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UNEDITED AI Transcript - MPS Policy Committee - May 27, 2025: Otter Voice Meeting Notes

UNEDITED AI Transcript - MPS Policy Committee - May 27, 2025

Minneapolis Documenters48min

Speaker 1

00:00

Print topics such as playgrounds unbalances and the Family Medical Leave Act, and provide update on EDI, given this is the final policy committee meeting before summer break. I'd like to thank, community members, and especially chair, Nara vote for the leadership. I'm especially grateful for the Committee's discussion on the Board's policy. For the year as an influence my team that to prepare relevant information and recommendations accordingly. We will work over the summer to plan with remaining topics and establish a calendar for the rest of the year. Thank you again for. Honorable. My team and I are prepared to address any committee questions tonight, or please document them and provide

Speaker 2

00:44

thank you for the policy reviews. I'll first ask Brian and any staff present to provide an overview of the policy and any forthcoming recommendations. Then we'll take time for committee member questions and discussion. The first review is a policy is of policy 3517, on operation, maintenance and security of buildings and grounds. Our focus will be on the topic of playgrounds. Ryan, please go ahead with the overview of this policy and the regulation relating to playgrounds.

Speaker 3

01:13

Chair Norville and directors, we discussed policy 3517 as an umbrella policy related to the stewardship, safety, security and maintenance of all of our assets, buildings and grounds and so, as noted here, and this is on our list to do revisions. You can see it's a very straightforward two sentence policy which simply says that we should as stewards of taxpayer taxpayer resources. Care for protect our buildings, the regulation that we want to spend a little. Bit more time on relates to some of the work. Work that has been occurred. Ring with students and some of our operations and facilities staff at Ella Baker related to playground equipment. So by way of background for the committee and those here in attendance last year, there was discussion at the board level around standards related to accessibility of our playgrounds. I think to back up even further, MPs is in a fairly unique situation in that we have schools where the playgrounds are owned and operated, constructed and constructed and maintained by us MPs, and we do have some that are property of the park board, and we have shared use agreements where our students then play on that playground becomes the school playground during the school. Hours and then returns back to an open community place. Ground outside of. School hours. So right now, the regulation, and again, as we shared with the student group who came last time, their research and kind of the work that they had been doing falls a little bit more in the domain of regulation, which is our administrative procedures that we enact to adhere to the policies. And so in this instance, the work that they had been doing, and I have my colleague, senior Operations Officer, Tom parent, here to help get in a bit more to the details, was a very particular way to think through the construction of new playgrounds so that there was consideration to accessibility for various students, to ensure that a kid wasn't able to. Wasn't unable to play at a playground while their peers were. Four. So right now, the regulation, as it stands, is this what's projected on the screen, 3517 D, and you will see here that it really is pretty high level and simply kind of falls into categories that each of them are one line only. The regulation that a revision that we're considering making to the regulation is going to be done very much in line with the work that's been happening at Ella Baker. And so while, as we talked about, it may not mean a policy change, per se, it is changing the way that we approach our playgrounds and our state. Standards and. And I think a lot of different reasons why we might want to be thinking through it as a regulation or procedure rather than a policy. And again, among them is it really is describes how we're going to fulfill or enact the policy. So I don't turn it over to senior officer parent to see if there's he wants to add kind of on a bit more detail with regards to the regulation. Thank you, Mr. Strack

Speaker 4

04:23

chair, normal members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to this regulation this evening. I. Um, you know much as Mr. Striker. Laid out a lot of this is about codifying a process and a way for us to approach different playground projects with the same intention and then sort of process that we did at Elle Baker and a couple others this year a. Move a lot of what. The work that we. We've been doing from a staff level with the community and student leaders that have been engaged in this work for the better part of two years, I believe, is really trying to find the right elevation for a lot of this conversation. What's truly policy, what is regulation, and then what is that next level of granularity, which is our standard operating procedures, the really technical piece of. Lot of this because. Of the idiosyncrasies that Mr. Strecker referenced around our playgrounds. One size really fits all for what we do. So being able to stratify out the guidance so that people know how to implement the spirit of it across what can be a very different set of experience, a very different set of conditions at each playground or each site, has been a piece of this. You know, the piece I'll also layer in which has is outside of the realm of the policy committee is a lot of this work is also really intricately linked to our capital. Plan, because some of our math. Master Planning and long range facility planning efforts, funding sources. You know, prioritization of dollars and funding source restrictions really do come into play in how we're able to move the needle for the ways that our playgrounds support our educational programs as well as our community, but having this opportunity with the community group to sort of align those different things and different facets of this overall program to support kids as well. And I think a really we're. Or even less. Us to be on we are working very closely with the community group now for revisions to the regulation that sort of incorporate what we've learned over the last year. And I'm hoping that those get wrapped up in the next week or two, to be able to sort of really launch those and put those out into the world, to make sure that all of our projects for playgrounds going forward mirror sort of that same process with that I will pause for four questions.

Speaker 2

06:40

Thank you. Thank you for that. Um. Committee members, are there any questions or comments?

Speaker 2

06:57

Okay, thank you again for your work on that, and I especially want to thank the community members, especially the students who worked on this, because I know they put a lot. Time into this, and I know they're excited. Partner with you and your team, senior officer, parent and and make sure that our playgrounds are accessible for all of our students. And I think it's been a great learning experience for everyone to learn from both sides and to learn I was here when we were talking about the difference between policy and regulation, and that was being shared with the group when they were at the tail end of our last policy committee meeting. And so I think it's been

Speaker 5

07:37

we do have a question. Sorry, just it just came up. You were, you were because you mentioned the thing. The community people and you mentioned you were talking with them, the head the. Has this been a city wide group, or is this just particularly set in the area of the groups that we were working with, most recently

Speaker 4

07:57

through the chair director Bucha, it is. A lot of the voices in that group have been district wide, otpt staff. So a lot of folks who, again, do work across the full the full city. So our student representation has been, I think, a little more isolated to Ella Baker, so that's been part, part of this conversation. But again, I think the hope is the process that we are codifying through revised regulation is one that actually really does reinforce the role of students and community at a particular site being involved in this from an early. State of the game so. Know whether or not. That engagement happens at the policy and regulation level. It will happen at the site level to speak to sort of the intents of inclusivity in our playgrounds. All

Unknown Speaker

08:45

right. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you.

Speaker 2

08:52

Any other questions or discussion again? Thank you for that, and correct me if I'm wrong. I. I also believe you had mentioned. Um, senior officer, parent, that this was, you're using this as a model on how you're working with how you'll work with other schools in the future, is that, am I recalling that correctly?

Speaker 4

09:14

Chair, absolutely. I think the process that we have used recently, bigger is actually a lot of what's getting written into the regulation as best practices, things we've learned some way to make sure that I. Of the same number and type of voices and enter into a process consistent.

Speaker 2

09:32

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thanks for your work on that. Next we'll do the two regular policy reviews, beginning with policy 3700, on fund balances. Brian, please go ahead with the review. I.

Speaker 3

09:48

Chan. Orville and directives, this is policy 3700 unfund balances. It was first adopted in 1990 and has had several revisions since, and notably just last year, in December of 2020. Four, the board adopted a revision which would incorporate use of the Minnesota school boards, association model, policy template on fund balances. Obviously, this topic and. Think again this sort of. Plain language translation of fund balances is the district savings account. It's a accounts where we have money that we put away, as is noted in the policy. Some are for very specific and restricted reasons. I'll. Others can be very wide open or what are known as unassigned uses. So given that it's one of those policies that makes a lot of sense to use MSBA templates, because then if there are changes at the legislature or any other regulatory and. And bodies. Changes that apply, they will help share with all districts and say these changes you may want to consider because the law has changed. So like most of our policies, it begins with a purpose and a general statement of policy. There's a set of definitions under. Section three. That does talk about the delineation of what it means to be assigned, committed, what non spendable, restricted, unassigned and unrestricted needs. And then it simply walks through a process of how fund balances can be assigned, how much they we must have in the account, and so I will just call the section five right now. The policy is describe. Drives the minimum fund by. Balance of 8% of the district's annual general fund budget, obviously, and I again, do have my expert colleague here, senior officer jiap, to talk a little bit more about this. But I think most of us can recognize that there'd be a wide range of uses for fund balance. In some instances, it's available for emergencies. And there was a time where folks may remember, the legislature did some kind of accounting shift where they delayed payments school. Districts, and a lot of school districts had to then use their fund balance to make payroll until the payments were received. There are obviously very strategic ways in which fund balance can be used, which is something that we have done the last set of years when we had budget shortfalls, we were able to use fund balance in a strategic way. But all of that is to say, without there being a plan to replenish it, once it's spent, it is gone, just like a savings account would be. So at this point, we are not recommending any changes to the policy based on anything happening at the capitol that we're tracking. But with the Chair's permission, I'll turn it over to senior officer. Do you have to talk a little bit more about the policy, and then we can stand for questions.

Speaker 6

12:51

Thank you, Ryan, Chairman, members of the committee, as Ryan said, we've we have a fund balance policy that is at 8% and for the past seven, eight years, we've been keeping it at 8% to remain with what policy. And so given the uncertainties that we are facing at the state level and at the federal level, the state level, we know we have more information as to what is it that we have to plan for for next year and the year after? And we've talked about, we've heard that for next year, the revenue would be flat, so that's the revenue. In the following year, there will be a decrease of $400 million from the education budget. So we know where we stand when it comes to. State, federal, we do not we're monitoring what is coming. We do know that the federal government has a budget right now that was determined by the previous regime, and that. Is their fees. Career starting on October one. Uh, however, the budget after the 2627 would be a entirely designed budget by the current administration. So not knowing all that, I am recommending that we look at our fund balance, because if we look around the neighboring districts, we happen to be one or two districts that have it, have it at 8% which is a high level. And so I would then say, if we can look at our threshold to bring it down, I don't have a number right now, but any money that we would be setting aside, that would be set aside to meet that uncertainty that we're managing.

Speaker 2

14:56

Thank you. Committee members, are there any questions or comments on this policy? I

Unknown Speaker

15:05

director Adamson, go ahead.

Speaker 7

15:08

Thank you. So point 8% is about one month we could go if we weren't getting any money. Is that correct?

Speaker 6

15:14

Yes, the 8% is about six weeks. Six weeks, yes,

Unknown Speaker

15:20

and you're recommending that we lower that

Speaker 6

15:23

the with that the recommendation is, I mean, we've been having that 8% for 10 years here for in this month of May, we have been using fund Balance for these past 10 years to meet the revenue if state aid comes late, when we come with the financial statements, we say that for two months, three months, we haven't seen the revenue. So we pull from fund balance to do that, and once we get the revenue from levy or state aid, we replenish fund balance, but we haven't seen it to that to that level, that being six weeks with six weeks weeks or a government shutdown. We haven't seen that yet, though that's the reason why, one of the reasons why we have a fund balance, this is more in response to the uncertainty that we're looking at, if indeed title is significantly reduced, we're talking about about 50,000,050 4 million that then we would have to make up. So this is an attempt of being prepared, and really should a drastic measure like that take place. Any other questions?

Speaker 8

17:00

Thank you. I guess just follow up to Ken's question with the lowering of the percentage, seems to me like just the opposite, with all the uncertainty that we would either remain at that 8% or go higher. So I guess I'm wanting to understand just a little bit better, because, again, with everything, so I. Unstable, I would think we would at least one hold it steady or higher, if

Speaker 6

17:32

possible. Thank you. Thank you, Director Ellen, that is, that is, and thank you, Director Ellison, I agree. I agree with you. The difference is that if we have it at 8% we are held at 8% so if something happens and we have to draw our fund balance below 8% then it will be a negative impact on us in terms of bond ratings. And if we have it at a level that is comfortable to the board, which would be less than the 8% if we draw to that level, it would not cause a bond rating downgrade. So we have it at eight. So now we have to keep it at eight. If we go down below eight, that's an automatic downgrade. If we have it below eight, then we have that cushion to work with, and that would become then the board policy. That means that would be abiding to the weather, to the board policy.

Speaker 5

18:42

And can I just You said that that if we were to drop it, it wouldn't affect the bond rating

Speaker 6

18:51

chair machine. What I'm saying is that right now, at 8% if we drop below eight, it will impact our money. However, if the board adapts a rate that is less than eight, and this. Stick with that, then we'll be, we'll be, we'll be fine. And if we go because of the new what policy from eight to that level, that's the word policy, okay,

Speaker 5

19:14

yeah, thank you. Deb, yeah, like, thank you. Yeah, the same questions, everyone. So thank you. Appreciate that.

Speaker 2

19:23

Thank you. Yeah, I had the same question. I was curious about that. So, but you mentioned that you you recommend that we lower, but you don't have a number for that.

Speaker 6

19:33

Yes, I don't have a number yet. I'll work to see what number would be adequate and the timing, and then we'll get back to you all,

Speaker 2

19:47

okay, so then thinking about next steps with this policy, if we are to revise this. And change the number. Change that 8% I'm guessing we're in May. We don't have policy committee in June, correct? No, okay, so then this is something that we would maybe look at. I think September. I don't have the calendar meetings in front of me, but I'm thinking either late August or September, the next policy committee meeting is that, would we look at it then I'm trying to think of the timeline, right, like, and when would we vote on this? I guess

Speaker 6

20:30

Yes, Chairman, well, that's, that's, that's a great question. I would say that. We will be going into band reading meetings with our bond rating agencies. That will be in the fall, I would say, to do this after that. So that will be in September or October. I work with Ryan to have those dates, and then I will bring this back to you after that, after we go through the band readings. So

Speaker 2

20:54

nothing, nothing urgent that we need to take care of right away with that number, then no, okay, thank

Speaker 5

21:02

you. Could could either one of you or Ryan? Could you. Tell me has, has? How long have we been at 8% that this was revised? I see it in 2011 and so was, was that part of the revision in 2011 that we changed that? Or has it been at 8% for as long as you've been here? Yes,

Speaker 6

21:23

Chair Bucha, it's been at 8% as no one has been,

Unknown Speaker

21:27

thank you. Applause.

Speaker 2

21:32

Any other questions or comments? No. Thank you. Thank you committee members. Thank you senior officer, dia for that information, and we will await your recommendation that magic number coming in the fall. So next we have looks like our final review is policy four. 016, on Family Medical Leave Act, Ryan, will you please give us an overview of that chair

Speaker 3

22:05

Norville directors, policy 4016, is the regards of the family, Family Medical Leave Act, which is a federal law. This policy was adopted in 2000 and again. Now utilizes the MSBA model template policy because. The nature and content of a policy is so prescribed by law. So in 2022 the board amended the policy to use that template. Like all of our policies, it does have some of the same section, headache, headings. I will note that you know, in large part the. Because so much of this is verbatim from the law, you will note that it is quite a lengthy policy, and spends time to codify the definitions into our own policy. And then, given our status as a school district, there is a specific section on instructional employee. Leads. So of course, there are, there can be state laws that would go further beyond what the federal law might have. And so we're constantly monitoring what's happening at the legislature. And. And if there was something that we would need to come back and amend, we would be able to do that back here through the committee, and we'd be watching for MSBA is notice of an. Such changes. But at this time, until things are completed the capital, I don't think we have any recommendations. And my colleague, senior officer Miller, is here if there are specific. Thanks from the committee members.

Speaker 2

23:39

Thank you, Ryan, committee members, are there any questions or comments on this policy? I.

Speaker 2

23:52

All right, thank you. Seeing no questions. We'll move on our. Final item for this meeting is an update on the equity and diversity impact assessment or etia. I'll invite the staff to please go ahead with the update. After which we will take any questions or discussion.

Speaker 3

24:10

Chair Norville and directors, I'm going to turn it over to my colleagues from Reese. Research, evaluation and assessment to provide updates on EDA, so I'll come to Jordan right to you.

Speaker 9

24:25

Hi, everyone. Chair, nope Policy Committee. I'm. Um, I'm here today to update you briefly on the equity and diversity impact assessment. Um. Um, especially as you won't receive any updates through other avenues for the rest of the school year. The next update will come in August, and so when. And make sure that you were aware of where we're at with both the early literacy trend, early literacy and the transportation I. Um projects, thank you. Um So just starting off with some updates for the transportation and. EDA, that was the study was finished last year. So right now, if you go to the next slide, there are really three phases of an. Diversity impact assessment, that first phase being the study itself. So that's where we're at right now with the early literacy topic. So that will be finishing up shortly. And. And then be going into action planning in this fall, but transportation has been in phase three for this entire school year, and so there'll be two more. School years after this that they'll be in the progress monitoring phase. So these are repeat slides from the last time you were here, so just kind of showing the difference between the two different types of actions that were created. In the Action Planning process. So the short term actions are ones that are completed pretty easily. And so actually, all 12 of the Transportation Studies actions that were considered short term are completed. So the rest of them, the other 17, are that long term action phase. And that, if you go to the next slide, are in the different parts of the implementation science framework. So this has also been included in the strategic plan for exam. So you might be familiar with these different stages, but the exploration really being the still figuring it out in the research period of things, and then once they decided to move. Forward fully with an action. It starts in the installation phase and then ends up in full implementation. So where we're at with the different actions of the transportation action planning document 12, like I said, before of the short term actions were completed, and that was completed before the midterm report. So that was nothing has changed since the last time we spoke. And then in terms of long term actions, only one action has gone from exploration to installation, still, still very similar to before. So 65% of those long term actions still being in the expiration phase, still investigating how to move forward with those whereas the other 35% are in the installation period. And so linked here, and then also uploaded to the documents, as the end of year progress monitoring report for transportation. Like I said, before, only one long term action has changed from the implement exploration stage to the implementation stage, and there are a few updates to these installation actions on the next slide. So in terms of improved communication, actions, a few of the actions have one has changed from exploration to installation. In but a few of those updates are just related to the new technology that's being implemented. Of Tyler technology and executive director Lisa Beck is actually in the audience today. So if we have any questions about any specific updates to actions, we can ask for them, but in terms of the notification of requests. So that new technology, that new app, my ride, is able to handle those new requests. So that is actually happening currently. The initial implementation of this actions happening this summer. So really, by the next time that you all receive updates on the progress of transportation. A lot of the steps will actually move quite a bit forward because of the implementation of this technology this summer and then fully this fall. And then in terms of staffing actions, one of the proposed actions was to re evaluate the overnight positions for the DCC to be able to increase the capacity of daytime staff to handle any inquiries of caregivers during that time. So right now, they're actually preparing the request for proposal for a contracted service to handle the overnight monitoring of services, but with workforce reduction limits workforce reduction, it limits the ability to add a daytime position. Instead, they're having to, like, move people around because of budget cuts, and then it came up during the policy committee meeting last time. So really wanted to make sure that you had access to the communications going out to caregivers about changes in the technology and so linked here, there's the communication plan, all 34 pages of communications that have been drafted that have been sent out and will be sent out up through July, and then that communication toolkit was developed for school. Tools to be able to interface with families about this change and linking them to the new app as well. And then here's the overview of the new technology that's being implemented. So right now, in May, they had already launched the bus request for families for this coming school year and between May and the end, but really ongoing, they'll be gathering feedback from caregivers about the new app, about their experience with the new technology. And so come September, families will be able to continue requesting any changes to their transportation through that new app. My ride. Yeah, and like I said before, once we get to the questions portion, if anything specific is for transportation, I'm glad that we have Lisa back here today to be able to bring that content expertise and then just a quick update on the K through 33 early literacy, Equity and Diversity impact assessment. So as a reminder, these were the evaluation questions that were created by our committee to be able to answer the guiding question, to what extent are MPs early literacy practices outlined in MPs policy. 6121 equitable for all students, regardless of identity. So in four data collection methods, we were able to do a school principal focus group with 34 principals. So out of the 41 applicable k3 principals, but 83% we were able to include in our focus groups. We did a teacher survey, and so we had 291 responses, 248 of which were general. Education teachers, and only 27 of which were special education resource teachers or self contained teachers. And so we'll be including that in the report of some limitations to the study itself and some recommendations that we have moving forward. And one of the recommendations that we have is to be able to further study any impacts of early literacy practices on special education staff as well as students receiving special education, in terms of the caregiver survey. So we mentioned it last time. It was still open. At that point, we had 1922 caregivers respond to the survey, and they were able to respond for each of their students that were in kindergarten through third grade. So the survey itself represented 2366 students. And through the survey we did. Didn't have great representation of the students at MPs across various demographics, across services that students receive. And so in addition to the survey, we also did caregiver interviews, and so part of that was going in person to school based events and district wide events to interview caregivers about their experience. We also gave caregivers the option if they wanted to sign up for an interview. We interviewed them as well, but really a lot of the caregivers that we were able to interview came out of phone banking that we ended up doing. So this was a new we were testing a new way to collect data from caregivers, and so we went through and pulled a sample of caregivers from different schools that we hadn't heard from, specifically non white caregivers, because that was the over representation in the caregiver survey. And also looking at towards the end of our phone banking, focusing on caregivers of students receiving special education services. So you're able to interview 134 caregivers from the in person interviewing as well as the phone banking, which represented 176

Speaker 9

34:21

Students. And then, in addition to the caregiver interviews and surveys, we also did focus groups with k3 reading interventionists 34 we were able to do focus groups with out of 48 so about 71% of reading interventionists. And then we did a few district. And leadership interviews with relevant staff at the district level. So I just want to share a few lessons learned from the filmmaking that we did with families so it allowed us to connect with caregivers that we. You weren't able to connect with that in person events that may have not filled out the survey, and so we were able to get a lot of in depth information about caregivers, experiences and. Um, we also learned from that that many caregivers phone numbers were out of service. So I just give my phone calling statistics for an. Sample, but I, over the course of a couple of days, were able to call 93 families. I was able. To interview successfully 26 of those families, so I had a 28% success rate. My colleague Taylor, who called many families as well, had a 26% success rate. So 226, 28 is pretty similar there, meaning that. But if we were to replicate this, if we wanted to hear from five families, for example, we'd have to call about four times as many families to get that i The 93 families that I called, 35% just didn't answer the phone. Totally understandable, but I did leave my number in case. Folks wanted to call back at a later time, but 35% were actually disconnected or out of service. So at the 93 families, about 33 of those members were disconnected. So that was really interesting. We're actually going to go back to talk with the engagement team about like, again, these lessons learned, but also, what do. You do with this information, knowing that so many families phone numbers were out of service, and then just out of those 93 families, just a handful didn't want to participate, actually, almost every single family that picked up the phone, I was able. To interview. So that was really great. And then just a couple needed some translations. But out of the 136 caregivers that we talked to, and the 176 of. Students represented by that we were able to also connect with families in Hmong Somali and Spanish as well, to get more perspectives involved. And then just this last little bit here takes a lot of resources, like I said, if we want to. Get a hold of five families, having to call 20. But the information I received was really deep, and so we were able to add a lot to the study, and then the findings creation from that as well. So the next steps for the early literacy I. A edia is that the final report, which can be upwards of 80 plus pages, as well as the executive summaries of those and the recommendations that our committee is creating, which, right now our EDA EDI, a committee meeting is happening, so we are jumping between the two, but they are actively creating recommendations based. On the findings that we presented to them next week. So all of that will be available by the end of June, and we'll post it publicly on our website, so that will be available then, but we won't have a chance to reconnect with you all until the next school year, so as I was accessed and won't be here for this next year, and my colleague and supervisor, Sarah is also departing the district. And my colleague Sarah, or just colleague Taylor, who is an evaluation specialist, also an Rea, will likely be the one presenting the findings in August, though I'm happy to come back and also share my insight at that time, if welcome so. And then the transportation EIA, like I said, before the next Progress monitoring report will be available mid next year, so sometime around January. And because of the implementation of the technology, there are likely to be a lot more changes to the action plan at that point than there has been in the last few months.

Unknown Speaker

39:01

So with that,

Speaker 9

39:03

any questions about either the early literacy, EIA or the transportation? EDA, thank you very

Speaker 2

39:09

much. Committee members. Are there any questions or questions or comments on this presentation? I. Director, Allison, please go ahead.

Speaker 7

39:21

Thank you. I'm looking at the my ride, and we seem to rely a lot on parents and putting information on that and going there to get information we currently use. Here comes the bus. Do we know the percentage of families that are using that like I just want to make sure that we're reaching families. Yes,

Speaker 10

39:43

absolutely. And we're very concerned about as well, because it's really kind of the important. Sorry, chair, normal committee members. Very good question. We're concerned as well. So we actually have a very good sign up on synovia using Sonova. Our current here comes. The bus. Is not quite as popular because it's not very functional. The my ride, you'll see, if you look at our communication plan, that that is really something we hit heavy, heavily, heavily with the schools. We say you work if you help us get them signed up. Right now, my ride is doubling. People have logged in each day, so that's pretty good. The reason it's delayed is because if there's no information, there's nothing really to entice them in where summer school is showing data they can register their. We're having very few kickbacks if I'm having problems, which is good. We've sent toolkits for anyone that will take them all the schools of here's how you can promote my ride. We've also been going out to and to any PAC meeting that we can get on the agenda any neighborhood organization. So if from now until the time school starts, it will be an ongoing and the great thing is, my ride will show them an ETA to their bus stop versus like it'll let you know when it's in the neighborhood right now. So it should really change the course of the accuracy, good or bad, but the parent will know exactly what's

Speaker 7

41:04

going on. Can you share some information with board members? Because we need. The families left, and just we have that information. Any other questions or comments?

Speaker 8

41:19

Director Kelly me, thank you. Just a couple questions, one being the number of phone numbers that were out of order. I guess my question, I don't know if it would be from staff here or if it would be placement. Yeah, but how often do we ask parents to update information, to make sure that we have at least contact information for parents? Because I would imagine, in emergencies, even we want to make sure we have good numbers before that emergency take place.

Speaker 3

41:52

Chair Norville and director. I mean, this is a great question. I know that probably on lots of folks minds. I think part of what we're seeing. Seeing when it's when it's disconnected, is likely that a new number hasn't been updated the system. And so we have several things that we work on, and I think this is a good lesson that we need to continue being more creative and think of different ways, because, to your point, that should be the same information. So the source data that we got these numbers. From come out of our student information system campus, which is also the same place schools should be looking to and they need to make a call for an emergency. I think we are aware that sometimes schools may have a separate system where they're looking at papers that families who come in for, like the back to school night or whatever will fill out on a piece of paper, and so we're working hard with our team to make sure that everyone under. Stands, we have to have that input into one system, so that no matter who's looking at it, if someone's out or someone's sick or not able to get to it, we have the right information. And then we probably need to think about different ways. One idea that executive director Belcher has been considering is some sort of like equivalent of the. Emergency test system, where we basically say, for weeks and weeks and weeks on this day, at this time, we're going to text everybody, if you don't get this thing like you need to update your information, or some way of making sure people know how important it is. So would love feedback from what you hear from families or other ideas. I just had someone message that. Here's another option to consider. So we welcome because it is really critical, not not only just for the ways we get information from families, but because we use that as a single source. When we have a communication that goes to a school where we want to tell them about something that's happened, that's the. Information we use. It's the contact information that we email. So for sure, it's it's critical, and it's something that we all need to do. And if we have any campaigns or efforts, we'll be sure to make sure board members can be a part of that. Because I think sometimes it's you. I don't know if I don't know. I put an email in there when I signed my kid up for school eight years ago, and I just haven't thought about it, and just need a nudge to get it updated.

Speaker 8

44:07

Then my second question would be on the app, the transportation app, if the family in the family that's co parent is he, does the app allow you to put it on multiple communication points? If I am a family that has co parents or

Speaker 10

44:24

chair Nova community, yes, it does. And as well, I was tossing the fun stuff too, it can actually track if your kid has three different schedules, it will show you all three schedules. So it doesn't pick and choose what it lets you know. But yes, you can do multiples, and you know, when the kids older, I would imagine the child would also have it, have them themselves on their own phone, as you need to. Thank you.

Speaker 2

44:51

Any other questions? No. Thank you committee members, and thank you for staff for that presentation. I had a couple of similar questions, and I just wanted I have a clarifying question then. So with my ride, it it is, is it up and running, or people can just sign up for it? Because I feel like I heard that, like they wouldn't actually be using it until fall, right? Is there, or is there something in the interim right now, like

Speaker 10

45:19

or chair Nolan or, well, we're doing a two fold right so until your child, you can enter your child, and they can register on my right so now I can communicate with you if I want. So they're not going to be able to see anything unless their kids, unless their student, is in summer school right now, because we don't have fall inter yet. But what we're trying to do is, each month, go hey, you know, and send little promotional sentences to them, to so that they can see that we do have it. We know they're out there, and trying to get them to sign up for the things we need to for fall. You know, did you send in your you know, here's how you can here's the transportation request. Fill it out, send it directly to us. So we're trying to keep engaged, even though they can't see any data on where their students located

Speaker 2

46:02

yet, so fully up and running for fall. Is that? Okay? Yes. Wanted to make sure about that. And then I just wanted to reiterate what Director elamine said about those disconnected phones and and thank you for that information about because one of my questions was, is everybody using the same database like what the schools have? And then what you guys have, and then you've got emergency contacts and all of that in there. But thank you for trying that. Think like thank you for doing that and for trying to do the phone banking that's not easy to do, and you do get a lot of rejection people don't want. On the phone anymore, but thank you for doing that and the work on that so, and thanks for the presentation. And I'll pause any more questions or comments. Yeah,

Speaker 5

46:47

I just got just a comment. First of all, I noticed is that there. Difficult time for the two of you, but you know, thank you so much for not just this, for for the entire time that you've been here, we just really appreciate hearing from you and just really seeing all the work that you have done. And again, this is. One of those situations where I think words, it can do enough, but we really, just really do appreciate everything that we've done for our students here. It's really meant a lot. It's been it's been effective, and we've noticed it so and also to you, thank you again for another year of your leadership. And guidance on this committee, and keeping the rest of us informed as to what's going on here in the policies, and getting our input on this and then putting it all together and keeping this thing moving. So it's been great working with you here doing this part. So thank you so much. Well, that

Speaker 2

47:41

concludes our agenda for this evening. So as noted earlier, this was our final scheduled committee meeting of the school year. I'd like to thank my colleagues on the committee staff who've joined us here during our meetings, and those who work on policy. And it is, I'm going to go off script for a second, but just as chair Bucha mentioned, it is, it's bittersweet, because you all have done such great work. And I know it's not just two of you. There are other people and who will not be here next year. And we appreciate the work that you've done. We appreciate you showing up here, showing up for our students, advocating for them and and you will be greatly missed. So thank you for all of that, our next planned meeting will be held on August, 26 without objection, I will now adjourn this meeting. Good night, everyone. Do.

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