Jan 27, 2026 Board Meeting

[00:00:03]

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER AND I'LL TAKE ROLL CALL.

[2. ROLL CALL-6:31 pm (ALL TIMES ARE ESTIMATED)]

PRESENT. DIRECTOR GERRARD. PRESENT. DIRECTOR CHASE IS UNABLE TO BE HERE.

AND I'M DIRECTOR KATIMS. SO WE HAVE A QUORUM FOR THIS EVENING.

AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL OF OUR STUDENT ADVISORS TONIGHT.

WELCOME. AND I'LL ASK DOCTOR MINER TO DO THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-6:32 pm]

WE RESPECT THEIR SOVEREIGNTY, THEIR RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION, AND WE HONOR THEIR SACRED SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS WITH THE LAND AND WATER BY ACKNOWLEDGING THESE HOMELANDS, WE COMMIT TO WORKING WITH TRIBAL NATIONS TO FURTHER THE EDUCATION AIMS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU. NOW, IF EVERYBODY WILL RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE FLAG SALUTE.

[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:33 pm]

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA-6:34 pm]

DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS PRESENTED? YES. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED. NEXT DOCTOR MINER IS YOUR SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.

[6. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-6:35 pm]

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING MORE THAN $16 BILLION.

ADDITIONALLY, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SUPPORT 1.1 MILLION STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.

SO THAT'S GLOBALLY. AND THAT'S INCLUDED IN OUR GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION.

I WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT OUR BOARD A LITTLE BIT.

I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH A BOARD, NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A BOARD BEFORE WHO HAVE SO MUCH EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THEIR BACKGROUNDS.

I DID A LITTLE BIT OF QUICK MATH, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN 90 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND FROM ADMINISTRATION TEACHING LIBRARIANS.

SO THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING. AND IF YOU ADD YOUR BOARD EXPERIENCE, WE'RE WERE WELL OVER 100 YEARS.

AND I THINK THAT'S REMARKABLE TO HAVE A BOARD WHO IS SO STEEPED IN THE WORK OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

ADDITIONALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY YOU HAVE MAINTAINED A LASER LIKE FOCUS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, INCLUDING GRADUATION, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THAT BY NOT BEING DISTRACTED, BUT KEEPING OUR FOCUS ON THE MISSION OF STUDENTS.

AND THAT INCLUDES ALSO YOU KNOW, KEEPING YOUR EYE ON STUDENTS AND WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS.

WE'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. SOMETIMES THE CHOICES ARE FEEL IMPOSSIBLE, AND THEY'RE DIFFICULT NO MATTER WHAT CHOICE IS MADE, ESPECIALLY IN BUDGETING. BUT YOU, AGAIN, HAVE ALWAYS KEPT STUDENTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THAT. YOU'VE HAD WELL DESERVED BOARD OF DISTINCTION THREE YEARS IN A ROW, AND THAT IS ALSO REMARKABLE. SO I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMITMENTS, AND I'D LOVE IT IF WE COULD EXTEND THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEIR SERVICE.

THANK YOU THAT WAS UNANTICIPATED [LAUGHTER]. NOT KNOWING.

BUT I APPRECIATE OUR ENTIRE BOARD AS WELL AS OUR STUDENT ADVISORS.

IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE AND ALL OF YOUR VOICES, EVERYBODY'S IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SO APPRECIATION GOES AROUND EVERYWHERE. THANK YOU.

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-6:45 pm]

ONE FROM THE JANUARY 13TH SPECIAL MEETING. THAT WAS A STUDY SESSION ON OUR WITH OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

AND ONE IS OUR REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING ON JANUARY 13TH.

DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE THREE SETS OF MINUTES FROM JANUARY 13TH? MOVE TO APPROVE. I SECOND. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? HEARING NONE THE JANUARY. THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 13TH SPECIAL MEETING EXECUTIVE, SPECIAL.

[00:05:04]

NEXT WE HAVE OUR IS THE TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AND.

[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS-6:50 pm]

THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENTS IS FOR THOSE INTERESTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, OR SPECIFIC WORK WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THIS ISN'T A TIME FOR THE AUDIENCE TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER.

ALSO, AS DOCUMENTED BY BOARD POLICY, THE BOARD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CHALLENGES THAT ARE MADE DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND THE BOARD'S SILENCE WILL NOT SIGNAL AGREEMENT, DISAGREEMENT, OR ENDORSEMENT OF THE SPEAKER'S REMARKS.

PEOPLE MAY SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS EITHER BY READING YOUR COMMENT ALOUD IN PERSON OR BY SUBMITTING YOUR COMMENT IN WRITING.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS TONIGHT IN WRITING.

THE BOARD READS ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS AND THEY ARE LATER ATTACHED TO THE MEETING AGENDA AND POSTED ON THE BOARD DOCS WEBSITE.

WHEN YOU PRESENT YOUR COMMENT IN PERSON, PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE, YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE DISTRICT, AND THE AGENDA ITEM OR SCHOOL DISTRICT TOPIC THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING TONIGHT.

PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. A TIMER WILL BE RUNNING SO THAT YOU CAN MONITOR YOUR TIME AT THE THREE-MINUTE MARK THE MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED.

PLEASE MAKE YOUR STATEMENT IN A CIVIL MANNER, WITHOUT DISPARAGING NAME CALLING OR OTHERWISE TARGETING ANY ONE PERSON OR GROUP IN THE DISTRICT. IF ANY PERSON MAKES AN UNCIVIL COMMENT, THE BOARD PRESIDENT OR BOARD MEMBER CONDUCTING THE MEETING WILL DIRECT THE MICROPHONE TO BE MUTED AND YOUR COMMENT WILL BE ENDED REGARDLESS OF THE TIME LEFT ON THE TIMER.

THE DESCRIPTION OF AN UNCIVIL COMMENT IS STATED IN OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 1400, AND IS INCLUDED IN THE INFORMATION ON THE TABLE WHERE YOU SIGNED IN.

PLEASE USE GOOD JUDGMENT IN THE PHRASING AND CONTENT OF YOUR COMMENT.

RELEVANT, RELEVANT ITEMS MENTIONED IN COMMENTS ARE TYPICALLY NOT ACTED UPON BY THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, BUT MAY BE FOLLOWED UP BY THE BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OR STAFF AT A LATER TIME.

THE BOARD ALSO ACCEPTS COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME THROUGH EMAIL.

WE READ EVERY EMAIL AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT IT TAKES.

FOR THOSE WHO WRITE THEM, COMMENTS ARE MADE FROM THE PODIUM OVER THERE.

AND TONIGHT'S FIRST SPEAKER. IS.

SARAH CARLTON SANTOS.

ALL RIGHT. HI MY NAME IS SARAH CARLTON SANTOS.

I'M IN LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON, AND I'M A PARENT OF FOUR CHILDREN IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'M HERE TO DISCUSS SCHOOL SAFETY. THIS IS A LETTER I WROTE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2024. MY DAUGHTER IS HAVING TROUBLE AT HER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEAR MEADOWDALE PLAYFIELD.

SHE HAS BEEN SEEING THE LEARNING SUPPORT TEACHER FOR HELP FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

IN DECEMBER 2022, HER CLASSROOM, A PARAEDUCATOR, THE LEARNING SUPPORT TEACHER AND THE PRINCIPAL MET WITH ME FOR AN IEP MEETING.

AT THAT MEETING, I TOLD THEM MY DAUGHTER FELT EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE AND SHE WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT HOW THE TEACHER WAS TOUCHING GIRLS IN THE CLASS.

THIS SPECIAL ED TEACHER TOLD ME THAT MY DAUGHTER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON.

MY DAUGHTER WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS TEACHER IN GROUPS OR ALONE IN THE CLASSROOM.

SHE HAS TOLD ME HOW OFTEN SHE WAS ALONE WITH HIM, WITH THE LIGHTS OUT AND THE DOORS CLOSED.

THE PAST SCHOOL YEAR, MY DAUGHTER HAS ASKED ME REPEATEDLY TO BE TAKEN OUT OF TEACHERS GROUPS.

SHE TOLD ME HE TOOK PHOTOS OF HER ON HIS PHONE TO SEND TO ME.

I NEVER RECEIVED ONE PICTURE, NOT ONE. I AM VERY UPSET AND I WANT MY DAUGHTER PROTECTED.

I CALLED THE PRINCIPAL RIGHT AWAY AND HE ASKED HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON AND ON IN THE CLASSROOM.

[00:10:05]

TOWARD THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I CONTACTED THE PRINCIPAL AGAIN, AND HE SAID THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED AND THAT THIS TEACHER WAS A GOOD TEACHER.

DURING THIS TIME, I WENT TO THE LYNNWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I FILED A REPORT.

I HAVE HEARD EYEWITNESSES AND OTHER PARENTS HAVE TALKED TO THE DETECTIVES TOO.

SINCE MY DAUGHTER TALKED TO THE POLICE, SHE HAS OPENED UP A LOT MORE THINGS THAT THIS TEACHER HAS DONE.

MY TEACHER, MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME MANY DAYS. HE SITS WITH HER VERY CLOSE.

HE LEANS IN AND RUBS HER BACK. SHE TOLD ME THAT HIS PENIS WAS RUBBING AGAINST HER BACK.

PLEASE. FOR SEVERAL DAYS, SEVERAL DAYS AGO, I LEFT A VOICEMAIL FOR THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, WHO IS THE PRINCIPAL'S BOSS.

THE NEXT DAY, HE CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE DISTRICT HAS HEARD ABOUT THIS, THAT IT IS NOT TRUE. THE PRINCIPAL KNEW.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS WENDY MASTERS. MASTERSON OH, IT JUST SAYS MASTERS HERE. SORRY. THAT'S OKAY.

NOT RELATED TO BAT. HI. MY NAME IS WENDY MASTERSON.

I NOW LIVE IN LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON. I'VE BEEN A EDMONDS RESIDENT FOR ABOUT 60 PLUS YEARS.

MY RELATIONSHIP TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I AM A RECENT RETIREE OF 25 YEARS WORKING FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ABOUT ANOTHER TEN YEARS OF VOLUNTEERING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I AM A PRODUCT OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.

MY ADULT CHILDREN ARE A PRODUCT OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I SIGNED UP BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF MS. CARLTON WAS GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME, AND I WANTED TO HELP FINISH HER LETTER.

SO THESE ARE HER WORDS AND NOT MINE. MY DAUGHTER CAME HOME TWO YEARS AGO AND TOLD ME ABOUT HER CLASSMATES BEING UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND THE TEACHER, AND THAT ONE GIRL HAD REFUSED TO GO TO THE TEACHER'S ROOM.

THAT'S WHAT I BROUGHT UP IN AN IEP MEETING IN DECEMBER OF 2022.

THE PRINCIPAL'S BOSS CALLED ME BACK A FEW DAYS AGO AND TOLD ME THIS TEACHER WOULD BE NOT WOULD NOT BE AT THE SCHOOL.

IS HE GOING TO BE FIRED FOR WHAT HE DID TO THE GIRLS? I NEED TO PROTECT MY DAUGHTER. I AM NOT OKAY WITH MY DAUGHTER HAVING ANY CONTACT WITH THIS TEACHER.

AND I KNOW MY DAUGHTER IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. I DEMAND A FORMAL INVESTIGATION ON THE TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL BECAUSE THE PRINCIPAL IS LYING AND HIDING THINGS.

PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

I WANT TO THANK A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR GETTING BACK TO ME RIGHT AWAY, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I HAD VALID CONCERNS REGARDING MY DAUGHTER.

THE BOARD MEMBER THANKED MY DAUGHTER FOR HER BRAVERY AND IN COMING FORWARD, AND FOR ME BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR MY DAUGHTER.

I WAS ASSURED THAT MY CONCERNS AND THIS LETTER WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR READING MY LETTER STATING THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION AND FORWARDING MY INFORMATION TO AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT THAT WOULD BE LEADING THE INVESTIGATION. THIS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT MY CONCERNS WOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

AND TO THIS DAY, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE INVESTIGATION.

IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN CONCERNS LIKE THIS ARE RAISED, A TITLE IX INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED.

HAS THAT HAPPENED? THANK YOU, SARAH CARLTON.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS JEANETTE KUO.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEANETTE KUO. MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER.

I'M FROM UNINCORPORATED SNOHOMISH COUNTY, OTHERWISE ALSO KNOWN AS LYNNWOOD.

I AM A SPECIAL EDUCATION PARAEDUCATOR AT EDMONDS HEIGHTS K-12, WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN ALL OF THE GRADES.

I NOT ONLY WORK IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, I AM A PRODUCT OF THIS DISTRICT.

I ATTENDED LYNNDALE ELEMENTARY, MEADOWDALE MIDDLE AND MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOLS, GRADUATING WITH THE CLASS OF 1988.

I ALSO HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND I AM A COMMITTED, LIFELONG LEARNER.

RECENTLY, I EXPANDED MY MISSION TO ADDRESSING STATE LEGISLATORS IN PERSON OVER THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR WEEKEND.

[00:15:01]

WE THEN TRAVELED TO OLYMPIA ON MONDAY AND MET WITH AS MANY OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES AS HAD TIME FOR US.

I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVE LILLIAN ORTIZ-SELF AND AN AIDE FROM REPRESENTATIVE MARKO LIIAS' OFFICE.

I REMINDED THEM OF OUR STATE'S PARAMOUNT DUTY TO FULLY FUND EDUCATION, AND PROVIDED EXAMPLES FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCES, ALONG WITH THE OTHER PARAS AS TO WHY THEIR RESOLUTION TO MCCLEARY, AKA THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL FUNDING MODEL, IS STILL NOT FULLY FUNDING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THE RESPECT WE WERE GIVEN BY THE REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR STAFF MATCHES THE RESPECT I AM SHOWN BY MY STUDENTS, THEIR TEACHERS AND THE PARENTS AT OUR SCHOOL.

I BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, IN THE HOPES THAT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE PARAEDUCATORS NOT ONLY FOR THEIR WORK AND AGILITY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO OUR EFFORTS FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR ADVOCACY WITH THE LEGISLATORS. NEXT IS CHERYL PASSARGE.

HI EVERYBODY, I'M CHERYL, I LIVE IN LYNNWOOD AND I'M A PARAEDUCATOR IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

DEAR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT.

DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT LAST WEEKEND, THE WEEKEND BEFORE, ACTUALLY, FIVE OF YOUR PARAEDUCATORS ATTENDED THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN TACOMA WITH THE PSE WHILE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF WASHINGTON.

IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF OTHER CLASSIFIED SUPPORT STAFF IN OUR STATE FROM THE 294 OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR STATE.

YES, THERE WERE OTHER PARAEDUCATORS. THERE WERE ALSO SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, CUSTODIANS, MAINTENANCE WORKERS, NUTRITION WORKERS, AND OFFICE PERSONNEL. THESE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, THE EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS THAT HOLD ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS TOGETHER.

WHILE THERE, WE GOT TO ATTEND WORKSHOPS LIKE K THROUGH 12 FUNDING WITH SHAUN LEWIS OF OSPI.

CHAIRS OF POWER WITH MARA RAFFERTY FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE LABOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH COUNCIL.

UNDERSTANDING FEDERAL EDUCATION LEGISLATION AND LABOR ISSUES, WITH DALLIN HARRIS FROM THE SEIU SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION.

AND WHILE THERE, WE ALSO GOT TO HEAR FROM FABULOUS KEYNOTE SPEAKERS LIKE STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE MARY YU, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHARON TOMIKO SANTOS, AND PRESIDENT OF WASHINGTON'S AFL-CIO APRIL SIMMS, AS WELL AS OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT, CHRIS REYKDAL, WHO HAD THE PLEASURE AND THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING TO US WHILE WE WERE EATING DINNER ON SATURDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 17TH, WHICH WAS ALSO WHILE THE SEAHAWKS WERE BEATING THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, 41 TO 6. [LAUGHTER]. ON MONDAY, WE ALL WENT DOWN TO OLYMPIA AND SPOKE WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATORS.

WE TOLD THEM TO FIX ESSB 5814, THAT SILLY SALES TAX BILL.

WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT MSOCS MATERIAL, SUPPLIES AND OPERATING COSTS.

AND SCARLETT, WE TOLD THEM ALL TO PASS SB 5574, TEACHING A CLEAR AND THOROUGH HISTORY OF WASHINGTON STATE IN OUR SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOMS USING HISTORICALLY ACCURATE CURRICULA. BUT MOSTLY WE REMINDED THEM THAT ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 9, SECTION 1 OF OUR STATE'S CONSTITUTION, IT IS THE PARAMOUNT DUTY OF THE STATE TO MAKE AMPLE PROVISION FOR THE EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN RESIDING WITHIN ITS BORDERS. WE ASKED THEM TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING BUDGET.

WE ASKED THEM HOW THE LEGISLATURE WILL MAKE AMPLE PROVISION FOR THE EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN IN WASHINGTON.

WE ASKED THEM HOW THE LEGISLATURE WILL COME UP WITH A STABLE, STEADY, SOLID FUNDING STREAM FOR ITS PARAMOUNT DUTY.

WE ASKED THEM TO DEDICATE REVENUE TO STRENGTHENING PUBLIC EDUCATION STATEWIDE, AND WE TOLD THEM TO REVISE THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOLS FUNDING MODEL.

WELL I GOT FIVE SECONDS LEFT AND I DO WANT TO SAY, I THINK THAT HAVING PARAS AND OTHER STAFF, AS WELL AS PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ARE PROBABLY MORE POWERFUL IN YOUR VOICES EVEN THAN HEARING FROM US WHO THEY HEAR FROM ALL THE TIME.

AND THEY THINK, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. BUT HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ONES MOST IMPACTED IS SO VERY,

[00:20:06]

GOOD EVENING, I'M JOBETH ANDERSON. I LIVE IN EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, AND WELL, OF COURSE IN EDMONDS.

AND FOR THE LAST 30 SOME YEARS I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN SPOKANE AND MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN IN SPOKANE.

AND I RETURNED THREE YEARS AGO TO BE HERE TO BE WITH MY FIRST GRANDDAUGHTER.

ANYWAY. BACK WHERE I'M GOING. I'M STANDING HERE TODAY AS A PROFESSIONAL WITH 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION. I AM THE DAUGHTER OF A TEACHER, THE WIFE OF A 30 YEAR VETERAN TEACHER, AND I HAVE SERVED BOTH IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES. I AM HERE TO INFORM THE BOARD THAT I HAVE FILED A FORMAL GRIEVANCE WITH THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON.

I AM URGING THE BOARD TO JOIN ME IN PUBLICLY REJECTING HER MARKET-BASED OPINIONS THAT IGNORE THE FACTUAL REALITIES IN OUR CLASSROOMS. SECRETARY MCMAHON HAS ADMITTED SHE DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT IDA STANDS FOR.

THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE MISTAKE. IT IS PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE.

BY SUGGESTING THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION OVERSIGHT BE STRIPPED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SHE IS SIGNALING THAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS ARE A MEDICAL BURDEN RATHER THAN AN EDUCATIONAL RIGHT.

FURTHERMORE, HER SCHOOL CHOICE MODEL IS A MYTH THAT CREATES A LEGAL TRAP.

EDUCATION IS COMPULSORY IN WASHINGTON. BY ADVOCATING FOR CLOSING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DEFUNDING DISTRICTS BASED UPON WITH HER MODEL OF CHOICE, IF STUDENTS MOVE AWAY, SHE IS SIGNALING THAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE.

EXCUSE ME. THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS CREATING A SCENARIO WHERE POOR FAMILIES HAVE NO ACCESSIBLE SCHOOLS TO ATTEND WITHOUT A BUS OR A BUILDING.

THESE CHILDREN WILL BE LABELED TRUANT AND PROCESSED THROUGH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

WE ARE ASSESSING WE ARE ESSENTIALLY CRIMINALIZING CHILDREN FOR THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

ALSO WITH THE ISSUE OF NUTRITION, WITH OUR WHOLE FOODS MANDATE, THAT'S GOING TO EXPLOIT OUR FOOD SERVICE WORKERS.

AND SHE HAS NEVER CONSULTED WITH THEM WITH THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE A BURDEN WITH THEM. AND AS WELL AS WHEN WE HAVE THE BUDGET CUTS, IT'S NOT GOING TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.

IN CLOSING. SECRETARY MCMAHON BELIEVES, BLAMES THE INSTITUTION FOR FAILING SCORES.

YET WE SEE IN OUR OWN CLASSROOMS THAT WHEN STUDENTS HAVE SUPPORT AND NUTRITION, THEY SUCCEED REGARDLESS OF THE SYSTEM.

THE FAILURE IS NOT THE SCHOOL IS THE GOVERNMENT THAT VALUES A CELEBRITY OVER THE EXPERTISE OF THE SCHOLAR.

I HAVE SPENT 40 YEARS PROTECTING CHILDREN. I ASKED THE BOARD TO STAND WITH ME.

RECOGNIZE THESE FEDERAL POLICIES AS PROFESSIONALLY NEGLIGENT AND PROTECT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM THESE DANGEROUS MANDATES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND ALSO FOR THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR US TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA-7:20 pm]

ONE IS THE APPROVAL OF COPIERS FOR SURPLUS. ONE IS THE PURCHASE OF LAPTOPS FOR STAFF USING THE TECH LEVY FROM 2024 TO HAVE OUR MONTHLY BILLS AND VOUCHERS AND 12 ARE FIELD TRIPS.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND? I MOVE TO APPROVE.

I SECOND. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE, AND A SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? JUST THAT AGAIN, THRILLED WITH ALL THE FIELD TRIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR KIDS HAVE TO LEARN OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.

AND I HOPE SOME OF OUR ATHLETIC TEAMS END UP BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE STATE TOURNAMENTS.

[LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. HEARING NONE, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO APPROVE

[00:25:07]

TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

WE HAVE TWO REPORTS THIS EVENING. THE FIRST IS ITEM 10.1, OUR BUSINESS AND FINANCE REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2025,

[10. REPORTS-7:35 pm]

WELL, MY FAVORITE NUMBER OF TONIGHT IS 100 YEARS AMONG THE BOARD.

THAT IS FANTASTIC. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

SO WE ARE STILL ON THE BUDGET PATH THROUGH OSPI WHERE THEY PROVIDE STATE FUNDING BASED ON OUR BUDGET.

SO THEREFORE IF YOU LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S GENERAL FUND REVENUES, WE WERE AT 24.92% THIS YEAR, 24.76%. YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT 25% OF THE WAY THROUGH THE YEAR.

THE CONSISTENCY IS BECAUSE THEY'RE PROVIDING FUNDING ON BUDGET.

WE JUST RECEIVED JANUARY APPORTIONMENT I THINK YESTERDAY.

SO IN TWO MONTHS, WE'LL SEE THE JANUARY REPORT.

AND THAT WILL TRUE UP THE APPORTIONMENT TO ACTUAL NUMBERS INSTEAD OF THE BUDGET.

IN THE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FUND, WE PURCHASED A USED BUS FROM TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IS MECHANICS HAVE TO BE EXPERIENCED WITH THE KINDS OF BUSSES THAT THEY WORK ON.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE A FLEET OF THESE BUSSES THAT WE PURCHASE FROM TACOMA.

THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY GREAT NEWS BECAUSE THEY DON'T SELL IT ANYMORE.

THEY ARE TRYING TO THEIR NEWER BUS HAS A CHEAPER ENGINE THAT WE DON'T LIKE.

SO WE LIKE THESE OLDER BUSSES. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD DEAL.

JUST AS A REMINDER, IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER REVENUES JUST ABOVE THE TOTAL REVENUE LINE IN LIGHT GREEN.

THE MAJORITY OF THESE QUOTE UNQUOTE REVENUES ARE ACTUALLY TRANSFERS IN FROM THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.

WE PAY CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND LEVY EXPENDITURES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND REIMBURSES US.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DIRECT CHARGE TO CAPITAL.

PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST TIMING ON WHEN WE DO THOSE TRANSFERS.

OKAY. THIS IS REALLY, REALLY CONSISTENT. SO I DIDN'T INDICATE ANY UNIQUE NOTES ON THIS SLIDE.

ON THE BOTTOM LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTED YEAR END BALANCE IN FUND BALANCE.

THAT'S TOTAL FUND BALANCE, NOT THE UNRESTRICTED PORTION AS A PERCENT OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES LAST YEAR WE CAME IN AN 8.61%.

AS OF NOVEMBER, WE THE TOOLS PROJECTING 8.68%.

SO JUST A TICK ABOVE VERY CONSTANT. MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO ALSO INCLUDE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD CHRIS REYKDAL IS FLOATING A MINIMUM FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENT.

AND ACTUALLY UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THAT, HE IS SAYING A MINIMUM OF 8% TOTAL.

SO WE WOULD BE BARELY OVER THAT MARKER IF THAT DID PASS.

SOME DISTRICTS WOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE CUTS TO THEIR OPERATING BUDGETS IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT POINT.

BUT IT IS 8% TOTAL, NOT JUST UNRESTRICTED. THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

AND BEGINNING OR THE END, OR? WHEN THE BOOKS ARE CLOSED SO AT THE END.

WHEN THE BOOKS ARE CLOSED IS THAT LIKELY TO GET TRACTION? WHAT IS WHAT IS THEIR REASONING? WE TALKED A LOT TO OSPI STAFF, SO.

HE'S TRYING TO FIND A TOOL THAT PROVIDES EARLIER NOTICE FOR DISTRICTS IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, BECAUSE WHEN A DISTRICT BECOMES IN WHAT'S CALLED BINDING CONDITIONS, THEN OSPI, THAT ADDS TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT WORKLOAD THAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW.

[00:30:04]

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF TRACTION, BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY START GENERATING THE CONVERSATIONS.

IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY, IF A DISTRICT HAS LESS THAN 2000 STUDENTS, THE MINIMUM BALANCE IS 8%.

FOR MORE THAN 2000 STUDENTS, IT'S BETWEEN 6% TO 12%.

AND THAT 6% TO 12% THEY ARE. WE DO. OUR BOARD POLICY IS 4% OF PRIOR YEARS EXPENDITURES.

OSPI IS LOOKING AT THAT 6% IS PRIOR YEAR REVENUES AND NOT ALL REVENUES.

SO THE DATA KEEPS SHIFTING BASED ON WHAT THEY WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE.

SO FOR ME, I THE PEOPLE KEEP ADJUSTING THE NUMBERS AND THE TARGETS AND THE.

YEAH, BUT THANK YOU DOCTOR. AND IT WOULDN'T BEGIN UNTIL THE 2030-2031 SCHOOL YEAR AT THE LATEST.

BUT DIRECTOR GERRARD YOU'LL KEEP US APPRIZED OF WHEN THAT IF, WHEN AND IF THAT BECOMES A BILL FOR US TO WEIGH IN ON. YEAH, IT IS A BILL. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A HEARING SCHEDULED YET.

OKAY, THANKS. THIS MAY BE A LITTLE CART BEFORE THE HORSE HERE.

BUT WE'RE AT 7.9% IN YEAR. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? SEND A BUNCH OF AUDITORS AND TAKE OVER THE DISTRICT. LIKE, WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE IF YOU GET UNDER THAT 8% NUMBER? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T BELIEVE OSPI KNOWS. [LAUGHTER].

EXCELLENT YES. IS, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS AS TO THE WHY AND HOW THE METRICS WERE DETERMINED.

THERE IS ALSO A BILL. I BELIEVE IT'S A SENATE BILL.

AND MY APOLOGIES, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IS CREATING A NEW TASK FORCE TO DISCUSS FINANCIAL HEALTH METRICS OF DISTRICTS. AND THE REALITY IS DISTRICTS WHO DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE SLIDING INTO THIS IS RELATIVELY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. THE PROBLEM BECOMES NOT ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

AND SO SURE, IT WOULD BE ANOTHER EARLIER SIGNAL, BUT I MEAN, IF YOU'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT AND SHARING REPORTS WITH THE BOARD ONCE A MONTH, ETC. THAT SHOULD BE SIGNALING TO SO TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S WHAT SUPERINTENDENTS ARE ASKING.

SO IF WE'RE AT 6%, ARE WE THEN GOING TO GO INTO LIKE MANY BINDING CONDITIONS.

BUT I THINK THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN RULEMAKING, OBVIOUSLY.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO.

I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THE BILL NUMBER, AND I WANT TO CORRECT MYSELF.

IT DID HAVE A HEARING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT 1:30 IN THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

OKAY. WHAT'S THE BILL NUMBER? IT IS 2593. THANK YOU. AND GRANTED, WE DON'T PRODUCE A YEAR END REPORT UNTIL NOVEMBER, SO.

AND WE DON'T FULLY KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS ARE UNTIL, YOU KNOW, LATE OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER.

BUT IF WE WERE SLIDING, YOU KNOW, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, IF I HAD CONCERNS I WOULD POINT THEM OUT. OOPS. I WOULD POINT THEM OUT NOW OR AS SOON AS I KNEW BECAUSE NOVEMBER WOULD BE HARD, HARDER TO RECOVER THAN ANYTHING WE COULD DO NOW.

SO WITH THAT OUR ENDING FUND BALANCE PROJECTION IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE LAST YEAR'S LEVELS.

SO THAT'S GOOD CONSISTENCY. ENROLLMENT FOLLOWS THE SAME TRENDS AS PREVIOUS YEARS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST STUDY SESSION ON THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTION FOR 26-27.

WHY WE'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE. AND THAT IS IT.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS OR BOARD MEMBERS? WE'RE GOOD. THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO TAKE CARE OF US.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU LYDIA. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS ON GRADUATION RATES BY DOCTOR GREG SCHWAB,

[00:35:06]

TONIGHT I'LL BE SHARING JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE GRADUATION OUTCOMES FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.

THIS IS OUR ANNUAL YEARLY CHECK IN ON HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING AND HOW OUR SYSTEM IS PERFORMING. THE PRESENTATION IS INTENDED TO BE VERY HIGH LEVEL.

I'M NOT GOING TO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO EVERY DATA POINT TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF SOME KEY DATA POINTS, AREAS OF PROGRESS AND WHERE WE HAVE WORK THAT WE CONTINUE TO NEED TO DO. SO WITH THAT, THE FOCUS OF TONIGHT WILL START WITH SOME OVERALL GRADUATION RATE TRENDS.

WE'LL LOOK AT EXTENDED GRADUATION RATES TO HELP GROUND US IN THE BIG PICTURE.

THEN I'LL TOUCH ON SOME OUTCOMES BY STUDENT GROUPS. WE'LL FOCUS ON RACE, ETHNICITY AND SOME OF OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS. AND THEN BRIEFLY I'LL HIGHLIGHT GRADUATION PATHWAYS AND SCHOOL LEVEL PATTERNS.

AND THEN I'LL CLOSE WITH SOME BOTTOM LINE UPDATES IN AREAS THAT WE STILL NEED TO FOCUS ON.

SO FIRST WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT JUST BIG PICTURE.

FOR THE CLASS OF 2025, OUR GRADUATION RATE INCREASED TO 86.

86%. THAT'S A 1.5% GAIN OVER LAST YEAR. AND AT THE SAME TIME, OUR DROPOUT RATE DECLINED TO 8.2%.

AND ALSO OUR STUDENTS THAT CONTINUE ARE CONTINUING ON BEYOND A FOURTH YEAR ALSO DECREASED.

SO WHAT THAT TELLS US IS THAT MORE STUDENTS ARE FINISHING ON TIME AND WE'RE AND WE'RE SEEING FEWER STUDENTS DROP OUT.

SO TOGETHER THESE ARE POSITIVE INDICATORS THAT WE SEE FEWER STUDENTS DISENGAGING COMPLETELY AND SLIGHTLY FEWER ARE LINGERING WITHOUT A CLEAR PATH.

THAT SAID, OUR TREND IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THE PACE OF IMPROVEMENT MATTERS. WE STILL FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT AS FAST AS WE'D LIKE IT TO BE, BUT WE DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE MAKING POSITIVE DIRECTION. WE'RE TRENDING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. WE ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN YEAR GRADUATION RATES BECAUSE AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT FOR MANY STUDENTS, THE PATH TO GRADUATION LOOKS DIFFERENT.

AND SO WE THINK THESE ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT DATA POINTS FOR US TO PAY ATTENTION TO, AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE POSITIVE GAINS IN OUR FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN YEAR GRADUATION RATES, WITH OUR SEVEN YEAR RATE AS HIGH AS 90% FOR THE CLASS OF 2022.

SO IT REALLY DOES. WELL, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT TO FOCUS ON.

WE DO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON IMPROVING OUR ON TIME GRADUATION RATE.

THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER WE'RE FOCUSING ON.

WHEN WE DISAGGREGATE OUR DATA BY RACE ETHNICITY, WE DID SEE INCREASE.

INCREASES FOR ALL REPORTED RACIAL GROUPS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR HISPANIC LATINO POPULATION.

THEY DECREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 74% TO 73%. BUT YOU CAN SEE IN THE OTHER AREAS, WE DID SEE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR MOST OF THOSE STUDENT GROUPS.

WHEN WE DISAGGREGATE BY PROGRAM. SO STUDENTS THAT ARE SERVED IN AS MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, OUR STUDENTS IN MCKINNEY WHO ARE HOMELESS, MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS ARE FREE AND REDUCED MEAL STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. WE SAW SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN ALL OF THESE DISAGGREGATED GROUPS.

AND SO, AGAIN, THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH OUR WITH OUR FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE, FOCUSING ON THESE IMPORTANT POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS THAT ARE THAT HAVE NOT HAD THE SAME KIND OF GRADUATION RATES AS PREVIOUS.

PREVIOUSLY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE WE HAVE SEEN GAINS, THESE RATES STILL DO TRAIL THE DISTRICT.

AND AGAIN, WE WANT TO WE WHILE WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE, WE STILL HAVE GAPS IN THESE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON.

SO WE ALSO KEEP TRACK OF OUR STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE THEIR GRADUATION PATHWAYS AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY MEET THEIR GRADUATION PATHWAYS.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN EDMONDS THAT WE HAVE NUMEROUS WAYS THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN MEET THIS IMPORTANT GRADUATION REQUIREMENT.

SO WE SEE THAT STUDENTS ARE USING MULTIPLE WAYS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GRADUATION PATHWAYS.

MOST OF OUR GRADUATES MEET THEIR ELA AND MATH REQUIREMENTS BY TAKING THE SBA, BY TAKING A DUAL CREDIT CLASS, A CTE CLASS OR AN AP COURSE. WE DID SEE ESPECIALLY STRONG PARTICIPATION IN CTE, WITH 642 OF OUR GRADUATES MEETING GRADUATION PATHWAY REQUIREMENTS THROUGH ONE OF OUR ONE OF OUR 14 CTE PATHWAYS.

AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT DUAL CREDIT COURSES PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN STUDENTS MEETING THEIR MATH PATHWAY, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT ON THE SBA. WHEN WE DRILL DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL LEVEL, WE SEE THAT OUR TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO PERFORM VERY STRONGLY.

MEADOWDALE AND MOUNTLAKE HIGH SCHOOLS STAND OUT AS TWO HIGH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE REACHED OVER GOTTEN OVER 90% ON THEIR GRADUATION RATES, AND LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUES TO SHOW STEADY IMPROVEMENT. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THEY'VE REACHED 87% FOR THE COST OF 2025.

WE DID HAVE ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THAT DIPPED SLIGHTLY. EDMONDS-WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE'RE REALLY DIGGING INTO THAT DATA TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT SCHOOL. WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR ALTERNATIVE AND NONTRADITIONAL SETTINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW MIXED RESULTS.

E-LEARNING HAS IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY EDCAP ONE OF OUR OPEN DOORS PROGRAMS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND SCRIBER LAKE DO REMAIN LOW, BUT I THINK THIS ALSO IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE. THIS REFLECTS THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THEY SERVE, RATHER THAN NECESSARILY THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SCHOOL BY ITSELF.

[00:40:09]

AND SO WE FOCUS ON THREE KIND OF THREE BIG BUCKETS OF WORK.

THE FIRST IS EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND MONITORING.

ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS THAT HAVE TWO MAIN GOALS.

ONE IS A FOCUS ON TIME GRADUATION FOR THE SENIOR COHORT.

THE SECOND IS FOCUSING ON OUR 9TH GRADE STUDENTS.

THIS IS THIS IS A SHIFT IN OUR FOCUS FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR, IN THAT WE ARE ALSO FOCUSING ON STUDENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.

OUR THEORY OF ACTION HERE IS THAT IF WE CAN CATCH THOSE STUDENTS UP AND MAKE SURE THEY DON'T FALL BEHIND AS 9TH GRADERS, THAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS WILL BE WORKING WITH WHEN THEY'RE SENIORS WILL BE SMALLER. AND SO YOU'LL SEE TWO REALLY FOCUSED AREAS OF WORK FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.

ONE IS ON CONTINUING TO TRACK THOSE SENIORS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THAT 9TH GRADE COHORT SO THAT THEY PASS ALL THEIR CLASSES AND WE GET THEM OFF TO A SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL START, BECAUSE THE DATA REALLY DOES SHOW THAT A SUCCESSFUL 9TH GRADE YEAR, YOU'RE VERY, VERY MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE ON TIME.

WE ALSO SPEND A LOT OF TIME FOCUSING ON CREDIT ACCESS AND RECOVERY.

SO WHEN STUDENTS FAIL CLASSES, WE KNOW IN OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, WITH 24 CREDITS REQUIRED TO GRADUATE AND ONLY SIX CLASSES OFFERED PER DAY, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF STUDENTS CREDITS A STUDENT CAN EARN IN FOUR YEARS IS 24 CREDITS.

SO ONE CLASS. A STUDENT FAILS ONE CLASS AND THEY'RE OFF TRACK FOR GRADUATION.

SO WE HAVE TO HAVE VERY QUICK WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO RECOVER CREDIT.

AND WE DO THAT BOTH THROUGH SUPPORT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AS WELL AS OUR SUMMER SCHOOL AND OUR GRADUATION ALLIANCE PROGRAMING.

AND WE ALSO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON OUR SYSTEMS, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO PERFORMANCE BASED PATHWAYS.

WE HAVE MASTERY BASED CREDITING OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS, AND WE ALSO ARE ENGAGING IN THE GRADING PRACTICES TASK FORCE WORK TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE WE HAVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES THAT ARE ALIGNED AND RESEARCH BASED, AND HELP AND HELP TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE AT HIGH LEVELS.

SO BOTTOM LINE, WHAT'S WORKING? WE ARE SEEING GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL GRADUATION RATES, NOT AS QUICKLY AS WE'D LIKE, BUT WE ARE SEEING IMPROVEMENT.

WE'RE SEEING STRONG EXTENDED EXTENDED TIME COMPLETION, AND WE'RE SEEING MEANINGFUL GAINS FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED.

AND WE ALSO HAVE EFFECTIVE USE OF MULTIPLE GRADUATION PATHWAYS.

BUT AS I MENTIONED, THE PACE OF OUR IMPROVEMENT IS NOT WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE. IF WE WANT TO HIT 94%, WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO THERE, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE GAPS, ESPECIALLY FOR HISPANIC LATINO STUDENTS.

AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR LASER LIKE FOCUS ON ON TIME GRADUATION, NOT JUST EVENTUAL COMPLETION.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD. FOR THE THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR SCHWAB. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND WE APPRECIATE THE STUDY SESSION THAT WE HAD EARLIER.

I DO WANT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING TO KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE POWERPOINT THAT HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION, IT'S ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE UNDER WHERE WE POST OUR STUDY SESSION POWERPOINTS.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT.

SO GUYS. STUDENTS AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.

GO AHEAD SAM. SINCE EXTENDED GRADUATION OUTCOMES ARE STRONG, HOW ARE HOW ARE WE ASSESSING WHETHER ON TIME EXPECTATIONS ARE REALISTIC FOR ALL LEARNERS? ESPECIALLY FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

THAT IS A REALLY GREAT QUESTION. AND I THINK THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTENDED TIME TO GRADUATE.

BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE AND WHAT WE'RE PUBLICLY HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO IS THAT ON TIME GRADUATION RATE.

THAT'S WHAT GETS PUBLISHED IN THE PAPER. THAT'S THE THING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO. BUT WE ALSO DO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE CONTINUING THAT NEED AND THAT NEED AN EXTRA YEAR OR TWO TO FINISH.

AND WE HAVE. AND SO STUDENTS CAN STAY WITH US AS LONG AS THEY NEED TO TO FINISH.

AND WE ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH OTHER ACCESS TO OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL.

SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO FINISH AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER PROGRAM AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR USING OUR OPEN DOORS PROGRAM THROUGH GRADUATION ALLIANCE. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

I ALSO HAD A OH, SCARLETT, WERE YOU GOING TO? OH, OKAY SURE. SORRY. [LAUGHTER]. I WAS GOING TO SAY, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD, LIKE, A RUNNING START INCREASE, AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE HAVE, LIKE A CORRELATION STATISTIC BETWEEN LIKE THAT AND ALSO GRADUATION RATE INCREASING, OR ARE WE PRESUMING THAT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN RUNNING START WERE STUDENTS THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GRADUATED ON TIME? ANYWAYS? I GUESS.

WITH MORE AND MORE STUDENTS GOING TO RUNNING START. I THINK ANECDOTALLY, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE DO WONDER IS, ARE OUR STUDENTS READY TO DO COLLEGE LEVEL WORK? AND I THINK THAT'S THE CHALLENGE WITH MORE AND MORE STUDENTS GOING, BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDITS AND BUILD THAT COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT. WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE READY TO DO THAT WORK, AND THEY FALL OFF TRACK FOR GRADUATION BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET THEIR REQUIREMENTS

[00:45:06]

AND ALSO LIKE THE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN RUNNING START ARE TYPICALLY THE ONES THAT ARE PLANNING TO GRADUATE AND GO TO HIGHER PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION.

SO I WAS JUST LIKE, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL LIKE MY SMALLER PROGRAM, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE LIKE A RELEVANT DATA POINT.

BUT ALSO THE DATA THAT YOU PRESENTED WAS WONDERFUL.

WELL, AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND BECAUSE THE COLLEGES HAVE ALSO, IN MANY, IN MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS, HAVE MADE IT EASIER FOR STUDENTS TO GET IN AND ACCESS THE COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES.

AND THAT CAN BE A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT GIVES MORE STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS COLLEGE. BUT IT ALSO GETS BACK TO THAT QUESTION OF READINESS, IF I MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE READY TO DO A COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE, BUT IF IT'S EASY FOR ME TO GET IN AND I WANT TO TRY IT, BUT THEN I FALL OFF TRACK. SO YOU JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TAKING COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES. SO. FOR SURE, I LOVE IT.

YES. FOR SURE. I'M NOT SURE THE MICROPHONE IS PICKING UP YOUR VOICE COMPLETELY.

SO JUST. YEAH I GOTCHA. I WANT PEOPLE TO DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD? YEAH.

KIND OF ADJACENT TO TATIANA'S QUESTION ABOUT RUNNING START.

EDMONDS-WOODWAY IS AN IB SCHOOL, SO I'M WONDERING IF THE 85% GRADUATION RATE THAT YOU MENTIONED INCLUDES THE IB STUDENTS.

AND IF NOT IS THERE LIKE, SEPARATE DATA ON IB STUDENT GRADUATION RATES? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IB STUDENTS HAVE LIKE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.

THEY DO. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT 85% GRADUATION RATE, THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF IB STUDENTS.

SO YES, THAT DOES INCLUDE THAT GROUP. OKAY THANK YOU. I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE DATA POINT WHERE YOU MENTIONED THAT STUDENTS WHO DID WELL THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR TENDED TO GRADUATE ON TIME MORE. IS. ARE WE FOCUSING ON FRESHMAN YEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE STUDENTS WHO COME IN FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'VE BEEN LIKE THEY'VE DONE SOME THINGS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT PREPARED THEM MORE FOR FRESHMAN YEAR? OR IS IT BECAUSE. LET ME REPHRASE IT. [LAUGHTER] SORRY.

FRESHMAN YEAR STUDENTS, WHEN THEY DO WELL, ARE THEY DOING WELL AND GRADUATING ON TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY MOTIVATED OR ON TRACK FROM FRESHMAN YEAR? OR IS IT BECAUSE THEY LEARN SOMETHING IN FRESHMAN YEAR THAT GOT THEM TO DO BETTER TO GRADUATE ON TIME? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. I'M NOT SURE I KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE LOOKED AT WE'VE LOOKED AT THE DATA IN THAT WAY. I THINK THE I MEAN, THE LOGIC BEHIND THE MODEL IS THAT THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT COME OUT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL READY TO DO HIGH SCHOOL, AND THOSE STUDENTS TEND TO TYPICALLY DO WELL.

BUT WE HAVE ABOUT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 25% AND 30% OF OUR 9TH GRADERS THAT FAIL ONE OR MORE CLASSES IN THEIR 9TH GRADE YEAR.

AND SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE POPULATION. THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON ARE THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE FALLING OFF TRACK, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, RIGHT OUT, RIGHT OUT OF THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS WE PAY ATTENTION TO. OKAY. THANK YOU.

SO PRIOR TO THIS, THIS IS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE HAD A STUDY SESSION ON THIS.

AND THIS WAS SOMETHING I DIDN'T GET TO SAY TO YOU AT THE TIME, GREG.

DOCTOR SCHWAB, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO THINK ABOUT.

AND YOU DID MENTION IT, WHICH IS THERE REALLY IS NO WIGGLE ROOM FOR A STUDENT.

IT'S 24 OPPORTUNITIES TO GET 24 CREDITS. YEAH AND I WENT AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AT THE STUDY SESSION WHEN I WAS AT TERRACE.

WE DID HAVE ACTUALLY A LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM BUILT IN FOR OTHER REASONS.

AND THAT WAS GOOD BECAUSE THERE WAS A CLASS, AN ELECTIVE.

I JUST DIDN'T LIKE IT. I FAILED IT LIKE I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO MAKE THAT UP SOMEWHERE ELSE IN MY FOUR YEARS.

THERE WAS ANOTHER CLASS THAT I TOOK WHERE THE TEACHER AND I JUST DID NOT GET ALONG AND IT WAS NOT GOING TO WORK.

SO I HAD TO WITHDRAW AND I TOOK A ZERO IN THAT CLASS.

AND IF IT WERE IN THE 24 FOR 24, I'M BEHIND. SO THERE ARE REASONS THAT STUDENTS WOULD GET BEHIND.

SO I. MY POINT HERE IS JUST THAT I DO THINK EVEN THOUGH WE ARE JUDGED BY THAT FOUR-YEAR STANDARD, THAT FIVE-YEAR METRIC IS ACTUALLY A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE TOO, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHERE IT REALLY IS ONE, MAYBE TWO CLASSES. YOU JUST NEED TO GET SOMETHING DONE. MAYBE SUMMERS DON'T WORK FOR THEM FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

AND SO I AM I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE DO SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT FIVE-YEAR METRICS.

I THINK THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT US, HAVING OUR STUDENTS PREPARED.

IF THEY DON'T QUITE GET THAT 24 FOR 24, WE'RE STILL GETTING THEM OUT THE DOOR IN A PRETTY REASONABLE TIME.

EXACTLY. AND I THINK THAT ANOTHER THING TO PAY ATTENTION TO IS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT FINISH WITHIN THAT NEXT SEMESTER OF THE FIFTH YEAR.

AND SO THERE ISN'T A FOUR AND A HALF YEAR GRADUATION RATE. IT'D BE NICE IF THERE WAS. MAYBE WE COULD COUNT THAT AS WELL. BUT, BUT AGAIN, SO THOSE STUDENTS DO COUNT IN THAT FIVE-YEAR COHORT. BUT AGAIN, I THINK MANY OF OUR STUDENTS DO JUST NEED THAT EXTRA LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA TIME TO FINISH UP. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE STUDY SESSION, BUT I DID WANT TO SHARE IT WITH THE LARGER GROUP.

WE DEFINITELY HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT OUR HISPANIC LATINO STUDENTS.

[00:50:04]

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT LOOKS LIKE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN MULTILINGUAL, THE MULTILINGUAL PROGRAM ARE ACTUALLY DOING BETTER.

THE GAP IS SMALLER FOR THEM, AND THAT OUR INTEREST IS IN MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE CLASSIFIED AS HISPANIC AND LATINO BUT ARE NOT IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSES RECEIVE ATTENTION THAT THEY NEED.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING DATA THAT I KNOW WE WILL BE GETTING IN TERMS OF WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE BASED ON STUDENTS WHO WERE IN MULTILINGUAL BUT HAVE BEEN OUT FOR HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN OUT? HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN IN KIND OF THING TO BETTER DRILL DOWN TO UNDERSTAND THAT GROUP, BECAUSE THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT GROUP THAT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH.

AND THEY NEED TO BE GRADUATING AT THE SAME LEVELS AS EVERYBODY ELSE.

YES, ABSOLUTELY IT WAS REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND TO EVERYBODY WHO'S DOING THE WORK.

OH, BITANYA. SORRY. GO. OKAY. I WAS GOING TO ASK, HAVE YOU, LIKE, HAVE YOU GUYS THOUGHT OF ANY METHODS ON, LIKE, HOW TO BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN THE HISPANIC AND LATINO METHODS? ARE THERE ANY, LIKE, NEW PROGRAMS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, LIKE, BEEN WORKING ON? SO I THINK THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE WORKING SPECIFICALLY WITH THOSE POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS. MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL, BEING ONE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR THAT I KNOW HAS REALLY HAS REALLY BEEN WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT GAP AT THEIR SCHOOL.

AND A LOT OF IT IS BRINGING IN COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. SO I BELIEVE THEY HAVE SOME AFFINITY GROUPS MEETING AFTER SCHOOL. THEY'RE BRINGING IN MENTORS FROM IN, FROM THE COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH STUDENTS AND HELP SUPPORT THEM AND HELP THEM TO, TO BUILD, TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO DO BETTER IN SCHOOL.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WHEN I'M NOT LOOKING.

[LAUGHTER] GREAT QUESTIONS, PARTICULARLY FROM THE STUDENTS. REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

AND DOCTOR SCHWAB, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU AND THE REST OF THE CABINET I KNOW HAS BEEN DOING IN THIS AREA.

[11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS- 8:15 pm]

SO DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE REVISED BOARD POLICY 6884, WHICH REGARDS RENTAL SALE OR LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY.

MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.

DO I HEAR ANY DISCUSSION? WE'VE HAD NO CHANGES FROM OUR.

THAT'S CORRECT. NO CHANGES BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND READING. YEAH. JUST TO REITERATE WHAT I THINK I SAID LAST TIME, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME THAT IF WE CAN'T GET IF WE CAN'T GET A GRANT THAT WE COULDN'T GET BY EXTENDING THE LEASE TO TEN YEARS INSTEAD OF FIVE, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. WE SHOULD DO IT. WE NEED TO HAVE THAT OPTION.

EXACTLY. OKAY. HEARING NO MORE DISCUSSION, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING BOARD POLICY 6884 REGARDING THE RENTAL, SALE OR LEASE OF DISTRICT REAL PROPERTY.

PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS. AND BOARD POLICY. REVISE BOARD POLICY 6884 REGARDING RENTAL SALE OR LEASE OF LEASE OF DISTRICT REAL PROPERTY IS APPROVED.

WE HAVE ONE ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS. IT'S A FIRST READING.

[12. NEW BUSINESS- 8:20 pm]

WITH WAS THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRIMARILY CHANGING THE WORD WARRANTS TO CALL IT EXPENSE CLAIMS WHICH ALLOWS FOR OTHER ALLOWABLE PAYMENT METHODOLOGIES.

AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A STATEMENT THAT THE BOARD WILL HAVE AN AUDITING COMMITTEE TO AUDIT EXPENSE CLAIMS DURING THE BOARD, AND WE WILL DO THAT DURING THE BOARD LEADERSHIP AGENDA REVIEW.

YES. SO, AS DOCTOR MINER SAID, NO PANIC, GUYS FROM THE REST OF YOU BECAUSE DIRECTOR CHASE IS VICE PRESIDENT AND I, WHO DO THE REGULAR AGENDA REVIEW MEETING WILL ADD TO, WHEN WE DO THAT, A REVIEW AND AUDIT OF THE MONTHLY BILLS AND VOUCHERS, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ASSIGN YOU [LAUGHTER] TO AN AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR DOING THAT.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS OTHER THAN? THANKS FOR TAKING CARE OF THAT. YEAH. [LAUGHTER] WELL, WE DECIDED WE WOULD ADD A LITTLE TIME TO OUR MEETING AND TAKE CARE OF IT THAT WAY.

IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE. AND OF COURSE, BOARD MEMBERS CAN ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT THOSE REPORTS.

BUT THIS IS WILL BE A FORMALIZED PROCESS THAT WE'LL DOCUMENT.

[00:55:03]

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU. I KNOW TO START WITH, WHEN I WAS FIRST A BOARD DIRECTOR, I WOULD LOOK AT EVERY BIG TICKET ITEM AND THEN LOOK AT VENDORS AND TO SEE WHAT THE VENDOR, WHO THE VENDORS WERE AND ANYTHING THAT STOOD OUT.

AND I DID THAT FOR A WHILE UNTIL I STARTED FEELING A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE AND I DO A MUCH QUICKER LOOK NOW.

BUT THEY ARE HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF AND WE APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS AND FINANCE OFFICE WHO DO DUE DILIGENCE ON THOSE REPORTS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? OKAY. THAT'LL COME UP FOR A VOTE. AND NEXT WE HAVE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

[13. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES]

[LAUGHTER]. SO MUCH GOING ON. A LOT HAPPENS FAST IN A SHORT SESSION.

I WANT TO START BY THANKING OUR PARAEDUCATORS FOR THEIR EFFORTS GOING TO OLYMPIA AND LOBBYING THERE.

I KNOW ALSO WE HAVE THE TEACHERS' UNION HAS SENT SOME TEACHERS AS WELL.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR PARTICIPATION. I FORGET THERE'S A SLIDE SHOW I'M SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW HERE. [LAUGHTER].

YEAH. SO THE SESSION BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

AND WE'RE WATCHING THESE BILLS. A LOT OF THEM HAVE HAD HEARINGS.

SOME OF THEM HAVE GOTTEN VOTED ON THEIR POLICY COMMITTEE.

THEY HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE BY FEBRUARY 4TH OR THEY'RE CONSIDERED DEAD FOR THIS SESSION.

SENATE BILL 5574. SCARLETT PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE.

SO IT'S STILL ALIVE. IT GOT SUBSTITUTED, THOUGH.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CHANGES WERE, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY WERE OKAY.

CHANGES. THE AND THEN THE. SO THAT'S THE POLICY COMMITTEE CUT OFF AND THEN THE FISCAL COMMITTEE CUT OFF.

LOOKING AT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THOSE IS THE 9TH OF FEBRUARY.

SO BEFORE WE MEET AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHICH BILLS ARE GOING TO POSSIBLY MAKE IT OUT OF THEIR HOUSE OF ORIGIN.

AND THEN THE WHOLE PROCESS GETS REPEATED IN THE OTHER HOUSE.

IF IT STARTS IN THE SENATE, THEN IT GOES TO THE HOUSE, AND IF IT STARTS IN THE HOUSE, GOES TO THE SENATE.

A COUPLE OF BILLS. I'LL JUST MENTION SO WE KNOW 5918 THIS IS ABOUT THE MSOCS FUNDING.

IT HAD A LOT OF GOOD TESTIMONY WHEN IT HAD ITS HEARING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT'S FINANCIAL HAS A FINANCIAL IMPACT, IS PUSHING UPHILL BECAUSE THE BUDGET PROBLEMS ARE BIG.

AND WE'RE HEARING THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED THIS YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO BE A 4 OR 5 YEAR PROCESS TO GET THE BUDGET STABILIZED AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SO THAT IS NOT ENCOURAGING. LET'S SEE. SO THE SECOND SET OF.

THERE'S COMPANION BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE FOR THE SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR SCHOOLS FOR SERVICES THAT WE STARTED HAVING TO PAY TAX ON. A COUPLE OTHER BILLS I'LL JUST MENTION ARE THAT THERE'S ONE THAT WOULD REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ELECT SCHOOL DIRECTORS BY DIRECTOR DISTRICTS, NOT JUST LIVE IN THE DISTRICT. IT WOULD BE THE VOTERS THAT LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT THAT WOULD ELECT THE DIRECTOR.

SO. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I THINK IT'S DISTRICT SCHOOL DISTRICT CHOICE.

I KNOW IN SEATTLE THE CANDIDATES. YOU KNOW, THAT VOTE ON WHO MAKES IT THROUGH THE PRIMARY.

BUT THEN THE OVERALL IS EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN THE DISTRICT.

I REALLY FEEL LIKE BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST LEARNED HOW THE SETUP IS HERE, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE TO, OF COURSE, LIVE IN THE DISTRICT THAT WE REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, THE.

CORRECT. THAT WE REPRESENT EVERYBODY. WE REPRESENT STUDENTS IN ALL THE SCHOOLS.

WE REPRESENT THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS ALL FIVE OF OUR CITIES AND, AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

[01:00:07]

I WAS SURPRISED AT HOW SEATTLE DOES IT THAT THEY ACTUALLY SCREEN THAT WAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, OF OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE OTHER WAYS THAT DO IT THE WAY THAT THEY'RE TRYING.

SOME OF THE, SOME DISTRICTS AND THEN SOME AT LARGE.

SO WE BASICALLY HAVE AT LARGE SEATS, BUT YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.

OH SO SOME ARE NOT EVEN BY LIKE WE ARE BY RESIDENTIAL AREA WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.

SOME ARE NOT LIKE THAT. THEY'RE JUST ALL AT LARGE? I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME ALL AT LARGE AS WELL.

ARE THOSE SMALLER DISTRICTS? AND. WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE, BUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH LESS THAN 2000 STUDENTS WOULD BE EXEMPTED IN THIS BILL.

SO IT'S REALLY ADDRESSING THE LARGER ONES.

YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WILL CHANGE TO AT LEAST SOME OF THEM BEING AT LARGE OR ALL OF THEM BEING AT LARGE.

OR YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, IN EVERETT, WHEN THEY HAD THEIR COUNCIL ELECTIONS, WHICH ARE NOW BY DISTRICT, THERE WAS ONE DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR THAT HAD MUCH LOWER VOTER PARTICIPATION THAN THE OTHER ONES.

SO LET'S SEE. I DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS OUT TOO LONG, BUT A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. SO AND THEN THE SO IN TERMS OF SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION PRIORITIES, IT'S THE MSOCS, IT'S THE SALES TAX EXEMPTION.

AND THE THIRD IS NO UNFUNDED MANDATES. THERE CURRENTLY ARE 20 BILLS THAT INCLUDE UNFUNDED MANDATES IN THIS SESSION THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.

SO I HAVE A FULL LIST OF THOSE AND THEY WILL BE TESTIFYING EITHER OTHER OR OPPOSED TO TO ALL OF THOSE. JUST TALKING ABOUT THE UNFUNDED MANDATES, I WANTED TO THANK DOCTOR MINER AND LYDIA SELLIE BECAUSE AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT BILL IT WAS, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU LET MARKO LIIAS, SENATOR LIIAS, KNOW ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON A BILL THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF, AND HE SAID HE WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IN HIS COMMENTS AS THAT BILL COMES FORWARD, BUT HAD NOT KNOWN OR EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS FOR US, WHICH WERE SUBSTANTIAL.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE BILL, BUT IT WAS OVER $1 MILLION.

IT WOULD HAVE COST US IN AN UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE WOULD COST US THAT MUCH MONEY.

WOULD. THAT WOULD EXTEND SOME HEALTH CARE COVERAGE I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR SUBSTITUTES.

ABSOLUTELY BUT THAT ONE WAS REALLY WEAK. IT'S LIKE BASICALLY, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW.

AND SO HAVING THAT THAT DATA FROM DOCTOR MINER WAS REALLY HELPFUL, I THINK, FOR MARKO LIIAS, SENATOR LIIAS, WHO'S NAME WAS ON THERE AS A CO-SPONSOR AND ALSO REPRESENTATIVE RYU SHARED THAT WITH TO A NUMBER OF HER COLLEAGUES SO. THANK YOU. IT'S GOING TO GIVE THEM A BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

IF THEY IF THEY DO THAT SO. AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

YEAH. I MEAN, AND THEY KNOW THAT DISTRICTS ARE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY SO.

SO GIVE US THE MONEY. DON'T MAKE IT UNFUNDED.

GIVE US A MANDATE AND FUND IT. AND THE POINT.

THE POINT I TRIED TO MAKE TO THEM WAS EXACTLY WHAT DIRECTOR GERRARD SAID.

WE'RE NOT PHILOSOPHICALLY OPPOSED TO THIS, BUT IN OUR DISTRICT, IT'S ALMOST $1.4 MILLION A YEAR.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO CUT THAT ISN'T YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD THING, BUT EVERYTHING WE'D BE CUTTING AT THAT POINT ARE GOOD THINGS AS WELL. AND SO THAT'S THE POSITION WE'D BE IN BECAUSE THERE'S NO EXTRA MONEY TO DO THIS.

SO THE JOB OF LEGISLATIVE REP ALSO INCLUDES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO I JUST MENTIONED THAT ACTUALLY, DIRECTOR CHASE AND I WERE BOTH AT A EVENT WITH FOR LUNCH THIS WEEKEND WITH REPRESENTATIVE LARSEN FROM CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2. AND WE WERE ABLE TO ASK HIM THE QUESTION DIRECTLY ABOUT,

[01:05:03]

THAT INCLUDES THE FUNDING. BECAUSE IT INCLUDES THE FUNDING FOR DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND ICE.

BUT ONE OF THE OTHER BILLS THAT'S IN THERE IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

AND HE WAS TELLING US THAT IN THE HOUSE WHEN THEY PASSED THIS BILL FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR EDUCATION, THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE PUT IN THE BILL THAT SAID, LIKE, YOU CAN'T REDUCE THE YOU CAN'T OUTSOURCE THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

YOU HAVE TO STILL, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING.

LIKE, THESE THINGS WERE THEY KIND OF SAW WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION WAS DOING WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS.

AND SO THEY WROTE IT INTO THE BILL IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT SHOULD PREVENT THAT FROM, FROM HAPPENING.

SO IT WAS KIND OF ENCOURAGING NEWS IF WE IF THAT GETS PASSED AT SOME POINT.

THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS I HEARD FROM A GROUP THAT IS PUTTING TOGETHER A MULTI-YEAR EFFORT TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION OF, IN WASHINGTON TO ALLOW BONDS TO BE APPROVED WITH A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.

SO SOME YEARS AGO, THE LEVEES. SCHOOL LEVEES USED TO REQUIRE 60% AND A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION, AND THEY GOT ALL REMOVED. AND IT'S JUST A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

SO BONDS SO THIS COALITION AIMS TO MAKE THAT CHANGE FOR BONDS.

WE'RE SEEING SOME COMMUNITIES IN OUR AREA, IN OUR COUNTY THAT HAVE FAILED BONDS WITH 55%, 59%. AND THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES IN RECENT YEARS.

IF IT WAS JUST SIMPLE MAJORITY, 89% OF ALL BONDS WOULD HAVE PASSED IN THE LAST DECADE, WHICH WOULD MEAN KIDS WOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL IN MORE MODERN, SAFER, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, INSTRUCTIONALLY APPROPRIATE SETTINGS AND BUILDINGS.

SO THEY WERE ASKING FOR OTHER DISTRICTS TO, TO SIGN ON.

SO THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT I GUESS I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT TO INFORM A DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO SIGN ON TO THIS COALITION AND NAME ONLY. IT WOULD BE A NAME ONLY.

IT WOULD NOT BE AN INVESTMENT AT THIS POINT. I THINK FROM THE MOMENT I'VE MOVED TO WASHINGTON STATE AND HEARD THAT THERE WAS A 60% REQUIREMENT FOR BONDS APPROVING BONDS, AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE MINORITY SHOULD GET THE APPROVAL OF WHAT THEY WANTED. WHERE DOES THAT HAPPEN IN A DEMOCRACY? BUT IF IT'S 60%, THAT MEANS 40% OR 41% WHO DIDN'T WANT IT OVERRIDE THE MAJORITY.

I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT. SO I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER TO MAKE IT A MAJORITY, WHICH SEEMS IF THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, IT SHOULD BE THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY THAT GETS TO MAKE THE DECISION, NOT THE MINORITY OF THE OF THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THAT'S MY PERSONAL FEELING ABOUT IT AS A CITIZEN.

TAXPAYING CITIZEN.

AND SO AND I'VE BEEN ATTENDED WAS TO UPDATE GETTING NEWSLETTERS, GETTING EMAILS FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE REPS FOR OUR DISTRICT. SO I'M JUST GETTING FLOODED WITH INFORMATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND TRYING TO CATCH UP ON EVERYTHING.

SO THAT IS MY REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THINGS ARE MOVING REALLY QUICKLY IN THIS SHORT SESSION.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE STUDENTS OR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ON THE LEGISLATIVE PIECE? AND AGAIN, SCARLETT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY IN OLYMPIA.

[01:10:05]

[14. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

AND NEXT WEEK WE MOVE INTO AUDITIONS FOR OUR SECOND SEMESTER SHOWS.

ADDITIONALLY, WE COMPETED AT THESPYS DURING OUR SECOND WEEKEND OF PERFORMANCES, AND WE HAD 12 NATIONALLY QUALIFYING PERFORMANCES.

I PARTICIPATED IN ONE, WHICH WAS A DANCE SOLO, AND WE HAD STUDENTS IN ALL RANGES OF CATEGORIES LIKE COSTUME DESIGN AND VARIOUS THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NATIONAL QUALIFIERS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. ADDITIONALLY, MY SCHOOL HAS A WINTER DANCE IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

THIS IS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND IT'S ORGANIZED BY ASB AND THESPIAN, WHICH WILL BE GOOD NUMBERS FOR OUR THESPIAN TROUPE AS THEY DO A LOT OF WORK THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. CURRENTLY, MY SCHOOL IS IN OUR WSLP WEEKS, WHICH ARE WEEKS WHERE WE MEET WITH OUR ADVISORS AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT SLOWER ON CAMPUS AND THERE'S JUST LESS STUDENTS. AND THIS IS TO PREPARE US FOR LIKE THE REAL UPROAR OUR SECOND SEMESTER.

FOR ROBOTICS, WE'RE GOING TO STATE THAT IS THIS SATURDAY.

BECAUSE WE MADE IT PAST SEMIFINALS. THAT'S MY TEAM AFTERSHOCK 9880.

OUR OTHER TEAM AT MY SCHOOL DID AN AMAZING JOB.

3805 BUT THEY WILL NOT BE MAKING IT FORWARD TO STATE.

AND THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ROBOTICS TEAM THERE.

AND GO. GO, GO. WHAT? SCARLETT, DO YOU WANT TO PICK IT UP NEXT? YEAH. SO TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SECOND SEMESTER.

THE EDMONDS-WOODWAY GIRLS BASKETBALL VARSITY IS HAVING THEIR SENIOR NIGHT, AND WE ARE GOING AGAINST SHORECREST HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN UPCOMING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE HAVE THE SOLO AND ENSEMBLE ALSO KNOWN AS SKMEA, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THERE ARE MANY GROUPS COMPETING THIS YEAR.

THERE'S ALSO THE QUAD CONCERT COMING UP LATER IN FEBRUARY AND THE EDMONDS-WOODWAY JAZZ 1.

GOT INTO THE STARBUCKS HOT JAVA COOL JAZZ AGAIN.

SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE TICKETS THAT WILL BE ONLINE, THEY SELL OUT EVERY YEAR.

AND IT'S PRETTY COMPETITIVE. AND THEN I GUESS I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THIS AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, BUT THERE ISN'T A NEW SUBSTITUTE TO THE BILL.

THE BILL ORIGINALLY IT'S SB 5574, AND THAT WAS JUST TO REQUIRE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER EDUCATION. THAT WAS FILED LAST YEAR AND IT DID NOT GO THROUGH.

SO THIS YEAR ON JANUARY 14TH, I WENT TO TESTIFY FOR PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE 5574, WHICH INCLUDES THE REQUIREMENT OF LATINO, AMERICAN AND BLACK AMERICAN HISTORY BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST AS INTEGRAL IN US HISTORY AND WASHINGTON STATE HISTORY.

BUT THERE ISN'T ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE AFTER THAT.

THAT ONE IS THE SUBSTITUTE. AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANKS TO CHERYL AND THE OTHER PARAEDUCATORS WHO ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF SB 5574. I THINK AS A STUDENT, A LOT OF THE MEDIA I SEE TODAY MAKES SOCIETY FEEL REALLY POLARIZED, AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVE INFORMATION GOING ON, BUT IT'S REALLY HOPEFUL TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE EDUCATORS WHO CARE AND ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS. ALSO THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BITANYA, YOU WANT TO GO NEXT? SO CURRENTLY AT MEADOWDALE WE'RE CELEBRATING THE END OF THE FIRST SEMESTER.

THIS FRIDAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A RAVE FOR STUDENTS.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF MUSIC AND DANCING.

AND THEN SENIORS ARE ALSO ABLE TO WIN THE SPIRIT CONTEST WITHIN THE GRADES.

SO OUR TICKETS ARE ACTUALLY CHEAPER. SO THEY'RE $2 [LAUGHTER] WHILE MOST KIDS ARE PAYING LIKE $7 OR $10.

ALSO WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS GOING ON AT MEADOWDALE RIGHT NOW.

SO KEY CLUB IS DOING A HYGIENE DRIVE. SO THEY'RE GATHERING MATERIALS FOR THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AND THEN THE AMERICAN RED CROSS CLUB.

STARTING EARLY FEBRUARY, WE ARE GOING TO BE DECORATING AND MAKING HYGIENE KITS TO GIVE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN MEADOWDALE WAS ALSO DOMINATING IN SPIRIT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO WIN THE RUBBER CHICKEN YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD WITH EDMONDS-WOODWAY.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. ISMAIL. SO ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD OUR MULTICULTURAL ASSEMBLY AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. I WENT PRETTY WELL. WE HAD A LOT OF PERFORMANCES FROM A DIVERSE AMOUNT OF CULTURES, ALL THE WAY FROM THE PACIFIC ISLANDS DOWN TO THE SOUTHERN TIP OF AFRICA.

IT ALSO IS THE END OF SPRING SPORT. SORRY, NOT SPRING WINTER SPORTS.

AND AS SEASONS ARE STARTING TO WRAP UP, WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHICH WRESTLERS CAN MAKE IT TO THE STATE LEVEL.

AND FINGERS CROSSED. MAYBE WE CAN GET MORE THAN 3 OR 4 THIS YEAR.

YEAH

[01:15:01]

WE'RE ALSO HOSTING OUR MULTICULTURAL ASSEMBLY THIS FRIDAY.

I'LL BE PART OF THE FLAG WALK FOR THE PHILIPPINES, AND I'LL BE WEARING TRADITIONAL CLOTHING FILIPINO CLOTHING THAT I BORROWED FROM MY GRANDMOTHER, WHICH I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. FOR A MORE PERSONAL UPDATE, MY PAPER ON K-12 TECHNOLOGY ADAPTATION DURING COVID, WHICH IS A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS PAPER ON EDMONDS DISTRICT AND NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WAS ACCEPTED TO BE PRESENTED AT A NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

THAT'S GREAT CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR CRAMER. AS ALWAYS, I'M BLOWN AWAY AND ENCOURAGED AND SO PROUD OF THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP THAT IS HERE. AND IT'S INDICATIVE OF SOME TREMENDOUS TEACHING AND COMMUNITY AROUND YOU GUYS. SO I'M SUPER PROUD OF THAT. AND INSPIRED BY IT.

AS A, AN EDUCATOR THAT'S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I GOT SINCE I STARTED WORKING, I STARTED TEACHING AT THE AGE OF 23. I GOT INTO IT BECAUSE I CARED DEEPLY ABOUT STUDENTS.

AND PART OF CARING DEEPLY ABOUT STUDENTS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION, BUT THEIR WELL-BEING AND SAFETY.

AND WHEN WHEN I HEAR STORIES ABOUT TERRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN SCHOOLS I GET ANGRY ABOUT IT BECAUSE. WE SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

FOR WHAT WE DO WITH KIDS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. AND PART OF MY INTEREST IN BEING HERE AT THIS LEVEL IS TO ASK THE QUESTIONS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHARGE AND FOLLOW UP.

AND AND SOMETIMES THOSE QUESTIONS COME ACROSS AS BEING, YOU KNOW, POINTED OR, YOU KNOW, SHARP.

BUT WHAT I'VE COME TO FIND SINCE I'VE STARTED IS THAT WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLY.

BIG HEARTED AND VERY CAPABLE LEADERS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT DO AN EXCELLENT JOB OF FOLLOWING UP.

AND SO I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE SHARP QUESTIONS, BUT I HAVE GROWING CONFIDENCE IN IN OUR IN OUR LEADERS TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHERE SUPPORT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

THERE'S NOT A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY WHERE BAD THINGS DON'T HAPPEN.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE WE'RE PROTECTING KIDS.

I KNOW WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED.

WELL, WE DON'T TYPICALLY RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE SPEAKING, AND I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE REASON WHY.

BUT I NEVER WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T CARE VERY DEEPLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SMITH. SO I TWO THINGS CAME UP TONIGHT THAT I'M GLAD ACTUALLY BOTH CAME UP. ONE IS THE BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH AND THE SALES TAX.

AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY, BUT I GOT TO TAKE YOU ON A LITTLE JOURNEY FOR IT.

I AM FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW, I HAVE A BUSINESS, A SINGLE MEMBER, LLC, AS A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR.

IT'S BUILT UPON YEARS OF WORK DOING THAT SORT OF STUFF.

AND AS PART OF THE NEW SALES TAX BILL, THEY PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS CAME UNDER THAT.

AND SO I'M PART OF A GROUP THAT IS BASICALLY WANTS THAT REPEALED.

AND I AM IN A TRICKY SPOT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BENEFIT ME, BUT ALSO IT WOULD HURT THE SCHOOLS.

SO I'VE STAYED MAINLY NEUTRAL ON IT. JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO LET THE TWO GROUPS WORK IT OUT AND LET THE LEGISLATORS DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. BUT I WANTED TO JUST SAY THE REASON THAT I DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE THAT BILL ISN'T TO DO WITH ME NOT WANTING TO FUND SCHOOLS.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THIS CLEAR BEFORE I MADE MY POINT. IT'S BECAUSE IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE NIGHTMARE FOR ME. IT'S HONESTLY NOT SALES TAX DOESN'T WORK THE WAY YOU THINK.

IF I DO LIKE ONE HOUR OF WORK FOR A CLIENT IN SEATTLE, ONE HOUR OF WORK IN LYNNWOOD, ONE HOUR OF WORK IN EDMONDS, I HAVE TO CHARGE THREE DIFFERENT SALES TAX RATES TO THOSE PEOPLE AND EXPLAIN IT ON THEIR BILL.

AND THEN I HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF IT [LAUGHTER].

SO IT'S A REAL PROBLEM, AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO DO IT WRONG, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE.

[01:20:04]

THAT'S GOT TO BE A VOICE. AND I HAD TO GIVE THEM THE FACTS OF LIFE SPEECH, WHICH WAS 1000 PEOPLE IN A STATE OF 7 MILLION REALLY ISN'T THAT BIG.

THE REASON WE AS A BOARD ARE ACKNOWLEDGED AND ABLE TO DO OUR WORK IS BECAUSE WHEN WE GO TO OUR LEGISLATORS, THE TEACHERS' UNION HELPS US AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE COMMUNITY IS PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH US.

AND SO WHILE IT'S GREAT FOR US TO GET RECOGNITION FOR THE WORK WE DO, I WANT TO REFLECT THAT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT WE'RE PULLING, BECAUSE THAT DOES SEND THE MESSAGE TO LEGISLATORS.

A THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO RUN LITTLE NICHE BUSINESSES.

BUT A FULL SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYING, WE NEED SOMETHING THAT TRACKS FOR LEGISLATORS AND WE COULD NOT DO THAT WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL DO IN SUPPORTING US.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR GERRARD. WELL, I THINK IT'S MIGHT BE HARDER TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU GUYS, BOTH FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND STUDENTS.

I WENT TO THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. SHE WAS THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, AND I COULD TELL SHE WAS A DANCER.

IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT SHOW. VERY FUN. I ALSO VISITED SCRIBER LAKE WITH SUPERINTENDENT.

AND SATURDAY I WAS AT THE LYNNWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.

GRAND OPENING. VERY GREAT ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY SUCH A RESOURCE.

AND MANY KUDOS AND THANKS TO RICK STEVES FOR HELPING FUND THAT.

SPEND A FUN HOUR WITH SOME CUB SCOUTS FROM SHERWOOD TELLING THEM ABOUT WHAT SCHOOL BOARD, WHAT WE DID, HOW WE HOW I GOT ELECTED, AND SO ON. AND WINTER SPORTS ENDING.

GOSH, IT SEEMS CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT, BUT THAT MEANS SPRING SPORTS ARE COMING.

AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME SOCCER.

REFEREEING SOME SOCCER GAMES THIS SPRING SO. THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR MY COMMENTS TONIGHT.

THANKS. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE MUCH. I WAS JUST REFLECTING ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.

WE'RE PAST THE HOLIDAYS. WE DON'T HAVE SPRING BREAK YET.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL TIME WHERE TEACHERS HAVE JUST FINISHED DOING THEIR MID-YEAR REPORTS, GRADING REPORTS, AND EVALUATIONS OF WHERE STUDENTS ARE, WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.

SO I JUST AM HOPING THAT EVERYBODY ACROSS THE DISTRICT STAFF, STUDENTS, PARENTS ALL HUNKER DOWN TO WHERE OUR STUDENTS WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS AND WHAT CAN WE ALL DO TO HELP THEM SO THAT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE BY USING THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME AS A GOOD STATUS REPORT AND A PLACE TO JUMP OFF FROM.

NOTHING FROM ME THIS EVENING. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED TONIGHT AND THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.