[A. CALL TO ORDER]
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GOOD EVENING. IT IS 5:30 ON THURSDAY, MAY 2ND, 2024.
SO A QUORUM IS MADE, AND PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.
[C. PUBLIC COMMENTS TO AGENDA ITEM D. ONLY]
WE DO HAVE CITIZENS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.WE ASK THE CONCERNS OR COMPLAINTS REGARDING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS NOT BE RAISED IN THE PUBLIC FORUM.
THE BOARD REQUESTS THAT COMMENTS, WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL.
AS A SECOND REMINDER, THE BOARD ADOPTED AN ANTI-HATE RESOLUTION ON JANUARY 20TH, 2022, WHERE THE BOARD REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING AND SAFETY OF ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER EXPRESSION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, AGE, OR POLITICAL BELIEFS, AND STANDS AGAINST SPEECH THAT INCITES HATRED AND VIOLENCE TOWARDS ANY PERSON.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHILE THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, THAT RIGHT IS NOT UNLIMITED.
PER TEXAS PENAL CODE 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. THE BOARD SHALL NOT TOLERATE DISRUPTION OF THE MEETING BY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
IF, AFTER AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL WARNING FROM THE PRESIDING OFFICER, 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 TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
TRUSTEE HARRISON IS THE DESIGNATED TIMEKEEPER AND THE FIRST SPEAKER IS SANJANA [INAUDIBLE].
YOU'RE A STUDENT SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM D TWO.
IS THIS ALL RIGHT? HI. I'M HERE TODAY AS A STUDENT OF WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE SEVERAL OF OUR CTE CLASSES WERE JUST CUT.
THIS INCLUDES ROBOTICS AS WELL AS CYBERSECURITY AND THERE ARE SO MANY SENIORS THIS YEAR WHO, YOU KNOW, WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS, AND NOW THEY DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEM.
I'M A ROBOTICS STUDENT MYSELF AND MY STEM COMMUNITY HAS BROUGHT ME SO MUCH JOY.
I GO TO COMPETITIONS, I LEARN FROM MY TEAMMATES, AND I'VE NOT JUST GAINED TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE, I'VE LEARNED HOW TO BECOME A SPEAKER, HOW TO COME AND, YOU KNOW, USE MY VOICE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU TODAY, AND IT'S JUST GIVEN ME SO MUCH POSITIVITY AND CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WHETHER A CERTAIN PROGRAM IS CUT FROM A SCHOOL IS A CAMPUS BY CAMPUS DECISION, BECAUSE EACH CAMPUS HAS DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AND STUDENT INTERESTS. THAT SAID, I DO ASK YOU TO PLEASE KEEP OUR STEM COURSES IN MIND AS YOU DECIDE ON YOUR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS.
TECHNOLOGY PLAYS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ROLE FROM SAVING LIVES IN SURGERY ROOMS TO, YOU KNOW, KEEPING STUDENTS ENGAGED IN OUTER SPACE AND MATERIAL SCIENCE.
SO YEAH, I'M JUST HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
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WHY ISN'T THIS DISTRICT TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT? WHY AREN'T YOU BRINGING IN INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS TO PRICE OUT PLANS? THE INFORMATION PRESENTED BY MARSH & MCCLENNAN IS INFORMATION THAT MOST AGENTS WOULD PROVIDE FREE OF CHARGE.EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE TO WALK A CERTAIN NUMBER OF STEPS AND COMPLETE MULTIPLE SELF-ASSESSMENTS.
WE GO IN ONCE A YEAR TO GET WEIGHED AND MEASURED.
I LOVE THAT THE DISTRICT OFFERS A $0 PLAN, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S WRONG TO ASK EMPLOYEES TO PARTNER WITH THE DISTRICT TO KEEP THEIR HEALTH A PRIORITY AND KEEP PREMIUMS LOW, AND NOW ON TO THE BUDGET. ON OCTOBER 28TH OF 2022, TRUSTEE WEIR POSTED ON FACEBOOK AND SAID THAT SHE ASKED FOR YOUR VOTE BECAUSE I, AMY WEIR, WON'T SLASH THE ROUND ROCK ISD BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN KEEP ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT MAKE ROUND ROCK ISD A DESTINATION DISTRICT.
OUR SCHOOLS OFFER GREAT WAYS TO GET TO LEARN NEW SKILLS, GET TO KNOW OTHERS AND SHOW SCHOOL SPIRIT.
WE ALREADY KNOW THAT EXTRACURRICULARS ARE KEY TO STUDENTS' SENSE OF BELONGING, AND SINCE THAT IS ONE OF THE BOARD'S LSG GOALS, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE DISTRICT'S PLAN TO KEEP ALL EXTRACURRICULAR FUNDING AT ITS CURRENT LEVELS.
IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN I LOOK FORWARD TO TRUSTEE WEIR'S NO VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
[D. SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS]
AZAIEZ TO GET US STARTED.GOOD EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH US TONIGHT IS EDDIE.
SO MR. CURRAN. YES, SIR. THANK YOU.
DR. AZAIEZ. GOOD EVENING, TRUSTEES AND DR.
IT PLAYS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART IN OUR BUDGET AND IMPACTS COMPENSATION AND TOTAL REWARDS.
SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE FOR US EVERY YEAR.
SO JUST A COUPLE OF UPDATES BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR, OUR CONSULTANTS HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
IN OUR LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE HOUSE BILL ONE, GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY PASSED, THE BILL THAT WAS PASSED, AND THERE WAS AN IMPACT ON THE HEALTH CARE PIECE FOR TRS ACTIVE CARE DISTRICTS ONLY, AND SO HOUSE BILL ONE PROVIDED A ONE TIME APPROPRIATION FOR TRS ACTIVE CARE DISTRICTS ONLY.
OKAY. THAT DIDN'T BENEFIT OUR DISTRICT.
SO THE STATE THROUGH THAT WAS RECOGNIZING THROUGH THAT ACT.
THIS IS NOT MY WORDS. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE POLICY THAT THE ACT WAS THROUGH THIS ACT THAT THEY RECOGNIZED THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. SO THEY HAD TO TAKE SOME STEPS TO IMPACT THAT ACROSS THE STATE.
AS A SELF-FUNDED DISTRICT, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'RE NOT INCLUDED IN HOUSE BILL ONE.
WE DIDN'T SEE ANY FUNDING TO HELP OFFSET ANY COSTS AND SO BECAUSE WE'RE SELF-FUNDED, OUR BUDGET IS WHAT IS USED TO FUND OUR SELF-INSURANCE FUND COMPLETELY.
SO IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON OUR OVERALL BUDGET.
THE DISTRICT GOALS FOR OUR BENEFITS PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE PLAN CHOICES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO INFORM AND EDUCATE OUR EMPLOYEES ON HOW TO MOST EFFICIENTLY USE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE, AND THEN TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE INCREASING TREND IN COSTS FOR THE DISTRICT, AND THAT EMPLOYEES FIND BY FINDING EFFICIENCIES IN OUR PLANS, AND SO WE'RE NOT BLIND TO JUST THE HUGE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES WE'VE SEEN IN HEALTH INSURANCE ACROSS THE LAST FEW YEARS IN PARTICULAR, AND SO WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY TO FIND STEPS AND WAYS TO BE CREATIVE WITH FINDING EFFICIENCIES WITHIN THE PLAN AND WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
JUST A FEW QUICK UPDATES BEFORE I TURN IT OVER.
WE HAVE A MEDICAL AND A PHARMACY RFP CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
WE'RE REVIEWING OPTIONS WITH BOTH BROAD NETWORKS.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THOSE, AND THEN ALSO SOME EXPANDED PLAN DESIGN.
WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON NEW COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION, AND ENROLLMENT PLATFORMS. WE'RE ABOUT TO IMPLEMENT A BENEFITS APP AND AN ONLINE ENROLLMENT SYSTEM FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, WHICH WE REALLY HOPE WILL HELP WITH COMMUNICATION OF THESE REALLY INTRICATE, DIFFICULT BENEFITS OFFERINGS, BUT TODAY'S FOCUS IS REALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT OUR BENEFITS PLANS AND SPECIFICALLY OUR PLAN REVIEW FOR 2024, A
[00:10:06]
FINANCIAL UPDATE OF OUR SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN AND THEN SOME LOCAL DISTRICT BENCHMARKS IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE DOING IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER DISTRICTS.SO THAT'S ALL I KNOW ABOUT BENEFITS.
I'VE JUST SAID EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW, SO, BUT LUCKILY I'VE GOT SOME GOOD FRIENDS HERE LIKE TODD PATCH AND AARON ROMAN, AND THEY'RE WITH MARSH & MCCLENNAN AGENCY, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE DETAIL ON OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
DO YOU MIND GETTING A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE? THANK YOU. NO, IT WAS ON.
IT JUST NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU.
THERE YOU GO. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST THING THAT WE WANT TO DO, I THINK IT MIGHT BE ON THE WRONG.
ONE BACK. I TRUSTED HIM WITH THE CLICKER.
SORRY, BUT THE FIRST THING WE WANTED TO DO WAS TAKE A STEP BACK, AND WHEN WE WERE OUT HERE A YEAR AGO, WE WENT THROUGH THAT ROUND ROCK'S HEALTH PLAN IS SELF-FUNDED AND WANTED TO JUST RECAP AGAIN ONE YEAR LATER WHAT THAT MEANS, ESSENTIALLY.
IT MEANS THAT THE DISTRICT PAYS THE CLAIMS BLUE CROSS ADMINISTERS AND ADJUDICATES, BUT THE DISTRICT PAYS THOSE CLAIMS THROUGH A WEEKLY INVOICE FROM BLUE CROSS.
SO IT'S DIRECTLY YOUR CLAIMS ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTING THE BUDGET TO THE DISTRICT.
THERE ARE BENEFITS TO BEING SELF-FUNDED.
YOU ARE ABLE TO LOWER THE ADMINISTRATION FEES.
TAXES THAT ARE BUILT INTO FULLY INSURED PREMIUMS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN, AND IN GOOD YEARS, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETAIN ANY SURPLUSES. UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU'LL SEE.
WE HAVEN'T THIS PAST YEAR, AND THE YEARS PRIOR, WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY SURPLUSES.
THEY HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST, BUT THAT'S PART OF THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION.
THE WAY THAT YOU ALL DECIDE TO THEY IT THERE'S NOT RATES THAT ARE SET BY THE CARRIER THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY ON A MONTHLY BASIS PER THOSE ENROLLED.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CREATIVE.
CURRENTLY YOU HAVE SURGERY PLUS IN PLACE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A BENEFIT FOR THE MEMBER, BUT GIVES THEM THE OPTION TO GO TO A MORE EFFICIENT PROVIDER. FOR HEALTH CARE, WHICH ALSO SAVES NOT ONLY THE MEMBER MONEY IF THEY USE IT, BUT ALSO THE DISTRICT MONEY, AND THERE ARE ENHANCED WELLNESS SOLUTIONS THAT YOU CAN INCLUDE IN YOUR HEALTH PLAN.
SO YOU DO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT IS ALSO AN RFP.
SO LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THAT THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR HE WENT TO RFP FOR VOLUNTARY BENEFITS.
SO YOU'LL SEE SOME MOVEMENT ON CARRIERS.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING GOOD PLANS WITH SOLID RATES TO YOUR EMPLOYEES.
SO DENTAL MOVED TO A NEW CARRIER.
YOUR BASIC LIFE PLAN THAT IS PROVIDED BY THE DISTRICT ALSO MOVED TO A NEW CARRIER.
YOUR DISABILITY STAYED WITH SUN LIFE, AND THERE WERE TWO NEW BENEFIT OFFERINGS THAT ACTUALLY HAD GOOD ENROLLMENT FOR THE FIRST YEAR GO ROUND.
SO GOOD ENROLLMENT MEANS THAT EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE THE BENEFIT OFFERING IS VALID.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED.
THOSE ARE ALSO OUT TO RFP, AND FOR 2025, CONSIDERING SOME ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL OPTIONS A HOSPITAL INDEMNITY PLAN AND A PERMANENT LIFE PLAN THAT HAS A LONG TERM CARE WAIVER OR RIDER.
SO MOVING INTO THE HEALTH PLAN DISCUSSION.
JUST A HIGH LEVEL REMINDER OF THE PLANS THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE.
WHAT CHANGED FROM 2023 TO 2024?
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YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS A NEW PLAN OFFERING THAT HDHP THAT'S HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN HMO.HMO, AS A REMINDER, DOES HAVE A PRIMARY CARE GATEKEEPER REQUIREMENT.
SO ANYONE ENROLLED IN THAT PLAN DOES HAVE TO SELECT A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER WITHIN THAT HMO NETWORK.
BLUE CROSS'S HMO NETWORK IS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY BROAD NETWORK.
THERE'S OVER 90% OVERLAP BETWEEN THE HMO NETWORK AND THE BIG BLUE CROSS NATIONAL NETWORK.
SO THERE'S NOT A HUGE REDUCTION IN IN PROVIDERS AND FACILITIES WITHIN THAT HMO NETWORK.
SO THAT SITS ALONGSIDE THE COPAY HMO PLAN, WHICH IS IN THE MIDDLE THAT YOU OFFERED LAST YEAR.
SO THEY THERE ARE TWO HMO PLANS THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE ACCESS TO.
BOTH REQUIRE THE PCP GATEKEEPER, AND THEN YOU HAVE THEIR TRADITIONAL BLUE CHOICE, THE BIG NATIONAL NETWORK, BROAD NETWORK THAT EDDIE HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE PLANS THAT WERE HERE IN 2023 BUT MOVED TO 2024.
THERE WERE DEDUCTIBLE CHANGES, INCREASES IN DEDUCTIBLES, INCREASES IN CO-PAYS TO TRY TO MANAGE THE BUDGET AND HELP WITH THE DISTRICT HAS A SET BUDGET FOR PLANS, AND WITH, AS WE'LL SEE, WITH INSURANCE COSTS JUST CONTINUING TO RISE, THERE HAS TO BE SOME GIVE AND TAKE THERE.
SO THERE WERE SOME PLAN CHANGES PLAN CHANGES DONE THIS YEAR.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE WHEN WE LOOK AT EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM THERE'S WE WENT FROM TWO $0 HEALTH PLANS TO ONE, AND THAT ONE IS THE NEW HMO HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN.
SO CURRENT ENROLLMENT BY PLAN.
YOU'LL SEE, I THINK WHAT'S COMING OUT OF EMPLOYEES PAYCHECK DOES MATTER.
SO YOU SAW A REAL SHIFT INTO THAT NEW HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HMO PLAN.
THAT BEING THE ONLY $0 PLAN OFFERED TODAY.
YOU HAD OVER 1300 EMPLOYEES ENROLL IN THAT NEW PLAN, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE MORE OF A SPREAD.
SO WHEN WE WERE OUT HERE A YEAR AGO WHAT YOU SAW WAS HEAVY PARTICIPATION IN THAT COPAY PPO PLAN.
70% OF THE EMPLOYEE BASE SELECTED THAT PLAN.
SO NOW YOU SEE MORE SPREAD BETWEEN THE PLANS BEING OFFERED.
ALL RIGHT. I'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE.
THANKS AGAIN. GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A FEW MORE THINGS, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, THIS IS YOUR CLAIMS TREND PER MEMBER PER MONTH, WHICH IS THE TRUEST WAY TO LOOK AT CLAIM COST AND JUST A COUPLE THINGS TO POINT OUT ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE.
THE CLAIMS TREND BELOW HIGHLIGHT IN RED THERE IN THE BOX.
YOU CAN SEE IN 2021, THAT WAS THE BIG YEAR, THAT THINGS JUMPED UP ON US QUITE A BIT, AND THEN 22 A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT 8%, AND THEN 23, WE ACTUALLY HAD A VERY GOOD YEAR. I'M GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT SO WAS SUPER HAPPY TO SEE THAT, AND THEN IN 24 WE ONLY HAVE THREE MONTHS IN AND SUPER DANGEROUS TO LOOK AT JUST THREE MONTHS OF DATA, BUT EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY 1.6, YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE IT BEING A NEGATIVE NUMBER, AND THE REASON IS THE PLANS START ALL OVER, AND SO DEDUCTIBLES KICK IN EARLY IN THE YEAR, AND SO, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WE STARTED RIGHT OUT OF THE YEAR WITH A COUPLE LARGE CLAIMS. ONE'S ALREADY IN THIS DATA, AND ANOTHER ONE WE KNOW IS COMING.
SO DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT START, BUT AGAIN IT'S STILL EARLY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO LAND WITH A BAD YEAR IN 24, BUT YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAPPENED, AND THEN THE LAST THING AND I'LL TOUCH ON THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WELL, BUT YOU SEE THE JAGGED LINES UP AND DOWN ON A MONTHLY BASIS IN THE NOTES THAT INDICATE LARGE CLAIMS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOOD AND BAD YEARS ARE ALMOST SOLELY DRIVEN BY LARGE CLAIM IMPACT, RIGHT, AND SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE HIT.
WE KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO BUT ANYWAY, WE'LL GET TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER.
THAT'S A PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR NUMBER.
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EMPLOYEES AND TEACHERS, ETC.SO THAT'S HOW MUCH THEY'RE PAYING OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECKS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER HAS STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT.
SO BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE OVERALL COST OF THE PLAN, BUT YOU HAVE HAD MOVEMENT, RIGHT? SO THERE'S BEEN SOME MOVEMENT AND WE'VE CHANGED THE PLANS A LITTLE BIT OVER THAT TIME PERIOD.
SO THE NEXT DATA POINT IS IN THE GREEN SECTION, THE $2,200 NUMBER AND THAT'S HOW MUCH OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE PAYING OUT OF THEIR POCKETS FOR DEDUCTIBLE AND COINSURANCE AND CO-PAYS AS THEY GO, YOU KNOW, SEEK SERVICES.
SO THOSE TWO TOGETHER REALLY IS YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH THE EMPLOYEES ARE PAYING.
THE NEXT POINT TO THIS I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THE DARK BLUE HIGHLIGHT AT THE BOTTOM, AND THAT'S ROUND ROCK ISDS CLAIM TREND, AND THEN RIGHT BELOW THAT IS MARKET TREND.
SO MARKET TREND CONTINUES TO OUTPACE MEDICAL INFLATION, OUTPACES REGULAR INFLATION, EXCEPT MAYBE FOR A FEW YEARS WHEN REGULAR INFLATION WAS SO HIGH, BUT ANYWAY, AS YOU LOOK BACK AND YOU LOOK FROM 2014 THROUGH 2020 AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT A FEW BOARD MEETINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT IS THAT OVERALL IT WAS RELATIVELY FLAT.
SO THINGS OUTPERFORMED BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED EACH OF THOSE YEARS, AND IN 2019 WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD YEAR IN 20 WAS INFLUENCED BY COVID BECAUSE OF THE SHUTDOWN, THERE JUST WASN'T AS MANY PEOPLE SEEKING SERVICES.
EVEN THOUGH COVID WAS SUPER EXPENSIVE OVERALL, IT WAS ACTUALLY LESS COSTLY.
SO THAT WAS FLAT, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN 21 AND 22, WE HAD AN UPTICK, BUT IF YOU AVERAGE THAT OUT OVER THAT TEN YEAR PERIOD, IT'S LIKE A LITTLE OVER 3.5% INCREASE EACH YEAR VERSUS MARKET TREND, WHICH YOU CAN SEE RUNS FROM 6 TO 7%.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU KNOW, OVER THIS TEN YEAR WINDOW, THE PLAN IS PERFORMED PRETTY WELL.
BACK IN 2014, IF YOU SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO RUN AT A 3.5% AVERAGE, WE WOULD TAKE THAT, RIGHT.
THIS IS JUST I SAID I'D TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LARGE CLAIMS. SO OVER TO THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE THAT 25% OF THE TOTAL CLAIMS, LIKE ALL IN TOTAL CLAIMS PAID TO THE DISTRICT, THAT WAS DRIVEN BY LESS THAN 1% OF THE MEMBERS, AND THAT'S RIGHT BELOW THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT'S 53 OUT OF, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO 8000 MEMBERS ARE DRIVING 25% OF THE OVERALL COST.
THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON TO THE DISTRICT.
NO MATTER WHO WHATEVER HEALTH PLAN YOU HAVE, SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CORPORATE PLAN, ETC, AND THEN THAT THEN RESULTS. THE NEXT RED BULLET POINT IS, YOU KNOW, OVERALL CLAIMS FROM 2020 TO 2023, THEY'RE UP 25%.
THE LARGE CLAIMS, AND THEN RIGHT BELOW THAT YOUR OVERALL SPEND IS UP 22%.
SO JUST A LITTLE CONTEXT ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH LARGE CLAIMS, AND THERE'S.
LIKE DRUGS TODAY CAN CAN RUN THREE, 4 OR 500, $600,000.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT INTO SOME OF THE HISTORY, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM HERE, WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH INTO SOME OF THE FORECASTING AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT EDDIE REFERENCED THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE RFP PROCESS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST GO BACK THROUGH WHAT THIS IS.
SO LOOKING AT 2015 CONTRACT YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE, ABOUT 6300.
OF THAT ABOUT 5400 ACTUALLY WERE ON THE PLAN.
THAT WAS A TOTAL PLAN COST OF 35 MILLION.
SO WHEN I SAY ACTUAL COST, I'M SORRY.
THE THAT NETTED THE DISTRICT FUND WAS 24 MILLION.
SO THE FUND, THE MONTHLY AMOUNT THAT YOU GUYS SET FOR YOUR BUDGET AT THAT TIME WAS $370, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S SCALED OVER TIME, WHERE THE ACTUAL COST RAN WAS $394, AND THAT PRODUCED A DEFICIT OF ABOUT 1.5 MILLION THAT YEAR.
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I REFERENCED ON THE LAST SLIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS YOU RAN REALLY WELL.EVEN IN THOSE YEARS, FOUR OUT OF THE SIX YEARS YOU STILL WERE RUNNING AT A DEFICIT.
SO THE PLAN JUST WAS UNDERFUNDED AT THE TIME.
I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE WORKING OFF SURPLUSES FROM PRIOR YEARS, ETC, AND THEN LOOK AT THE NEXT POINT I WANT TO MAKE ON THIS SLIDE IS LOOK AT 2015 TO 2023, AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD CONTRAST JUST BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF TIME, BUT YOU ALSO HAD THE SAME ROUGHLY THE SAME NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ENROLLED RIGHT AROUND 5400.
SO THE OVERALL PLAN COST WENT FROM 35 MILLION TO 42 MILLION.
THAT'S ABOUT A 20% INCREASE, WHICH IS CLOSER TO A 2.5% PER YEAR.
IT'S BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT, AND THEN JUMP TO THE ACTUAL DISTRICT COST, AND YOU KNOW THAT'S GONE UP CLOSER TO 26%, AND WE HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD SIZED DEFICITS IN 2022.
2023 ACTUALLY TURNED OUT A LOT BETTER THAN PROJECTED, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT IF YOU RECALL THAT CLAIMS TREND WAS DOWN THAT YEAR, RIGHT? SO WE JUST HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR THAT YEAR, PERFORMED BETTER THAN PROJECTED.
ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE GET INTO THE FORECASTING.
UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES RADICALLY WITH JUST THE WAY HEALTH CARE IS DONE IN THE COUNTRY AND IN TEXAS AND IN AUSTIN SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE FORECASTING GO FORWARD 5% MEDICAL AND 8% PHARMACY.
OFFSETTING THAT WITH CHANGES THAT WE MADE, LIKE AARON GOT DONE GOING THROUGH FOR 2024 TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE THOSE TRENDS, BUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT EVERYTHING AS IS.
WE NEED TO APPLY THOSE TREND ASSUMPTIONS GO FORWARD.
SO THEN LOOKING AT 2024 ON THAT SAME TOPIC IN KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHT OR IN PURPLE THERE WE WERE LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE HERE IN MAY OF 23, WE WERE PROJECTING A $7.5 MILLION DEFICIT, AND THROUGH THE HARD WORK AND CHANGES AND A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD FORTUNE, BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME NEW, BETTER CLAIMS INFORMATION THAT WE CAN FORECAST OFF OF IN 2024, AND THAT INCLUDES THE THREE MONTHS I REFERENCED THAT WEREN'T A GREAT START.
RIGHT NOW, OUR BEST ESTIMATE IS RIGHT AROUND THE $2.8 MILLION DEFICIT.
THIS WON'T BE THE REALITY, BUT WE'RE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS THAT IF WE DON'T MAKE ANY CHANGES AT ALL, SO WE KEEP THE PLANS EXACTLY AS THEY ARE AND THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS EXACTLY AS THEY ARE, WHAT THAT DEFICIT WOULD GROW TO OVER THAT TIME.
SO THAT KIND OF PIVOTS US INTO WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR 2025? AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN RFP.
WE DID A VERY EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH HR TEAM, OUR GROUP HAS SPENT A LOT OF HOURS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SPEND A LOT OF HOURS TO GET TO A FINAL, FINAL PRODUCT AND RESULT TO TRY TO MITIGATE THESE INCREASE OR THE INCREASE TREND AND ALSO THE DEFICITS.
YOU KNOW, REALLY WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT, THERE'S THREE BIG WAYS THAT YOU CAN IMPACT COSTS.
THERE'S OTHER SMALLER WAYS THAT YOU CAN DESIGN PLANS AND DO THINGS, WELLNESS PLANS, ETC, BUT THE BIG THREE ARE MAKING PLAN DESIGN CHANGES ON THE NETWORK SIDE, AND YOU DID LIKE AS AN EXAMPLE THE HMO, RIGHT? SO WE DID A LITTLE BIT OF THAT IN 23 LEANED INTO IT IN 24, AND AT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT THERE'S BETTER REIMBURSEMENT WITH THE HOSPITALS AND PROVIDERS UNDER AN HMO, UNDER A NARROW NETWORK.
SO THAT'S ONE PLAN DESIGN OPTION.
THE OTHER ONE IS A LOT EASIER TO GET YOUR HEAD WRAPPED AROUND.
IT'S JUST YOU RAISE DEDUCTIBLES AND CO-PAYS.
PUT IN A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN.
YOU'RE JUST PUSHING MORE OF THE COST ONTO THE USER OF THE PLAN THROUGH PLAN DESIGN, AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS YOU INCREASE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS WITH BOTH YOUR CURRENT PLANS, BUT THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW ARE GETTING EVEN MORE STRATEGIC.
WE DID SOME OF THIS IN 24 AND HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH IT, BUT MORE STRATEGIC.
[00:30:02]
SO THOSE ARE WHERE THAT'S KIND OF WHERE OUR, OUR FOCUS IS ON I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT SOMETHING IT'S KEY TO KNOW.THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE.
THEY WILL EBB AND FLOW PRETTY EASILY 7 TO 8%, EITHER BAD OR GOOD, RIGHT? 2022 IT WASN'T GOOD.
SO YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER IS A 3 TO $3.5 MILLION FLOW.
YOU JUST THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.
THEY'RE HIGHLY UNFORTUNATE, AND THANK GOODNESS THE INSURANCE WAS THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THE MEMBERS.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO KIND OF WHAT WE SEE WITH YOUR PEER DISTRICTS.
IN THE APPENDIX, THERE'S SOME MORE DATA AROUND THIS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE KEEP TRACK OF THIS AND MAKING SURE WE KEEP YOU GUYS COMPETITIVE.
LAST YEAR WE WOULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT YOU WERE IN 2023, YOU WERE YOU HAD BETTER PLANS, WE THOUGHT, THAN MOST OF YOUR PEER DISTRICTS AND WE CHANGED SOME OF THAT IN 2024.
THERE WERE A LOT OF CHANGES IN 20 2024, BUT WE STILL FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON PAR WITH EVERYBODY, AND PROBABLY THE KEY THING HERE THAT YOU COULD HAVE AS A TAKEAWAY ON THE $0 PLANS IS THE BULLET POINTS THAT ARE OUTLINED THERE, THAT EACH PLAN OFFERS ONE $0 PLAN.
SO EACH OF THE PEER DISTRICTS THEY ALL HAVE AN HMO OR A NARROW OR LIMITED NETWORK OPTION, AND ALL OF THEM OFFER HSA PLANS EXCEPT THE TRS PLANS.
SO THEY'RE ALL DESIGNED SIMILAR TO HOW YOUR PLANS ARE DESIGNED TO REALLY TRY TO MOVE PEOPLE TO BUY AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE, AND THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT A LOT OF DATA, SPECIFICALLY A LOT OF YOUR PEER DISTRICTS THAT ARE KIND OF IN AND AROUND YOUR AREA GEOGRAPHICALLY AND YOU ARE NOT OUTLIERS. ROUND ROCK IS RIGHT THERE, AND OTHERS ARE DEALING WITH SIMILAR KIND OF CHALLENGES, TRYING TO NAVIGATE AND MANAGE COST.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BEFORE I GO TO QUESTIONS TRUSTEES, JUST A REMINDER.
TRUSTEE WEIR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I WAS, THIS IS DIRECTED TO OUR SPEAKERS.
COULD YOU JUST GO OVER? COULD WE ASK THEM JUST TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT ON THE DEFICIT ON PAGE 11 AND 2024, WITH THE CLAIMS BEING DOWN? JUST SORT OF EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU KNOW. SO WE HAD THE DEFICIT OF.
I GUESS WE'RE PROJECTING A DEFICIT, BECAUSE OUR CLAIMS WERE ACTUALLY DOWN 1.4%.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT.
HOW IT HAPPENS THAT OUR CLAIMS ARE DOWN, BUT WE'RE STILL IN A DEFICIT.
YEAH. THE REASON IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOUR DISTRICT FUND IS BUDGET WISE, THE 466, IT JUST ISN'T ENOUGH TO COVER THE PLAN.
I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S THE REASON.
IF I COULD JUST ADD THE LAST TIME WE MADE A CHANGE TRUSTEE WEIR TO OUR DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE FOR THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, AND SO THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR. SO SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD PLAN YEAR 23, AND NOW WE'RE IN PLAN YEAR 24, AND WE HAVEN'T MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT IN THAT TIME, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, IT JUST KEEPS EATING INTO THAT NUMBER.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO CREATIVELY, IT'S STILL WORKING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THAT BUDGET.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TRUSTEES? TRUSTEE WESTON.
CAN WE PUT SLIDE 11? NO, SLIDE TEN.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN, SIR, I THERE'S A REFERENCE.
THE SECOND RED BULLET POINT ON THE LEFT SAYS 7895 MEMBERS.
I KNOW MR. KEARNS TOLD US WE HAVE 6500 EMPLOYEES.
SO CAN YOU DEFINE MEMBERS? IS THAT JUST THE PEOPLE, THE EMPLOYEES WHO USE THE PLAN, IF THEY HAVE A SPOUSE, IF THEY HAVE DEPENDENTS, IS THAT THE UNIVERSE OF THAT POPULATION? THAT'S RIGHT. YES, INCLUDES SPOUSE AND CHILDREN.
SO THAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE COVERED BY OUR INSURANCE.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HUMANS? THAT'S CORRECT. YEP.
[00:35:01]
EXACTLY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TRUSTEES. I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF THEM.ON SLIDE 14, WHEN YOU HAVE THE DOUBLE ASTERISK NEXT TO THE COMPARISONS, DOES THAT MEAN AUSTIN ISD SCALES THEIR COST TO IT'S CHEAPER FOR BASED ON HOW MUCH EMPLOYEES MAKE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY HAVE A SALARY TIERING FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THEIR HEALTH PLAN.
DO YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT PLAN? AND COULD YOU EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT MORE? IT IS BASED, SO THE EMPLOYEE ONLY COST FOR THEIR LOWEST COST PLAN IS THE SAME REGARDLESS OF YOUR SALARY, AND THE DEPENDENT COST ON ALL OF THEIR PLANS IS THE SAME, REGARDLESS OF SALARY.
SO IT'S REALLY THE ONLY THE EMPLOYEE ONLY TIER, AND IN THEIR BUYUP PLANS WHERE THEY TIER BASED ON SALARY, AND WE ACTUALLY SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME RESEARCHING THAT LAST YEAR.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS PLAN IS ALREADY UNDERFUNDED, AND SO IT HAS TO PUT WHEN YOU DO SALARY BANDING FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS, IT PUTS PRESSURE ON EMPLOYEES WHO MAKE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE RANGE AND HIGHER RANGE, AND THE MIDDLE RANGE IS IS YOUR TEACHERS, AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THEIR COST IF WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT THE, THE TIERING FOR CONTRIBUTIONS.
OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE, AND THEN SLIDE 12.
IT JUST CONSISTENTLY EVERY TIME WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION COMES BACK WITH RED NUMBERS, RED NUMBERS, RED NUMBERS, AND WE SAY, WE HOPE NEXT YEAR IS A BETTER YEAR, BUT WE CAN'T KEEP ON THIS TRAJECTORY OTHER THAN LIKE JUST HOPING.
SO HOW DO WE TRULY ENSURE THAT WE GET OUT OF THIS DEFICIT BUCKET? THOSE THREE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR 2025.
THERE'S YOU ONLY CAN DO SO MUCH WITH PLAN DESIGN AND BUYING MORE EFFICIENTLY.
WE FEEL THE PLAN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS HAS BEEN IN A PRETTY GOOD SPOT.
IT'S GOING TO COME FROM MORE FUNDS FROM SOMEWHERE.
SO RAISING EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS IS A BIG, BIG PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
IF I COULD JUST ADD TO THAT AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT.
WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD ON EDUCATING EMPLOYEES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IF I HAVE THIS TYPE OF AILMENT, THIS IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE PATH FOR ME TO GO AND GET SERVICES, RIGHT? TRUSTEE WESTON POINTED OUT THE SHEER NUMBERS, RIGHT? IT'S ALMOST 8000 PEOPLE WHO ARE COVERED IN OUR PLAN AND SO AND I'VE SAID THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, IT'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL JOURNEY.
WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE CHALLENGED WITH, LIKE TODD SAID, THOSE SURPRISES THAT COME UP, YOU KNOW, WE WORK HARD ON THE LION'S SHARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING COMES UP, RIGHT, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD ON OUR EDUCATION PIECES TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE REALLY WELL INFORMED ABOUT THEIR OPTIONS AND HOW THEY CAN USE THEIR DOLLARS WISELY.
THAT'S A BIG FOCUS FOR US IN THIS RFP IS CREATING NOT JUST OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST OPTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE THE MOST AFFORDABLE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
I JUST NEED MORE MONEY, AND HE HOLDS ME TO THAT BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT WE'VE REALLY BEEN VERY CREATIVE, TRUSTEE LANDRUM, AND I JUST YOU KNOW, INFLATION IS INFLATION, AND AT SOME POINT SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE, RIGHT? SURE, I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I GUESS MY FRUSTRATION OR MAYBE NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN THE RIGHT WORD, IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS TRUSTEES REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY IMPACT ON. WE DON'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT PLANS ARE CHOSEN, AND IT'S JUST REPORTED TO US, AND SO BUT WE DO ULTIMATELY CONTROL THE BUDGET.
SO THAT'S JUST MORE OF AN EDITORIAL COMMENT, AND THEN MY LAST ONE IS, AGAIN, THIS IS MORE OF AN EDITORIAL COMMENT ON I HEARD THAT STEERING OUR EMPLOYEES TOWARDS A MORE COST EFFICIENT PLAN, WHICH IN MY WORLD, THAT TYPICALLY MEANS MORE HASSLES FOR THE USER, AND SO I HATE I KNOW WE'RE CAUGHT IN THAT MIDDLE ABOUT TRYING TO FIND COST EFFICIENT, BUT HOW DO WE ALSO MAKE IT USER FRIENDLY? SO THAT'S MORE OF AN EDITORIAL COMMENT DOESN'T REALLY REQUIRE ANYBODY'S RESPONSE, BUT I DO WANT TO I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HOW DO WE BE COST EFFICIENT, BUT ALSO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO EVEN GET OFF SCHOOL TO GO TO THE DR.
[00:40:02]
AND THEN TO HAVE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF DR.'S VISITS.SO ANYWAY TRUSTEE MARKUM HAS HER LIGHT ON.
YEAH, I THINK YOU KIND OF JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION, SORT OF, AND I'M JUST MORE CURIOUS ABOUT THE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE NEW PLAN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OVER 1300 EMPLOYEES SIGN UP, BUT IT IS THE ONLY $0 PLAN.
SO DID WE WAS IT THAT POPULAR JUST TO OFFSET THE INCREASED COST OF INSURANCE? BUT IT DOES INCREASE THE HASSLE FOR OUR STAFF BECAUSE A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN ISN'T ALWAYS THE BEST PLAN FOR EVERYONE, BUT ARE THEY, WOULD THEY JUST GET PUSHED THAT WAY BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY $0? AND WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DID YOU GET? YEAH, I THINK THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN IT'S BEEN MIXED, RIGHT.
SO THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS TO HOW AM I GOING TO MEET MY DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT.
WE'VE MADE 22 CAMPUS VISITS THIS YEAR TO REALLY SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN TO EMPLOYEES, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE WE ARE A SMALL TEAM, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND DO THAT MORE IS DEFINITELY A FOCUS FOR US, BECAUSE REALLY, AS I SAID, IT'S A REALLY INDIVIDUAL PIECE, YOU KNOW MY SCENARIO IS DIFFERENT FROM CINDY'S SCENARIO IS DIFFERENT FROM CHRISTEN'S SCENARIO.
IT'S DIFFERENT FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE IN OUR DISTRICT, AND SO WE CAN EDUCATE THE WHOLE POPULATION, BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT, BECAUSE YOU SAW LESS THAN 60 EMPLOYEES ARE 25% OF OUR COSTS, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
RIGHT, BUT I DO THINK A BIG PIECE TO THAT IS EDUCATION, BECAUSE THE HDHP, IT DOESN'T FIT EVERYBODY'S NEEDS, BUT IT FITS A LOT OF NEEDS, BUT LIKE TODD MENTIONED EARLIER THE INDUSTRY WORKS ON ON LEVERS, AND ONE OF THE LEVERS IS THAT CONTROL, RIGHT? IT'S THAT CHOKE POINT TO ALMOST YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH CONTROLS IN PLACE WHERE PROVIDERS ARE HELPING DIRECT CARE RATHER THAN INDIVIDUALS DIRECTING THEIR OWN CARE TO SPECIALISTS DIRECTLY.
SO THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.
THANKS. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER LIGHTS ON.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND TRUSTEES JUST NOTICED.
NOTE THIS IS NOT A DECISION FACTOR.
THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE TONIGHT.
OUR CALENDAR PLAN FOR BENEFITS IS JANUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST, SO NO CHANGES ARE GOING TO BE SLATED FOR ANYTHING ANYTIME SOON, BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE AS WE'RE KIND OF IN THE BUDGET SEASON, IT MADE SENSE TO KIND OF GO OVER THIS AGAIN.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH THIS EVENING FOR BEING HERE.
THAT TAKES US TO AGENDA ITEM D TWO 2024-2025 PROPOSED BUDGET UPDATE, AND I WILL, WHILE WE'RE CHANGING SEATS, I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. COVINGTON OR DR. AZAIEZ.
YEAH. MR. COVINGTON. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT LANDRUM, AGAIN.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET SEASON.
SO WE WANT TO GIVE YOU HOPEFULLY EVEN A BETTER UPDATE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO STEAL MR. COVINGTON'S THUNDER; HIM AND RHONDA HERE TO GIVE US SOME UPDATES.
AZAIEZ AND PRESIDENT LANDRUM AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
BESIDE ME, IF YOU ALL DON'T KNOW, THIS IS RHONDA RHODE.
SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
SO TONIGHT WE ARE HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, AND WE'RE ONLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NO BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, F OR THIS WORK SESSION AND TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE.
SO LET'S REMIND EVERYONE OF WHAT THE BUDGETARY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WERE.
NUMBER ONE WAS FOCUS ON INSTRUCTION.
STAY FOCUSED ON THE MAIN THING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR STUDENTS.
NUMBER TWO WAS INCREASED PRE-K AND PRE-K FOR PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR ENROLLMENT.
STUDIES HAS PROVEN THAT IF YOU TEACH A CHILD TO READ BY THE THIRD GRADE, THEIR CHANCES OF SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THEIR ACADEMIC LIFE INCREASES TREMENDOUSLY, AND FOR AS A DISTRICT IS CONCERNED, IF WE GET THEM EARLY, THE GOAL IS TO KEEP THEM WITHIN THE DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THEIR K-12 YEARS.
MAINTAIN A COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION.
[00:45:03]
8% IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.THIS GOES WITHOUT SAYING KEEPING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE IN SCHOOL IS A MAJOR GOAL.
WE WERE TASKED TO LOOK AT OUR CURRENT BUDGET OF EXPENSES, WHERE WE CAN MAKE REDUCTIONS OR REDIRECTIONS TO MAKE THE DISTRICT MORE EFFICIENT, LOOK AT ALL OUR OPERATIONS, EXPENSES AND STAFF TO SEE WHERE WE CAN REDUCE WITHOUT MAKING THE DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION, BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE, REVIEW ALL THE OPTIONS, BUT IN THE END PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET AS THE SUPERINTENDENT PLAN FOR SUCCESS.
WHY A BALANCED BUDGET? AS YOU ALL KNOW, ROUND ROCK ISD IS THE ONLY DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS A TRIPLE A BOND RATING, AND THAT IS MAINTAINED BY HAVING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR.
ALSO, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE IS A FIRST RATING, AND ROUND ROCK HAS ALWAYS HAD AN A FOR ITS FIRST RATING, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE YEAR, AND SO WE TRY TO MAINTAIN OUR A FIRST RATING.
NEXT ENSURE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE ALSO SHOWS THE STRENGTH OF THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND, BUT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE DIPPED INTO OUR FUND BALANCE TREMENDOUSLY EACH YEAR.
SO AS YOU RECALL, ONE OF THE GOALS WERE TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES.
ONE, WE ENGAGE STAFF, PARENTS, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY IN A TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO DEVELOP BUDGET CUT RECOMMENDATIONS AND LET ME JUST HIGHLIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE CAN ONLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE BOARD APPROVES THE BUDGET.
WE ONLY BRING FORTH WHAT WE RECOMMEND.
ALSO, COMMUNICATE BUDGET REDUCTIONS AND THE RATIONALE CLEARLY AND THOROUGHLY TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
BUDGET REDUCTION WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN ALL AREAS.
WHILE MAINTAINING THE FOCUS ON STATE AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
BUDGET REDUCTION WILL BE SHARED AMONG ALL SCHOOLS, PROGRAMS, AND DEPARTMENTS.
CONTINUING STAFF AND PERSONNEL COSTS MAKE UP APPROXIMATELY 85% OF THE DISTRICT'S OVERALL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS BUDGET, AND OF THAT 85%, 85.4% OF THE DISTRICT'S PERSONNEL COSTS ARE FROM CAMPUS BASED POSITIONS, INCLUDING TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, ED ASSISTANTS, CUSTODIANS, NURSES, LVNS, SLPS, DIAGNOSTICIANS, LSPS, ITS, AND ICSS.
EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO PROTECT THE CORE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS AND STAFFING MODELS WILL BE ANALYZED TO ENSURE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY AT ALL LEVELS OF SCHOOLING.
SO WHAT WAS THE PLAN? WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ONE ON ONE DEPARTMENT MEETINGS.
MYSELF AND MY TEAM MET WITH ALL DEPARTMENT CHAIRS TO GO OVER, LINE BY LINE, THEIR BUDGET TO FIND EFFICIENCIES WHERE WE CAN EITHER CUT EXPENDITURES, ELIMINATE EXPENDITURES, AND THAT ALSO INCLUDED STAFF.
THAT STARTED BACK IN THE FALL, AND THEY BROUGHT FORTH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN WE HAD MEETINGS WITH OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS TO ENGAGE THEM ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE STAFFING GUIDELINES COMMITTEE TO GET THEIR INPUT ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, PLUS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THEY COULD COME UP WITH.
WE THEN ENGAGED WITH OUR STAFF.
SO WHY OUR MAIN FOCUS HERE TONIGHT? WHERE ARE WE AS OF 05/02/2024? LET ME EXPLAIN THIS CHART.
ON THE FAR LEFT IS WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE AMENDED THE BUDGET FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
THE SECOND COLUMN FROM THE LEFT IS THE LAST PRESENTATION THAT YOU ALL SAW ON 4/18.
[00:50:02]
THE THIRD ONE IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE PROJECTING AND PROPOSING THE BUDGET.THE LAST TWO COLUMNS TO THE RIGHT ARE WHAT IFS.
SO IF YOU GO BACK TO WHERE WE PRESENTED ON 4/18/24.
THE CHANGE THAT HAS OCCURRED SINCE THEN IS WE'VE GOTTEN THE FINAL PRELIMINARY MARKER FROM THE STATE.
WHEN WE'D DONE THE BUDGET ON 4/18, IT WAS 0.6317 AND NOW IT'S LOWERED TO 0.6169.
SO THAT BEING THE CASE, OUR REVENUE HAS GONE UP, AND OUR MCR CAME DOWN, BECAUSE OUR PROPERTY VALUE FROM WHAT WE PROJECTED BEFORE HAS GONE UP BECAUSE WE GOT THE PROPERTIES FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE BUILD THE BUDGET WITH THE .6969 TAX RATE AND 46,485 STUDENTS, AND IF YOU DO THAT, YOU SEE THE CHANGE FROM YOUR 4/18 PROPOSED BUDGET TO NOW THAT 343,343 GREW TO 348,689.
THAT'S ABOUT A $5 MILLION INCREASE IN REVENUE FROM TAXES, AND YOU SEE, I DID BREAK OUT.
SO WE CAN SEE THE VALUE OF OUR EIGHT PENNIES, WHICH ARE OUR GOLDEN PENNIES THAT REVENUE INCREASE FROM 43,481 TO 45,218.
THAT'S ABOUT $1.7 MILLION INCREASE, AND THOSE THAT INCREASE IS NOT SUBJECT TO RECAPTURE.
THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE ON THIS PAGE ON REVENUES.
IF YOU GO DOWN TO WHERE YOU SEE STATE REVENUE, YOU SEE OUR STATE REVENUE DROPPED FROM 29,743 TO 28,253, AND YOU KNOW, THE CORRELATION BETWEEN TAX REVENUE, STATE REVENUE AND RECAPTURE ONE GOES UP, THE OTHER TWO COME DOWN AS FAR AS THE STATE, AND THEN YOUR RECAPTURE GOES UP, IF YOUR REVENUE GOES UP AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN A MOMENT.
SO OUR TOTAL REVENUES GREW FROM 460.455M TO 466.448M.
NOW OUT TO THE RIGHT, THOSE TWO WHAT IF COLUMNS.
THE ONLY CHANGES THERE YOU WILL SEE IF OUR POPULATION OF STUDENTS GROW FROM 46,485 TO 46,750 AND 47,000, THE REVENUES DON'T CHANGE.
ON THIS COLUMN, I MEAN, THIS SLIDE, THERE ARE NO CHANGES.
WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING OUR POSITIONS FOR DECREASES.
WE AND BACK AT THE LAST MEETING REMEMBER WE DEFERRED HB THREE TO ANOTHER YEAR, AND SO THERE ARE REALLY NO CHANGES FOR US WHAT'S SHOWN FOR OUR EXPENSES, FOR SALARIES.
THERE ARE NO CHANGES THERE EITHER, BUT AS YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, WE WILL EVENTUALLY ADD A NUMBER THERE TO SHOW OUR REDUCTIONS THAT WILL GO TOWARDS BALANCING THE BUDGET. NOW, IF YOU GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, AS I STATED BEFORE, YOU TAKE IN MORE REVENUE, THE STATE REVENUE GOES DOWN, YOUR RECAPTURE GOES UP, AND YOU SEE OUR RECAPTURE GREW FROM 15.248M TO 19.992M, AND OUR TOTAL EXPENSES ARE 48734.
BACK ON APRIL 18TH, WE HAD A DEFICIT OF 21.2 MILLION, AND THAT'S DOWN TO PROJECTED 20.4 MILLION.
AGAIN, THIS CHART HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE PROJECTED TO INCREASE WHICH TIE TO THAT INCREASED NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE OF ABOUT $4 MILLION OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING UP, WITH THE TWO BEING BIGGEST ONES BEING SUMMER SCHOOL AND OUR PREMIUMS FOR RISK MANAGEMENT.
SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN GETTING THE BUDGET COMPLETELY READY TO BRING BACK TO YOU AS A SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET? YOU CAN SEE WE PUT CHECKS BESIDE ALL THE MEETINGS AND ALL THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE BUDGET, AND THE LAST ONE WAS TO RECEIVE THE MCR
[00:55:08]
FROM TEA, WHICH WE DID, AND GET THE PROPERTY VALUES FROM OUR APPRAISAL DISTRICTS.WHAT'S LEFT TO DO IS FINALIZE THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET REDUCTIONS, PRESENT THE BUDGET TO YOU GUYS AT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PLAN FOR SUCCESS IN MAY 18TH, AND HOLD A BUDGET WORKSHOP AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THEN TO BRING BACK THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR YOU ALL TO APPROVE IN JUNE ON THE 18TH.
SO THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WHAT ARE THE KEY TAKEAWAYS DURING THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT? ONE, THIS IS A VERY FLUID DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET.
NOTHING IS FINALIZED UNTIL THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPTS THE BUDGET ON JUNE 18TH.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DURING THE REDUCTION EXERCISES THAT SOME EMPLOYEES WILL BE REASSIGNED TO OTHER POSITIONS, BUT NO EMPLOYEES WILL LOSE THEIR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THIS BUDGET WORK.
ANY EMPLOYEE WHOSE ASSIGNMENT CHANGES WILL MAINTAIN THE 23-24 SALARY AND DUTY DAYS FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR AND WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR, I YIELD FOR QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEES, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET? I HAVE A POINT OF INQUIRY.
WHAT IS YOUR POINT? GIVEN THE GRAVITY OF THE TOPIC AT HAND AM I STILL LIMITED TO JUST BEING ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR TWO MINUTES? DURING THE MEETING, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU WANT PRIOR TO THE MEETING, BUT YES, TWO MINUTES AND ANY QUESTIONS ASKED BEFORE THE MEETING WILL BE POSTED.
THE QUESTIONS AREN'T HELPFUL UNLESS THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR THEM.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, WHICH I PREVIOUSLY VOTED NO ON.
TO ALLOW US TO ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE NEED TO, TO WORK THROUGH THE CRITICAL ISSUES AND THE CRITICAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE BUDGET AND THESE PROPOSED CUTS I KEEP HEARING ABOUT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE LIMITING A TRUSTEE TO TWO MINUTES OF ASKING QUESTIONS.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY COMMENTS? TRUSTEE BONE. YES.
I JUST WANT TO THANK TRUSTEE WESTON FOR THIS MOTION, AND I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT I CAN ONLY DO MY FIDUCIARY DUTY TO MY COMMUNITY AND TO THIS DISTRICT IF I'M ALLOWED TO HAVE MORE THAN TWO MINUTES TO ASK IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS IN A PUBLIC FORUM SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HEAR THE ANSWERS SO THAT OUR STAFF UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON AND I HAVE A MULTITUDE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT I WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO MY FIDUCIARY DUTY WHICH I'M LEGALLY REQUIRED TO DO, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WOULD VOTE TO ALLOW US TO DO OUR JOB.
WE MAY ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE WANT.
THEY'RE JUST LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. YOU CAN ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU WANT IN THE TWO MINUTES THAT YOU'RE GIVEN.
OKAY, AND WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND VOTE TO ADD MORE TIME.
FOR THAT REASON, I'LL BE VOTING NO.
I THINK THAT WE CAN ASK CONCISE QUESTIONS AND BE PREPARED, AND IF IT COMES TO A POINT WHERE WE NEED MORE TIME, I'M HAPPY TO ADD MORE TIME AT THAT POINT, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TRY TO BE EFFICIENT WITH OUR TIME AND STAFF TIME AT THIS POINT.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S NOT JUST QUESTIONS.
IT'S ALSO GIVING OUR THOUGHTS AND SHARING IT WITH EACH OTHER.
MAYBE THAT'S NOT IN A FORM OF A QUESTION.
SO THAT'S WHY I'LL BE VOTING YES ON THIS MOTION.
WE HAD A STUDENT COME TONIGHT AND SHARE WITH ME FOR THE FIRST TIME.
APPARENTLY, A LOT OF CUTS THAT SHE'S LEARNED ABOUT AT WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
THAT IS WHY I PUT THIS MOTION FORWARD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL TRUSTEES VOTING YES ON IT, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION AND SHARING OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR CONCERNS WITH EACH OTHER AS WE ARE MANDATED TO DO BY LAW.
[01:00:10]
POINT WOULD BE PRELIMINARY.WHEN THE BUDGET COMES TO US ON MAY 16TH, I'M ANTICIPATING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF WHAT BUDGET REDUCTIONS AND CHANGES IN STAFFING AND ALL OF THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AT THE MAY 16TH BOARD MEETING.
SO I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO FOR THAT, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION.
SECOND, OKAY, I HAVE A MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ENDING THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ADDING MORE TIME, RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES FIVE TWO.
ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
TRUSTEE BONE WAS YOUR LIGHT ON WITH QUESTIONS FOR TONIGHT, OR WAS IT ON THE PREVIOUS MOTION? IT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS MOTION.
OKAY. DO I HAVE ANY ANY TRUSTEES THAT HAVE QUESTIONS TONIGHT FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION? TRUSTEE BONE. I'LL ACTUALLY YIELD TO OTHER FOLKS SO THAT I CAN GO LAST.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE THE ONLY TWO WITH LIGHTS ON RIGHT NOW.
SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST WITH THE TWO OF YOU? I'LL GO FIRST. OKAY.
SO ONE THING I'VE ASKED FOR IS HOW DO THE BUDGET CUTS IMPACT OUR BOARD GOALS? SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND.
A POINT OF JUST FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, BUDGET CUTS HAVE NOT BEEN FINALIZED YET, SO IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR ADMINISTRATION TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FINALIZED AS TO WHERE THE BUDGET CUTS WILL BE OCCURRING.
THERE'S BEEN A PROCESS, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FINALIZED YET.
SO AGAIN, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDGET CUTS TONIGHT ARE A LITTLE BIT EARLY PRIOR TO THE MAY 16TH MEETING, AND WE'LL BE GETTING THAT INFORMATION ON MONDAY, I BELIEVE, FOR THE TRUSTEES TO REVIEW AND HAVE TEN DAYS TO REVIEW PRIOR TO THE MAY 16TH MEETING.
HOW ARE YOU ASSESSING THE BUDGET CUTS AND HOW THEY IMPACT THE BOARD GOALS? AND JUST SORRY.
ONE LAST THING. MAKE SURE QUESTIONS GO THROUGH THE CHAIR, BUT GO AHEAD.
I MEAN, IF I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, DR.
BONE. MAYBE, I HOPE I UNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION.
SO ARE YOU ASKING HOW WE ARE? IF YOU ARE ASKING HOW WE ARE DOING, DEALING WITH THE DEFICIT AND NOT IMPACTING STUDENT OUTCOME, IS THAT IS THAT PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU'RE ASKING OR I'M ASKING? WE GO TO ALL THESE MEETINGS AND HAVE ALL THIS TRAINING ABOUT OUR BOARD GOALS? THAT'S RIGHT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IS THAT THE BUDGET SHOULD BE TIED TO THE BOARD GOALS.
HOW ARE YOU TYING THE BUDGET CUTS TO THE BOARD GOALS? I DON'T KNOW HOW WE TIED, BUT THE DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE IS SOMETHING THAT WAS FORCED UPON US MEANING WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
IT'S NOT BY CHOICE, AND SO THIS $20 MILLION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS THE DEFICIT.
LAST TIME I CHECKED, I GUESS IT'S OVER 80% OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE DEALING WITH IT AND SO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFICIT, BECAUSE THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
THAT ALONE IS ALMOST $13 MILLION THAT WAS LOST IN REVENUE.
THAT IN ITSELF IS MORE THAN HALF OF OUR DEFICIT.
SO WE ARE PUT IN THIS SITUATION AS A DISTRICT, AND OUR JOB IS NOW TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OFFSET THAT DEFICIT WHEN AND LIKE DENNIS AGAIN WAS TALKING ABOUT, HOW CAN WE DO THAT WHEN MINIMIZING THE IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND STUDENT INSTRUCTION AND BECAUSE THAT EVENTUALLY STUDENTS BUT ALSO THAT'S ALSO OUR BOARD GOALS WHEN IT COMES TO EARLY LITERACY, EARLY NUMERACY, CCMR. SO ALL THAT STUFF IS CONNECTED TO THE BOARD GOALS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
SO WE TRY TO PROTECT THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEFICIT IT IS HERE AND IS A HUGE DEFICIT, AND AGAIN NO ONE REALLY WANTED THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
[01:05:07]
GOALS. IF WE GO BACK TO, DENNIS, CAN YOU GO BACK, PLEASE? I THINK IT'S SLIDE NINE ON THE EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE CORE BUSINESS OF SCHOOLS.SO THAT'S OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WHEN WE TRY TO DO THIS AND THIS WHOLE THING, WHEN IT COMES TO, AGAIN, DEALING WITH THE DEFICIT, IT'S A COLLABORATION THAT EDDIE AND HIS TEAM, DENNIS, HIS TEAM, OTHER DEPARTMENTS WERE INVOLVED.
SO IT WASN'T AN ISOLATION, AS YOU KNOW, ALSO, WE HAD SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WE HAD TWO IN PERSON, TWO VIRTUAL TO EXPLAIN AND SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
ACTUALLY, OUR STUDENTS WAS THERE LAST NIGHT.
WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING ALL THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
SO IT WAS A VERY MUCH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, AND AGAIN, KEEPING THIS IN MIND AND WE SHARE THIS SAME EXACT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITH ALL OUR STAFF, WE DID ALSO VIRTUAL WITH ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES AND THEIR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
SO WE TRY AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO INVOLVE, SHARE, BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, BUT AGAIN, IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT ARE NOT UNIQUE TO OUR DISTRICT.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S THE REALITY WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
THEN YOU SAID 85% OF THAT GOES TO CAMPUS LEVEL, WHICH I BELIEVE.
IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 64% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET GOES TO CAMPUS LEVEL.
IS THAT SOUND RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS.
SO IT'S ONE NUMBER I ALWAYS PULL OUT OF THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, AND I BELIEVE LAST YEAR IT WAS AROUND 50% AND OUR 55%, AND IF YOU DO RECAPTURE, IT'S AROUND 60% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO THE CLASSROOM.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING TO ENSURE THAT MAINTAINS MONEY INTO THE CLASSROOM.
I THINK UP TO THREE BOARD MEMBERS SHOWED UP AND WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE THOSE EXERCISES WITH THEM, AND WE SHARE WITH THEM HOW MUCH EVERYTHING MIGHT COST, AND SO WE WERE VERY MUCH, AGAIN, TRANSPARENT, AND WE SHARE EXACTLY ALL THOSE NUMBERS, BUT AS I SAID EARLIER, THAT SLIDE AGAIN WE TRY TO BE VERY MUCH THE CLASSROOM AND THE INSTRUCTION AS MUCH AS I CAN, WE CAN.
YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, I DO NOT GO TO 331 MEETINGS.
SO I'D PREFER THEM TO BE IN OPEN SESSION SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HEAR THEM.
DR. BONE, LET ME ANSWER PART OF YOUR QUESTION I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO CAFR THAT'S JUST INSTRUCTION AS FAR AS THE 50% THE DIRECT STUDENT SERVICES, RIGHT, BUT THAT 85.4% IS MORE THAN JUST INSTRUCTION.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE MAKING SURE WE PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE CLASSROOM? I KNOW IT'S A BUDGET DEFICIT YEAR, BUT I WOULD STILL LIKE MORE MONEY TO GO TO THE CLASSROOM.
YES. THAT'S I THINK I HOPE I MEAN, I'M SORRY IF I WASN'T CLEAR.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID, DR.
BONE. WE TRIED TO MINIMIZE AGAIN THE IMPACT ON THE INSTRUCTION AND THE CLASSROOM.
ACTUALLY, WE JUST I TALKED WITH THE PRINCIPAL TODAY AND THAT WE JUST HIRED A NEW ROBOTICS TEACHER.
[01:10:02]
RIGHT. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.SO I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT THAT'S BEEN TAKEN CARE.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE ARE NOT CLASSROOM CUTS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A FULL LIST.
JUST I MEAN, POINT OF CLARIFICATION IS WE DON'T HAVE A LIST OF FULL CUTS RIGHT NOW.
YOU'LL RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION ON MONDAY.
YOU'LL HAVE TEN DAYS TO REVIEW IT, AND THEN MAY 16TH IT'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC IN THE WHAT'S IT CALLED? SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET? YEAH, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
THAT'S ON SLIDE 19 WITH THE FINALIZED RECOMMENDED BUDGET REDUCTIONS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THE REASON WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS EARLY IS SO THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN GET OUR VALUES, OF COURSE AND IT'S HARD TO GET OUR VALUES IF WE'RE NOT CONVERSATION.
CAN I JUST DO TWO THINGS AND I'LL BE QUIET? NUMBER ONE. NUMBER ONE, AS A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION CENTRAL OFFICE, WE DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS CASE, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.
RIGHT. SO THEY WORK THE WAY IT WORKS.
USUALLY THEY GET LIKE A COURSE SELECTION OR A STUDENTS SHOULD SELECT WHAT THEY WANT TO TAKE AS FAR AS ELECTIVE COURSES, AND SO BASED ON THAT, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THEY HAVE TO THEN THEY DECIDE, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS WHO WANT TO TAKE THIS PARTICULAR COURSE OR THIS PARTICULAR SECTION AND THEN THE STAFF OR HIRE ACCORDINGLY, RIGHT.
SO IN SOME CASES THEY MAY TRY TO OFFER THIS FIVE, BUT ONLY TOP FOUR END UP WITH A HIGH NUMBER OR ENOUGH STUDENTS TO JUSTIFY A FULL FTE OR HALF FTE OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S PART OF IT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S ALL ABOUT CHOICES.
SO ALL ABOUT THE COURSE SELECTION THAT OUR STUDENTS SELECT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THERE MAY BE ALSO OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD BE SOMETIMES IN SOME CASES AFFECT THE DECISION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SOME CERTAIN CLASSES OR CERTAIN THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN CLASS CERTIFICATION, AND SOMETIMES IT'S VERY HARD, NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRY TO HIRE SOMEBODY WITH A PARTICULAR CERTIFICATION.
SO THEY MAY HAVE TO GO TO PLAN B.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY, EVEN WITHOUT THE DEFICIT'S, ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE, AS IT IS FOR OUR PRINCIPALS AND FOR THEIR TEAMS TO MAKE THE CREATE A MASTER SCHEDULE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE HONORING OUR STUDENT CHOICES, BUT IT'S ALWAYS IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED, OBVIOUSLY, THIS YEAR BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFICIT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.
JUST YES, AND THAT'S VERY NOT TRANSPARENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL DEFER TO OTHERS SO THAT I CAN GO LAST.
YOU'RE THE ONLY LIGHT ON RIGHT NOW, SO TRUSTEE WESTON.
TRUSTEE HARRISON PUT HER LIGHT ON.
SO DO YOU WANT TO GO BEFORE TRUSTEE WESTON? OKAY. TRUSTEE HARRISON.
CAN YOU OUTLINE WHAT DECISIONS A BOARD MAKES ABOUT CUTS VERSUS WHAT DECISION A DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION MAKES? BEHIND PROPOSING A BUDGET TO A SCHOOL OR A CAMPUS, VERSUS WHAT DECISION A CAMPUS COULD MAKE.
YOU ALREADY KIND OF HIT CAMPUS, BUT CAN YOU OUTLINE THAT FOR US AND FOR THE COMMUNITY? SO WE CAN START FROM OUR STANDPOINT.
RIGHT. LIKE SO FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO HAVE A BUDGET, RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE ARE ABLE TO STAFF OUR SCHOOLS.
THAT'S REALLY THE OUR PRINCIPALS AND THEIR TEAM HAVE A VERY A LOT OF AUTONOMY.
SO THEY DECIDE HOW TO DO THAT, AND THEY USUALLY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH, AS I SAID, WITH THE SCORE SELECTIONS OR LIKE BASED ON WHAT OUR STUDENTS WANT, LIKE THEIR CHOICES, AND SO IT'S ALL THAT STUFF COME TOGETHER, AND USUALLY THAT'S THE AUTONOMY THAT OUR, OUR PRINCIPAL HAVE, BUT FOR US IN THIS YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE OF THE DEFICIT BUDGET. SO WE COULDN'T SEND AS MANY STAFF AS WE WERE ABLE TO SEND IN THE PAST.
[01:15:01]
SO THAT'S ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF INCONVENIENCE IF YOU WILL, ON OUR CAMPUSES, BUT REALLY ALWAYS BEEN UP TO OUR PRINCIPALS AND THEIR TEAMS TO REALLY SELECT THE COURSES AND ALSO THE MASTER SCHEDULE, AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND OUR STUDENT CHOICES FOR WHATEVER THEY WANT TO TAKE IN THE NEXT YEAR, AND PRESIDENT LANDRUM, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SENDING MY QUESTION THROUGH YOU, BUT MY QUESTION IS IS THE CHOICE GUIDED BY MASTER SCHEDULING AND WHAT STUDENTS SELECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.IT'S MASTER SCHEDULE COURSE SELECTION.
AS I SAID, CERTIFICATION PLAYS A BIG ROLE TOO, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S SOME CASES, NOT ALWAYS, IT'S HARD TO FIND THE RIGHT LIKE TEACHER WITH THE RIGHT CERTIFICATION, BUT IT'S REALLY IT'S COMPLICATED.
IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE, BUT AGAIN AND THEN AS FAR AS LIKE OUR BOARD, OBVIOUSLY OUR BOARD APPROVES THE BUDGET, BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE WHY IS IS LEFT TO I'M SORRY, THE HOW IS USUALLY LEFT TO US WORKING WITH OUR PRINCIPALS.
RIGHT, AND WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ENSURING THAT WE ARE SEEING HIGHER CCMR NUMBERS.
EARLY CHILDHOOD IS A BIG THING FOR OUR BOARD, AND THAT'S A BOARD GOAL.
THANK YOU. PRESENTLY, UNDER MY NEXT QUESTION CAN BE DIRECTED AS YOU SEE FIT, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT.
ONE OF THE PIECES OF FEEDBACK I'M SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY IS PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY EDUCATORS, NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN HAVE CAREER FAIRS AND BE HIRING NEW EDUCATORS, BUT THEN ALSO HAVING TO SURPLUS.
SO WHOEVER THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT YOU, CINDY.
SO IT'S A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
STAFFING AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IS INCREDIBLY FLUID.
AZ AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR SPINNING PLATES.
YOU'VE GOT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LEAVING THE DISTRICT.
YOU'VE GOT EMPLOYEES WHO WANT TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER POSITION WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR COMPONENTS RIGHT NOW.
WE ALSO WE'VE INTRODUCED NEW COMPLEXITIES IN OUR OWN SYSTEM BY OUR ROCK TEACH PROGRAM WHERE YOU'VE GOT EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS MOVING TO BECOME TEACHERS, AND THAT CREATES ANOTHER GAP THAT HAS TO BE FILLED.
SO ALL OF THAT TO BE SAID OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD TO PROVIDE CHOICE TO ANY EMPLOYEES ON THEIR CURRENT CAMPUS AND THEN IN A NEARBY CAMPUS, IF THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN VERY MANY OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF JUST THE NATURAL SHIFTS THAT HAPPEN DURING DURING THIS, THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.
I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW WE WERE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE LAST YEAR THROUGH THE HARD WORK OF OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR HR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAYED AT 99% STAFFED FOR TEACHING POSITIONS LAST YEAR. THAT TOOK A LOT OF HARD WORK TO GET TO THAT POINT, AND WE CAN'T REST ON OUR LAURELS WITH THAT.
WE ARE STILL IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE.
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DECLINE EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE TO SEEK CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
SO ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE OPTICS OF THAT AND HOW THAT LOOKS, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
TRUSTEE HARRISON. WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING THE WHY BEHIND THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR FOOT ON THE GAS WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING AND FINDING, YOU KNOW, GREAT TEACHERS. DR.
AZ MENTIONED AS WELL, AND I ALLUDED TO PROGRAM SHIFTS.
WHEN WE INTRODUCE A NEW PROGRAM, WE HAVE TO GO AND FIND SOMEBODY TO TEACH THAT PROGRAM, AND SO OFTENTIMES WE DON'T HAVE THAT PARTICULAR SKILL SET OR CERTIFICATION IN OUR DISTRICT. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GO AND LOOK FOR THAT TALENT, AND THAT NEVER STOPS.
SO WE CONTINUE TO HIRE YEAR ROUND.
I JUST WANT TO ADD. TRUSTEE HARRISON, LIKE, EVEN IF IN A REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR, AND AGAIN, IT'S ACROSS SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME WHAT'S CALLED ENROLLMENT SHIFT, MEANING I COULD BE LET'S LET'S SAY I'M A PRINCIPAL OF AN ELEMENTARY CAMPUS THAT THIS CURRENT YEAR HAVE 100 STUDENTS.
SO I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAVE 100 STUDENTS IN SECOND GRADE.
SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO STAFF OR HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT SECONDARY SECOND GRADE TEACHERS TEACHING THOSE 100 STUDENTS, RIGHT, BUT IF I PROJECT FOR NEXT YEAR, NOW, NEXT YEAR, I'M PROJECTING TO HAVE I ONLY HAVE 80 IN FIRST GRADE AND THOSE 80 EVENTUALLY BECOMING NEXT YEAR, MOVING TO SECOND GRADE AND NOW ONLY 80.
SO NOW WE'RE ONLY GOING TO NEED FOUR TEACHERS INSTEAD OF FIVE, AND SO WHAT WE DO IN THAT CASE IS THAT TEACHER WHO WAS TEACHING SECOND GRADE, WILL HAVE TO FIND HIM OR HER HOME, A NEW HOME THAT COULD BE ANOTHER GRADE LEVEL IF THEY'RE CERTIFIED AND THERE IS A GRADE LEVEL OF POSITION WITHIN THAT CAMPUS, BUT ALSO IT COULD BE WHERE WE
[01:20:10]
HAVE TO MAYBE FIND A NEW HOME AT ANOTHER CAMPUS, BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING THAT TEACHER DID OR NOTHING THAT ANYBODY DID IS REALLY THEIR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.NOW THAT IS DOESN'T CALL FOR FIVE TEACHERS IN SECOND GRADE ANYMORE; IT ONLY CALLS FOR FOUR.
SO EVERY YEAR IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ANNUAL EXERCISE.
SO ROBOTICS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAD 150 STUDENTS THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR ONLY 20 WANTED TO HAVE ROBOTICS.
RIGHT. SO THESE THINGS, AS EDDIE WAS SAYING, THEY ARE ANNUAL EXERCISES BASED ON THE SHIFT IN ENROLLMENT SHIFT AS FAR AS CHOICES AND SELECTION FROM OUR STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT.
THE MAIN THING IS TO WORK WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR STAFF AND TEACHERS, WHOEVER WILL BE IMPACTED MIGHT BE IMPACTED IS TO WORK WITH THEM AND SHOW THEM THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THEY DESERVE.
SO WE TREAT THEM AND MAKE THEM AS A PRIORITY BEFORE WE HIRE SOMEBODY NEW.
THAT SECOND GRADE, WE NEED TO FIND A NEW HOME FOR THAT SECOND GRADE TEACHER.
NOW BEFORE WE BRING IN A NEW PERSON TO ROUND ROCK ISD, AND THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
AS I SAID, THIS YEAR IS EVEN MORE COMPLEX BECAUSE OF THE DEFICIT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PRACTICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, AND AGAIN, IT HAPPENS AT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT AROUND US.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING. CORRECTLY.
YOU ARE GIVING PRIORITY FOR SHIFTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SURPLUS, BUT YOU'RE USING THOSE CAREER FAIRS TO STAFF HARD TO STAFF POSITIONS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO MOVE.
THAT'S CORRECT. OUR TEACHERS, OUR RETURNING TEACHERS ARE RIGHT HERE WITH US.
WE'RE VERY CREATIVE AND WE WORK WITH EMPLOYEES ON SOLUTIONS FOR THAT.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION YOU WANTED TO ANSWER, SIR? HOW WOULD YOU WORK? LET'S SAY I'M A PRIORITY TEACHER IN SECOND GRADE TEACHER. WHAT'S THE PLAN? HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT GETTING ME A NEW HOME? WITHOUT GIVING ALL OF MY SECRETS? NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR IS THAT CONCIERGE SERVICE, RIGHT? EVERYBODY DESERVES A MEETING AND AN EXPLANATION AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT POSSIBLE OPTIONS THERE ARE.
A LOT OF TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT HAVE WORKED AT THAT SAME CAMPUS SINCE THEY CAME HERE, YOU KNOW? SO A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S THAT FEAR OF NOT KNOWING WHAT ANOTHER CAMPUS LOOKS LIKE.
SO WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING IS MAKING SURE, FIRST OF ALL HR IS COLLABORATING WITH BOTH THE SENDING PRINCIPAL AND THE RECEIVING PRINCIPAL AND ANY TYPE OF INTERACTION LIKE THAT, WHERE THERE'S WHERE THERE IS GOING TO BE A TRANSITION, WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A LIKE AN ONBOARDING PROCESS SET UP.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE HANDOFF TO THAT EMPLOYEE, IT MEANS THAT BOTH PRINCIPALS ARE ENGAGED FROM THE GET GO.
WE IDENTIFY AN ASSIGNMENT THAT IT COULD BE A GEOGRAPHIC PREFERENCE SO CLOSE BY A CAMPUS THAT'S CLOSE BY COULD BE CLOSE TO WHERE MY HOUSE IS OR CLOSE TO WHERE MY A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS ARE PARENTS AS WELL, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THOSE OPTIONS AS WELL.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE I SAID, WITH HEALTH INSURANCE, IT'S A VERY INDIVIDUALIZED PROCESS BECAUSE WE LOOK AT EACH SITUATION, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE TEACHER CERTIFICATION, BUT WHAT'S THE EMPLOYEE'S PREFERENCE AND WHAT'S THE BEST FIT FOR THAT EMPLOYEE IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? THANK YOU FOR THAT INSIGHT INTO THAT.
THAT WAS HELPFUL. I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
PRESIDENT LANDRUM MY QUESTION IS, WHAT'S GOING TO BE OUR VISIBILITY INTO HOW THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WENT AND WHAT THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN? SO THE COMMUNITY MEETING WE HAD THEM AND WE ARE WORKING.
I KNOW I'M LOOKING AT ANNIE HERE.
WE WORK ON UNDER WE HAD A WHOLE LIST OF QUESTIONS, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
SO WE ARE GETTING ALL THE ANSWERS, AND OUR GOAL IS TO PUT THAT LIKE PUBLICIZE THAT OR PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT ALSO WE DID TWO VIRTUAL THAT I THINK AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WAS RECORDED.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ALSO POST THAT.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OR? I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT FEEDBACK.
IS THAT GOING TO BE COMPILED AND BROUGHT TO US FROM THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS?
[01:25:02]
SURE. I MEAN, AS I SAID, THERE WERE THERE ARE A LOT OF IT IS LIKE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.SO YEAH, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU AS WELL.
OKA, THAT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW.
MY LAST QUESTION, PRESIDENT LANDRUM MIGHT BE MORE FOR YOU AND TRUSTEE WEIR, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN.
Y'ALL ARE VETERANS. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ON THIS BOARD WHEN CUTS HAVE HAD TO BE MADE.
EVEN WHEN WE GET THE VISIBILITY INTO CUTS, LIKE WHAT IS OUR ROLE? HOW GRANULAR CAN WE BE IN SAYING WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED? SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE NOT BEEN ON A BOARD EITHER WHERE WE'VE HAD TO FACE A BUDGET LIKE THIS.
I THINK THE LAST TIME THAT WE'VE FACED A BUDGET LIKE THIS WAS IN 2010, AND THANK GOD I HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE BOARD SINCE THEN, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOVERNANCE, AND SO THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL BRING HIS BUDGET TO THE BOARD AND THEN WE WILL WE CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, WE WANT MORE TO HONOR WHAT TRUSTEE BONE WAS SAYING EARLIER, WE WANT MORE MONEY SPENT ON EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, ON IN THE CLASSROOM, OR WE WANT MORE MONEY SPENT ON SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE CANNOT SAY, I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO THIS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE LINE ITEM VETO OF A BUDGET THAT'S NOT GIVEN TO US.
WE ARE GOVERNANCE, BUT WE CAN GIVE FEEDBACK AS A BOARD THAT WE COLLECTIVELY WANT TO SEE, AND WHEN THAT PRESENTATION IS GIVEN TO US NEXT WEEK, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, GIVE SOME FEEDBACK. I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE WHOLE SCHEDULE, BUT WE WILL BE GIVING GUIDING PRINCIPLES, AND THEN THEY WILL TELL US HOW THEY'LL MEET THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
MIGHT IT BE HELPFUL IF MARSHA'S AT THIS NEXT MEETING AND OR IF WE CAN ASK HER FOR SOME WRITTEN CLARIFICATION AHEAD OF THE NEXT MEETING, SINCE THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME DOING THIS? YEAH. DO I HAVE ANY CONSENSUS ON THAT? SURE. CAN REACH OUT ON THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FEEDBACK ON THAT? NO, I WAS JUST SAYING I MEAN, EVEN FOR FOR US, I MEAN, I MEAN, I DON'T GET GRANULAR WITH OUR PRINCIPALS EITHER.
LIKE, I DON'T TELL THEM LIKE WHAT TO CUT OR NOT TO CUT.
SO IT'S REALLY A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
THEY WORK TOGETHER AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL.
AGAIN, FOR US, WE GIVE ALLOCATION, GENERAL ALLOCATION, AND THEN WE WORK WITH THEM, TRY TO HELP THEM IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT WE DON'T REALLY DICTATE THE CUTS BECAUSE AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW, AND I THINK I TALKED TO THIS TO OUR COMMUNITY IN ONE OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGS IS LIKE, I OUR CAMPUSES ARE DIFFERENT. THE NEEDS, THE DESIRES THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR ONE CAMPUS MAY DIFFER RIGHT FROM ANOTHER CAMPUS BECAUSE THERE ARE GENERAL NEEDS, THERE ARE GENERAL THINGS WE HAVE TO OFFER, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT MAY BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR WESTWOOD, THAT MAY NOT BE THAT IMPORTANT FOR STONY POINT AND VICE VERSA.
RIGHT, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THEY SERVE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING TO MY RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS.
YOU'RE THE ONLY LIGHT LEFT ON SO TRUSTEE WESTON.
OKAY, SO MY LEVEL OF DISCOMFORT WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET IS INCREASING.
MY LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET IS DECREASING, AND ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, I HAVE TO SAY I'VE GOT SOME REAL ISSUES WITH THE PROCESS. FOR ONE, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT'S MEETING I'VE HAD, I WAS MENTIONING TO SOME PEOPLE TODAY THAT WE HAVE A MEETING.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA. THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SIGNED UP FOR THE DISTRICT CALENDAR.
WE DON'T GET ANY ALERTS. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THESE MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING.
I THINK IF THIS IS GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, CUTTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE BUDGET, THAT NEEDS TO BE THE FACT THAT WHEN THERE ARE BUDGET MEETINGS, I BELIEVE SHOULD BE VERY EASY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THAT AND TO KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELD AND THE FACT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING GIVES ME PAUSE.
SO CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW IF THIS IS THIS, YOU KNOW, FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS AND IT'S THINGS ARE SO BAD, WHY ARE WE HAVING SO FEW MEETINGS ON THE TOPIC? WELL, I CAN ADDRESS THAT.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE SAME NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE HAD LAST SPRING, AND THEN WE CHANGED IT BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING A MEETING JUST TO TALK ABOUT INS OR JUST TO TALK ABOUT FOOD SERVICES, AND SO WE COMBINE THOSE INTO MEETINGS THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR IS WHAT WE STARTED THAT PROCESS, BUT IT'S THE SAME NUMBER OF MEETINGS AS WE HAD LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE I'VE HAD THREE DIFFERENT TRUSTEES AND I'M RELYING ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AFTER FOUR YEARS TELLING ME YOU GUYS ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET NEARLY AS OFTEN AS YOU USUALLY DO, AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
YOU'RE TELLING THAT. SO THE ANSWER IS, THAT'S JUST MY IMAGINATION.
I HAVEN'T GONE BACK AND COUNTED EXACTLY, BUT I DEVELOPED MR.
[01:30:04]
COVINGTON WAS HERE LAST YEAR, DEVELOPED A SCHEDULE.IT WAS SHARED IN FEBRUARY, I BELIEVE, OF EVERY BUDGET FOR THE MEETING FOR THE WHOLE YEAR IT'S BEEN ON OUR CALENDARS, ALIGNED THAT WITH PREVIOUS YEARS AND WHEN WE'VE HAD BUDGET MEETINGS.
SO I HAVEN'T GONE BACK AND ACTUALLY COUNTED TO SAY, YES, WE'VE HAD SEVEN LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE SEVEN THIS YEAR OR WHATNOT, BUT OUR CFO IS ALIGNING IT WITH THE SAME CALENDAR AND SCHEDULES THAT HE'S DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, CAN YOU ASK OR CAN YOU TELL ME I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE CFO HIMSELF.
IF WE'RE HAVING JUST AS MANY MEETINGS AS WE ALWAYS DO ON THE BUDGET.
SO WHY ARE WE, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING TONIGHT, IF APPARENTLY THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO US ON MONDAY, THAT'S IN LIKE FOUR DAYS.
SO WHY ARE WE WHY ARE WE MEETING TONIGHT? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING? THE PURPOSE WAS TO UPDATE YOU FROM THE LAST MEETING.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING. YOUR TIME IS UP.
OKAY. I HAVE MANY MORE QUESTIONS.
I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THIS IS THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE.
YEAH, I THINK MY FELLOW TRUSTEES HAVE ASKED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE ON PRIORITY PLACEMENT, BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT AND I THINK ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS GOING TO BE MORE FOR THE NEXT MEETING WHEN WE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE BUDGET REDUCTION RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO DIRECT MY QUESTION TOWARD, I BELIEVE, DR.
AZAIEZ. AS FAR AS OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS GO, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND EQUITY IN OUR REDUCTIONS, AND JUST MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THOSE ARE HAPPENING AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL, BUT JUST ENSURING THAT OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS ARE ARE STILL RECEIVING EQUITABLE RESOURCES AND COURSES.
YOU KNOW, LIKE OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND THE CAMPUS AND AROUND THE DISTRICT.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT.
RIGHT. SO THEY'LL GET POSITIONS FOR INTERVENTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THAT.
AZAIEZ AS FAR AS THE FAQ GOES.
WILL WE ALSO BE RECEIVING THE EDUCATOR FEEDBACK AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK IN THAT FAQ.
YES, WE WILL COMPILE THEM ALL TOGETHER.
IT WILL BE ONE LONG, I GUESS, DOCUMENT.
THANK YOU. TRUSTEE WEIR ARE YOUR LIGHTS ON NOW? IT IS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR POSTING THE ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS THAT I DID HAVE EARLIER.
I DID WANT TO GO BACK TO OUR BOARD GOALS, THOUGH, AND ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT, ARE WE CUTTING EARLY LITERACY OR ARE WE PUTTING MORE INTO EARLY LITERACY? WE'RE NOT CUTTING ANY.
WE'RE NOT TOUCHING EARLY LITERACY OR EARLY NUMERACY.
SO THAT GOAL ONE AND TWO WON'T BE IMPACTED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THANK YOU SIR, AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO READ AND UNDERSTAND PAGE 17, BUT I AM GOING TO ASK ALSO ARE WE CUTTING CCMR AND FUTURE READINESS WHICH IS OUR GOAL.
IF ANYTHING WE'RE GOING TO SEE OUR DATA GOING UP ACTUALLY BETTER.
YEAH, IT WILL GET BETTER, AND THEN ON GOAL FOUR STUDENT WELL-BEING AGAIN I WAS ABLE TO READ AND UNDERSTAND PAGE 17, BUT I'M JUST WOULD LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE NOT CUTTING ANYTHING INVOLVING STUDENT WELL-BEING.
WE ARE NOT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY TOUCHING OUR ALLOCATION FOR OUR COUNSELORS.
OUR SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE THE SAME NUMBER OF COUNSELORS BASED ON THEIR ROMAN NUMBERS, OBVIOUSLY, AND ALSO THEY WILL STILL CONTINUE HAVING OUR BEHAVIORAL BEHAVIORAL DEPARTMENT WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF COUNSELORS.
SO EVERYTHING WILL REMAIN AS IS OR THE SAME.
SO FOR MY QUESTIONS, FOR OUR PRESENTATION ON MAY 16TH I'M ANTICIPATING SLIDE 16 WILL NOT HAVE ANYTHING RED ON IT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS THE GOAL, AND WE WILL MEET THE GOAL.
ALL RIGHT. PERFECT, AND THEN ON THE 16TH, WILL WE ALSO GET AN UPDATE OF ON FUND BALANCE?
[01:35:06]
WE'RE NOT POSTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR FUND BALANCE LOOKS LIKE TODAY, BUT ON THE 16TH, WILL WE BE TALKING ABOUT THAT AS IT RELATES TO OUR BUDGET? YOUR LIGHT'S NOT ON, AND FUND BALANCE HASN'T CHANGED SINCE JUNE, AND SO IT WOULD BE WHAT WAS IN YOUR CAFR THAT WE PRESENTED.SO NOTHING'S CHANGED SINCE WE'VE REVIEWED THAT.
I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE.
SO I'M GOING TO JUST KIND OF GIVE A PROGRAMMING UPDATE ON WHAT WE ARE TO EXPECT FROM HERE ON OUT.
WE'VE EVEN HAD MEETINGS WITH THE CENTRAL ADMIN.
WE'VE HAD INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS THAT CAMPUSES ARE GOING THROUGH, BUT MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON OUR MAY 16TH REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THAT WILL IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SLIDE 19, THAT WILL INCLUDE FINALIZED RECOMMENDED BUDGET REDUCTIONS.
AGAIN THE WORD RECOMMENDED IS STILL THERE.
THERE YOU GO. THIS KIND OF TALKS ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP ON IT.
ON HOLD BUDGET WORKSHOP THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY THE 30TH.
THAT WAY, IF TRUSTEES HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR REQUEST ANY REVISIONS BASED ON WHAT WE SEE AT THE MAY 16TH MEETING THEN THOSE WILL GO TO BACK TO ADMINISTRATION.
WE'VE MOVED OUR JUNE BOARD MEETING AND OUR DECEMBER BOARD MEETINGS TO TUESDAYS.
THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT TRUSTEES.
YOUR ONLY OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE, GET THOSE QUESTIONS IN.
I ENCOURAGE TO GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
THIS IS BUSINESS MEETINGS SO THAT WE SHOULD COME PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GIVEN TO US.
SO ON THIS COMING MONDAY, YOU'LL GET A DRAFT AGENDA.
YOU'LL GET A DRAFT BUDGET PRESENTATION.
MAKE SURE YOU GO OVER THAT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB, TRUSTEES, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THAT.
FINAL AGENDA FOR THE MAY 16TH AGENDA WILL BE POSTED ON THE MONDAY PRIOR TO THAT, WHICH IS THE 11TH, I BELIEVE.
WHAT IS THAT MONDAY? 13TH. OKAY, THE 13TH, THAT AGENDA WILL POST TO THE PUBLIC ON THE 13TH.
I ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT PRESENTATION WHEN IT POSTS ON THE 13TH.
PERHAPS WE CAN EVEN MAKE A COMMUNITY PUSH TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY AWARE THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS GOING TO BE REVIEWED SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDED REDUCTIONS ARE, BUT THAT'S OUR BUDGET.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, LETTING US KNOW WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW.
I WROTE IT DOWN. I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE THIS IS TOTALLY WHAT TEA WOULD DO FOR US.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THOSE TWO WORDS REALLY GO.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE JUMBO SHRIMP.
AZAIEZ KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THAT TIME FRAME.
SEEING NOTHING ELSE ON OUR AGENDA.
IT IS 7:09 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.