[00:00:05]
[A. CALL TO ORDER]
AND WE ARE CALLING THE ROUND ROCK ISD CALLED BOARD MEETING TO ORDER.PRESENT WE HAVE TRUSTEE XIAO, TRUSTEE VESSA, TRUSTEE WESTON, MYSELF, TRUSTEE WEIR AND TRUSTEE BONE.
PRESIDENT FELLER WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
SHE IS HEADED BACK FROM A FAMILY FUNERAL.
WE ARE WISHING HER TRAVELING MERCIES AND DR.
AZAIEZ WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY TONIGHT.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[C. PUBLIC COMMENTS TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY]
EACH BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD WILL SET ASIDE TIME TO AFFORD THE GENERAL PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS UNDER CONSIDERATION ON THE AGENDA.THE BOARD REQUESTS THAT COMMENTS, WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHILE THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, THAT RIGHT IS NOT UNLIMITED.
38.13. 42.01, 42.02 AND 42.05.
AND TEXAS EDUCATION CODE 37.105.
NO AUDIENCE MEMBER OR SPEAKER WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENGAGE IN ANY CONDUCT THAT IS DISRUPTIVE OR THREATENING TOWARD ANY SPEAKER OR OTHER PERSON, OR TO VIOLATE THE PRIVACY RIGHTS OF ANOTHER PERSON.
ANY INDIVIDUAL CONTINUES TO DISRUPT THE MEETING BY HIS OR HER WORDS OR ACTIONS, THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL REMOVED FROM THE MEETING.
THEREFORE, BOARD MEMBERS MAY NOT DISCUSS THE COMMENTS OF SPEAKERS.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN 2 MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
TRUSTEE WEIR WILL BE THE DESIGNATED TIMEKEEPER? THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MARSHALL SPRAGUE, AND THEY WILL BE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM D2.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. AS FIVE YEARS AND STILL SUPPORT SMD'S PROVIDED THAT THEY'RE IMPLEMENTED IN THE RIGHT WAY, THE PROCESS SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT AND ASSURE SUFFICIENT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
INSTEAD OF ELECTING ALL TRUSTEE POSITIONS BASED ON A DISTRICT WIDE VOTE, AT LEAST FIVE OF THE SEVEN POSITIONS WOULD BE ELECTED FROM SMALLER AREAS, WHICH BY LAW MUST BE COMPACT, CONTIGUOUS AND OF EQUAL POPULATION.
SMD TRUSTEES WOULD BE ELECTED BY VOTERS WITHIN THEIR OWN SMD.
TEXAS EDUCATION CODE SPECIFIES TWO WAYS TO ADOPT SMDS.
FIRST, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CAN VOTE TO IMPLEMENT SMDS ON ITS OWN AUTHORITY.
SECOND, A PETITION BY VOTERS CAN COMPEL THE BOARD TO PUT SMD ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTERS TO DECIDE.
THE LAW IS SILENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD CAN PUT SMD ON THE BALLOT WITHOUT A PETITION.
BUT IT IS ILLOGICAL TO THINK THAT IT CAN'T.
IN MY OPINION, VOTERS SHOULD DECIDE HOW TRUSTEES ARE ELECTED.
IT MAY ALSO IMPOSE AN UNREASONABLE BURDEN ON POTENTIAL TRUSTEE CANDIDATES WHO MAY NOT KNOW WHICH SMD THEY'RE IN UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE FILING DEADLINE.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO IMPLEMENT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS IN THE RIGHT WAY, EVEN IF THAT MEANS MISSING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. THANK YOU.
[00:05:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.NEXT, WE HAVE STEPHANIE HUGHES.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE HUGHES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF ROUND ROCK ISD, A PARENT OF A ROUND ROCK ISD ENROLLED STUDENT, A PARENT OF A NON ENROLLED STUDENT, A TAXPAYER, A STAKEHOLDER OF THE DISTRICT, AND A 22 YEAR RESIDENT OF ROUND ROCK.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT A BILL THAT WAS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT ON FRIDAY, JUNE 18TH, 2021, CALLED THE UIL EQUAL ACCESS BILL OR HOUSE BILL 547.
TEXAS WAS THE 36TH STATE TO IN THE US TO ADOPT SUCH A BILL WHICH DATES BACK 50 YEARS AND WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY 77% OF HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES.
IT ENJOYS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT HERE IN TEXAS OF CONSERVATIVES AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE, INCLUDING 36 DEMOCRATS, 44 REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE VOTE LAST SUMMER, INCLUDING JAMES TALARICO.
PAGE ONE, LINE 20 OF THE BILL.
THE LANGUAGE STATES, QUOTE, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY SUBSECTION I, A PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT PARTICIPATES IN AN ACTIVITY SPONSORED BY THE LEAGUE MAY PROVIDE A NON ENROLLED STUDENT WHO OTHERWISE MEETS LEAGUE ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS TO REPRESENT THAT SCHOOL IN A LEAGUE ACTIVITY, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITY ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL.
A NON ENROLLED STUDENT MEANS A STUDENT WHO RECEIVES INSTRUCTION FROM A NONPUBLIC SCHOOL.
WITH THESE AGE QUALIFICATIONS, TRY OUT STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR ACADEMIC STANDARDS.
THIS LEGISLATION BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST OF THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR.
DARN WELL I SENT Y'ALL AN EMAIL YESTERDAY.
SCHMIDT SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM D2.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT? YES, I DO. THANK YOU.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE TRUSTEES.
LET ME SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY NOW.
TRUSTEE'S NOTICE OF POTENTIAL VIOLATION OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
ON ITEM D2 ON THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING POSTED FROM MAY 18, 2022.
THE BOARD MAY NOT MEET WITH THIS ATTORNEY IN CLOSED SESSION ON THIS ITEM.
SUBCHAPTER D EXCEPTIONS TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT MEETINGS BE OPEN, SECTION 551.0 71 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, CLOSED MEETING.
A GOVERNMENTAL BODY MAY NOT CONDUCT A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH ITS ATTORNEY, EXCEPT WHEN THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY SEEKS THE ADVICE OF THE ATTORNEY ABOUT A, PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR B, A SETTLEMENT OFFER.
I WILL NOT EMBARRASS TRUSTEE FELLER OR THIS BOARD BY SHARING WITH YOU THE RESPONSE THAT I RECEIVED.
I SUGGEST ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT DO AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST STARTING ON FIVE 5/16/22.
IT STARTED AT 5:36 IN THE MORNING.
I WAS ADVISED THAT THE BOARD HAS AN ATTORNEY LOOK AT THIS AGENDA.
IF THAT'S THE SAME LAW FIRM THAT REPRESENTED PRESIDENT CHADWELL AND THE REASON THAT WE HAVE DR.
I SUGGEST YOU LOOK FOR DIFFERENT CONSULTATION.
NEXT, WE HAVE DENISE REA SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM D2.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CLARIFY CONCERNING SMDS.
TRUSTEE VESSA WHY DID YOU ASK TO PLACE THIS ON THE AGENDA AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR? AREN'T THERE MORE BURNING TOPICS IN NEED OF ADDRESSING, LIKE FINDING OUT WHY THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES ARE FLEEING THIS DISTRICT? WHY NOT WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION IS OVER TO DISCUSS IT?
[00:10:02]
WHY NOW? WHAT'S THE SENSE OF URGENCY? FROM WHAT I'VE READ ABOUT IT, AND I COULD BE MISTAKEN, MOVING TO A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT WOULD FORCE ALL CANDIDATES TO POTENTIALLY RUN FOR REELECTION IN NOVEMBER.WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THE TIME IS UP FOR THE FOUR OF YOU AND WE WHO KNOWS WHAT DR.
SO IS THIS A VEILED ATTEMPT TO POLITICALLY FORCE TRUSTEES WESTON AND BONE OUT IN NOVEMBER AS WELL? TRUSTEE VESSA IS THIS YOUR VERSION OF A HAIL MARY? BECAUSE OF ALL OF Y'ALL'S ATTEMPTS TO HARASS, DISCRIMINATE AND TARGET, WESTON AND BONE HAVE FAILED.
AND SO NOW YOU'VE RESORTED TO A NEW POLITICAL MANEUVER.
WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER PRACTICE TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY INPUT DURING A PUBLIC FORUM AND ULTIMATELY VOTE FOR IT ON THE NEXT BALLOT RATHER THAN MAKING A HASTY DECISION? I THANK YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE Q TRANG SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS D ONE AND F THREE.
AND YOU DO RESIDE IN THE DISTRICT.
THE BOARD PRESIDENT HAS THE SOLE POWER TO PUT ITEMS ONTO THE BOARD AGENDA.
MY QUESTION TO YOU, TRUSTEE FELLER WHY THESE ITEMS AND WHY NOW? THE LANGUAGE OF D ONE BASICALLY SAYS THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS A POTENTIALLY GIVEN FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVES TO A BUSINESS SO THEY CAN RELOCATE TO ROUND ROCK. WHAT IS THIS BUSINESS? AND SINCE WHEN IS ROUND ROCK ISD AN ARM OF THE ROUND ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? BECAUSE LAST TIME I CHECKED, THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS IS IN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION.
THEY HAVE A VIDEO ON THE WEBSITE THAT SAYS ROUND ROCK CHAMBER PUTS ROUND ROCK BUSINESS FIRST.
HOW SHOULD BE ROUND ROCK ISD PUT STUDENTS FIRST.
WE ARE NOT PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST.
I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS WHEN YOU RUN FOR THIS OFFICE.
I WANT FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER THAT INTENTION.
WHY ARE YOU HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND HOPEFULLY IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR STUDENTS.
WITHSTANDING OUR DISAGREEMENTS.
WE ALL OF US HERE AND YOU ALL HERE FOR STUDENTS.
ON ITEM F3 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
ALSO, WHY NOW? WHY IS THIS BROUGHT UP BY A MEMBER WHO IS UP FOR REELECTION IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS? WHY NOT PUT IT ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT SO THAT VOTERS CAN DECIDE? ONCE IT'S VOTED, WE CAN ALL HAVE MORE PUBLIC INPUT, DELIBERATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATIONS.
NEXT, WE HAVE DONNA TUCKER SPEAKING ON ITEM F3.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT? I DO FOR A LONG TIME NOW.
SO. MY CONCERN IS ABOUT THIS THIS PUSH FOR THIS URGENT PUSH FOR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS BECAUSE AS I TOLD A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S A NEIGHBOR ONE TIME, I HAVE A CRIMINAL MIND.
I'M NOT A CRIMINAL, BUT I ABSOLUTELY CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FINAGLE THINGS.
I'VE HELPED A COUPLE OF BANK MANAGERS THROUGH THE YEARS TIGHTEN UP THE BANK AND THEIR BRANCH, THEIR SECURITY FOR THEIR BRANCH BANK, AND THEY WERE APPALLED THAT GRANNY COULD SEE THE WEAKNESS IN THEIR SECURITY.
IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
OH, AND DURING REGISTRATION ONE YEAR, ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WHO ALSO HAPPENED TO BE A BIG GUY AND A LAWYER CAME, SAT ON MY TABLE IN FRONT OF ME, GOT IN MY FACE AS CLOSE AS I AM TO THIS MICROPHONE, SPIT AND CURSED ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THE ONE CONSERVATIVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SO IF YOU CAN USE ANYTHING YOU'RE TRYING TO DO TO GET RID OF THE TWO CONSERVATIVES ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU WILL HAVE AGAIN DENIED ME ANY VOICE.
TRUSTEE VESSA SENT ME A LINK TO GO AND LOOK AT YOUR SEL PROGRAM THAT'S SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, RECOGNIZING AND MANAGING OUR EMOTIONS. THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S PART OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
CAN I HAVE LEGAL WEIGH IN? SO WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE.
THIS IS A CLOSED I'M SORRY CALLED BOARD MEETING.
AND PURSUANT TO THE LOCAL BOARD POLICY, IT IS FOR AGENDA ITEMS ONLY FOR SPEAKERS.
[00:15:03]
THEN I'LL JUST SAY YOU ALL NEED TO READ YOUR OWN SEL DOCUMENT AND YOU ALL NEED TO BEHAVE AND RELATE TO EACH OTHER AND TO ALL OF US BY THE GUIDELINES HERE.AND SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE STUDENTS.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE JASMINE PEDRAZA SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM D2.
AND YOU DO RESIDE IN THE DISTRICT.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT ARE THE INTENTIONS BEHIND IT? SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS MAY SOUND GOOD ON PAPER, BUT I AM CONCERNED IF CERTAIN TRUSTEES WILL BE USING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS TO HOLD ON TO THEIR SEATS, OR IF THIS NEW PROPOSAL WILL BE USED TO FORCE CERTAIN BOARD MEMBERS TO BE UP FOR REELECTION WHEN THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT AT THIS TIME.
THIS PROPOSAL SEEMS TO BE OUT OF THE BLUE AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY EITHER DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT OR TRYING TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT WHAT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WILL MEAN TO THEM. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN AUSTIN ISD AND MANY PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT IT AND IT DID NOT SEEM TO SOLVE ANY OF THEIR PROBLEMS. I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, BUT EVEN IF THEY DO END UP BEING IMPLEMENTED, AT THE VERY LEAST THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS, BUT RIGHT NOW DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE RIGHT TIME AND IT SHOULD NOT BE RUSHED.
NEXT WE HAVE RENATA SIMMS AND YOU'RE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM D2.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT? YES, I DO. GOOD EVENING, TRUSTEES.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAY A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
AGENDA ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
THAT IT'S ONLY IN CLOSED SESSION.
THERE WAS NO HEADS UP TO THE COMMUNITY EVEN ABOUT WHAT THIS EVEN IS.
I SPENT HOURS THIS AFTERNOON JUST GOOGLING WHAT THIS EVEN IS.
SO I WANT TO REMIND ALL OF YOU THAT IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, ALL OF YOU RAN ON AN AGENDA OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
AND TO PUSH AN AGENDA ITEM THROUGH LIKE YOU'RE TRYING WITH THIS, IT'S JUST NOT BRINGING THAT MESSAGE ACROSS TO TWO NORMAL PARENTS IN THE IN THE DISTRICT.
THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WE DO NEED TO SOLVE.
ONE OF THEM IS THAT GIRLS ARE STILL RIGHT NOW UNPROTECTED.
I'M JUST GIVING YOU SOME EXAMPLES THAT WE'RE SEEING.
THANK YOU. AND I FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE FOCUSING ON THIS TONIGHT.
YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER.
NEXT, WE HAVE REBECCA MCCULLY.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
OH, SORRY. MY NAME IS BECKY MACAULAY.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A PARENT AND A TAXPAYER.
MY WORDS AND OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND DO NOT REFLECT THOSE OF MY EMPLOYER.
THANK YOU. I AM ACTUALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS COMMUNITY EXPLORING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AFTER THERE HAVE BEEN LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS AND THOUGHTFUL INPUT FROM THE VOTERS ABOUT HOW THIS CHANGE MAY BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS.
I BELIEVE I EVEN SIGNED THEIR PETITION A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THE EFFORT FAILED.
HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD HAVE STARTED THIS PROCESS MANY MONTHS AGO.
WE ARE JUST A FEW MONTHS NOW FROM OUR OWN ELECTIONS.
WITH THE FULL AGENDAS BEING POSTED, MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS BOARD WON'T HAVE THE TIME AND BANDWIDTH THAT SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE IN OUR BOARD ELECTIONS WOULD GIVE IT THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES.
IF YOUR INTENTION IS TO RUSH THIS TO A VOTE BEFORE THE ELECTION WITH MINIMAL INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY YOU REPRESENT, IT WILL BE OBVIOUS TO EVERY VOTER THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL STUNT TO ASSIST CURRENT TRUSTEES WHO FEEL THAT THEY CANNOT WIN AN AT-LARGE ELECTION IN
[00:20:02]
NOVEMBER. UNBELIEVABLE.IF WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH CAREFUL FORETHOUGHT AND MUCH DISCUSSION FROM A COMMUNITY WHICH SEEMS TO BE LARGELY DIVIDED OVER THE TOPIC. LET'S DO IT, LIKE MARSHALL SAID, THE RIGHT WAY AND MAKE SURE IT'S FOR THE RIGHT REASON.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE ORLANDO SALINAS SPEAKING ON D2 AND F2 AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
PRESIDENT FELLER OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AT THIS TIME.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS A FEW TROUBLING MATTERS.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT THIS BOARD HAS A CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP.
YOU'VE BEEN JUDGED BY THIS COMMUNITY.
LET'S CALL SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WHAT THEY ARE.
GERRYMANDERING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AS A LATINO, NOT LATIN X, I SAW THIS BOARD PASSING RESOLUTIONS COMMITTED TO STOPPING HATE SPEECH.
AND THEN YOU GO AND PERPETUATE HATE AND THIS TYPE OF MANNER.
WE HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM THIS BOARD ON WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE FOR THESE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OPEN ENROLLMENT? HOW WILL THAT AFFECT WHERE PEOPLE GO TO SCHOOL? ARE THEY GOING TO GO TO THE MARGINALIZED HIGH SCHOOL THAT MY CHILDREN GO TO? WHAT ABOUT US? WHAT ABOUT OUR CHILDREN? MEMBER DISTRICTS AS YOU DID STUDYING DR.
BUT DON'T GET THIS ONE WRONG LIKE YOU DID WITH HIS, BECAUSE HIS INVESTIGATION IS STILL OPEN.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE JILL FERRISS SPEAKING ON D1 F1, F2, F3.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A REAL DISCONNECT BETWEEN THIS BOARD AND THE ROUND ROCK ISD COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES FACING THIS DISTRICT, AND EVEN AFTER LOGGING ZERO STUDENT OUTCOME MINUTES FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF APRIL, YOU'VE DECIDED TO CALL ANOTHER MEETING TO DISCUSS MORE THINGS THAT HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH STUDENT OUTCOMES.
AND WHILE I AM SUPER CURIOUS ABOUT WHY A SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH EXPONENTIAL GROWTH WOULD NEED TO OFFER BUSINESS INCENTIVES AND HAVE OPEN ENROLLMENT, I'M REALLY HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
HOPEFULLY I CAN GET SOME ANSWERS TONIGHT.
WHY ARE YOU REQUESTING SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS? SPECIFICALLY, WHY NOW? THERE WAS A FAILED PETITION TO ESTABLISH SMD'S IN 2017.
THREE OF YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD SINCE 2018.
DID IT REALLY TAKE YOU THREE AND A HALF YEARS TO FINALLY GET THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA? OR HAVE YOU JUST STARTED TO CARE ABOUT IT AGAIN NOW THAT YOU'RE UP FOR REELECTION? THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT SHOULD HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AN ELECTION, NOT RIGHT BEFORE THE TIMING KIND OF REEKS OF DESPERATION.
IF YOU THINK SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS ARE IMPORTANT.
IF YOU DON'T, THEN WHY BRING IT UP FOR DISCUSSION? HAVE YOU BEEN INUNDATED WITH EMAILS FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT, BUT I'M GOING TO FIND OUT WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR THE DEMOGRAPHERS.
HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU REDRAW THE DISTRICTS? WOULD TRUSTEES NEED TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY RUN? WHO IS GOING TO VERIFY THAT THE ADDRESS ON FILE IS THEIR ACTUAL RESIDENCE? WHAT HAPPENS IF A TRUSTEE HAS TO MOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR TERM? WHAT HAPPENS IF NO CANDIDATE FROM THAT AREA WANTS TO RUN? SHOULD WE HAVE TO TAKE AN UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATE OVER SOMEONE AMAZING BECAUSE OF THEIR ADDRESS? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WOULD YOU ALLOW THE TWO BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT UP FOR REELECTION AND HAVE THEM PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THEIR RESIGNATION MULTIPLE TIMES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, KEEP THEIR SEATS AS THE TWO MEMBERS AT LARGE? IT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THIS LITTLE STUNT OF YOURS FROM LOOKING SUPER CORRUPT, BECAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE WHO'S ON THIS BOARD AND IS REALLY KIND OF GROSS. THANK YOU.
[00:25:02]
NEXT UP, WE HAVE ROBERT [INAUDIBLE].AND YOU'RE SPEAKING ON ITEMS D2 AND F 3.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT? I DO. I JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
BUT WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT IS SO URGENT THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE IMPORTANT BUDGET PLANNING CYCLE, THE TRUSTEES VESSA AND FELLER FIND IT URGENT TO IMPLEMENT SMD. WHAT IS SO URGENT THAT TRUSTEE FELLER IS WILLING TO VIOLATE THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT BY DISCUSSING THIS IN CLOSED SESSION? PERHAPS TRUSTEES FELLER AND VESSA CAN EXPLAIN WHY DISCUSSING SMDC IS A PRIORITY OVER DISCUSSING REZONING, WHICH IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT PROBLEM.
PERHAPS TRUSTEES FELLER AND VESSA.
CAN DISCUSS HOW SMDS WILL HAVE A CLEAR AND DIRECT IMPACT ON STUDENT OUTCOMES.
AND FINALLY, MR. FAULTYS, WHEREVER YOU ARE.
PERHAPS THE TA CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS, OR IS THE TA IT JUST HERE TO DOCUMENT THE DEMISE OF THIS DISTRICT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM F3.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
YEAH. I COME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, I THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS PUT OUT WITH IT AS FAR AS THE DIRECTION THAT WANTS TO BE TAKEN WITH IT. BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO BE OPEN FOR MANIPULATION.
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU COULD EASILY REDRAW DISTRICTS TO HURT SOME PEOPLE AND THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT HAVE ANY INPUT ON HOW THINGS ARE DONE.
SO I SAY THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS IN PUBLIC, OUT IN THE OPEN, AND ALLOW PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HAVE INPUT ON HOW IT'S DONE IF WE DECIDE TO DO IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SWITCH TO VIRTUAL.
I'LL GIVE THAT A MINUTE TO HAPPEN.
SHAWNA CUNNINGHAM IS UP FIRST AND I DO NOT SEE HER.
THANK YOU. BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MARCUS BARTON HERE IN PERSON.
MR. BARTON. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
PARDON ME. SO IS IT ONE MINUTE? OKAY. 2 MINUTES. GREAT.
OKAY. FIRST OFF, I KIND OF RUSHED IN HERE.
JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.
SO ALL THE AGENDA WAS UP AND I SAID, I GOT TO GO TALK ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE ONE THING THAT I'VE REALLY FOUND FRUSTRATING IS THAT YOU SEEM TO BE DOING A LOT OF CLOSE MEETINGS ON THINGS THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD REALLY BE PART OF.
AND I CAN ONLY THINK THAT THIS IS BEING LED BY THE PAID BY THE HOUR LAWYERS THAT YOU HAVE.
NOW, ONE THING THAT I THINK MIGHT HELP YOU HERE IS IT SAYS RIGHT HERE IN 55, 55, 1.087 DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS, GOALS, MEETINGS. SAYS RIGHT HERE, THIS CHAPTER DOES NOT REQUIRE A GOVERNMENTAL BODY TO CONDUCT AN OPEN MEETING DOES NOT REQUIRE.
FOR ONE, YOU'RE DISCUSSING LIKE 50% OF YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS ALSO ON TOMORROW NIGHT'S AGENDA.
SO WHY AREN'T WE HERE AT ALL DISCUSSING THIS? OK SECOND, OPEN ENROLLMENT DISTRICTS RIGHT.
WHO'S REPRESENTING THOSE DISTRICTS? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE AN EIGHTH MEMBER TO REPRESENT THE OPEN DISTRICT STUDENTS? SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE EITHER OPEN ENROLLMENT DISTRICTS OR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH. IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. THANKS.
[00:30:02]
THANK YOU. AND IF WE'RE READY WITH VIRTUAL, I DON'T SEE SHAWNA.WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE JENNIFER WHITE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS F2, F3 AND F4.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
IT'S. OH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE COULDN'T HEAR YOU. MAYBE THERE IS A LAG.
SO REGARDING OPEN ENROLLMENT DISTRICT.
TYPICALLY DISTRICTS HAVE JUST OPEN ENROLLMENT.
SO IF WE'RE INVITING AND WANTING TO OPEN THOSE OTHERS FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, WILL THEY BE BRINGING THEIR TAX DOLLARS WITH THEM WHEN THEY COME TO OUR DISTRICT? WILL THEY BE PAYING FOR THEMSELVES TO BE HERE ROUND ROCK ISD OR WE AS TAXPAYER ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THEM? SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, THIS COULD BE AN ITEM THAT PARENTS COULD POTENTIALLY CONSIDER, BUT ONLY WITH MUCH MORE CONSIDERATION, DISCUSSIONS, ANALYSIS, OVERVIEWS OF HOW THE DISTRICT MAPPING IS GOING TO BE ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY DRAWN AND FULLY A FULL VOTE FROM THE COMMUNITY ON THE FINAL DECISION, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE TAXPAYERS AND THE COMMUNITY REALLY WANT.
BUT HERE ARE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
THE BOARD. I MEAN, LIKE SO IT WILL A BOARD MEMBER BE LIMITED TO ONLY FOCUSING ON THEIR LEARNING COMMUNITY AREA AND IGNORING THE REST OF THE DISTRICT? WILL A BOARD MEMBER BE ALLOTTED SPECIFIC FUNDS FOR THOSE SPECIFIC LEARNING AREAS AND COMMUNITIES SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE SLUSH FUND? WILL ONLY TWO BOARD MEMBERS REALLY LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE? BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE TWO PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT JUST THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
AND THEN WHAT LIMITATIONS WILL THERE BE FOR A TRUSTEE HAVING ONLY THE PURVIEW FOR THEIR SPECIFIC LEARNING COMMUNITY? SO WHAT ARE THOSE RESTRICTIONS? SO THINGS LIKE THIS NEED TO BE ASKED, ANSWERED, FULLY DISCUSSED, PRESENTED AND EXPLAINED BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD AS A DISTRICT AND HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS. SO NOTHING SHOULD HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER THIS NEXT ELECTION.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE JACQUELINE ELAINE LEE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS F THREE AND F FOUR.
AND YOU DO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME.
I WANT TO START BY COMMENTING ON THE ALLOWING HOMESCHOOL STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN UNIVERSITY IN INTER SCHOLAR ACTIVITIES. I THINK WE SHOULD NOT MAKE A BLANKET DECISION AT THIS TIME.
MAINLY THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLICATIONS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, IT WOULD ADD TO A LOT OF THE WORKLOAD TO THE DISTRICT STAFF.
SECONDLY, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND THEN THERE ARE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT THE DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION AND THOSE KIND OF INFORMATION.
SO I DON'T I THINK, ALTHOUGH I CAN SEE SOME BENEFIT OF DOING THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S TOO MUCH BURDEN FOR THE DISTRICT TO MAKE A BLANKET DECISION TO ALLOW HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE ACTIVITIES.
AND A LOT HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT OTHER DECISIONS ON THE OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION AND TIME PROBABLY TO DISCUSS THOSE.
I KIND OF I CAN SEE THEIR POINT AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU ALSO TAKE SOME TIME TO CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
TRUSTEES, I AM GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND TAKE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS FIRST AND THEN CLOSE SESSION SECOND TO GIVE PRESIDENT FELLER SOME TIME TO GET HERE.
LAST I CHECKED IN AND SHE WOULD ARRIVE AROUND 710.
I DO HAVE A POINT OF ORDER, THOUGH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO I MOVE TO REMOVE ITEM D2 FROM THE AGENDA TONIGHT BECAUSE I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY UNDER THE STATUTE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME TO DISCUSS THAT IN CLOSED SESSION.
THAT'S MY MOTION. I'M GOING TO PASS THAT TO VALERIE.
THANK YOU. MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU MAY NOT NEED A LEGAL ADVICE ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT IS ALLOWED ANY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS CONCLUDED THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY MAY MEET WITH THE WITH ITS ATTORNEY TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY MATTER.
[00:35:02]
551071. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE THERE SOME CONFUSION ON IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY NOT NEED TO BE THE NEED FOR LEGAL ADVICE ON THIS PARTICULAR MATTER TONIGHT.THANK YOU. SO I'VE MADE A MOTION.
WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND. WE'LL SEE HOW THE VOTE GOES.
I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY COMMENTARY? WHAT? I MEAN, I GUESS I'M.
WHAT WAS YOUR MOTION? OH, I MOVED TO REMOVE ITEM D2 TWO FROM THE AGENDA.
[INAUDIBLE] A PROBLEM IF WE WANT TO REMOVE IT OR NOT.
SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF IT'S ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA OR NOT.
IF WE DO NEED LEGAL ADVICE, WE COULD WE COULDN'T GO INTO THAT.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF A MOOT POINT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF REMOVING ITEM D2 FROM THE AGENDA.
IT DOESN'T I MEAN, IT'S A MOOT POINT.
ABSTAINING? AND PRESIDENT FELLER.
WHAT WAS YOUR VOTE? I VOTED NO.
I HAVE ANOTHER POINT OF ORDER.
YES. I MOVED TO POSTPONE ITEM F4 UNTIL THE DECEMBER REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
OKAY. FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU WANT TO POSTPONE HB 547 DISCUSSION? OK THERE IS A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON DISCUSSION OF HB 547.
ANY DISCUSSION? CAN I JUST ASK WHY? I MEAN, YES. SO I REQUESTED THIS A LONG TIME AGO.
AND, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE IN MAY.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY WITH ONLY 72 HOURS OF NOTICE AND WITH ME AS A TRUSTEE, I MEAN, HERE I AM, THE ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO'S REQUESTED THIS AGENDA ITEM MONTHS AGO. AND I WAS NOT MADE AWARE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO APPEAR ON THIS AGENDA UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT OF LAST WEEK.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS WHOLLY INSUFFICIENT FOR ME TO PREPARE ADEQUATELY FOR THIS.
SO I'D LIKE TO POSTPONE IT, AS I SAID IN MY MOTION FOR THE DECEMBER 2022 REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
DISCUSSION. I'M FINE WITH HEARING IT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE PREPARED FOR THIS.
THE ADMINISTRATION ALREADY HAD CONSIDERED THIS, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IN A BOARD UPDATE.
I HAVE MANY, MANY HOME SCHOOL FRIENDS THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS BILL.
I DEFINITELY ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS BILL MYSELF DURING THE SESSION BECAUSE OF MY CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SO MANY HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES. SO I ACTUALLY REALLY DO THINK IT'S THIS IS A WE MAY NOT TAKE ACTION ON IT RIGHT NOW, BUT CERTAINLY A DISCUSSION IS WARRANTED.
THANK YOU. TRUSTEE XIAO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? YEAH, I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE INVESTOR THAT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN IF WE CAN HELP SOME STUDENT, JUST DO IT.
THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING AGENDA ITEM F4 TILL DECEMBER 2022.
WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, SO I HAVE MY HAND RAISED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT. I'M SO SORRY I MISSED YOU.
I MOVED TO POSTPONE ITEM F FOR UNTIL A FUTURE MEETING BECAUSE I HATE TO OBLIGATE THE NEW BOARD IF THERE IS ANY CHANGES IN THE BOARD FOR THE VERY FIRST MEETING THAT THEY'RE ON THE BOARD TO HAVE TO DISCUSS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO IF TRUSTEE WESTON, SHE DID REQUEST THIS BACK IN JANUARY, WE DID RECEIVE A BOARD UPDATE ON IT.
TRUSTEE WESTON SAID THAT WASN'T SUFFICIENT AND SHE WANTED IT STILL PUT BACK ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT'S POSTPONED.
[00:40:07]
THANK YOU. PRESENT TRUSTEE.LISTEN, CAN I SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO MOVE TO POSTPONE ITEM FOR UNTIL A FUTURE MEETING.
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD TRUSTEE WEIR.
AND THEN YOU'RE NOT REALLY OBLIGATING THE FUTURE BOARD FOR A PARTICULAR MEETING.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SET THE DEADLINE.
DO YOU HAVE I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER.
WE ACTUALLY VOTED ON THIS, SO I HAVE A RULE.
ROBERT'S RULES HERE WE WERE ACTUALLY WE HAD VOTED.
FOUR OF US HAD JUST VOTED IN FAVOR.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD TAKE THE VOTE.
AND I UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE IN PERSON.
WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS MEETING. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER TO LOOK UP BECAUSE IF THERE IS A RAISED HAND, YOU KNOW, TIMELY DONE, AND WE ALL ARE PAYING NOT PAYING ATTENTION, WE MISS A TIMELY SUBSTITUTE MOTION ATTEMPT.
SO THAT IS CREATING A DIFFICULTY HERE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TONIGHT.
SO, I MEAN, WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTION.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, YOU WOULD VOTE ON THAT ONE FIRST AND IF THAT ONE FAILS, IT GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
THAT'S MY ERROR. I APOLOGIZE, PRESIDENT FELLER.
LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE FIRST MOTION.
IS THAT OKAY? THAT'S FINE. OKAY.
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING AGENDA ITEM F4 UNTIL DECEMBER 2022.
OKAY. MOTION CARRIES FOUR-THREE.
YES, MA'AM. I MOVE TO MOVE C1.
APOLOGIZE. SO I MOVE TO MOVE D1 TO OPEN SESSION AND MOVE IT OUT OF CLOSED.
SECOND. VALERIE, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO YOU.
RIGHT. BY LAW, YOU CAN BECAUSE THE REASON YOU CAN GO TO CLOSE IF YOU NEED LEGAL ADVICE ON A MATTER.
THE REASON I'M ASKING FOR THIS IS BECAUSE WHILE LAW I GET THIS PACKET TONIGHT LIKE 2 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING, THIS IS ALL OPEN SESSION STUFF AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE COMMUNITY PAID FOR THIS WHOLE PACKAGE.
REALLY? ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT OPEN SESSION AND WE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE SHOWING THERE.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH MY THOUGHT IS THAT THIS PACKET THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT IS CLOSED.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE'S THIS INVOLVES AN ADDITIONAL ENTITY.
AND SO BUT THAT INFORMATION IS NOT IN HERE.
CAN I PLEASE JUST FINISH MY CONVERSATION? TRUSTEE BONE NO, YOU ACTUALLY, I HAVE THE FLOOR.
THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT OUT SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR WHAT'S IN THIS PACKET.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF IT SHOULD BE ENCLOSED.
AND WHEN WE GET TO THE STUFF ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL ENTITY THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN CLOSED SESSION.
CAN I, CAN WE WAIT AND ACTUALLY HAVE THAT VOTE WHEN WE GET TO CLOSE SESSION BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO GO DO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS FIRST? SO WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO F, ONE, TWO AND THREE AND THEN GO BACK TO CLOSED WHEN WE HAD PRESIDENT FELLER HERE.
SO I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING THAT VOTE UNTIL WE GET TO THAT ITEM.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE. AND IF WE WANT TO VOTE AGAIN LATER, WE CAN DO THAT.
THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR DISCUSSION AFTER A MOTION AND A SECOND.
OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING D1 INTO OPEN? ALL OPPOSED.
ALL RIGHT. ABSTAINING OK MOTION FAILS FOUR, TWO, ONE.
[00:45:02]
TWO FOUR ONE. THANK YOU FOR THAT.[F. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS]
ABOUT F1, WE HAVE DR.I'M ON A DEVICE THAT THE CAMERA IS NOT WORKING.
AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN TONIGHT'S MEETING, YOU ALL HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
AND IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO IN LONE STAR GOVERNANCE, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO ROUND ROCK ISD.
AS COACHES, WE OFFER THIS AT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE WORK WITH PRIOR TO ELECTIONS, PRIOR TO THE FILING DEADLINE THAT WE HOST THE COACH SUCH AS ME, A HOST, AND PROVIDE PRETTY MUCH AN INFORMATION SESSION TO ANY PERSON IN THE PUBLIC THAT IS INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR AN OPEN SCHOOL BOARD POSITION.
AND WHAT WE DO IN THAT TRAINING AND IN THAT SESSION, WE TALK ABOUT SOME COMMON VOCABULARY IN TERMS OF THE WORKING OF THE DISTRICT. WE TALK ABOUT THE ROLES OF THE BOARD AND THE ROLES OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND SO WHEN THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO JOIN IN AND AND CERTIFY THEMSELVES AS A CANDIDATE, THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT SCHOOL BOARDS DO.
I AM VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I THINK ROUND ROCK HAS PROBABLY GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN OFFERING THESE SESSIONS BY OFFERING THEM ON MULTIPLE DAYS, MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE DAY AND EVENING, AS WELL AS A VIRTUAL SESSION.
SO ANY INTERESTED PARTY HAS ACCESS TO HEAR, LISTEN, IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO FILE AS A CANDIDATE.
IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND LEARN.
SO ONCE THE ELECTION IS HELD, THE TRANSFER OF BRINGING POSSIBLY NEW POTENTIAL BOARD MEMBERS IN IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND HELPS PEOPLE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU. AND PLEASE GO AHEAD AND USE YOUR LIGHTS FROM NOW FORWARD AND TRUSTEE WEIR.
DR. MCMAHON, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE'S ALREADY DATES SET POSSIBLY.
DO YOU HAVE DATES? I BOARD MEMBERS, I APOLOGIZE.
AND AS I WAS TRAVELING TODAY I JUST REALIZED IT WAS STILL SITTING IN MY OUTBOX.
THE FILING DATE, I BELIEVE, IS IN LATE JULY, SO I BELIEVE WE WERE LOOKING AT JUNE DATES OF 16, 17 AND THE SATURDAY MORNING OF THE 18TH OF JUNE, HAVING ON THE 16TH AND 17TH HAVING A MORNING, AFTERNOON AND EVENING SESSION FOCUSED ON YOUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE WITHIN PARTICULAR FEEDER PATTERNS SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL, BUT THAT DOES NOT LIMIT THEM TO ATTEND ONLY ONE PARTICULAR MEETING IN THEIR AREA, ANYONE CAN COME TO ANY OF THEM THAT THEY LIKE. WE JUST WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE TRAVELING A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
OR WAS IT FRIDAY NIGHT? I WILL HAVE TO GET THAT BACK TO YOU, BUT YOU WILL GET IT SO YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO POST, ADVERTISE AND GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I DON'T REALLY SEE A REASON TO BE OPPOSED TO THIS.
I THINK THAT MORE INFORMATION IS BETTER THAN LESS, AND I WOULD INSIST ON A VIRTUAL OPTION FOR THIS, NOT JUST IN-PERSON WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE THAT THIS WOULD EITHER BE LIVESTREAMED ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR BROADCAST AS OUR MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO
[00:50:07]
ATTEND. AND THAT WAY PEOPLE COULD WATCH IT AND GO BACK LATER SO THAT THAT WOULD BE A MANDATORY THING FOR ME IN ORDER TO GET ON BOARD.AND THE OTHER THING, TRUSTEE HARRISON, IF YOU CAN KIND OF BECAUSE YOUR NAME IS ON THIS, CAN YOU KIND OF HELP US WITH THE GENESIS OF THIS AND WHOSE IDEA IT WAS AND KIND OF HOW WE GOT HERE? ABSOLUTELY TRUSTEE WESTON.
AND IT WAS MY IDEA AND IT WAS ACTUALLY BORN OF THE DESIRE FOR US TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY FORUMS, PARTICULARLY AROUND THINGS LIKE BUDGET AND HAVING TO WEIGH DISCUSSION OUTSIDE OF JUST BOARD MEETINGS.
AND SO WHAT WAS OFFERED WAS THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO DO MORE OF, BUT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY STANDARD TO LEARN, STAR GOVERNANCE.
AND SO I WAS DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN IT BECAUSE I KNOW FOR ME THE LEARNING CURVE OF BEING A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND WATCHING A BOARD WAS VERY DIFFERENT THAN BEING ON A BOARD AND COMING TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF GOVERNANCE VERSUS MANAGEMENT.
SO I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, EVERY CANDIDATE SHOULD HAVE THE BENEFIT OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN DO AS A BOARD MEMBER VERSUS WHAT IS REALLY IN OUR WHEELHOUSE TO INFLUENCE AND TRUSTEE.
WESTON I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THESE SESSIONS, YES, THEY ARE GOING TO BE VIDEO RECORDED AND PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE THEM AND THERE IS A VIRTUAL OPTION.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED, WHETHER EVEN THEY REALLY WANT TO RUN FOR THE BOARD OR NOT OR JUST WANT TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND THIS IS YOU NOT THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO ROUND ROCK AS A LONE STAR GOVERNANCE COACH IN JUNE AND JULY PREPARING FOR NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, I'M DOING A LOT OF COMMUNITY FORUMS IN MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
[INAUDIBLE] I WANTED TO CONFIRM THOSE DATES BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE DISTRICT CLOSES FOR SUMMER VACATION THE DAY AFTER OUR JUNE BOARD MEETING. SO WE MAY NOT BE OPEN ON THAT FRIDAY NIGHT OR FRIDAY OR SATURDAY, WHATEVER THOSE DATES ARE.
SO JUST WANT TO BE AWARE OF THE LAST DAY.
TRUSTEE FELLER. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THOSE DATES, I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT YOU KNOW, WHEN DID YOU CLOSE? AND THIS IS PRIOR TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CLOSING.
THAT'S WHY WE SELECTED THOSE PARTICULAR DATES.
AND, AND, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO SEND INFORMATION OUT, GET IT OUT ON FACEBOOK, GIVE SOME BULLET POINTS ABOUT WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT TO HEAR AND DO DURING THOSE MEETINGS.
IT'S NOT LIKE I'M GOING TO CAPTURE PEOPLE FOR AN ENTIRE DAY.
THEY USUALLY RUN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO PROBABLY NO MORE THAN 2 HOURS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION. SO, VALERIE, IS THIS AN ITEM THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON OR IS THIS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM? THE REASON WHY I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA OR I ASKED ACTUALLY ASKED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TOO.
I MEAN, IS THE ADMINISTRATION GOING TO HOST THESE? THEN I THINK YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON IT NECESSARILY.
WELL, AGAIN, BOARD, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. MCMAHON.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO F2, OPEN ENROLLMENT DISTRICT.
DOCTOR AZAIEZ, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO YOU TO INSTRUCT WHAT'S NEXT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICE PRESIDENT HARRISON AND TRUSTEES.
SO I KNOW THAT THE CONVERSATION AROUND OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTED, I GUESS EVEN BEFORE MY ARRIVAL HERE.
I THINK ALL BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSED IT, I DON'T KNOW, A FEW MONTHS AGO.
AND I KNOW A COUPLE OF OTHER MEMBERS WANTED US TO REVISIT THAT TOPIC.
SO WE PUT THE FEW SLIDES FOR YOU AS I GUESS TO HELP THE CONVERSATION.
OBVIOUSLY I GO THROUGH THEM RATHER QUICKLY.
SO CAN I GET CLARIFICATION FOR MYSELF AND THE PUBLIC ON WHICH TRUSTEE REQUESTED F TO OPEN ENROLLMENT? DISTRICT PRESIDENT FELLER.
[00:55:01]
WE'VE ALREADY HAD THIS DISCUSSION BACK IN SPRING OF 2021, BEFORE DR.AND SO IT WAS A CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENED IN SPRING OF 2021.
AND WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AS TRUSTEES ON THE DAIS.
THERE WERE SEVERAL INITIATIVES AND DISCUSSIONS FROM TRUSTEES ABOUT HOW TO INCREASE OUR ENROLLMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN THE DISCUSSION CAME BACK AFTER WE HEARD THIS IDEA.
I HAVEN'T HEARD SPECIFIC TRUSTEES THAT HAVE REQUESTED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
JUST SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, I HAVE NOT BEEN PARTY TO ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THIS.
YOU JUST SAID THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN INVITED TO ANY DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC.
WELL, WE'RE HAVING THE DISCUSSION NOW.
DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPENED ON THE DIAS JUST HAPPENED ON THE DIAS IN A MEETING IN THE SPRING OF 2021.
WE DID NOT VOTE ON IT, BUT WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT WITH THE BOARD IN SPRING OF 2021, PERHAPS PRESIDENT OF WHICH SHE WAS PRESIDENT.
AND THAT HAPPENED. BUT THAT DID HAPPEN A YEAR AGO.
WE HAD DISCUSSION LAST YEAR AND WE DECIDED AGAINST IT.
THANK YOU. WELL, IT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION NOW, SO I WILL TURN THAT BACK OVER TO DR.
JENNIFER, IF YOU CAN PLEASE PUT THE OPEN ENROLLMENT.
ONLY FOUR SLIDES JUST TO SHOW SOME NUMBERS.
MAYBE THAT WOULD HELP WITH ANY CONVERSATION THAT OUR MEMBERS CAN HAVE.
AS I SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE FOR DISCUSSION.
SO IT'S UP TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS, OBVIOUSLY, TO DECIDE WHAT DIRECTION THEY WANT US TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, OBVIOUSLY.
THIS IS ACTUALLY TOP NOTCH DATA.
WE HAVE OUR STAFF, WE ALLOW OUR STAFF TO BRING THEIR KIDS WITH THEM IF THEY WISH TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR STAFF WHO ACTUALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF OUR STUDENTS CURRENTLY.
AND SO TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS, ABOUT FOUR, 570 STUDENTS WHO ARE TRANSFERRING IN AND THEY ARE COMING IN FROM A SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE AUSTIN, GEORGETOWN, HUTTO, LEANDER. RIGHT.
SO THAT'S MORE OR LESS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE TRANSFERRING TO OUR DISTRICT 507.
THIS IS BACK ON FOR THIS YEAR.
BUT EVEN IF I GO BACK, IT'S PRIOR YEAR WE'VE SEEN ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS, ABOUT 5000 STUDENTS OR SO WHO ARE ACTUALLY TRANSFERRING OUT OF OF ROUND ROCK ISD.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF BESIDES OUR SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE GEORGETOWN, OBVIOUSLY IN AUSTIN AND PFLUGERVILLE, THERE ARE ALSO A COUPLE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS LIKE HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOL AND ALSO IDEA THERE ARE HAVING SOME OF OUR STUDENTS OBVIOUSLY ATTENDING THOSE CHARTER SCHOOLS, RIGHT. INSTEAD OF ATTENDING ROUND ROCK ISD, WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS LIKE MERIDIAN AND WE HAVE OVER 1000 OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE ZONED TO ROUND ROCK ISD WHO ARE ATTENDING MERIDIAN.
SO THE TOTAL ABOUT 5240 STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY NOT ATTENDING ROUND ROCK ISD.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE CHOOSING TO TRANSFER OUT AND ATTEND OTHER SCHOOLS OR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SOME CASES SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE AREA.
SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, ACTUALLY, I WANT TO JUST LET SOME OF OUR IF I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY MOST OF ALL, I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE AREA WHO ACTUALLY OFFER OPEN ENROLLMENT WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT.
AND SO THEY ACTUALLY OUR PARENTS CAN LITERALLY WALK THEIR STUDENTS TO A CAMPUS AT PFLUGERVILLE AND JUST FILL OUT A FORMS TRANSFER FORM AND PRETTY MUCH CAN ATTEND ANY SCHOOL OR ANY CAMPUS I'M SORRY AT PFLUGERVILLE ISD SO THEY PRETTY MUCH DID THIS AGAIN TO TRY TO ATTRACT MORE STUDENTS TO ATTEND THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT OR THEIR CAMPUSES.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE YOUR SLIDES THAT WE PREPARED FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
[01:00:04]
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS MAY HAVE.THANK YOU. I'LL BE LOOKING FOR LIGHTS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND TRUSTEE WESTON I HAVE YOU UP NEXT.
SO WHAT SCHOOLS WOULD IF WE WERE TO DO OPEN ENROLLMENT, WHAT SCHOOLS WOULD WE ALLOW AND HOW WOULD WE DETERMINE WHAT SCHOOLS COULD ACCEPT STUDENTS? SO THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO IF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES DECIDED TO GO THAT ROUTE, OBVIOUSLY WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME ANALYSIS AND COME UP WITH SOME WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, SOME EXPECTATION, IF YOU WILL, OR SOME A PROTOCOL.
SO CAMPUSES ARE CAPACITY OR NEAR CAPACITY.
MOST LIKELY, WE WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR A TRANSFER TO BE HAPPENING AT THOSE CAMPUSES.
BUT CAMPUSES, MAYBE THEY HAVE MORE CAPACITY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND WE WILL ALSO CREATE SOME KIND OF SYSTEM.
SO THINGS THAT MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR, SUCH AS MAYBE THEY WANT TO SEE HOW IS THE STUDENTS ATTENDANCE, HOW IS THE STUDENTS GRADES, HOW IS THE STUDENTS BEHAVIOR? RIGHT. SO WE WILL HAVE TO COME UP TO SYSTEM.
WE DO ALREADY HAVE IN DISTRICT TRANSFER FORMS AND ALSO PROTOCOL.
SO MOST LIKELY THE TRANSFER OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT TRANSFER I GUESS WILL WILL BE VERY SIMILAR EXCUSE ME, SIMILAR TO THOSE TO THAT PROTOCOL, IF YOU WILL.
MY QUESTION IS, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING MORE LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, I SEE A LOT OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MAYBE EVEN SOME OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS WITH ROOM, BUT IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF DISINGENUOUS TO LET STUDENTS IN AND THEN NOT GIVE THEM A PATHWAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
HOW DO YOU FORESEE THAT GOING? SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL HAVE TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH OUR PARENTS FROM THE BEGINNING.
THESE ARE OUR OPEN CAMPUSES AND THESE ARE THE CAMPUSES THAT WE DON'T FORESEE THAT WOULD BE OPEN.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, DEMOGRAPHICS CHANGES, RIGHT? SO I'M THINKING LIKE A STUDENT WHO MIGHT START KINDERGARTEN TODAY BY THE TIME THEY GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 8 TO 9 YEARS.
SO SOMETIMES DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO PREDICT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TRUSTEE WESTON AND THEN TRUSTEE VESSA.
YES. SO, DR. AZAIEZ, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON WHICH TRUSTEES HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU REGARDING THIS TOPIC AHEAD OF THIS MEETING AND IF ANY OF THEM WERE ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST IT? SO THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION, AND THEN I'VE GOT MORE.
WHEN I HEARD A COUPLE OF TRUSTEE TALK ABOUT I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ADVOCATED FOR OR NOT.
WE NEVER REALLY I NEVER REALLY ASKED HIM OR THEY NEVER REALLY TOOK A VOTE, I GUESS.
BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER TRUSTEE I EVEN HEARD HIM ON THE DAIS TALKED ABOUT IT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK TRUSTEE AND I'M SORRY TO [INAUDIBLE] SEE VESSA TALKED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THE A COUPLE OF OTHER TRUSTEE TALKED ABOUT IT.
I DON'T REALLY RECALL ALL OF THEIR NAMES, BUT I KNOW THE CONVERSATION OCCURRED OR HAPPENED.
AND AGAIN, I'M JUST BRINGING THIS BACK UP TO TO OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO DECIDE.
SO IF THEY DECIDE NOT TO GO WITH THIS, THAT'S FINE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
IF THEY DECIDE TO GO WITH IT, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER WE'RE ASKED TO DO BY OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
OKAY. SO YOU SAID TRUSTEE VESSA TALK TO YOU IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
WHO ELSE TALKED TO YOU IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING ABOUT THIS TOPIC? NO, NO, WE DID NOT MEET.
NO, NO, NO, MA'AM, I DON'T THINK.
I DID NOT SAY THEY TALKED TO ME IN ADVANCE.
CONVERSATION HAPPENED BEFORE, RIGHT? SO NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THIS PAST WEEK.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
RIGHT. SO IT HAPPENED BEFORE, RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GAIN INSIGHT TONIGHT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
[01:05:02]
POSTPONED IT. BUT I THINK IT WAS ON BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT.IN ONE OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST LIKE SHOWING UP RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN SO THIS IS SORT OF AN ANCILLARY BUDGET DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, IS THAT THE MOTIVATION IS THE BUDGET.
I KNOW THAT'S HOW THE DISCUSSION STARTED.
I MEAN, IT WAS ON THE AGENDA AND THEN WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN IT COMES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, THOUGH, IT IT IS HARDER TO PUT A NAME TO IT JUST I CAN LET TRUSTEE FELLER ANSWER FOR HERSELF, BUT I KNOW FOR ME, IF IT COMES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT WERE ON THE DAIS, THEN IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FROM A TRUSTEE IN PARTICULAR.
IS THERE SOMETHING FUNNY? TRUSTEE VESSA? NO, NOT SOMETHING FUNNY.
IT'S A BANDAID FIX, IN MY VIEW.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE LASER FOCUSED ON THE CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHOSE PARENTS PAY TAXES TO OUR SCHOOLS, WHO VOTE IN OUR TRUSTEE ELECTIONS, WHO VOTE UP OR DOWN IN OUR BOND ELECTIONS.
AND WE SHOULD BE LASER FOCUSED ON THEM AND CATERING TO THEIR NEEDS AND ASKING THEM WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN ORDER TO COME BACK TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN HEALING A LOT OF THE WOUNDS AND THE DIVIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK THAT AT THIS TIME IMPORTING STUDENTS FROM SURROUNDING AREAS WHOSE PARENTS DON'T PAY TAXES HERE, WHOSE PARENTS CAN'T VOTE HERE, WHOSE CHILDREN WON'T LIVE NEAR IN MOST CASES WHERE THEIR PEERS GO TO SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT DECISION TO MAKE.
IN FACT, I DON'T FAVOR IT AT THIS TIME.
ONE OF THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT TALKED ABOUT IT.
I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW THE RIGHT VERNACULAR FOR IT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY CALLED VERTICAL ALIGNMENT.
SO VERTICAL ALIGNMENT IS WHEN ALL OF THE CHILDREN THAT YOU GO TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH GO TO YOUR SAME MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN ALL OF THE ALL OF YOUR PEERS THAT YOU GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH, YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH.
NOW, YOU KNOW, IN MY CASE, MY CHILDREN WERE VERY LUCKY.
WE THEY GOT TO ENJOY VERTICAL ALIGNMENT.
BUT WHEN I RAN AS A CANDIDATE, I MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T ENJOY THAT.
SO I THINK THAT TRUSTEE WESTON I'M SO SORRY.
YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO DRAW A CONTRAST THERE IN PRIORITIES, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHEN WE COMMIT TO FOCUSING ON OUR STUDENTS, OUR PARENTS, OUR TAXPAYERS, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE BETTER SERVED STRATEGICALLY IN THE LONG TERM WHEN WE DO THAT AND WE FOCUS ON THOSE EFFORTS, THOSE ARE STRATEGIC.
THAT WOULD REALLY SERVE AS A MODEL AROUND THE STATE OF HOW TO REALLY SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS TO WORK HARD TO EARN BACK THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE LOST RATHER THAN SEEKING THAT TRUST ELSEWHERE.
SO I'M OPPOSED TO THIS AND THOSE ARE MY INITIAL COMMENTS.
SO MY QUESTION AND THIS MAY INVOLVE MR. COVINGTON AS WELL, SEVERAL DISTRICTS AROUND US, INCLUDING HUTTO AND LIBERTY HILL, EANES, AUSTIN, PFLUGERVILLE, AS YOU MENTIONED, ARE ALL OPEN ENROLLMENT DISTRICTS.
WHY DID THEY DECIDE TO DO THIS? WHAT ADVANTAGE IS THAT TO THEM? AND THERE WAS A POINT BROUGHT UP THAT HOW HOW DO WE GET PAID FOR THESE STUDENTS IF THEY THEY LIVE IN ANOTHER DISTRICT AND THEY DON'T PAY TAXES IN THIS DISTRICT, DO WE EVEN GET PAID FOR THEM? HOW DOES HOW DOES SCHOOL FINANCE WORK AND WHY? WHY IS IT THAT THIS WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO US? I MEAN, I CAN ANSWER ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS.
TRUSTEE VESSA I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF DENNIS IS THERE.
WE WE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE GET OBVIOUSLY FUNDED BY ADA.
[01:10:01]
SO OBVIOUSLY, WE WE GET THAT BASIC ALLOTMENT RIGHT.ALLOCATION, IF YOU WILL, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
SO TA DOESN'T REALLY DIFFERENTIATE IF THE STUDENT LIVES IN ROUND ROCK ISD OR DOES LIVE IN ROUND ROCK ISD WHAT THEY TOOK WHAT THEY WHAT THEY PAY ATTENTION TO IF THE STUDENTS IS ENROLLED WITH US AND HOW IS THEIR ADA RIGHT.
HOW IS THEIR ATTENDANCE? THAT'S REALLY HOW WE GET FUNDED.
AS I SHARE EARLIER, WE HAVE ABOUT 500, OVER 500 STUDENTS WHO ARE TRANSFERRED INTO OUR DISTRICT, AND THOSE ARE KIDS OF OUR STAFF AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE WE ARE GETTING FUNDING FOR THOSE.
WE GET FUNDED THROUGH THROUGH THE STATE, I GUESS.
DENNIS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING.
SO WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF DOING THIS? WHY WOULD WHY DO THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE OPEN ENROLLMENT? AND WHAT ADVANTAGE WOULD IT BRING TO US? IT INCREASES YOUR ENROLLMENT AND HOPEFULLY YOUR ADA SO YOU GET MORE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS INCREASES, YOUR RECAPTURE GOES DOWN.
SO IT WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON RECAPTURE AND BRING MORE RESOURCES INTO THE DISTRICT.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT OVERALL THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE RESOURCES PER STUDENT WITH A INCREASED ENROLLMENT OR LESS RESOURCES PER STUDENT DOLLAR WISE? MORE. AND WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT? AS I SAID BEFORE, THE BASIC ALLOTMENT IS BASED ON ENROLLMENT.
SO FOR EVERY CHILD OR STUDENT THAT WE HAVE ENROLLED PENDING THEIR ATTENDANCE, WE GET $6,160.
IT DOESN'T CARE WHERE THEY LIVE AS LONG AS THEY'RE ENROLLED IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO WHAT HAS BEEN THE BENEFIT TO THE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THEY.
HAVE THEY SEEN AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT FROM OPEN ENROLLMENT? I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER.
I DID NOT PULL THE DATA FOR THEM.
I THINK I SHARE WITH YOU THE ALREADY TAKEN SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU THE SLIDE THREE IF WE GO BACK TO SLIDE THREE, JENNIFER.
JENNIFER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? SLIDE THREE FROM THE PRESENTATION.
OH, I'M SORRY, SLIDE THE ONE BEFORE THAT.
HERE WE GO. SO IF YOU CAN SEE, TRUSTEE VESSA THAT THEY ARE TAKING 114 STUDENTS OF OUR OUR ROUND ROCK ISD STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY ATTENDING PFLUGERVILLE. YOU CAN SEE ALSO THAT HUTTO HAD 63 OF OUR STUDENTS.
AUSTINITES. THEY HAD ABOUT 161 STUDENTS.
AND THEY'RE GETTING FUNDED FOR THOSE STUDENTS, OBVIOUSLY, AND WE'RE NOT GETTING FUNDING FOR THEM.
SO WHAT'S THE DISADVANTAGE OF DOING OPEN ENROLLMENT THAT YOU SEE? I THINK, AGAIN, IF WE COME UP WITH A GREAT SYSTEM AND A PROCESS WHERE WE TARGET CAMPUSES, THEY ALREADY ARE ALREADY HAVE, THEY ARE NOT AT CAPACITY OR NEAR CAPACITY.
RIGHT. THEY HAVE LIKE MORE ROOM FOR STUDENTS, I THINK WOULD BE ACTUALLY MORE OF A POSITIVE THING BECAUSE WE'LL BRING IN MORE MORE RESOURCES, MORE FUNDS, MORE RESOURCES TO OUR STUDENTS.
SO THAT MONEY WILL ACTUALLY BE SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND ACROSS ALL STUDENTS.
RIGHT. SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THAT'S THE GOOD THING.
THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO.
SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY STRATEGIC IN HOW WE DO IT.
AND IF IT'S DONE CORRECTLY, IT WOULD HAVE MORE BENEFIT.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF BENEFITS, ACTUALLY.
BUT AGAIN, WE ARE PREPARED TO GO ANY DIRECTION OUR BOARD WANT US TO GO.
[01:15:05]
SO WE JUST WANT TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU.IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO, LIKE, PILOT SCHOOLS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S SO BIG LIKE ALL OR NOTHING? COULD WE PILOT A CERTAIN SCHOOLS WITH CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS TO BE AN OPEN ENROLLMENT CAMPUS JUST TO SEE HOW THAT GOES? AND THAT WAY WE KIND OF GET A TEST RUN AS FOR WHAT? AND THEN MAKE A BIGGER DECISION LATER ONCE WE HAVE SOME DATA.
YEAH, I JUST WE AS I SAID, TRUSTEE VESSA, WE ARE HERE TO DO WHATEVER OUR BOARD WANT US TO DO.
THE IDEA IS, AS I SAID, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A VERY STRATEGIC AND ROBUST PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT IF THE CAMPUSES ARE CAPACITY AND YOUR CAPACITY SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THIS PLAN OR EVEN IF IT'S A PILOT.
RIGHT. SO WE CAN GO BACK AND DO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND AND MAYBE GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT LIKE A TIMELINE.
IT DOES SEEM A LITTLE BIT LATE, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN THE ONES TO KIND OF PUSH THIS OFF.
AND WE DID TALK ABOUT IT WITH DR.
AND AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST TOO LATE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR TO TO TALK ABOUT IT.
SO WHAT WOULD BE A TIMELINE TO LET FAMILIES KNOW IF WE DID? SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO LET THEM KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I'M SURE THEY WANT TO KNOW AS EARLY AS NO LATER, THE NEXT MONTH, JUNE, BECAUSE I'M SURE BEFORE GOING FOR VACATION, THEY WANT TO ALREADY SET UP A CAMPUS OR MAYBE IN A ROLE THEY CAN DO COME UP WITH A PLAN, I GUESS.
RIGHT, EVEN IF IT'S EASIER IF WE START SMALL SCALE AND PILOT AND A COUPLE OF CAMPUSES OBVIOUSLY.
I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING ON BRINGING OUR STUDENTS BACK.
BUT YOU KNOW, JUST SORT OF LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FOR AISD, WE SEND OUR TAX DOLLARS OR ABOUT A MILLION, A MILLION OF OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO AISD ALMOST WITH 161 STUDENTS. SO I GUESS TO TRUSTEE VESSA'S POINT, EVEN IF WE HAD A SMALL PILOT PROGRAM AT SOME OF OUR UNDER ENROLLED SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE BRINGING IN $1,000,000 FROM OTHER DISTRICTS TO BRING IN THEIR TAX DOLLARS FOR US WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS AND MORE MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS.
I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
BUT I THINK MAYBE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT CAMPUSES YOU KNOW YOU WERE LOOKING AT.
YEAH. WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE REPORT THAT SHOWS US MORE OR LESS, I GUESS, THE CAPACITY RIGHT WHERE WE AT AS FAR AS CAPACITY.
SO THIS CAMPUS IS CAN HAVE ABOUT 3000 STUDENTS BASED ON THE AREA OR THE CLASSROOMS, ETC., AND THEY ONLY HAVE, LET'S SAY, 2000 STUDENTS.
SO THAT'S THAT'S THE CAPACITY OF 66%.
WE HAVE TO PUT THOSE SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
BUT WHAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU, SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES WITH LOW ENROLLMENT OR LOW, I GUESS, CAPACITY, AND MAYBE WE CAN MAYBE SELECT A COUPLE OF THOSE AS A PILOT, IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WANT US TO GO.
I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BASED ON THIS.
SO I DON'T SEE THIS AS AN EITHER OR CONVERSATION.
I SEE THIS AS A YES AND CONVERSATION.
[01:20:03]
SO I'M WONDERING IF IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO AT SOME POINT UPDATE US ABOUT THOSE THINGS.AND I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE TIMELINE ON THIS, BECAUSE I'M UNCLEAR ON IF THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTION WHERE YOU ALL PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND BRING IT TO US. WHAT WOULD BE THE TIMELINE FOR US NEEDING TO VOTE FOR THIS TO BE ROLLED OUT WITH FIDELITY? THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE. AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO THAT GIVES US ABOUT TWO WEEKS MAYBE TO DEVELOP SOMETHING AND MAYBE PRESENT TO YOU.
AND AS I SAID, WE WANT TO INFORM THE PARENTS AND LET THEM KNOW, I GUESS, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS THEY MAKE PLANS FOR THE SUMMER AND FOR NEXT FALL FOR THEIR STUDENTS, IF THAT THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT OUR BOARD WANT US TO GO TO.
RIGHT. BUT MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO WITH SOME PLAN, A PLAN WITH SOME EXPECTATIONS, SOME PROTOCOL, IF YOU WILL, AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF CAMPUSES AS A PILOT.
PILOT CAMPUSES. AND WE CAN MAYBE PRESENT TO YOU BY JUNE 2ND IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE BOARD.
YEAH. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I'M NOT INDIVIDUALLY DIRECTING ADMINISTRATION.
I'M JUST GETTING THE FEELING THAT IT'S HARD TO MAKE A DECISION OFF OF A HYPOTHETICAL.
AND SO IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO HAVE SOME MORE CONCRETE INFORMATION.
AND SO I'M INTERESTED JUST WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE CONCRETE.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS, DOES THIS POSE ANY ISSUES FOR INTERNAL TRANSFERS? IF WE ARE OPEN ENROLLMENT, DOES THAT CHANGE? I WAS THINKING ABOUT LIKE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES AND RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY TRANSFER, THEY HAVE A ONE YEAR WAITING PERIOD.
AND DOES THAT BRING UP ANYTHING LIKE THAT? SO SO THAT COULD BE WILL BE PART OF PART OF THE, I GUESS, THE EXPECTATION OR THE GUIDELINES, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE CAN SAY THAT OUR OUR IN DISTRICT TRANSFER WOULD HAVE A PRIORITY.
AND ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEN IF A CAMPUS PER SE, WE AGREE ON A CAMPUS THAT WILL HAVE OR HAS CAPACITY, IF YOU WILL, THEN WE CAN OPEN THAT CAMPUS FOR OUR DISTRICT TRANSFER. AGAIN, THOSE ARE SPECIFIC, I GUESS, EXPECTATION OR REQUIREMENTS, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TO TO ENSURE THAT OUR ROUND ROCK ISD STUDENTS ALWAYS HAVE PRIORITY AND OUR STAFF STUDENTS HAVE ALWAYS APPLIED.
NEXT TO HAVE TRUSTEE XIAO AND THEN TRUSTEE WESTON.
SO FIRST I WOULD JUST WANT TO CONFIRM WHETHER IT IS SAID IN THE SLIDE THAT THE STAFF, THEY CAN BRING THEIR TEACHER OR BRING THEIR STUDENT KIDS TO OUR SCHOOL. RIGHT.
OKAY. AND THEN I HAVE MY OWN OWN OPINION REGARDING THE OPEN ENROLLMENT.
I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WESTON THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THINGS THAT, YEAH, WE CAN DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT FOR ME PERSONALLY, I THINK OUR ENERGY SHOULD FOCUS ON BRINGING THOSE KIDS THAT WE LOSE THOSE KIDS TO CHARTER SCHOOL, TO IDEA, TO HARMONY, TO BASIS.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHY ARE WE LOSING THOSE KIDS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND WHY WE CAN'T HAVE A SCHOOL LIKE MERIDIAN, WHY MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A SCHOOL LIKE CHAPLAIN STAR ACADEMY THAT WORK FOR SPORTS KIDS.
BUT WHAT IF WE CAN HAVE SOME PROGRAMS, SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THOSE FAMILIES? ALL THOSE THINGS ARE HARD THINGS TO DO.
I ADMIT THAT'S A HARD THING TO DO.
DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT, IT'S A SHORT TERM, AS TRUSTEE WESTON SAYS, SHORT TERM BANDAGE.
IT'S A HARD THING TO DO, BUT IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO I THINK.
YEAH, I'LL SAY TO THAT END, I THINK THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN HIRED BY THE COMMUNITY TO DO, IS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
THIS TIMING SEEMS DUBIOUS TO ME.
[01:25:01]
AND I HONESTLY, I SENSE I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF HERE, BUT I SENSE SOME FEAR.ABOUT WHAT THAT NUMBER IN AUGUST IS GOING TO BE FOR ENROLLMENT.
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS ANOTHER LAST MINUTE MOVE.
I MEAN, WHERE'S THE COMMUNITY INPUT ON THIS BEEN? WHERE HAVE WE ASKED THE COMMUNITY, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT OR NOT? AND SO, IT FEELS RUSHED.
AND IF THIS WAS SUCH A PRIORITY, THEN WHY DID THIS BOARD SPEND ALL OF THE FALL OF 2021 ON DIVISIVE ISSUES THAT ONLY DIVIDED OUR COMMUNITY? IF THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED LAST FALL WITH COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT AS A STEPMOTHER OF THREE BEAUTIFUL BOYS FOR TWO DECADES AND AS A MOM OF TWO KIDS FOR 18 YEARS, I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I SEE CHILDREN, I DON'T SEE DOLLAR SIGNS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IF THE DAY EVER COMES THAT THIS BOARD FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL FLOOD BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND THAT OUR FISCAL SITUATION WILL IMPROVE ACCORDINGLY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT TRUSTEE XIAO MADE SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS ABOUT BEING MORE INNOVATIVE AND LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER SCHOOLS OFFER WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND TRYING TO OFFER THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE SOME PRETTY INNOVATIVE CAMPUSES.
WE HAVE ARTS INTEGRATION ACADEMIES, WE HAVE IB PROGRAMS. WE HAVE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT TO BE INNOVATIVE.
AND I THINK THAT WE COULD DO EVEN MORE.
I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT I HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE WHO TRANSFER TO SOME DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY DESIROUS.
WE DON'T OFFER A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE EARLY COLLEGE, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY LIKE A REGULAR HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A CLASS SIZE OF 50 TO 100 IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY REASONS WHY CERTAIN PEOPLE CHOOSE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
AND I CERTAINLY RESPECT PARENTS DECISIONS TO DO WHAT THEY FEEL IS BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO BY DEFINITION A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
BUT I KIND OF AGREE WITH TRUSTEE HARRISON THAT I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE EITHER OR.
AND WE CAN DO INNOVATIVE THINGS AND WE CAN YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF A PILOT FOR THIS YEAR IS EVEN FEASIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD IS WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES THIS NEXT YEAR.
THIS LAST YEAR WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST YEAR IN PUBLIC EDUCATION EVER.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THE TIMING RIGHT NOW IS NECESSARILY THE BEST GOING INTO JUST COMING OUT OF LIKE THE WORST YEAR IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE HISTORY OF MODERN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO EXPLORE AND REALLY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO GIVE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.
BECAUSE THE MORE OPTIONS WE HAVE, THE BETTER FOR THEM.
THANK YOU. I DON'T SEE ANY MORE LIGHTS AND I DON'T WANT TO DO.
GO AHEAD. NO, I ACTUALLY WAS JUST WONDERING.
DO WE KNOW DID TRUSTEE BONE LEAVE? YES, SHE LEFT. SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD SOMEWHERE TO BE.
SO I GUESS SHE'S GONE FOR THE EVENING.
I DON'T WANT TO DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION MYSELF.
I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO HEAR MORE.
I'M PERSONALLY NOT SAYING IT'S THE BE ALL, END ALL, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN EXPLORING.
SO IS THERE SUPPORT FOR THAT OR NOT? I'M INTERESTED IN AT LEAST LOOKING.
I MEAN, I THINK QUITE FRANKLY OVER THE FOREST NORTH.
[01:30:02]
I MEAN, SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE WE KNOW THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THERE, THE SECTION EIGHT HOUSING IS GOING AWAY.A LOT OF THEIR ENROLLMENT IS GOING TO GO DOWN.
I MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE SOME CAMPUSES, IF WE TALK TO THOSE CAMPUSES, SPECIFICALLY THOSE ADMINISTRATORS, THOSE PARENTS, THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY REALLY WELCOME THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR ENROLLMENT, GIVEN THEIR CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE HOUSING MARKET.
SO I GUESS I WOULD MAYBE THROW THAT OUT THERE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A PILOT THAT THERE ARE STRATEGICALLY A FEW CAMPUSES AND THEY'RE NEAR THE NEW APPLE FACILITY, THAT MIGHT BE AN EXCELLENT PLACE TO START AND JUST CHOOSE A FEW.
TRUSTEE WESTON. I THINK WE MIGHT BE GETTING SOMEWHERE.
BUT IF THEY COULD COME FINISH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOURTH AND FIFTH, IF THE ADMINISTRATION CAME HERE TONIGHT WITH THAT STORY FOR THAT CAMPUS OR WHATEVER IT IS, I THINK YOU WOULD FIND ME AS A RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE WITH AN OPEN MIND.
BUT AS PRESENTED TONIGHT, JUST OPEN ENROLLMENT DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. SO, PRESIDENT FELLER, TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEEING IF THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BRING FORTH A MORE DETAILED PLANS OR OPTIONS FOR THE JUNE 2ND BUDGET MEETING ON THIS.
SO FAR, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN FAVOR.
THREE PEOPLE IN FAVOR, MAYBE FOUR IF.
DR. XIAO, IF IT'S SOMETHING INNOVATIVE.
FOR ME, IT'S A NO FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT.
SO BRING ME THAT STORY AND BRING ME THE SPECIFICS, NOT JUST ME, BUT OUR COMMUNITY, AND HAVE IT REALLY BE THEM THAT'S BRINGING IT TO US BECAUSE WE'VE ASKED THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT. THANK YOU.
AZAIEZ, DO YOU HAVE THAT? YEAH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY.
THANK YOU. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
AGAIN, WE IT THIS IS JUST AN INITIAL CONVERSATION AMONG OUR BOARD MEMBERS SO WE CAN GET SOME DIRECTIONS WOULD PREPARE DEFINITELY A PLAN FOR NEXT TIME AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING US TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND WE WILL DO.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE UP TO F 3 THE MOMENT EVERYONE'S BEEN WAITING FOR.
CAN I GET A POINT OF ORDER? YES, MAYBE WE HAVE A TEN MINUTE RESTROOM BREAK.
AND PRESIDENT FELLER WILL GAVEL IN AT 7:14.
CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HARRISON, FOR HOLDING THE FORT DOWN UNDER MY DELAY.
WE ARE NOW ON AGENDA ITEM F 3 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
THIS WAS REQUESTED BY TRUSTEE VESSA.
I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO YOU TO START THE DISCUSSION.
SURE. AND SO THERE HAD BEEN SOME YOU KNOW WHY WOULD I HAVE ASKED FOR THIS TO BE ON THIS AGENDA? I ACTUALLY ASKED FOR IT TO BE ON PREVIOUS AGENDAS, BUT HERE WE ARE THAT IT MADE TO THIS AGENDA.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING FOR YEARS, WHICH WAS TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY FOR MANY REASONS, WHICH I'LL GO INTO IN A MINUTE. AND I WANTED IT TO BE BROUGHT ON BECAUSE WE JUST HAD A CENSUS.
AND SO IF THERE WAS A TIME TO CONSIDER IT, IT WOULD BE NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE FRESH CENSUS DATA FROM WHICH TO BUILD MAPS.
[01:35:03]
2020 AND FELT LIKE RIGHT NOW AND IN YEARS PAST, WE JUST HAVE SOME COMMUNITIES THAT JUST REMAIN UNREPRESENTED ON THIS BOARD. AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, THOSE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT OF OUR MOST ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.SO I FELT LIKE IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DISCUSS HOW WE COULD IMPROVE THE EQUITY IN OUR DISTRICT AND STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR THOSE SCHOOLS THAT TRULY ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST BY MAKING SURE THEIR NEEDS ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS BOARD BY A PERSON WHO LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THOSE SCHOOLS ARE.
AND RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE ANY REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD.
NOBODY LIVES OVER THERE AND CAN REALLY GIVE A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF THE NEEDS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.
IT'S 110 SQUARE MILES THAT'S SOMETIMES BIGGER THAN A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, AND THAT IS IT.
I MEAN, I KNOW FOR ME IT WAS INCREDIBLY ONEROUS.
AND I'M THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO BRING ON BOARD PEOPLE THAT ARE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS GROWING MORE AND MORE DIVERSE AND THINKING THIS IS OUR CURRENT SETUP IS ACTUALLY NOT HELPING HAVE MORE REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD.
SO FOR ALL THOSE REASONS, I FELT THIS DISCUSSION WAS WARRANTED.
AS I SAID BEFORE, I WISH WE COULD HAVE HAD IT IN MONTHS PRIOR.
WE'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY FULL AGENDAS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY HERE.
SO I WANTED TO TURN TO YOU FOR AN INTRODUCTION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MAYBE A STRAW POLL AND ASK THE BOARD, WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC RIGHT NOW OR WHO WANTS TO DELAY THIS INDEFINITELY RIGHT NOW, JUST BEFORE WE EVEN GO INTO THE FURTHER EXPLORATION OF THE DISCUSSION, I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH TRUSTEE WEIR.
YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT.
I KNOW THAT I ACTUALLY TALKED MAYBE A YEAR AGO, JULY 2020 WITH MS. LEON, AND AT THAT POINT THE CENSUS DATA WASN'T OUT YET.
AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT GOT BUMPED AND WAS NOT ON AN AGENDA.
SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HEAR NOW.
TRUSTEE HARRISON. I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THIS TOPIC, BUT SINCE MS. LEON IS HERE, I'D LIKE TO HEAR.
TRUSTEE WESTON. SO NOT ONLY AM I A NO.
FOR ON THIS RIGHT NOW I AM A YES AFTER THE ELECTION, IF WHOEVER IS ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME WANTS TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS. SO MY NO IS ONLY FOR RIGHT NOW.
AND ALSO, HOW DO WE ALREADY HAVE AN EXPERT ATTORNEY? I ASSUME YOU CHARGE FOR YOUR SERVICES, RIGHT? SO SHE IS ACTUALLY HERE FOR AGENDA ITEM D 1, BUT ALSO HAPPENS TO HAVE SPECIALTY IN THIS AREA AND HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY FORMER PRESIDENT WEIR AND SO SINCE SHE WAS GOING TO BE HERE AND RATHER THAN SPENDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR VALERIE TO DO THE RESEARCH, WE WENT AHEAD AND TAPPED INTO A RESOURCE THAT WE ALREADY HAD HERE. OKAY.
SO TRUSTEE WEIR YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THIS ATTORNEY ABOUT TALKING TO US TONIGHT ON THIS TOPIC? NOT TONIGHT. SHE'S TALKED I TALKED TO HER IN JULY 2020.
OKAY. SO I'M JUST I MEAN, SO NOW WE'RE BRINGING IN AN EXPERT ATTORNEY TO SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY TO EXPLORE THIS TOPIC THAT THE BOARD HAS NEVER EVEN DISCUSSED. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
I JUST WANT TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.
NO, I'M NOT CHARGING YOU TONIGHT.
I DON'T CHARGE CLIENTS WHO HAVE NOT YET ENGAGED MY SERVICES.
I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE FOR YOU.
TRUSTEE XIAO DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN DISCUSSION THIS TONIGHT? YES. I ASKED A REQUEST FOR THIS AGENDA ALMOST A YEAR AGO AND MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND WE AT SOME POINT WE HAVE THE STRAW POLL THAT BASICALLY DECLINED TO HAVE DISCUSSION.
[01:40:02]
START THOSE PROCESS.BUT IT'S BETTER, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER TO START IT NOW.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I AM A NO, I DON'T.
I AM AGAINST SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, NOT JUST TONIGHT, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF REASONS.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH IN THE PAST ABOUT THIS BEFORE I EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO I'M A NO, BUT THERE IS ENOUGH FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
IT'S A NO FOR DISCUSSION, NOT NO FOR IT'S.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MS. LEON. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, HOW THEY'RE FORMED, THE PROCESS, AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU THINK IS NECESSARY AT THIS POINT, AND THEN THE BOARD CAN ASK QUESTIONS, KIND OF THERE'S NO FORMAL PRESENTATION IN ANY OF THAT BOARD.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THERE WE GO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THIS WILL BE MY FOURTH CENSUS FOR REDISTRICTING.
SO I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND I DON'T HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION.
I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, BUT JUST KIND OF HAVING AN OPEN CONVERSATION.
THAT COULD BE FOR A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD.
IT COULD BE A 6 1 OR A 7 0 PLAN.
AND I HEARD SEVERAL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ASK YOU TO HAVE PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
SO THAT'S NOT AN OPTION TO YOU.
YOU'RE NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED TO GO TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE HAVE GONE TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, EITHER FOR REASONS SUCH AS MAKING SURE THE WHOLE DISTRICT IS REPRESENTED IN A LOT OF CASES, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN LITIGATION BROUGHT UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT THAT MINORITY POPULATIONS ARE ABLE TO ELECT THE CANDIDATES OF CHOICE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO REASONS YOU SEE DISTRICTS GO TO SINGLE MEMBER TRUSTEE DISTRICTS.
IN TERMS OF PROS AND CONS, I'M NOT YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY QUALIFIED TO SAY ONE.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT.
BOTH HAVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.
I THINK WE SAW THE CITY OF AUSTIN KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
YOU KIND OF GET TO A CRITICAL MASS AND THERE DOES SEEM TO BE PRESSURE IN THAT DIRECTION.
THE PROCESS, IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC PROCESS.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU START WITH DEVELOPING CRITERIA FOR REDISTRICTING, WHICH SAYS HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, WHETHER IT'S TO FOLLOW THE FEEDER PATTERNS OF YOUR ATTENDANCE ZONES, WHETHER IT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALSO WANT TO PRESERVE THE ENCUMBRANCES SO THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN ELECTED BY THE VOTERS DON'T GET UNELECTED BY WHATEVER PROCESS THAT YOU GO THROUGH.
THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND.
SO WE GO THROUGH THAT, WE DEVELOP A CRITERIA.
WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THAT CAN BE A VERY INTERACTIVE PROCESS.
I HAVE DONE IT BEFORE WHERE WE PUT THE PLANS UP ON THE SCREEN AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN ACTUALLY SAY, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE MOVE THE LINE OVER HERE KIND OF THING? AND SO THAT CAN BE A VERY INTERACTIVE PROCESS.
THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES THAT WILL APPLY.
YOU HAVE TO USE ENTIRE VOTING PRECINCTS AND A COUPLE OF RULES LIKE THAT WHICH ARE GOING TO MAKE THE MATH OF THE PROJECT AT SOME POINT FINITE PROBLEM.
I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CERTAIN PUZZLE PIECES THAT CAN ONLY BE PUT TOGETHER SO MANY WAYS.
AND SINCE YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE SINGLE MEMBER TRUSTEE DISTRICTS, YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AFTER YOU TAKE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT AND SEE WHAT A SAMPLE PLAN WOULD LOOK LIKE.
[01:45:01]
IN TERMS OF TIMING, IF YOU WANTED TO PUT THIS IN PLACE BEFORE YOUR NOVEMBER ELECTION, YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ADOPTING CRITERIA PROBABLY AT YOUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING, GOING TO GET COMMENTS THROUGH THE MONTH OF JUNE, HAVE SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS.YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE THOSE TRUSTEE DISTRICTS DRAWN, YOU KNOW, PRETTY IN ADVANCE OF THE JULY 25TH TIME PERIOD FOR WHICH IS THE FIRST DAY TO FILE FOR A POSITION ON THE BALLOT.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS YOU COULD DO TO AID TO TRANSPARENCY.
I WOULD SUGGEST YOU HAVE A LANDING PAGE ON YOUR WEBSITE AND WE CAN JUST POST ANY PLANS THAT COME UP.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, TRUSTEES, PLEASE USE YOUR LIGHTS.
FIRST ONE I HAVE IS TRUSTEE HARRISON.
THANK YOU. SO I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
MY FIRST QUESTION WAS FOR TRUSTEE VESSA AND THAT WAS WHY NOW? BUT I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT.
AND WE HAVE TECHNICALLY FIVE LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
BUT YOU SAID IT'S BY PRECINCT, SO IT'S NOT THAT CLEAN CUT AND EASY.
AND THAT'S DEFINITELY A THING THAT I THINK COULD BE PROBLEMATIC.
YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
SO WHAT DOES IT NORMALLY LOOK LIKE? HOW MANY COMMUNITY FORUMS HAVE YOU SEEN DISTRICTS DO IN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS? THE PRO FOR ME IS I DO LIKE THE REPRESENTATION.
I DO LIKE STONY POINT FINALLY HAVING REPRESENTATION.
SO WHAT DOES THAT NORMALLY LOOK LIKE? HOW MANY COMMUNITY FORUMS DO YOU HAVE? THAT WOULD BE ENTIRELY UP TO YOU, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE TIME YOU HAVE AND THE RESOURCES YOU WANT TO ALLOCATE TO THE PROJECT.
BUT I THINK A REASONABLE AND DOABLE SCHEDULE, IF YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT, AT LEAST HAVING THE OPTION OF DOING THIS BEFORE YOUR NOVEMBER ELECTION WOULD BE TO SCHEDULE FIVE HEARINGS, ONE IN EACH OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, PUBLISH THE DATES, GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND INVITE PARTICIPATION. WE WOULD COME WITH SAMPLE PLANS, SO I'D HAVE SOME SAMPLE PLANS DEVELOPED IN ADVANCE TO GIVE YOU A PLACE TO START FROM, BASED ON THE CRITERIA THAT THE BOARD ADOPTS, WHICH I'M GOING TO COACH YOU ON THAT CRITERIA, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO FOLLOW WHAT THE COURTS HAVE SAID IN TERMS OF WHAT IS A PERMISSIBLE AND IMPERMISSIBLE CRITERIA FOR REDISTRICTING.
AND I HEARD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT DIVISIVENESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CAN COME UP IN THIS CONTEXT.
AND SO WE DO CRAFT THOSE CRITERIA PRETTY CAREFULLY TO AVOID SOME IMPERMISSIBLE CONSIDERATIONS AND INVITE THE PEOPLE TO COME AND JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION.
IF YOU WANTED, I CAN HAVE THE MAPPING SOFTWARE AVAILABLE AT THOSE HEARINGS AND PEOPLE COULD YOU KNOW, WITHIN REASON, MAKE SUGGESTIONS AND WE CAN SEE IF THEY WORK.
THANK YOU. AND TO BE CLEAR, WITH THE CENSUS DATA, IF WE MISS THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY? AND SECOND OF ALL, WHEN WOULD THE NEXT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS BE? SO THE CENSUS, AS YOU KNOW, WAS DELAYED SIGNIFICANTLY AND SO IT WASN'T RELEASED.
NORMALLY, IT'S RELEASED IN APRIL, AND IT WASN'T RELEASED UNTIL LATE IN THE FALL, IN THE SUMMER.
AND SO THE DISTRICTS THAT HAD MAY ELECTIONS REALLY HAD TO SCRAMBLE.
IF YOU ACTUALLY COULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS NOW AND DECIDE, YES, WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT IN NOVEMBER, OR NO, WE DON'T WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT IN NOVEMBER, BUT WE WANT TO KIND OF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR, FOR NEXT OUR NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.
THE LATEST DATE BY STATUTE IS 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
[01:50:03]
IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED.BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT YOUR DEADLINE FOR YOUR FIRST DATE FOR APPLYING FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT IS FURTHER OUT THAN NOVEMBER THE 90 DAYS. SO I WOULD SAY JULY 25TH IF WE WANTED TO SHOOT FOR NOVEMBER AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NEXT SUMMER, THE SUMMER AFTER, IF YOU WANTED TO SPEND MORE TIME THINKING ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU. IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A ZILLION THINGS ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW WITH BUDGET PARTICULARLY.
MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.
YOU'RE ENTITLED TO A FOUR YEAR TERM, AND I WOULDN'T WANT SOMETHING TO AFFECT THAT.
AS TRUSTEE HARRISON SAID, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WE WOULD END UP HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EVERY SINGLE TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT DRAW THE PLANS TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
WELL, SO LESS THAN THAT, THEN.
OK. SO I THOUGHT I READ SOMEWHERE IT WAS GOING TO COST AROUND 100,000.
SO I THINK I'M NOT CHARGING ENOUGH.
[LAUGHTER] SO STILL, IT'S MONEY RIGHT NOW THAT I WOULDN'T WANT TO ALLOCATE TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT COULD LEAD TO LESS ENGAGEMENT FROM OTHER TRUSTEES.
IF YOU ARE ASSIGNED TO JUST YOUR FEEDER PATTERN OR TO A CERTAIN AREA OR WHATEVER.
IT COULD LEAD TO, OH, THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.
AND WE RUN FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
IT COULD LEAD TO PORK AND I RUN FOR AN AREA.
AND SO I HAVE TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THAT AREA SO THAT I GET REELECTED.
AND THIS IS A NONPARTISAN SEAT.
THIS IS FOR ALL STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
AND I DO NOT EVER WANT TO SIT ON A BOND COMMITTEE OR BE IN FAVOR OR HAVE TO REVIEW A BOND PACKAGE AND SAY THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED ME.
AND THAT MAKES ME REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE PORK AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY.
THE ONLY BENEFIT THAT I SEE TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS IS IT'S EASIER TO GET ELECTED.
BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHY YOU RUN.
SO I SPENT A TON OF TIME GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE IN THAT SIDE OF TOWN, AND I FELT LIKE THAT WAS VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL TO ME IN MY CAMPAIGN. AND TO STEP OUT OF PEOPLE THAT I LIVE WITH AND I'M AROUND AND I SEE AT H-E-B ALL THE TIME AND I HAD TO GO OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND GO INTO AREAS OF THE DISTRICT THAT I DON'T NORMALLY GO INTO.
I STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIONS TODAY.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY BIG I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S A HUGE DISTRICT.
THE THE THE ONE THING THAT I HAVE CONSIDERED AND I KNOW THIS HAS NOT COME UP FOR A TOPIC, BUT I WOULD RATHER SEE US GO TO THE TOP THREE OR FOUR DEPENDING ON HOW MANY SEATS ARE UP FOR A SEAT ARE UP FOR ELECTION.
THE TOP FOUR OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING GET THE SEAT AND THEN YOU ARE NOT RUNNING TO RUN A CAMPAIGN, A SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE OTHER PERSON ON THE SAME BALLOT AS YOU.
YOU'RE RUNNING TO GET ELECTED IN ROUND ROCK ISD.
SO IF THERE ARE 15 PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE ELECTED TO THIS BOARD, THE TOP THREE GET THE SEATS AND YOU HAVE TO WORK TO BEAT NOT JUST THE ONE PERSON THAT'S RUNNING FOR PLACE THREE OR PLACE FOUR.
YOU'VE GOT TO RUN THE BEST CAMPAIGN SO THAT YOU ARE THE TOP OUT OF ALL OF THE CANDIDATES.
SO I'VE DONE A LOT OF THINKING, A LOT OF RESEARCH ON IT.
[01:55:05]
I DO HAVE TRUSTEE WEIR WHO HAS HER LIGHTS ON, SO I'LL TURN THAT ONTO YOU.I HAD SOME QUESTIONS, BUT NOW I'M REALLY STRUGGLING BECAUSE I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH YOU.
BUT I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE PRICE BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE YOU'RE TOTALLY CHARGING NOT ENOUGH IF BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS LIKE 15,000 OR MORE IN THAT AREA, IT WAS MUCH LOWER.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE CHARGE BY THE HOUR PROBABLY WHAT YOU PAY OTHER OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND YOU KNOW TO ACTUALLY DRAW THE MAPS I ACTUALLY PLAYED AROUND WITH IT BEFORE THE MEETING JUST TO SEE WHAT THEY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND I WAS ABLE TO DRAW TWO PLANS, JUST KIND OF FOOLING AROUND TODAY.
SO IT ISN'T THAT TIME CONSUMING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HOW MANY HEARINGS YOU WANT TO HAVE AND YOU'RE GOING TO PAY BY THE HOUR FOR THE HEARINGS. BUT IN TERMS OF IN PRIOR CENSUS YEARS, IT WAS MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE WE HAD DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PRE-CLEARANCE, AND SO THERE WERE A LOT MORE HOOPS WE HAD TO JUMP THROUGH.
AND SO IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT TEN YEARS AGO, IT WAS PROBABLY TWICE THE COST OR THREE TIMES THE COST THAT IT WAS THEN WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED FOR MY MAY ELECTION CLIENTS.
IT'S POSSIBLE. NOT TO INTERRUPT BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S A ONE WAY STREET, RIGHT? IT IS. I'VE HAD SOME THIS MAY THAT HAVE GONE BACK, WHO'VE DIALED IT BACK, AND THEY DIDN'T GET TO THE SINGLE MEMBER TRUSTEE'S DISTRICTS THROUGH LITIGATION. THEY GOT THERE BY ANOTHER PATH AND THEN THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WORKING FOR US.
WE'RE GOING TO GO A DIFFERENT WAY.
THAT IS NOT TRUE WITH BEING ELECTED BY PLACE, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE.
SO WHEN YOU ARE ELECTED AT LARGE BUY PLACE, YOU HAVE TO STAY AT LARGE BY PLACE.
YOU CAN'T GO BACK TO JUST A GENERAL AT LARGE, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO IT'S IN THE STATUTE THAT WE COULDN'T DO WHAT PRESIDENT FELLER JUST SUGGESTED.
EXACTLY. I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT IS OTHER THAN THE STATUTE PROHIBITS YOU TO GO BACK.
SO I KNOW THERE WERE SOME OF US ON THIS BOARD THAT REALLY TRIED TO GET SIGNATURES ON THE PETITIONS A FEW YEARS AGO AND KIND OF SIGNED COMMITMENTS THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
AND I GUESS MAYBE FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT'S CHANGED.
I WILL SAY THAT FOR ME, HAVING COME FROM ONE OF THE LEARNING COMMUNITIES THAT HASN'T HAD A LOT OF REPRESENTATION, KNOWING WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE OVERLOOKED CONSTANTLY, BOND PACKAGE AFTER BOND PACKAGE UNTIL YOU CAN FINALLY SCRAPE UP ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS TO GO BE ON THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU HAVE A VOICE AND LOOKING AT STONY POINT AND KNOWING THEY ARE IN THAT EXACT SAME SPOT RIGHT NOW AND THEY'VE BEEN OVERLOOKED AGAIN.
AND YES, WE ARE ALL FOR THE ALL THE KIDS.
AND IT GETS UP INTO THAT BOND THING AND IT'S LIKE, OH, WHAT IS THE GREATEST NEED? BUT THERE IS NOBODY SAYING, HOLD ON.
WE'VE BEEN OUR ROTC PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN PORTABLES FOR DECADES.
AND WE'RE GETTING BUMPED AGAIN.
AND IT IS TRUE THAT I KNOW THE MCNEIL FEEDER PATTERN BETTER.
I MEAN, I KNEW ENOUGH PEOPLE ON THIS [INAUDIBLE].
I KNEW PEOPLE IN EVERY SINGLE FEEDER PATTERN.
IT'S NOT LIKE I DON'T CARE ABOUT ALL THE KIDS IN ALL THE FEEDER PATTERNS.
BUT THIS BOARD HAS TYPICALLY BEEN ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL AND CEDAR RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
OCCASIONALLY WE GET A WESTWOOD EVERY NOW AND THEN WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, A MCNEIL OR MAYBE I MEAN, WE HAD AN APPOINTED STONY POINT PERSON FOR JUST A BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME.
IT IS NOT IT HAS NOT BEEN FAIR ON THIS BOARD IN THAT RESPECT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DID A LOT OF WORK.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I STILL FEEL LIKE THERE ARE VOICES THAT ARE NOT HEARD IN THIS COMMUNITY AT ALL. AND I STILL, I REALLY, I JUST HAVE TO JUST STRONGLY
[02:00:06]
DISAGREE WITH THE THE AT LARGE POSITIONS BECAUSE I THINK IT TENDS TO CONSOLIDATE POWER IN CERTAIN AREAS, CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, CERTAIN FEEDER PATTERNS AND EVERYTHING IS DONE IN THE NAME OF WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL STUDENTS.AMY, I APPRECIATE YOUR REALLY COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S TRUE.
AND I KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RUN, I THINK IT'S INSURMOUNTABLE FOR PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE GREAT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD TO RAISE A LOT OF MONEY, TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME RUNNING.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT, TO HAVE TWO NIGHTS A WEEK MEETING WHERE WE MEET ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 9 HOURS.
RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THAT IT CAN'T JUST BE ABOUT THE ELECTION WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION, IT HAS TO BE WHAT'S THE EXPERIENCE AND IS THAT SUSTAINABLE FOR JUST LIKE A REGULAR PERSON, ESPECIALLY A PARENT WITH SMALL KIDS, ETC.? AND SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS A REALLY KIND OF LIKE TENSE CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S A WORTHWHILE AND WORTHY CONVERSATION FOR THAT REASON.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION. IS THERE A MECHANISM FOR TIERED PLACEMENT IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE IN AN ELECTION? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY TIERED.
TIERED LIKE TOP FIVE VOTE GETTERS FILL THE TOP FIVE SPOTS.
YEAH, SO THAT WOULD BE IN AN AT LARGE SYSTEM.
BUT YOU'VE ALREADY GONE TO PLACES, SO YOU CAN'T GO BACK THERE.
TRUSTEE WESTON. SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT I THINK TRUSTEE WEIR AND TRUSTEE FELLER BOTH MAKE GOOD POINTS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE ANYTHING IN LIFE, THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, HAVING A BABY IS, LIKE, WONDERFUL, BUT YOU DON'T GET TO SLEEP FOR, LIKE, TWO YEARS.
I MEAN, SO NO MATTER WHAT SYSTEM WE PICK, THERE'S A DOWNSIDE AND THERE'S AN UPSIDE.
AND SO THERE'S A JUDGMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS TO BE MADE.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE TRUSTEE BONE IS BACK.
I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW I'M AGNOSTIC BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M 18 MONTHS INTO A FOUR YEAR TERM AND KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AMBER LIKE I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT I SEE SO MUCH VALUE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, BEFORE I WENT THROUGH IT WHEN I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN FAVOR OF IT AND I MIGHT STILL BE IN FAVOR, I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
BUT I MEAN, FOR ME, I THINK THE TIMING IS WRONG.
AND THE IDEA THAT WE COULD CHANGE THE SYSTEM ON THIS TIMELINE, I THINK IS MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
SO LIKE I SAID, I'M AGNOSTIC ABOUT AT-LARGE VERSUS SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, THE DECISION HAS BIG RAMIFICATIONS ON OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE RUSHED.
IN MY OPINION, I AM OPPOSED TO RAMRODING THIS THROUGH REGARDING OUR UPCOMING NOVEMBER ELECTION AND BECAUSE I THINK IT COULD INDUCE CHAOS IN AN UNSTABLE SITUATION THAT WE ALREADY FIND OURSELVES IN.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR DECADES, AND I THINK WITH THE SHORTENED TIMELINE, I'M CONCERNED THAT VOTERS COULD BE CONFUSED WHEN THEY GET TO THE BALLOT BOX, EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REEDUCATED, BASICALLY.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE THE COMMUNITY TELLING US.
AND CORY, THERE'S A MECHANISM FOR THAT.
AND IN 2017, THAT PETITION FAILED.
SO TO GO TO THIS MODEL, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.
I PROMISE YOU'LL GET TO TALK, CORY.
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT BEING LIKE A BOTTOM UP APPROACH RATHER THAN A TOP DOWN.
I MEAN, JUST IN GENERAL, FROM A GOVERNANCE PERSPECTIVE, I'M JUST NOT A TOP DOWN PERSON.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IF THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.
AND I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SAY YOUR NAME AGAIN? I'M SARA. SARA, I'M DANIELLE.
[02:05:01]
OH, NOT TOMORROW.LIKE, LITERALLY, I DON'T EVEN I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BE IN TOWN MOST OF JUNE.
I MEAN, I'VE GOT ONE GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, ONE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT A LOT OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE.
I THINK THE TIMING IS JUST HORRIBLE, BUT IT MIGHT STILL BE A GOOD IDEA.
SO THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, SHE WAS REELECTED AND THEN YOU WERE ELECTED IN 2018.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK VOTERS AND VOTERS ELECTED YOU OVERWHELMINGLY.
I MEAN, SO I'M JUST THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE TO THIS.
HE DID NOT ADVOCATE FOR THINGS THAT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED SOMEBODY FROM THAT LEARNING COMMUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR, TO INCLUDE BRINGING THEIR ROTC PROGRAM INTO A BRICK AND MORTAR BUILDING. BUT HE DID ADVOCATE FOR A POOL TO GO IN FRONT OF CEDAR RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, I MEAN, VOTERS ARE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE HERE.
HIS OPPONENT WAS FROM THE STONY POINT LEARNING COMMUNITY.
SO THE COMMUNITY HAD A CHOICE AND IT WAS A VERY CLOSE RACE.
SO ULTIMATELY, I THINK THE VOTERS I THINK THE VOTERS ULTIMATELY GET IT RIGHT.
AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT THERE'S NO SLIDE DECK FOR YOU TONIGHT.
THERE'S NOTHING FOR YOU TO LOOK.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH, BUT AS A STARTING POINT, I WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND THAT INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT MODEL TO GO TO THE SPRING BRANCH ISD WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THEIR JANUARY 13TH OF 2020 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING BECAUSE THERE'S AN EXCELLENT SLIDE PRESENTATION DONE BY A LAW FIRM CALLED THOMPSON AND HORTON.
IT'S ABOUT A DOZEN SLIDES HERE, AND I RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYBODY.
HOW MANY ARE AT LARGE BY PLACE? HOW MANY ARE AT LARGE? WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE? JUST AT LARGE GENERAL.
JUST AT LARGE. HOW MANY ARE SMD? AND YOU'LL SEE SMD IT'S A MINORITY.
IT'S A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT DO THIS.
THAT'S A GREAT POINT TO START.
AND IF YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR IT, THEN ADVOCATE FOR IT.
TRUSTEE VESSA. MY CONCERN WITH DOING THIS BY PETITION IS THAT I THINK THAT SO OFTEN THERE ARE SO MANY BARRIERS FOR THOSE WHO ARE LEAST REPRESENTATIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THEN WE SAY, WELL, OVERCOME THIS HUGE BARRIER IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET REPRESENTATION, YOU HAVE TO IT SHOULD BE THE GROUNDSWELL, NOT US ADVOCATING FOR THEM.
THEY SHOULD ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO DO SO.
SO TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE JUST PUSHING IT BACK TO PEOPLE WHO WE SAY WE ADVOCATE FOR ALL STUDENTS, BUT THEN WE PUSH IT BACK TO THEM AND SAY, WELL, BUT YOU SHOULD REALLY ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF.
AND I'M NOT REALLY GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
I FEEL LIKE THAT THAT'S JUST NOT THAT'S NOT HOW I SEE WHAT IS BEST.
I THINK THAT YOU IDENTIFY COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY HAVE CHALLENGES IN BEING HEARD AND YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, TRUSTEE HARRISON, THAT JUST EVEN SERVING ON THIS BOARD IS A HUGE BARRIER BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY A FULL TIME JOB AND IT SHOULDN'T BE.
AND SO I THINK THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO GET THIS DISCUSSION GOING AND I'M STILL AMENABLE, EVEN THOUGH I WISH IT COULD HAVE COME ON EARLIER AND WE COULD HAVE STARTED THIS PROCESS MONTHS AGO.
I STILL THINK, THOUGH, WE SHOULDN'T LET BARRIER.
WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO HAVE A VOICE WE SHOULDN'T JUST KEEP SIGNING OFF EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE TO SAY THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE A VOICE THIS TIME BECAUSE BLAH, BLAH, BLAH HAPPENED.
AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT TILL DOWN THE ROAD TO GET A VOICE.
[02:10:01]
THAT'S JUST MY $0.02.YOU KNOW, THAT SAID, I PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING A LOT.
AND I JUST I HOLD THINGS LOOSELY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I'M NOT GOING TO GO BALLISTIC IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
YOU KNOW, THE LORD IS GOOD AND HE'LL PROVIDE.
BUT IN TERMS OF MY OWN DESIRE, I WOULD LIKE THIS TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT REALLY EMPOWERS OUR LEAST EMPOWERED PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND I'M SAD TO HAVE TO WAIT EVEN LONGER TO EMPOWER THOSE VOICES.
THANKS. I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE VOICE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS GO BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD.
AND I ALWAYS HEAR US ADVOCATING FOR THESE VOICELESS FOLKS WHEN IT'S USEFUL TO US HERE AT THE DAIS.
BUT THEN LOTS OF OTHER TIMES WHEN IT'S NOT WE SEEM TO FORGET THEM.
AND THAT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR ME LOOKING BACK ON MY HISTORY BECAUSE I EVEN REMEMBER BEING A CHILD AND HEARING THE SAME THING AND SEEING ADULTS USE ME AS A CHILD, AS A VOICELESS CHILD.
THEY WOULD USE ME WHEN THEY WANTED ME.
AND THEN WHEN I, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WANTED SOMETHING ELSE, THEY WOULD JUST IGNORE US.
AND IT WAS USUALLY THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEEDED.
AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VOICELESS PEOPLE, LOTS OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MOBILE.
LOTS OF TIMES THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
LOTS OF TIMES THEY'RE RENTERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO USE THESE.
YOU KNOW, A BRUSH STROKE EXCUSE FOR SOMETHING WE WANT, AND IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
SO I FIND THIS RIDICULOUS AND I THINK WE SHOULD LIMIT THE TIME WE SPEND ON THIS.
BUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, IF YOU EVEN JUST GO NEXT DOOR TO AUSTIN AND YOU TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE, BECAUSE I'VE ACTUALLY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE THERE AND BEFORE THIS EVER, YOU KNOW, JUST WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY IN NOVEMBER TWO YEARS AGO WHEN I RAN.
SO ACTUALLY JUST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT, OH, ARE YOU A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT? AND I'D BE LIKE, NO, WE'RE LIKE AT LARGE.
THEY'RE LIKE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THAT'S HORRIBLE IN AUSTIN.
SO I KNOW THAT'S ONLY ONE DATA POINT, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP THERE.
SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL JUST GIVING THESE BROAD STROKES OF LIKE, OH, SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS IS GOING TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, BE THE SILVER BULLET TO GIVE VOICE TO THE VOICELESS. WHAT REALLY GIVES VOICE TO THE VOICELESS IS FOR US TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS, FOR ALL STUDENTS ALL THE TIME, AND NOT SPEND OUR TIME ON THINGS LIKE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF DECISION POINT IN JUNE.
I MEAN, I JUST AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WESTON JUNE IS OUR BUDGET.
I MEAN, WE HAVE BEEN IN A DEFICIT FOR THREE YEARS.
I MEAN, I'M LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE I'VE ONLY BEEN ON FOR TWO.
SO THIS YEAR, WE NEED TO SPEND TIME ON OUR BUDGET.
WE ALWAYS HAVE MULTIPLE MEETINGS.
WE ACTUALLY, IN MY OPINION, GOT STARTED LATER.
AND IF I GO BACK HISTORICALLY, I THINK WE GOT STARTED LATER THIS YEAR WITH OUR BUDGET THAN USUALLY.
SO JUNE IS NOT A GOOD TIME EITHER.
AND LIKE WE HEARD FROM LOTS OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, I'VE KIND OF LOOKED AT THE TIMELINE LOOSELY AND IT IS GOING TO BE VERY CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE ON WHERE THEY HAVE TO LIVE AND WHICH SEAT DO I RUN FOR.
AND AS WE CAN SEE, IT'S ALREADY STARTING MORE DIVISION.
[02:15:01]
AND WHAT I YOU KNOW, IN MY FAMILY, WHEN WE HAVE A CHOICE LIKE THIS, WE JUST SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T WORTH CREATING MORE DIVISION UNLESS YOU CAN REALLY GIVE ME THE DATA.LIKE IF YOU CAN REALLY SHOW THAT SOMEHOW SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, JUST THEIR STUDENTS PERFORM SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE AGAIN, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE STUDENTS? THAT'S ALL I WANT TO KNOW. I REALLY THAT'S HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE STUDENTS? DOES IT BRING OUR LOWEST STUDENTS UP? DOES IT BRING EVERYBODY UP? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW. HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE STUDENTS? AND IF WE CAN'T HAVE THAT DATA, THEN I JUST SAY WE TABLE THIS, WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AND WE MOVE ON.
IS THAT A MOTION? [LAUGHTER] IT COULD BE.
DO YOU WANT ME TO? WHY DON'T YOU MOVE? OKAY. I MOVE TO TABLE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS TO AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION OF 2022.
I HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO TABLE IT INDEFINITELY.
WE DIDN'T RECEIVE A SECOND ON TRUSTEE BONE'S MOTION.
OH, I'LL SECOND. YOU'RE GOING TO SECOND AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SUBSTITUTE.
YES. SO I MOVED TO A TABLE THIS TOPIC OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS INDEFINITELY.
I'LL SECOND THAT. THAT MEANS IT CAN NEVER COME BACK UP INDEFINITELY.
IF YOU POSTPONE SOMETHING INDEFINITELY, IT MEANS IT CAN NEVER COME BACK UP ON THE BOARD.
GOOD TO KNOW. I WITHDRAW MY SUPPLEMENTAL MOTION.
CAN YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION, DR.
I JUST MOVED TO TABLE A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS TO AFTER THE NOVEMBER 2022 ELECTIONS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I STILL HAVE ONE MORE LIGHT ON.
TRUSTEE WEIR. I DON'T NEED TO SAY WHAT I NEED TO SAY, BUT I WILL SAY WHEN I GOT THE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED THROUGH ALL MY TEXTS, I DID HAVE ONE TEXT WITH TRUSTEE WESTON THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE RESPONSIVE BECAUSE IT WAS PRIOR TO NOVEMBER.
BUT WE HAD A CONVERSATION, APPARENTLY, AND I SAID TO YOU, IF SOMETHING IS A GOOD IDEA WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN POWER IT SHOULD STILL BE A GOOD IDEA WHEN YOU HAVE POWER.
AND THERE'S BEEN A DEFINITE SHIFT.
WELL, I CAN. THIS IS DISCUSSION, RIGHT? OKAY. SO I THINK.
AMY I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE CLEARER I CAN SAY IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.
I USED TO HATE BRUSSEL SPROUTS.
I THINK IT'S OKAY. I THINK I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD EXPECT THAT WE HAVE AN OPEN MIND AT ALL TIMES.
AND THEN I MET THE MAN OF MY DREAMS AND STARTED HAVING BABIES.
I THINK THAT'S OKAY AND THIS MIGHT STILL BE A GOOD IDEA.
LET'S JUST DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
WE'RE NOT EVEN MAKING ANY DECISIONS NOW.
WE COULD ACTUALLY FIND OUT IF PEOPLE SHOW UP, IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, IF PEOPLE EVEN CARE.
RIGHT. BUT SEE, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY, ONE THING THAT THEY DO WELL ON ALL TOPICS AND ON ALL SIDES OF THE AISLE IS THEY DON'T KEEP SECRET FROM US WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE. THEY DON'T KEEP THAT A SECRET TO THEMSELVES.
I WAS JUST AT STONY POINT LAST WEEK FOR A LONG TIME, NOT A SINGLE PERSON THERE ASKED FOR THIS.
I JUST THINK IT'S THE WRONG TIMING.
BUT I'M SAYING LET'S BRING THIS BACK AFTER THE ELECTION.
IF THERE'S ENERGY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, I THINK THE COMMUNITY WILL TELL US THAT.
YEAH, I FEEL LIKE I'D BE REMISS TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS WHEN WE HAVEN'T HEARD AT ALL FROM DR.
XIAO. DR. XIAO, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? FIRST OF ALL, I APOLOGIZE.
OKAY. I DON'T SUGARCOAT ANYTHING.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS I HEARD.
FOR EXAMPLE, TRUSTEE BONE, YOU SAID ALL YOU CARE IS ABOUT A STUDENT.
ANYTHING [INAUDIBLE] TO STUDENT.
YOU DON'T CARE. YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT WHETHER YOU CAN BRING YOUR BUDDY TO SOME GALA EVENT.
[02:20:02]
HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH STUDENT.SO LEAVE THAT OUT OF THE POINT OF ORDER. POINT OF ORDER.
CAN WE FOCUS OUR CONVERSATION ON THE MATTER AT HAND, PLEASE? YES. THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON.
IF WE DISCUSS SOMETHING, FOCUS ON THE THINGS BE GENUINE.
IF WE CAN DISAGREE, AGREE ON VARIOUS REASONS.
WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS WE KEPT SAYING THOSE THINGS.
THAT IS NOT A [INAUDIBLE] KEPT SAYING THAT I'M OPEN MINDED.
YOU'RE EXACTLY OPPOSITE OF OPEN MINDED.
YOU GROW, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO GROW.
OKAY, I BRING BACK TO THIS TOPIC.
THANK YOU. SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
WHEN IS IT A GOOD TIME? THERE NEVER BE A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN 2017, THEIR PETITION AND THEY FAILED.
WHY? WHAT'S THE REASON? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A PETITION AGAIN? IT PROBABLY IS GOING TO FAIL AGAIN.
HOW MANY PARENTS KNOW ABOUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS? HOW ABOUT HOW MANY PARENTS UNDERSTAND A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT? YEAH. IF THEY SPEND SOME A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THEY PROBABLY JUST GOOGLE SEARCHING.
TRUSTEE WESTON MENTION I READ THEM.
IT'S NOT A HARD CONCEPT TO GRASP.
IF PEOPLE KNOW THERE IS SUCH THING AS CALLED SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
YEAH, IT HAS DEFINITELY HAD PROS AND CONS.
I CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE CONS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CONS? THE CONS IS.
YEAH. WE HAVE A VERY NARROW MINDED.
WHETHER A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT OR NOT DOESN'T MATTER.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING FOR A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS MINDSET.
I WANT TO BROADEN THIS DISCUSSION.
IT'S A DISCUSSION. I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING THAT DIRECTION.
I WANT TO BRING THIS DISCUSSION RIGHT AFTER OUR ELECTION.
YES. BACK IN NOVEMBER, RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION.
I WANT TO BRING THIS TOPIC INTO DISCUSSION, BECAUSE FROM ALL THOSE CAMPAIGNS AND STUFF, I REALLY REALIZED THAT SOME PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE SIMILAR BACKGROUND, WOULD NEVER HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET ELECTED.
THE ODDS ARE JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
OKAY. THE ODDS IS JUST I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK AT THAT MOMENT I CAN GET ELECTED AT THAT MOMENT.
SINGLE MEMBER, WHETHER A SINGLE MEMBER WILL SOLVE THIS ISSUE? I'M NOT SURE. BUT I THINK IT MIGHT HELP.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT REPRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD CALL THE QUESTION, BUT WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM AND WE KNOW IT.
AND WE ALWAYS JUST SET UP HERE AND WE TALK IN CIRCLES, PUBLIC FORUMS. WELL, UNLESS MY EYES DECEIVE ME, THERE ARE PUBLIC.
IF YOU ALL ARE OUT THERE, CAN YOU GUYS JUST WAVE YOUR HANDS? OH, LOOK. OKAY. THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES PUBLIC.
MANY OF YOU CAME UP TO THE MIC AND SPOKE.
SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WAS ON THE AGENDA.
YOU ALL. WE HAVE MOST OF US HAVE BEEN IN THIS DISTRICT FOR A LONG TIME.
HAD BEEN ADVOCATING FOR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS SINCE, I DON'T KNOW, 2016, 2015, I DON'T KNOW.
FOR A LONG TIME, THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN.
AND EVEN THEY'RE SAYING IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS BOARD HAS A LEADERSHIP PROBLEM AND A HEARING PROBLEM OF THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON IN JUNE.
WE TALKED ABOUT CANDIDATE FORUMS. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CANDIDATE FORUMS FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'RE RUNNING IN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS OR AT LARGE.
[02:25:06]
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT GAMES, Y'ALL.RUNNING AT LARGE, THE KIND OF PERSON THAT'S GOING TO RUN AT LARGE AND THE KIND OF PERSON THAT'S GOING TO RUN IN A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT, WE ALL KNOW IS POSSIBLY A DIFFERENT PERSON. I DON'T KNOW.
BUT IT COULD CHANGE PEOPLE'S DECISIONS AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW.
AND SO THIS ISN'T IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO SET OUR DISTRICT UP FOR SUCCESS.
AND TO BE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, IS DOING A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT RIGHT NOW, EVEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND FORUMS PRETENDING LIKE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND AS I MADE THE MOTION, IN MY OPINION AND THE PUBLIC, NOBODY CAME.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ONE THAT SAID, HEY, YEAH THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT.
THE PUBLIC SPOKE AND WE DON'T LISTEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR.
SO I WOULD BEG SOME OF YOU, GEEZ, FOR ONCE, JUST LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC.
I WAS LIKE, THIS IS A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
THERE'S A MILLION THINGS GOING ON.
AND THIS IS YOU KNOW, THIS MEETING WAS CALLED LIKE REALLY QUICK.
AND WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT AND WE HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SHOW UP AND HAD SAID, PLEASE.
CAN WE JUST LISTEN TO THEM AND SAY, HEY, LET'S JUST MOVE ON? THAT'S WHY I MADE THE MOTION.
IF OTHER PEOPLE WANTED TO COME, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.
IT'S ON THE AGENDA IF THEY WERE PAYING ATTENTION.
SO LET'S JUST. WE HAVE THE MOTION.
SO. WHERE ONE MEANS TO DO THIS.
I CALL THE QUESTION, DO I HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION? SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
THERE'S ALL, JUST CALL THE QUESTION WHICH ENDS DISCUSSION.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT.
IT IS JUST. END THE DISCUSSION.
NO. YOU CANNOT THERE IS NO DISCUSSION WHEN SOMEONE CALLS THE QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AN A SECOND TO CALL THE QUESTION WHICH WILL END ALL THE DISCUSSION, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE UP THE MOTION ON THE VOTE ON THIS, THE MOTION THAT TRUSTEE BONE HAS MADE. SO ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER MOTIONS ON THE BOARD RIGHT NOW.
BUT I HAVE NOT DONE ANY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE.
SO I FEEL IT IS MY DUTY TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE.
SO THAT'S WHY I VOTED AGAINST IT.
MAY I SPEAK THEN MAY I OFFER COMMENTS AS WELL AS YOU DID? YEAH. WE HAVEN'T ENDED THE TOPIC.
WELL, WE DID ACTUALLY, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WE CALLED THE QUESTION. SO WE ENDED THE.
WE ENDED THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.
SO DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER MOTIONS ABOUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS? NO, BUT I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
SO I THINK WE ALL NEED TO JUST REVIEW THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER HERE.
IT'S CLEARLY SAYS YOU CAN'T ATTACK A MEMBER'S MOTIVES FOR SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST.
WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ROBERTS RULES.
THIS IS IN OUR POLICY TO FOLLOW THIS.
AND WE OBVIOUSLY HAD A VIOLATION TONIGHT.
REGARDING THIS IDEA OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS I WILL SAY THIS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO HOLD FORUMS. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION BECAUSE WE.
NO. I HAVE DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS JUST LIKE YOU DID AFTER THE MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHY I VOTED NO OR WHY I VOTED YES.
OKAY. SO I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A PUBLIC FORUM ON THE ROUND ROCK ISD POLICE FORCE SINCE DECEMBER.
RIGHT. I'M GOING TO GET TO MY POINT HERE, IF I COULD JUST BE ALLOWED TO FINISH.
AND THEY WERE SCHEDULED AND CANCELED AND SCHEDULED AND CANCELED.
SO I CAN'T EVEN GET A PUBLIC FORUM THAT ON A TOPIC THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR SINCE DECEMBER.
I MEAN, THAT DOESN'T EVEN ALMOST MAKE SENSE.
AND I WILL TELL I WILL END WITH THIS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A BOTTOM UP APPROACH, NOT A TOP DOWN APPROACH.
[02:30:02]
DO I HAVE ANY OTHER MOTIONS? I HAD A QUESTION.CAN I ASK A QUESTION BEFORE A MOTION? I HAD A QUESTION FOR LEGAL.
WHAT DOES IT REQUIRE OF US IF THERE ARE COMMUNITY FORUMS? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU.
WHAT I'VE SEEN DONE BEFORE IS WE PUBLISH A SCHEDULE FOR COMMUNITY FORUMS AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN.
AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, I WOULD BRING BACK TO THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED AND WHETHER WE COULD INCORPORATE RECOMMENDATIONS OR I COULD COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMENT AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
BUT ALSO, I THINK TRUSTEES AS THEY'RE AVAILABLE WOULD COME AS WELL.
OKAY. AND THEN ALSO, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT WOULD REQUIRE OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
MCMAHON, I MEAN, HOW WOULD HAVING THESE COMMUNITY FORUMS CHANGE THAT FOR YOU? MAYBE SHE'S NOT THERE.
AND DR. AZAIEZ, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF LABOR FOR ADMINISTRATION? I MEAN, AGAIN, I MEAN, WE WOULD MAKE THINGS WORK.
I MEAN, WE'LL HAVE TO SCHEDULE IT WHERE WE I THINK STARTING IN THE SECOND WEEK IN JUNE, WE'RE OFF ON FRIDAYS, RIGHT? SO AS LONG AS IT'S DONE BETWEEN MONDAY AND THURSDAY, I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
BUT AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS OR TO SCHEDULE THEM.
I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN AGAIN, WHATEVER OUR BOARD WANT US TO DO WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
OKAY. I UNDERSTAND THE OPTICS OF ALL THIS.
AS I SAID WHEN I SAW THIS ON THE AGENDA, BECAUSE I DID NOT DISCUSS THIS, EVEN I WAS LIKE, WHY NOW? WHAT IS THE TIMING? I HEAR THE CENSUS.
IF IT'S NON-BINDING FOR US TO HAVE FORUMS AND HEAR FROM A LARGER SWATH OF THE COMMUNITY, LIKE, I GUESS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING MORE TIME? I'M NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I'M IN FAVOR OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, BUT I'M IN FAVOR OF HEARING FROM A LARGER SWATH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT COMING FROM THE BOTTOM UP TRUSTEE HARRISON.
THIS IS LITERALLY US GOING OUT A WEEK BEFORE THE GRADUATIONS AND SAYING, NOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE CONSTITUENCY.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN MY POLICE FORUMS, SO I'M STILL GOING TO WHAT MORE MONTHS ARE GOING TO GO BY? AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SCHEDULED IN FEBRUARY AND CANCELED SCHEDULED, SCHEDULED IN MARCH AND CANCELED.
OKAY BUT TO INTRODUCE A NEW TOPIC THAT I'M TELLING YOU, I'M TELLING YOU IS GOING TO BE DIVISIVE.
DO WE REALLY HAVE ALL THE THINGS WE NEED? DO WE NEED MORE DIVISIVE TOPICS RIGHT NOW OR LESS? I THINK THAT'S MAYBE WHAT DR.
BONE IS TRYING TO GET TO. LET'S REFLECT ON THAT.
DO WE REALLY WANT TO START DRUMMING UP OK? WE'VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE TO THESE FORUMS TO SPEAK AGAINST OR TO SPEAK FOR AND THEN LIKE, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CHILDREN NEED RIGHT NOW.
I'M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH YOU, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HEAR YOU.
SO. I THINK BOTH THINGS ARE TRUE.
AND I THINK THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT EARLIER.
LIKE YOU HEAR TWO GOOD POINTS.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT WE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH THE INITIAL STEPS OF IT, NOT COMMITTING US TO IT, BUT TO THE INITIAL STEPS OF EXPLORATION TO ENGAGING MS. LEON AND HER FIRM, TO DRAW MAPS AND RUN COMMUNITY FORUMS. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, THEN WE COULD VOTE UP OR DOWN.
[02:35:01]
WE WOULD NOT BE VOTING UP OR DOWN.MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS IS MARCIA MCMAHON.
YES, I BELIEVE I WAS ASKED A QUESTION THAT I WAS IN A SPOT WHERE I HAD NO CELL SERVICE.
IS THAT CORRECT I WAS ASKED A QUESTION? YES, IT WAS MY QUESTION.
THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE LEARNING FROM OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, AND SO WOULD WE HAVE COMMUNITY FORUMS? AND THE POINT WAS RAISED THAT IF WE DID, THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO FIELD THOSE POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FORUMS AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE IT MIGHT CHANGE.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE RUNNING FOR A SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT OR FOR AT-LARGE DISTRICT, WHICH WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT AS THE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO RUN THOSE FORUMS? THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
MY RESPONSE WOULD BE, AS YOUR COACH, IT DOES NOT MATTER IN TERMS OF TRAINING AND TALKING TO POTENTIAL CANDIDATES WHO THEY REPRESENT OR WHERE THEY REPRESENT.
THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT CANDIDATE FORUMS IS FOR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES TO UNDERSTAND INFORMATION REGARDING THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, VOCABULARY, DISCUSSION, DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT'S A POLICY AND A PROCEDURE. AND SO THAT HAS NO IMPACT ON THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. THANK YOU.
CAN I ASK JUST FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON THE THIS IS ON THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW ALSO.
I DON'T REALIZE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S ON BOTH IF WE NEED A MOTION TONIGHT? SO I WILL BE 100% TRANSPARENT.
AND SO I DUPLICATED THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW.
ALL OF THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ON THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW NIGHT.
BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT I WOULD BE ATTENDING A FAMILY FUNERAL, I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND LEAVE THE DRAFT AGENDA FOR TOMORROW NIGHT THE SAME, AND HOPEFULLY WE COULD GET TO AS MUCH BUSINESS TONIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
OKAY. SO IF WE MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION, WE WON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT TOMORROW? WE'LL SKIP THAT PART.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE MADE IT A MOTION TO POSTPONE F 4 TONIGHT.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE I HAVE A MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR DECISION MAKING ON AGENDA ITEM F 3 UNTIL TOMORROW'S MEETING.
I'LL SECOND THAT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? TRUSTEE WESTON.
I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AT LENGTH TONIGHT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING ALL THESE FORUMS AND LIKE CHANGING OUR ELECTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, TIFFANIE TO YOUR POINT, LIKE I'M CONCERNED, HAVING FORUMS IS GOING TO LEAD PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
IT'S GOING TO ACTIVATE PEOPLE WHO ARE FOR IT AND AGAINST IT IN WAYS THAT ARE NOT INTENDED.
BUT THERE WAS ALL THIS STUFF AND DR.
WE CAN'T HAVE MEETINGS IN THE TWO WEEKS OF JUNE.
AND THEN LIKE JULY, THE DISTRICT'S CLOSED.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO THIS IS A FOLLY ENDEAVOR, IN MY OPINION.
I DON'T SEE HOW IT CAN BE SEEN ANY OTHER WAY.
THIS JUST DOESN'T EVEN ALMOST MAKE SENSE LOGISTICALLY OR ANY OTHER WAY.
I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ENDGAME HERE IS, OTHER THAN FOR THE NUMBER OF THIS CONSTITUENCY, FOR THIS WHICH I CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND, IT'S THE TRUSTEES WHO ARE UP FOR REELECTION THIS NOVEMBER.
THAT'S THE CONSTITUENCY FOR THIS.
[02:40:01]
AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THEM GETTING REELECTED IS GOING TO BE THE CONSTITUENCY.I MEAN, BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT ELECTING NEW PEOPLE IN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, HOW ABOUT WE TREAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN ELECTED WITH THE RESPECT THAT THEY'RE DUE WITH THEIR AGENDA ITEMS? TRUSTEE WESTON.
TRUSTEE BONE. SO POSTPONING THIS UNTIL TOMORROW FOR ONE THING, I MEAN, I GET SLEEPING ON DECISIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I CALL IRRESPONSIBLE.
SO THIS SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ADDED TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD MUCH MORE TIME.
NO, YOU'RE NOT? SHE'S WORKING PRO BONO.
AND JUST FOR ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION, THIS WAS ON THE APRIL AGENDA AS WELL.
SO YOU HAVE HAD ADDITIONAL TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
IT WAS PUNTED ON THE APRIL REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
IT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THAT WAS ON APRIL.
RIGHT. IT WAS PUT ON THE APRIL AGENDA.
AND WE WERE ALL KIND OF LIKE, WHY IS IT ON THE APRIL AGENDA? AND WE'RE LIKE AND THERE WAS NOTHING ATTACHED TO IT.
THERE WAS JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN NO INFORMATION EITHER.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HEARING UP HERE.
I MEAN, WE SHOULD ALL KNOW OURSELVES.
WE KNOW TOMORROW NIGHT. YEAH AMY IS SHAKING HER HEAD.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, BUT IT WILL BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC HAS COME.
AND WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM US.
YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE MASK AND PUT IN THE WORD SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS NOW AND WHY WE KEEP DOING THIS.
OKAY WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WE CAN'T BRINGING THAT UP. MY RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW INFORMATION, LET'S TRY TO.
AND YES, I CAN CONTRAST MASK TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
I CAN CONTRAST THOSE TWO SUBJECTS.
I THINK THAT'S FULLY ALLOWED BY LAW.
I'M CONTRASTING THE SUBJECT THAT WE'RE TAKING A VERY DIVISIVE THING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT TONIGHT.
AND SO YOU GUYS DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN REFLECT, BUT WHEN YOU GUYS PUSH BACK ON THIS, IT'S LIKE A CHILD WHEN THEY REALLY WANT SOMETHING AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT. AND THEN I'M JUST SAYING WHY I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD POSTPONE THIS.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR I AM JUST SAYING HOW THIS APPEARS TO ME IS THAT WE KEEP PUSHING IT AND WE KEEP SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
AND I'M NOT CALLING ANYBODY OUT BY NAMES.
I'M MAYBE I'M INCLUDING MYSELF IN THIS.
I'M JUST SAYING WE'RE ALL PUSHING BACK.
LET'S JUST GO AND LET'S NOT OPEN THIS WOUND AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.
I MEAN, DID I MISS SOMETHING WHILE I WAS GONE? MAYBE. MAYBE I MISSED SOMETHING.
CAN I, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW MY SECOND, SO WE.
HOLD ON, THOUGH. I JUST WANT TO. I JUST WANT TO ASK, WAS THERE SOME KIND OF POINT THAT THIS IS, LIKE, AMAZINGLY IMPACTS STUDENTS? I'D LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION.
I CALLED THE QUESTION AND THE SECOND I'M SORRY.
EVERYBODY ELSE. CALL THE QUESTION AND A SECOND.
THAT'S NO MORE DISCUSSION. YOU CAN'T JUST CALL THE QUESTION IN THE MIDDLE OF MY, I HAVE THE FLOOR.
I BELIEVE THEY THEY CAN DO THAT. WE HAVE A CALL THE QUESTION AND THE SECOND.
YES, MS. MCMAHON, CAN I JUST MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION? I'M SORRY. WE'VE HAD A CALL THE QUESTION AND A SECOND.
SO WE CAN'T HAVE ANY MORE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.
ALL IN FAVOR OF CALLING THE QUESTION AND ENDING THE DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR. ALL IN FAVOR, THEN.
[02:45:02]
ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR HAND.ABSTAINING. WHAT'S THE MOTION? HE'S CONFUSED. POSTPONE AND MAKE A DECISION TOMORROW.
YEAH. I WASN'T POSTPONING DISCUSSION.
IT WAS POSTPONING DECISION MAKING.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM TRUSTEE WEIR THAT SAID TO POSTPONE THIS.
FROM TRUSTEE HARRISON. OH, TRUSTEE HARRISON.
MY APOLOGIES. POSTPONE THIS UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A FURTHER DISCUSSION.
DECISION. FOR A DECISION FOR A DECISION TOMORROW NIGHT.
WOULD YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION? MAKE SURE THAT I'M VERY CLEAR.
DID YOU HAPPEN TO RECORD IT? I DON'T HAVE IT RECORDED.
I SAID THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE DECISION MAKING UNTIL TOMORROW SO WE COULD SLEEP ON.
VERY WAITED UNTIL TOMORROW AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
SO WE ARE POSTPONING DECISION UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OPPOSED? ABSTAINING? MOTION PASSES 4 TO 1.
WE ARE POSTPONING AGENDA ITEM F 4.
THAT TAKES US BACK TO CLOSED SESSION.
[D. CLOSED SESSION]
PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND 551.087.THE BOARD WILL MEET TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE REGARDING COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED FROM A BUSINESS PROSPECT THAT THE BOARD SEEKS TO HAVE. I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER.
I'M SORRY. I'M IN THE MIDDLE. LET ME FINISH SPEAKING.
SEEKS TO HAVE, LOCATE, STAY OR EXPAND IN OR NEAR A DISTRICT AND WITH WHICH THE BOARD IS CONDUCTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND TO DELIBERATE THE OFFER OF A FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVE OF SUCH TO SUCH A BUSINESS PROSPECT.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT? I WAS GOING TO ASK WHOEVER GAVE US THIS IF THEY COULD VERIFY THAT THIS COULD BE DONE IN OPEN SESSION BECAUSE IT'S ALL INFORMATIONAL.
SO WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED ADVICE ON OUR ATTORNEY.
WE'LL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, WE'LL DISCUSS IT, AND THEN IF WE CAN, WE CAN BRING IT OUT INTO OPEN.
OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COMMUNITY HEAR THAT, THAT THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO HEAR THIS.
OKAY. I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT? I JUST WANT TO VERIFY.
WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MOTIONS COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION BEFORE THIS MEETING ADJOURNS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IF THIS IF IT RELATES TO ITEM D 1.
YES. THANK YOU. I AM NOT CALLING AGENDA ITEM D 2 INTO CLOSED SESSION.
WE WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING THAT IN CLOSED SESSION.
WE ARE GOING TO CONDUCT CLOSED SESSION IN THIS AREA, IN THIS ROOM.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE PUBLIC TO LEAVE.
WE WILL TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK.
IT IS 8:28 AND WE ARE IN CLOSED SESSION.
IT IS 11:39 DO WE HAVE ANY MOTIONS COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION?
[E. CALL BACK TO ORDER/EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS]
HEARING NONE.NOTHING ELSE IS ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S 11:39. WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.