Thread by @WilliamsonStrg

We're back for part 2 of the meeting: new 🧵starts now.

https://twitter.com/WilliamsonStrg/status/1516195409361780741

remember agenda can be found here for Board business: meeting.boeconnect.net/Public/Agenda/…

Now up: Superintendent Golden's report....
thanks those who spoke at public comment. Had detailed discussion at work session about Epic app and curriculum content, encourages everyone to go listen to those discussions (it's available on the WCS board page.)

The comments from parents & teachers emphasizes what you all know: we serve everyone. Our curriculum has a structure in place so parents can opt out if desired. Had to evaluate Epic on how to honor giving parents that same choice.

Option was to give parents to opt their child out of the app, since you can't opt out of particular selections. Kids cannot access the app after 3pm, parents have to subscribe for access after school hours.

These convos will continue and we'll strive to honor parent choice no matter the content. Know we'll have more engaged parents in the next curriculum review cycle. (Traditionally less than 10 parents show up to review during public sessions to do so.)

Brings up the new out of zone format due to new state law, anticipated at least one school would require a lottery system...but we don't need to do it so everyone who replied for out of zone asking for their confirmation of where they want to attend.

Now onto Carol Birdson's student, staff & school spotlights.

Next up: Board chair report from Nancy Garrett. Reminds Board members it's that time of year for lots of celebrations, e.g. Shining Apple awards for volunteers, military-bound graduate celebration, district-wide Fine Arts festival on 5/5, and then graduations.

(this time of year is nuts for Board members, but in the best possible way! So many things most people don't see from the outside.)

D10 member @EricWelchWCS has the mic to speak to the student spotlight to add one more: recognize that anytime a student comes to public comment, no matter what they're saying, they're poised & fearless. couldn't be prouder in this intimidating environment.

"our kids are phenomenal when they come up and tell us what they think."

New biz: approval of out of county tuition rate for county employees is up. 2 months ago, Board passed the county tuition rate - 7th straight year that # had been flat and not gone up. [read: this was discussed and passed in the budget already.]

[this has now become a hot button topic after years of the County Commission saying they would never accept a budget that didn't have this tuition fee in it.]

New reco: reducing it for every year that an employee is with us by 20% every year, after 5 years with @WCSedu it's zero. Intent is the 'proverbial middle ground' to honor the conflicting discussions everyone has had, dating back decades.

Hoping this is a half step towards a deeper discussion next year, when new funding model may make this moot and may no longer be an issue.

Will give us insight about how many staff members want this....every individual matters.

Teachers who have been here 5 or more years will automatically go to zero.

Cleveland clarifies if this is for FSSD teachers too (answer is yes). Some bus drivers have been grandfathered into this policy already - about 5 of them.

SROs (school resource officers) can also use this service since policy says anyone who works in the buildings are covered.

Comes to a Board vote: Passes 11-0.

Next: annual agenda item of approval of facilities use schedule. Vote: 11-0 passes.

Next: 1st reading of a few policies (takes 2 readings to pass.) Report Cards & grading re: pre-AP courses being weighted, Credit reqs for graduation, and zero tolerance offenses policy.

The Founders Classical Charter application will be coming up here next. The charter application review committee has given an overwhelmingly thumbs down to this app as it doesn't meet state standards for public education (as required, given it would receive taxpayer funding.)

If you're unfamiliar with "classical ed" think Christian conservative principles: "The goal of these schools is to provide public school students with education in the liberal arts and sciences as well as receiving training in the principles of moral character and civic virtue."

Golden recommends the Board follows the vote to respect the recommendation of the Charter committee and not approve this charter school. Cash signals in for discussion.

...did a little reading on this over the weekend and found it very interesting. 🧐 Thanks the committee, "feel it could be an alternative for parents, maybe a little more diversity in our curriculum." 🧐🧐🧐

...hopes the founders will come forward and resubmit in 30 days with something more complete. Will abstain from this vote. 🙄

Now D6 rep Jay Galbreath, who was on the review committee, says enjoyed the process. Talks about the process and review rubric, which is specific and doesn't give leeway to personal preference on if you want it or not.

If this is appealed and we look at this again, if we deny again it does to state charter commission if applicant chooses to go that far. They take our recommendations but also look at it by the rubric to see if we analyzed fairly. Will recommend to not approve and follow rec.

D4 Josh Brown: big picture comment on charters: worries this process is going to give the impression that it's predetermined that #charter schools won't be accepted in Williamson County. "I don't want that to be the impression."

So to be clear, Josh Brown supports charter schools that divert taxpayer money away from already underfunded public schools to charter schools. Got it.

"I would not want for people who have shown that this [charter school] can work in other places that we're closed off to this conversation." - Josh Brown.

Elliot Mitchell D3 asks how many members on the committee: answer is 14. Asks how many different areas of school operations were reviewed by the rubric: 3 categories and 30 subsections. Over 300 pages of comments and reviews from 14 members led to reco to not approve app.

Mitchell: how many positive recommendations were there from the 14 members? 1) academics: 11 said did not meet. 3 said partially met. 2) operations; all 14 said did not meet standards. 3) finance: 11 did not meet standards, 1 indicated did meet.

D10 member @EricWelchWCS : speaking to the predetermined outcome of this review and that not wanting to give up the power may or may not be true (re: a Galbreath comment), this definitely is NOT true.

...you can objectively see that as many if not more charter schools have not been successful as those that have, with lots of associated costs and not serving those students and community.

...there's a very clear indication of what the review committee thought of that charter being ready to meet the WCS standard. This isn't about parental choice but taxpayer funding, so an additional level has to be met for Board approval.

Time for a vote: you're voting to approve the committee's recommendation to deny the application. It's a confusing vote. A yes means a no to the application. Vote is 10 yes, with 1 abstain (Cash.)

aka Founders Classical Academy is denied.

Now onto the recommendation to conclude the Discovery K-8 online school (high school will remain open due to having enough demand.)

Only 86 students opted in for next year and we just can't provide this as an option for that few students. Each grade level enrollment ranges from 3 students to 17, and even at 17 that doesn't work b/c you need specific licensures.

It's not a question of marketing or letting families know, it's just enough interest in our community for K-8 levels. There's good interest at high school level where structure is different b/c courses are largely asynchronous.

Board votes to close online K-8 school next year - discussion is ensuing. Cleveland asks if there are placement options for those teachers, Golden made a commitment to find one for all of them.

(sorry, vote hasn't happened yet - that was confusing, apologies...)