S MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME, JUST GIVEN THE, THE MORE NUANCED PICTURE AND THE HIGH NEED POPULATION THEY SERVE. UM, AND WITH THAT, I THINK, I KNOW MS. EZ HAD A QUESTION, SO I'LL TURN IT BACK TO MR. SCH. I JUST WANNA MAKE A CORRECTION. THEY KEEP USING LAWRENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A MAGNET SCHOOL. I WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF LAWRENCE. UH, IT'S NOT A MAGNET SCHOOL. MAGNET IS ATTACHED TO LAWRENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL. ONE THIRD ARE GIFTED MAGNETS. SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE USING LAWRENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A MAGNET SCHOOL, IT KIND OF IS UNFAIR TO USE THAT COMPARISON. OKAY. GOOD CLARIFICATION. GO AHEAD AND THANK YOU MR. SM. I I WAS ALSO GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT. UM, I SUPPOSE THERE'S NO WAY TO, TO SEPARATE OUT LIKE A MAGNET PROGRAM WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE RESIDENT SCHOOLS, UM, COMPARISON. LIKE, IS THAT, IS THAT POSSIBLE? FEASIBLY? SO A COUPLE THINGS TOO. I WANNA MAKE A CLARIFICATION. UH, IT WAS LEARNING BY DESIGN THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR, I THINK YOU SAID A DIFFERENT SCHOOLLY NAME. SO I SAID NEW DESIGN. YEAH. YES. AND IT WAS LEARNING BY DESIGN. THANK YOU. LEARNING BY DESIGN. SO, UM, SO TO ANSWER THE MAGNET QUESTION, AND, AND, AND YOU ARE RIGHT, IT'S A PROGRAM WITHIN THE, IT'S NOT A WHOLE SCHOOL MAGNET. IT'S NOT A WHOLE SCHOOL MAGNET. APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF THE STUDENTS ARE IN THE GIFTED MAGNET PROGRAM AS PART OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL. AND SO THAT DATA IS, IS NOT REPORTED OUT PUBLICLY SEPARATE, IT'S REPORTED OUT BY THE SCHOOL. MM-HMM . UM, AND I DO ALSO WANNA NOTE THE OTHER TWO SCHOOLS OF COMPARISON. THEY ALSO LANDED OVERALL LOWER. YEAH, I WAS GONNA, I WAS ALSO GOING TO POINT THAT OUT. IT'S JUST MORE OF A, I MEAN, I DO THINK THERE IS, UH, THERE IS A GOOD POINT IN THAT A GIFTED MAGNET, IF A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS IN THE GIFTED PROGRAM ARE GIFTED, WE KNOW THEY ARE BY, UM, BY DEFINITION, THAT THAT IS PROBABLY NOT COMPARABLE TO THE, UH, TO THE GIFTED PERCENTAGE AT A, AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL. SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DASHBOARD AND THE CDE DON'T REPORT THAT OUT. IT SEEMS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE MORE DATA THAN IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. SO THAT JUST MIGHT BE A HELPFUL POINT OF CONSIDERATION FOR THE FUTURE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMPARISON IS AS, AS FAIR AND AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE. UM, I DID NOTE THOUGH, THAT IF YOU TAKE OUT, UM, LAWRENCE EVEN ENTIRELY AND LOOKED AT SUTTER AND, AND CANOGA PARK, YOU KNOW, ACADEMICALLY THEY ARE STILL LOWER. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT. THESE ARE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS AND IMPACTFUL TO THE, THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE SERVED BY THE SCHOOL. I THINK THEY SPOKE TO A LOT OF HIGHLIGHTS. THAT BEING SAID, THE LAW CALLS FOR US TO LOOK AT ACADEMICS OVERALL. AND I DO THINK THE FACT THAT WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS RENEWED LAST, THERE WAS A BENCHMARK ON ELA AND THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, I THINK IN EVERY YEAR OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, EXCEPT FOR ONE, WE EITHER DIDN'T HAVE THE DATA OR THAT WASN'T, THAT GOAL WAS NOT MET. UM, I THINK IT SPEAKS TO, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE IMPROVEMENT THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE, UM, ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMICS HERE, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING TO HIGH STANDARDS. SO THAT, FOR ME, UM, IS HELPFUL. I DID WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THE PARTICIPATION RATES BECAUSE I DID THINK SOME OF, UM, THE QUESTIONS RAISED WERE, WERE CONCERNING AND ALSO COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT, UH, FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RENEWALS. SO CAN YOU ALL HELP CLARIFY AT ALL KIND OF THE INCLUSION OF SPANISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENTS AS PART OF OUR EXAMINATION OF VERIFIED DATA, HOW WE HANDLE, UM, STUDENTS ON THE ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM OR THE ALTERNATE CURRICULUM, EXCUSE ME. UM, AND ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN, CAN CLARIFY ON THOSE FRONTS FOR THOSE ASSESSMENTS. SURE. UM, SO I WANT TO, SO THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL USES NWEA, UM, [01:20:01] VERIFIED DATA ASSESSMENT. NWEA DOES NOT PROVIDE AN OFFICIAL PARTICIPATION RATE. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE VENDOR A FEW TIMES ON THIS, UM, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE IT AVAILABLE. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT PER THE LAW THAT THAT VERIFIED DATA REP IS, SHOULD REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS, RIGHT? AND THAT IS 95%. AND SO IN ORDER TO MEET THAT CLEAR AND CONVINCING THRESHOLD INTO, IN ADDITION TO MAKING THE GROWTH METRICS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE, UH, STUDENTS ALL TESTED AND HAVING THEIR RESULTS ALL IN THERE. I DO WANNA NOTE WE'VE CREATED, SO WE BASICALLY LOOKED AT THIS KNOWING THAT WE, WE, WE NEEDED TO KNOW THE PARTICIPATION RATES OF THESE VERIFIED DATA ASSESSMENTS. 'CAUSE IT IS A REQUIREMENT PER THE STATE IN LOOKING AT VERIFIED DATA. SO WE HAVE A METHODOLOGY WHERE WE DO LOOK AT THE NORM DAY DATA AND THE GROWTH EVENTS, AND WE HAVE UTILIZED THAT SINCE LAST YEAR FOR THE NWEA, UH, ASSESSMENT ACROSS ALL THE SCHOOLS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED NWEA AS A VERIFIED DATA ASSESSMENT. AND SO, UM, BASED ON THAT, AND YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE 6 93, BASED ON THAT CALCULATION, THEIR PARTICIPATION RATES FOR READING AND MATH VARIED ANYWHERE BETWEEN 77% TO 88%. SO, UM, IT, IT IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THAT 95%. AND SO THAT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE HIT THAT 95% THRESHOLD. SO IT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GROWTH ACROSS THE SCHOOL. AND SO BASED ON THAT, IT WAS DETERMINED NOT TO BE CLEAR AND CONVINCING, BUT WE DON'T STOP THERE. WE DON'T STOP THERE. AND AS YOU WILL SEE IN ALL, IN ALL OUR REPORTS, IF IT'S, UM, OVERALL DASHBOARD IS NOT STRONG AND THE VERIFIED DATA IS NOT CLEAR AND CONVINCING, THEN WE DROP DOWN TO A RESIDENT SCHOOL ANALYSIS. AND INDEED, WHEN WE DROP DOWN TO THAT RESIDENT SCHOOL ANALYSIS HERE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY PERFORM TO THE RESIDENT SCHOOLS, AS WE JUST DISCUSSED. MM-HMM . ONE, ADD ONE NOTE IN ONE LAST NOTE, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AGAIN TO HAVE OTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH NWA AND ALL OF THE VERIFIED DATA VENDORS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING FURTHER THAT THEY CAN ADD TO THE CONVERSATION TO CONSIDER SOME OF THOSE OTHER DYNAMICS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED. GIVEN OUR CONTEXT. I, I WANT TO SAY VERY CANDIDLY, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS WITH THIS VENDOR AND ALL THE VENDORS TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH CLARITY ON ALL THE PERMUTATIONS. AND EACH TIME WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THIS VENDOR THAT THEY ARE, THERE'S NOT CLEAR GUIDANCE AS TO THEY'RE PROVIDING AN OFFICIAL RATE OR OTHER METHODOLOGIES. WE CONSIDER ALL OF THE, WHAT THE CHARTER SCHOOL PRESENTS TO THEN MAKE OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS. WHEN MS. WILMOT SHARED THE PERCENTAGES, IT'S TO GIVE THE BOARD A SENSE OF THE OVERALL NUMBERS. YOU UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE IN THAT RECORD EVEN ONE SET HITTING 90%. SO AGAIN, IN LOOKING AT THE WHOLE PICTURE, TRYING TO BE AS CONSISTENT AS POSSIBLE DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ASSESS THAT. SO WE'LL MAKE, WE'LL MAKE THAT NOTE. I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT FULLY WITHIN OUR HANDS BECAUSE IT, THE ASSESSMENT IS, IS THAT OF AN OUTSIDE VENDOR. BUT I, BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THAT IS SORT OF THE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MIGHT THERE BE SOMETHING MISSING IN THE CASP DATA THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING TO UNDERSTAND IF, IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT ACADEMIC PROGRESS BEING MADE. AND I THINK I JUST WANTED TO LIFT IT UP BECAUSE I THINK PARTICIPATION RATE CAN SOUND LIKE A REALLY TECHNICAL ISSUE, BUT THE REASON THAT THERE'S A PARTICIPATION RATE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING THE OVERALL STUDENT BODY AND THAT THERE ARE NOT EITHER INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL EFFORTS TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BRING DOWN THE SCORES, UM, OF, OF A SCHOOL OVERALL AS WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THEY PERFORM. UM, HOWEVER, THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF EXCEPTIONS IN THE, YOU KNOW, FOR A RECENTLY ARRIVED, UM, ENGLISH LEARNERS, UM, NOT BEING REQUIRED TO TAKE, TO TAKE ASSESSMENTS, UM, WHICH, WHICH IS FAIR AND MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, THE PROVISIONS FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE, UM, LANGUAGES IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE, TAKING ASSESSMENTS IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES. UM, AND ALSO FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ON THE ALTERNATE CURRICULUM THAT THERE ARE MORE APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENTS TO, TO ASSESS THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS. SO I THINK IT, IT BEHOOVES US TO TRY TO DIG INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND MAYBE IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE VENDOR, BUT ALSO WITH CDE SINCE THIS MIGHT BE AN ISSUE THAT OTHER AUTHORIZERS ARE FACING ACROSS THE STATE. UM, I THINK WE JUST WANNA, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE CHARTER RAISED, BUT ALSO IN GENERAL WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS, UM, IN THE FAIREST MOST NUANCED AND COMPREHENSIVE WAY POSSIBLE. PERFECT. AND THEN IF YOU ALL COULD JUST LIFT UP, I, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE 24 25 ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE FOR ME IN LOOKING AT THIS SCHOOL. UM, CAN YOU SHARE, UH, KIND OF WHERE THE SCHOOL LANDED WHEN IT COMES TO THE 24 25 CAST RESULTS AND HOW THAT COMPARES TO THE RESIDENT SCHOOLS? SURE. SO, UM, AS I NOTED IN THE MATERIALS ON PAGE 7 1 1, WE DID HAVE THE MOST RECENT [01:25:01] 24 25 MET AND EXCEEDED CAST DATA. AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE RELEASES THAT THAT DATA POINT PUBLICLY FIRST, AND THAT'S ON PAGE 7 1 1 AND WE BREAK IT DOWN BY GRADE LEVELS AND THEY WERE LOWER FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS WHEN YOU COMPARED TO THE RESIDENT SCHOOL MEDIAN. UM, I DO WANNA NOTE THAT WE DID HAVE A RECENT DASHBOARD DROP JUST LAST THURSDAY. THAT'S YOUR DISTANCE FROM STANDARD. AND SO WE DID DO A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THAT 24 25 DASHBOARD AS COMPARED TO THE RESIDENT SCHOOLS. AND I WILL SAY ON ELA OVERALL, INGENIUM, UM, IS IDENTIFIED AS RED AND WAS LOWER THAN ALL THREE RESIDENT SCHOOLS. AND IN MATH ALSO, INGENIUM LANDED RED AND WAS LOWER THAN ALL THREE RESIDENT SCHOOLS. AND I WILL SAY IN LP, IN ADDITION, THEY WERE ALSO LOWER, UM, THAN THE RESIDENT SCHOOLS. SO, AND THAT WAS OUR, UM, BASED ON THE 24 25 DASHBOARD, OUR PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. I WAS ALSO LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD DATA, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LONG-TERM TRAJECTORY OF THE SCHOOL AND UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE EVEN THIS MOST RECENT DATA INDICATES THAT THEY ARE IN, IN THE RED IN BOTH READING AND MATH. UM, AND THEN ONE, SORRY, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY FINAL POINT, BUT ONE ACTUALLY FINAL POINT. UM, THE LTEL RATES, LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGE OF, OF STUDENTS WHO ARE LONG-TERM ENGLISH LEARNERS, UM, I THINK WE DEFINITELY WANT TO LOOK AT, UM, HOW OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS ARE DOING. I WILL JUST FLAG THAT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THAT'S A BIT OF A CHALLENGING METRIC BECAUSE LIKELY THE STUDENTS ARE ALREADY LONG-TERM ENGLISH LEARNERS WHEN THEY ENROLL IN THE SCHOOL. SO, UM, JUST FOR OUR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS, WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT RATES OF, IS IT, UH, COMPARING HOW MANY LTELS THEY HAVE YEAR UPON YEAR, ARE THEY MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS RECLASSIFYING THOSE STUDENTS? UM, AGAIN, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSIDERING, UH, THE STUDENT POPULATION THAT SECONDARY SCHOOLS SERVE, YOU KNOW, BY DEFINITION. THANK YOU MR. MOLSEN. OKAY. MS. GRIEGO? YES. UM, THERE WAS, UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT STUDENTS ON THE ALTERNATE CURRICULUM, AND IF I HEARD THIS CORRECTLY, I HEARD FROM THE PRESENTERS THAT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE PARTICIPATION RATE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT TAKE THE TEST. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. SO HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE, I'D LIKE TO ASK THEM AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. UM, HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE IN THE ALTERNATE CURRICULUM AT YOUR SCHOOL? AND, UM, OVERALL, HOW MANY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DO YOU HAVE? WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITIES AND THE NUMBERS THAT YOU HAVE? SO WE HAVE TWO STUDENTS WHO TAKE AN ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT THAT'S CREATED THROUGH UNIQUE, WHICH IS THE CURRICULUM WE USE FOR THEM, THE ALTERNATE CURRICULUM. WE HAVE, UM, OVER 13% WITH DISABILITIES. THE MAJORITY IS OHI OR SLD, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, AUTISM. AND THEN THERE'S ONE WITH VISION IMPAIRMENT. SO YOU HAVE TWO THAT ARE ON THE ALTERNATE CURRICULUM. AND SO THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR OVERALL NUMBERS, RIGHT? THEY SHOULD, BUT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE PULLING PARTICIPATION RATES FROM NWEA, THERE'S NO WAY TO INCORPORATE THE ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT INTO THE NWEA SCORES. SO THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T, THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED BECAUSE THEY DO TAKE THEM, BUT THEY AREN'T. OKAY. BUT IN YOUR OVERALL AS LIKE PERFORMANCE, THEY ARE INCLUDED, RIGHT? THEY ARE WITH, YEAH. AND THEN THEY ALSO TAKE THE, UM, THE ALTERNATIVE CASP. OKAY. AND THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE OVERALL. OKAY. YES. UM, THEN I, UM, HOLD ON ONE SEC. I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF, THERE IS A STATEMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REPORT THAT THIS IS FOR MR, UH, FOR OUR, OUR DIVISION. UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, THERE'S A STATEMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF RE THE REPORT THAT SAYS THAT ACCORDING TO ED CODE, WHAT, LEMME SEE, WHAT NUMBER IS IT? UH, WHAT PAGE? 6 68. UM, THERE ARE 15 ELEMENTS THAT NEED TO CRITERION ONE SAYS, UM, A REASONABLY COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF 15 ELEMENTS REQUIRED FOR PETITIONS. UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AND HOW THEY DID NOT MEET THAT? UM, WELL, CRITERION RUN IS AROUND, THERE'S A KIND OF, IT'S KIND OF THREE PARTS TO IT. UM, IT SHOULD INCLUDE A SOUND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, A REASONABLY COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE 15 ELEMENTS REQUIRED FOR PETITIONS. AN AFFIRMATION OF EACH CONDITION [01:30:01] AS DESCRIBED IN EDUCATION CODE 47 6 0 5, AND OR PETITIONERS DEMONSTRABLY UNLIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. SO ACTUALLY HAVE FOUR, FOUR PIECES OF THAT. SO UNDER CRITERION ONE ARE FINDINGS ARE IN THE LAST PART OF THAT CRITERIA ARE PATRON, PETITIONERS LY UNLIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. SO YOU'LL SEE FINDINGS AS TO THAT PART OF CRITERION ONE AND THEN CRITERION TWO. OKAY. AND THAT'S GENERALLY JUST TO, TO, UM, TO SUMMARIZE IT, IT'S GENERALLY, UH, USING THE, THE SCORES FROM THE PAST THREE YEARS, RIGHT? THAT GIVES YOU AN ID, UH, A PLUS YOUR VISITS TO THE SCHOOL, PLUS REVIEWING, DOING THE, THE REVIEWING THE PLAN THAT THEY GAVE YOU. ALL OF THOSE THINGS PUT TOGETHER LEAD TO THIS ASSESSMENT OR EVALUATION THAT THEY, THEY DID NOT MEET CRITERION ONE, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S REALLY OVER THE COURSE FOR THIS CRITERION ONE UNK, ME, UNLIKELY, AS YOU SEE IN OUR FINDINGS, IT'S OVER THE COURSE OF THE TERM. SO WE LOOKED AT THE OVERSIGHT SCORES OVER THE COURSE OF THE ENTIRE TERM. UM, AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT THEIR, UH, BENCHMARK OVER THE TERM. UM, AND SO THAT'S HOW WE EVALUATED IT ON CRITERION ONE ALLY, UNLIKELY. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, THERE WERE, UH, I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN, UM, REITERATE, LAWRENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS NOT A WALL TO WALL MAGNET. CORRECT. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A CRITERION BASED MAGNET, A GIFTED MAGNET, IT IS NOT, IT IS A PROGRAM WITHIN THE SCHOOL THAT SERVES APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF THE STUDENT BODY OF LAWRENCE. OKAY. AND THEY'RE ALL, ALL FOR THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL. WHEN YOU MADE THE COMPARISON BY, UH, FOR THE, THE CHARTER SCHOOL AND THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL, THOSE SCORES ARE, THE WHOLE SCHOOL SCORES ARE NOT BY PROGRAM, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND, UM, LET ME SEE, CARLA, CAN I JUST ASK, 'CAUSE I NOTICED LAWRENCE HAS TWO MAGNETS. THEY HAVE THE GIFTED MAGNET AND THE PIONEERING SCIENCE MAGNET LOOKS LIKE IT'S CALLED. WHEN YOU SAY A THIRD ARE IN THE MAGNET, IS THAT IN BOTH MAGNETS? I'M REFERRING TO THE GIFTED MAG MAGNET AS THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO, UM, POINT, POINT OUT AND, AND IDENTIFY SINCE IT'S CRITERION BASED, MEANING THE STUDENTS HAVE TO HAVE A, A DESIGNATION OF, OF GIFTED IN ORDER TO, UH, BE PLACED INTO THAT SCHOOL. GOT IT. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CRITERION BASED MAGNET, RIGHT, WHICH IS THIS SAS CRITERIA. IT'S, IT'S SAS IS A DIFFERENT, UM, PIECE. IT'S THE GIFTED MAGNET AND STUDENTS HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED. DO WE KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE REMAINING TWO THIRDS ARE IN THE SCIENCE MAGNET? SORRY. YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. CARL'S RIGHT. I'M TAKING OVER. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHEN YOU SAY A THIRD, 'CAUSE THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER MAGNET IN AT THE SCHOOL, BUT CARL, I APOLOGIZE. ALL WELL, YES, BUT EITHER WAY, THE, THE, I UNDERSTAND THAT A HIGHLY GIFTED MAGNET IS ONE WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO BE A PART OF THAT. RIGHT? SO IN THE REPORT, I'M BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED WAS WHEN I WAS READING A REPORT, AN EMAIL THAT I RECEIVED OVER THE, OVER THE WEEKEND THAT KEPT SAYING THE UNBIASED, UM, L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL. AND I WAS LIKE, I WASN'T SURE WHICH SCHOOL THEY WERE REFERRING TO, BUT NOW I'M BEGINNING TO THINK IT'S A LAWRENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND IT WAS, IT WAS, NO, THEY WERE REFERRING TO THE OTHER RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS, NOT LAWRENCE, BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING THAT IT WAS BY LAWRENCE WAS BIASED BECAUSE OF THE MAGNET PIECE. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, AND THEN FOR THE OTHER MAGNET, IF THERE IS ANOTHER MAGNET THERE, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT IN TERMS OF TEST SCORES OR ANY SORT OF, UH, LABEL TO BE A PART OF THAT MAGNET. THAT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING. YES. CORRECT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, LET'S SEE. I'M TRYING TO THINK OF, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE. UM, NO, THAT'S IT. I MEAN, I THINK THAT IT'S HARD. I, I I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE. I I I, I WANNA BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE A THOROUGH STUDY OF THIS SCHOOL, AND YOU'VE, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THE, THE STUDY FOR ABOUT FIVE, WHAT FIVE YEARS IS IT THAT THEY'VE BEEN, UM, GOING AND THAT THIS YEAH. AND SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS A HARD DECISION, UM, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ALL, UM, DOING THE WORK AND I, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND AND APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL. UM, SO THANK YOU. WHAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR OUR BOARD MEMBERS FIRST CIO, GO AHEAD. NO, I AGREE WITH, UM, BOARD MEMBER GREGO, THESE ARE NOT EASY DECISIONS. UM, BUT FOR ME, UM, IT HAS SHOWN THAT CONSISTENTLY, UM, [01:35:01] THE PROGRESS JUST HASN'T BEEN UP TO PAR. UM, AND I KNOW YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, UM, DEMONSTRATED HERE TODAY, BUT THE OUTCOMES ARE WHAT WE HAVE TO GO BY. UM, I JUST WANT TO, AS GREGO MENTIONED, UM, BECAUSE OF THE BENCHMARK, RIGHT, THAT WAS SET IN 2017, THIS IS A SCHOOL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MONITORING AND HAVE HAD CONSISTENTLY, UM, OVERSIGHT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, RIGHT? DID THEY MEET THOSE TWO BENCHMARKS THAT WERE MADE IN 2017? UM, SO IN THE REPORT ON PAGE 6, 9 9, YOU CAN SEE BENCHMARK ONE, WHICH WAS THE ACADEMIC, UH, BENCHMARK. THEY, IT WAS NOT MET FOR THREE YEARS OF THE TERM, ALTHOUGH I DO NOTE IT. NO, THERE WERE SOME YEARS THERE, THERE WAS NO, NO UPDATES DUE TO THE LACK OF STATE TESTING. UM, BENCHMARK TWO WAS AROUND, UM, ACCURATE REPORTING TO CALPADS, AND THAT PARTICULAR BENCHMARK WAS MET, AS WE NOTED IN OUR REPORT. AND IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF THAT PETITION, UM, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR REPORT THAT, UM, YOU FOUND THE PETITION NOT TO BE REASONABLY COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUDING INSUFFICIENT DATA ON CURRICULUM AND INTERVENTION SYSTEMS, OR, UM, I THINK IT WAS ON PAGE 6 98. UM, WERE THERE, WERE THERE ANY ISSUES IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF THE, OR THEIR PROGRAM OR THEIR PETITION? UH, WE DIDN'T FIND, WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY FINDINGS AS TO THE PART OF THE DEMONSTRABLY UNLIKELY AS PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE 15 ELEMENTS. THE FINDINGS ARE IN THE LAST PART OF THAT CRITERION ONE, THAT THEY ARE DEMONSTRABLY UNLIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. AND THAT'S BASED ON THE, THE, THE OVERALL OVERSIGHT SCORES THAT WE NOTE IN THERE, AND THEN ALSO THE, THE BENCHMARK ANALYSIS. UM, BUT FOR ME, IT, IT'S CLEAR LIKE IN THE BENCHMARKS, IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, MET NO UPDATE, NO UPDATE, NO UPDATE. NOT MET, NOT MET. UM, AND EVEN IN THEIR, UM, THE DATA THAT THEY SUBMITTED IT, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T SHOW VERY STRONG OUTCOMES OR PERFORMANCE. UM, AND YEAH, LIKE I SAID, IT JUST, UM, BASED ON YOUR REPORT, IT, FOR ME, IT DEMONSTRATED THE, THAT THERE WAS STRONG OVERSIGHT IN MONITORING, BUT UM, OVERALL THE, THE, THE OUTCOMES OR THE GROWTH WAS JUST NOT, NOT THERE. SO, SO THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? NO, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. UM, SO I BELIEVE I WAS TOLD THAT 13% OF THE POPULATION WAS, UH, SPECIAL ED OR HAD IEPS. WHAT DID I HEAR? UM, THAT'S WHAT THE, UM, THEY HAD, UH, REPRESENTED. I WILL SAY THOUGH, WE DO HAVE A, WE HAVE A DATA SET HERE THAT I THINK IT IS, WE DO IDENTIFY, UH, THEIR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, UH, POPULATION. AND I WILL NOTE, UH, WHAT WE HAVE FOR, UH, 24, 25, IT LOOKS LIKE, LET'S LOOK HERE. STUDENT DISABILITIES, UM, THEY WERE AT 13.9 FOR 2324, AND THEY DID HAVE AN INCREASE FOR 24, 25 TO 18.4%. IT IS IN OUR REPORTS ON PAGE SIX 80, AND I BELIEVE THEY MENTIONED THANK YOU. AND I BELIEVE THEY MENTIONED THAT THE MAJORITY WERE OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRED OHI. COULD YOU TELL, ARE YOU ABLE TO DISCERN WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT? 13.9% IS O-H-I-O-H-I, OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRED IS THE LEAST, UM, SEVERE OF ALL THE OTHER, UH, TERMINOLOGIES. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN. IT'S PART OF OUR STANDARD DATA SET FOR EVERY CHARTER RENEWAL. IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE 682, UM, THEY IDENTIFY THE TOTAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT, AND THEN WE IDENTIFY EACH OF THE ELIGIBILITIES AND THE NUMBERS IN THERE. SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAD IN 23, 24, 23, UH, 23 TOTAL STUDENTS, WHICH RESULTED IN A 13.9%. AND 19 OF THOSE STUDENTS WERE CALLED, IT'S CALLED HIGH INCIDENTS, AND THAT'S YOUR OHI, YOUR LEARNING DISABILITIES AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN FOUR WITH A LOW INCIDENTS. SO THE CLEAR MAJORITY WAS THE, UH, OHI. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, ACTUALLY THE, THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ARE FOLLOWING IN THE SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY CATEGORY. OKAY. BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE THE NUMBERS BROKEN DOWN HERE. AND THAT'S THE PRIMARILY THE STUDENTS IN, UM, WHO IDENTIFY WITH IEPS WITH THAT ELIGIBILITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH COMMENTS, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, MS. UH, ONE, [01:40:01] UM, AS, AS NOTED EARLIER WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING ABOUT WHEN IT'S NOT MET, WHAT MECHANISMS ARE PUT IN PLACE WHEN YOU DON'T RECEIVE NOT? UM, I THINK WE MENTIONED ON, UH, WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? IT WAS TWO YEARS THAT WE WERE NOT REPORTED. AND THEN, UM, WHEN IT WAS REPORTED AND UNMET, WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO GET REPORTS? SO THAT IS DONE FOR EVERY CHARTER SCHOOL THAT HAS AN ASSIGNED BENCHMARK THAT IS DONE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AT THE TIME OF OVERSIGHT. SO, UM, WE LOOK AT THEIR DATA, WE LOOK AT IF THEY HAVE ANY BENCHMARKS, AND THEN WE ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO THE BENCHMARK IF IT'S IDENTIFIED THEY THEY MET IT OR DIDN'T MEET IT, AND WHAT THEY THINK THE ROOT CAUSE WAS AND WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO FOR MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT'S WHAT ALL OF OUR CHARTERS IS DONE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND THEN REPORTED OUT ON THE OVERSIGHT REPORT. AND THEN IF IT'S NOT MET, THEN IT'S JUST A BLANK REPORT. IS THAT NO, WE WILL, WE WOULD MARK IT, BENCHMARK NOT MET, AND WE WOULD PUT, UH, WHAT THE PLAN SCHOOL IS DOING ABOUT IT IN ORDER TO CREATE, UM, INCREASE ACHIEVEMENT. BUT THEY DO GIVE SOME TYPE OF REPORT. 'CAUSE IF IT'S NOT MET OR 'CAUSE THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS NOT MET AND UNREPORTED. IS THAT TRUE OR CORRECT? SAME OR DIFFERENT? THEY'RE DIFFERENT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE BENCHMARK, IT'S RELATED TO THE STATE TESTING. AND WE KNOW DURING COMING OUTTA, DURING COVID AND COMING OUTTA COVID, WE DID NOT HAVE OFFICIAL TESTING DATA FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. AND SOME OF THESE BENCHMARKS THAT ARE ALSO RELIANT ON TWO YEARS OF TESTING BECAUSE IT MAY BE A COLOR CHANGE. SO IN THE YEARS WHERE WE SAY NO UPDATE, WE DID NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL, UH, TESTING DATA IN ORDER TO REPORT OUT ON THE BENCHMARK. BUT EVEN DURING THOSE TIMES, WE STILL DID OUR SAME LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT, OF GUIDING QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, WHATEVER DATA WAS AVAILABLE, UM, AND GOT RESPONSIVE FROM THE SCHOOL AND, AND WALK THROUGH CLASSROOMS AND SUCH. BUT WE JUST COULDN'T REPORT OUT ON THE BENCHMARK OF MET OR NOT MET BECAUSE THE OFFICIAL DATA WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO DO SO. AND IS THAT FORM AVAILABLE TO US AS WELL? WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THOSE GUIDED QUESTIONS, DOES THAT CREATE SOMETHING FOR, FOR REVIEW? IT CREATES THE, IT IS DOCUMENTED ON THE OVERSIGHT REPORT. OKAY. AND SO THE OVERSIGHT REPORT SHOULD HAVE DO, WE WILL HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT SAY OF AREAS MAYBE THE SCHOOL IS DOING WELL IN AND WHAT THEY SAY THAT THEY CAN ATTRIBUTE THOSE TO, MAYBE THE AREAS THE SCHOOL IS NOT DOING SO WELL IN, AND THEN WHAT THEY ATTRIBUTE THOSE TO AND WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO MOVING FORWARD. AND THEN OFTENTIMES WE'LL REVIEW THE LAST YEAR'S OVERSIGHT AND IN, IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEW ONE, SAYING, WELL, YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO X, Y, AND Z. HAS THAT BEEN IMPLEMENTED? HOW IS THAT GOING? IS THAT RESULTING IN THE OUTCOMES? THAT EVENT, THE OUTCOMES IS WHAT GETS YOU OUR OVERSIGHT REPORT SCORE IS GIVEN, IT'S BASED ON THE OUTCOMES. BUT IN THE NARRATIVE SECTION IS WHERE WE IDENTIFY ALL THE THINGS THE SCHOOL IS DOING, UM, AROUND THE AREA OF ACADEMICS. AND IN THAT REGARDS TO THE TIMES IN WHICH 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT THE SCORE, BUT TO THOSE TIMES, THOSE NARRATIVES WERE MET AS FAR AS WHAT THEY IMPLEMENTED, WE SAW THAT CORRECT. I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW ALL THE NARRATIVES OF ALL THE OVERSIGHT REPORTS TO CONFIRM THAT. OKAY. OKAY. THANKS. OKAY, SO MR. MCLEAN, BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE, I KNOW WHAT IS THE POLICY FOR FURTHER COMMENTS FROM INGENIUM? SO IF, IF THE BOARD ASKS FOR FURTHER COMMENTS FROM EGEN INGENIUM, THEN, THEN THEY CAN GIVE THEM, BUT THE, IT'S NOT AN EQUAL TIME TO CSD. OKAY. SO THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. FURTHER QUESTIONS. YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, ROCIO. I DIDN'T THINK SO. OKAY. OKAY. THE VOTE. UM, SO THIS IS DENIAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR INGENIUM CHARTER RENEWAL. AND TELL US WHAT A YES VOTE MEANS AND TELL US WHAT A NO VOTE MEANS. SORRY, BEFORE WE DO THAT, MAY I CLARIFY ONE PIECE TO YOUR QUESTION? SURE, SURE SIR. PER POLICY, ALSO THE EQUIVALENT TIME REALLY DEALS WITH THE PRESENTATION. THE CHARTER SCHOOL HAD TWO MINUTE PRESENTATION. STAFF DID NOT MAKE A PRESENTATION. THEN WE GO INTO BOARD QUESTIONS AND PER POLICY THAT THAT'S THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE. THAT IS NOT THIS, YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO COUNCIL, BUT IT'S REALLY THAT PRESENTATION PIECE AND SO THE DISTRICT HAS DONE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. COGO. TIERRE. OKAY. SO A YES VOTE IS TO APPROVE THE DENIAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION. A NO VOTE IS TO NOT APPROVE THE DENIAL. THANK YOU. OKAY. MS. NEWBELL? YES. DR. RIVAS? YES. MR. MELVOIN? NO. MS. GRIEGO? YES. MS. EZ? YES. MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN, UH, BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON? YES. ALRIGHT, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 [01:45:02] YESES. ONE NO. AND ONE, UH, ABSENT. SO, UH, THE DENIAL, UH, IS APPROVED. OH, [24. Denial of the Renewal Petition for Matrix for Success Academy [PUBLIC HEARING] Charter Schools Division] HEY, CAN I HAVE A MOVE? AND A SECOND FOR TAB 24. MOVED. MOVED BY MS. EZ. SECOND. SECONDED BY DR. RIVAS. WE HAVE PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC COMMENT ON TAB 24 MCCAIN. YES, SIR. SO WE, UH, WE HAVE ALL THE, THE SLOTS, THE TIME SLOTS, AND SO WE UPDATED A REVISED VERSION OF THE SPEAKERS 'CAUSE SOME OF 'EM DIDN'T SHOW UP. CAN I JUST GIVE, I'LL COME AND GET THE LIST. I'LL COME AND GET IT. AND ALSO BOARD MEMBERS, I EMAILED YOU SOME, UH, DOCUMENT LAST WEEK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECEIVED IT, BUT I HAVE EXTRAS HERE. I'LL COME GET HIM. OKAY. UH, MR. LOPEZ, COME ON UP. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ALSO SIGNED UP TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IT, UH, YOUR A FOUR MINUTE PRESENTATION INSTEAD OF TWO? YES, PLEASE. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. SO, UH, LET'S MAKE SURE YOUR SLIDES ARE UP AND THERE'S A LITTLE BUTTONS THERE FOR YOU TO PUSH. OKAY. SO THE FOUR MINUTES IS YOURS. UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GREAT, THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, UH, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO MATRIX IS A DAS DASHBOARD, ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL STATUS CHARTER SCHOOL BY CHOICE. AND WE HAVE MET DAS CRITERIA SINCE YEAR ONE, SEVEN YEARS AGO. SPECIFICALLY OUR DAS ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN BETWEEN 80 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS. WE SERVE LA USD'S MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY. LA USD HAS 4 43 DAS CODES THAT WE WERE COMPARED TO WHO MAY OR MAY NOT MEET DAS CRITERIA, BUT ARE AUTHORIZED AS DAS SCHOOLS BY STATUTE, BY ED CODE AS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS. AND THEY ARE DOING AMAZING WORK. YET EVEN WITH ALL THESE SCHOOLS IN PLACE, JUST OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, OVER 16,000 STUDENTS IN L-A-U-S-D DID NOT GRADUATE WITH THEIR COHORT OR DROP AND DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL. THE BIG QUESTION IS, WHERE DO THESE KIDS GO, IF NOT THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS, IF NOT THE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS? WHERE DO THEY GO? PERSONALLY, AS A FORMER L-A-U-S-D PRINCIPAL, EIGHT YEARS WITH YOU GUYS AT TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, I KNOW EXACTLY THE CRACKS ALL THESE STUDENTS FALL THROUGH AND THAT'S THE VERY REASON WHY WE CREATED AND APPLIED TO, TO PUT A PETITION FORWARD FOR MATRIX SEVEN YEAR, EIGHT YEARS AGO. ACTUALLY OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, MATRIX HAS, IN SIMPLE TERMS, BEEN THE CONTINUATION SCHOOL TO CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IN L-A-U-S-D. IN FACT, OVER HALF A HALF TO THREE FOURTHS OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO BOTH L-A-U-S-D TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, AND HAVE LEFT FOR MANY REASONS, FROM HAVING KIDS TO HAVING TO WORK, TO BEING HOMELESS, TO BEING CAUGHT UP IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE, TO BEING IN AND OUTTA THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM TO BURNING BRIDGES AT ALL. L-A-U-S-D SCHOOLS ATTENDED AND MANY OTHER REASONS. EVERY STUDENT WE ENROLLED WAS NOT ENROLLED. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. WAS NOT ENROLLED OR WAS ATTENDING ANY OTHER L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL IN THE SAME LAST FOUR YEARS. WE'VE GRADUATED 252 STUDENTS, 68 JUST LAST YEAR, WHICH IS MORE THAN 20 CONTINUATION SCHOOLS ENROLLED JUST IN THE LAST YEAR. HOW IS MATRIX NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE 252 STUDENTS WE HAVE ALREADY GRADUATED, ARE PURSUING POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND JOB TRADES, BUT WHO WERE NOT ENROLLED OR ATTENDING ANYWHERE PRIOR TO MATRIX THE FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS IN FRONT OF YOU WITHIN THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION TO DENY MATRIX'S RENEWAL WOULD DENY ACCESS, THE VERY ACCESS TO EDUCATION TO THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENT POPULATION IN LA UNIFIED. THESE FINDINGS ARE MISSING TWO HUGE COMPONENTS. ONE, IT INCLUDES ZERO, ZERO DOTS, ALTERNATIVE METRICS, AND TWO, IT FAILS TO RECOGNIZE WHAT AN ALTERNATIVE.SCHOOL IS AND THE VERY [01:50:01] REASON WHY WE EXIST COMPARISON TO STANDARDIZED DASHBOARD DATA POINTS IN COMPARISON TO DA SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLASSROOM BASED IN OUR ALL AS OUR ALL L-A-U-S-D SCHOOLS AND 95% OF CALIFORNIA DA SCHOOLS ARE NOT ALTERNATIVE METRICS. THEY DO NOT ACCURATELY OR APPROPRIATELY REFLECT THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE. LET ME JUST BE SPECIFIC. JUST IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, MATRIX HAS SERVED 1074 STUDENTS WHO WERE SEVERELY CREDIT DEFICIENT, RANGING FROM BETWEEN TWO TO FIVE SEMESTERS OF STRAIGHT FS 167 PREGNANT AND OR PARENTING TEENAGERS 435 HOMELESS AND FOSTER THEIR KIDS. 347 STUDENTS WITH GAPS IN ENROLLMENT IN OUR CASE, RANGING FROM ONE SEMESTER TO EVEN TWO YEARS COMPLETELY OUTTA SCHOOL. 29 STUDENTS WILL RETAIN MORE THAN ONCE IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. AND LET US NOT FORGET THE DOZENS OF STUDENTS ON PROBATION AND PAROLE WHO ARE NOT EVEN ACCOUNTED OR WELCOME AT ANY LAUD SCHOOLS. EVEN MOST SCHOOLS FOR THAT REASON OR UNDER DO, UH, NOT, NOT EVEN ACCOUNTED BY D HOW IS MATRIX NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WE'VE SERVED THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, WHO WE HAVE WE ENGAGED, WHO HAVE ATTENDED, HAVE BEEN COUNSELED, AND THE HUNDREDS WHO HAVE GRADUATED, BUT PRIOR TO MATRIX WERE NOT ENROLLED OR ATTENDING ANY WORK. HOW ARE WE NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST? I URGE YOU TO REVERSE THIS RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS MARGARET WILKE. MARGARET VOLKE. MARGARET WILKE. YES. OKAY, COME ON UP. YES. UM, GOOD MORNING. L-A-U-S-D BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO PRO BOARD PRESIDENT. MR. SCHON, THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING, UH, THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US TODAY. UM, MY NAME IS MARGARET WELKE. I'M AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALONG WITH CESAR LOPEZ. FOR PALO EDUCATION FOUNDATION. WE RUN MATRIX FOR SUCCESS SCHOOLS. UM, AS YOU SAW EARLIER OUR MOTTO, ANY STUDENT ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE ABOUT. UM, AS CAESAR MENTIONED, UM, THE COMPARISON THAT WAS DONE BY CSD FOR MATRIX TO OTHER, TO CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IS NOT A FAIR COMPARISON. AND AS PART OF OUR COLLABORATION WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR, WE EXPLORED RELEVANT ALTERNATIVE METRICS TO BE USED AS PART OF OUR OVERSIGHT AND RENEWAL PROCESS. BEING A DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL WE SET OUT IN MARCH OF 2023 PROPOSING METRICS THAT MEASURED GROWTH WITHIN OUR SCHOOL, BOTH AS A WHOLE AND IN STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DOS SUBGROUPS, PARENTING ADOLESCENTS, HOMELESS STUDENTS, CREDIT DEFICIENT STUDENTS, DROPOUTS, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, AND STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. THIS COLLABORATION TOOK PLACE OVER A NUMBER OF MONTHS WITH MANY DISCUSSIONS AND REVISIONS MADE TO THE PROPOSED METRICS. WE PROPOSED CSD CONSIDER OUR GRAD RATE ATTENDANCE RATE, LEXILE LEVEL GROWTH IN LONG-TERM ENROLLED STUDENTS BOTH AS A WHOLE SCHOOL AND IN SIGNIFICANT DOS SUBGROUPS. HOWEVER, IN DECEMBER OF 2023, THE CSD POSITED THAT WE DISCARD MOST OF OUR PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE METRICS AND FOCUS ON OUR DASHBOARD IN COMPARISON TO DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. THIS DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE PURPOSE OF BEING A DASHBOARD. ALTERNATIVE DOS SCHOOLS MUST BE EVALUATED, IF NOT AGAINST THEIR OWN GROWTH AND PERFORMANCE, THEN AT LEAST TO SIMILAR SCHOOLS, APPLES TO APPLES, NOT APPLES TO SANDWICHES. EVEN AMONGST OUR SCHOOLS, WE ARE UNIQUE. WE ARE MORE SIMILAR TO A CONTINUATION SCHOOL, CONTINUATION SCHOOL WHERE THE DROPOUTS, NON GRADS, TRANSIENT AND DISENGAGED STUDENTS FIND A SUPPORTIVE FLEXIBLE SCHOOL. NONE OF THE SCHOOLS LISTED IN THE AREA, SINGLE AREA FINDINGS ARE SIMILAR TO MATRIX. WHITNEY IS NEARLY A HUNDRED PERCENT STUDENTS WITH IEPS AND NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF LUSD DOS SCHOOLS HAVE TOTAL ENROLLMENTS OF LESS THAN 100 STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. UH, MARK ELLSWORTH, COME ON UP MR. ELLSWORTH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. ALRIGHT. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARK ELLSWORTH AND I AM A TEACHER AT MATRIX ACADEMY. IN ADDITION TO OVERSEEING OUR SCHOOL'S ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, MY COHORTS AND I HAVE FACILITATED ONGOING TEST TAKING WORKSHOPS TO HELP OUR STUDENTS ADVANCE ON THEIR STATE EXAMS. DURING THE PAST FOUR YEARS, OUR SCHOOL HAS DEMONSTRATED PRONOUNCED STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE STAR ASSESSMENTS. IF YOU WERE TO EXAMINE OUR TEST SCORES FROM 2021 TO OUR CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, YOU WOULD SEE CLEAR PATTERNS OF ACADEMIC GROWTH IN BOTH MATH AND READING. ACROSS EACH GRADE LEVEL, WE'VE SEEN A PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AMONGST OUR SENIOR CLASS. OVER 50% OF WHOM HAVE SCORED EITHER AT OR ABOVE THE 2020 FIFTH PERCENTILE. NOW THE DATA PROVIDES CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT OUR SCHOOL'S RELATIONSHIP CENTERED AND PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL WORKS IN FAVOR OF OUR STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PROGRESS. THE HIGH LEVELS OF [01:55:01] PARTICIPATION ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS DEMONSTRATES STRONG STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND CONSISTENT ACADEMIC MONITORING. BY FOCUSING ON THE GROWTH OF OUR HIGH NEEDS STUDENTS, OF WHICH WE HAVE MANY, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET OUR TEAMS WHERE THEY ARE BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY. UPON COLLECTIVELY REVIEWING OUR STUDENTS' TEST SCORES AND ONGOING ASSESSMENTS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAILOR OUR INSTRUCTION TO BOTH ANTICIPATE AND ACCOMMODATE THEIR SPECIFIC LEARNING NEEDS. OVER TIME, MATRIX HAS SUCCESSFULLY BUILT A CULTURE ROOTED IN ACADEMIC CONFIDENCE AND INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS. THE STUDENTS THAT ENTER OUR HIGH SCHOOL COME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, ECONOMIC STANDINGS, AND ACADEMIC HISTORIES, AND YET THE DATA REVEALS THAT IN SPITE OF SUCH VARIANCES, THEIR COLLECTIVE PERFORMANCE STRENGTHENS EACH YEAR THEY'VE REMAINED ENROLLED AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NEXT IS RACHEL LIVINGSTON, THEN MARIAH WILLIAMS, AND THEN JAY GARRETT. UM, RACHEL LIVINGSTON, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GREAT. GOOD MORNING. UH, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. UH, MY NAME IS RACHEL LIVINGSTON. I AM THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER FOR THE FULFILLMENT FUND. FULFILLMENT FUND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST COLLEGE ACCESS NONPROFITS IN LOS ANGELES. WE WERE FOUNDED ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO WITH THE INTENTION OF HELPING STUDENTS FROM LOS ANGELES ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, UH, REGARDLESS OF THEIR FAMILY INCOME AND EDUCATION SINCE 2021, THE MATRIX FOR SUCCESS HAS PARTNERED WITH FULFILLMENT FUND AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP MATRIX, STUDENTS RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE ADVISING AND GUIDANCE ABOUT OPTIONS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL SUPPORT WITH EVERY ASPECT OF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS FROM COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS, SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS, AND TRADE SCHOOL APPLICATIONS. WE WORK ALONGSIDE THE MATRIX STAFF TO ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT EACH STUDENT HAS A PLAN AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THIS PARTNERSHIP IS INCREDIBLY RARE. A TESTIMONY TO HOW UNLIKE MOST DOC SCHOOLS, MATRIX FOR SUCCESS IS HIGHLY COMMITTED TO HELPING THEIR STUDENTS BUILD FOR THEIR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, NOT JUST COMPLETING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THIS IS EVEN MORE ASTONISHING WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT MOST OF THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND MATRIX ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTING AND HAVE HAD VERY RARE MOMENTS OF SUCCESS AS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. MATRIX FOR SUCCESS IS SPECIAL BECAUSE THEY ARE TRULY INVESTED IN THEIR STUDENTS' GROWTH AND WELLBEING AS THEY MOVE FROM BEING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MATRIX STAFF, THEIR COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENT IN THEIR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IS OVERWHELMINGLY OBVIOUS. MATRIX IS A SPECIAL PLACE, ONE THAT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL ECOSYSTEM OF LA UNIFIED. I SAY THAT AS A FORMER LA UNIFIED TEACHER AND COUNSELOR AND UH, ADMINISTRATOR ON BEHALF OF FULFILLMENT FUND, WE ARE STRONGLY ADVOCATING FOR CHARTER APPROVAL, FOR FAITH, FOR MATRIX FOR SUCCESS, SO THEY CAN CONTINUE DOING THEIR GREAT WORK WITH MARGINALIZED YOUTH IN LOS ANGELES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MARIAH WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARIAH WILLIAMS AND I AM HERE TO URGE THE BOARD TO ABSTAIN FROM THE VOTE TO DENY THE RENEWAL OF MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS INCREASE GRADUATION RATES FOR HIGH NEEDS. STUDENTS STUDIES FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION, THAT STATISTICS SHOW THAT FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE SCHOOLS SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFIT STUDENTS WHO ARE PREGNANT OR PARENTING, HOUSING INSECURE FACING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, WORKING LONG HOURS ACADEMICALLY, BEHIND, OR NEEDING ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION. MATRIX FIXED ITS EXACT PURPOSE AND IT PROVIDES A FLEXIBLE, SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS SIMPLY CANNOT REPLICATE. MATRIX PERSONALLY HELPED ME ADVANCE MY EDUCATION. I TOOK CLASSES, STAYED ON TRACK, AND DUE TO HIS FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE, I GAINED THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE MY GRADUATES AND THEN RE CREDITS AND RETURN TO MY HOMESCHOOL TO GRADUATE EARLY THOUGH I DECIDED NOT TO GRADUATE EARLY, IT SIGNIFICANTLY FREED UP MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR SO I COULD TAKE AP AND COLLEGE LEVEL STEM COURSES. ALLIED WITH MY GOAL TO BECOMING AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST, I'LL BE GRADUATING WITH AN AA DEGREE AND INCREASING MY CHANCES OF GETTING INTO A TOP UNIVERSITY. I'M ALSO A STUDENT ADVOCATE WITH STUDENTS DESERVE, AND I SEE FIRSTHAND HOW STUDENTS NEED THIS UNIQUE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION. NOT EVERY STUDENT IS MEANT TO FIT WITHIN A BOX OF TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS OR MOST CONTINUATION OPTIONS REQUIRES YOU TO ADHERE TO. WITHOUT MATRIX STUDENTS LIKE ME AND THOUSANDS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, LOSE ACCESS TO A PROVEN PATHWAY TO GRADUATION. CLOSING MATRIX WOULD DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM HIGH-NEED STUDENTS. THE BOARD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT EQUITY, NOT REDUCE IT. PLEASE ABSTAIN FROM THE VOTE TO DENY MATRIX RENEWAL AND ALLOW THIS ESSENTIAL PROGRAM TO CONTINUE CONTINUE SERVING THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT THE MOST. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK UH, JAY GARRETT. JAY GARRETT, COME ON UP. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. [02:00:01] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME. MY NAME IS JAY GARRETT AND I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. I WORK AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A SCHOOL ANYTHING LIKE IT. MATRIX WAS FOUNDED WITH A MISSION TO HELP STUDENTS THAT NO OTHER SCHOOL IS SET UP FOR OR WILLING TO ASSIST. SINCE OUR FOUNDING, WE HAVE HAD STUDENTS REFERRED TO US FROM L-E-U-S-D SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, CLASSROOM TO CLASSROOM, COUNSELOR TO COUNSELOR, SOME MAKING THE JOURNEY FROM LEGAL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES THAT HAVE LED LESD, REFUSING THEM ADMISSION ON THEIR CAMPUS. THESE STUDENTS ARE NOT WELCOME AT TRADITIONAL OR CONTINUATION SCHOOLS. THEY'RE ALWAYS WELCOME WITH US. MOST OF THESE STUDENTS WOULD ADD TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS AND NONGRADUATES THAT POPULATE. OUR DISTRICT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS HAS HELPED HUNDREDS OF THESE STUDENTS GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LIKE JAY, WHO HAD BEEN KICKED OUT OF HIS HOUSE AND LIVED ON COUCHES WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, AND FINALLY, A HOMELESS, HOMELESS SHELTER. THE ABUSES HE SUFFERED AT HOME LED TO A CONTINUED AND CONFLICT WITH AUTHORITY THAT CAUSED HIM TO SWITCH HIGH SCHOOLS FOUR TIMES AND BE SUSPENDED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DAY AFTER BEING STRUCK REPEATEDLY BY HIS MOTHER, HE CAME INTO SCHOOL WITH US BECAUSE IT WAS HIS ONLY SAFE REFUGE. WE WORK WITH HIM TO THIS DAY AND HE HAS GONE FROM 100 CREDITS BEHIND TO NOW ONLY NEEDING THREE CLA CLASSES TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL. ANOTHER STUDENT I WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IS A BOY. WE WILL CALL ZI SAY BOY BECAUSE HE WAS 14 WHEN HE DEVELOPED HIS FENTANYL ADDICTION WITH CLASSMATES AT HIGH SCHOOL GETTING HIGH IN THE PARK BEFORE SCHOOL. THEY WOULD COME TO THEIR CAMPUS AND ALL TOO OFTEN SLEEP IN THE PE AREA OR FALL ASLEEP IN CLASS. ONE TIME, Z FELL INTO UNRESPONSIVENESS AND NEAR DEATH. WHEN HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, EXITED OUT OF HIS SCHOOL, HE TRIED CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE SAME RESULTS. HIS ONLY OPTIONS SEEMED TO BE TO LIVE ON THE STREET, BUT WHEN HE CAME TO MATRIX, HE WAS REFERRED TO DRUNK COUNSELING AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE HIGH SCHOOL REMOTELY WITHIN AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN THAT PRIORITIZED HIS, HIS RECOVERY WITH HIS ACADEMICS, RECOVERING SEVERAL CLASSES AS WELL AS HIS HEALTH Z WAS ABLE TO TRANSFER BACK TO L-A-U-S-D PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE NO ON DENIAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. BRENDA ESPARZA, BRENDA, AND THEN AFTER BRENDA IS YESENIA. YESENIA AND THEN ADRIAN AND THEN JERRY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING. HELLO, MY NAME IS BRENDA ESPARZA AND I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AT MATRIX AS A COORDINATOR OF STUDENT SERVICES FOR ONE YOUNG LADY. THOSE SERVICES WERE VITAL WHEN SHE BECAME PREGNANT AND WAS EXITED OUT OF HER HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF HER MEDICAL SITUATION AND CREDIT DEFICIENCY. STARTING SCHOOL WITH US WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING. AFTER AN ALTERCATION WITH HER UNCLE AT HOME WHERE SHE WAS CHOKED WITHIN A BREATH OF HER LIFE, I WENT WITH HER TO FILE A POLICE REPORT AND WE FOUND HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR HER AND HER BABY. THROUGHOUT THE STRUGGLES, MATRIX HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THE INDIVIDUALIZED CARE SHE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO HER EDUCATION AND HELP HER FIND THE SAFETY AND PEACE TO DO SO. AMONG THE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE ASSISTED THAT WOULD NOT HAVE FOUND EDUCATION AT ANOTHER SCHOOL WERE TWO BROTHERS WHO CAME TO AMERICA FROM PERU WHERE THEIR MOTHER HAD TO STAY BEHIND ARRIVING HERE WITH THEIR FATHER, WHO SOON FELL ILL. THE BROTHERS WERE ACADEMICALLY MOTIVATED, BUT STRUGGLED WITH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND ATTENDANCE AS THEY HELPED THEIR FATHER NAVIGATE HIS ILLNESS AND A NEW COUNTRY TAKE TAKING ON WORK AS WELL. IT SEEMED THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL WERE NON-EXISTENT AS THEY WERE DROPPED FROM THEIR HIGH SCHOOL FOR POOR ATTENDANCE. FINDING MATRIX THROUGH A FRIEND AT WORK, THEY WERE ABLE TO ENROLL AND EVENTUALLY GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AFTER A LONG ROAD THAT INCLUDED TRIPS OUT OF THE COUNTRY, ALONG WITH HOSPITAL STAYS WITH THEIR FATHER AND WORK HOURS THAT MADE EDUCATION A POWERFUL BUT CHALLENGING PRIORITY. THEY TOLD ME REPEATEDLY IT WAS ONLY THE COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS WORKING WITH THEM, OFTEN ONE-ON-ONE THAT MADE THEIR SUCCESS POSSIBLE. TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS ARE NOT EQUIPPED OR ABLE TO DO THIS. WHAT MATRIX PROVIDES IS A DESPERATE, DESPERATELY NEEDED AND IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL NICHE WITH MODERN EDUCATION. INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION ENABLES THE UNIQUE NATURE OF OUR, OUR OFFERING. HI, UH, HYBRID CONTINUATION AND CREDIT RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL THAT WAS FOUNDED ON A COUNSELOR DRIVEN MODEL. THIS ALLOWS US TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO HELP OUR STUDENTS REACH THE DREAMS IN HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATING IN A WAY THAT OTHER SCHOOLS CAN'T OR WILL NOT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME OUT TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YESENIA, COME ON UP, YESENIA. AND THEN IT'S ADRIAN GONZALEZ. GOOD MORNING. HELLO, MY NAME IS YESENIA AND I AM SPEAKING WITH YOU TODAY AS A PARENT WHO AT ONE TIME WAS LEFT WITH, UH, NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN. MY DAUGHTER HAD FALLEN BEHIND IN SCHOOL AND WE NEEDED CREDIT RECOVERY IF SHE WANTED TO GRADUATE ON TIME. AS A SINGLE PARENT, I HOPE NONE OF YOU EVER KNOW THE FEAR OF FEELING LIKE YOU HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN TO HELP YOUR CHILD. FOR ME, MATRIX WAS THAT PLACE, UH, THAT I HOPE FOR, THAT I HOPE FOR. AT MATRIX, THE STAFF WORKED SO PATIENTLY AND HARD WITH ME AND MY DAUGHTER, NOT ONLY IN HELPING HER WITH, UM, THE SCHOOLING, BUT EXPLAINING THE PROCESS TO US AND CALLING ME TO FOLLOW UP TO ENSURE THAT SHE WAS MAKING THE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES THAT [02:05:01] SHE NEEDED. SHE NEVER WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO GRADUATE OR FINISH HER CLASSES WITHOUT THIS HELP. MATRIX DID NOT ONLY HELP HER RECOMMIT TO HER SCHOOLWORK, BUT HELPED US TRANSFER BACK TO BE WITH HER FRIENDS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW HELPFUL THEY WERE ALL AND HOW SUPPORTIVE THEY WERE WITH MY, WITH MY DAUGHTER AND MYSELF. THIS IS TRULY A SPECIAL SCHOOL THAT PARENTS LIKE I NEED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY, THE NEXT THREE FOLKS ARE ADRIAN GONZALEZ, JERRY, AND THEN AND ISSA. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S ADRIAN. I'M A TEACHER AT MATRIX. I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE, I'VE ONLY BEEN AT THE SCHOOL FOR THREE MONTHS, BUT I'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR 12 YEARS UNTIL NOW. ALL OF MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN IN TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM SETTINGS. IN THIS SHORT TIME, HOWEVER, I'VE COME TO REALIZE WHAT A SPECIAL PLACE THIS SCHOOL IS AND HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS FOR OUR AT PROMISE STUDENTS. MANY OF OUR STUDENTS COME FROM TRADITIONAL, FROM TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS THAT HAVE FAILED THEM. SOME HAVE DROPPED OUT AND WOULD NOT BE IN SCHOOL AT ALL IF THEY HADN'T BEEN GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE. UH, HERE AT THIS SCHOOL, I OFTEN HEAR STUDENTS SAY THAT OUR SCHOOL IS QUOTE UNQUOTE LIT AND THAT THEY LOVE COMING HERE. SOMETHING THEY RARELY SAY ABOUT THE PREVIOUS SCHOOLS. AT THIS SCHOOL, I'M NOT ONLY A SCIENCE TEACHER, BUT ALSO A SUCCESS SUMMER TEACHER. IN THIS ROLE, I HELP ENSURE THAT MY STUDENTS SUCCEED NOT ONLY IN MY CLASS, BUT THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL JOURNEY. ONE THING I'VE LEARNED HERE IS THAT WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PROVIDE OR SEEK OUT SERVICES THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS, NOT JUST ACADEMICALLY, BUT IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. ONE OF MY SUCCESS SUMMER STUDENTS, STUDENTS, A NINTH GRADER, MEETS WITH ME DAILY. UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S CURRENTLY READING AT A SECOND GRADE LEVEL, A CLEAR SIGN THAT TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS HAVE FAILED TO MEET HIS NEEDS. UH, HERE IN HERE IN AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING, I'M ABLE TO DEDICATE TIME TO WORKING WITH HIM ONE-ON-ONE. FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING HIS READING AND WRITING SKILLS THROUGH PHONICS PRACTICE, FLUENCY WORK, AND PHONEMIC ACTIVITIES, UH, PHOENIX, UH, AWARENESS ACTIVITIES. UH, WE PRACTICE EVERY DAY. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, HE WAS EXTREMELY RESISTANT TO READING AND WRITING. NOW, AFTER CONSISTENT SUPPORT, HIS CONFIDENCE HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY. HIS READING AND WRITING ARE SHOWING REAL PROGRESS. ALTHOUGH HE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO, THE GROWTH HE HAS MADE HERE IS, UH, REMARKABLE. IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, HE LIKELY HAVE CONTINUED SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND REMAINED RESISTANT TO LITERACY WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. JERRY. HELLO AND GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JERRY ANN ROSA CHING, AND I AM A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. TEENAGE YEARS ARE DELICATE. WE OFTEN FORGET HOW LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM SHAPES THE STUDENT'S ABILITY TO SUCCEED. WHEN A YOUNG PERSON BECOMES A PROVIDER, A PARENT, OR LOSES STABLE HOUSING, THEY'RE FORCED TO GROW UP TOO FAST. THEIR DREAMS BEGIN TO FADE, AND MANY START TO BELIEVE THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO WALK AWAY FROM SCHOOL. GROWING UP IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, A PLACE WE BELIEVE WOULD NURTURE US, OFTEN FELT CODE. MANY OF US WERE PUSHED THROUGH A MACHINE THAT WE WERE TOLD TO NAVIGATE ALONE, RECEIVING ONLY SMALL GLIMPSES OF SUPPORT. SOME STUDENTS THRIVED, BUT MANY SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS, QUIETLY, UNNOTICED AND UNHEARD, BUT NOT AT MATRIX ANY STUDENT, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. I HEARD THIS MODEL MY FIRST DAY FOUR YEARS AGO, AND IT HAS LIVED IN MY HEART EVER SINCE. IT'S MORE THAN A MODEL, REALLY. IT'S A PROMISE. A PROMISE THAT NO STUDENT WILL WALK ALONE, THAT SOMEONE WILL SEE THEM, HEAR THEM, AND BELIEVE IN THEM. ONE MOMENT EARLY IN MY CAREER SHOWED ME WHAT THAT PROMISE TRULY MEANS. A STUDENT ARRIVED FROM A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL AFTER YEARS OF DECLINE BY, UH, BY SENIOR YEAR, THEIR TEACHER NOTICED THAT THEY STARTED TO BECOME DISTANT. WHEN I INVITED THEM IN, THEY ASKED IF I WAS GONNA TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW BADLY THEY WERE DOING. INSTEAD, I ASKED THEM ABOUT THEM AND NOT THEIR GRADES. THEY EVENTUALLY OPENED UP ABOUT THEIR FAMILY STRUGGLES, JOB PRESSURES, AND JUST FEELING LEFT BEHIND. AND THEN THEY ASKED ME, DO YOU THINK I CAN GRADUATE? I TOLD THEM, I KNOW YOU CAN, BUT IT'S YOURSELF TO TELL YOU THAT YOU WILL. SOMETHING SHIFTED IN THEM. THEY CHECKED IN WITH ME WEEKLY, REBUILT THEIR CONFIDENCE, AND EVENTUALLY WALKED ACROSS THAT STAGE. LATER ON, THEY CAME AND THANKED ME FOR BEING THE FIRST COUNSELOR TO TOLD THEM TO THAT TOLD THEM THAT THEY COULD. THAT MOMENT CHANGED ME. AT MATRIX, WE DON'T JUST HELP STUDENTS GRADUATE, WE'VE RESTORED THEIR BELIEF IN WHO THEY ARE AND WHO THEY CAN BECOME, AND I'M JUST HONORED TO BE A PART OF THAT MISSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANISSA ANISSA, BOARD MEMBERS SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS ANISA GUILLEN, AND I AM A SOPHOMORE AT AN L-A-U-S-D HIGH SCHOOL. I SPENT MY SECOND SEMESTER OF FRESHMAN YEAR AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. I CAN PERSONALLY SAY WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, TIME, SPACE, AND FLEXIBILITY, I COULD HAVE EASILY DROPPED OUT AND FALLEN BEHIND. I HAD A DIFFICULT MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, BUT WAS EXCITED ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT WAS A PRESTIGIOUS PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES. HOWEVER, PERSONAL FAMILY TRAUMA AND OTHER CHALLENGES MADE IT HARD FOR ME TO KEEP UP. IN NINTH GRADE, MY HIGH SCHOOL DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ME OR MEET MY NEEDS. [02:10:01] FORTUNATELY, MY MOM RECOGNIZED MY STRUGGLES AND KNEW ABOUT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. SHE BELIEVED IT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR ME AT MATRIX. I HAD THE HELP OF COUNSELORS, CO COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND TEACHERS, AND WAS ABLE TO STAY ON TRACK AND EXCEL. MATRIX FOR SUCCESS GAVE ME THE SPACE TO DEAL WITH MY CIRCUMSTANCES AND MEET MY NEEDS AS WELL AS GOALS. LOS ANGELES NEEDS MORE SCHOOLS LIKE MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY, NOT LESS OF THEM. TODAY, I'M PROUD TO SAY I RETURNED TO AN L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL AND NOW AM ON TOP OF MY SOPHOMORE CLASS. I HOPE TO CONTINUE MY HIGH SCHOOL JOURNEY THERE, JOURNEY THERE, BUT I KNOW LIFE CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE. IF THAT HAPPENS, AGAIN, I KNOW I CAN TRAIN A MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY AND THE SCHOOL WILL SUPPORT ME AND ENSURE MY GRADUATION IN COLLEGE. SOMETIMES STUDENTS LIKE ME NEED A LITTLE SPACE TO GET BACK ON TRACK. SCHOOLS LIKE MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HELPING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO NEED IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. LAUREN, COME ON UP. LAUREN. LAUREN SLACK, AND THEN CHRISTIAN CARILLO. AND THEN JOHN JOHNSON. HI, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS LAUREN SLACK, AND I CAME TO MATRIX SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN EXPERIENCED SOMETHING I FOUND RARE IN SCHOOLS. EDUCATORS WHO CARE DEEPLY AND CARE FOR STUDENTS WHO START OUT AT A PLACE OF FEAR AND FRUSTRATION WITH THEIR SCHOOLING OR EDUCATION. WE WORK LARGELY WITH STUDENTS WHO ALREADY BELIEVE THEY'RE AT THE END OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL ROAD. THEY HAVE HIT PERSONAL ROADBLOCKS AND GIVEN UP. I LOVE THAT I CAN HELP THEM FIND THEIR WAY BACK. I CAN ONLY DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE STRUCTURE AND MAKE UP OF OUR, OF AND MAKE OF MATRIX FOUR SUCCESS ACADEMY. AND THE STAFF GIVING SO MUCH SUPPORT, SO MUCH TO SUPPORT IT MATRIX PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SUPPORT, STABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST. THESE ARE THE STUDENTS FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, ACADEMIC STRUGGLES, UH, DIFFICULT FAMILY SITUATIONS, HOUSING INSTABILITY, INVOLVEMENT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEY'RE THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR TRADITIONAL SETTING THAT MIGHT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. AT MATRIX, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO EMPOWER THESE STUDENTS, TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SUPPORT, RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED TO EX THEY NEED TO EXCEED THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY'RE BORN INTO. EVERY STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, DESERVES A CHANCE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY IS A VITAL INSTITUTION SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES AT RISK YOUTH AND DEMANDS OUR MOST CAREFUL REFLECTION. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE TANGIBLE LIFE THREATENING OR LIFE CHANGING RESULTS ACHIEVED AT MATRIX, EXCUSE ME, AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY AND THE NEGATIVE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF ITS CLOSURE. LET'S CHOOSE THE PATH THAT UP UPLIFT UPLIFTS OUR YOUTH, STRENGTHENS OUR, STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY, AND INVEST WISELY IN OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, CHRISTIAN HAR OH, LOOK AT THAT. I'M ON THE BIG SCREEN NOW. UM, GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN RIO AND I AM A GRADUATE FROM MATRIX SUCCESS ACADEMY FOR THE YEAR 20 25, 20 26. UH, THE FIRST GRADUATE TO BE EXACT FOR THIS YEAR. UM, MY, MY JOURNEY TO MATRIX WAS A BIT UNUSUAL. I USED TO, I, I WENT TO A, UM, NORMAL HIGH SCHOOL. UM, I WAS EVEN, UM, A PART OF A PROGRAM TIED WITH USC CALLED NAI, UM, BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM. VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEM. UM, BUT DUE TO PERSONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL ISSUES, FATIGUE FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH SCHOOL LIFE AND, UM, YEAH, JUST, UH, JUST THE GIST. MY GRADES BEGAN TO DROP AND I WAS UNFORTUNATELY REMOVED FROM THE, UH, NAI PROGRAM. UH, WENT THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF DEPRESSION BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY I LOST. BUT, UM, MY MOTHER HAD ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT MATRIX SINCE WE LIVED PRETTY MUCH RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM IT. COOL. FIVE MINUTES. AND, UM, WHEN I GOT THERE, I WAS SUPER SURPRISED ABOUT ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES I HAD. I COULD WORK AT MY OWN PACE. I DIDN'T HAVE TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING ANYMORE TO, YOU KNOW, WORRY ABOUT DEADLINES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I COULD WORK AT MY OWN PACE, AND THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME. UM, DUE TO ME ALSO BEING ENROLLED IN MUSIC SCHOOL, WHICH IS SOMETHING I WANT TO PURSUE IN THE FUTURE. AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT MATRIX. I MEAN, THIS HAS PROBABLY BEEN NOT PROBABLY, THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST SCHOOL EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER HAD. THEIR OPPORTUNITIES AND EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE FOR ME WAS JUST COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS PROBABLY HEAR IT A LOT, BUT IT'S TRUE. THIS SCHOOL REALLY HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. SO I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHEN I SAY THAT EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY, THEY DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE TO. AND I WAS THAT SOMEBODY WHO WANTED A SECOND CHANCE TO TAKE SCHOOL SERIOUSLY. AND I GOT IT. AND IT WAS THANKS [02:15:01] TO THIS SCHOOL. SO MY FINAL NOTE IS THAT I, I DON'T WANNA SEE IT SHUT DOWN. SO I'M, I BEG YOU GUYS TO, TO NOT CLOSE THE SCHOOL DOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. JOHN JOHNSON. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOHN JOHNSON. I'M A SPED TEACHER AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. TODAY I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF OUR SCHOOL MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY. OUR STUDENT POPULATION FACES VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT OTHERS DO NOT SEE. SO SOME COME FROM FAMILIES STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY, SOME BALANCE HEAVY RESPONSIBILITIES AT HOME. SOME LEARN ENGLISH AS A NEW LANGUAGE. OTHERS FACE PERSONAL, SOCIAL, ACADEMIC BARRIERS THAT MAKE SCHOOL HARDER THAN IT SHOULD BE. BUT LET ME BE CLEAR, BEING UNDERSERVED DOES NOT MEAN BEING LESS CAPABLE, LESS TALENTED, LESS DESERVING. IN FACT, MANY OF THESE STUDENTS SHOW INCREDIBLE STRENGTH. THEY DEMONSTRATE RESILIENCE, DE DETERMINATION, AND A LEVEL OF PERSEVERANCE THAT INSPIRES US ALL. LET ME SPEAK ABOUT TWO STUDENTS, ANDREW, WHO CAME TO US THREE YEARS AGO FROM A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MID-CITY AREA. AS A 10TH GRADER WHO DID NOT TRUST TEACHERS OR STAFF. HE WAS CHRONICALLY ABSENT AND RARELY, UH, FINISHED OR SUBMITTED COURSEWORK. HE WAS BEHIND ON CREDITS AND LACKED ACADEMIC MOTIVATION AND CONFIDENCE. ANDREW HAS COMPLETELY BEEN TRANSFORMED AND NOW COMES TO SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY. DOESN'T REQUIRE PROMPTING OR REDIRECTING TO COMPLETE CLASS ASSIGNMENTS. HE IS ON TRACK TO GRADUATE IN THE SPRING AND ENJOYS CLASS AND, AND ENJOYS COMING TO TELL ME HOW HIS WEEKEND, UH, WAS OVER THE, THE LAST THREE DAYS. MARK ALSO ENROLLED IN MATRIX FOR SUCCESS. THREE YEARS AGO, UH, HE WAS BOUNCING AROUND FROM CLASS TO CLASS. HE WAS AT HIGH RISK. HIS MOTHER HAD MENTIONED THAT HE HAD WITHDRAWALS AFTER HIS DAD HAD DAD HAD PASSED AWAY. HE EXPRESSED CONCERN. SHE'S EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT HIS BEHAVIOR AT SCHOOL, AND HE STRUGGLED WITH THE MOTIVATION. BUT NOW HE'S VERY ENGAGED IN CLASS. HE ATTENDS EVERY SINGLE DAY, SUBMITS QUALITY WORK, AND IS ON TRACK TO GRADUATE. THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS AT MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY WHO ARRIVE EVERY DAY EVEN READY. UH, UH, UM, THEIR STORIES ARE VERY POWERFUL REMINDERS OF, UH, THE POTENTIAL THAT EXIST IN OUR CORNERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND DR. ROCHELLE BROOKS, SUPERINTENDENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M DR. ROCHELLE BROOKS. I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF SCHOOLS AT MATRIX. MATRIX FOR SUCCESS ACADEMY EXISTS BECAUSE THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM WASN'T BUILT FOR ALL KIDS. WE SERVE STUDENTS ON PROBATION, IN FOSTER CARE, IN RECOVERY HOMES, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE PARENTING, SURVIVING, HOMELESSNESS, AND STILL FIGHTING FOR FUTURE THAT TOO MANY HAVE ALREADY COUNTED THEM OUT OF. WE ARE A DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL BY DESIGN. THAT MEANS THERE IS A LAWFUL OBLIGATION THAT WE ARE MEASURED BY ALTERNATIVE MEASURES, BY GROWTH, BY PERSISTENCE, BY HEALING, BY GRADUATION FOR LONG-TERM ENROLLED STUDENTS BY CREDIT RECOVERY, BY ATTENDANCE GAINS. BUT NONE OF THAT WAS CONSIDERED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL. NONE WE'RE BEING JUDGED BY THE SAME METRICS THAT FAILED OUR STUDENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND THAT'S NOT JUST UNFAIR, THAT'S A FORM OF VIOLENCE. I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE. I'VE LIVED IT BEFORE. WHEN BLACK FOLKS IN THIS COUNTRY ASKED FOR OUR STRUGGLE TO BE SEEN, FOR OUR SPECIFIC PAIN TO BE NAMED, WE WERE TOLD, WE'RE ALL AMERICANS HERE. AS IF EQUALITY MEANT, PRETENDING THAT WE ALL STARTED FROM THE SAME PLACE AS IF ACKNOWLEDGING DIFFERENCES IS SOMEHOW DIVISIVE. BUT THAT KIND OF THINKING THAT ALL LIVES MATTER. LOGIC IS VIOLENT BECAUSE IT ERASES HISTORY. IT ERASES STRUGGLE, IT ERASES TRUTH. AND WHEN YOU ERASE THE CONTEXT THAT SHAPES PEOPLE'S LIVES, YOU ERASE THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY. BY REFUSING TO HONOR THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS, WE WERE DESIGNED TO BE JUDGED BY THE CHARTER'S OFFICE IS SAYING, YOU'RE NOT JUST A SCHOOL OR IN THEIR CASE, A CONTINUATION SCHOOL, BUT WE'RE NOT A CONTINUATION SCHOOL, NOR ARE WE JUST A SCHOOL. WE'RE A LIFELINE FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. IF THERE IS EVEN ONE OUNCE OF DOUBT IN YOUR MIND ABOUT WHETHER THIS RECOMMENDATION REFLECTS EQUITY, IF THERE IS EVEN ONE MOMENT WHERE YOU WONDER IF THIS DECISION SERVES JUSTICE, I URGE YOU. DO NOT VOTE, ABSTAIN. STAND ON THE SIDE OF FAIRNESS. STAND ON THE SIDE OF YOUTH BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS TO DESERVE TO BE SEEN FOR WHO THEY ARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. LESLIE ANDRADE. LESLIE, I THINK SHE REPLACED SOMEONE, SOMEONE REPLACED LESLIE AND HALEY. [02:20:01] UH, VAR, I THINK ALSO WAS A REPLACEMENT SPEAKER. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, FOR THIS PERIOD. AND NOW IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE BOARD TO DISCUSS BOARD MEMBERS. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, EZ. HI. SO, UM, I DEFINITELY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST DOS CHARTER THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING FOR RENEWAL. SO, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A LESS FAMILIAR PROCESS. UM, I, UH, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE ALTERNATIVE MEASURES THAT WE ARE UTILIZING FOR THIS RENEWAL WERE DETERMINED. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO YOU ARE CORRECT. THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, DOS RENEWAL UP FOR CONSIDERATION. UM, AND SO THE, UH, CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION WORKED WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOL IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE ALL ALTERNATIVE METRICS, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN THE INFORMATION IN THE REPORT. ESSENTIALLY, UM, THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS WERE ESTABLISHED AS THE, UH, COMPARISON TO THE CALIFORNIA DOS SCHOOLS AND SO, AND, UM, ON ALL THE INDICATORS, AND THEN ALSO THE ONE YEAR GRADUATION RATE AS COMPARED TO THE CALIFORNIA DOS SCHOOL. SO THOSE WERE ESTABLISHED AND THEY WERE REPORTED ON AT THE 24 25 OVERSIGHT, UH, VISIT AND REPORT. SO, AND I, I WANTED TO PULL UP THE STATUTE JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAR ON IT. SO I THINK IT SAYS THAT THE CHARTERING AUTHORITY SHALL MEET WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOL DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THE CHARTER'S TERM TO MUTUALLY AGREE TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE METRICS TO BE CONSIDERED. I DON'T NEED TO FINISH THE REST OF THAT SENTENCE, BUT, SO, SO DO THEY MUTUALLY THIS WAS A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON SET OF MEASURES. IT WASN'T MUTUALLY AGREED UPON, BUT THERE WERE MULTIPLE MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS. I DO WANNA, UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINE TOO. SO THE FIRST YEAR OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL'S TERM WAS IN 2018, 19. SO, UM, MEETING IN THE FIRST TERM WASN'T POSSIBLE BECAUSE AB 1505 HADN'T GONE TO EFFECT. AND THEN, UM, IN AND AROUND JULY 21, JULY 1ST, 2020, WE HAD AB 1505. THEN AS WE ALL KNOW, WE HAD THE, UM, PANDEMIC, UM, WHICH IMPACTED STUDENT TESTING AND THEN CHARTER RENEWALS WERE SUSPENDED. UM, AND THEN IN AND AROUND 2022, THERE WAS A QUESTION FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION QUESTIONING CALIFORNIA'S MODIFIED METHODS FOR DOS SCHOOLS FOR FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THEN THAT FINALLY GOT RESOLVED, AND THEN WE STARTED ENGAGING WITH METRICS IN AROUND 23, UH, 24. AND THAT WAS MENTIONED ON THE 2324 OVERSIGHT REPORT THAT WE ARE ENGAGING WITH THE CHARTER OPERATOR AS TO THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS. AND THEN THEY WERE ESTABLISHED AND SENT TO THE CHARTER OPERATOR, AND THEN DOCUMENTED ON THE MOST RECENT OVERSIGHT, UM, OVERSIGHT VISIT AND REPORT. ALRIGHT. UM, WELL, IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS LIKE THERE WERE A LOT OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES. THAT BEING SAID, THE METRICS WERE NOT MUTUALLY AG AGREED UPON. UH, WERE, WERE THERE METRICS THAT THE CHARTER PROPOSED THAT WERE REJECTED? AND IF YOU COULD, IF THERE WERE, COULD YOU SHARE WHAT THOSE WERE? YEAH, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS IN THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHARTER, THERE WAS SOME, UM, CONVERSATIONS AROUND, UH, OTHER TYPES OF METRICS TO BE USED. UM, BUT WHEN GOING BACK TO THE CHARTER AND HAVING THEM TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY WERE GONNA PROVIDE DATA AS TO THAT PARTICULAR METRIC OR, UM, THE PRO OR ALSO A METRIC THAT WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL OR MULTIPLE THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET, THEN ULTIMATELY THEN THE METRICS WERE DETERMINED THEY WERE SENT TO THE CHARTER. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD SINCE THEN THAT THEY DID NOT, THAT THEY WANTED TO ADD ADDITIONAL METRICS TO, TO BE CONSIDERED. COULD YOU SHARE WHAT, WHAT THEY PROPOSED THOUGH? 'CAUSE I, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THEY WEREN'T, THERE WAS CHALLENGES WITH GETTING THE DATA. MAYBE THEY, IT WASN'T APPLICABLE TO THE WHOLE SCHOOL. COULD COULD YOU TELL US WHAT THEY WERE THOUGH? I BELIEVE THEY WERE, UM, AND I CAN CONFER WITH THE TEAM, BUT I BELIEVE THE CONVERSATIONS WERE AROUND MAYBE A CERTAIN STUDENT GROUP AND THERE, UH, OR IN CREDIT RECOVERY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO WHEN ASKED, SAY, SAY IF YOU WANT TO UTILIZE AS A METRICS, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE TRACKING SYSTEM? WHAT DATA WOULD YOU UTILIZE? MAKING SURE THEN THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT. OKAY. I GUESS I COULD, COULD I ASK THE SCHOOL SINCE YOU COULD THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT SURE. SAME QUESTION. YEP. OKAY. SO TAYLOR'S RIGHT HERE, WE TALKED TO HIM FOR YEARS. WE START, WE TALKED ABOUT ALTERNATIVE METRICS ALL THE WAY FROM 2023, ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF. WE PROVIDED FOUR, ACTUALLY SIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALTERNATIVE METRICS THAT WOULD APPLY TO DUST ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA BECAUSE THAT, SEE HOW I WAS A PRINCIPAL OF CONTINUATION SCHOOLS WITHIN, WITHIN LA LA UNIFIED, AND WE USED ALL REAL ALTERNATIVE [02:25:01] METRICS BACK IN THE DAY WITH DR. KENAM AND BETH NEWMAN AND THAT WHOLE CREW THERE. AND THEY WERE BASICALLY, YOU LOOK AT THE, THE KIDS THAT YOU SERVE, AND IF YOU HAVE 80, 70, 90% OF CREDIT DEFICIENT KIDS, THAT'S THE SUBGROUP. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE TRYING TO METRIC. SO, OKAY, LET'S DO A METRIC ON CREDIT COMPLETION. THE, THE BIG CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CSD IS THAT, WELL, THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT OBVIOUSLY BEING THE FIRST DACO NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO IS LIKE, THAT'S TOO COMPLICATED. CAN WE JUST LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD? AND WE REPEATEDLY STATED HUNDREDS OF TIMES, YOU CAN, YOU COULD DO IT ALL DAY LONG, BUT IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES. IT'S APPLES TO CAESAR SALAD. AND YOU SEE, AND IF YOU SEE A SEIZURE SALAD, WELL, I SEE SOME CHUNKS THERE. THEY MAY LOOK LIKE PIECES OF APPLES. THEY'RE NOT PIECES OF APPLES. THEY'RE THE CROUTONS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SIMPLISTIC TRADITIONAL DASHBOARD DATA POINT MATRIX, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND THEM. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE SCHOOL IS SERVING, WHAT'S, WHAT KIDS ARE YOU SERVING? LET'S MEASURE THAT. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO, WE TRY TO COMMUNICATE FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND WE ENGAGE DEEPLY IN THOSE ALTERNATIVE METRICS FOR OVER A YEAR. BUT AFTER A WHILE, IT'S JUST LIKE, THIS IS JUST TOO COMPLICATED. PLUS WE DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS TO SOME OF THAT DATA. THE DASHBOARD IS JUST SO MUCH MORE SIMPLE. WHAT IF WE JUST COMPARE YOU TO THE DACO? YOU COULD DO THAT. AGAIN, IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES. UH, AND FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, UH, WE'RE NOT CLASSROOM BASED. MOST DCOS ARE CLASSROOM BASED. UH, NUMBER TWO, THE, THE, JUST THE COMPOSITION OF THE SCHOOL IS SO DIFFERENT. AND ALSO DA SCHOOLS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND, AND COUNTIES ARE DA SCHOOLS BY STATUTE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO, IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF L-A-U-S-D HAS A DAS PROFILE FOR EACH ONE OF THEIR DAS SCHOOLS. AND BY BY DAS PROFILE, I MEAN THE, THE 12 DAS CRITERIA SPELLED OUT VERY CLEARLY IN ED CODE. WE HAVE IT BECAUSE AS A CHARTER SCHOOL, IT IS A CHOICE TO BE A DA SCHOOL. SO WE HAVE TO TRACK THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AND WE HAVE TO PROVE THE DAS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. AND ALL WE ASK FOR IS THAT WE ARE MEASURED UNDER THAT CRITERIA, THOSE SUBGROUPS WITH SPECIFIC METRICS OF GROWTH FOR THOSE GROUPS, NOT THE DASHBOARD. COULD I ASK, JUST ON THE POINT OF IT'S, IT IS A NON-CLASSROOM BASED SCHOOL, UH, SCHOOL. HOW WOULD THAT MATERIALLY CHANGE HOW WE MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THE, OF THE PROGRAM? THE REASON WHY MATRIX BECAME A NON-CLASSROOM BASED SCHOOL, HAVING SEEN HOW EXACTLY KIDS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM AND THE CONTINUATION SCHOOL SYSTEM BEING CLASSROOM BASED, WE ALL KNOW THE STUDENTS NEED FLEXIBILITY, MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY. AND EVEN THOUGH WE ARE IN NON-CLASSROOM BASED SCHOOL, OUR KIDS COME TO SCHOOL ALMOST EVERY DAY, WE ARE SIMPLY USING THAT MECHANISM, THAT STRUCTURE TO ACTUALLY FURTHER HELP KIDS AND AFFORD THEM THE FLEXIBILITY, THE HYBRID STRUCTURE THAT THEY WILL PICK UP AND COME TO. BECAUSE CLEARLY IT HASN'T WORKED FOR MOST OF OUR STUDENTS. ALMOST 80% OF OUR STUDENTS, WE ARE THEIR THIRD, FOURTH, OR FIFTH HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM BASED OPTIONS HAVE NETWORKED. AND THAT'S WHY, AND, AND BEING NON-CLASSROOM BASED AFFORD US THAT OPPORTUNITY. UNDERSTOOD. CAN I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY AS WELL? THAT'S GREAT. NO, THERE WAS NO MUTUAL AGREEMENT ON THE DASHBOARD BEING USED AS AN, AS A MEASURE. UM, THERE WERE BACK AND FORTHS AND OUR ALTERNATIVE MEASURES WERE NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. UM, AND THEN YOUR SECOND QUESTION FOR NON-CLASSROOM BASED, WHAT ALTERNATIVE, UH, METRICS CAN BE USED OR HOW DOES A MATERIALIZE? WE FOCUS ON GROWTH EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE MEET WITH OUR STUDENTS. WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS. AS MR. LOPEZ SAID, WE UNDERSTAND OUR STUDENT POPULATION AND WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GROW AND WE MEASURE THEM. THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. GROWTH. DR. B, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE METRICS WERE? SURE. UM, I, OR I CAN YEAH, GO AHEAD. BUT YEAH. SO THE METRICS WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED BACK IN 2023 INCLUDED, UM, LEXILE GROWTH LEVEL FOR SUBGROUPS AND AS A WHOLE, UM, GRADUATION RATE FOR OUR LONG-TERM ENROLLED STUDENTS, WHICH IS WHAT THE CAL, WHAT THE STATE LOOKS AT AS FAR AS DO SCHOOLS GO, BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH HIGH TRANSIENCY, RIGHT? UM, WHAT AM I MISSING? WE, OH, AVERAGE DAYS OF ATTENDANCE. WE, ALL OF THOSE METRICS THAT WE PROPOSED BACK IN 2023 WERE ABLE TO BE MEASURED. WE DID PROVIDE DATA ON THAT. AS LOPEZ WAS SAYING, IT WAS NOT AN EASY THING FOR THEM TO PULL BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T JUST PULL THAT STRAIGHT FROM DASHBOARD, RIGHT. AND LOOK FOR A COLOR. YOU HAD TO WORK WITH US TO GET THAT INFORMATION. WE PROVIDED SUPPORT, UH, REPORTS FROM OUR SIS. WE PROVIDED REPORTS FROM OUR IN INTERNAL TESTING SYSTEM, RENAISSANCE STAR. UM, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE, THOSE REPORTS AND THAT DATA FOR CSD. BUT AGAIN, IT WASN'T EASY. UM, THEIR DATA TEAM CAME OUT AND ASKED IF THEY COULD JUST LOOK AT A, A WHOLE STUDENT REPORT. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR SCHOOL IS. OUR SCHOOL IS ALTERNATIVE IS DASHBOARD [02:30:01] ALTERNATIVE. IT IS SERVING STUDENTS THAT NEED DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUPPORT, AND THEY CAN'T ALL BE MEASURED WITH THE SAME YARDSTICK. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO LOOK AT, IS THE GROWTH AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE WITH OUR STUDENTS SINCE 2018. AND YOU'LL SEE YEAR OVER YEAR, THERE IS GROWTH IN GRADUATION RATE. THERE IS GROWTH IN ATTENDANCE, THERE IS LEXILE LEVEL GROWTH. UM, THERE, IT'S, THE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IS OFF THE CHARTS. OUR ATTENDANCE RATE HOVERS AROUND 90% NOW FOR A DOSS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL FOR FORMER DROPOUTS TO HAVE OUR ATTENDANCE RATE AT 90% TO HAVE OUR TESTING RATE ON STATE TESTS, WHICH WE'RE NOT EVEN CONSIDERING, BUT THAT THEY HAVE, OUR, OUR PARTICIPATION RATE IS OVER 86% FOR 2324. HOW, HOW ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT SERVING OUR STUDENTS? WE ARE, WE ARE SERVING OUR STUDENTS. WE DID OFFER ALTERNATIVES. THEY WERE SHUT DOWN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY ADD TO, IF I COULD, TO THIS, UH, MS. GEZ. SURE. JUST BECAUSE THIS WAS A TOPIC OF ALSO RECENT CONVERSATION REVIEWING THE, UH, THE SCHOOL'S RESPONSE MM-HMM . UH, AS A SCHOOL HAS NOTED, THERE WERE VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS AND, UM, IN DIGGING DEEPER WITH THE TEAM, THERE WERE ALSO ASSESSING, AS MS. WILMA TOUCHED ON HOW TO ASSESS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, NOT JUST SUBSETS OF STUDENTS. SO IN TERMS OF TRACKING, FOR EXAMPLE, CREDIT, UH, CREDIT COMPLETION, OVER A 90 DAY PERIOD, THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS THAT THE TEAM HAD REGARDING ALL STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE ENROLLED. WE UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE MOVEMENTS. UH, AND IN THE END OF THE DAY, THE TEAM DID NOT HAVE CONFIDENCE OR CLARITY REGARDING HOW THAT THOSE DATA WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL TO BE CONSIDERED CONSISTENTLY FOR HIGH STAKES DECISIONS AT RENEWAL TIME. I'LL GIVE ONE BRIEF OTHER EXAMPLE. WE HAVE TWO CHARTER SCHOOL DOC SCHOOLS, THE OTHER SCHOOL SIMILAR PROCESS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ALTERNATIVE METRICS IN SOME AREAS WHERE THEY WERE CLEAR RUBRICS AND ABLE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE TEAM'S QUESTIONS. SO I UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE, WE UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUENESS OF THE SCHOOL, RESPECTFULLY, VERY MULTITUDE OF CONVERSATIONS AS ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE, THE CHARTER. THE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE MUTUAL AGREEMENT. IT REQUIRES CONSENT TO MEET, TO DISCUSS, AND THE AUTHORIZER NEEDS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. IN THE END, WHAT'S COME BEFORE YOU, UH, IS WHAT ULTIMATELY THE SCHOOL ALSO RESPONDED IN THE FINAL ITERATION. AND I UNDERSTAND THEY SAY THAT THAT'S MAYBE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY LEFT IT AT THAT WERE THE, THE METRICS THAT, UH, ESSENTIALLY YOU SEE BEFORE YOU. SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF THOSE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND AND RECEIVE WHAT WE WOULD COMPARE AT THE TIME OF RENEWAL. UM, I APPRECIATE THAT CONTEXT. I, I THINK THAT THERE'S AN INHERENT CHALLENGE IN LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY DO SERVE A HIGHLY MOBILE STUDENT POPULATION. AND SO IT, IT, THERE IS A NATURAL DIFFICULTY WITH GETTING TO THE TRADITIONAL MEASURES OF VERIFIED DATA, UM, THAT WE UTILIZE FOR OTHER SCHOOLS. SO, UM, I HEAR, I HEAR THE CONCERNS YOU'RE SAYING, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT AS IN THE WEEDS AS YOU ALL ARE, BUT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS AN ARGUE ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC POPULATION THAT WE SERVE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE METRICS WE USE ARE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THE TYPE OF SCHOOL THAT WE'RE EXAMINING. UM, I DO HAVE, UH, TWO MORE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FOR YOU ALL. UM, ONE IS, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS SERVED BY THE SCHOOL, UM, THE, THE SCHOOL AND VARIOUS SPEAKERS, UH, MADE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING THAT. THE, UM, ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS THAT THEY WERE BEING COMPARED TO SERVE DIFFERENT STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE VERACITY OF THAT? OH, WELL, WE DID, UM, HAVE A REQUEST TO LOOK AT THE, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THE, I ALSO WANNA NOTE TOO, IN ADDITION TO THE METRICS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED WITH COMPARISON TO THE CALIFORNIA DOS SCHOOLS, UM, IN THE, UM, CLOSURES IN THE BEST INTEREST, THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS TO LOOK AT THE L-A-U-S-D DOS SCHOOLS. AND SO YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT DATA THERE. I WILL NOTE WE DID LOOK AT THE L-A-U-S-D DOS SCHOOLS THAT WERE COMPARED AND THEIR, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS. AND SO I'LL GIVE YOU, UM, SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS. UH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR FREE AND REDUCED MEALS, UM, MATRIX, I'M TALKING ABOUT 24 25 DATA. THAT'S WHAT'S CURRENTLY, UM, AVAILABLE FOR THE COMPARISONS. UM, FREE AND REDUCED MEALS MATRIX WAS 91.9%. L-A-U-S-D DOCOS WERE 92.9%. SO SIMILAR TYPE DEMOGRAPHICS. UM, ENGLISH LEARNERS, THEY WERE SERVING 26.3 AND THE DOS SCHOOLS WERE 14.5. A LITTLE DIFFERENT THERE. BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, LET'S SAY, UH, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MATRIX HAD 17%. THE L-A-U-S-D DOS SCHOOLS HAD 23.3%. SO, UM, THAT'S JUST SOME, SOME POINTS THAT, UM, WHAT ABOUT LIKE FOSTER YOUTH OR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH? DO, DO [02:35:01] WE HAVE DATA COMPARISON DATA ON THAT? WE HAVE FOSTER YOUTH AND HOMELESS YOUTH. SO FOR FOSTER YOUTH, MATRIX HAD 0.8%. THE L-A-U-S-D DOS SCHOOLS HAD 1.6% FOR HOMELESS YOUTH. UH, MATRIX HAD 14, 14.3%. AND THE L-A-U-S-D DOCOS 7.8%. OKAY. SO THE, UM, HIGHER AND ON ENGLISH LEARNERS, UH, PRETTY SIMILAR ON FREE AND REDUCED PRICE LUNCH, A LITTLE BIT LOWER ON FOSTER YOUTH, BUT ABOUT DOUBLE ON STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AND WE DON'T, DO WE HAVE A PREGNANT AND PARENTING YOUTH? THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE, UM, NO, THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE, WE HAVE THAT ON. OKAY. WHY NOT? IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A, WHY DON'T WE HAVE THAT? I DON'T, IT'S NOT REPORTED AS PART OF THE CALPADS REPORTED DATA THAT WE UTILIZE IN ORDER TO REPORT ON, ON THE STUDENT GROUPS. BUT, BUT DO WE HAVE THE NO, YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP SINCE YOU'RE ASKING ? YEAH, SO I'M SORRY. WE, WE HAVE SCHOOLS SERVING PARENTING AND PREGNANT TEENS. YES. LIKE, WHY DID WE NOT USE THOSE SCHOOLS IN THE COMPARISONS? WELL, THERE IS A-L-A-U-S-D DOS COMPARISON SCHOOLS, AND I WOULD HAVE TO, AND RAMONA AND RILEY ARE NOT IN THAT LIST. UH, LET DOUBLE CHECK THE LIST RIGHT NOW. I, I BELIEVE THEY ARE. IF WE NEED TO RECEIVE THOSE, WE'LL HAVE TO ASK OUR OFFICE TO UPDATE AN ACCOUNTABILITY. WE DON'T HAVE THEM AT THE MOMENT. WHAT WERE THE DOS SCHOOLS FOR A USD? NOT THE CHARTER ONES, THE TRADITIONAL ONES. UM, HERE I'LL READ SOME OF THE LA USD DOS SCHOOLS. AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, IT'S PART OF THE, IT'S ACTUALLY EXHIBIT THREE. AND SO SOME COMPARISON SCHOOLS ARE, UM, OH, LET'S SEE HERE. WE HAVE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS ON HERE. WE HAVE ALSO DAN ISAACS AVALON HIGH. THAT'S A CONTINUATION SCHOOL. OKAY. WE HAVE FRITO HOLLOW HIGH. ANOTHER CONTINUATION. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE, UM, JOHN WOODEN, HIGH PUEBLO DAY, LOS ANGELES CONTINUATION SCHOOL. AND LET'S SEE, UM, YOUTH FOR OPPORTUNITY, YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED. THAT WAS ONE OF THE COMPARISON SCHOOLS. UM, BASED ON THE CALIFORNIA DOS SCHOOLS THAT SERVE, I'M SORRY, THE L-A-U-S-D DOS SCHOOLS THAT SERVE GRADES NINE THROUGH NINE THROUGH 12. THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. PHOENIX. OH, PHOENIX CONTINUATION IS ON THERE AS WELL. IT'S, IS THIS IN THE MATERIALS AND YEAH, IT'S IN EXHIBIT NUMBER THREE. DO YOU HAVE THE PAGE NUMBER? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S THE, THE PARTICULAR ONE I HAVE DOESN'T HAVE PAGE NUMBERS ON IT, BUT YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S BASICALLY, UM, THE FIRST SET OF DATA IS THE CALIFORNIA DOS HIGH SCHOOL DATA. IF YOU GO IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, THEN YOU START THE L-A-U-S-D DOS COMPARISON, HIGH SCHOOL COMPARISONS. I DO WANT TO NOTE, THOUGH, THAT YOU WILL HAVE DIFFERENT STU SCHOOLS LISTED, UM, DEPENDING ON, THEY WERE NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE HAVE THE, UM, STARTING WITH 2223, I WILL NOTE WE DID NOT DO A COMPARISON OF, OF MATRIX IN 2122. 'CAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUPS. SO THEY'LL, ALTHOUGH IT'S REPORTED ON THE DASHBOARD BECAUSE WE PORTABLE DATA IS 11 OR MORE, UM, WE DON'T WANNA DO A COMPARISON IF IT'S NOT NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT. SO YOU WILL NOTE THAT IN THE LIST OF SCHOOLS, IF THAT, THOSE COMPARISON SCHOOLS ALSO HAD TO DEMONSTRATE NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT GROUPING IN ORDER TO BE COMPARED. AND SO YOU HAVE THE BEGINNINGS, YOU HAVE THE ELA, UM, FROM ALL THE WAY, 22, 23, 23, 24, THEN YOU HAVE YOUR MATH, AND THEN, UH, YOU HAVE YOUR, UM, LPI AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, CCII WILL NOTE AS, UM, AS PART OF THE LETTER THAT WAS SET OUT TO, UM, COMMUNICATE THE, UH, DOS INDICATORS, THE ALTERNATIVE INDICATORS THAT IT'S L-A-U-S-D SCHOOLS, ACADEMICS. SO FOR THOSE, WHEN WE GOT DROPPED DOWN TO THE L-A-U-S-D DOS COMPARISON, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FOUR ACADEMIC INDICATORS, AND THAT'S ALL IN THE EXHIBITS. SO NOT SUSPENSION, NOT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, JUST NOT FOR THE L-A-U-S-D DOS COMPARISONS AS OUTLINED IN THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT THAT, THAT IDENTIFIED THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS. AND IN DETERMINING THE, UM, LUSD COMPARISONS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE DIDN'T INCLUDE LIKE COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOLS OR, UM, OUR SCHOOLS THAT SPECIFICALLY SERVE PREGNANT AND PARENTING STUDENTS. SO CAN I DO SEE ONE COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL? I SEE DOROTHY V. JOHNSON COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL NOTED ON HERE. UM, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENGLISH LEARNER PROGRESS INDICATOR. UM, AND THEN I DO WANNA NOTE, SO IT DEPENDS ON ALSO, AS I SAID, IF THEY HAD A NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUP. AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN, UM, PART OF THE REASONS THAT IT WAS NOT REPORTED OUT TO DO A COMPARISON. SO IT'S REPORTED OUT, BUT IT'S NOT, WE DON'T WANNA DO A COMPARISON UNLESS IT'S NOT NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT. OKAY. UNDER UNDERSTOOD. UM, AND THEN JUST ON THE, UM, OVERSIGHT [02:40:01] REPORTS, THE, THE REASON THERE ISN'T A, THERE'S NO, NO RATING FOR 23, 24, 24 25, IS, IS THAT BECAUSE WE WERE STILL DETERMINING THE, BECAUSE IT SAYS THERE WAS NO RATING DUE TO ITS STATUS AS A DOS CHARTER SCHOOL. SO IS THAT THE NORMAL PRACTICE OR IS THAT BECAUSE WE WERE SORTING OUT WHAT THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS WOULD BE? SO ESSENTIALLY WE, UM, ARE ISSUING NO RATINGS FOR OUR TWO DOS SCHOOLS. AND THEN IN THE NARRATIVE, IF ON THE 24 25 NARRATIVE, WE DISCUSS THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS AND HOW THEY, THEIR SCORES AS COMPARED TO THE CALIFORNIA DO SCHOOLS. SO, UH, WE DIDN'T PROVIDE AN OVERALL RATE RATING FOR OUR BOTH OF OUR DOS SCHOOLS. IS THAT THE PLANNED PRACTICE MOVING FORWARD, OR WAS THAT TEMPORARY IN, IN NATURE? THAT WAS THE PLANNED PRACTICE MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. I DO THINK, I MEAN, FOR ME AS A BOARD MEMBER, YEAH, LIKE I LOOK AT THE OVERSIGHT RATINGS, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND HAVING A FULL PICTURE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN LOOK AT THE ACADEMIC DATA ON THE DASHBOARD, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR STAFF EXPERT REVIEW, COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF HOW THE SCHOOL IS DOING. UM, SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE, UH, AN EVALUATION OF SOME SORT, UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THAT'S THE AREA WE NEED TO CONSIDER. YEAH, WE'LL TAKE THAT BACK FROM CONSIDERATION. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, I THINK PART OF THE THINKING TOO IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT OUR, IT'S CONSISTENT WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A SCORE OF THREE, IT'S A CONSISTENT, UM, REVIEW AS WE LOOK AT ALL THE REST OF THE, UH, CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO WE'D HAVE TO, WE WILL LOOK AT IT, BUT WE JUST WANNA ENSURE THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT, WHAT THE RATING MEANS FOR A PARTICULAR DOS SCHOOL. YEAH. AND LIKE, IT, IT WOULDN'T BE CONSISTENT BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. YES. BUT WE WOULD WANNA BE CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER, ALL THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE MEASURED ON THE SAME CRITERIA. YES. KELLY, CAN WE GO TO SOMEONE ELSE AND COME BACK TO YOU? PLEASE GO FOR IT. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S FINE. OKAY. I KNEW THAT. I KNOW, I KNEW, I KNEW . GO AHEAD, MS. GRIEGO, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING MS. GRIEGO, LET ME JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO THE STUDENTS SPEAK, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS CONTINUATION SCHOOL. THIS IS THE IMPRESSION THAT I GOT FROM KIDS THAT WERE SPEAKING HERE. LIKE THEY HAD TO GO FROM A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL RIGHT TO THIS SCHOOL. AND THERE ARE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IN L-A-U-S-D. I KNOW. 'CAUSE I VISIT ALL OF MY CONTINUATION SCHOOLS. KIDS HAVE VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THEY REALLY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IN L-A-U-S-D ARE NOT DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB IN WORKING WITH KIDS. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THEY ARE HERE AND THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. GO AHEAD, CARLA. YEAH. UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT, UH, MATRIX IS NOT A CLASSROOM-BASED SCHOOL. SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR A STUDENT THERE, THERE? SURE. SO NON-CLASSROOM BASE IS JUST A TERM SIMILAR TO THE, THE CLOSEST THING YOU HAVE IN L-A-U-S-D IS CITYS, THAT'S YOUR NON-CLASSROOM BASED, UH, SCHOOL FOR THE DISTRICT. UH, SO IS THERE'S SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF HOW YOU, UH, UH, ACCOUNT FOR ATTENDANCE. AND IT'S CALLED TIME VALUE ATTENDANCE. IT'S BASED ON THE WORK SUBMITTED AND COMPLETED, UH, BY THE STUDENTS. UH, SAME, SIMILAR TO CITY OF ANGELS, NOT EXACTLY THE SAME PAIR BY, BY ED CODE IS A LITTLE, THERE'S SOME DIFFERENCES THERE. UH, SO THAT IS THE, THE STRUCTURE THAT WE EXIST UNDER. AND WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT CHANGES IS THE WAY YOU GET FUNDED. SO AS A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT'S NON-CLASSROOM BASED, YOU APPLY FOR WHAT'S CALLED, UH, A FUNDING DETERMINATION THAT IS BASED ON, UH, IT'S A WHOLE OTHER PROCESS THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO DISTRICT SCHOOLS AT ALL. IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SYSTEM. SO WHAT IT, BUT, BUT PRACTICALLY WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO IS TO SERVE THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE IN PRETTY MUCH A HYBRID, COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT STUDIES FORMAT. OR LIKE, PROBABLY OVER HALF OF OUR STUDENTS ACTUALLY COME ONTO ONE OF OUR SUPPORT SITES. SO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE PRAC, UH, PRACTICALLY IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS HAS A PERSONALIZED SCHEDULE FOR EVERY SINGLE WEEK THAT THEY ARE WITH US. UM, AND THEN ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR IS IT ALLOWS US FOR, UH, FLEXIBILITY. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE POINT OUT IS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, 10 YEARS AGO, OVER A DECADE AGO, DEVELOPED SOMETHING CALLED THE STABILITY RATE. AND THE STABILITY RATE TELLS YOU EXACTLY WHY DA SCHOOLS ARE DA GOALS AND WHY THEY NEED TO BE, UH, REALLY ASSESSED, UH, THROUGH A DIFFERENT METRIC. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, ROUGHLY THE, WE LOOKED AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR STABILITY RATE IS LIKE 36%, UH, L-A-U-S-D STABILITY RATE AVERAGE. THE MEAN IS ABOUT 34%. IT'S IN THE THIRTIES. AND IT RANGES [02:45:01] FROM LITERALLY ZERO STABILITY RATE TO SOME ABOUT 40, 50% STABILITY RATE. JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE THAT REGULAR SCHOOLS ARE IN THE NINETIES, AND THAT'S WHY THE DASHBOARD METRICS A HUNDRED PERCENT APPLY. GO KNOCK YOURSELVES OUT. IT APPLIES TO MOST SCHOOLS. IT DOES NOT APPLY TO CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, TO COMMUNITY BASED SCHOOLS TO MATRIX. WHY? BECAUSE THE STABILITY RATES ARE SO LOW. YOU CAN LOOK AT TEST SCORES, YOU CAN LOOK AT ELA SCORES, YOU CAN LOOK AT ALL THAT ALL DAY LONG. BUT AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE IT HAS TO HIT YOU. WAIT A MINUTE, THESE SCHOOLS ARE NOT STABLE. THEY'RE IN THE TWENTIES, THEY'RE IN THE TEENS, THEY'RE IN THE THIRTIES. STABILITY RATE WISE. WHY ARE WE EVEN LOOKING AT THAT? SHOULDN'T WE BE LOOKING AT OTHER METRICS? AND I DON'T CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, MR. SEN ARE DOING AMAZING WORK. I WAS THERE, I WAS A PRINCIPAL OF ONE. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, THROUGH THOSE EYES, THROUGH THOSE LENSES, YOU SEE NOTHING BUT FAILURE. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY ARE. THEY'RE MIRACLE WORKERS AT EVERY ONE OF THOSE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS. BUT IF YOU CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THEM THROUGH THOSE LENSES, THEY'RE GONNA BE SO FAR FROM THE STANDARD EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE CRITERIA AND THE STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE SERVING. AND THAT IS OUR MAIN THING. CAN I ANSWER NON-CLASSROOM BASED AS WELL? SURE. SO NON-CLASSROOM BASED MEANS OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO LEARN TO LEARN, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE A MOM OF THREE AND YOUR KIDS ARE AT HOME AND YOU CAN'T COME ON A CAMPUS, YOU HOP ON A ZOOM MEETING WITH A TEACHER, IT MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE THERE FROM EIGHT TO FOUR WITHOUT THE PRINCIPAL CALLING YOU, TELLING YOU YOU'RE TRUE IN EVERY DAY AND LETTING YOUR PARENTS KNOW SOCIAL WORKERS ARE GONNA BE AFTER THEM, OR THAT THERE'S IMMIGRATION ISSUES HAPPENING, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT OF FEARS WITH OUR STUDENTS COMING TO CAMPUS. AND WHAT NON-CLASSROOM BASED MEANS IS THEY HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO LEARN ANYTIME, ANY PLACE, ANYWHERE. THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT. OKAY. AND THEN JUST A FOLLOW UP. AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU DESCRIBING THAT. AND, UM, I WORKED AT AN OPTION SCHOOL FOR PREGNANT AND PARENTING MINORS AND HOW I WISH THAT THIS WAS THE FLEXIBILITY THEY HAD. THANK YOU. BECAUSE I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE. HOLD ON. NO, HOLD ON. AND, UM, BUT HERE'S MY QUESTION THOUGH. YEAH, SURE. UM, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEY CANNOT BE COMPARED TO OTHER SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE ASSESSMENTS THAT THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO BECAUSE OF THE FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE IT'S CHALLENGING TO GET KIDS TO COME TO SCHOOL TO TAKE AN ASSESSMENT DURING A WINDOW. I MEAN, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN BEING ABLE TO MEET THE ASSESSMENT PIECE? SURE. SO THE PARTICIPATION RATE IS AN ISSUE, RIGHT? WITH FLEXI, WITH THE TRANSIENT POPULATION. THE STUDENTS THAT COME TO US AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE STUDENTS THAT ARE WITH US AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO IF WE'RE TESTING THE STUDENTS AT THAT ARE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, IT'S NOT REFLECTIVE OF OUR PROGRESS, ACADEMIC PROGRESS AS A SCHOOL AT ALL. IT CAN BE, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ARGUING. MOST OF OUR STUDENTS THAT COME WITH US ARE NOT WITH US THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR. AND IF WE ARE GONNA BE CONSIDERED FOR, FOR THAT DASHBOARD, ALLOW US TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND SEE WHICH STUDENTS ARE STAYING WITH US AND TRACK THEIR PROGRESS, RIGHT? WE SHOULDN'T BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE LEAVING OR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING IN THREE, THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS. UM, AND YES, PARTICIPATION RATE AS WELL, IF THE STUDENTS AREN'T COMING IN PERSON, BEING ABLE TO GET THEM IN PERSON IS A CHALLENGE. HOWEVER, WE'VE DONE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES THERE, RIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA, WE STARTED OFF MAYBE 20% PARTICIPATION RATE, AND NOW WE'RE ALMOST AT 90%. RIGHT? THAT HASN'T BEEN EASY. UM, WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF THE, THE CLIMATE THAT WE HAVE WITH, UM, THEM REQUIRING THE DASHBOARD. UM, AND WE'RE MEETING THOSE CHALLENGES, BUT WE'RE ALSO REQUESTING THAT WE'RE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND MEASURED BY THEM. OKAY. SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF, IF THEY WERE JUST TO USE THE STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE, UM, THE ASSESSMENT THAT IS MEASURED IN THE DASHBOARD OR IN THE, UM, THAT IF THEY ONLY LOOKED AT THOSE STUDENTS, NOT THE ONES THAT DROPPED THAT RIGHT. YOU KNOW, MOVED, RIGHT? YOU, YOUR SCORES WOULD BE HIGHER, YOU WOULD'VE MET 100%. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR LONG TERM ENROLLED STUDENTS, OUR SCORES ARE HIGHER EVERYWHERE. ON EVERY SINGLE METRIC. ON CSP, YES. ON CSP, ON RENAISSANCE, A DA CREDIT COMPLETION COLLEGE READINESS. IF YOU LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE METRIC AND YOU USE OUR LONG-TERM ENROLLED STUDENTS, OUR DATA, OUR METRICS ARE, OUR DATA'S HIGHER. YES. HOW MANY, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR NUMBER OF STUDENTS ON, THIS IS MATH. YES. DASHBOARD 20, 24 STUDENTS WITH SCORES. 48 STUDENTS FROM 11TH GRADE, RIGHT? THAT'S 11TH GRADE. YEAH, 11TH GRADE. 48, 11TH GRADERS. AND OF THOSE 48, HOW [02:50:01] MANY OF THOSE KIDS ARE, WERE NOT THERE WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO TEST. WE DON'T KNOW. 'CAUSE THAT JUST LIKE EXACTLY THAT, THAT COULD, THAT KID COULD HAVE JUST SHOWN UP THAT DAY AND WE TESTED 'EM AGAIN. SO, SO IS THERE A PROCESS? I GUESS, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS THIS, I TOTALLY HEAR YOUR, YOUR STORY. I, I TOTALLY HEAR IT AND I KNOW THE CHALLENGES AND THEY'RE VERY REAL. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT MEASURES THAT THE STUDENTS ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND THAT THEY'RE LEARNING. RIGHT? A HUNDRED PERCENT. 'CAUSE AT THE SAME TIME, EXCUSE ME, AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT KIDS, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, THAT GOT THEM THERE TO JUST SHOW UP WITH A PACKET AND LEAVE AND COME BACK. WE WANT KIDS TO BE ENGAGED IN WHATEVER MANNER IT LOOKS LIKE. RIGHT. AND SO I DON'T, I'M CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE MEASURES, BUT, BUT THEN LIKE THE DATA, YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL ME HOW MANY OF THESE KIDS WERE NOT THERE. WE COULD. IT'S JUST THAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS FROM THE DASHBOARD, YOU ARE LOOKING AT SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU AS AN ENTIRE BOARD. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF ANYTHING ALTERNATIVE, BUT ALSO LIKE, HOLD ON. BUT ALSO THE, THE ONE YOU WERE RECOMMENDING STAR DATA, THAT STAR ASSESSMENT THAT IS NOT, UH, COMPARABLE TO, TO THE, THE, UH, PAC WE COULD USE SPAC, WE COULD USE. IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, UM, I'VE DONE THAT AND IT'S, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU PROPOSED THAT ASSESSMENT AS THE ONE TO, TO USE AS A MEASUREMENT TO SEE YOUR PROGRESS. I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A, A MEASURE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN COMPARABLE TO WHAT ESPA, UM, MEASURES. SURE. IN THE SAME MANNER, RIGHT? CORRECT. THE, THE, AGAIN, TIMELINESS, SBA IS OFFERED ONCE A YEAR STAR RENAISSANCE. YOU CAN DO THAT ALMOST TEST EVERY KID, EVERY, EVERY SINGLE MONTH AND GET, GET A PICTURE OF WHERE THE KID IS YOUR POST. I AGREE. BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT, I MEAN, IF WE ARE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT CHARTERS ARE MEETING THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THE STUDENTS' NEEDS, RIGHT? THAT THE WHATEVER YOU'RE OFFERING IS MEETING OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS. AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND SO TO ME, AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, AS SOMEBODY WHO IS IN, IN THIS POSITION, TO ME, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE, THAT WE HOLD YOU HOLD THE, THE CHARTERS ACCOUNTABLE, JUST LIKE WE'RE HOLDING OUR OWN SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE. SO WHY NOT COME UP WITH ANOTHER, ANOTHER ASSESSMENT THAT IS COMPARABLE TO ESBA? I THINK I'M WILLING TO TAKE ON THAT CHALLENGE, RIGHT? IF YOU GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY AND YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, LET'S USE SBA AS A METRIC, AND WE GO BACK TO OUR STUDENTS, AND IT'S A CULTURE SHIFT. IT TAKES TIME. WE CHOSE AN, WE CHOSE THE VERIFIED DATA THAT WE CHOSE, WE CHOSE RENAISSANCE. AND THERE WAS, THERE WAS NO PUSHBACK UNTIL THE END WHERE THEY SAID, ACTUALLY, WE NEED THE CASP DATA. RIGHT? THAT DASHBOARD WASN'T PRESENTED TO US UNTIL THE END OF THIS PROCESS. THIS ENTIRE TIME WE WERE USING OUR VERIFIED DATA RENAISSANCE. AND THERE WAS, IT WAS ACCEPTABLE. IT WAS ACCEPTED. UM, THE OTHER ISSUE THAT FOR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS THAT USED, USED TO BE USED BY THE STATE BOARD WAS THE LONG, YOU'VE HEARD THIS TERM, THE LONG TERM ENROLLMENT. WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WHAT THAT MEANS IS BASICALLY KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN ENROLLED WITH YOU FOR 90 OR MORE DAYS, THAT IS THE METRIC THAT THE STATE USED FOREVER FOR CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, FOR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE. AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHO YOU WANNA BASE YOUR, UH, ANY METRICS ON YOUR LONG-TERM STUDENTS BECAUSE YOUR STUDENTS ARE NOT GONNA BE THERE OR YEAR LIKELY, LIKE I LIKE STATED, UH, I STATED EARLIER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THE STABILITY RATE OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE TWENTIES AND THIRTIES, YOU KNOW, TO BEGIN WITH IT'S HIGHLY MOBILE POPULATION OF STUDENTS. AND SO HOW RELIABLE IS TESTING DATA, REALLY? SO WE'RE NOT AGAINST IT. WE'RE SAYING, WHAT OTHER ALTERNATIVES ARE YOU LOOKING AT, ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS WHO HAVE ALREADY DROPPED OUT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ENROLLED IN SCHOOL FOR MONTHS, SOME CASES YEARS. IS IT REALLY, IS IT REALLY GONNA GIVE YOU A PICTURE OR IS IT MORE IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE A KID, HAVE THEM PUSHING FORWARD TOWARDS CREDIT COMPLETION, DAYS OF ATTENDANCE? ABSOLUTE LEXILE LEVELS IS EVEN A MORE POWERFUL, UH, METRIC BECAUSE THESE KIDS', LITERACY IS ALREADY LOW, AND LEXI IS A TIME TESTED. I I TOTAL, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I TOTALLY AGREE. ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THAT WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE READING AND TO BE THINKING CRITICALLY AND TO BE ENGAGING IN CONVERSATIONS AND TO, YOU KNOW, LEAVE SCHOOL, TO, TO ENGAGE IN SOCIETY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, IN A WAY THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT AND THAT THEY FEEL THAT, UM, THEY CAN, THEY CAN, UM, GIVE SOMETHING [02:55:01] TO, TO SOCIETY. RIGHT? SO, UM, THIS IS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSES AND I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL, SO WHAT IS, WHAT WERE THE REASONS THAT YOU WENT? I MEAN, IS IT TRULY THAT IT WAS TOO HARD TO DO WHAT THEY WERE OFFERING? BECAUSE THAT CONCERNS ME THAT THAT WAS A RESPONSE THEY GOT. THAT'S JUST TOO HARD. SO WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP IT SIMPLE AND JUST DO DASHBOARD. IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED? OR WHY IS IT THAT YOU DECIDED TO, TO CHOOSE DAS AS THE, AS THE WAY TO MEASURE THEIR PROGRESS AND THEIR SUCCESS THESE PAST FEW YEARS? RIGHT. UH, CERTAINLY, UH, THE TEAM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T CHARACTERIZE IT THE WAY THEY HAVE IN TERMS OF BEING TOO DIFFICULT. AS I NOTED EARLIER, THE TEAM HAD MULTIPLE ITERATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS IN WRITING VERBALLY IN PERSON WITH THE SCHOOL TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE METRICS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU. SO PART OF THE CHALLENGE, AND, AND I THINK THIS CONVERSATION WAS, IS A BIT EMBLEMATIC OF THE BACK AND FORTH THAT TOOK PLACE WITH THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND THE GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT REPRESENTS THE TOTAL, UM, GROUP OF STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE TRANSITIONS, HOWEVER, EVERY STUDENT IS NOT JUST THERE FOR A DAY. THERE ARE STUDENTS THERE FOR OTHER PERIODS OF TIME, EVEN BELOW THE 90 DAYS. IT WAS INCUMBENT ON THE SCHOOL TO PROVIDE THE SYSTEMS, THE TRACKING, THE CONSISTENT REPORTING THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW THE AUTHORIZER TO ASSESS THAT AND MAKE THE RE HIGH STAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ACCORDINGLY. I GAVE YOU EXAMPLE OF THE CREDIT COMPLETION EARLIER. SO I JUST SAY THAT TO SAY, NO, THE TEAM WORKED MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE SCHOOL IN THE FINAL ITERATION AND NOT GONNA ASCRIBE ANY RATIONALE IN THE FINAL ITERATION WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS ASKED BY OUR TEAM IN WRITING WHAT ARE ADDITIONAL, UH, ALTERNATIVE METRICS IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, AND ESSENTIALLY CAME TO THE COMPARISON OF THE CALIFORNIA DOS SCHOOLS AND THEN THE DISTRICT DOS SCHOOLS. OKAY. SO AFTER A LOT OF ITERATIONS, AND, UM, WE UNDERSTAND IT'S A CHALLENGING CONVERSATION, BUT THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TEXTURE OF HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS WENT. I WAS IN SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS WITH THE TEAM SAID, WE'RE GONNA GO IN PERSON TO TRY TO DISCUSS AND IRON IT OUT TO THE BEST WE CAN, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE CLEAR WAYS TO THEN PRESENT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THOSE METRICS, YEAR TO YEAR, UH, TO THEN ASSESS THE HIGH STAKES DECISION OF RENEWAL. AND IT WAS FOR BOTH SCHOOLS THAT AT OUR DISTRICT DO SCHOOLS AT THE SAME TIME, PARALLEL TRACKS. SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE HAD, CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? I'LL MAKE IT QUICK. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. UM, WE DID HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TEAM. I JUST MET TAYLOR A FEW MONTHS AGO, RIGHT? HE WASN'T THE PERSON THAT WE WERE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH, THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WITH. WE THOUGHT THOSE WERE THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS WE WERE USING, AND WE HAVE THAT INTERNAL DATA THAT WE DO HAVE THAT. THANK YOU. IF I, IF I CAN JUST SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. UM, AND I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF OPTION SCHOOLS AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS. I DO THINK THAT, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HOLD THEM TO VERY HIGH STANDARDS TOO, BECAUSE LIKE YOU ALL SAID, THEY ARE ONE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. AND FOR SOME THIS MAY BE THEIR LAST TIME OR OPPORTUNITY. SO TO ME, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. THIS, FRANKLY, THIS IS A VERY BIG DECISION FOR ME BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN IT SO MUCH. AND TO ME IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRACK AND WE SHOW THAT THE SCHOOL IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN. AND I AM CONCERNED THOUGH THAT THE, UM, THE METRICS THAT WERE, THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS THAT WERE OFFERED BY THE, BY THE BY MATRIX TO ME, ARE NOT, UM, COMPELLING ENOUGH TO SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS OVER TIME. AND I'M NOT A BIG PROPONENT OF TESTING, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT, ESPECIALLY IN, IN THESE, UM, IN, IN THESE IN UH, ENVIRONMENTS AND IN THESE SETTINGS THAT TE THE TRADITIONAL TESTING WORKS. I TOTALLY AGREE. BUT IN, BUT WE ARE IN THIS POSITION THAT THESE ARE THE MEASURES THAT WE USE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, A CHARTER OR EVEN FOR OUR OWN SCHOOLS IN L-A-U-S-D. WE TEAR THEM AND WE TRACK 'EM. AND, UM, WE ARE VERY STRICT WITH OUR OWN SCHOOLS WHO ARE NOT, UM, WHO ARE STRUGGLING IN, IN MEETING SOME OF THESE TEST SCORES. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CARLA. KELLY, DID YOU WANNA FINISH YOUR YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOOD. NICK, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION. A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. UM, BUT IS IT, I MEAN, JUST TO CRYSTALLIZE IT, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT FOR A DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT ANY ALTERNATIVES TO THE DASHBOARD? WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD AS COMPARED TO OTHER DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS. [03:00:01] AND IN ADDITION, ALSO, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. THE ONE YEAR GRADUATION RATE WAS ALSO CONSIDERED BECAUSE THAT IS A METRIC TO BE UTILIZED FOR DOS SCHOOLS. AND SO THAT WAS UTILIZED AS COMPARED TO THE STATE. SO THAT WAS LOOKED AT AS WELL. AND EVEN THOUGH COMPARATIVELY THAT GRADUATION RATE IS LOW, IT DID IMPROVE, RIGHT? IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FOR, UM, MATRIX DOUBLE CHECKS, LIKE DOUBLE THE REPORT, I THINK IT'S STILL UNDER 50%, BUT IT WENT FROM 20 ISH TO 46 OR 47 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I MEAN, IT JUST STRIKES ME, I, ONE, I THINK THAT THE LAW SEEMS SLOP SLOPPILY DRAFTED IN TERMS OF YOU MUST AGREE TO MEET, BUT YOU MUST NOT ADOPT. AND SO, I, I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTH, BUT THE INTENT OF THIS, ESPECIALLY JUST GIVEN THE VERY NAME, UM, OF DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, IS TO MEET AND ADOPT DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVES. AND I KNOW JUST, AGAIN, TO PUT A FINER POINT ON IT, MS. EZ HAD ASKED, DID WE REJECT ANY OF THEIR CRITERIA? DID WE ADOPT ANY OF THEIR CRITERIA? LIKE EVEN ONE OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS AS FAR, NO, IT, IT WAS REFLECTIVE. WELL, I'M, I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY ONE, THE ONE OF THEM THAT WE ADOPTED, BUT I WILL SAY ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS RESULT BECAUSE OF THEM PROVIDING THE INFORMATION NEEDED IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THOSE ALTERNATIVE METRICS. LET ME ADD, LET ME ADD TO THAT AGAIN, AND, AND I WANT TO NOTE THIS. 'CAUSE THIS IS PARALLEL TRACK FOR SIMILAR SCHOOLS. THE SCHOOL, ALL OF THEIR FEEDBACK WAS TAKEN IN, THEY HAD TO SHOW HOW THAT WAS GOING TO BE CONSISTENTLY AND CLEARLY TRACKED, IDENTIFIED, REPORTED THAT DID NOT MEET, UH, THE TEAM'S ASSESSMENT FOR REASONABLENESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND SO IN THE END, BOTH IN WRITING AND VERBALLY WHEN THE SCHOOL SUBMITTED BACK THE, THE CRITERIA, WHAT, IT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS THE SCHOOL HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT, SO THAT WAY THE AUTHORIZER CAN ASSESS IT APPROPRIATELY. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE DISTRICT FELT THAT THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS THAT THEY PROPOSED, THEY DIDN'T BACK UP. AND SO WE DID ADOPT NONE OF THEM, IF THAT'S HOW YOU WANNA PORTRAY IT. UH, BUT AGAIN, THE GRADUATION WAY WAS AGREEABLE. EVERY, EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR VIEW IN TERMS OF THEIR RESPONSE, WHAT THEY SUBMITTED BACK IN WRITING AS TO THE FINAL LIST OF METRICS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE US. I THINK THAT THEN I APPRECIATE MARLEY MENTIONING, YOU KNOW, EXHIBIT C OR WHATEVER IT WAS, THE COMPARISON SCHOOL, BUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY AND THAT THIS BOARD AND THIS DISTRICT SEEM TO HAVE CONFUSION, I THINK IS THEIR POINT. THAT THIS IS HARD TO COMPARE. THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE, BY THEIR TAKE AT LEAST BEEN TO FIVE OR SIX OTHER SCHOOLS. UM, AND IF THIS IS CLOSED, BE IT, YOU KNOW, GO TO AT LEAST ONE OR TWO MORE OR NOT, OR JUST LIKE GIVE UP ON THEIR, ON THEIR SCHOOLING. UM, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY GET A PASS, JUST LIKE DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE DOESN'T MEAN IN MY MIND, DASHBOARD OR ACCOUNTABILITY EXEMPT, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A HIGHER BAR WHEN IT COMES TO THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENT, UM, STANDARD. AND SO TO THAT POINT, DO WE HAVE, I MEAN, I THINK THEIR MOST COMPELLING CASE FOR ME AT LEAST, IS THAT THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, INCLUDING OUR CONTINUATION SCHOOLS, AND WILL NOT END UP AT A BETTER PLACE IF THIS IS NO LONGER AN OPTION. AND SO WHAT DATA DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO TO SEE WHERE THESE STUDENTS ARE COMING FROM. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN IN LA UNIFIED SCHOOLS? THEY MENTIONED THAT, I THINK THEY MENTIONED THEIR PRESENTATION THAT NONE OF THEIR CURRENT STUDENTS CAME DIRECTLY FROM LA UNIFIED. SO DOES THAT MEAN THEY'RE COMING FROM NO EDUCATION OR, AND THEN THE COROLLARY TO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT CRETE AND, UM, AND, UH, LEARNING BY DESIGN. UM, WHERE THEN ARE THESE STUDENTS GONNA END UP IF THE SCHOOL IS NO LONGER AN OPTION AS PART OF OUR PROCESS, UH, FOR THIS, FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION FOR, THERE'S DIRECT OUTREACH FROM THE DISTRICT TO THE STUDENT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A DISTRICT OPTION. CERTAINLY THOSE WOULD BE CHOICES FOR THE FAMILIES TO MAKE, BUT THEY'LL RECEIVE DIRECT COMMUNICATION FROM LA UNIFIED. SECONDLY, WE, WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR REGIONS, OUR VIRTUAL ACADEMY TEAM, AND THEY'RE AWARE, UH, RESPECTFULLY, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, STRATEGIC ENROLLMENT OFFICE TO THEN ALSO WORK IN SUPPORT IF CALLS COME IN. ALSO WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL UNDERSTANDING SHOULD THE BOARD, UH, ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION, THEY WOULD HAVE APPEAL RIGHTS. SO I WANNA BALANCE THAT AND BE SENSITIVE TO THAT. BUT THERE'LL BE DIRECT ENGAGEMENT. THERE'LL ALSO BE SUPPORT LOCALLY WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL AND THE FAMILIES, ANY FAIRES ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS. UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO RESPONSIVE AS PARENTS CALL IN TO, TO MEET THEIR NEEDS, UH, WHEREVER THEY ARE. SO THAT'S IN RESPONSE TO MY SECOND QUESTION. THE FIRST ONE IS, DO WE HAVE DATA ON WHERE THESE STUDENTS WERE BEFORE? OR HOW MANY OF THESE STUDENTS HAVE GONE HAVE NAVIGATED THE EL UNIFIED SYSTEM DID NOT FIND SUCCESS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THERE. I, I BELIEVE IN OUR, UH, BASED ON WHATEVER'S REPORTED, JUST LIKE WE, WE WOULD, UH, OBTAIN THE RESIDENT SCHOOLS. I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGURES IN OUR HEADS. HOWEVER, FOR ANY STUDENT THAT IS IN THE DISTRICT THAT WOULD HAVE THAT DIRECT OUTREACH, SO THAT THAT'S ON THE, THAT'S IF THIS SCHOOL CLOSE. I'M SAYING LIKE, DO WE KNOW [03:05:01] HOW THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THIS IS A STUDENT POPULATION THAT HAD NOT FOUND SUCCESS IN LA UNIFIED SCHOOLS, AND IN MANY CASES MULTIPLE L UNIFIED SCHOOLS. SO THEN SAYING, OKAY, WELL YOUR OPTION IS TO GO BACK TO THOSE SCHOOLS, JUST SEEMS, YOU KNOW, COUNTERINTUITIVE. AND SO I'M SAYING, WHAT, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT? AND THE ANSWER MIGHT BE NOTHING. I'M JUST, I'M NOT, THIS IS NOT RHETORICAL. I'M CURIOUS, LIKE, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE STUDENT POPULATION AND WHETHER THEY WERE IN ONE OR MULTIPLE LA UNIFIED SCHOOLS PRIOR TO ATTENDING MATRIX? WE'D HAVE TO GET THE SPECIFICS OF HOW MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS PRIOR TO THIS FROM, UH, AN ANECDOTAL AND OVERSIGHT. 'CAUSE OUR TEAM HAS, UH, DISCUSSED. THEN THAT WOULD BE, UM, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO OBTAIN. OKAY. SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT, NOT NOT ALL FOR EVERY SINGLE, EVERY SINGLE ITERATION AT THE MOMENT. UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I'LL I'LL TURN IT BACK TO MR. CHARLESON. I THINK THAT THIS, I, I SHARE, YOU KNOW, I THINK MS. GRIEGOS SAID IT WELL AROUND THE, THE NEED TO STILL HAVE HIGH STANDARDS. BUT AGAIN, I JUST AM GRAPPLING WITH THIS IDEA THAT THE REASON STATE LAW ALLOWS FOR A DASHBOARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL IS TO LOOK AT THINGS BESIDES THE DASHBOARD. 'CAUSE THIS IS A POPULATION WHO NEEDS THAT EXTRA SUPPORT. AND I THINK THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THIS BOARD THAT HAVE BEEN REJECTED THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOS SCHOOLS. WE ALSO HAVE SOME DISTRICT SCHOOLS. AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL, THAT, THAT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT THE DISTRICT HAVE HAS, THAT SERVES PREGNANT AND PARENTING TEENS AREN'T INCLUDED. IT'S JUST, IT'S A HARD POPULATION TO COMPARE. AND I THINK THE FACT THAT WE THEN DIDN'T ADOPT THE CRITERIA OR HAVE A MORE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP, AND THEN WE'RE SENDING STUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOLS THAT THEY'VE COME FROM AND, AND CHOSE TO LEAVE FOR FOR REASONS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT BROUGHT THEM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, IS JUST A HARD, HARD PILL FOR ME TO SWALLOW. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE? ROCIO, UM, GOING BACK ON, ON QUESTIONS REGARDING, UM, THAT THE, THE SCHOOL IS NOT A CLASS-BASED, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF IT'S INDEPENDENT STUDY. JUST WANTING TO KNOW, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ADDRESS IT OR, OR WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE FROM MATRIX ADDRESS IT. HOW MUCH LIVE INSTRUCTION DOES, DO STUDENTS RECEIVE DAILY OR WEEKLY? IS IT ALL FROM HOME? DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? MS. MALDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT THAT? YEAH, SURE. I CAN. YOU'D HAVE MORE OF THE DIRECT INFORMATION. WE HAVE A HYBRID MODEL, SO STUDENTS CAN COME IN UP TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK. UH, UH, IS THAT MANDATORY OR IS THAT JUST OPTIONAL? IT'S OPTIONAL. IT'S WITH HYBRID. YEAH. AND, UH, FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY, WHAT IS THE GUARANTEED MINIMUM DIRECT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME? SO IF THERE'S A STUDENT THAT'S NOT, UM, THAT HAD, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED EXTRA SUPPORT, IS THAT STILL OPTIONAL OR IS IT HUNDRED PERCENT? YES. SO EVERY SINGLE STUDENT HAS AN INDIVIDUALIZED TAILORED SCHEDULE. SOME STUDENTS ARE THERE FOUR DAYS A WEEK, THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY. SOME OF THEM ARE THERE THREE HOURS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WORK, BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORK, A JOB. UM, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE STUDENT. BUT YES, IF EXTRA SUPPORT IS NEEDED, IT'S PROVIDED. IF THAT MEANS ZOOM, IF THAT MEANS KNOCKING ON FOLKS' DOORS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, EXTRA SUPPORT IS ALWAYS PROVIDED. AND, UM, FOR STUDENTS WITH, UM, WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR DISABILITIES, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON HOW MANY STUDENTS WITH IPS ATTEND YOUR SCHOOL? OR HOW IS AN IP IMPLEMENTATION MONITORED WHEN STUDENTS ARE NOT PRESENT CONSISTENTLY? YES. WE, I THINK WE HAVE 63 STUDENTS THAT ARE IN SPED. UM, AND WE HAVE A PHENOMENAL SPED TEAM. UM, THEY MEET THEIR MINUTES TYPICALLY EITHER IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM. I WOULD SAY THE CLASSROOMS THAT YOU SEE THE MOST LIVELY AND ENGAGING INSTRUCTIONS ARE THOSE CLASSROOMS. THE STUDENTS LOVE COMING, THEY GO ON FIELD TRIPS. UH, THEY'RE THOROUGHLY ENGAGED. SO THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THE MOST LIVE IN-PERSON SUPPORT AND FOR OUR TEAM. UM, WHAT IS, UM, SORT OF YOUR EVALUATION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS? HOW WERE THEIR NEEDS MET? WELL, YOU CAN SEE, UM, IT DOESN'T, LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR OVERALL DATA. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WAS NOT AN IDENTIFIED NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUP. UM, BUT LET ME GO TO THE, UM, THE REGULAR, I'LL CALL IT THE REGULAR, UH, DATA SET. AND IN THAT, WE CAN SEE THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WE'LL START WITH, UH, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, UM, UH, WAS REPORTED ON IN 2024. AND, BUT ONLY 11 STUDENTS, UH, WERE, UM, THE NUMBER OF SCORES WAS REPORTABLE BUT NOT NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT. AND THEREFORE WE DIDN'T DO A COMPARISON. BUT OVERALL, IT WAS, THEY SCORED ON, UH, ELA NEGATIVE ONE. THIS IS ON THE 2024 DASHBOARD. I WANNA POINT OUT NEGATIVE 1 69 0.2. AND [03:10:01] THEN, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IN MATH, IT WAS NO LONGER A REPORTABLE STUDENT GROUP, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY DASHBOARD DATA ON THEM. UM, AND THAT'S WHY, SO IT WAS DROPPED OFF THE, THEY DON'T REPORT UNDER 11. SO WE HAVE SOME, SOME DATA. WELL, I MEAN, I, I, I DO HEAR THAT THE DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED YEARS OF OVERSIGHT TO SUPPORT THIS SCHOOL YET, UM, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE SAME ISSUES HAVE KEEP, HAVE KEPT RESURFACING INCOMPLETE DATA AND CONSISTENT ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS AND JUST DIFFICULTY IN VARYING, VERY VERIFYING THE GROWTH. AND YES, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UM, A CATEGORY OF SCHOOLS THAT HAS, UM, CONSISTENTLY SEEN, UM, CHALLENGES IN EVALUATING, UM, THE STUDENTS', UM, PROGRESS OR ACADEMIC GROWTH BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING, UM, ARE IN THESE, THESE SCHOOLS. UM, CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOLS. AND JUST ALSO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOLS OR, UM, ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT IN MY DISTRICT THAT I PAY CAREFUL, UM, ATTENTION TO, I HAVE A LOT THAT I, I'VE SEEN THEIR, THEIR HARD WORK. UM, SO I DO ALSO WANNA SAY THAT WE HAVE, THE DISTRICT DOES HAVE, UM, AMAZING CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOLS VERY MUCH DEDICATED. SO I KNOW THAT, UM, WHATEVER THE SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS, UM, END UP, I KNOW THEY WILL, THEY HAVE WONDER. THEY HAVE GREAT OPTIONS. SO I DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT. AND ALSO THAT, UM, YEAH, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, UM, THE DOS SCHOOLS ARE JUST VERY CHALLENGING TOO, TOO. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS WITH THE STATE AS WELL, RIGHT? TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT, UM, OR TO PROVIDE, UM, GUIDELINES THAT CAN HELP US IN THIS. SO I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK THAT CSD HAS, UM, HAS CONDUCTED IN THIS AND LOOKED AT ALL THE, UM, AREAS AND WHEN THE CONVERSATION WAS ON CASP, UM, THE DATA, I, YOU KNOW, I DO SEE THAT FOR 23, 24 AND ELA, IT WAS 24. UM, APPROXIMATELY 22% MET OR EXCEEDED. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT 24, 25, IT WENT DOWN TO TWO, ABOUT 11%, UM, MET OR EXCEEDED. AND IN MATH, THE 0% EXCEEDED. UM, BUT THERE WAS SOME PROGRESS AND 1.47% MET OR EXCEEDED, WHICH IS STILL CONSISTENTLY LOW. UM, AND, UM, I KNOW THAT MS. GREGO MENTIONED, UM, THE STAR DATA, AND I CLEARLY HEARD HER, UM, HER COMMENTS ON THAT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SHE WAS, UM, A, A TEACHER AT, UH, ONE OF OUR CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOLS. SO JUST, JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS, UM, A DECISION. AGAIN, THAT'S NOT EASY FOR ME GIVEN THE, MY SOFT SPOT FOR CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT, UM, BASED ON THE DATA THAT'S HERE IN THE REPORT, I WILL HAVE TO BASE MY DECISION ON THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROCIO. ANYONE ELSE? CHARLOTTE? YEAH. UM, WANTED TO ASK, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, UM, STUDENTS THAT WERE IN SPED, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, IF THE STUDENT HAS A IEP, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED? HOW ARE THE STUDENTS' IEPS IMPLEMENTED? YEAH, WELL, THEY, YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THEY UTILIZE WEGEN AS A PART OF OUR SUPPLE, SO THEY WOULD BE LIKE ANY OTHER STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY AND IEP, THEY'D BE UTILIZING THAT SYSTEM. AND I GUESS A LOT HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, BUT I GUESS FOR US BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT A SCHOOL WITH ALTERNATIVE, UM, METRICS, I GUESS THE STATE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE US SOME BETTER LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO PUT THIS KIND OF SITUATION. NOT TO REPEAT, AGAIN, CONSIDERING THAT, I MEAN, THIS TYPE OF SCHOOL DEFINITELY DIFFERENT. UM, DEFINITELY PROVIDING TO A, UH, A POPULATION THAT'S DIFFERENT AND WANTING TO BE ABLE TO, TO GIVE THE BEST RESOURCES FOR THAT POPULATION, BUT YET NOT HAVING CLEAR GUIDELINES ON HOW TO GET TO THAT BETWEEN, UH, THE AUTHORIZER AND THE SCHOOL, UM, WOULD STATE BE ABLE TO GIVE US GUIDELINES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS KIND OF SITUATION IS KIND OF MORE FLUID AND NOT, NOT NOT AS FLUID, UM, BUT GIVES US A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE. YOU CAN TAKE THAT FEEDBACK BACK. OKAY. THANKS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? GO AHEAD TANYA. SURE. I JUST WANNA THANK THE SCHOOL AND THE LEADERSHIP FOR SENDING US AN EMAIL ON FRIDAY THAT REALLY CLARIFIED A LOT OF MY THINKING. [03:15:01] AND, UM, EVERYTHING YOU POINTED OUT THERE, I THINK WAS REITERATED IN OUR CONVERSATION HERE. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR, UM, BREAKING IT ALL DOWN FOR US. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION, YOUR OPENING REMARKS I THOUGHT WERE REALLY POIGNANT AND A REMINDER OF WHO WE'RE SERVING AND HOW WE'RE SERVING THEM. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GRADUATING ALL THE STUDENTS THAT YOU HAVE. YOU'VE MADE PRETTY GOOD GROWTH FOR THE STUDENTS THAT THE DISTRICT, I THINK HAS NOT YET SERVED WELL. SO I APPRECIATE THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE DENIAL AND SEEING WHERE MY COLLEAGUES LIE. WE'LL SEE, UM, IF THERE ARE FOUR VOTES TO NOT SUPPORT THE DENIAL, IF WE CAN APPROVE THE SCHOOL TO MAINTAIN, UM, THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING. I, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A BIT OF A PROCESS COMING HERE, BUT I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN STILL WORK TOGETHER GOING FORWARD. UM, IF THE SCHOOL DOES REMAIN UNDER, YOU KNOW, THE LA UNIFIED'S AUTHORITY, I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE FOR THE NEXT ROUND, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, WORK ON THE ISSUES THAT THE ADULTS NEED TO FOCUS ON SO THAT YOU ALL CAN FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR KIDS REALLY NEED. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU. TANYA. ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ONE MORE, ONE MORE COMMENT, SHERETTE. JUST CLARIFYING BECAUSE AS, UM, THIS SCHOOL IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT, AND IF IT'S FOR OUR CHARTERS, DO THEY GET SUPPORT FOR TIERED CHARTER PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS? LIKE WHERE WOULD THEY GET SUPPORT? LIKE HOW WE HAVE PRIORITY SCHOOLS, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT TIERED, HOW WOULD THE SCHOOL OF THIS NATURE, ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN INTERVENTION? YEAH, SO CHARTER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS OWN INTER INTERVENTION. WE WOULD OVERSEE THE OUTCOMES AS WE SAID, AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE HAVE THE ANNUAL OVERSIGHT VISIT ABOUT DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM. BUT ULTIMATELY, AS AN INDEPENDENT CHARTER, THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING AND SEEKING OUT ANY SUPPORT THAT THEY NEEDED. CAN I SAY SOMETHING JUST NOTING THAT ALL OVERSIGHTS HAVE BEEN POSITIVE? SO IN TERMS OF THE LAST FEW YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT, THERE HASN'T BEEN A FOCUS, RIGHT? BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE GET A POSITIVE OVERSIGHT, UM, AND IN THE INTERIM, WE'RE STILL DEVELOPING THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, 'CAUSE SHE TALKED ABOUT OVERSIGHT, THEY'VE ALL BEEN POSITIVE. THANK YOU. AND YOU VALIDATE THAT, CORRECT? WELL, IF WE LOOK, I MEAN, THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT, THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE EVALUATE AS PART OF OVERSIGHT, RIGHT? SO WE EVALUATE THE GOVERNANCE, UH, THE OPERATIONS, UH, THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND THE FISCAL CONDITIONS. SO OVERALL IN THOSE AREAS, WE DIDN'T FIND HAVE ANY FINDINGS IN THOSE AREAS. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS BASED ON THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS ASSESSMENT OF THOSE. AND THEN THE BEST INTEREST ASSESSMENT WHEN WE COMPARE TO THE L-A-U-S-D DOS SCHOOL, AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHERE THE RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL IS BASED ON EVALUATION OF THOSE METRICS. SO THOSE WEIGH A LITTLE MORE, IS THERE A WEIGHT PER METRIC PER CATEGORY THAT YOU MENTIONED? WELL, ULTIMATELY THIS IS THEIR ESTABLISHED RENEWAL CRITERIA. AND SO BASED ON THEIR RENEWAL, ESTABLISHED RENEWAL CRITERIA BASED ON THESE ALTERNATIVE METRICS, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. SO THAT'S, THAT DOES HOLD YES, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RATE WEIGHT, JUST AS ANY OTHER SCHOOL'S RENEWAL CRITERIA. AND SO AS THE OVERSIGHT IS GOING THROUGH, THEY'RE GIVING HEADS UP THAT IF THIS DOESN'T MATCH, OR CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS HEAVIER WEIGHTED THAN THE OTHER FOUR AREAS THAT YOU MENTIONED, IF IT DOESN'T, THERE'RE UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE RENEWAL MIGHT GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. WE DID REPORT ON THE ALTERNATIVE METRICS IN THE LAST OVERSIGHT REPORT, AND WE GAVE INFORMATION AS TO THOSE AS FAR AS THE COMPARISON TO THE CALIFORNIA DOS SCHOOL. SO THAT WAS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION? YES. AND THAT HAPPENED JUST THIS ANNUAL OR THE PREVIOUS THREE? IT HAPPENED THIS ANNUAL, AND AS WE DISCUSSED THE PRIOR YEAR, WE WERE STILL WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL ON THOSE ALTERNATIVE METRICS. AND THAT'S DOCUMENTED IN THE OVERSIGHT REPORT THAT THE SCHOOL AND THE AUTHORIZER ARE STILL DISCUSSING THOSE ALTERNATIVE METRICS. AND THEN PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, COVID RELATED ISSUES AND THIS AND THAT. CAN I ADDRESS IT AS WELL? WELL, UH, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN OPEN MIC FOR THE, FOR THE SCHOOL. IF, IF, IF, UH, IF THE BOARD WANTS MORE INPUT, THEY'LL, THEY'LL ASK FOR IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. OKAY, CHARLOTTE? YES. OKAY. SO MR. MCLEAN, TELL US WHAT A YES VOTE MEANS AND TELL US WHAT A NO VOTE MEANS IN THIS CASE, I SHALL DO MY BEST. UH, YES. VOTE PASSES THE DENIAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION AND A NO VOTE DOES NOT PASS THE DENIAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION. OKAY. BOARD PREPARED TO VOTE? YES. OKAY, HERE WE GO. HAVING BEEN MOVED BY MS. CONEZ, SECONDED BY DR. RIVAS, UH, MS. NEWBELL? YES, DR. RIVAS, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT DESPITE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT MATRIX HAS, HAS CONDUCTED, AND I, I, I, UM, I THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS THAT THERE ISN'T ANY CONSISTENCY, [03:20:02] UM, AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE DONE IS NOT SHOWING THERE'S ANY GROWTH OR CONSISTENCY. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I AM, I'M A YES, MR. MELVIN. NO, NO, NO. UH, MS. GRIEGO? YES. MS. CONEZ ABSTAIN. UH, MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN? NO. BOARD PRESIDENT SCHUREN? YES. OKAY. SO THE COUNT IS FOUR EYES, TWO NO. AND ONE ABSTENTION. SO THE DENIAL PASSES. AND ON TAB 23, MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN, CAN I RECORD YOUR VOTE FOR DENIAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR INGENIUM CHARTER? I'M A NO. THAT WAS A NO. CORRECT. THANK YOU. MAY HAVE [25. Denial of the Renewal Petition for PREPA TEC - Los Angeles [PUBLIC HEARING] Charter Schools Division] A MOTION AND SECOND FOR TAB 25, MOVE IT. SECOND. MOVED BY MS. EZ, SECONDED BY MR. MOLSON. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR TAB 25, AND WE ALSO HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. SO TAB 25 IS FOR DENIAL, THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES. SO WE WILL GET THE PRESENTATION QUEUED UP, AND THE PRESENTER PLEASE COME UP AND GIVE US YOUR NAME. AND THEN, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES. WE'RE GONNA PULL UP THAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU MYSELF. OH, RACHEL. BU UH, I APPRECIATE THAT. IT'LL BE TWO. UM, YEAH, I CAN DO FOUR MINUTES. YEAH. UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. TAB 25. HAVING BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. UM, IT IS NOW TIME FOR YOUR FOUR MINUTE PRESENTATION. PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND, UM, THERE'S BUTTONS THERE TO MOVE THE PRESENTATION FORWARD AND BACKWARD AS YOU'RE READY KNOW HOW TO USE THAT. JUST I JUST PRESS THE FORWARD ONE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. IS IT 12 O'CLOCK? IS IT 12 O'CLOCK? YEAH. OKAY, GO. ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD AFTERNOON. LUSC BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO. MY NAME IS RACHEL VILLALOBOS AND I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES. I AM IN MY 27TH YEAR SERVING AS AN EDUCATOR. I HAVE SPECIFICALLY SERVED PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES SINCE JULY, 2018, THOUGH I LEFT FOR ONE YEAR. I CAME BACK BECAUSE PARENTS DESERVE TO HAVE PARENT CHOICE AND STUDENTS DESERVE TO HAVE RIGOROUS AND FREE I-B-M-Y-P EDUCATION THAT PREPARES THEM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. SINCE I HAVE RETURNED, I HAVE DEVELOPED A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH CSD AND LACO. EARNED. THE GOLD LEVEL PBIS AWARD WAS ACCREDITATION, MAINTAIN A BALANCE AND SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL STANDING AND DEMONSTRATED GROWTH IN OUR I-READY BENCHMARK THAT STATES ALL STUDENTS AND EVERY NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUP DEMONSTRATED AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S PROGRESS IN MATH IN 24 25 AS REPORTED ON THOSE STAFF REPORTS, PAGE 16, ALL STUDENTS AND EVERY NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUP DEMONSTRATED AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S PROGRESS IN MATH. IN 2324 SCHOOL YEAR, AS REPORTED ON PAGE 16 OF THE STAFF REPORTS ALL STUDENTS AT EVERY NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUP DEMONSTRATED AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S PROGRESS IN READING IN 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR AS REPORTED ON STAFF REPORT. PAGE 15, ALL STUDENTS AND THREE OF OUR FOUR NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUPS DEMONSTRATED AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S PROGRESS IN READING. IN 2324, STAFF REPORT INDICATED PAGE 16. IN TERMS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, I WANT TO STATE THAT ALL APPLICABLE SPED PREPPA TECH IS IN COMPLIANCE. I HUMBLY STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TRUSTING THAT YOU'LL MAKE THE DECISION THAT IS IN THE STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST BY MAKING THE DECISION TO RENEW PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEAR TERM. CLOSING A SCHOOL WHEN THERE IS CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE SCHOOL ACHIEVED MEASURABLE INCREASES IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CURED ALL NOTICES [03:25:01] IS NOT THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS. FOR THIS REASON ALONE, THE L-E-U-S-D FINDS FINDINGS DO NOT MEET THE LEGAL STANDARD TO SUPPORT DENIAL FOR A MIDDLE TRACK CHARTER SCHOOL. AND I'D LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY RESPOND TO THE FINDINGS OF FACT FROM THE STAFF REPORT. UNDER CRITERION ONE AND THREE, THE REPORT STATED THAT PREP IS UNLIKELY SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM SET FORTH IN THE RENEWAL PETITION DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL GOVERNANCE FACTORS. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO CURE THE NOTICES BY PUTTING IN PLACE ORGANIZATION WIDE POLICY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES RAISED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES, UH, TO BE, TO TO HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. PREPPA TECH HAS A GOOD STANDING LETTER FROM OUR SELPA, WHICH ISN IN LAKO IN THE RECENT DASHBOARD. IREADY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. THE BOARD ALSO ADOPTED A WRITTEN PLANS REQUESTED BY L-A-U-S-D FOR THE NOTICE OF ALLEGED VIOLATION CONSISTING OF IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT ALL REQUIRED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AND RECORDED ON TIME. THE PLAN OUTLINES PROTOCOLS TO PREVENT, TO PREVENT FUTURE ACCESS DISRUPTIONS, AND ENSURE TIMELY DOCUMENTS, SUBMISSION AND COMPLIANCE WITH DISTRICT DEADLINES. PREPPA TECH ANTICIPATES THAT THE FEW STAFF SHIFTS DESCRIBED ABOVE WILL ONLY LEAD TO THE SCHOOL'S GROWTH. EVERY SINGLE ISSUE IDENTIFIED IN THE SECTION OF THE STAFF REPORT HAS ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED AND CURED. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY WHO DESERVE A GEM OF A SCHOOL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE WILL NOW GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, LET'S SEE. CHRISTINA JOHNSON, OR IT SAYS JOHN, BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A TYPO. COME ON UP. UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. AND THEN AFTER. CHRISTINA IS CASSANDRA BRUNETTE, UH, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA JOHNSON AND I AM THE READING INTERVENTION TOSA AT ACADEMIA MODERNA CHARTER SCHOOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATED WITH PREPPA TECH. I HAVE BEEN TEACHING IN ACADEMIA FOR SIX YEARS, AND I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS AT BOTH SCHOOLS TO NEW PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES. THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN BUILT THERE IS SPECIAL. IT IS MADE UP OF STAFF WHO GENUINELY CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND ARE WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO HELP THEM SUCCEED. OUR STUDENTS HAVE BUILT STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH THEIR CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS WHO KNOW THEIR NAMES, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR SKILLS, AND WHO BELIEVE THEY'RE CAPABLE OF AMAZING THINGS, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES MANY OF THEM FACE IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. I PERSONALLY LOVE WHEN MY STUDENTS COME BACK TO VISIT ME AND TELL ME ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE TEACHERS AND CLASSES AT PREPPA. ONE OF MY FORMER STUDENTS RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THE STREET TO ASK ME TO ATTEND HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATION, AND I'VE ALSO HAD MANY STUDENTS COME TO INVITE ME TO THEIR PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS AT PREPPA TECH. THE RELATIONSHIP THAT OUR TWO SCHOOLS HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THEIR PROXIMITY MAKES THE EXPERIENCE SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL FOR STUDENTS WHO GET TO BE PART OF THE SAME ALTA FAMILY. IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO MULTIPLE PROGRAMS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND SMALL CLASS SIZES THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AFFORDED AT THEIR HOME SCHOOLS. AS AN IB SCHOOL, THERE IS AN EXTRA EMPHASIS ON HELPING STUDENTS BUILD CHARACTER AND ACQUIRE THE TYPES OF SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THEM SUCCEED AS A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD. FURTHERMORE, CLOSING PREPA WILL PLACE A BURDEN ON FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN ATTENDING ACADEMIA. MODERNA. OUR FAMILIES ARE HARDWORKING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND DESERVE TO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL THAT THEY TRUST TO TAKE THE BEST CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN. PLEASE CHOOSE TO KEEP PREP TECH OPEN IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND ENSURE THE ACADEMIC AND LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, CASSANDRA BRUNETTE AND THEN AFTER CASSANDRA IS MELISSA CASTANEDA. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS CASSIE BRUNETTE AND I AM THE LITERACY COACH AT ACADEMIA. MODERNA. I HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ALTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY FOR NINE YEARS. BEFORE STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE, I TAUGHT KINDERGARTEN AND SECOND GRADE GIVING ME THE UNIQUE PRIVILEGE TO WATCH OUR STUDENTS BEGIN THEIR ACADEMIC JOURNEY, GROW IN CONFIDENCE, AND DEVELOP A LOVE FOR LEARNING. OVER THE YEARS, I'VE BEEN PROUD TO SEE STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM ACADEMIA, MODERNA, AND CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AT PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES, THRIVING IN THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM. THERE IT IS IN THE STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST TO KEEP AND RENEW PREPPA TECH BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A SEAMLESS CONTINUATION OF THE FOUNDATION WE BUILD IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. PREPPA TECH ALLOWS STUDENTS TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM THEY GAIN HERE CONTINUING TO GROW AS INQUIRERS THINKERS AND LEARNERS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN MEANINGFUL WAYS WITH THE WORLD AROUND THEM. THROUGH IB STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REFLECT ON THEIR LEARNING, TAKE ACTION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT WILL PREPARE THEM, NOT JUST FOR HIGH SCHOOL, BUT FOR LIFE. PREPPA TECH ALSO STRENGTHENS STUDENTS' ABILITIES TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, AND APPLY WHAT THEY LEARN IN REAL WORLD CONTEXT. THE EMPHASIS ON GLOBAL MINDEDNESS IN SERVICE ENSURES THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY [03:30:01] ACADEMICALLY PREPARED, BUT ALSO SOCIALLY AWARE, RESPONSIBLE, AND READY TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. HAVING A SCHOOL LIKE PREPPA TECH IN OUR CHARTER MEANS THAT OUR STUDENTS' GROWTH DOESN'T STOP AT GRADUATION FROM ACADEMIA, MODERNA. IT ENSURES THAT THE INVESTMENT WE MAKE IN THEM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONTINUES TO PAY OFF, CREATING A PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS TO BECOME THOUGHTFUL, CAPABLE LEARNERS WHO CARRY THE VALUES AND SKILLS WE NURTURE HERE INTO THE WIDER WORLD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS' FUTURES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, MELISSA CASTANEDA, CASTANEDA, MELISSA C SHE WASN'T ABLE TO. OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. UM, AND MS. VILLALOBOS, YOU ALREADY SHARED, UH, TAYLOR EVANS, ARE YOU HERE? TAYLOR EVANS, COME ON UP. AND THEN AFTER TAYLOR EVANS IS ESTHER. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS TAYLOR EVANS AND I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF ACADEMIA MODERNA. BEFORE BECOMING PRINCIPAL, I WORKED AT PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES, WHERE I TAUGHT SEVENTH GRADE LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES AND DESIGN. I LATER THEN MOVED TO ACADEMIA MODERNA AND TAUGHT FOURTH GRADE. FOURTH GRADE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED ME TO SEE THE FULL ARC OF STUDENT GROWTH ACROSS OUR TK THROUGH EIGHT LEARNING PATHWAY. I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE THE RENEWAL PREP TECH BECAUSE THE DECISION DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE STABILITY AND ACADEMIC TRAJECTORY OF ALL STUDENTS WHO MOVE THROUGH OUR SHARED IB CONTINUUM. SOMETHING THAT HOLDS ALTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ABOVE THE REST IS THAT WE ARE ALIGNED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE, THE IB FRAMEWORK AT ACADEMIA, MODERNA STUDENTS BEGIN WITH THE IB PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAM. THEY DEVELOP EARLY HABITS OF INQUIRY, COLLABORATION, MULTILINGUALISM AND REFLECTION WHEN THEY REACH MIDDLE SCHOOL PREP TECH'S IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM. THE MYP BUILDS ON THOSE FOUNDATIONS THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING, DESIGNED THINKING, AND REAL WORLD APPLICATION. THESE TWO PROGRAMS ARE INTERNATIONALLY ALIGNED PHILOSOPHICALLY, INSTRUCTIONALLY, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY. AS A LEADER OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT FEEDS DIRECTLY INTO PREPPA TECH MIDDLE GRADES, I SEE FIRSTHAND HOW VITAL IT IS TO PRESERVE THE IB CONTINUUM. IF PREPPA TECH IS NOT RENEWED, THAT PATHWAY BREAKS. STUDENTS WHO BEGIN THEIR BEGIN THEIR EDUCATION WITH THE PROMISE OF AN IB ALIGNED PROGRESSION WOULD LOSE THE MYP DESIGNED TO DEEPEN WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY BUILT. IT WOULD REMOVE ONE OF THE VERY FEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTIONS IN THIS REGION WITH AN IB INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL. RENEWING PREP TECH LOS ANGELES IS NOT SIMPLY A PROCEDURAL DECISION. IT IS A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUITY, EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, AND HONORING THE ACADEMIC TRAJECTORY THAT HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN IN THE IB CONTINUUM. RENEWING PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES IS IN THE STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST BECAUSE WE WOULD BE HONORING THEIR PROGRESS, PROTECTING THEIR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, AND KEEPING A HIGH QUALITY IB OPTION AVAILABLE TO ALL FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY. FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO RENEW PRIVATE TECH LOS ANGELES AND KEEP THIS PATHWAY INTACT FOR THE STUDENTS WHO DEPEND ON IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ESTHER, ARE YOU HERE? ESTHER, PLEASE COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS ESTHER CUEVAS. I AM A PROUD PARENT OF ADE MODERNA STUDENTS, THE SISTER SCHOOL FOR PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M HERE TODAY, NOT JUST AS A PARENT, BUT AS SOMEONE WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE TRULY FLOURISHED IN THIS FAMILY OF SCHOOLS. EACH MORNING THEY WALK INTO SCHOOL WITH CONFIDENCE, FEELING KNOWN, SUPPORTED, AND BELIEVED IN. BOTH OF MY CHILDREN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, WHICH HAS ESSENTIAL, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR FAMILY. IT GIVES THEM A SAFE, STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN, SOCIALIZE, AND STAY ENGAGED WHILE ALLOWING PARENTS LIKE MYSELF TO MANAGE WORK RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT WORRY. THAT SAME WORTH, WARM WARMTH, SPIRIT, AND COMMITMENT CONTINUES TO PREP. PROTECT LOS ANGELES MIDDLE SCHOOL. FAMILIES LIKE MINE DEPEND ON THIS PATHWAY. WE RELY ON HAVING A MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE OUR CHILDREN CAN KEEP GROWING IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES BOTH THEIR ACADEMIC POTENTIAL AND THEIR HEARTS. WHAT CONNECTS OUR SCHOOLS IS THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM. THE IB APPROACH DOESN'T JUST TEACH LESSONS. IT TEACHES STUDENTS TO BE CURIOUS, COMPASSIONATE, AND GLOBALLY MINDED. IT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND THEIR PLACE IN THE WORLD AND THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. PEPPA TECH IS WHERE OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TAKE THEIR NEXT STEP, WHERE THEIR CONFIDENCE IS STRENGTHENED, THEIR DREAMS ARE ENCOURAGED, AND THEY LEARNED TO BECOME YOUNG LEADERS. IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO PARENTS LIKE ME TO KNOW OUR CHILDREN ARE CONTINUED IN A SCHOOL THAT UNDERSTANDS WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY NEED. TODAY I ASK YOU FROM THE HEART TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF PREPPA TECH LOS ANGELES MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS ISN'T JUST PAPERWORK FOR US. IT IS ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY WHOLE AND [03:35:01] ENSURING THAT EVERY CHILD WHO STARTS IN THIS IB PROGRAM, FAMILY CONTINUES THEIR JOURNEY WITHOUT INTERRUPTIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR SUPPORTING THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, MAR MARISSA RASCON. MARISSA RASCON, COME ON UP. YOU'D HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SHARE ONCE YOU BEGIN. HELLO, BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARBO HALL. MY NAME'S MARISSA SCON AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF EXPANDED LEARNING FOR PREP TECH AND THE ULTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND I'VE BEEN SERVING IN THIS ROLE SINCE 2019. UM, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY DO SOME REALLY REMARKABLE THINGS OVER THE YEARS. UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH NOT JUST AN EDUCATION, BUT WITH REAL OPPORTUNITIES. FROM THE MOMENT OUR STUDENTS ARRIVE ON CAMPUS TO THE TIME THEY LEAVE IN THE EVENING. LEARNING IS HAPPENING ALL DAY LONG IN OUR HALLWAYS. OUR BEFORE SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THROUGHOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY INTO OUR EXPANDED LEARNING PROGRAMS ARE ALIGNED AROUND ONE GOAL, HELPING STUDENTS GROW ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND PERSONALLY. OUR IB PROGRAM CHALLENGES STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY, ACT GLOBALLY, AND LEAD WITH INTEGRITY. OUR EXL PROGRAM EXTENDS THAT EXPERIENCE WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT, ENRICHMENTS ARTS, SPORTS STEM, AND REAL WORLD LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE TRULY EN MATCHED IN OUR AREA. JUST THREE WEEKS AGO, WE SENT SIX KIDS UP TO SAN LUIS OBISPO WITH THE CALIFORNIA CADET CORPS TO BECOME CERT CERTIFIED. SO WE HAVE SIX KIDS NOW THAT ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT ARE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THESE ARE REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES THAT WE ARE GIVING TO OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. WHAT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE IS THE STABILITY AND DEDICATION OF OUR SCHOOL SITE TEAM. OUR TEACHERS, STAFF LEADERS ALL SHOW UP CONSISTENTLY WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND A DEEP CARE FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE CONSISTENT IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, BEING REFLECTIVE ON WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY CHOICE WE MAKE IS STUDENT CENTERED AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS. RENEWING OUR CHARTER FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS IS NOT ONLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD AS A WHOLE. BECAUSE WITH THE IB CURRICULUM, WE ARE PREPARING STUDENTS TO NOT ONLY BE LIFELONG LEARNERS, BUT TO BE GLOBAL CITIZENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THERE'S FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS COLIN, AND I'LL CALL THEM AFTER WE'VE COMPLETED THE FOLKS WHO LISTED THEMSELVES AS IN PERSON. UH, UH, JORGE NICHOLAS OR GEORGE NICHOLAS, ARE YOU HERE? UH, LUPE MENDEZ. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, MARK NEWELL, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN A SCHOOL DOES RECEIVE A CHARTER OR AN EXISTING CHARTER SCHOOL, THAT WE DO SOMETHING THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE SCHOOLS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA. PREP PROTECT LOS ANGELES IS AN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE SCHOOL, AND THERE ARE NO SCHOOLS WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS THAT HAVE THIS DESIGNATION. INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE FRAMEWORK PROVIDES US WITH THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY. I WANNA GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. UNITED STATES HISTORY, EIGHTH GRADE, I OBSERVED A CLASS THE OTHER DAY THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE TOWNSEND ACT. NOW IF YOU KNOW, 11 AND 13 YEAR OLDS, THEY'RE NOT EXCEEDINGLY INTERESTED IN THE TOWNSEND ACT. BUT WHAT MADE THIS UNIT REAL FOR THE STUDENTS WAS IT CAME UNDER THE ESSENTIAL IB QUESTION. WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF THE COLONIST WOULD'VE RECEIVED REPRESENTATION? WOULD THERE STILL HAVE BEEN A REVOLUTION? THAT'S ONE FACT. NUMBER TWO IS IN A PE CLASS, STUDENTS WERE LEARNING HOW TO THROW A FOOTBALL. AND THE OLD IDEA WAS STUDENTS WILL THROW A FOOTBALL CORRECTLY THREE TIMES AND HIT A TARGET FOR IB. IT'S FOR THAT LITTLE BOY AND GIRL THAT'S NEVER PICKED UP A FOOTBALL. DO THEY NOW KNOW HOW PROPERLY TO THROW A FOOTBALL? AND LASTLY, WE HAVE A DESIGN CLASS. UNIT ONE IN OUR DESIGN CLASS WAS HOW TO PROPERLY USE AI AI TO SUPPORT YOUR EDUCATION IN THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED PROPERLY. THAT'S WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER SCHOOL WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS OF SOUTHEAST LOS ANGELES. THANK YOU. [03:40:01] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, CARLA SANCHEZ, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS CARTA SANCHEZ AND I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY. IT IS IN THE STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST TO KEEP PREPPA TECH OPEN BECAUSE THE SCHOOL REPRESENTS FAR MORE THAN A PLACE OF LEARNING. IT REPRESENTS HOPE, STABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITY. I SAY THIS NOT ONLY AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO AS SOMEONE WHO PERSONALLY GREW UP IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM. I ATTENDED CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGH FIRST AND EIGHTH GRADE FOR MOST OF MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS AS WELL. AND I AM PROUD TO BE AN ALUMNI GRADUATE WITHIN THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM. FOR MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I CAN SAY THAT THOSE YEARS REALLY SHAPED ME, SUPPORTED ME, AND GAVE ME A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR A BRIEF TIME. IN HIGH SCHOOL, I ALSO ATTENDED A TRADITIONAL L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL. WHILE I CARRY WONDERFUL MEMORIES FROM THAT EXPERIENCE AS WELL, IT SIMPLY DID NOT COMPARE TO THE LEVEL OF CARE CONNECTION AND PERSONAL ATTENTION I RECEIVED IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM. PREP TECH REMINDS ME A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT HELPED RAISE ME. EVEN THOUGH OUR SCHOOL IS SMALL, I BELIEVE THAT IT MAKES US STRONG. THIS ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND OUR STUDENTS' INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND CREATES A SENSE OF BELONGING THAT I BELIEVE CANNOT BE REPLICATED IN A LARGER SETTING. I AM TRULY GRATEFUL TO NOT ONLY BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT TO WITNESS THE SAME SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELPED ONCE HELPED ME AS A STUDENT. I'M ESPECIALLY MOVED BY THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE TO OUR MCKINLEY RENTAL STUDENTS. WE OFFER SHELTER, FOOD, AND TRANSPORTATION AND STABILITY THINGS MANY OF THEM WOULD NOT HAVE WITHOUT US. WE CREATE SPECIAL EVENTS, SAFE EVENTS AND PERSONAL CONNECTIONS THAT HELP STUDENTS FEEL SEEN, VALUED, AND CARED FOR. AS SOMEONE WHO EXPERIENCED HARDSHIP, AS A, AS A CHILD, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I WISH I HAD RECEIVED THE SAME SUPPORT OF LEVEL THAT PREPPA TECH GIVES TO OUR STUDENTS. BY KEEPING PREPPA TECH OPEN, YOU ARE PRESERVING A COMMUNITY THAT HELPS CHANGE LIVES. YOU ARE GIVING OUR STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO THRIVE, TO FEEL SUPPORTED, AND TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME LIFE SHAPING OPPORTUNITIES THAT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GIVE WHEN I WAS A STUDENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS' FUTURES. AND I HOPE YOU RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO OPEN. KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I KNOW I'LL CALL ON FOLKS WHO LISTED THEMSELVES AS BEING REMOTE. UH, BRYN MAY, THAT MIGHT BE A TYPO FOR BRIAN MAY. OKAY. I'M JUST CHECKING ONLINE 'CAUSE SHE'S LISTED AS BEING REMOTE. SHE'S NOT ONLINE. UH, SASHA SANCHEZ LISTED AS SPEAKING REMOTELY. UH, IS MS. SANCHEZ IN THE ROOM? NO. AND VALERIE MENDEZ, YOU'RE LISTED AS SPEAKING REMOTELY. ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? OKAY, THANK YOU. NANCY TORRES IS LISTED AS SPEAKING REMOTELY, BUT ALSO NOT HERE. THANK YOU. SO THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. AND IT'S NOW TIME FOR A BOARD DISCUSSION, IF ANY, SHALL WE LET OUR CHARTER SCHOOL DIVISION PROCEED? YEAH, I THINK QUESTION. OH, YOU WANT ME TO GIVE AN OVERALL PRESENTATION? YEAH. OKAY. UM, SO OVERALL, UH, THE DENIAL RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON DEMONSTRABLY UNLIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM SET FORTH IN THE RENEWAL PETITION DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL GOVERNANCE FACTORS. SO A NOTICE OF ALLEGED VIOLATION WAS ISSUED JULY 23RD, 2025. I WANNA NOTE THAT THE CHARTER SCHOOL IS NOT PART OF THE L-A-U-S-D SPECIAL EDUCATION LOCAL PLAN AREA. THAT'S CALLED SHORTENED FOR SELPA. CHARTER SCHOOLS CAN OPT OUT OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION LOCAL PLAN AREA AND BE PART OF OTHER SELPAS. THIS PARTICULAR CHARTER SCHOOL IS PART OF LACO LOS ANGELES COUNTY OF EDUCATION'S SELPA. BUT PER THE, UH, FEDERAL DISTRICT REQUIRED LANGUAGE IN THEIR PETITION AND ALSO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THEY SIGNED, UM, THAT WAS EXECUTED. THEY MUST UTILIZE WELL AGENT, THAT'S OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, UH, SERVICE TRACKING SYSTEM, IEP TRACKING SYSTEM. SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE AROUND 2021, UM, WHERE A NOTICE OF CONCERN WAS ISSUED. THEY MADE SOME TEMPORARY FIXES AS BY ENTERING INFORMATION IN, UM, AND THEN EVENTUALLY IT RESULTED IN NO SECURE AND A NOTICE OF ALLEGED VIOLATION. SO I DO ALSO WANNA NOTE THAT AS PART OF A SCHOOL, THERE ARE OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE L-A-U-S-D [03:45:01] SELPA. AND SO WE UTILIZE THE WELLER SYSTEM IN ORDER TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF THE LASD SERVICES AND SUCH. BUT WE ALSO REACH OUT TO THE SELPA. AND SO WE HAD REACHED OUT TO THE COUNTY SELPA AND INITIALLY THEY HAD SAID, THEY HAD STATED, OH, IT'S IN GOOD STANDING. SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING FOR A GOOD STANDING CONFIRMATION. WE HAVE A LETTER FORMAT THAT SAYS ALL IEP TIMELINES ARE IN, IN, ARE IN TIME, ALL THE SERVICES BEING TRACKING. BUT THEN AS A RESULT OF THAT, UM, THEY CAME BACK AND ACTUALLY ISSUED A NOTICE OF NON-COMPLIANCE TO THE SCHOOL IDENTIFYING SEVERAL SPECIAL EDUCATION CONCERNS. SO THIS IS THEIR OWN SELPA IDENTIFYING SPECIAL EDUCATION CONCERNS. AND THAT'S OUTLINED ON PAGE 7 86. SO YOU CAN SEE ON 7 86 ON IT WAS JULY, JANUARY, 2025, LA COUNTY SELPA ISSUED A NOTICE OF, UM, NON-COMPLIANCE AROUND SEVERAL, UH, CONCERNS AROUND OWING COMPENSATORY TIME FAILURE TO REGISTER OR, UH, TRAINING, SERVICE TRACKING AND SUCH. WE DID FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNTY, UM, WHEN WE WERE DRAFTING THESE MATERIALS, AND THAT WAS AROUND SEPTEMBER 9TH. AND THEY SAID THEY HAD CONFIRMED THEY HAD MADE SOME PROGRESS, BUT STILL AT THAT TIME, UM, THEY STILL HAD, UH, SOME COMPLIANCE ISSUES AROUND IEP DATES AND STUDENT RECORDS. THERE WERE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THAT IT APPEARS THAT THEY WERE ENTERING LONG DATES IN THERE, AND SO THE IEPS WERE COMING OUT NONCOMPLIANT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN THEIR RECORD-KEEPING SYSTEM, IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF, WELL, ENT, BUT IT'S CALLED C THAT'S THE COUNTY SYSTEM WHERE THEY DOCUMENT SERVICES AND IEP MEETINGS AND SUCH. UH, THE COUNTY NOTIFIED US THAT THEY HAD ONLY, UH, TRACKED NINE OUTTA 29 STUDENTS INTO C INTO SERVICES. UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THIS IS VERY CONCERNING ENTERING SERVICES AND IT'S THE WAY FOR US TO ASSURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING THEIR IEPS ON TIME AND THAT THE SERVICES ARE BEING DELIVERED. AND SO THERE'S NO WAY TO MONITOR THAT AND THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEIR OWN, UH, SELPA TO MONITOR THAT AS THEY'RE NOT UTILIZING THE SYSTEM TO ENTER IN. SO I DO WANNA NOTE WE DID DO AS OF LATE, UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSS DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY'VE REMEDIED THE SITUATION. UM, BUT NOVEMBER 15TH, UH, 2025, SO JUST RECENTLY WE LOOKED AT ENT AND THERE CONTINUES TO BE SERVICES IN WHAT'S CALLED TIER SIX. UM, THAT MEANS THAT'S A VERY LOW, UM, TIER THAT THE STUDENTS AREN'T, THEY AREN'T GETTING ALL THE SERVICES OUT DOCUMENTED ON THEIR IEP ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM. SO WE HAD 12 SERVICES IN TIER SIX, UM, FIVE AND FOUR. SO THOSE ARE ALL THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING, THEY'RE GETTING 50% OR LESS OF THEIR SERVICES. SO THEY'RE CONTINUE. AND ALSO OVER I OVERDUE IEP MEETINGS WERE ON THERE. SO THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE AND IT'S A SYSTEMATIC ISSUE. UM, THAT'S BEEN GOING ON. OKAY. OH, WAS THAT ME? OH, OKAY. . NO, IT WAS, NO, I WAS LIKE, I FIGURED. NO, IT WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EQUAL THANK YOU. EQUAL TIME. SO IF, I MEAN, IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE MORE TIME, YOU COULD, BUT THEN WE, WE WOULD MAKE SURE TO OFFER IT TO THE CHARTER STAFF. I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP. OKAY. QUESTIONS? WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS THE PERSON WHO IS IN CHARGE OF PUTTING INFORMATION INTO, WELL, EENT AT THE SCHOOL? WELL, THEY'VE IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACCESS TO, WELL, EENT, UH, UM, SO THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE ISSUE TOO, IS THERE'S BEEN LEADERSHIP TURNOVER, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN OUR FINDINGS. SO DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED THAT TAX TO ENTER IN. UM, AS OF RECENTLY, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHO THEIR DESIGNATED PERSON SHOULD BE, BUT IT SHOULD BE ULTIMATELY THE ADMINISTRATOR AT THAT SCHOOL SITE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT ALL SERVICES AND IEP MEETINGS ARE TRACKED IN THE SYSTEM. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. QUESTION. OKAY. UH, TAB 25. HAVING BEEN MOVED BY MS. CONEZ AND SECONDED BY MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN, WE WILL TAKE THE VOTE. OH, IT WASN'T SECONDED BY WHO GAVE THE SECOND? YEAH, I MOVED IT. IM, OH, OKAY. OH, I MOVED IT IMMEDIATELY. I REMEMBER THAT MUCH, BUT I MAY HAVE. OKAY, SO MOVE IT. NO, IT'S BEEN MOVED. SO NOW YOU'RE THE SECOND. MY APOLOGIES. I, I, I TICKED THE WRONG BOX. OKAY. UM, OKAY. MS. NEWBELL. DR. RIVAS? YES. MR. MELVOIN? YES. UH, MS. GRIEGO? YES. MS. EZ? YES. MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN? YES. YES. BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON? YES. THAT'S A YES. OKAY. SO THAT'S 1, 2 6 YESES AND ONE NOT HERE, BUT WE'LL RECORD LATER. [03:50:01] SO, DENIAL. UM, PASSES. ALRIGHT, [26. 7 Charter Petitions for Public Hearing Charter Schools Division] NOW WE GO ON TO TAB 26, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING. AND NOW I'LL READ THIS FOLLOWING STATEMENT FOR TAB 26, CHARTER PETITIONS FOR PUBLIC HEARING. UH, BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN ON THE FOLLOWING, UH, ITEMS OR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS, A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD. THIS CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC HEARING ON NEW ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS, NEW HORIZONS CHARTER ACADEMY, NEW ACADEMY CANOGA PARK, UH, THE GOER INTERNATIONAL CHARTER, ASPIRE TITAN ACADEMY, NEW MILLENNIUM, UH, SECONDARY AND PORT OF LOS ANGELES HIGH. A MAXIMUM OF 20 INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THE BOARD ON THE ITEM WILL BE HEARD. THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN UP ONLINE SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY NAME. ALRIGHT, THE FIRST, UH, WE'LL CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS BEING IN PERSON FIRST AND THEN TRANSITION TO THOSE WHO ARE LISTED AS SPEAKING REMOTELY. UH, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS KEITH DE LAQUILA, AND THEN MARY JANE LIVERPOOL, AND THEN MARIA. JESUS RUIZ. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS. I'M KEITH DE LAQUILA WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION. THANKS FOR THE THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATIONS. TODAY, WE MISSED THE FOREST FOR THE TREES ON TWO ISSUES WITH THE INGENIUM VOTE. EARLIER TO TODAY, WE GOT LOST IN THE WEEDS ON THE SPECIFICS OF MAGNET SCHOOLS. WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO DO BETTER TO PULL OUT THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY TESTED AND IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND WHO DON'T COME FROM THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE COMPARING SCHOOLS, IT JUST IS NOT APPLES TO APPLES. IT IS NOT A FAIR COMPARISON TO EXPECT ANY GROUP OF STUDENTS TO MEASURE UP TO A SELECTIVE ADMISSION PROGRAM. SO MOVING FORWARD, PLEASE PULL OUT THE GIFTED ADMISSION SCHOOLS FROM THE ASSESSMENT OF OUR, OF OUR RENEWALS. IT'S JUST NOT A FAIR METRIC. UM, ON THE MATRIX PETITION, WE USED THE DASHBOARD AND KEPT RETURNING TO THE DASHBOARD TO ASSESS A DASHBOARD. ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, WE DID THAT WITH A SET OF METRICS THAT THE SCHOOL DIDN'T HAVE AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR TERM. THERE WERE METRICS ADDED AFTER THEY TURNED IN THEIR PETITION TO YOU. THOSE AREN'T MEANINGFUL MEASUREMENTS THAT A SCHOOL CAN TRACK TO. WE CAN'T COME HERE AND GIVE YOU DATA IF THE GOALPOST IS MOVING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THERE IS ROOM FOR US TO DO BETTER, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS THAT ARE SERVING THE TYPES OF STUDENTS THAT INGENIUM AND MATRIX ARE SERVING ABOVE 90% STUDENTS, UM, FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES ABOVE 90%. UM, STUDENTS WHO ARE LATINO ENGLISH LEARNER RATES, HOMELESS RATES. THERE'S ONLY ONE SCHOOL IN LA UNIFIED WHO SERVES AT LEAST 20% HOMELESS KIDS, 20% ENGLISH LEARNERS, AND YOU JUST CLOSED IT DOWN. TODAY, WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER FOR OUR NEEDIEST KIDS, AND WE MISSED THE FOREST FOR THE TREES. WE GOT INTO A DISCUSSION AROUND THE SPECIFICS OF A METRIC AND WHAT'S THE RIGHT ONE? WHAT'S WRONG? WE MISSED THE YEAR OVER YEAR GRADUATION RATE. WE, YOU, WE MISSED THE YEAR OVER YEAR IMPROVEMENT IN ATTENDANCE FOR THESE STUDENTS. WE MISSED THE YEAR OVER YEAR RECONNECTION TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT THAT SCHOOL WAS BUILT. SO FOR THE SCHOOLS WHO ARE COMING, WE NEED TO DO BETTER AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING A FAIR ANALYSIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARY JANE LIVERPOOL. COME ON DOWN. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT SCH MESON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO. I AM MARY JANE LIVERPOOL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT PORT OF LOS ANGELES HIGH SCHOOL IN SAN PEDRO. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THIS HEARING. I WANNA BEGIN BY SAYING HOW DEEPLY MY SCHOOL IS LOVED BY OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOPEFULLY BY YOU. WHEN YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR, YOU HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE FUTURE. WHEN POLIS INVESTS IN A STUDENT'S GROWTH, WE ARE DOING FAR MORE THAN HELPING ONE YOUNG PERSON SUCCEED. WE ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EVERYONE CONNECTED TO THEM. THE SUCCESS OF POLIS STUDENTS SHAPES THE OPPORTUNITIES THEIR FUTURE CHILDREN WILL HAVE, AND IT STRENGTHENS THE COMMUNITIES. THEY WILL ONE DAY LEAD. EVERY TIME WE LIFT UP A SINGLE STUDENT, THE RETURN IS HOPE, KNOWLEDGE, POSSIBILITY, AND PROSPERITY. PROSPERITY. THUS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE NOT ONLY ABOUT PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THEIR FUTURE, IT IS ALSO ABOUT BUILDING THE FUTURE OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. WE ACCEPT THIS AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY WHEN YOU REVIEW OUR PETITION. PLEASE REMEMBER THESE WORDS AND THIS PROMISE. I WANNA CONCLUDE BY SAYING HOW PROUD I AM OF WHAT OUR SCHOOL HAS ACCOMPLISHED. AND THERE ARE MANY MORE LIKE ME BACK AT POLA, WILLING AND ABLE TO PUT IN THE HARD WORK THAT BUILDS THE FUTURE FOR THE STUDENTS IN OUR CARE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF [03:55:01] OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FUTURES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, MARIA JESUS RUIZ, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. AND THEN IT WOULD BE RICHARD THOMAS AND THEN TIM D LOS, UH, SPEAKER'S GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING IN ENGLISH, PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND WE'LL GET YOU TRANSLATION HEADSETS. ANYONE NEED A TRANSLATION HEADSET? PUT YOUR HANDS SKY HIGH AND WE WILL, WE WILL GET THEM TO YOU. THEY'RE ABOUT TO RUN OUTTA THAT ROOM RIGHT NOW WITH THEM. I CAN HEAR THEM. OKAY. JUST ONE. OKAY. S LET ME, OKAY, S GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IT'S FOR ME AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS MARIA RUIZ AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE SCHOOL DEN ACADEMY FOR 11 YEARS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE ME DECIDE, BRING MY KIDS TO THE SCHOOL WAS SEE THE STUDENTS ATTENDING PRESENTABLY WITH THEIR UNIFORM PREPARED. AND THAT MADE ME CONFIDE IN THE SCHOOL WITH MY KIDS, MARIA MATEO, JOSE AND MY I HAVE FOUR. TITAN HAS SHOWN THEM VALUES THAT ARE RESPECT AND LOVE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE AS WELL AS INTEGRITY. THESE ARE SOLID FOUNDATIONS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THEIR GOALS. THEY'VE HAD PERSEVERANCE AND SAFETY, AND THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN MOTIVATED TO REACH THEIR GOALS OF UNIVERSITY FOLLOWING THEIR EXAMPLE. NOW, MY DAUGHTER IS IN 11TH GRADE AND SHE WANTS TO BE THE FIRST DENTIST OF OUR FAMILY. MIGHTA HAD INSECURITY AND FEAR STAYING IN THE SCHOOL, BUT HER COUNSELOR NEVER LEFT HER ALONE. SHE TOOK HER TO CLASSES WITH A SMILE AND SHE EVENTUALLY REGAINED THAT CONFIDENCE. SO NOW SHE IS A VERY CONFIDENT YOUNG GIRL. JOSE FOUND HIS LOVE FOR MATH AND HIS TEACHERS WORKED WITH HIM. AND NOW HE'S IN SEVENTH GRADE AND HAS BEEN IN COMPETITIONS FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS WHERE HE'S ONE FIRST PLACE INTO, AND THEN HE'S ALWAYS PREPARED TO KEEP LEARNING MATTEL'S IN FOURTH GRADE. HE'S VERY SWEET AND RESPONSIBLE. THIS YEAR HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE READING WITH YOUNGER KIDS, AND HE IS VERY EXCITED TO SHARE THIS WITH HIS YOUNGER CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS. I JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE APPROVE OUR RENT RENEWAL SO WE CAN STAY A FAMILY IN TIDE ACADEMY AND INVITE YOU SO YOU CAN SEE OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR EXCELLENT PERSONNEL THAT HAS DEDICATED EVERYTHING TO OUR KIDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. RICHARD THOMAS, COME ON UP. RICHARD THOMAS. THANK YOU. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAND THE HANDOUTS TO THE BOARD? CERTAINLY JUST 'EM RIGHT THERE. AND I'LL, I'LL COME UP AND GET 'EM. YEAH, THEY'RE THE SAME FOR ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS. OKAY. I CAN START. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT LINSON, UH, SUPERINTENDENT VAR AND ESTEEM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MY NAME IS RICHARD THOMAS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL OF NEW HORIZONS CHARTER ACADEMY AND MIDDLE PERFORMING, UH, K EIGHT SCHOOL. I'M SO THANKFUL AND BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH AMAZING TEACHERS WHO GIVE EVERYTHING TO OUR STUDENTS. AT NEW HORIZONS CHARTER ACADEMY. WE SERVE 90%, UM, SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, 30% EL STUDENTS AND 15% ARE SPECIAL NEEDS. WE HAVE, UM, HAD DEMONSTRATED, UH, EXTREME GROWTH THIS YEAR. UM, 36% GROWTH IN ELA AND 34% GROWTH IN MATH, WHICH PUTS US IN THE TOP, UH, 10% OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, UH, THAT ARE SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS. WE WOULD HOPE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR, UH, UNDERSERVED, UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENTS. WE HAVE MAJOR MOVEMENTS IN THE DASHBOARD GOING FROM ORANGE TO BLUE AND THE ENGLI FOR OUR ENGLISH LEARNING STUDENTS. AND FROM YELLOW TO GREEN AND MA ELA AND, UM, ORANGE TO YELLOW. AND OUR MATH, UH, THE DATA SHOWED, UH, THAT WE HAVE HAD THAT 36% GROWTH. THE EFFORTS OF OUR STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IS EVIDENT BY THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. AND WE ARE NOW ABOVE THE SCHOOL [04:00:01] DISTRICT AND THE STATE AND ELA AND MATH AND ALSO COMPARISON SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION TO OUR INSTRUCTION, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A STATE OF THE ART STEM ACADEMY AND THANK YOU. YOU STILL HAVE 30 SECONDS. OKAY. I THOUGHT SO. THANK YOU. UH, WE HAVE, UH, DEVELOPED A STEM ACADEMY FOR OUR FIFTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS, WHICH HAVE, UH, PROVIDED 17 CAREER MODULES FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND A LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IN THE STUDENT, UH, IN THE STEM ACADEMY HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. WE CAN HARDLY GET THE KIDS OUT OF THERE. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN ON A PRIVATE SITE FOR 10 YEARS, AND WE FINALLY HAVE, UH, ARE ABOUT TO MOVE INTO OUR NEW BUILDING. UH, AND WE APPRECIATE OUR PROP 39, UM, PARTNERS AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING IN OUR, TO OUR NEW BUILDING IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. AND, UH, WE HOPE THAT YOU SUPPORT OUR CHARTER, UH, AS WE COME UP FOR RENEWAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND TIM D ARE YOU HERE? TIM, COME ON DOWN. COME ON DOWN. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. AND THEN AFTER TIM IS MARIELLA BARRINO AND THEN YESENIA MARTINEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD PRESIDENT SCH MESON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO. MY NAME IS TIM DICK DAN AND I'M THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF PORT LOS ANGELES HIGH SCHOOL. FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, POLIS HAS BEEN ROOTED IN THE SAN PEDRO AND HARBOR COMMUNITIES OFFERING STUDENTS A RIGOROUS, ENGAGING AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION THAT PREPARES THEM FOR BOTH COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS. IN 2024, SCHOOL WAS HONORED AS A CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL, A RECOGNITION THAT REFLECTS NOT ONLY OUR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, BUT ALSO OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING REAL WORLD LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS, OUR STUDENTS GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN WELDING, CONSTRUCTION, MARINE TRANSPORTATION, PHOTOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC DESIGN, VIDEO PRODUCTION, AND TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION. TOGETHER THESE PATHWAYS, ALONG WITH OUR RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAM, PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THE INDUSTRIES THAT SHAPE OUR REGION AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. PLOS IS MORE THAN A SCHOOL. IT IS A COMMUNITY PARTNER AND A FAMILY. WE TAKE PRIDE IN BEING A SCHOOL THAT WELCOMES AND SUPPORTS ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS, ENSURING EVERY YOUNG PERSON HAS ACCESS TO A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES. AS WE CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF IMPACT, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO INNOVATION, INCLUSION, AND EXCELLENCE. WITH THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF L-A-U-S-D AND THE COMMUNITY AND OUR AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE ARE READY TO BUILD ON THIS LEGACY AND CONTINUE PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCHOLARS, TRADESPEOPLE, AND LEADERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST IN OUR CHARTER, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND YOUR BELIEF IN THE MISSION OF POOR LOS ANGELES HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MARIELLA BARNO UHNO, COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. OKAY. BEFORE I START I WILL, I MUST SAY THAT I'M GONNA DO IT BILINGUAL, SO FOR THE THEY CAN BE READY. YOU WANNA DO IT IN WHAT LANGUAGE? IT'S GONNA BE BILINGUAL. SO I'M GONNA DO SOME PARTS IN ENGLISH I UNDERSTAND. AND SOME PARTS IN SPANISH. OKAY. LIKE THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THERE'S JUST TWO MINUTES AND WE DO HAVE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION. SO IF YOU WANT TO USE THE ENTIRE TWO MINUTES IN ANY OF THOSE LANGUAGES, YOU CERTAINLY CAN. YES, SURE. OKAY. SO WHICH LANGUAGE DO YOU WANNA DO THE WHOLE TWO MINUTES IN? I'LL DO BOTH OF THEM IN TWO MINUTES. OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPER SUPERINTENDENT INTEND ALBERTO CARVALLO AND BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MARI BARNO AND I'M A PARENT REPRESENTATIVE AT NEW ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS. I HAVE TWO KIDS CURRENTLY ATTENDING NASA. I AM A PROUD PARENT OF OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND A SECOND HOME, A PLACE THAT I KNOW MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE AND ENCOURAGED TO GIVE THEIR BEST DAILY AND FEEL VALUE OF WHO THEY ARE. I CHOSE NASA BECAUSE OF THEIR ACCIDENT, DUAL A LANGUAGE ACADEMY, AND I HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS HAD ON MY 12-YEAR-OLD SON THAT HE'S NOW IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HE'S ABLE TO USE HIS SPANISH TO HAVE HIS TEACHERS COMMUNICATE WITH HIS OTHER CLASSMATES. HE'S GRATEFUL THAT HE ATTENDED AN QUE BILINGUAL AND HOW HAS IMPACTED ME IN BEING INVOLVED IN THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, ADVOCATING FOR THE STUDENT RIGHTS, IF THE SUPPORT THAT WE AS PARENTS THROUGH ALL THE WORKSHOPS, I WOULDN'T BE HERE SPEAKING BEFORE YOU. THIS IS WHAT NASA IS. IT CREATES ING LEADERS AND STUDENTS WITH A STRONG SOCIAL AND, AND EMOTIONAL FOUNDATION. [04:05:01] WE ARE A SMALL COMMUNITY. WE KNOW EACH OTHER FROM THE PERSON WHO CLEANS FROM THE VERY MOST ELEVATED POSITION. WE PLEASE BOARD MEMBERS. I ASK YOU KINDLY TO APPROVE THE CHARTER RENEWAL OF NASA SO WE CAN CONTINUE IMPACTING YOUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDE A GREAT EDUCATION THAT IS BUILT ON TRUST AND COLLABORATION AND CONTINUE TO CREATE LIFELONG LEARNERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, YESENIA MARTINEZ. YESENIA. OKAY. THE SPEAKER'S GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH, SO IF YOU COULD PUT YOUR HANDS UP, IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXPERIENCE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION, UH, WE CAN GET THE HEADSET TO YOU. IF NOT, PLEASE ENJOY. OKAY. CIA ES GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS YESENIA MARTINEZ. I AM A MO PROUD MOM OF THREE KIDS THAT HAVE ASSISTED AND CONTINUE TO ASSIST CENTENNIAL AND RINE. WE ARE HERE AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS FOR MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS, AND I'M CONVINCED THAT THIS IS THE BEST DECISION I HAVE MADE FOR THE EDUCATION OF MY KIDS. BEFORE THEY ASSISTED S SMART TITAN AND CENTENNIAL, I DIDN'T SEE ANY INTEREST IN ATTENDING SCHOOL AND HERE THEY FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED. THEY LOVE ATTENDING SCHOOL THANKS TO THESE SCHOOLS. MY ELDEST SON GRADUATED FROM WITH HIS BA DEGREE, AND NOW HE'S IN HIS THIRD YEAR AT UNIVERSITY. WHAT MAKES THESE SCHOOLS SPECIAL IS THAT MY CHILDREN FEEL HAPPY. THERE'S SO MUCH SUPPORT. 13 YEARS AGO, I LOST MY ELDEST WHO ALSO ATTENDED ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS. HE, I AM POSITIVE HE WOULD'VE GRADUATED BECAUSE HE WAS DOING VERY WELL IN HIS GRADES. BUT ANYWAY, LIFE DID NOT WANT IT THAT WAY. SO MY CHILD, WHO IS NOW IN UNIVERSITY CURRENTLY IS VERY AFFECTED BY THIS, AND WITH ALL THE SUPPORT SERVICES HE CARRIED ON, AND MY OTHERS THEN HAD A SPEECH DELAY. AND WITH AP, HE HAS IMPROVED GREATLY. AS A PARENT, I FEEL PROUD TO HAVE SELECTED THESE SCHOOLS, TITAN AND CENTENNIAL. AND I INVITE YOU TO PLEASE VISIT SO YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF HOW HAPPY OUR KIDS ARE. AND THAT'S WHY I ASK YOU RESPECTFULLY TO PLEASE SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF THESE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THAT WAY MY FAMILY AND THOSE LIKE MINE WILL BENEFIT FROM THEIR EXCELLENT EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVELY ATTENTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I, I'M GRATEFUL. ALL RIGHT. CARMEN? CARMEN. PASTOR. CARMEN. PASTOR, WE HAVE, OKAY. YES. S WE WANNA START THIS MR. EVERY, ALL THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT ARE PRESENT RIGHT NOW. VERY GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU. WE TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL AT NASA. MY NAME IS CARMEN PASTOR. I'M A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN THAT ARE STUDYING, THAT ARE GOING TO OUR SCHOOL AT NASA. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE HAD. I HAVE ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, THE SCHOOL AT NASA SCHOOL. MY EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD HAS ACCEPTED, THEY'VE ACCEPTED ME WITH KINDNESS, VERY STRONG KINDNESS. AND I'VE CHOSEN AS A, FOR, FOR ALL THAT SUPPORT I'VE RECEIVED FOR MY CHILDREN THAT MY CHILDREN HAVE RECEIVED, THEY'VE RECEIVED ATTENTION, A VERY SPECIAL ATTENTION. I HAVE A CHILD IN FIRST GRADE THAT HAS RECEIVED A SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE IEP. IT HAS HELPED THEM TREMENDOUSLY. I TALK ABOUT MY SCHOOL THAT IS BILINGUAL, MULTICULTURAL, AS YOU CAN SEE, AS YOU CAN SEE ME DRESS RIGHT NOW. TYPICAL CLOTHES. AND THIS, THEY HONOR US AS, AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. AND OUR SCHOOL HONORS THAT. MULTICULTURALNESS. THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, VICENTE YAK VICENTE, WE WILL GIVE OUR TIME TO PATRICIA. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU. OH, MY NAME IS PATRICIA REIDA AND I AM A MOTHER OF FOUR THREE. UM, CURRENTLY FORMERS AND A CURRENT, I MEAN FORMERS [04:10:01] IN A CURRENT NACP FOR SHORT. N IS FOR NEW ACADEMY, CANOGA PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. UH, IN THE 14 YEARS I HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS SCHOOL, I'VE SEEN FIFTH GRADE, UH, GRADUATES WHO ARE NOW PROFESSIONALS. SOME OF THEM ARE, UM, IN A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE AND SOME OTHERS, SORRY, THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. PLEASE. AND SOME OTHERS, UH, UH, COMMUNITY COLLEGES. NEO ACADEMY HAS NOT ONLY EDUCATED THE STUDENTS, BUT HE, THEY HAVE, UH, PREPARED US, UH, PARENTS WITH CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS, UH, TO HELP AND TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR PATH TO COLLEGE. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THIS SCHOOL WHERE MY KIDS AND MY FRIENDS, UH, KIDS AND MY COMMUNITIES, UH, CHILDREN FEEL SAFE, FEEL WELCOME. THEY KNOW, UH, THEY ARE KNOWN BY NAME. ALL OF THEM NEAR ACADEMY, CANOGA PARK. IT HAS BEEN A GOOD, A GREAT PLACE WHERE I HAVE, UH, GROWN WITH THEM. I'VE BEEN, UH, SEEN CHANGES AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING WITH THEM AS WELL. AND I THINK IN MY COMMUNITY, WE NEED A SCHOOL LIKE NIA ACADEMY, CANOGA PARK. UH, THE SCHOOL HAS TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF AND PARENTS THAT MAKE THEM ENVIRONMENT SAFE. UH, THEY TREAT THEM WITH INTEGRITY, RESPECT. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE. THEY MAKE THEM BE RESPONSIBLE. AND NOW, UH, LAST I WANNA SHARE, I HAVE A FIRST GENERATION, UH, COLLEGE STUDENT. SO THANK YOU. AND PLEASE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MARIA. JESUS RUIZ. MARIA RUIZ, ARE YOU MARIA RUIZ? UM, YESENIA MARTINEZ. YESENIA BOTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, SAMANTHA NAVARRO, UH, DAVID RICHARDSON. RO DR. DEREK RICE. YES. COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. UH, NAVARRO HAD AN EMERGENCY, SHE HAD TO LEAVE, SO I'M GONNA KIND OF SPEAK ON HER BEHALF AS WELL. I CAN ONLY, I CAN ONLY ALLOW ONE SPEAKER TWO MINUTES AT A TIME. I'M GONNA SPEAK. I'M SPEAK LATER. THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR. CAN I PLEASE, UH, IF POSSIBLE, UH, SUBMIT THE ONE PAGE. ONE PAGE? OF COURSE. I'LL COME. I'LL COME AND GET THEM. AND THEN, UH, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, I'LL, I'LL GET OUTTA YOUR WAY AND YOU CAN BEGIN YOUR TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, GOOD EVENING, GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, SUPERINTENDENT CAVALLO, BOARD PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS DR. DEREK RICE AND I'VE BEEN EDUCATED FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS. UH, CURRENTLY I'M THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL HERE AT NEW MILLENNIUM SECONDARY SCHOOL. UH, SAMANTHA NAVARRO WAS THE FORMER, UH, PRINCIPAL, BUT SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT TODAY. UH, SHE HAD AN EMERGENCY, SO I'M GOING TO, UH, DO RESEARCH FOR HER AND IN MY SCHOOL AS WELL. UM, NEW MILLENNIUM IS A COLLEGE AND CAREER READY FOCUSED, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPPORTED FOR HIGH NEEDS STUDENTS WITH STRONG SYSTEM OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND A DEEP BELIEF IN, UH, THE PRUDENTIAL. UPON OUR ARRIVAL INSTITUTE, A RENEWED FOCUS AND CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT ESTABLISHING THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR SCHOOL-WIDE TRANSFORMATION. MANY OF OUR STUDENTS COME FROM SIMPLY BEHIND IN CREDITS AND ARE IN A SMALLER NEED NEED OF A SMALLER AND MORE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. WITH THESE, UH, CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED TARGET HIGH IMPACT SUPPORT. SO LAST YEAR, UM, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF IEP STUDENTS IN OUR, IN, IN OUR SCHOOL AND GRADUATION. BUT YET OUR GRADUATION RATES STILL INCREASED. WE END UP CHANGING A LOT OF OUR DAYS, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR ZERO TO EIGHT PERIOD, ALLOWING MORE CREDIT RECOVERY AND ACCELERATED LEARNING. UH, MANY OF THE STRENGTHS INCLUDING OUR ADDING OUR PLC MODEL, UH, ADDING, UH, DIFFERENT INTERVENTION AND ENRICHMENT CLASSES SUCH AS RE READING 180 MATH ON 80 THINK CIRCUIT AND HIGH ESCALANTE, BUT ALSO DEVELOPING [04:15:01] OUR MORE FOLKS IN COLLEGE CAREER READY SCHOOL WITH ADDING CTE PATHWAYS. MORE PERSONAL DUAL ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTOR MENTORING PROGRAMS FOR OUR NEW COLLEGE CAREER CENTER AS WELL. OUR, OUR WELLNESS CENTER, UH, WE ALSO ADDED SCHOOL LINK TO SUPPORT, CAREER EXPLORATION AND GRADUATE PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND, AND HOW DO OUR, OUR TEACHERS NOW BE, UH, ERCW TRAINED AS WELL AS, UH, ATTENDING THE COLLEGE BOARD AND AP TRAINING. WE'RE WORKING ON IMPROVING OUR SCHOOL CULTURE AND CLIMATE BY ALSO ADDING YONDER POUCHES AND GOLD GUARDIAN TO HELP, UH, MOVE THE STRIKES AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS. SO ALONG WITH ADDING MORE FOCUS ON OUR PLC CYCLES AND AND UDL STRATEGIES, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY FOCUS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING IN OUR SCHOOL. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, SUJATA OG. COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON PRESIDENT. MR. SHERMON ES ESTEEM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO. MY NAME IS MS. ADA, EG. I'M A TEACHER AT NEW HORIZONS CHARTER ACADEMY. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO TEACH FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH GRADES FOR 11 YEARS. I BELIEVE IN HER NEW HORIZONS SO MUCH THAT I HAVE ENROLLED MY OWN CHILDREN. MY SON IN THIRD GRADE AND MY TWIN GIRLS IN KINDERGARTEN, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE STAFF HAS BEEN HERE 11 YEARS. OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL, MR. THOMAS, HAS BEEN INSTRUC INSTRUMENTAL IN DESIGNING AND EFFECTIVE BLENDING LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL THAT HAS CREATED A HIGHLY ENGAGED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN INCREASED LEARNING FOR A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS. OUR SCHOOL SERVES 90% SOCIALLY ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, WHICH 30% ARE ENGLISH LEARNERS, AND 16% SPECIAL NEEDS. UNDER MR. THOMAS'S STRONG LEADERSHIP AND EXTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, OUR TEACHING STAFF HAVE IMPLEMENTED AN INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL THAT HAS YIELDED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. IN 2025, NEW HORIZONS AMONGST 352 CHARTER SCHOOLS RANKED 19TH IN ELA WITH 36% GROWTH AND 26 IN MATH WITH 34% GROWTH. WHEN COMPARING NEW HORIZONS TO L-A-U-S-D AND THE STATE, WE OUTPERFORM BOTH THE DISTRICT AND STATE AND BOTH ELA AND MATH. WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR SUBGROUPS, LATINO SED AND ENGLISH LEARNERS, WE OUTPERFORMED THE DISTRICT AND THE STATE. THIS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IS ROOTED IN THE BLENDED LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL IMPLEMENTED BY OUR AMAZING GROUP OF TEACHERS. THIS GROWTH HAS PUT NEW HORIZONS ON PAR WITH THE TOP 10% OF SCHOOLS IN LA COUNTY. WHEN COMPARING OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AS A SPAN SCHOOL, LUMPING OUR THIRD TO EIGHTH GRADE TESTING TOGETHER, WE TAKE A HIT VERSUS DISPLAYING OUR DATA AND DISAGREED IN METHOD DESPITE THIS CHALLENGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHANNES L JOHANNES. COME ON UP. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN. AND THEN AFTER JOHANNES ELLIS, JUSTINE GONZALEZ, AND THEN, UH, MARTINEL ALLEN. GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO AND RESPECTED BOARD MEMBERS. GOTHA INTERNATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO MY FAMILY'S LIFE FOR OVER SIX YEARS, AND A PLACE THAT SERVES AS A HOME FOR MANY FAMILIES IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS JOHANNES ETT AND I HAVE, I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AT GOTHE INTERNATIONAL. MY DAUGHTER IS IN SIXTH GRADE AND MY SON IS IN FOURTH. FROM THEIR VERY FIRST DAYS AT THE SCHOOL, WE HAVE SEEN THEM GROW NOT ONLY ACADEMICALLY, BUT ALSO AS COMPASSIONATE, GLOBALLY MINDED INDIVIDUALS. AS A PARENT THAT THAT IS IN A INVALUABLE. THERE ARE OVER 34 LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT GATA INTERNATIONAL. THIS DIVERSITY IS NOT JUST CELEBRATED, IT IS LIVED EVERY DAY. FAMILIES LIKE MINE AND MANY IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY CHOSE GATA INTERNATIONAL BECAUSE IT'S A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, FEELS INCLUDED AND RESPECTED THE SCHOOL'S FOCUSES ON. UH, BILINGUALISM IS POWERFUL. MY CHILDREN ARE LEARNING TO COMMUNICATE ACROSS CULTURES AND THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM, THEY'RE DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING, EMPATHY, AND A SENSE OF GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP. THESE ARE SKILLS THAT WILL SERVE THEM FOR LIFE. IN ADDITION TO BEING A PARENT, I SERVE [04:20:01] AS ONE OF THE, MY MULTILINGUAL FAMILY LIAISONS FOR THE SCHOOL. IN THIS ROLE, I SEE, UM, FIRSTHAND HOW GOTHA SUPPORTS FAMILIES FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING MANY EAST AFRICAN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ENROLLED HERE. I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT GOTHA IS NOT ONLY EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN, BUT ALSO STRAIGHTENING OUR COMMUNITY. IN SHORT, GOTHA INTERNATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL IS MORE THAN A SCHOOL. IT IS A DIVERSE, WELCOMING COMMUNITY THAT NURTURES BILINGUALISM, GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AND RESPECT FOR ALL PEOPLE. IT HAS BECOME A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR SO MANY OF US. THAT IS WHY FAMILIES, FAMILIES LIKE MINE AND SO MANY OTHERS IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMITTEE CHOSE INTERNATIONAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, JUSTINE GONZALEZ, UH, MARTINEL ALLEN. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MARTINE ALLEN AND I'M AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER. CURRENTLY TEACHING SIXTH AND EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AT GERTA INTERNATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL. AND TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD WHY THE IB PHILOSOPHY MATTERS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR STUDENTS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ESPECIALLY FOR SCHOOL LIKE GTA. THE INTERNATIONAL INTER UH, BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM IS, UH, FOR MORE THAN JUST A CURRICULUM. IT IS A WAY OF THINKING, A WAY OF LEARNING, A WAY OF ENGAGING WITH THE WORLD. AND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS A REGION THAT'S SHAPED BY CULTURAL DIVERSITY, GLOBAL CONNECTIONS, AND RAPIDLY EVOLVING SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES. THE IB PHILOSOPHY IS NOT OPTIONAL. IT IS ESSENTIAL. OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING UP IN A COMMUNITY WHERE MULTIPLE, UH, LANGUAGES ARE HERE, WHERE PERSPECTIVES COME INTO PLAY EVERY DAY. AND THEY WITNESS CURRENT EVENTS THAT ASK REAL QUESTIONS OF THEM. HOW TO NAVIGATE A COMPLEX DIGITAL LANDSCAPE, HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES, HOW TO RESPOND TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AFFECTING THE WORLD, AND HOW TO DEVELOP EMPATHY IN A WORLD. TOO OFTEN THAT'S DIVIDED. THE IB FRAMEWORK GIVES THEM THESE TOOLS THAT HELPS THEM FACE THESE REALITIES WITH CLARITY, WITH COMPASSION, AND WITH CONFIDENCE. THIS PERSPECTIVE COMES FROM VETERAN EDUCATOR WITH 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BOTH HERE AND THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD, I HAVE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS TEACHING AT IB SCHOOLS IN EGYPT, AMAN, AND HERE IN THE US AND HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT OF THE IB PHILOSOPHY. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE US I WAS THRILLED TO FIND GTA, A PLACE WHERE I COULD CONTINUE TO APPLY AND SHARE THIS PHILOSOPHY WITH MY STUDENTS. GERTA UTILIZES THE TOOLS OF THE IB FRAMEWORK, LIKE THE LEARNER PROFILE, WHICH ENCOURAGES THEM TO BE PRINCIPLED, REFLECTIVE, AND OPEN-MINDED, AND TOOLS LIKE APPROACHES TO LEARNING THAT BUILD CRITICAL THINKING, COMMUNICATION, AND RESEARCH. AND THIS IS WHY GER TIP MUST REMAIN A FIXTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, RACHEL VIA LOBOS. RACHEL VILLALOBOS. YOU SPOKE EARLIER ON ANOTHER ITEM, BUT YOU ARE NOT HERE. UH, BRENNA HORAN. BRENNA H NOT HERE. AND THEN MARISSA, RIGHT? RASCONE, YOU SPOKE ON ANOTHER ONE. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN. NO, NOT HERE. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TAB 26. UH, MS. NEWBELL, CAN I COLLECT YOUR VOTE ON TAB 25? DENY ALL THE YES. YES. OKAY. THAT'S A YES. THANK YOU. OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES BUSINESS. UH, THE TIME IS NOW ONE 30. ARE THERE ANY, UH, OBJECTIONS TO ADJOURNING? NONE. NO OBJECTIONS. THE TIME IS NOW 1 31. NOW REMEMBER, THIS MEETING IS GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA START ANOTHER MEETING MOMENTARILY, A SPECIAL CLOSE SESSION. UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE FOLKS A SECOND TO RESET THEIR ORIENTATION AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.