Thread by @PPSSFBoardWatch

Afternoon everyone! Jessi again & today at #BoardWatch we have a special guest, none other than Bernie Sanders! He has a special message, asking you all to become PPS-SF Parent Ambassadors! Learn more here or ask us about it ppssf.org/news/2020/4/1/… #BoardWatch

Here's the link to todays agenda go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board… #BoardWatch

Today there are no action items but 3 informational items to be looked at. And information items 2 & 3 will be bundled together into one presentation #BoardWatch

We will be starting from the third slide on this presentation drive.google.com/file/d/1cZ75lI… #BoardWatch

We will now be taking public comment on the calendar schedule which is below #BoardWatch

There were no hands for public comment. The next regularly scheduled budget & business services meeting will be on Feb 3rd at 4 PM #BoardWatch

We are moving into the second information item which is the update of school reopening, here's the presentation go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board… #BoardWatch

Community members wanted to keep this as a standing item so the board is listening and honoring that #BoardWatch

There was information shared two days ago at the Committee of the Whole Meeting and this will be those same updates because not much has changed since then #BoardWatch

Money that has been raised for covid-19 response fund. Some funds are flexible, some are not #BoardWatch

Anticipate potentially spending up to $13 million for opening the first three waves. That cost will continue to increase with each wave that we re-open. This cost is for custodians, extra teachers, maintaining facilities, smaller class sizes, etc. #BoardWatch

Here's the link to the next presentation go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board… #BoardWatch

#BoardWatch

New funding could be coming SFUSD's way with $ from the state and a potential other stimulus bill #BoardWatch

California's economy is doing better than originally projected. The state is anticipating to be able to climb out of the recession. The red bar showing the income tax, does show a significant increase compared to projections #BoardWatch

Prop 98 funding is going up which results in overall increase in per pupil funding #BoardWatch

Good news paired with bad news. The state will have its own structural deficit. It will shift things fast from a surplus in 2021-2022 to a deficit in 2022-2023 #BoardWatch

Basically it's temporary good news and we will have to be careful in 2022-2023 #BoardWatch

Fun Fact: I just learned that COLA stands for cost of living adjustment #BoardWatch

Good news! If we clear these hurdles by mid-February then there will be $450 per ADA. Bad news! These are big hurdles and its a short time frame #BoardWatch

Good news again! If the these specifications are met later on then there is a still possibility of some $. Basically the grant gets smaller as time goes on #BoardWatch

One of the conditions for receiving these funds, the district has to reopen if the new case rate falls below a certain amount. If the case rate is above that level, they can still apply and receive funding but they have to re-open once the new case rate falls again #BoardWatch

People will be hearing big money amounts, but those are for opportunities that we have not accounted for yet. Those will not off-set our current deficit #BoardWatch

That Stimulus Funding! Fewer ties than some of the other funds received. These can be applied to the deficit. As usual, a balancing act between covering the deficit and new costs. This is a one time funding source #BoardWatch

This is TBD, but it could happen #BoardWatch

Things are changing all the time, they will try to keep people updated as it happens #BoardWatch

Commissioners can ask clarifying questions, then public comment, and then discussion #BoardWatch

The TBD stimulus $ proposed by President Biden would be one time funding but it could be available over a span of 2-3 years #BoardWatch

SFUSD is doing different waves for re-opening. For the Safe Start funding, our wave structure is a bit different than the grant and our dates don't line up with the first round of funding. We could still get funding but it would be reduced #BoardWatch

Sorry all! The funding is called Safe Schools for All #BoardWatch

This funding might also be reshaped because it has received a fair amount of criticism from superintendents of large school districts #BoardWatch

Here's an article that looks at Safe Schools For All a bit more edsource.org/2021/quick-gui… #BoardWatch

We are going into public comment and then discussion #BoardWatch

There are no hands! #BoardWatch

How does prop J/G affect things moving forward #BoardWatch

If Prop J had not passed then they would have had to cut some salaries, rainy day reserve was being used for those salaries. But no worries it passed! #BoardWatch

Some discussions need to be had about revisiting some elements of J/G, G was supposed to bring in 50 million and J brings in 48 million #BoardWatch

Likely a couple years away from a resolution to the litigation, unless there is not appeal to the state court. Bottom Line: a favorable resolution to the litigation would unlock 50 million in revenues and 26 million claimed for replaying city & counties eraf funds #BoardWatch

We would get 124 million from the unlocked funds and that would cost the first three years of Prop G. The uses of those dollars would be restricted to the original usage: tech, improving compensation, under-served schools, charter schools. #BoardWatch

SFUSD is in a structural deficit. Pre-covid19, they were still on this same path. Bottom Line: Need to get house in order and spend within means. Want to do zero-based budgeting path, it will make things easier #BoardWatch

It would be difficult to move away from difficult choices. Good in the long run to make difficult choices to ease into a more sustainable path. The motto should be be careful and let's be sustainable #BoardWatch

Commissioner @FaauugaMoliga how will zero-based budgeting help? What cost saving will we see? #BoardWatch

Zero-based budgeting is a framework, hoping it will position things for a good conversation and how to be strategic. Supporting focal students and preparing to address learning loss over this last year #BoardWatch

Ideally want to bring in more money and not cut services. Looking at Medical, it could be a place of additional funding #BoardWatch

Prop 15 was a big disappointment that it didn't pass, but glimmer of another proposal. This would be a millionaires tax, another progressive tier of income taxes. Similar to the magnitude of Prop 15, held to the side for this last cycle. It might be dusted off for a future cycle

Keeping our eyes on that proposal 👀 #BoardWatch

@mattalexandersf we need a clear strategy for revenue. If we aren't clear about our needs and the work we are already doing, fearful that someone else might determine what those needs are #BoardWatch

Everyone wants to know what thing they are buying, but with a school district, there's a deficit just to keep doors open by paying teachers. Prop 15 at the state level would have been very helpful #BoardWatch

Asking millionaires and billionaires is great but who knows if there will be specifications we have to meet #BoardWatch

Commissioner @marksanchezsf making it clear that other states spend more per pupil and prop 15 could have made that happen, but then it didn't pass #BoardWatch

There is now a democratic controlled congress, it will be interesting to see what happens during the next budget cycle and how that affects Title 1 funding #BoardWatch

Commissioner @mattalexandersf There's a need of direct aid to families because of the economic crisis. Teachers have been giving their own money & schools have been raising money w/ the help of CBO's & non-profits. What can we do as a district to show we support families?

It doesn't have to be a lot but a something like a gift card for toiletries could make a difference #BoardWatch

See what we can do going forward. One thing we would caution is there was a specific emphasis on bridging the digital divide. Most of that $10 m was a few very significant donations. Have to be careful of repurposing #BoardWatch

Also well aware that UESF conducted a significant campaign in the spring to raise money to support families who were not eligible for support from the CARES act due to documentation status says @myongleigh #BoardWatch

Now onto the next item... The next meeting of this committee is in 2 weeks and will be previewing district's budget development process. This will be a review of how the two primary resource allocation methods work says Anne Marie Gordon, SFUSD ED of Budget #BoardWatch

This image is not to scale, but shows and overview of "both sides" of the budget: site-based budgets and MTSS/central supports (MTSS=multi-tiered systems of support)- sites don't have much choice on the allocations on the right, but do have choice in implementation. #BoardWatch

This is an overview of WSF and what the "weights are" in SFUSD's Weighted Student Formula (these vary from district to district). #BoardWatch

This slide is an example of "baseline" WSF funding for a school. This comes to school in dollars not positions, but must be enough to meet this baseline. WSF doesn't start with baseline, in ideal scenario, it will cover the baseline (and likely more)#BoardWatch

Whoops! forgot the slide. Here it is. #BoardWatch

Enough about WSF, now onto MTSS. Each school is assigned a tier based on a variety of factors (data). A big chart is created each year that shows tiers for each school. This informs additional instructional and emotional supports based on tier. #BoardWatch

Schools do have some choice in selecting from a "menu" of supports based on level (eg, ES, MS, HS,) and tier. EG- a school could choose n IRF or a Lit coach if in tier 2 at any level per chart attached. This system was reworked last year. #BoardWatch

Some thoughts for future inquiry... #BoardWatch

Public comment: nervous that we are moving into site budgets without having some of the follow up discussed last year going into this process. Like staffing levels we can compare across years at schools sites. #BoardWatch

Comment continued: seems like tier 2 is getting a little more supports and tier 3 is getting cut. Need to look at schools side by side and understand the impact of these changes. Reminding about convo last year re having a social worker at each site which would add 17 FTEs.

Public Comment: mother of 2nd grader and Kinder and decreasing the distance member says they are having convos with funders about what district needs for safe reopening. Have been told it is not a money problem. Urge more transparency #BoardWatch

That is all the public comment. Chair Lam asks what input is sought from committee members. Gordon says the approach will be stability, certainty, want to know what questions commissioners have to make sure we have info needed for you to make decisions through the budget process.

Commissioner @mattalexandersf appreciates the graphic about centralized vs decentralized. Thinks it should be more about which things should be centralized, and which should not. Guardrails/boundaries vs space for autonomy. #BoardWatch

Hear from principals all the time that it feels like something is being done to them, rather than with them regarding the budget (eg build up a great program, than all of a sudden the staff is cut). Would love to think about this with current principles #BoardWatch

.@mattalexandersf notes that SFUSD appears to be on the lower end of districts in terms of % of budget spent on WSF, think principals would like to see more go to WSF. #BoardWatch

It would be great to be able to tell kids that we won't cut staff even if they have lost enrollment due to COVID. That is going to be a huge impact on schools. Even if it seems right from a formula perspective, will create instability says @mattalexandersf #BoardWatch

Gordon says already working with EPC to model/project what it might look like. Leigh, notes that changes in the fall, which are usually based on changes in actual vs projected enrollment, have been moderated in recent years. Last fall held every school budget stable. #BoardWatch

Commissioner @FaauugaMoliga notes that @myongleigh is first to pronounce his name "perfectly" 👏 #BoardWatch

Moliga notes that flexibility will be extremely important this spring. Leigh notes that they are in a sprint right now to develop plan re learning recovery. Have about $39M from state for learning recovery, and going to ask city and county for money too. #BoardWatch

Commissioner @marksanchezsf , who was also a school principal, agrees with @mattalexandersf about moving towards more decentralized budget. Has question about WSF weight for "incoming proficiency"- notes there is no data on proficiency for incoming kindergartners. #BoardWatch

CFO Wallace @MeghanW33046642 talks about how there will be an effort to align the budget to the board's identified priorities and can think about how to implement priorities through the weights. #BoardWatch

Commissioner @jennyhlam is excited possible adjustments to WSF to follow the student over time. Also focused on the district's financial sustainability. Carries experiences from OUSD and CCSF. #BoardWatch

Wallace reaffirms importance of the shift to zero-based budgeting. Might not feel good, will have to make hard decisions, but at least we will know we have really evaluated what should stay, and what is OK to go. For things that are not OK to go, need to advocate to city, etc.

Wallace: it is important to keep having these discussions, make sure we have common language, question assumptions. #BoardWatch

Chair @jennyhlam adjourns. The next meeting is Feb 3. Good night!

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