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>> WE WILL ADOPT MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
[1. Welcome & Equity Audit Committee Process Update by ACPS/IDRA Audit Team]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES?>> A MOVE TO ADOPT THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
WE ARE JOINED AGAIN BY OUR FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT THEY WILL PRESENT TO US TONIGHT.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MS. KENNETRA WOOD.
WELCOME TO OUR EQUITY POLICY AUDIT, SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE FIRST WE WANT TO START WITH IS OUR MOOD METER CHECK-IN FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE MOOD METER IS PART OF OUR TIER 1 SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM.
WE WILL TAKE A MINUTE FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ARE IN THE SPACE AND HOW YOU CAN BECOME GROUNDED IN THE SPACE TO DO THE WORK WE WILL DO TONIGHT.
IF EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER COULD PICK A WORD WITHIN EACH QUADRANT THAT IN ONE OF THE QUADRANTS, THAT REPRESENT WHERE YOU ARE TONIGHT.
I WILL START WITH -- I SHOULD NOT HAVE STARTED BECAUSE NOW I JUST DON'T KNOW! I THINK BEFORE I CAME IN I WAS A LITTLE BIT LETHARGIC BUT NOW I'M FEELING UPBEAT THAT MY VOICE IS CARRYING AND I'M HERE WITH ALL OF OUR GREAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
>> YEAH, FOR ME, I AM UPBEAT AS WELL.
IF YOU LOOK WE WILL DO SOME GOOD WORK.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE AT THE FIRST MEETING SO I'M EXCITED TO GET IN TO THE POLICY WORK.
>> AND MS. BOWLES JOINING US VIA ZOOM.
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, FEELING PROUD! AT THE DISTRICT, THE COMMITTEE AND ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING.
I'M SO GLAD THAT WE ALL CHOSE WORDS THAT WERE IN THE HIGH ENERGY AREA FOR TONIGHT, AS WE GET THROUGH.
THESE NEXT TWO HOURS WITH SOME WONDERFUL POLICY WORK.
JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
BUT I ALSO WANT, THIS THE EQUITY AUDIT TEAM THAT HAS BEEN WORKING SINCE LAST YEAR.
TO REVIEW THE POLICIES AND NOW, BRINGING THEM TO THE COMMITTEE.
BUT I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MS. JASMINE BOWLES TO INTRODUCE THIS UP BECAUSE THE BOARD OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET HER YET.
>> HELLO AGAIN AND GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS JASMINE BOWLES AND I AM ZOOMING WITH YOU RIGHT NOW FROM SOUTH ATLANTA GEORGIA.
AND I AM PROUD TO BE A CONSULTANT WITH THE INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATION.
IN THAT CAPACITY, HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DISTRICTS LIKE YOU WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO UNPACK SOME OF THE BIASES THAT ARE JUST IN THE SMOG OF OUR WORK.
AND SO, IT'S BEEN AWESOME LINKING ARMS WITH YOU ALL.
ONE POLICY AT A TIME, TO GIVE ALEXANDRIA SCHOLARS AND EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES THE TYPES OF POLICIES THEY DESERVE.
SO AGAIN, KUDOS TO ALL, YOUR WHOLE BOARD FOR TAKING THIS ON AND I AM GLAD TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT!
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. BOWLES.
AND AGAIN VERY QUICKLY, THE PROJECT PURPOSE, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNING OUR POLICIES TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE IDENTIFYING ROOT CAUSES OF DISPARITIES, WE FOCUS ON THE MOST MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS THAT WE ARE UNCOVERING AND REVISING POLICIES THAT SUPPORT OUR SUCCESS AND WORKING TO DISMANTLE CURRENT SYSTEMS THAT ARE BARRIERS TO OUR STUDENTS.
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NOW PASS IT OVER TO MS. JENNIFER.>> THANK YOU AGAIN, JUST A QUICK REVIEW FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAY NOT HAVE JOINED US PREVIOUSLY.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS COMMITTEE ARE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO THE "IN DEPTH" POLICY WORK, MEETING ONCE A MONTH TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FULL BOARD AS PART OF OUR EQUITY POLICY AUDIT.
OUR COMMITTEE IS GOING TO CONSIST OF A BALDING SLATE OF BOARD MEMBERS AND THE FIRST SLATE BOARD MEMBER GREEN, BOARD MEMBER SUAREZ AND BOARD MEMBER THORNTON.
THIS IS OUR SECOND MEETING AND WE CAN PROCEED, THANK YOU.
>> SO AS WE BEGIN TO REVIEW POLICIES JUST TO BRING EVERYONE UP TO SPEED ON
[2. Review of Discipline & Conduct Policies/Regulations]
WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, WE ARE ACPS/IDRA AUDIT TEAM HAS A READY DONE AN INITIAL REVIEW OF THE POLICIES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TONIGHT WHICH REVOLVE AROUND STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE.WE HELD FOCUS GROUPS IN OCTOBER, STAFF FOCUS GROUP AND SOME PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
AND NOW WE ARE GETTING THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FEEDBACK AS WELL.
THEN WE WILL DIG INTO ACTUAL REVISIONS TO BRING THESE TO THE BOARD IN DECEMBER.
SO FOR TONIGHT, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU, THE POLICIES THAT ARE NOT HIGHLIGHTED ARE THE ONES WHERE WE DID AN INITIAL LOOK AT LAST MONTH'S COMMITTEE MEETING AND GOT FEEDBACK ON THOSE.
WE RAN OUT OF TIME BEFORE WE GOT TO THE SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION POLICIES AND THE DISCIPLINING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES POLICIES.
SO WE WILL TAKE OUR INITIAL LOOK AT THOSE TONIGHT TO GET FEEDBACK AND FOR THE POLICIES THAT ARE NOT HIGHLIGHTED, WE WILL START LOOKING AT SOME REDLINED DOCUMENTS.
ANSWER JASMINE, I THINK AT THIS MOMENT WHAT WOULD BE WHAT WE ARE HOPING TWO THINGS.
IF YOU COULD GIVE US IDRA'S INITIAL LOOK AT THE POLICIES WE DID NOT DISCUSS LAST MONTH SO THOSE WERE THE SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION AND DISCIPLINING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, THE THEMES FROM THE IDRA REPORT REGARDING THOSE POLICIES AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND REVIEWING THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PARENT AND STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS LAST MONTH.
WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THAT YET, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN! ALL RIGHT, LET'S DIVE IN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO START WITH IS, WE DISCUSSED POLICY JGD, SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION.
I WANT TO REVISIT THAT YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB AT THE LAST MEETING, NAMING SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONAL THEMES AND CHALLENGES THROUGHOUT THE DISCIPLINE POLICIES.
AND THOSE ARE REALLY WHAT WE FIND AS PUNITIVE APPROACH TO TALKING TO SCHOLARS ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR.
AND SO, I START THERE BECAUSE YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT CARRIES INTO THIS PARTICULAR POLICY.
SO SOME ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT ALTHOUGH YOU MENTION ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS OR ALTERNATIVES TO SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION, YOU MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIERS OF STUDENTS SUPPORT YOU MENTIONED PBIS, IMAGINE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, BUT THOSE ARE REFERRED TO MORE IN DEPTH AND OTHER DOCUMENTS AND NOT NECESSARILY THE CORE OF THIS DOCUMENT.
WE ALSO NOTICED IN ADDITION TO THE ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS, THERE IS A LACK OF SPECIFICITY WITH WHAT THOSE ALTERNATIVES ARE.
AND YOU CAN TELL THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DISCRETION BASED ON SCHOOL SITE BY SCHOOL SITE.
WHAT WE THINK COULD REALLY HELP WITH THAT, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU WILL SEE BELOW.
ONE EXAMPLE COULD BE SPECIFYING WHICH STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVES AND WHY.
SO THAT LOOKS LIKE IDENTIFYING YOUR AT RISK SCHOLARS BASED ON NORMED IDENTIFICATIONS.
THOSE NORMS CAN BE HAVE WE TRIED EVERYTHING? YOU CAN THINK ABOUT AGE LIMITS, OR AGE RANGES.
YOU CAN THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT LESSER INTERVENTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRIED THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOAL.
AND SO WE TALK ABOUT SOME TRACKING ELEMENTS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO INCLUDE IN THIS POLICY LANGUAGE.
WE ALSO ARE THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW CONSIDERING THAT VARIATION THAT HAPPENS AT THE SCHOOL SITE DISCRETION, WITH THOUGHT ABOUT MAYBE ONE RESTORATIVE PLAN THAT
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UNDERGIRDS SOME OF THIS EXPULSION POLICY.FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, WHEN ANY STUDENT IS REFERRED TO SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION, THAT THEY ARE FIRST, MUST FOLLOW THESE RESTORATIVE PLANNED PRACTICES THAT YOU COULD PRESCRIBE FURTHER IN YOUR POLICY.
AND SO, WE THINK THAT ULTIMATELY, YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS FALLS IN LINE WITH SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS YOU HAD LAST MONTH ABOUT LIKE STARTING WITH A PUNITIVE APPROACH INSTEAD OF SAYING, HERE ARE SOME APPROACHES THAT WE'D LIKE TO TAKE TO KEEP YOU IN SCHOOL.
AND THEN AS WE GO DOWN TO THE NEXT PIECE THAT WAS NOT DISCUSSED LAST MONTH, WERE MAINLY THINKING ABOUT DISCIPLINING OUR SCHOLARS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND SO AGAIN, YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT SOME DATA THAT FURTHER IDENTIFIES WHICH STUDENTS WITH WHICH DISABILITIES, ARE RECEIVING DISCIPLINE CHALLENGES.
AND SO ENSURING THAT YOUR LANGUAGE THAT EXPLAINS TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS, HOW THESE PROCESS ARE USED, WHETHER SCHOLAR LIES IN THE PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY, THE DISCIPLINE JGDA POLICY FOR STEWS WITH DISABILITIES ACTUALLY HAS A LOT OF THE SAME CHALLENGES WE TALKED ABOUT.
THE PUNITIVE APPROACH WHERE YOU CAN START WITH EITHER RESTORATIVE, PDIS OR OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO NOT HAVE A PUNITIVE APPROACH.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THEMES FROM THE SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION POLICY ANALYSIS.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY TRUE YOU ALL DIDN'T DO LAST TIME BUT I AM REALLY EXCITED TO JUMP TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM PARENTS AND SCHOLARS.
BEFORE I MAKE THAT TRANSITION I LIKE TO PAUSE AND SEE IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE.
WITH HEADS SHAKING AND EYE CONTACT MAINTAINED I WILL KEEP GOING, OKAY SWEET, THANK YOU.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO ABOUT WHAT I CONSIDER WAS ONE OF THE MOST FUN ELEMENTS OF THIS WORK AND YES, I CONSIDER POLICY ANALYSIS.
I THINK PART OF WHY WE ARE ALL HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT REACHES THOSE WHO COME HERE TO SERVE AND WE ARE HERE TO SERVE SCHOLARS AND FAMILIES.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID, WE PULL TOGETHER THE GROUP OF SCHOLARS AND GROUP OF THEIR PARENTS, NOTICES OF THEIR PARENTS.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL.
YOUR DISTRICT COULD HAVE TAKEN A GROUP OF SCHOLARS AND A GROUP OF PARENTS AND SAID WE DID THE FOCUS GROUPS.
BUT YOU ALL ARE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT FINDING SCHOLARS AND TALKING TO THE SCHOLARS PARENTS.
AND SO IT'S VERY APPLES TO APPLES WAY TO FIND TRENDS.
I WILL START WITH SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PARENTS.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I'M ONLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FOR THE DISCIPLINE SECTION OF THIS FOCUS GROUP.
OKAY I SEE NODS SWEET, PERFECT.
LET ME TALK TO ABOUT THE QUESTIONS FIRST.
THE FIRST AND THAT WE OFF THE PARENTS, WITH THREE DISCIPLINE ORIENTED QUESTIONS, THE FIRST ONE, DO YOU BELIEVE THE RULES AT YOUR CHILD'S SCHOOL ARE FAIR? THEN WE ASKED THEM -- DO YOU BELIEVE THE RULES ARE APPLIED FAIRLY AT YOUR CHILD'S SCHOOL? AND UNPACK THAT.
THEN ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC RULES? FOR STUDENT EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE CHANGED? AS I GO DOWN TO TALK TO ABOUT THE THEMES TO THOSE RESPONSES, YOU WILL NOTICE SOMETHING WE KIND OF MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.
WE TALK ABOUT THE VARIATION AND DISCRETION THAT IS IN PLAY FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
THE POLICIES YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT THIS SCHOOL CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT THOSE ACTUALLY A THEME.
THEY SAID OVERALL I FEEL THAT MY CHILD HAS A FAIR RULES BUT THAT THEY ARE UNFAIRLY APPLIED, FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL OR SUBGROUPS AT SCHOOLS.
AND SO, I THINK IT IS ALSO REALLY AWESOME THAT WE WERE TALKING TO PARENTS ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE SO WE COULD HAVE A ENGLISH-SPEAKING GROUP AND SPANISH-SPEAKING GROUP AND SO, AGAIN IT WAS ONE OF THE THEMES.
THERE IS JUST VARIATION IN HOW THE RULES WERE APPLIED.
SO THE RULE ITSELF WASN'T THE PROBLEM, BUT I FELT LIKE I AS A PARENT AND THE
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FOCUS WILL, THE RULE ITSELF WASN'T UNFAIR BUT THE WAY I APPLIED TO MY CHILD OR MY CHILD'S FRIEND WAS NOT COOL.VARIABLE COMMUNICATION IS ALSO A THEME OR TREND THAT CAME THROUGH THE CONVERSATION AROUND DISCIPLINE.
AND SO, LET'S SAY THERE IS AN INFRACTION.
PARENTS HAVE FASCINATING THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HOW SCHOOLS COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS POST INFRACTION.
AFTER IT HAPPENS, WHAT HAPPENS? IT VARIES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, CHILD TO CHILD AND AGE GROUP TO AGE GROUP.
ALSO TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION FROM SCHOOLS BEING VARIABLE.
SO YOU HEARD SOME PARENTS SAY I WISH I HEARD FROM MY KIDS SCHOOL MORE AND YOUR PARENTS WHO ACTUALLY WANTED TO SHOUT OUT THERE SCHOLAR SCHOOL BECAUSE I HEAR EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME.
WHAT I HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU THERE IS NOT NECESSARILY THE, YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT ONE OVER HERE AND RUN OVER THERE.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE FACT THAT WE DO NEED SOME TYPE OF NORM DISTRICTWIDE AND THAT THE PARENTS FEEL IT.
NOT ONLY WERE WE ABLE TO SEE AS AN EQUITY TEAM THAT THIS COULD FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL PARENTS SEE IT AND FEEL IT SO AGAIN, SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF OUR AHA MOMENT AND NOW WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
ONE OF THE NEXT PIECES FROM PARENT CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT LACK OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
THIS WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL PARENTS MENTIONED THE LACK OF SROS.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT INTERVENTIONS AND STRATEGIES IN THE SCHOOLS, THE PARENTS DIDN'T DISLIKE THE OTHER STRATEGIES.
TO BE HONEST, THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEM.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES, THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER TOOLS THAT WE WERE USING IN PLACE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT AT FIRST THEY WERE MISSING.
AND SO IT'S A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION ABOUT HOW THE DISTRICT IS REALLOCATING RESOURCES AND IS DISCIPLINE WORK AND MAKING SURE IT IS GETTING TO PARENTS.
SO, THOSE WERE SOME OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS FROM THE PARENT CONVERSATION AND DISCIPLINE.
I'M EXCITED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION NOW TO THE STUDENT FOCUS GROOM -- GROUP ON THE TOPIC PAY RESPECT TO THOSE OF SCHOLARS PARENTS AND WE TALKED TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
I WILL REPEAT, THE THREE DISCIPLINE ORIENTED QUESTIONS, DO YOU BELIEVE THE RULES OF YOUR SCHOOL ARE FAIR? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE APPLIED FAIRLY? AND, IF YES, IF NO, IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE CHANGED? OUR SCHOLARS AS ALWAYS, WERE THE WISEST FOLKS IN THE ROOM! BECAUSE THEY'RE THE MOST PROXIMATE TO THE PROBLEM, RIGHT? SO THEY HAD A TON TO SAY.
AND I LEARNED NEW LANGUAGE SO AT THE TOP OF OUR ANALYSIS FROM THE FOCUS GROUP IS JUST CODING WHICH IS ACTUALLY USED AS A VERB WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
AND SO, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW DRESS CODING, THE ACT OF, DRESS CODING WAS BY FAR THE LARGEST ISSUE THAT SCHOLARS HAD ISSUES WITH.
AND SO, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, PARTICULARLY THE FEMALE SCHOLARS, NOTED DISPARITIES.
NOT ONLY IN THE RULES, BUT HOW THEY ARE APPLIED.
NOT ONLY DO THEY THINK THAT YOUNG LADIES AND YOUNG GENTLEMEN HAVE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS, THEY FIND THAT ON TOP OF THE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS, THEY ARE ALSO PUNISHED MORE HARSHLY AND MORE CRITICALLY.
AND IT WAS FASCINATING TO HEAR ONE SCHOLAR REACH OUT THE MOMENT THEY WERE USING THE WORDS, AGAIN, AS A VERB.
SO HE SAID WHAT IS IT SOUND LIKE DESCRIBE WHAT THAT IS.
THEY TALK ABOUT HOW ANY ADULTS IN THE BUILDING CAN WALK UP TO ANY SCHOLAR IN THE BUILDING, AND ASK ANY NUMBER OF CHALLENGING QUESTIONS.
CHALLENGING IS THE GRACEFUL WORD AMUSING THERE BUT THE YOUNG LADIES EXPLAIN SOME
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EXAMPLES WHERE IT COULD BE TOUGH TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE SO JUST SAYING THAT THEY SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEING DRESSED CODED FOR THE WAYS OF THEIR BODIES NATURALLY.OR BEING ACCUSED OF SEXUALIZING AN OUTFIT THAT IN THEIR MIND WAS NOT THAT WAY.
AND SO, THEY CONNECTED THIS ACT OF DRESS CODING TO A HARMFUL ELEMENT OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
SO I WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION, I THOUGHT THAT WAS FASCINATING.
AND THEN THE UNEQUAL APPLICATION OF RULES.
ONCE AGAIN, THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT THE RULES OF THE PROBLEM BUT HOW THEY ARE APPLIED.
THE SCHOLARS ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE RACE ELEMENT SPECIFICALLY.
ALSO THEY ARE ON TOP OF SAYING THAT STUDENTS OF COLOR ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY SERVED OUT CONSEQUENCES, THERE WAS ALSO SOME INTERESTING ANECDOTES ABOUT ACTUAL SCHOOL GROUPS, SO BLACKMAILS WHERE ATHLETES WERE BLACK MALE ATHLETES, ANYTIME THAT THERE IS AN INTERSECTION, THE STUDENT FOCUS GROUP MEMBERS HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE SCHOLARS EVEN ON TOP OF WHAT THEY ALREADY POINTED OUT.
THEN THEY TALKED ABOUT LACK OF TEACHER SUPPORT.
I MIGHT NOT HAVE MENTIONED THIS AT THE BEGINNING.
THESE FOCUS GROUPS WERE ONLY CONVENED FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LACK OF TEACHER SUPPORT I DO NOT WANT IT TO BE THOUGHT OF LIKE EVERY SCHOLAR IN ALEXANDRIA FEELS THIS WAY.
IN THIS FOCUS GROUP THE STUDENTS OF COLOR REPORT THAT THEY PERSONALLY FEEL LACK OF TEACHER SUPPORT AND I THINK THAT IS, THEY DREW THE CORRELATIONS CORRECTLY, TEACHER STAFF AND HIRING AND WANTING TO SEE MORE TEACHERS OF COLOR WHO LOOK LIKE THEM.
AND I BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE IT WAS THE SCHOLARS WHO NOTICED THAT LIKE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DISCIPLINE AND BEHAVIOR.
AND THEY MADE THE CONNECTION TO REPRESENTATION AND WE ALL KNOW THAT REPRESENTATION MATTERS.
BUT THEY MADE THAT CONNECTION TO THE STAFF.
LIKE IF THEY GET IN TROUBLE OR NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO, WHO DO I GO TO? THEY WANT TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THE ADULTS IN THE BUILDING AND I THINK THAT MATTERS.
THOSE ARE THE ANECDOTES FROM THE FOCUS GROUP WHICH AGAIN, WAS JUST KUDOS TO YOU IN YOUR DISTRICT FOR APPROACHING THE WORK THIS WAY.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A BUNCH OF POLICY, SITTING AROUND TALKING ABOUT POLICY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE CRITICAL AND VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT BRINGING IN THE STAKEHOLDER VOICES AND SO, THE STUDENT AND PARENT FOCUS GROUPS ARE JUST ONE PART OF THAT.
I'M GOING TO PASS THE MICROPHONE NOW BECAUSE I THINK YOU ALL ALSO DID HAVE SOME FEEDBACK TO SHARE FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME TOPICS.
UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF COURSE.
>> WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR FEEDBACK?
>> I HAVE MORE COMMENTS BUT IT MIGHT NEED TO BE RESERVED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE.
I DO WANT TO ADD THAT, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THAT THE FOCUS GROUPS WERE PARTICULARLY WITH STUDENTS OF COLOR AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT IN OUR DATA WE HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO ARE IMPACTED BY OUR DISCIPLINARY POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT HAPPEN IN THE SCHOOLS.
WHEN WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT FEEDBACK, WE WANT TO STUDENTS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED OUR POLICIES AS OPPOSED TO JUST GIVING A BROAD RANGE.
EACH FOCUS GROUP IS TYPICALLY, -- THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH A GROUP OF POLICIES THAT HIT THE MOST MARGINALIZED GROUP THAT THE POLICY IS REACHING.
AS WE GIVE MORE FEEDBACK WE WILL HEAR DIFFERENT GROUPS COME TO THE TABLE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADMINISTRATOR FEEDBACK, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT ALIGN WITH WHAT THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS SAID.
ONE THING THE MINISTERS TALKED ABOUT WAS GRAY AREA IN OUR POLICIES.
WHICH LED TO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BIAS TO SEEP INTO THE ROOM.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE.
TO INCLUDE CONSULTATION, WITH CENTRAL OFFICE AND PROVIDING SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN BE USED WITHIN THE POLICY SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT CAN BE USED.
THINGS THAT WORK AROUND THE GRAY AREA LIKE DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT AND BEHAVIOR WHICH SEEM TO BE A CATCHALL PHRASE AS THEY COMMENTED ON AREAS WHERE THEY FELT LIKE NEEDED TO BE REVISED FOR MORE SPECIFICITY.
ALSO LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE APPEALS TO SUSPENSION AS WELL AS THE GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION.
WE TALK ABOUT GROUNDS ADMINISTRATORS REALLY FELT LIKE THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WERE IN THE POLICY THAT WE DON'T SUSPEND OR EXPEL FOR ANYMORE.
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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES I'M TRYING TO FIND ON HERE? THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UP TO DATE WITH THE TIMES, ARE WE REALLY SUSPENDING AND EXPELLING FOR THESE THINGS? AND SHOULD THEY BE INVOLVED IN THE LIST OF WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS EXPENDABLE AND SUSPENDABLE OFFENSES? LONG-TERM SUSPENSIONS CAME UP IN THE NEED FOR A PROCESS FOR READMISSIONS.AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN A STUDENT COMES BACK FROM SUSPENSION SO THAT THERE IS CLEAR AND SPECIFIC WAYS THAT WE ARE BRINGING STUDENTS BACK TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT IS UNFAVORABLE AND MAY RECEIVE A CONSEQUENCE, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PUNISHMENT SHOULD CONTINUE.
THAT IS PRETTY MUCH MOST OF IT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AGAIN, THERE WAS A NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC AND KIND OF COME OUT OF THE GRAY AREA THAT LEADS TO SOMETIMES BIAS PRACTICES AND SO, THINGS LIKE THE 45 DAYS, OF QUICK ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR STUDENTS.
THE USE OF PARENT RESOURCE CENTER AS WELL AS THE MTSS PROCESS TO BE PART OF THE POLICY.
AND THAT WAS ALSO A CONVERSATION AROUND NOT JUST STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BUT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SPECIFIC IN THE AND WE ARE STATING THAT THINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE AND CAN BE DONE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT INCLUDING THINGS LIKE THE NVR PROCESS AND DEFINING IF YOU HAVE TO WAIT 10 DAYS OR IF YOU SEE THINGS ARE HAPPENING, CAN YOU REVISIT MANIFESTATION MEETING TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY IS DISPLAYING SOMETHING THAT IS A RESULT OF THE DISABILITY OR NOT.
AND ALSO, THE FBA AND BIP AS PART OF THE PROCESS WHERE STUDENTS ARE SUSPENDED.
FOR THE MOST PART, THERE WERE SOME ALIGNMENT.
MINISTERS WERE LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC IN WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND GUIDANCE THAT THEY WANTED.
IT WAS REALLY AGAIN, THE THEME WAS AROUND KIND OF MOVING MORE AWAY FROM THAT GRAY AND PUTTING SOME THINGS IN THERE AND IN PLACE SO WE ARE MITIGATING SOME OF THE BIASES THAT WE SEE.
NOW WE WILL GO TO QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
>> I'M UPBEAT AND READY LIKE I SAID BEFORE.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME COMMEND YOU ALL, NOWHERE KIND OF STARTING A NEW PROCESS HERE WITH THESE COMMITTEES AND THIS DATA YOU ARE COLLECTED EXCELLENT.
I MEAN THIS IS JUST REALLY RICH, REALLY VALUABLE AND EXACTLY THE TYPE OF INFORMATION WE NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISION.
IT WAS DONE WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS THAT YOU FOCUSED ON, FAMILIES OF COLOR.
BECAUSE WE DON'T OFTEN HEAR FROM FAMILIES OF COLOR.
YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD IS OFTEN DISPROPORTIONATELY MORE PRIVILEGED FAMILIES.
I THINK IS VERY GOOD THAT YOU ALL FOCUSED ON THAT.
AND YOU WERE ABLE TO HEAR THAT PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT IT IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE STUDENTS BUT YOU KNOW STUDENTS OF COLOR ARE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE STUDENT POPULATION SO IT IS VERY REPRESENTATIVE OUR STUDENTS AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED MORE OF THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AS A BOARD SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT GENERAL COMMENT.
IN TERMS OF THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT WERE SAID, JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THE LINE SINCE WE HAVE A GROUP TODAY, FIRST OF ALL DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, CATCHALL CATEGORIES OF ALWAYS HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE MORE GRANULAR AND DEFINING WHAT THAT IS.
THERE'S PLENTY OF RESEARCH OUT THERE THAT SHOWS WHEN YOU HAVE YOU KNOW THINGS LIKE DISRESPECT OR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, LIKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS TEND TO LEAD TO DISPROPORTIONALITY.
THE OTHER BIG THEME THAT I DREW FROM THE TEACHER AND STUDENT COMMENTS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMENTS FRANKLY IS THAT WE HAVE THESE INCONSISTENCIES AT THE STAFF LEVEL.
AN ADDED TEACHER LEVEL SOUND LIKE THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS WHO ARE YOU KNOW, MAYBE DISCIPLINING MORE FAIRLY AND COMMUNICATING HOME BETTER.
ON THE ONE HAND BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS WHO ARE NOT.
AND SO AS A THINK ABOUT THAT FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK ABOUT, COULD WE HAVE MORE AFFIRMATIVE POLICIES THAT SAY, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT TEACHERS SHOULD
[00:30:02]
BE DOING IF THEY'RE ADMINISTERING DISCIPLINE CORRECTLY, HERE ARE THE THINGS THEY SHOULD BE DOING IF THEY ARE COMMUNICATING HOME CORRECTLY.AND ARE THERE WAYS TO CREATE INCENTIVES THROUGH THE TEACHER EVALUATION PROCESS TO REALLY LIFT UP THE EXAMPLES OF TEACHERS WHO AR DOING THIS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO, I DO KNOW ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS BUT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, WHO ARE THE TEACHERS WHO ARE DOING THE GOOD COMMUNICATIONS HOME SUCH THAT THEY ARE FENDING OFF THESE INCIDENTS BEFORE THEY OCCUR? AND WHO ARE THE TEACHERS WHO IF YOU TALK TO THE STUDENTS SAY, THAT TEACHER, THEY DON'T DO THAT YOU KNOW STUDENTS OF COLOR VERSUS WHITE STUDENTS.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.
AND WE NEED TO COMMEND THEM YOU KNOW, INCENTIVIZE THEM.
MAYBE THEY CAN HELP TRAIN OTHER TEACHERS LIKE YOU KNOW THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT MAY BE NEED TO BE EXPRESSED IN OUR POLICIES.
BECAUSE THERE HAVE TO BE SOME POSITIVE NUGGETS THAT WE CAN LATCH ONTO.
REALLY JUST WE HAVE THE MODEL THAT WE VALUE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ANYMORE.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WILL COMMENT ON FOR NOW, I HAVE OTHER COMMENTS BUT I DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE.
I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO COMMENT ON THE SRO ISSUE.
IT'S BEEN A HOT TOPIC FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMUNITY.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS, I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS, ANYONE THUS LISTENED TO ME TALK ABOUT THIS YOU KNOW I HAVE WRITTEN THESE POLICIES, I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EQUITY ISSUES IN THE DISCIPLINE AREA.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THE SRO IS OVERSIMPLIFIED ON BOTH ENDS OF THE DEBATE MANY TIMES AND WE NEED TO BE JUST TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SITUATION.
REALITY IS THAT YOU PROUD PARENTS OF COLOR SEEMS LIKE EXPRESSING THAT THE SROS WERE NOT NECESSARILY A PROBLEM, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND MORE BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE STUDENTS.
DID THE STUDENTS AFFIRMATIVELY SAY LIKE, WE'RE GLAD THAT THE SROS ARE GONE, AND HERE'S WHY? OR WAS THAT JUST NOT A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION? I WILL HAVE MORE THOUGHTS BUT I WANTED TO KNOW THAT, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT?
>> SURE, I THINK IT IS A BRILLIANT QUESTION MR. SUAREZ.
YES, THAT CAME UP WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AND NO, THEY DID NOT AGREE WITH THEIR PARENTS.
WHAT'S FASCINATING IS THAT THE THING EVERYONE AGREED ON, WAS NEEDING A NON- TEACHER TO TALK TO WHEN YOU NEED AN ADULT MOST.
THE AGREEMENT WAS, EVERY PARENT WANTS THE BEST FOR THE CHILD, THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM IN SCHOOL AND EVERY SCHOLAR IN OUR SUBGROUP WANTS TO FEEL LIKE TO HAVE AN ADULT TO TALK TO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, CONDITIONS HAVE CREATED A SPACE WHERE THE PARENTS FIRST THOUGHT WAS LIKE HAS TO BE THE SRO, THEY ARE NOT THERE, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AND THAT WAS JUST LIKE THE CONNECTION THEY DREW TO HAVING ANOTHER ADULT PRESENCE IN THE BUILDING.
BUT I REALLY LOVE THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT THE STUDENT BECAUSE THEY VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE AND IS ACTUALLY PART HERE IN THE REPORT THAT TALKS ABOUT ALTHOUGH STUDENTS DID NOT SPECIFICALLY REQUEST SROS THEY TALKED ABOUT WANTING ANOTHER ADULT IN THE BUILDING WHO SHARE THEIR IDENTITY AS A SAFE SPACE AND REFUGE WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING, SMART QUESTION.
>> THAT'S HELPFUL AND I WILL MAKE ONE FINAL COMMENT ON THIS.
AS SOMEONE WHO I VIEW MYSELF AS PROGRESSIVE, IN AN IDEAL WORLD I THINK WE WOULD HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND NOT HAVE POLICE IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
MY QUESTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN, SHOULD THERE BE A TRANSITION AND WHAT TROUBLED ME ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST YEARS THE RUG WAS PULLED OUT, WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN THAT REALLY MAKES SURE THAT WE YOU KNOW ARE THINKING ABOUT IF WE ARE TRANSITIONING THE SROS OUT WHAT IS IT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SOLVE THE DISPROPORTIONALITY ISSUES AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO THAT WE KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK, ACTUALLY THINK PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE IN ALEXANDRIA, NOT EVERYONE BUT MOST PEOPLE IN ALEXANDRIA INCLUDING ALL THE BOARD WOULD IDEALLY NOT WANT TO HAVE THE SROS IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING BUT YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT IS DONE IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY, AND SO THAT IS SUPER HELPFUL TO HEAR THAT IT IS THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE WE WANT TO ELEVATE THAT PERSPECTIVE YOU KNOW AND I WANT US TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT AND HOPE THE NEXT BOARD WILL THINK ABOUT,
[00:35:03]
HOW DO WE DO THIS IN A SMART WAY THAT IS THOUGHTFUL AND NOT DO IT YOU KNOW IN A WAY THAT IS HASTY AND DRIVEN MORE BY POLITICAL MOTIVATION THAN WHAT IS BEST FOR THE KIDS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.THAT'S KIND OF YOU KNOW, MY SORT OF IT'S BEEN MY STRUGGLE WITH THE ISSUE.
YOU KNOW BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND I THINK AGAIN, MORE NUANCED THAN THE DEBATE.
THAT IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.
I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A TOPIC THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED WITH CARE.
I ALSO DON'T THINK WE SHOULD OVERTHINK IT, RIGHT? THIS IS CREATIVE HR.
THIS IS CREATIVE HUMAN RESOURCES PERSONNEL AND IF THAT MEANS YOU KNOW, NOT GETTING RID OF THE GOOD ADULTS IN THE BUILDING, BUT CHANGING THE NAME OR JOB DESCRIPTION, OR CHANGING THE TITLE OR REPURPOSE THING YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT OF A RESOURCE OFFICER, I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
OUR SCHOLARS ARE SAYING, WE APPRECIATE MORE HANDS ON DECK, MORE ADULTS IN THE BUILDING, MORE CIRCLES OF SUPPORT.
AND I THINK THE ONLY REAL SEPARATION THERE IS, IT WILL BE GREAT IF IT DID NOT HAVE TO ASSOCIATE THAT HUMAN WITH LIKE, SOME TYPE OF PUNITIVE ANGER IN MY COMMUNITY.
LIKE THE POLICE FORCE AND SO I THINK IS JUST REALLY COOL TO YOUR POINT, TO KNOW THAT WE CAN GO ON ONE EXTREME OR THE OTHER, BUT ALSO WANT YOU GUYS TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE FACT THAT LIKE PARENTS AND STUDENTS AGREE THAT WE NEED THE SUPPORT, HOW IS THE QUESTION, NOT IF.
>> IS JUST THE FINAL RESPONSE THAT BECAUSE IT MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW YOU MADE THE POINT THAT THE STUDENTS WERE OKAY WITHOUT HAVING SROS IF THEY HAVE REPLACEMENT PERSON TO GO TO, RIGHT? AND I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTEMPLATED HERE WAS YOU KNOW, BY THE COUNCIL AND IN THAT CONVERSATION WITH SOME SORT OF MENTAL HEALTH PERSON.
BUT WHAT BORE OUT GIVEN HOW HASTY THINGS OCCURRED WAS THAT THOSE PEOPLE WERE NOT EVEN HIRED AND SO THAT I'M GUESSING WAS PART OF WHY THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT TO YOU KNOW, RIP THE BAND-AID OFF LIKE THAT.
YOUR POINT ABOUT HR IS A GOOD ONE.
BECAUSE WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE HR STEPS TO GET IN PLACE TO HAVE THAT SORT OF TRANSITION AND AS I SAID THE LAST FULL BOARD MEETING, WE DO HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT NOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT THINK ON THE FUNDS BEING PROVIDED INDEFINITELY, GIVEN THE WAY THAT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ARE RETURNED.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO INC.
ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND YOU KNOW IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE NEXT BOARD BUT AS WE DO THIS POLICY WORK, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT THE ROLE MAY BE OF TEACHERS ARE, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER AND DISCIPLINE? AND WHAT SHOULD THEY BE DOING? AND WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF OTHER STAFF? YOU KNOW, ENVISIONING WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE ABSENT SROS.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE FORWARD THINKING ABOUT HOW THAT IS BAKED INTO THE POLICY ALREADY.
SO IF THE SROS ARE NOT THE BUILDING IS NOT PART OF THE POLICY ANYMORE, THEN WE STILL HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE.
I THINK WE REALLY WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY.
HE GAVE US A LOT TO GO OFF APPEARED THE LESS YOU TALK ABOUT WITH SROS, DEFINITELY AS YOU MENTIONED, A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I THINK NOT JUST FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION BUT THE CITY AT LARGE AND HOW WE VIEW THE ROLE OF POLICING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK ONE THING THAT SET OUT TO ME, CURRENTLY, THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH MENTION OF THE ROLE OF A SRO IN OUR CURRENT POLICIES.
YOU MENTIONED INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE SEARCH AND SEIZURE OR IF A STUDENT HAS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE OR POSSESSION ISSUE, WE JUMPED RIGHT INTO EXPULSION OR INTERACTIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO REALLY, IDEALLY I THINK ANY STUDENT INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A LAST RESORT MEASURE.
THAT'S WHAT OUR MOU STATE AND POLICY SHOULD INDICATE.
I LIKE THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY MENTION YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ONE OF OUR MAIN APPROACHES TO KIND OF DEAL WITH STUDENT INFRACTIONS.
IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE A LAST RESORT ISSUE IN MY MIND.
AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE AS WE GO INTO THE EDITS LATER, I DO KINDA SUGGEST WE MENTION OUR MOU SOMEWHERE IN THE POLICY PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO KIND OF FORMULATE SOMETHING WHERE SROS ARE ESSENTIAL TO HOW WE
[00:40:04]
DEAL WITH STUDENT ISSUES.SOMETHING THAT KIND OF STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THAT FROM THE PARENT PERSPECTIVE, THEY LIKE SROS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT REALLY AWARE OF ALL THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO LAST TIME WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT GRADING CHECKLISTS OR BETTER SPECIFYING THE STEPS THAT TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD TAKE PRIOR TO TAKING MORE DRASTIC MEASURES.
AND SO THAT'S THE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WERE MADE WE NEED TO BETTER CODIFY WHAT ARE THE STEPS, WHETHER IT'S A FLOWCHART OR I DON'T KNOW, BUT SOMETHING TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS CAN REFERENCE AND PARENTS CAN ALSO REFERENCE THAT SAYS THESE THINGS ALL WERE DONE SO I UNDERSTAND NOW WHY THIS IS THE RESULT WE NEED TO TAKE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SIMILARLY WITH STUDENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS SAYING THERE IS A LOT OF GRAY AREAS.
I THINK THOSE GRAY AREAS EXIST BECAUSE AGAIN, WE NOT SPECIFYING WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF STEPS OF THEIR INTERVENTIONS WHETHER IT'S RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, OUR NCSS FRAMEWORK, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE THERE JUST BUZZ WORDS.
AND SOMETHING I WAS WONDERING ABOUT, THERE'S ONE THING BETWEEN HAVING POLICY AND HAVING PEOPLE COME TO BE AWARE OF POLICY.
AND I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS WHEN I ASK THIS BUT LIKE, AND ADMINISTRATORS DAY-TO-DAY WORK, HOW OFTEN ARE THEY ACTUALLY LOOKING AT A POLICY WHEN AN INFRACTION HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOM OR IN SCHOOL? ARE THEY KIND OF JUST GOING OFF OF MUSCLE MEMORY OR WITH THE PRINCIPAL SAYS? AND I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL ON THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO BETTER SPECIFY IN OUR POLICIES, THESE ARE THE STEPS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN BEFORE YOU CALL AN SRO, DO YOU THINK WITH THE CURRENT SET UP IT WAS SOMETHING THAT STAFFORD REFERENCE? OR IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM?
I DO THINK THAT WHEN WE REVISE THE CODE OF CONDUCT, PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS AGO, IT USED TO BE FOUR PAGES LONG.
IT WAS A PAMPHLET, FRONT AND BACK ENGLISH AND SPANISH NOT WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PARENTS SIGNED.
WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE DOCUMENT WHICH WE DID WITH COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND STAFF, WE DO HAVE, THERE ARE STILL GRAY AREAS.
I DEFINITELY WILL SAY VERY TRANSPARENTLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHARTS AND THE THINGS IN THERE, THERE IS STILL A DEGREE OF SUBJECTIVITY.
ON DIFFERENT INFRACTIONS OF WHERE IT COULD FALL.
BUT I THINK THAT DOCUMENT HAS HELPED THEM REFER TO POLICY MUCH MORE.
AND A LOT OF FRIENDS I THINK ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FIRST ROLLED OUT HAD TEACHERS GIVING LESSONS ON IT, WHAT ARE STUDENT RIGHTS, NOT JUS WHAT ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR BUT WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS AS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE SCHOOL? WHICH WAS A SUGGESTION THAT CAME FROM A PARENT AND STUDENT OF HOW DO I KNOW MY RIGHTS? AND SO, I DO THINK THAT THEY REFERRED MORE TO POLICY SINCE THAT HAS BECOME A TOOL THAT IS USED FIVE DIFFERENT HAVE STUDENTS REACH OUT TO ME AND SITE POLICY LANGUAGE.
AND WHICH IS GREAT! WE WANT THEM TO KNOW WE WANT THESE TO BE A FRAMEWORK FOR US.
I THINK, AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT CODE OF CONDUCT AND THE PROCESS WE DO, THE CHECKLIST IS NOT SOMETHING IN THERE BUT IT IS AN INTERESTING IDEA TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT YOU SHOULD HAVE CONSULTATION, YOU SHOULD DO THESE THINGS.
I'M ALSO JUST THINKING ABOUT DEPARTMENTAL WORK WITHIN OUR HEARINGS PROCESS.
WE DO HAVE CERTAIN CHECKLIST TO MAKE SURE HAVE A GOT TO THE PROCESS, HAS THIS HAPPENED? IT'S A VERY LONG ANSWER, PRINCIPLES OF SCHOOL ADMINISTERS REFER TO DISCIPLINE POLICIES, THEY DO BECAUSE THEY USE THE CONDUCT, THE CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH IS BASED ON THE POLICIES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOW AND THEN SOME VISUALS THAT WE DEVELOPED BASED OFF OF THAT.
BUT I DO THINK IT IS REALLY APPROPRIATE GOOD FEEDBACK.
THAT EVERY GROUP GAVE US AND THAT WE CAN MAKE THEM STRONGER BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT ALWAYS JUMPS OUT TO ME YOU KNOW, THE SUBJECTIVE IS WHERE, WHETHER IT IS INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL ACTION, CREEPS IN AND THE BIAS COMES IN WHEN YOU HAVE GRAY AREA.
SO, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THIS IS REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK AS WE REVIEWED THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND POLICIES IN GENERAL TO MAKE IT STRONGER.
>> YEAH, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE RIGHT ON TARGET.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS YOU KNOW, THERE THESE EXTREMES I WANT TO BRING OUR ATTENTION AND JUST A CAUTIONARY PIECE TO, WHAT I DON'T THINK SHOULD HAPPEN, IS FROM THE DISTRICT, WE PRESCRIBE RULES, CONSEQUENCES, UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, TO THE T, SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
ACTUALLY WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ONE THING THAT ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC
[00:45:03]
SCHOOLS DOES REALLY WELL IN YOUR POLICIES.YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND THAT THOSE SCHOOL LEADERS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES KNOW WHAT IS BEST, THAT IS BEAUTIFUL, LET'S MAINTAIN THAT.
WHAT I ALSO THINK WE ARE SAYING HERE IS THAT WE CAN NORM OR TO USE YOUR LANGUAGE, I'M ENJOYING THE WORD CHECKLIST OR CHECK LISTING.
AND WE CAN SAY, NOT THAT EACH SCHOOL HAS A TELL EACH STUDENT THREE STRIKES AND THEN YOU ARE OUT, RIGHT? LET'S PRESCRIBE A CHECKLIST THAT SAYS EACH SCHOOL MUST HAVE VALUES.
A RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION PLAN.
MTSS PLAN, YOU CAN INTERCHANGE THE WORDS IN A WAY THAT PLEASES YOUR COMMITTEE AND YOUR BOARD.
BUT WE CAN THINK ABOUT NORMING AND PRESCRIBING AND CHECK LISTING EXPECTATIONS TO A LIST OF BEHAVIORS WE WANT WITHOUT TAKING AWAY SOME OF THAT REALLY IMPORTANT SITE-BASED WORK, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD GO WELL AND GOES WELL AND AS PROVEN ITSELF THROUGHOUT OUR ANALYSIS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR POLICIES.
THERE ARE SOME REALLY COOL WAYS IT SCHOOLS LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES ARE EMPOWERED TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES AS NEEDED.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PRESCRIBE HERE IS, WHY DOES THE SCHOOL HAVE SO MANY CHANCES BEFORE AN EXPULSION AND THIS SCHOOL IS FOLLOWING THE POLICY BECAUSE IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE VARIATIONS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
>> I WOULD ALSO ADD, JUST AS COMING INTO THIS DIVISION AS A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR FROM ANOTHER DIVISION, I DO AGREE WHEN WE FIRST, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE I WAS LOOKING FOR LIKE WHERE IS THE LIST? WHERE IS YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHAT DO YOU DO? WINZIP ACTUALLY PULLING FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOL DIVISIONS, DIFFERENT CODES OF CONDUCT, DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THINGS AND I AGREE JASMINE, YOU DON'T WANT TO PRESCRIBE LIKE IF YOU DO THIS THEN YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO GET THIS BECAUSE THEN YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR WHAT THE NUANCES AROUND THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE GRAY CAME FROM ORIGINALLY.
BUT AS WE'VE GROWN AND LEARNED, WE KNOW THAT THE BIAS DOES SEEP IN AT THAT POINT.
SO I WILL SAY, YES, AS ADMINISTRATORS WE DEFINITELY LOOK AT THE POLICY AND NOW BEING ABLE TO GET TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
WE'LL GET EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES, I JUST WANT TO CHECK ON THIS, I WANT TO CHECK ON THAT.
I THINK IF WE HAVE IT IN A WAY THAT IS USER-FRIENDLY AND THEY ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW IT, WE DO HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY WITH THEIR INTERVENTIONS THAT PEOPLE WILL, ADMINISTERS AND TEACHERS WILL READ IT.
AS WELL AS OUR KIDS AND WE HAVE TO DO A GOOD JOB OF MAKING SURE WE GET THAT OUT TO OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
>> SO THIS SPURRED A COMMENT, EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING IS SPOT ON AND TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.
MAKING ME THINK ABOUT WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE POLICIES? I AGREE WE DON'T WANT TO MICROMANAGE EVERY SINGLE BEHAVIOR, THERE IS SOME HEALTHY VARIATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS DEPENDING ON SCHOOL CULTURE AND ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE SOME VARIABILITY.
SCHOOLS ALSO LEADERSHIP STYLES OF THE PRINCIPAL AND STAFF.
THOSE CAN VARY AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME DEVIATING.
WHAT IS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE WE CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW? EQUITY FOR ALL AND IN THIS CONTEXT IN PARTICULAR, READING DISPROPORTIONALITY.
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE GOAL, AS YOU TALK ABOUT ADMINISTRATORS AND EVERYTHING, TO ME I WAS TALK ABOUT DATA BUT TO ME IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THAT.
THE BOARD LEVEL WE ARE LOOKING AT DISPROPORTIONALITY DATA.
AT THE ADMINISTRATION LEVEL, THE LARGER TEAMS THAT ME WITH DOCTOR HUTCHINGS, ALL THE PRINCIPLES LOOK AT THIS DISPROPORTIONALITY DATA.
AND IF YOU LOOK WE NEED TO POLICIES THAT ARTICULATE THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN.
AND SO LIKE I AM THINKING, TAKING AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL FOR EXAMPLE.
WE SHOULD'VE POLICIES AROUND THE ADMINISTRATION YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO ANALYZE ITS DATA EVERY QUARTER OR, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS REASONABLE.
BUT STAFF WILL LOOK AT THE CLASSROOM DATA, AT THE CLASSROOM LEVEL TO SEE, IS THERE DISPROPORTIONALITY AND WHAT CLASSROOMS IS IT AND WHAT PARTS OF THE SCHOOL IT IS THAT IN AND FRANKLY, I FEEL LIKE NOT JUST THE NUMERICAL DATA BUT ALSO DOING SOMETHING LIKE WHAT YOU BROUGHT TO US TODAY.
[00:50:02]
THE TEACHERS HAVE YOU NO QUARTERLY OR FOCUS GROUPS OF PARENTS YOU KNOW PARTICULARLY PARENTS OF COLOR AND STUDENTS TO SAY HOW ARE THINGS GOING FOR YOU? CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS SO THAT EVERY QUARTER YOU KNOW EACH ADMINISTRATION CAN SAY OKAY WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IN A SCHOOL CULTURE TO REDUCE THIS DISPROPORTIONALITY? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CREATE THE SYSTEMS THAT REDUCE SOME OF THAT? BECAUSE WE ARE HEARING ABOUT THESE INEQUITIES.THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN ARTICULATE OUR POLICIES, YOU KNOW THAT WAY OF THINKING ALL THE WAY DOWN WITHOUT BEING TOO PRESCRIPTIVE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT IS OUR GOAL.
TO REDUCE DISPROPORTIONALITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND BE EQUITABLE IN THE WAY WE ADMINISTER POLICY.
>> I WANT TO AFFIRM THAT AS A STRATEGY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING RIGHT NOW IS DATA AND REPORTING AND THERE ARE SOME TRENDS WE NOTICED AS WELL AS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE THAT COULD HELP IMPROVE AND THAT GETS INTO THE, DO WE IDENTIFY AT RISK SCHOLARS? HOW ARE WE SAYING HOW MANY, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TRUANCY? WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, THE LANGUAGE FROM I THINK YOUR STAFF, THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW ADMIN AND TEACHERS ALREADY KNOW WE USE WORDS LIKE DESCRIPTIVE OR UNRULY OR NONCOMPLIANT.
AND SO WE HAVE MACRO LABELS BUT THERE IS A LOT WITH TRACKING AND REPORTING AT SCHOOL SITES AND THEN EXPECTING OUR SCHOOL LEADERS TO ASSURE THAT SO WE CAN -- THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR SURE.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.
WE TALK, WE SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT HOW WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO SPEAKING WITH THE RIGHT AUDIENCES.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE STUDENT GROUP AND THE PARENT GROUP WERE AWESOME.
AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT, I WAS SO STRUCK, I'M CONSTANTLY IMPRESSED BY OTHER PEOPLE.
ESPECIALLY LIKE TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE, WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE DIFFERENT THEY ARE AMAZING.
WE GET TO THE SPACE AND THESE YOUNG SCHOLARS WE ASK THEM TO SHARE THEIR VOICE AND INSIGHT.
AND I CHUCKLE BECAUSE I WAS BLOWN AWAY NOT BECAUSE IT IS FUNNY.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY SAID WAS, THIS IS GREAT, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL WANTING TO HEAR FROM US BUT WE ARE THE WRONG PEOPLE.
WE MAKE AS WE COME TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY WITH THIS AND THAT AND THE TALKED ABOUT THE WAYS THAT THEY ARE READY FELT CHERRY PICKED AS THE AUDIENCE SO THEY WOULD LIKE WE WILL BE HONEST, WE WILL TELL YOU BUT HAVE YOU TALKED TO STUDENTS WHO GOT SUSPENDED RECENTLY? HAVE YOU TALKED TO STUDENTS WHO DO HAVE DISABILITIES? AND THEY READ US OUR RIGHTS WHEN IT CAME TO LIKE YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE SAME EXCEPTION AND PRIVILEGE THAT WE AS ADULTS ASSUME YOU KNOW WE NEED BLACK AND BROWN SCHOLARS AND FAMILIES AND LEAVE IT TO OUR BRILLIANT SCHOLARS TO SAY HEY THOSE TYPES OF SUBSECTIONS ARE NOT EVEN ENOUGH, WE TO GET MORE GRANULAR.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL INSIGHT AND FEEDBACK AND PART OF ME, IT MADE ME WALK AWAY FROM THAT LIKE IF YOU ALL HAVE THIS TO SAY, I CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH MORE RICH THE FEEDBACK TO BE I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL, WE DIDN'T PUT THAT IN THE REPORT WAS FASCINATED TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT HOW THERE IS EVEN MARGINALIZATION IN THE MARGINALIZED, RIGHT?
THERE NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTATION THAT REFLECTS THE STUDENT POPULATION YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THE STUDENTS TO MAKE IT DISCIPLINE MORE MAY STRUGGLE ACADEMICALLY IT SEEMS LIKE COMMON SENSE.
ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION, HE TALKED ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT IS ANOTHER GROUP THAT SHOULD BE REPRESENTED, PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND MADE A POINT ABOUT MANIFESTATION.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT STUDENTS AS A LAWYER AND DISCIPLINE CASES AND INVOLVING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
I HAVE SEEN IT IN MANY DISTRICTS WHERE THE MANIFESTATION HEARINGS ESSENTIALLY BECOME LIKE IT'S NOT A MANIFESTATION, IT'S WHERE WE STAND IN THE GO AROUND KNOW THE ISSUE OF YOU KNOW, IT'S A MANIFESTATION OF DISABILITY SO THAT THE DISCIPLINE CAN BE YOU KNOW, WAY OUT OF LINE AND THAT SITUATION SO I'VE SEEN THAT IN THE DMV IN MULTIPLE DISTRICTS, I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOU TO MAKE A SHOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND SORT OF SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THOSE MEETINGS AND HOW WE TREAT MANIFESTATION HEARINGS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR VERSUS NON-PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH REGARD TO SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HOW THINGS ARE
[00:55:05]
ADMINISTERED.I JUST WANT TO AFFIRM, YOU MADE A COMMENT ABOUT EARLIER AND I WANTED TO MENTION IT.
I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN BE MORE SPECIFIC WHEN IT COMES TO PRESCRIBING DISTRICTWIDE NORMS. WE CAN DO THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO ANY TYPE OF CONSEQUENCE STRUCTURE THAT APPLIES TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND MS. WARD, YOU HIGHLIGHTED SOME INTERESTING FEEDBACK THIS IS ALSO ON OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS MINDS, THEY ARE GOING AROUND SOME OF THE ACRONYMS WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, RIGHT? BUT THEY'RE BRINGING UP ALL OF THE SYSTEMS WE KNOW ARE IN PLACE BUT MAY OR MAY NOT BE APPLIED ACROSS THE BOARD SO WELL SAID, IMPORTANT POINT!
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT MS. BOWLES, LEADING THE CONVERSATION, I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A RICH CONVERSATION.
I THINK EVERYONE HERE FELT IT WAS VERY VALUABLE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I THINK WE ARE READY NOW, PERFECT SLIDE, I THINK WE ARE READY TO BEGIN OUR
[3. Draft Policy Revisions]
ROUND-ROBIN EXERCISE.WE WILL BE DOING THIS ELECTRONIC.
WE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED PRINTING UP THE REDLINES AND HAVING YOU ALL MARK THEM UP BUT WE ARE TRYING TO STAY WITH THE TIMES HERE.
I DID SHARE WITH YOU EARLIER, THIS EVENING, A SHARE FOLDER FOR SOME GOOGLE DOCS.
MS. WOOD, YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS ACTIVITY BUT IF YOU WANT TO OPEN UP THE FOLDER, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS KIND OF ROTATE THROUGH SOME OF THESE REDLINES SO YOU HAVE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO GIVE SOME FEEDBACK BEFORE WE DISCUSS.
>> WHAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO IS PICK ONE OF THE POLICIES AND WE CAN LOOK AT THE ORDER SO THAT YOU ARE NOT ON THE SAME POLICY AT THE SAME TIME.
SO MAYBE SOMEONE CAN START WITH THE FIRST ONE THE LIST AND MR. SUAREZ CAN START WITH THE SECOND ONE IN THE LIST.
THEN YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES PER POLICY AND WITHIN THAT WE WANT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TIME AND WE WANT YOU TO THEN WRITE YOUR REVISIONS OR TYPE INTO THE GOOGLE DOCUMENT WHAT YOUR REVISIONS WOULD BE TO THE POLICY BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU HAVE FROM YOUR OWN, FROM THE FOCUS GROUPS AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD TODAY.
AND SO IT EACH 10 MINUTE MARK, WE WILL GIVE YOU A CUE TO THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT POLICY AND WE WILL REPEAT THAT PROCESS.
>> YOU WILL SEE IN THAT FOLDER THAT DID MEMBER -- I DID NUMBER THEM.
FULL DISCLOSURE, I TRIED TO NUMBER THEM IN THE ORDER I WAS ABLE TO WORK ON THEM.
SO BY THE TIME YOU GET TO NINE, 10 OR 11, YOU'LL SEE THEY ARE NOT REALLY REVISIONS YET.
BUT PLEASE STILL PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'RE REALLY NOT MARKED UP YET.
AND THEN AFTER THIS EXERCISE WHEN WE DISCUSSED NEXT STEPS, FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND SCHEDULE MOVING FORWARD WILL DISCUSS HOW WE WILL APPROACH BREAKING THEM UP FOR FULL BOARD REVIEW.
>> JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT ADDING SUGGESTED REVISIONS BUT AS A PERSON WHO MS. WOOD CAN ATTEST TO I'M A BIG COMMENTOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO REVISIONS WITHIN THE GOOGLE DOC.
>> ACTUALLY, I THINK -- IT'S UP TO THE GROUP.
THESE ARE CLEAN, SEPARATE COPIES SO IF YOU WANT TO TYPE INTO IT THAT IS FINE.
IF WE WANT TO KEEP IT AS COMMENTS, THAT'S FINE.
>> YOU CAN ALSO USE THE EDITING FEATURE.
YOU CAN DO THE SUGGESTIONS AND THAT WAY WHEN YOU TYPE INTO THE DOCUMENT IT STILL COMES UP AS A COMMENT IS JUST NOT ALWAYS ON THE SIDE.
>> THAT'S A GOOD IDEA LET'S JUST PUT THAT SO YOU CAN TYPE BRADEN.
STYLISTICALLY, I NOTICED CERTAIN AREAS WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO GET AWAY FROM SAYING WHAT HIS OR HER, HERSELF, HIMSELF, MAKE THINGS MORE GENDER-NEUTRAL.
I WILL NOT GO THROUGH AND MAKE THOSE TYPE OF EDITS BUT I DID WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD HOPE WE ARE MOVING TOWARD THAT DIRECTION OUR POLICY LANGUAGE.
ALSO, A LOT OF ARCHAIC LANGUAGE LIKE A LOT OF SHALL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IS IT STILL TYPICAL POLICY LANGUAGE? OR CAN WE ALSO MODERNIZE THAT?
>> I'M SURE YOU'VE NOTICED IN RECENT POLICY PRESENTATIONS OVER THE
[01:00:04]
MONTHS, WE GENERALLY TRY TO REMOVE THOSE.WE ARE TRYING TO YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE OUR LANGUAGE REFLECT WHAT OUR PRACTICE IS.
WHAT DO WE DO? NOT WHAT ARE WE BEING COMMANDED TO DO BUT WHAT ARE WE REALLY DOING? SO TAKING UP MOST OF THE SHALL, I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE SOME STILL LEFT IN THERE BECAUSE THEY ARE REFLECTING LANGUAGE OF THE CODE AND THERE IS AN ACTUAL FORCEFUL COMMAND IN THERE.
SOMETIMES I'VE LEFT THEM AND FRANKLY BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE REALLY IMPLEMENTING THAT YET.
BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ALL UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AND ALSO SOME OF THEM I HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO YET.
FLAG THEM, HIGHLIGHT THEM, BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF FEEDBACK WE WANT.
WE HAVE BEEN SLOWLY REMOVING THEM OVER TIME.
ALSO, IF YOU SEE A HIS OR HER, FLAGGED THAT BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO TAKE ALL OF THEM OUT AND MAKE EVERYTHING GENDER-NEUTRAL.
>> AT THIS TIME I WILL START 10 MINUTES AND I WILL USE MY PHONE STOPWATCH.
>> WHO IS STARTING AND WHICH WOULD FIRST?
>> YOU ARE STARTING THE FIRST ONE.
WHATEVER THEY COME IN YOU START THE FIRST ONE AND -- WILL START ON THE SECOND.
>> IF YOU SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING THE POLICY, -- >> AND IF YOU DO NOT NEED THE FULL
[01:05:28]
10 MINUTES YOU CAN SWITCH TO A NEW POLICY.WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE TRYING TO MAINTAIN TIME SO WE CAN GET THROUGH AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
[01:30:58]
[01:30:59]
>> ARE WE GOING TO -- ARE WE GOING TO RECONVENE POLICY BY POLICY?
[01:31:07]
BECAUSE -- DO WE WANT TO DO THAT REAL QUICK?[01:31:28]
[INAUDIBLE] YES.[01:31:42]
YEAH.I AM WONDERING IF THEIR NEEDS, I KNOW IT SAYS THE SCHOOL WILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTION WHILE A STUDENT IS OUT.
BUT THEN IT SAYS THE FAMILY BEARS THE COST OF ANY COMMUNITY BASED ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION ALTERNATIVE AS NOT PART OF WHAT IS PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL.
WELL IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT PAYING IT ALSO SAYS WILL PROVIDE SOMETHING, IT'S ABOUT REALLY BEING AFFIRMATIVE ENSURING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN SCHOOL AND BEING ROBUST ABOUT THAT.
[01:35:08]
I KIND OF WANT TO BAKE IT INTO THE POLICY SO THAT WE ARE DISSUADING YOU KNOW WE SHOULD FIRMLY ACKNOWLEDGE IF IT'S A RESULT OF SUSPENDING PEOPLE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IF THAT'S THE CASE WE WANT TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION TO THE STUDENTS LEARNING PROGRAM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND KIND OF GOING BACK TO A PRINCIPLES OF THIS IS A LAST RESORT YOU KNOW, SUSPENDING SOME OF FOR 45 DAYS, WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT WHEN WE DO THAT.THE POLICY RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF LIKE, WE WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING.
BUT IF NOT WHAT WE SAY WILL BE THEN YOU WILL PAY FOR IT AND YOU KNOW, OH WELL.
THAT'S HOW IT KINDA READS TO ME.
AND IT ONLY TRIGGERS LIABILITY, HOW MANY CASES HAVE BEEN ABOUT STRIP SEARCHES, YOU KNOW?
>> FOR EXPULSION, A JURISDICTION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ONLY OCCURS IN THE EVENT OF AN APPEAL.
IS THAT RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW, BUT TO OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS -- THE SCHOOL BOARD IS ALWAYS MADE AWARE OF EVERY EXPULSION? KIND OF LOOK AT THE TRENDS? OR IS THAT INEFFICIENT? I'M JUST WONDERING -- OKAY.
HOW MANY ARE THE LONG-TERM SUSPENSIONS? THE DISPROPORTIONALITY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF THESE GOING ON! [LAUGHTER] ESPECIALLY IN THE ZERO-TOLERANCE AROUND 2001.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'VE EVER BEEN CONVERSATIONS BUT YOU KNOW,
[01:40:04]
I WISH THERE WAS SOME SORT OF -- SOME SORT OF BAR, I VOLUNTEER FOR THIS.YOU KNOW THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO EXPULSION AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT BUT YOU KNOW, DC HAS A LOT OF ATTORNEYS THAT ARE LIKE IN THE LAW CENTER AND THINGS LIKE THAT I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN VIRGINIA.
YOU KNOW BECAUSE THINGS GO TO SCHOOL BOARDS MAYBE -- I WOULDN'T MIND HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
>> ONE OF THE FEEDBACK POINTS FROM ADMINISTRATION THAT I DIDN'T MENTION WAS WHO HAS ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE APPEAL PROCESS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THE STEPS IT TAKES REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW EQUITABLE THAT IS WHEN WE MAY HAVE FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT CANNOT AFFORD THAT.
HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO OUR POLICY?
>> PARTICULARLY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, RIGHT? THE FAMILIES THAT PONY UP FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION ATTORNEYS.
THEY ARE AT A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OVER THOSE THAT CANNOT.
THAT IS WHY I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONCERN FROM MY STANDPOINT THAT THERE REALLY ISN'T AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE A BAR AROUND THIS ISSUE THAT DOES PRO BONO REPRESENTATION.
>> I'M GLAD WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS BECAUSE I AM BEING REMINDED BECAUSE WE'RE KIND OF BOUNCING FROM ONE POLICY TO THE NEXT.
BUT I AM BEING REMINDED THAT TONIGHT REALLY IS OUR FIRST LOOK AS A GROUP, AT THE SUSPENSION EXPULSION AND DEALING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK TO DRAFT SOME REVISIONS.
>> AND SO FAR AS WE DON'T PROVIDE YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD BE PROACTIVELY -- STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, STUDENTS WITH YOU NOW, DISCIPLINE HEARINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT OF THEIR RIGHTS OBVIOUSLY, PROCEDURAL RIGHTS.
AND ALSO WE SHOULD PROVIDE A LIST OF PLACES THAT YOU CAN MAYBE GET PRO BONO COUNSEL.
EVEN IF WE CAN'T APPOINT OURSELVES.
I THINK WILL BE A GREAT RESEARCH PROJECT FOR YOU, JENNIFER, TO FIND WHERE ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY HAVE A LIST OF LAWYERS THAT DO THAT.
I PERSONALLY WOULD BE ON SUCH A LIST IF I KNEW IT EXISTED.
SO -- YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I THINK COULD BE REALLY VALUABLE.
BUT I'M ALMOST DONE LOOKING AT EACH ONE.
WE HAVE OUR MICROPHONES ON NOW.
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY LEAVE THEN.
[01:45:52]
OKAY.CAN WE JUST CLARIFY THAT IT SAYS SOMETHING LIKE YOU KNOW, THIS IS, ANOTHER DEFINITION IS IN THEIR THINK IT'S CAPTURED BUT THIS POLICY IS RESERVED FOR YOU KNOW PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE ORDINARY COURSE STUDENTS WILL NOT BE PLACED IN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM OR REASSIGNED ABSENT WITHOUT A MANIFESTATION DETERMINATION.
I DO KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
JUST WHEN YOU READ THIS IN ISOLATION IT'S LIKE, WHOA! MAYBE EVEN CROSS REFERENCE -- YEAH, CROSS REFERENCE TH POLICIES.
SO I'M CIRCLING BACK TO THE ACADEMIC POLICY.
I'M SORRY TEACHER REMOVAL, JFCA.
THIS ONE HAD A LITTLE MORE SUBSTANTIVE -- SO -- YEAH.
SO LET ME MAKE A GLOBAL COMMENT.
I FEEL LIKE FOR THIS REMOVAL THIN THAN ONE THING THAT MATTERS IS THAT WE ARE TRACKING EVERY INCIDENT AND ALL THE ACTUAL REMOVAL AND EXPLAINING WHAT IT IS.
I UNDERSTOOD THE SPIRIT OF AT LEAST TWO INCIDENT REPORTS.
BUT THINKING ABOUT LIKE MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A BOARD MEMBER SOMEONE RUNS INTO A CLASS WITH A KNIFE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD WAIT FOR TWO DISCIPLINARY YOU KNOW WRITE UPS, RIGHT? I KIND OF MADE SOME CHANGES GENERALLY YOU WAIT FOR THE SECOND.
I AGREE THAT SHOULD BE THE DEFAULT.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A RIGHT OF REMOVAL IF IT IS AN EXTREME HEALTH AND SAFETY THREATENED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
A MODIFICATION TO THAT EFFECT.
AND I ALSO MADE A MODIFICATION SAYING IF IT'S A HEALTH AND SAFETY REASON, IT GETS AROUND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO WRITEUPS FIRST YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN THAT.
YOU KNOW? BUT I DON'T WANT TEACHERS TO FEEL LIKE I CAN NEVER REMOVE A KIDNEY SITUATION OF I DON'T HAVE TWO BECAUSE IT MAY LEAD TO SOMETHING THAT IS VERY BAD FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
>> YEAH, I'M GLAD YOU BRING THAT UP ACTUALLY.
I ACTUALLY HAD A PHONE CALL TODAY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AT VSBA ABOUT THIS PROCESS QUESTION! AND YOU WILL SEE BURIED IN HERE I HAVE A COMMENT IN THERE, SAYING THAT THEY ARE DIGGING INTO IT.
BUT I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HER BECAUSE PARTS OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE DEFINITELY STATUTORY.
HOWEVER, I CANNOT FIND THAT PIECE OF THE STATUTE.
AND SO I CALLED HER TODAY TO ASK PRECISELY WHERE THE REQUIREMENT FOR TWO PREVIOUS DOCUMENTATIONS, TWO PREVIOUS HIS REPORTS BEFORE HE CAN REMOVE A STUDENT FROM CLASS.
IT ALSO READS AS IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THE PARENT FIRST AND AGAIN, THAT SPEAKS TO EXACTLY THE SORTS OF SITUATIONS YOU'RE MENTIONING WHERE THERE ARE, THERE WILL BE EMERGENCY HEALTH AND SAFETY BEHAVIORAL ISSUES SOMETIMES.
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CANNOT HAVE THAT.
>> EXACTLY IN THE THINK OF THE COMMENT -- IS MUDDY BECAUSE IT READS AS IF THE
[01:50:07]
SITUATION, THE SCENARIOS YOU'RE DESCRIBING ARE HANDLED IN THE EXACT SAME WAY AS A PATTERN OF MUCH LESS URGENT BEHAVIOR.>> AND THE THING IS, I THINK WHAT I AS A BOARD MEMBER, WITHOUT CARE ABOUT IS THAT EVERY REMOVAL IS DOCUMENTED.
I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIS FOR THAT.
IF YOU AREN'T REMOVING THEM YOUR USING OTHER STEPS.
THAT MIGHT NOT BE A FAIR ASSUMPTION.
I DON'T KNOW I'M READING BODY LINKAGE.
BUT THE POINT IS, WE NEED A ROBUST DOCUMENTATION.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG THINGS THAT DON'T RISE TO THE LEVEL AND THAT NEEDS TO BE DOCUMENTED.
>> I WAS JUST THINKING READING THE POLICY, I THINK I BROUGHT IT UP IN THE MEETING -- WE TOLD WHAT REMOVAL FROM CLASS AND TEACHER REMOVAL FROM CLASS, IT LOOKS DIFFERENT.
SOMETIMES A POLICY WOULD READ LIKE REMOVAL IT COULD BE SUSPENSION OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT JUST REMOVING FROM CLASS?
YOU CAN GO TO THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE, THE OPTION TO BE SUSPENDED, THAT'S MY CONFUSION.
>> I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DELINEATED.
TEACHERS DON'T SUSPEND STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL.
THE ACTIONS THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED IN THE CLASS THAT CAUSE REMOVAL MAY END UP BEING A SUSPENSION BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE CLEAR DELINEATION WHAT TEACHERS ARE REMOVING STUDENTS FOR VERSUS REMOVAL FROM SCHOOL AS IN A SUSPENSION.
>> WE HAVE A CONVERSATION TODAY, LIKE I SAID WHEN I SPOKE TO THE POLICY LEAD AT VSPA, SHE'S IN A CONFERENCE RIGHT AND ALSO CAN GET THE INFORMATION I NEEDED.
BUT BEFORE WE SEE THIS AGAIN SHE AND I WILL HAVE SPOKEN AGAIN.
MY MAIN QUESTION TO HER, SINCE I CANNOT FIND THE REQUIREMENTS ANYWHERE, I NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE THESE COME FROM BECAUSE ONCE WE FIND OUT IF THEY ARE BURIED IN STATUTE OR ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OR BOE REGS, ONCE WE IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF REQUIREMENTS THAT WE CAN ADJUST THEM.
BUT UNTIL I KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM AND WHAT OUR PARAMETERS ARE, I CAN'T ADJUST THEM IN THE DRAFT IT BECAUSE I CAN'T GO OUT WIT OFFICIAL --
>> IF THIS REQUIRES TWO INCIDENT REPORTS PRIOR TO ANY REMOVAL, IN ANY
SITUATION IT WOULD SEEM TO HAVE LEGAL -- >> I WAS ACTUALLY READING THE STATUTE OVER THE PHONE TO HER TODAY BECAUSE SHE WAS DOWN TO THE CONFERENCE.
AND THE CODE SECTION THAT SPEAKS TO THIS, SAYS THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION, THE LEA MUST DEVELOP GUIDELINES IN THE PLAN AND MUST HAVE DOCUMENTATION.
BUT IT DID NOT PRESCRIBE SO I WANT TO KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
>> MAYBE IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION OR SOMETHING.
>> BECAUSE THEN, AS MS. WOOD IS SAYING, WHAT'S UNCLEAR OR NOT, THEN WE CAN DELINEATE.
WE CAN BREAK APART SIMPLE AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE WILL HANDLE IT WHEN SOMEONE GET SENT TO THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE, VERSUS SOME OF THE MORE EXTREME SCENARIOS.
>> YEAH, I'M NOT AS OPPOSED TO THE TWO AS LONG AS THERE IS A HEALTH AND SAFETY EXCEPTION.
I THINK IT FORCES A CONVERSATION, IT FORCES YOU CANNOT JUST JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE REMOVAL BECAUSE IT IS A PROBLEM.
THEN THE OTHER PROBLEM IS, DOES THE POLICY FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO MAY TRIGGER A REMOVAL? MY UNDERSTANDING IS TYPICALLY THE TEACHER BUT PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT CALLING THE SECURITY OFFICER, CALLING YOU KNOW WHAT IS THEIR ROLE? I THINK WE NEED TO BE MARKING THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AS A GENERAL -- SHOULD PROBABLY STOP WITH THE TEACHER FOR REMOVALS AND THAT THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE ANALYSIS BUT THE POLICY SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THE TEACHER CALLS A SECURITY OFFICER OR SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ROLE DID THE
[01:55:05]
SECURITY OFFICERS PLAY? SHOULD THEY BE REFUSING TO REMOVE, IF YOU KNOW CERTAIN SITUATIONS ARISE.THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THERE IS AN ENABLING BEHAVIOR THAT OCCURS IF THE STAFF IS NOT IN SYNC WITH WHAT THE POLICY IS.
>> AND THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
KIDS REFUSE, SECURITY COMES, THEY STILL REFUSE.
ADMINISTRATORS CALM, AND SO -- >> RIGHT.
>> A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS HAPPEN AFTER THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
YES SO I THINK THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THE REMOVAL PROCESS ARE THOROUGHLY ACCOUNTED FOR IN HERE.
I THINK IT ACTUALLY ACCOUNTS FOR -- >> TEEN REMINDER, IF A TEACHER DOESN'T HAVE TWO INCIDENT REPORTS IN THE REMOVE STUDENT, IS ANYTHING LIKE A CONSEQUENCE?
IT JUST SAYS IT'S NOT ALLOWED.
YEAH, NO THAT SEEMED FINE GENERALLY.
YOU KNOW THE QUARTERLY MEETING WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR TEAMS. ALSO, SHOULD THERE BE A PROVISION THAT INVOLVES TRAINING OF TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY -- BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS IS THE REMOVAL AND SUSPENSIONS THAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM SHORT-TERM SUSPENSION.
DO WE HAVE IN A POLICY THAT THEY WILL BE TRAINING FOR ALL TEACHERS ON SYSTEMIC RACISM AND IMPLICIT BIAS, ALTHOUGH SORTS OF THINGS.
BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS COME FROM PARTS OF THE STATE --
>> YEAH, THAT AN ANNUAL TRAINING OR ONE AND DONE KIND OF THING? I GUESS MY POINT IS, I WOULD VIEW THIS, ANYTHING STATUTORY AS A FOUR.
THE QUESTION IS SHOULD WE BE DOING BETTER THAN WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS AND I KNOW A LOT OF STATE-MANDATED TRAININGS YOU KNOW, THEY'R NOT GOING TO HAVE, IS IT A STATE TRAINING? WERE SOMETHING OUR DIVISION PREPARES FOR OUR STUDENTS? I JUST THINK ABOUT THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING 1980 THAT'S LIKE OUTDATED, IS IT SOMETHING REALLY TAILORED? THAT IS JUST SOMETHING -- YEAH.
I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD BE A REPEATED THING.
STATUTE SAYS ONCE, IT SHOULD PROBABLY SOMETHING EVERY YEAR YOU KNOW THE DAYS IT PERCEIVED THE ACADEMIC YEAR.
BECAUSE IT IS JUST SUCH A CRITICAL ISSUE.
AND THEN ON POLICY, THE RESPECT AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, THE ONLY CHANGE I MADE IS THAT A PREREQUISITE TO GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP REQUIRES ONE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PREJUDICES AND BIASES AND BECOME A FACTOR IN THEIR BEHAVIOR.
KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE SAME POINT, DO ALL STUDENTS HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING? YOU KNOW AND ARE WE OKAY AND THAT UNDERSTANDING?
>> YOU WILL NOTICE I'M ADDING LANGUAGE TO KIND OF -- WERE SUSPENDED -- [INAUDIBLE] GENERALLY ANY LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFIES WHAT STUDENTS WERE IMPACTED AND DIFFERENT -- IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
[02:00:30]
SEE THIS LEVEL OF DATA BUT DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT SERVICES I THINK WE SHOULD SPECIFY THAT.IT'S ONE THING TO COLLECT DATA AND USING IT.
I WORRY ALL THE DATA WILL JUST BE SOMEWHERE AND NO ONE WILL KNOW HOW TO ACT WITH IT IN A PRODUCTIVE WAY.
[INAUDIBLE] >> OF ACTUALLY COMPLETED MY -- IT'S OKAY.
I HAVE COMPLETED MY REVIEW OF ALL THE DOCUMENTS.
[4. Next Steps and Preparation for Committee Meeting #3]
>> AND TALK BECAUSE THEN I CAN LOOK -- I WAS TALKING TO DOCTOR CRAWFORD TODAY AND ESSENTIALLY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SORT OF WAY I'M THINKING ON THIS, YOU KNOW THAT YOU ALL AGREE TO AND THINK IT IS THE WAY TO GO.
SO, THE DECEMBER 15 MEETING IS COMING, THAT'S TRUE.
BUT WHAT AM PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH RIGHT NOW ARE BOARD DEADLINES.
SO, WHAT MY PROPOSAL IS, IS THE POLICIES WHERE YOU HAD YOUR FIRST LOOK AT THOSE POLICIES AT THE LAST MEETING AND YOU WENT THROUGH REDLINES TODAY.
>> I TAKE ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK THAT YOU PUT INTO THAT ALSO PLUS THE CONVERSATION WITH JASMINE AND ANYTHING ELSE WE MENTIONED TONIGHT, MAKE REVISIONS, SEND IT BACK TO STAFF AS WELL, TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE NEWER VERSIONS, BRING THOSE, IT'S NOT EVERY SINGLE ONE BUT MOST OF THEM, BRING THOSE TO THE BOARD FOR INFORMATION ON DECEMBER 2.
THE ONES WE HAD YOUR FIRST LOOK TONIGHT, OR THEY WERE ONES I WANTED TO USE THE EXEMPLARS TO REALLY BUILD A GOOD REVISION.
THOSE NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME AND WE CAN BRING THOSE TO THE BOARD FOR INFORMATION DECEMBER 8 WHICH IS A CIP WORK SESSION I ALREADY REQUESTED FROM THE BOARD CHAIR TO HAVE REVISIONS ON THAT NIGHT.
BECAUSE THE BOARD MEETINGS ARE SO LONG.
>> READY FOR ACTION ON THE 16TH.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO APPROACH IT BECAUSE WITH THANKSGIVING BREAK IS UNREALISTIC THAT ALL OF THE REVISIONS FOR THE DECEMBER 2 MEETING WHEN SOME OF THEM ARE JUST GETTING THE FIRST FEEDBACK ON TONIGHT.
AND SO WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE DECEMBER 15 MEETING?
>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION! AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING IT TODAY.
DECEMBER 15, WE'RE GOING TO START DIGGING INTO STUDENT PLACEMENT POLICY.
SO, AND YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT THIS IS KIND OF A CONTINUING BODY, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINISH ON THE WORK ON THAT BUT YOU COULD AT LEAST GET YOUR TEETH IN AT THE FIRST LOOK AND FIRST FEEDBACK.
BUT I ENVISION IT WILL PROBABLY BE DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY MEETINGS OF THIS COMMITTEE WILL DIG INTO THE STUDENT PLACEMENT POLICIES BECAUSE THE FULL BOARD HAS REQUESTED TO RECEIVE DRAFT REVISIONS ON THOSE BY APRIL.
TO PRECEDE REDISTRICTING NEXT FALL.
[02:05:02]
>> WE CAN ALSO DISCUSS, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW AND I THINK AS LONG AS YOU CAN HAVE THIS -- I THOUGHT THAT WAS FINE.
I THINK WE CAN TELL THE NEXT GROUP HERE.
BUT WE CAN NOT ONLY START THE NEW -- 16TH.
MAYBE USUALLY YOU ARE DRIVING THE POLICY DISCUSSION BUT IF YOU LIKE FOR THIS, GIVEN THE SUBCOMMITTEE MAYBE IT IS A THING WHERE WE ALL KIND OF TALK AND TALK TO THE BOARD AND SAY HERE'S WHY AND SO FORTH BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WOULD BE BETTER IS IF THE BOARD AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, MOVES TOWARDS MORE YOU KNOW, ENGAGING OF, NOT JUST STAFF BUT IT IS MORE OF LIKE WE ARE ALL A TEAM WORKING TOGETHER AND BOARD MEMBERS.
KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH MICHELLE YOU KNOW TALKING ABOUT COMMITTEE CHAIR AND ALL THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS.
AND CONTINUING BODIES AS HE SAID THINK THAT COULD BE SOMETHING, WAY WE CAN USE THAT 15TH AS WELL.
>> THE THING IS WE PROBABLY NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT NOW BECAUSE THE REAL DISCUSSION EVENINGS WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE ON THE FIRST PRESENTATION SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY THE SECOND OR THE EIGHTH.
>> IF WE WANT TO PLAN OUT HOW THE PRESENTATION MIGHT LOOK WE MIGHT WANT TO TALK THAT THROUGH FOR A FEW MINUTES NOW ARE FIGURED OUT BY EMAIL ALSO.
BUT I THINK ON THE 15TH, I MEAN THESE ARE, IT IS HONESTLY, IT PROBABLY WILL DEPEND ON HOW IT GOES ON THE SECOND AND THE EIGHTH, RIGHT? SO IF THERE ARE LOTS OF PROPOSED REVISIONS COMING FROM THE FULL BOARD, LOTS OF FEEDBACK ON THOSE EVENINGS WITH PROPOSED REVISIONS I WOULD ASSUME OF THE 16TH THEY WOULD NOT BE ON CONSENT IT WOULD BE ANOTHER DISCUSSION.
>> A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS ON THAT I KNOW THAT WE ARE SHORT ON TIME.
ONE IS BECAUSE IS THE FIRST TIME GOING TO THE FULL BOARD YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A PRESENTATION OF HERE'S HOW THE COMMITTEE -- SESSION 1, TWO, THREE.
THAT'S HOW HE GOT HIS POLICIES.
WE ACCEPTED FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, POLICIES, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
ALL THIS INPUT INTO IT MULTIPLE ROUNDS.
IN THE INITIAL WAS FROM THE EQUITY POLICY COMMITTEE THAT PRECEDED THIS.
AND THEN THIS COMMITTEE KIND OF TOOK THE BALL, FOCUSED ON THE POLICIES, MULTIPLE ROUNDS AND SO FEEDBACK FROM SEVERAL LEVELS OF WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING AND THEN I THINK IT MIGHT BE WORTH DOING A SLIDE, HERE'S A HIGH LEVEL -- HIGH LEVEL THROUGH THAT.
WE WILL SAY OKAY, AND THEY MAY BE, MAYBE LEAVE TIME FOR SOME INITIAL QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.
>> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION.
>> AND SO THIS WAY, INSTEAD OF MEETING AGAIN BEFORE THOSE MEETINGS WE CAN TALK ABOUT EXCHANGE VIA EMAIL, HERE'S WHAT THE SLIDES WILL DO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO INVITE THEM! WE WILL WORK ON THAT.
WE WILL TALK THEN WE WILL SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
MAYBE WANT TO TAKE THE SECOND AND ONE COULD TAKE THE EIGHTH.
>> I THINK THEY DO A REALLY GREAT JOB.
I THINK THE BOARD WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THAT.
SPEAKING OF FOCUS GROUPS, ONE THING THAT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING, IS WHEN THIS GROUP MEETS ON THE 15TH.
YOU WILL THEN THAT EVENING, RECEIVE FIRST BATCH OF FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK ON THE STUDENT PLACEMENT POLICIES.
THAT WILL BE A BIG DISCUSSION THAT EVENING AS WELL BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING THOSE FOCUS GROUPS.
I KNOW THE STAFF WHAT IS ON THE SIXTH, THE FAMILY STUDENT WHEN I THINK, MAY HAVE BEEN THE SAME DAY.
WE MIGHT BE RUNNING ALL OF THE FOCUS GROUPS ON THE SIXTH.
BUT IT IS THAT, WE ARE TRYING TO SCHEDULE IT SO ALL OF THE FEEDBACK WOULD BE
[02:10:05]
COMPILED BY THE TIME OF THE MEETING ON THE 15TH.>> DO WE HAVE TO FORMALLY ADJOURN THE MEETING?
>> SO I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN THE MEETING.
>> ALL IN FAVOR? WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE, HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.