May State Board of Education Meeting - May 1, 2025
NC Department of Public Instruction Public Meetings
[{'start': '411.848', 'end': '413.848', 'text': "»CHAIR DAVIS:  GOOD MORNING,  LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND  WELCOME TO THE MAY  1ST, 2025  MEETING OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.  I'M  ERIC DAVIS, CHAIR OF THE BOARD  AND I CALL THIS MEETING TO  ORDER.  DELIGHTED TO WELCOME  ALL BOARD MEMBERS, AND  ADVISORS,  STAFF, ON SITE  VISITORS,  ONLINE VIEWERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA  FOLLOWERS, PLEASE NOTE YOU CAN FOLLOW THE STATE  BOARD OF EDUCATION ON ITS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AT ED  STATE  BOARD_NC AND FOLLOW OUR  MEETING ONLINE AND SEE ALL OF OUR MEETING  MATERIALS AT SBE MEETINGS AT WWW.DPI.NC .GOV.    WE'RE JOINING YOU TODAY FROM BEAUTIFUL  WAYNESVILLE, NORTH  CAROLINA.   HOME OF HAYWOOD COUNTY SCHOOLS, WE'RE MEETING IN A FORMER ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL LIBRARY THAT NOW SERVES  AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING  PLACE.  AND YOU COULD NOT FIND  A BETTER PLACE FOR US TO HOLD A MEETING, THIS HAS BEEN A  WONDERFUL, NOW  THREE-DAY  EXPERIENCE, WE'RE  GRATEFUL TO HAYWOOD  COUNTY  SCHOOLS, AND OUR  TERRIFIC HOST , AND AS WELL AS ALL OF THE SCHOOL  LEADERS IN THE WESTERN REGION  OF NORTH CAROLINA, WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BE IN  WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOR THE  PAST THREE DAYS AND WE'RE GLAD  YOU'RE JOINING US THIS  MORNING.  TODAY IS OUR OFFICIAL MEETING  TODAY, DISCUSS ITEMS  ON THE ACTION AGENDA AND VOTE LATER IN THE MEETING.   BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'RE REMINDED  THAT OUR DU TY TO AVOID  CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE APPEARANCE OF CONFLICT OF  INTEREST AS WE HANDLE THE WORK  OF THIS  BOARD, DOES ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD KNOW OF ANY CONFLICT OF  INTEREST OR APPEARANCE OF  CONFLICT WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTERS DURING THIS  MEETING? IF SO P STATE THEM  DURING THE  MEETING, PLEASE BRING THE  MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE  CHAIR, AND IT WILL THEN BE YOUR DUTY TO ABSTAIN FROM  PARTICIPATING IN DISCUSSION ON  THE  MATTER, AND F ROM VOTING ON THE MATTER.    COLLEAGUES, YOU RECEIVED THE  AGENDA LAST WEEK AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO  REVIEW  IT. I ASK IF THERE ARE ANY REQUESTS FOR CHANGES TO THE  AGENDA?    HEARING  NONE, I REQUEST A  MOTION TO APPROVE THE MAY  1ST, 2025 NORTH  CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF  EDUCATION MEETING  AGENDA?  » SO MOVED.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  MOTIONED BY DR.  OXENDINE.   SECOND?    SECONDED BY MR.  BLACKBURN.   DISCUSSION?  MR.  FOFARIA.   » MS.  OXENDINE.   »  YES.   » MS. CAMNITZ.   » ( INAUDIBLE ).  » MR.  KENAN.   » YES.   » MR.  HALL.   » DR.  MASON.  »  YES.   »  MR.  BLACKBURN.   »  YES.   »  MS.  MOORE.   »  YES.   » TREASURER  BRINER.   »  YES.   »  LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR  HUNT?  » ( INAUDIBLE ).  » VICE-CHAIR  DUNCAN.   »ALAN DUNCAN:   YES.   » CHAIR  DAVIS?    »CHAIR DAVIS:  YES.  MOTION  CARRIES WE HAVE AN  AGENDA,  THANK  YOU, AT THIS TIME I'LL CALL ON VICE-CHAIR ALAN DUNCAN  TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF  ALLEGIANCE.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  EVERYONE THAT'S  ABLE, PLEASE  RISE.    (  ALL RECITING THE PLEDGE OF  ALLEGIANCE )  .   »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK YOU.  WE  HAVE THREE ITEMS OF SPECIAL  RECOGNITION  TODAY, AND FIRST  OFF, DELIGHTED TO WELCOME AND  RECOGNIZE ANY LOCAL CHARTER  SCHOOL LEADERS AND ANY LOCAL  SUPERINTENDENTS THAT ARE WITH  US THIS  MORNING, IF YOU'RE A  CHARTER SCHOOL LEADER OR A LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT, PLEASE  STAND SO WE CAN CELEBRATE  YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU SO MUCH.  NEXT  UP,  WE HAVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION  OF ONE OF OUR  OWN.  A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR WHO  SPENT A LIFETIME CAREER EDUCATING AND MOTIVATING PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS  THE STATE.  THIS  COLLEAGUE'S PROFESSIONAL  DEVOTION TO OUR STATE INVOLVING SERVING IN  THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION, TEACHING IN OUR  UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND OF NOTE,  HELPING TO PREPAR CANDIDATES  FOR THE PRINCIPAL SHIP LEADING  OUR SCHOOLS ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA.  AND THIS  COLLEAGUE'S SERVICE CONTINUES  ON THIS  BOARD, RECENTLY DURING A HER  RETIREMENT, GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN PRESENTED  DR.  OLIVIA OXENDINE WITH OUR  STATE'S HIGHEST AWARD, THE ORDER OF THE LONG LEAF  PINE.    AND LET'S JOIN GOVERNOR STEIN  IN CELEBRATING DR.  OXENDINE.    [ APPLAUSE ] »CHAIR DAVIS:  YOU DESERVE IT.  THANK YOU.   FINALLY, OUR LAST  BUT NOT LEAST SPECIAL  RECOGNITION, I'LL TURN TO OUR WESTERN REGION BOARD  MEMBER, DR.  JANET  MASON.  DR.  MASON?  » THANK  YOU, CHAIRMAN  DAVIS,  O VER THE LAST TWO DAYS AND TRULY OVER THE LAST MONTHS,  WE'VE HEARD STORIES OF STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN NORTH  CAROLINA.  IN RESPONSE TO AND IN RECOVERY  FROM HURRICANE  HELENE.  AND IN  EVERY AFFECTED AREAS, STORIES  OF COURAGE AND SELFLESS WORK  THAT DONE BY  UNSUNG HEROES WHO SOUGHT NO  RECOGNITION, ONLY SEEKING TO  HELP THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEIR  COMMUNE.  WE'RE RECOGNIZING  TODAY AMAZING EDUCATORS AND  SCHOOL STAFF WHO HAVE STEPPED UP AND  I'M PROUD TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT  THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS RECOGNIZING HOT SPRINGS  ELEMENTARY AND MADISON COUNTY  SCHOOLS.  »  GOOD  MORNING, WE WANT TO  SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE AND ALSO  GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO  HIGHLIGHT OUR PEOPLE.  THE  PLACE THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE STANDING RIGHT HERE WITH ME RIGHT  NOW.  I'M ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT IN MADISON COUNTY SCHOOLS, DR.  HOFFMAN WISHES HIS -- YOU THE VERY BEST, HE WAS ILL  TODAY, HE COULD NOT MAKE IT  OVER  HERE, BUT WE ARE SO  THANKFUL TO BE HERE.  I WANT TO INTRODUCE MS.  CHRISTINA  NORTON, SHE IS A SCHOOL NUTRITION AT HOT  SPRINGS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I  WANT TO ALSO GIVE TO YOU SUZ SUSY ROBERTS I'M NERVE US UP  HERE.  JIMMY  MCGREGOR,  OUR  PRINCIPAL, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THESE PEOPLE IS KRI  TINA, SUSY MYSELF AND JIMMY ARE LIFELONG RESIDENTS OF HOT  SPRINGS, NORTH  CAROLINA, DOT  ONLY DID WE WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE DEVASTATION  HURRICANE HELENE DID IN OUR  COMMUNITY BUT TO OUR  HOMES.   WE ALL LOST ELECTRICITY FOR  10, 11 DAYS, WE LOST WATER FOR THAT  AMOUNT OF TIME AS WELL.  AND SO NOT ONLY DID THESE  WONDERFUL  PEOPLE STANDING HERE WITH  ME,  THEY WENT TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE BECAUSE THAT'S  WHERE EVERYONE  CAME.  OUR  SCHOOL SITS UP ON A HILL, SO OUR TOWN WAS COMPLETELY  DEVASTATED.  THERE WAS NO  BUSINESSES.  THERE WAS NO GASOLINE.  THERE WAS NOTHING  YOU COULD  GET.    BECAUSE OUT WHEN YOU LEAVE OUR TOWN, THERE IS AREAS  WHERE WATER WAS OVER  THAT, SO NO ONE COULD COME TO  US, NOR COULD WE EXIT OUR  TOWN. HELICOPTERS STARTED LANDING AND THEY WERE DROPPING  THINGS ON OUR BALL FIELD  BEFORE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF YOU  ARE WONDERFUL ADMINISTRATORS BEFORE YOUR JOBS HERE  CURRENTLY I'M  SURE, AND SO YOU HAVE A PLAN.  OR YOU  HAVE A POLICY IN  PLACE.    OR YOU HAVE I PROCEDURE THAT YOU CAN GO BY TO KNOW NUMBER  ONE, I DO  THIS.  NUMBER  TWO,  I DO THIS.  NUMBER THREE, I DO  THIS.  WE DIDN'T  HAVE A PLAYBOOK ON WHEN A HELICOPTER IS DROPPING FOOD OUT OF  IT, WHERE DO YOU PUT THE  PEOPLE?    HOW DO YOU GET THE FOOD INTO THAT  PLACE?   THEN NOT ONLY DID WE GO FROM  DROPPING AIR LIFTS  DOWN, MEDICATION CAME  OUT OF THOSE  HELICOPTERS.   THESE WOMEN, MR.  MCGREGOR, TURNED  OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL  INTO, WE  CALLED IT OUR  WALMART, OUR  GYMNASIUM,  PICTURES, SUPERINTENDENT  GREEN, HE GOT TO SEE  THAT.  THERE ARE PICTURES WHERE DOWN THE AISLES OF THE WHOLE  JIM GYMNASIUM, WE HAD SECTIONS LIKE WALMART COULD HAVE, OUR PEOPLE  COULD WALK UP TO THE SCHOOL  DURING THE DAYLIGHT  HOURS,  THEY COULD GET WHAT THIS  NEEDED, THEY WENT HOME BECAUSE  EVERYTHING WAS DARK IN OUR  TOWN.  AND THEN WHEN DAYLIGHT  CAME EVERYBODY WALKED UP, BUT  THESE  LADIES, WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY  SERVED  500 MEALS, NOT JUST FOR BREAK  FAST,  500 MEALS FOR LUNCH AND  500 MEALS FOR THE DINNER TIME THAT WAS AROUND 1500 MEALS A  DAY.  WITHOUT  ELECTRICITY.  OR RUNNING  WATER. SO GIVE THEM A HAND.    [ APPLAUSE ]  ABSOLUTELY.  AND  AGAIN, I'LL  SAY THE LAST THING THEY WANTED  TO DO IS TO BE HERE AND TO BE  RECOGNIZED, THEY DO THE WORK  BEHIND THE  SCENES.  BUT WHAT MR.  MCGREGOR AND I WANTED TO  MAKE SURE, THEY WERE HERE TODAY SO YOU COULD SEE THEM AND THEIR  WONDERFUL  CAPACITY, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO  ADD, MR.  MCGREGOR.   » IF YOU KNOW  ME, I'M GOING TO LIKE TO  TALK, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP IT  SHORT, IF YOU  KNEW ME TWO YEARS  AGO, I'VE  GAINED A LITTLE  WEIGHT.    THESE LADY, THEIR LOVE LANGUAGE IS  FEEDING, SERVING, I'VE  JOKED ABOUT IT SINCE THE DAY ONE I WALKED IN  THERE,  THEY JUST -- THEY ARE  CONSTANTLY SERVING AND FEEDING AND TAKING CARE OF  PEOPLE.  I  THINK THESE TWO ARE A GREAT  EXAMPLE OF WHAT HOT SPRINGS HAS TO  OFFER.  AS FAR  AS SHARING THE LOVE AND THE SERVITUDE FOR THEIR  CHILDREN, WE HAD TO WRESTLE  THEM TO GET THEM HERE  TODAY.  AND ONE OF THE THINGS  THAT I STILL  HEAR, MS. SUZIE  SAY THAT ECHOS IN MY HEAD, I CAN'T LEAVE MY  BABIES. AND THAT IS WHAT SHE  DOES.  SO THERE'S NO BETTER OPPORTUNITY  THAT I'M SO PROUD OF TO BE HERE WITH THEM TODAY, TO HONOR THEM, THE WAY THEY DESERVE TO BE  HONORED. AND WE LOVE  YOU.   »   AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING  US.    [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ]  » I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I  CAN SEE  YOU, DR.  MASON.   YES. LOOKS  GREAT.   ONE,  TWO, THREE. »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK  YOU, DR.  MASON, FOR BRINGING JUST ONE  MORE EXAMPLE OF THE  GOODNESS  OF NORTH CAROLINA AND THE WAY WE CARE AND SERVE EACH OTHER, I MEAN, IT'S INSPIRATIONAL AND WE HONOR YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT  YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR CHILDREN  HERE IN HAYWOOD COUNTY AND  ACROSS THE  STATE.   NEXT, I'LL TURN TO  SUPERINTENDENT GREEN FOR THE  STATE  SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. »  VERY GOOD, GOOD  MORNING.   »  GOOD  MORNING.   »  TWO ITEMS TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.  THE  FIRST IS THE NORTH CAROLINA  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION'S RESPONSE TO THE  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION  TITLE SIX CERTIFICATION REQUEST.   FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND  CONTEXT, THE U.S. DP T OF EDUCATION ISSUED A REQUEST FOR  CERTIFICATION ON APRIL THE 3 rd OF THIS  YEAR.    ASKING NC DPI TO CERTIFY ITS  COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF  1964.   FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT  AWARE, THE TITLE SIX IS A  FEDERAL LAW THAT PROHIBITS  DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF  RACE,  COLOR, AND NATIONAL  ORIGIN, IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL  FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE.  IN  NORTH  CAROLINA, PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS AND THE  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION RECEIVE OVER $1 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS  ANNUALLY.  SO THIS REQUEST EXTENDED TO ALL LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES IN NORTH  CAROLINA.   INCLUDING TRADITIONAL PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, CHARTER  SCHOOLS, SPECIALIZED PUBLIC  SCHOOLS AS  WELL.  WE  WILL REFER TO  THEM AS PUBLIC SCHOOL  UNITS.  SO NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION AND ALL  PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED THIS  CERTIFICATION  PREVIOUSLY,  MAKING THIS ADDITIONAL REQUEST, WE  BELIEVE,  REDUNDANT.  NOW, WHAT DID WE  DO?  WE ACTUALLY  COMPLIED WITH THE  REQUEST, COLLECTING CERTIFICATION FROM  THE PUBLIC SCHOOL  UNITS, WE  PROVIDED THE DEPARTMENT  CERTIFICATION WHILE CLARIFYING  THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE -- WHAT THE CERTIFICATION  IS.   OUR CERTIFICATION AFFIRMS THAT  TO THE BEST OF OUR  KNOWLEDGE, THE  DEPARTMENT AND ALL PUBLIC  SCHOOL UNITS COMPLY WITH TITLE  SIX.  WE SPECIFIED THAT  THIS ASSURANCE IS LIMITED TO  LEGAL OBLIGATIONS AUTHORIZED BY  LAW. WE RAISED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE  REQUEST, INCLUDING  THAT THE U.S.  DEPARTMENT'S  REQUEST CONTAINS BROAD  STATEMENTS ABOUT QUOTE, DIVERSITY,  EQUITY, AND  INCLUSION, WITHOUT CLEARLY DEFINING WHAT SPECIFIES WHAT  SPECIFIC PRACTICES MIGHT  VIOLATE TITLE 6, THIS LACK OF CLARITY CREATES AMBIGUITY WHAT ABOUT WE ARE  BEING ASKED TO  CERTIFY.  WE BELIEVE THE CLARIFICATION IS NECESSARY TO  ENSURE  TRANSPARENCY AND PROPER COMPLIANCE.  JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF THE LEGAL  FRAMEWORK AND THE  DEPARTMENT'S AUTHORITY, THE  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION, WE  DON'T BELIEVE CAN CHANGE  ASSURANCES OR IMPOSE NEW  REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT FOLLOWING PROPER RULE  MAKING  PROCEDURES.  WE DON'T BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT CAN UNILATERALLY MODIFY OR CASE LAW,  THEREFORE, OUR CERTIFICATION IS BASED ON  OUR UNDERSTAND ING THAT IT  APPLIES ONLY TO THE  EXTENT OF  THE DEPARTMENT'S LAWFUL  AUTHORITY AND EXISTING LAW.   NOW, WE  REMAIN FIRMLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING  EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS FREE  FROM DISCRIMINATION.  BASED ON  RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL  ORIGIN .  WE WILL CONTINUE OUR WORKING TO ENSURE  FAIRNESS, REMOVE BARRIERS TO  OPPORTUNITY, AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON MERIT AND  NEED.  OUR  EDUCATIONAL MISSION IS ABOUT OPENING  DOORS, NOT  CLOSING THEM.  EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE,  WHETHER IT'S ABOUT  DISCIPLINE, OR  CURRICULUM, OR HIRING, OR  RESOURCE  ALLOCATION, OR THE  LIKE, IS GOING TO BE GROUNDED IN  FAIRNESS.  WE ARE  COMMITTED TO PROVIDING ACCESS  TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL  STUDENTS.   WE STRIVE FOR ALL OF OUR  ACTIONS BEING GUIDED FOR WHAT'S BEING  IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL  PUBLIC SCHOOL  STUDENTS.   NOW, WE CERTAINLY  LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR  WORK WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION.  I BELIEVE OUR SHARED GOAL IS  THE GREAT AND IMPORTANT WORK OF EDUCATING CHILDREN IN OUR PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.  WE VALUE THIS PARTNERSHIP WHILE MAINTAINING CLARITY ABOUT LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND  AUTHORITY.  SO  SECONDLY, I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON MO WANTS TO  KNOW.  Y'ALL KNOW IT AS MY  LISTENING AND LEARNING TOUR  ACROSS NORTH  CAROLINA.  TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT FOR NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.  WE HAVE COMPLETED SESSIONS IN EIGHT  REGIONS IN THE  STATE.  THOSE  WERE IN-PERSON SESSIONS.  AND ALONG WITH  THAT, DOZENS OF VIRTUAL AND  INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP SESSIONS AS  WELL.   I HAVE ONE MORE SESSION LEFT.  IT'S WITH STUDENTS NEXT WEEK.   WE'LL BE LEARNING WHAT WE --   WE'LL BE TAKING WHAT WE LEARNED TO PUT TOGETHER A STRATEGIC PLAN.  IN  FACT, I DO WANT TO APPLAUD THE  BOARD, THE BOARD ADVISORS AND STAFF FOR YOUR  WORK  RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC  PLAN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF  DAYS.  AND I LOOK FORWARD TO  CONTINUING THE WORK AS WE  DEVELOP THAT  PLAN.  I LOOK FORWARD TO  REVIEWING A  DRAFT OF THE PLAN IN JUNE OF  THIS YEAR AT THE STATE BOARD  MEETING.  SO THOSE ARE THE TWO  ITEMS, WITH  THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO  CHAIRMAN  DAVIS.    THANK YOU.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK  YOU, SUPERINTENDENT  GREEN.  I NOTE THAT THE  SUPERINTENDENT MENTIONED COLLEAGUES THAT WE  RECEIVE A  WEEKLY FRIDAY  UPDATE, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT  E-MAIL THAT GIVES US REGULAR  INSIGHT INTO  MATTERS THE BOARD AND DPI ARE  WORKING  ON, ALSO AN AVENUE FOR THE  SUPERINTENDENT TO COMMUNICATE  WITH US AS HE DID ON THE TITLE  SIX ATTESTATION, A FEW WEEKS AGO.   SO PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THIS  COMMUNICATION EACH  WEEK.  AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF  IT.  ANY  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS,  CONCERNING THE  SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT?    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  I HAVE A  QUICK QUESTION.   »CHAIR DAVIS:  DR.  OXENDINE.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THANK YOU  VERY  MUCH, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.  SUPERINTENDENT  GREEN. I HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MAYBE A LACK OF CLARITY  IN THE LETTER THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK FROM DOE IN TERMS OF CLARIFYING ANY OF THE  CONCERNS THAT YOU  HAD?  HAVE YOU HEARD BACK FROM  D.O.E.?  » THANK YOU FOR THAT  QUESTION.  WE HAVE NOT  HEARD BACK FROM THE U.S.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN  RESPONSE TO THE LETTER THAT WE SENT.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  OKAY.    YEAH.   WELL, THANK YOU VERY  MUCH.  AND I'M SURE YOU'RE  LOOKING FORWARD TO  HEAR,  CLARITY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND  COMMUNICATION SUCH AS  THAT, SO LET'S HOPE YOU DO HEAR BACK FROM THEM  SOON.  IN  A RELATED  QUESTION, THAT I  HAVE, ARE WE  GETTING ANY SENSE OF WHAT PROGRAMS MIGHT GO AWAY  OR HOW MUCH MONEY WE MIGHT LOSE IN  LIGHT OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH  THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?    LIKE WE HAVE THE -- WE HAVE AN  ENTIRE DIVISION OF FEDERAL  PROGRAMS,  ARE THEY -- I GUESS I JUST -- THAT'S MY  QUESTION.   »  GREAT QUESTION.  AT THIS  POINT, WE DO NOT HAVE CLARITY AS TO WHAT, IF  ANY,  PROGRAMS MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY  THE DECISIONS BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION.  AT  LEAST WITH REGARDS TO THINGS  LIKE YOU'VE LIFTED  UP.  YOU KNOW,  SO WITH  THAT, OVER $1 BILLION  THAT I MENTIONED IN  MY COMMENTS,  THOSE WOULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE FUNDS THAT GO FOR EXCEPTIONAL  CHILDREN, AND FOR SCHOOLS THAT ARE  HIGH-POVERTY  SCHOOLS.  AND AT THIS POINT, HAVING SEEN ANY DIRECT  IMPACTS ON THOSE PARTICULAR FUNDS.  WE HAVE SEEN CERTAINLY LOTS OF GRANTS THAT  HAVE BEEN  IMPACTED.  THAT HAVE  ENDED, INCLUDING GRANTS  FOR THINGS LIKE TEACHER AND EDUCATOR  RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND GROWTH, AND SO WE DON'T KNOW  WHERE ELSE THIS MAY  GO, BUT  THAT GIVES YOU AT LEAST SOME SENSE OF  WHERE THEY ARE ALREADY --   »OL IVIA OXENDINE:  FOR  INSTANCE, OUR 21ST CENTURY GRANT.   » SO AT THIS  MOMENT, OUR  21ST CENTURY GRANT HAS NOT BEEN  IMPACTED, I'M LOOKING TO MY  TEAM TO CONFIRM THAT, BUT I'M  NOT AWARE OF --   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THAT'S A  GOOD  GRANT.   » AT THIS  POINT, I WANT TO BE  CLEAR THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT  ELSE MAY BE COMING.  AND SO WE WILL  CERTAINLY TRY TO BE SURE THAT  WE COMMUNICATE AS PROMPTLY AS WE  CAN, WHEN WE RECEIVE  INFORMATION RELATED TO THE VERY IMPORTANT GRANTS  AND PROGRAMS THAT WE UTILIZE TO SERVE STUDENTS IN  OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  I WANT TO  PUT ANOTHER PLUG  IN, I DON'T  KNOW THE MECHANISM FOR MAKING  THIS  HAPPEN, BUT I STILL WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT IT WOULD BE -- I THINK A GOOD OPTION TO  HAVE TITLE  SIX,  T HE INDIAN EDUCATION  MONEY, THAT HAS ALWAYS GONE DIRECTLY TO OUR LEAs , THE  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION HAS BEEN BYPASSED AND THERE'S --   THERE'S A LOGICAL REASON FOR  THAT, I WON'T GO INTO THAT.    BUT IF THAT MONEY COULD BE  DIVERTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION AND THEN AWARDED  OUT TO OUR -- THE QUALIFYING  SCHOOL DISTRICTS.    THAT MEET THE QUOTA TO RECEIVE THE  DOLLARS.  AND THAT QUOTA IS AS LONG AS THERE'S TEN STUDENTS, AMERICAN INDIAN  STUDENTS  ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL  DISTRICT, THAT MINIMUM, THEY'RE ENTITLED TO  INDIAN EDUCATION  DOLLARS,  WHETHER FEDERAL OR  NONFEDERALLY -- IT WOULD  FEDERALLY  RECOGNIZE, BECAUSE  THERE'S A FEAR OUT THERE THAT THIS MONEY COULD GO TO THE  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, AND BECOME SUBJECT TO THE RULES AND REGS OF THE BUREAU OF INDIAN  EDUCATION, WHICH TENDS TO -- I  DON'T  KNOW.  -- CLOSE TO THEIR HEART, THE NON-- ARE THE  FEDERALLY  RECOGNIZED  TRIBES.    I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT ANY  OTHER WAY.  AND THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE, BUT THAT'S THE FEAR AMONG OUR 13 STATE  RECOGNIZED TRIBES IN NORTH  CAROLINA.  SO IF WE COULD GET  THAT MONEY SENT OUR WAY, WE WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.  FOR  OUR AMERICAN INDIAN  STUDENTS,  AND FEDERAL AND NONFEDERALLY RECOGNIZED.  THANK YOU.  CHAIR DAVIS.    »CHAIR DAVIS:   YES, AND JUST  TO PIGGY-BACK ON THE  SUPERINTENDENT'S  COMMENTS, TWO EXAMPLES OF THE DAMAGES BEING DONE IS 28 MILLION IN  FUNDING TO SOME  17.3 MILLION TO HIGH POINT YOUFRT  UNIVERSITY AND MORE THAN  11 TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO THAT  GOES DIRECTLY TO TRAINING AND  PREPARING AND RECRUITING  TEACHERS FOR NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  SO DON'T BE NAIVE, THESE ACTIONS THAT ARE  BEING TAKEN ARE  DIRECTLY  IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO SERVE YOUR CHILDREN  AND YOUR TEACHERS AS WELL OUR  PARTNERS IN THE PUBLIC  EDUCATION SYSTEM OF NORTH  CAROLINA.  SO  NEEDLESS ANXIETY AND DAMAGE TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.  ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO OUR  SUPERINTENDENT?  ALL RIGHT.    THEN WE'LL BEGIN OUR COMMITTEE  WORK AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE  STUDENT LEARNING AND  ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE  LED BY  MS. JILL  CAMNITZ, MS.  CAMNITZ? »JILL CAMNITZ:  THANK  YOU,  CHAIR DAVIS.  I SHARE THE WORK  OF THIS COMMITTEE WITH DR.  OLIVIA OXENDINE AND TODAY WE  HAVE A FAIRLY SHORT  AGENDA, WE HAVE TWO ACTION  ITEMS.  THE  FIRST IS SLA  1, WHICH IS THE 2024 SACIE ANNUAL REPORT TO THE  BOARD, THE REPORT ANALYZES INDIAN PERFORMANCE ON STATE  TESTS, ADVANCED PLACEMENT  PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE  AND GRADUATE DROPOUT AND SUSPENSION RATES, THE DATA  UNFORTUNATELY  REVEALED CONTINUING DISPARITIES BETWEEN AMERICAN  INDIAN STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND  STATEWIDE PERFORMANCE OF OTHER  SUB GROUPS.  SACIE  HAD TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US  THAT THEY PLANNED TO WORK ON  OVER THE COURSE OF THIS NEXT  YEAR, AND THE FIRST IS TO FACILITATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION WITH LEGISLATIVE  AND POLICY MAKING  ENTITIES, AS WELL AS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS  WITH BROAD STAKEHOLDER  SECTORS. THEIR SECOND RECOMMENDATION WAS TO CONTINUE TO URGE SCHOOL  DISTRICTS TO IDENTIFY THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AMERICAN INDIAN  STUDENTS IN THEIR SCHOOL  IMPROVEMENT PLANS, AND  INCORPORATES  GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND  CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE  LESSONS IN THE ANNUAL  PLAN.   OUR SECOND ACTION ITEM IS THE  2024-25 EXCELLENT  PUBLIC SCHOOL MIDDLE OF THE YEAR  UPDATE.  THIS ACT  REQUIRES THAT THE AMPLIFY BE ADMINISTERED IN  GRADES  K3, THREE TIMES A YEAR.  THIS ASSESSMENT  PROVIDES DATA IN REALTIME TO ADJUST AND DIFFERENTIATE  INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FOR EACH  STUDENT.  AS WELL AS PROVIDING  US WITH A STATEWIDE SNAPSHOT OF STUDENT PROGRESS.  WE SEE SUBSTANTIAL  KINDERGARTEN GROWTH FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE  MIDDLE OF THE  YEAR.  AND  MODERATE GROWTH IN GRADES 1 AND 2 WITH THIRD GRADE HOLDING STEADY.  IN ALL GRADES, NORTH CAROLINA  EXCEEDED THE NATIONAL NUMBERS.  SUBGROUPS OUT  PERFORMED OR EQUAL THE NATIONAL DATA.  LOOKING AT THE PAST FOUR  YEARS, WE CONTINUE  TO HAVE FEWER STUDENTS  BELOW  BENCHMARK AND MORE STUDENTS  AT OR ABOVE WITH EACH TESTING  CYCLE.  WE ALSO LOOKED AT DATA  ON PROGRESS MONITORING.  WHICH INDICATES  THE NEED TO  INCREASE THE  NUMBER OF  AT-RISK STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING THIS CRITICAL  MONITORING, WHICH  AGAIN,  INFORMS THE CLASSROOM INCEPTION FOR INDIVIDUAL  STUDENTS.  DR.  RHYNE CLOSED HER PRESENTATION LAST MONTH  WITH TWO NEXT  STEPS.  FIRST  THAT WE NEED TO  REELEVATE PROGRESS  MONITORING AND THAT WE MUST RE-EMPHASIZE THE  INSTRUCTION,  MUST INCLUDE WORD RECOGNITION  AND LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION AS WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS KIND OF  SCIENCE-BASED INSTRUCTION IN  OUR GRADES  K-3.   FINALLY WE  HAVE ONE CONSENT  ITEM, WHICH  IS A REPORT TO THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY ON 11 th GRADERS COMPLETING  GRADUATION CREDITS IN THE  THREE-YEAR  PERIOD.    THIS FIRST TIME REPORT IS  REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATION  WHICH ESTABLISHED A  THREE-YEAR ACCELERATED PATHWAY FOR  GRADUATION, DUE ON MAY 15 th .  STAFF WILL BE BRINGING SOME  RELATED TOPICS AND POLICIES FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION IN FUTURE MEETINGS.  AND THAT CONCLUDES  OUR COMMITTEE REPORT TODAY.  »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK YOU, MS.  CAMNITZ, BRINGING US THREE  ITEMS FOR ACTION  TODAY, ANY QUESTIONS ON  THAT?  SEEING  NONE, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE EDUCATION AND INNOVATION  AND CHARTER SCHOOLS COMMITTEE  LED BY MR.  JOHN BLACKBURN, MR.  BLACKBURN.   »JOHN BLACKBURN:  THANK  YOU,  MR.  CHAIRMAN, I SERVE AS THE  CHAIRMAN OF THIS COLLEAGUE ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE MS.   JILL  CAMNITZ.  FIRST ITEM IS CHARTER SCHOOLS  REVIEW BOARD AND MS. BAQUERO.   »  GOOD  MORNING, CAN YOU ALL HEAR  ME?    »JOHN BLACKBURN:  WE CAN HEAR  YOU,  ASHLEY.   »  OKAY,  GREAT.  GOOD  MORNING, CHAR, VICE-CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE  BOARD.   ADVISORS, AND ATTENDEES.  I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT YOUR  MONTHLY CHARTER SCHOOLS REVIEW  BOARD SYNOPSIS, AS YOU  KNOW, WE MEET THE WEEK AFTER STATE BOARD  MEETS, TRADITIONALLY, SO THIS MEETING  I'M REPORTING ON NOW WAS OUR  APRIL  MEETING.  WHICH IS THE  APRIL 7 th  MEETING.  THE MAJOR ITEM  ON THE AGENDA FOR APRIL 7th WAS A  RECONSIDERATION OF AN APPEAL OF  NONRENEWAL.  AS A LITTLE  BACKGROUND, MOST OF YOU  PROBABLY RECALL BUT FOR THOSE  LISTENING, COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF DIGITAL AND VISUAL  ARTS AND A CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATING IN  DURHAM, THEY'VE  BEEN OPERATING, ONE OF THE  OLDEST OPERATING SCHOOLS I  BELIEVE THEY BEGAN IN  1998.  AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS REVIEW  BOARD DURING OUR NORMAL CYCLE  OF RENEWALS FOR THIS  YEAR, VOTED TO  NONRENEW THE  SCHOOL. THAT SCHOOL APPEALED PURSUANT TO THEIR  LEGISLATIVE, YOU KNOW, RIGHTS TO DO SO.  AND THAT APPEAL WAS HEARD BY AN APPEAL PANEL.  THE  APPEAL PANEL SENT ITS  RECOMMENDATION TO THE STATE BOARD AND STATE BOARD APPROVED THAT RECOMMENDATION  THAT THE APPEAL GO BACK TO THE CHARTER  SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD FOR  ADDITIONAL  CONSIDERATION.   AND IN THE HOPES THAT THE LATE  AUDITS WOULD BE RECEIVED AT THAT TIME.  SO DURING OUR  APRIL  MEETING, THE CHARTER  SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD RECEIVED A SUMMARY FROM OUR  OFFICE IN TERMS OF THE TIME LINES SINCE  IT HAS BEEN QUITE A LONG TIME  LINE.  THEY ALSO RECEIVED A THOROUGH FINANCIAL AND SCHOOL BUSINESSES REPORT ON THEIR  AUDITS, THE AUDITS  HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THAT  POINT.  AND SO THEY WERE  ABLE TO SPEAK TO THOSE TWO  MISSING -- THOSE TWO LATE AUDITS, FISCAL YEAR  '23 AND '24, AND THEN  FINALLY, THE SCHOOL DID A -- ITS OWN  PRESENTATION OF ITS IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT'S DOING TO  MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOES NOT  OCCUR  AGAIN.  UPON HEARING  THAT, THE CHARTER  SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD VOTED FOR  A  THREE-YEAR  RENEWAL, WHICH IS THE  LOWEST, YOU KNOW, TERM THAT YOU CAN GET.  AND  THEY GAVE THE SCHOOL SEVERAL  STIPULATIONS.  SO I'VE LINKED  HERE ON FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR  THE BOARD, ALL OF THE MATERIALS  THAT ARE ON OUR PUBLIC  E-BOARD SITE FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD.   BUT ALS O, JUST WANTED TO GO  OVER THE STIPULATION IN CASE  THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.    THE FIRST IS THAT PURSUANT TO  THIS  THREE-YEAR  RENEWAL, AT THE REQUEST OF A  MINIMUM ONCE PER  YEAR, THE  SCHOOL NEEDS TO PRESENT A GOVERNANCE FINANCIAL AND  ACADEMIC REPORT TO THE CHARTER  SCHOOLS REVIEW  BOARD.   SO IN PREVIOUS YEARS WHEN WE'VE HAD  STIPULATIONS, WE CALL THEM  STIPULATION SCHOOLS BUT ESSE NTIALLY A RENEWAL WITH SOME TYPE OF  STIPULATION.    THEY TRADITIONALLY WILL COME,  THIS IS A STANDARD REQUEST THAT THEY COME BEFORE THE BOARD IN  SOME SORT OF CADENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY  ARE, YOU  KNOW, THE BOARD IS  WELL-AWARE  OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND SO THEY GET THAT INTERACTION.  THE  SCHOOL MUST ALSO PROVIDE  MONTHLY BOARD MINUTES TO THE  OFFICE OF CHARTER  SCHOOLS,  MOST -- THE VAST MAJORITY OF CHARTER  SCHOOLS POST THE MINUTES ON  WEBSITE, THEY HAVE PUBLIC  RECORD, WE OFTEN DO NOT HAVE  ANY PROBLEM RECEIVING TH OSE  BUT IN THIS CASE, THE  SCHOOL, WE DID HAVE  ISSUES WITH  THIS, SO T HAT WAS WHY THE STIPULATION WAS PUT INTO THIS  RENEWAL.  THEY MUST  SUBMIT THEIR ANNUAL AUDITS ON  TIME, AS YOU ARE AWARE, THEY  HAD TWO YEARS OF LATE  AUDITS.  THE  BOARD MEMBERS MUST GO THROUGH A MINIMUM OF TWO TRAININGS I  YEAR, FROM  OC -- OUR OFFICE  PROVIDE TRAINING, RECEIVE YOUR OWN  TRAINER, AND PROVIDE  DOCUMENTATION IN THEIR ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS  REVIEW  BOARD, SO  ESSENTIALLY, THEY MUST SPEAK TO WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING THEY HAVE RECEIVED AND WHO  ATTENDED.  AND THEN  THEY WILL PROVIDE  MONTHLY  UPDATES TO OUR OFFICE, REGARDING A POTENTIAL  MOVE.    SO DURING THE  DISCUSSIONS, ONE OF THEIR AUDIT FINDINGS, THE PREVIOUS FEW  YEARS, HAS BEEN A REOCCURRING  DEFICIT.  AND THE SCHOOL SPOKE  TO THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A  PROPERTY THAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO  SELL, WHICH SHOULD  RESOLVE THOSE  ISSUES.    OUR OFFICE MUST ALSO BE  NOTIFIED OF ANY RELOCATION FOR A CHARTER SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPER CERTIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY AND  THOSE BOXES ARE  CHECKED, AND  SINCE WE WERE NOT AWARE OF  THIS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS SO  THAT WE ARE KEPT ABREAST OF  THIS INFORMATION.  SO THOSE ARE THE  STIPULATIONS, THE OFFICE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS  IS  CURRENTLY WORKING TO DEVISE A PLAN FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR AND KEEP UP WITH  THESE STIPULATIONS, AND SO  FAR, THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE  AND COMMUNICATING WELL WITH US.    SO THAT IS -- THAT OUR PLAN  GOING FORWARD.  A RE THERE ANY  QUESTIONS ON THIS BEFORE I MOVE ON, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS QUITE A LARGE ITEM?  »JOHN BLACKBURN:  NO  QUESTIONS, GO  AHEAD, ASHLEY.   »   OKAY.  THE OTHER ITEM IS  THE 2026 CHARTER APPLICATION  REVIEW, SO THE OFFICE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS  BELIEVES THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CHARTER  APPLICATION, WHICH IS THE  ESSENTIALLY THE APPLICATION  THAT ANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MUST SUBMIT TO  BECOME A CHARTER SCHOOL UNDER STATE LAW TO OPERATE A  CHART  SCHOOL, THIS SHOULD BE  REVIEWED, IF NOT  ANNUALLY, AT  LEAST, YOU KNOW,  EVERY OTHER  YEAR.  FOR A  NUMBER OF  REASONS.  AND SO WE ARE BRINGING THIS BEFORE  THE CHARTER SCHOOLS REVIEW  BOARD, WE HAVE BROKEN IT DOWN INTO SPECIFIC  SECTIONS EACH  MONTH.   WE HAVE -- EXCUSE ME, THIS  UPCOMING MEETING NEXT  WEEK, WE WILL CONCLUDE  KIND OF THE  SECTIONS THAT WE HAVE -- THE WORK SO TO SPEAK THAT WE'VE GIVEN THE BOARD TO  CONSIDER.    AND DURING THIS  SUMMER, WE WILL CONTINUE  TO WORK WITH THE BOARD ON  SUGGESTIONS ON ANY PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE'VE  RECEIVED.  AND WE WILL  REVISIT THAT IN THE FALL BEFORE WE HAVE TO GET THE NEW  APPLICATION READY FOR A JANUARY 2026  LAUNCH.  AND SO THIS IS  JUST SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO WITH THE BOARD.  AND THIS IS ALL  AGAIN, PUBLICLY  AVAILABLE ON  E-BOARD IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE COMMENT OR TO  REVIEW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE  ARE RECOMMENDING AS AN OFFICE.  OBVIOUSLY, IT IS THE CHARTER  SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD BOARD, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL MAKE THAT FINAL VOTE AND WE  WILL OBVIOUSLY KEEP THE STATE  BOARD ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED AND KEEP YOU  ABREAST OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE  DISCUSSIONS.  SO  THAT  CONTINUED.  AND THEN WE HAD  READY TO OPEN  UPDATES, WHICH  IS OUR MAIN -- WILL BE OUR MAIN TOPIC OF  CONVERSATION BETWEEN MAY AND  JUNE.  THE READY TO OPEN  SCHOOLS ARE THE SCHOOLS THAT  ARE SLATED TO OPEN IN THE  FALL. READY TO OPEN IS A PROCESS THAT SCHOOLS GO  THROUGH USUALLY A YEAR OR TWO,  WITH OFFICE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS TRAINING, AND  SO THE TEN SCHOOLS WE HAVE  RIGHT NOW, IT'S ESSENTIALLY  GETTING THEM TO THE FINISH LINE.  AS TO WHETHER THEY CAN OPEN IN THE  FALL.  WE ARE DOING MONTH LI  UPDATES WITH THE SCHOOL, WE ARE ASKING FOR UPDATES ON  THE  FACILITIES, AND  ENROLLMENT, WHICH TYPICALLY  TEND TO BE THE TWO BIGGEST CHALLENGES AT  THIS POINT.  AND THEN AT OUR  JUNE MEETING, WHAT OCCURS IS THAT THOSE SCHOOLS  THAT HAVE NOT MET THE MINIMUM  REQUIREMENTS, FOR  EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY THEY DON'T  HAVE THEIR CERTIFICATE OF  OCCUPANCY, OR THEY HAVE NOT MET THE THRESHOLD FOR ENROLLMENT, THOSE SCHOOLS WILL APPEAR BEFORE THE  CHARTER SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD IN JUNE.   AND THAT IS WHEN THE CHARTER  SCHOOLS REVIEW BOARD MUST DECIDE A VOTE ON WHETHER  THEY WILL RECEIVE CHAIR CHARTER AGREEMENT, A LICENSE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO  OPERATE.  SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE WILL HAVE TEN, WE WILL SEE IF ALL OF THEM OPEN, AND WE KEEP THE INTERNAL STAFF HERE AT DPI WELL  INFORMED OF ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE  BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE  SCHOOLS THAT JUST CANNOT MAKE  IT TO THE FINISH LINE DURING  THE SUMMER AND THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY OPEN.  AND THEN  FINALLY, WE HAD THREE  PRESENTATIONS, WE HAVE SCHOOLS  THAT ARE EITHER GOING THROUGH  SOME TYPE O F IMPROVEMENT  PROCESS OR JUST NEED  TO, YOU  KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN A WHILE,  PERHAPS, HAVE THEM  COME AND PRESEN T ON IMPROVEMENT  OR, YOU KNOW,  OTHER CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE  OCCURRING AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL  AND SO WHEN HE  TMSA CHARLOTTE  APPEAR, KIPP  SCHOOLS AS WE KNOW THEY'RE  GOING THROUGH A MAJOR TRANSITIONS WITH THEIR MERGER  OF A  SCHOOL.  AND WE HAVE  CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF  WHITEVILLE, WHICH WAS A LOW-PERFORMING  SCHOOL THAT WE ASKED TO APPEAR. AND THAT CONCLUDED OUR APRIL  MEETING.   ARE THERE ANY  QUESTIONS?  »JOHN BLACKBURN:  BOARD  MEMBERS, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY  QUESTIONS?  IF HEARING  NONE, THANK YOU, MS.  BAQUERO.  WE  LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.   » OKAY, THANK  YOU.  »JOHN BLACKBURN:  THANK YOU.   WE HAVE TWO ACTION ITEMS, AS  YOU  REMEMBER, LAST  MONTH, EICS 1, WE COVERED MR.  TORONTO COVERED THE  RESTART CONTINUED AUTHORIZATION FOR COHORT 2  SCHOOLS.  WE HAD 36 SCHOOLS THAT WERE APPROVED  FOR  RESTART.  10 MORE MUST  REAPPLY.  SO THAT REPORT  IS IN YOUR BOARD PACKET.  EICS  2, UNION COUNTY PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.    ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON  THOSE TWO  ITEMS?  HEAR  NONE, MR.  CHAIRMAN, WE WILL HAVE THOSE  TWO ACTION ITEMS FOR VOTE TODAY.  THANK  YOU.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK  YOU, MR.  BLACKBURN.  THE EDUCATION  INNOVATION AND CHARTER SCHOOLS  COMMITTEE IS BRINGING US TWO  ITEMS, ANY QUESTIONS ON  THOSE?  SEEING  NONE.  I'LL TURN TO THE HEALTHY RESPONSIBLE STUDENTS  COMMITTEE LED BY M R.  REGINALD  KENAN, MR.  KENAN.   » THANK  YOU, MR.  CHAIRMAN,  MYSELF AND MR.  WENDELL HALL BRING ONE ITEM FOR ACTION,  THAT'S FOR THE SBE POLICY AMENDMENTS,  POLICIES, AS YOU  KNOW, WE LOOKED AT LAST MONTH AND RON AND ALYSON,  GOOD JOB PRESENTING THE --  THOSE  AMENDMENTS, AND OF  COURSE, IN THIS -- BECAUSE OF  THE PERMANENT RULES THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED IN THE EARLY PART OF THE  YEAR, AND THEN NO  OBJECTIONS, NO ONE HAS SEEMED TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.  SO WE JUST ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THOSE  AMENDMENTS, TO COMPLY WITH THE  PERMANENT  RULES, MR.  CHAIRMAN, THAT IS MY  REPORT.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM THAT'S BEFORE US  TODAY?  SEEING NONE, WE'LL  TOURN THE EDUCATOR PRACTICE  COMMITTEE.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  I'M OLIVIA  OXENDINE, AND I CHAIR THIS  COMMITTEE, WE HAVE TWO ACTION  ITEMS, ES&P 1, ES&P 2, ARE COMING TO THE  BOARD FOR ACTION, LATER THIS  MORNING.    AND I'LL GOING TO ASK DR. TOMBERLIN TO JUST COME FORWARD AND DO  JUST A KIND A THUMBNAIL ON ES&P  1, THE  REPORT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA -- ANNUAL REPORT TO THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY, IT IS IN GOOD  SHAPE, READY TO  GO.    ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO ADD  TO  THAT, DR.  TOMBERLIN?  » NO,  MA'AM.  THA NK  YOU.    GOOD  MORNING,  BOARD.  JUST A QUICK RECAP ON  THAT.  THE  ATTRITION RATE WAS DOWN TO  9.88%, DOWN FROM  11.5 FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. SEPTEMBER 2025 HIRING IN THE STATE WAS ROBUST.  ATTRITION  WAS NOT UNIFORM ACROSS ALL YEARS OF  EXPERIENCE.  MUCH HIGHER THE EARLY YEARS AND LATER  YEARS.    VACANCY RATES DO INCLUDE  TEMPORARY LICENSE TEACHERS.    AND PRINCIPAL ATTRITION IS  FAIRLY LOW.  AND MOSTLY DUE TO  RETIREMENT.  THE MOVEMENT OF  PRINCIPALS,  THE MOBILITY OF PRINCIPALS IS  ABOUT  80% WITHIN DISTRICT, SO IT' S  MOVEMENT BETWEEN SCHOOLS WITHIN A  DISTRICT, NOT DISTRICT TO  DISTRICT.  THOSE WERE THE  HIGHLIGHTS.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  VERY  GOOD.  ANY QUESTIONS OF DR.  TOMBERLIN? EXCELLENT REPORT.  IT HELPS US  TREMENDOUSLY TO GET THIS DATA  ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.  AND I THINK THE PRINCIPAL PIECE WAS ADMINISTRATOR PIECE WAS  ADDED THIS  YEAR, IS THAT  CORRECT?  » YES,  MA'AM, THAT IS A NEW  ADDITION TO THE REPORT.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THANK YOU  VERY MUCH.  AND VERY  GOOD.    ANY QUESTIONS?  THE NEXT ITEM IS  OUR ES&P  2.  THIS IS A POLICY  AMENDMENT,  UNDER LICN  007 AND JUST A QUICK  UPDATE ON THAT, PRESENTED LAST MONTH BY  MR.  COLLINS.  ARE YOU GOING TO SPEAK TO  THAT, DR.  TOMBERLIN? » YES,  MA'AM, I  CAN.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  OKAY.   » SO THOSE WERE RULES THAT WERE ADOPTED BY THE BOARD IN JANUARY.  THE RULES COMMISSION  APPROVED THOSE AS PERMANENT  RULES IN FEBRUARY AND THEY HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF JULY 1ST O F THIS  YEAR.  THAT POLICY INCLUDES SOME  CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT  CONVICTED, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE  CONVICTED, WHAT WOULD INCLUDE  GUILTY AND PLEAS OF NO CONTEST.  THE PSUs HAVE  REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR NONRENEWALS THAT ARE DUE TO  PROFESSIONAL  MISCONDUCT.  SO  IF THEY'RE ALLOWING THEM TO  RESIGN IN LIEU OF  DISMISSAL,  THINGS LIKE  THAT, THE PSU HAS  TO REPORT THAT ACTION  TO THE  BOARD.  PSUs ALSO HAVE TO NOTIFY  EMPLOYEE OF THEIR DUTY TO  REPORT ANY ACTIONS THAT INVOLVE THOSE  ISSUES, DISCIPLINARY ISSUES TO THE  STATE BOARD OF  EDUCATION.  AND IT FURTHER CLARIFIES THAT INVESTIGATIONS  MAY INCLUDE PERSONNEL FILES OF  THE EMPLOYEE AND ANY INVESTIGATIVE FILES THAT HAVE  BEEN GENERATED AS A RESULT.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  VERY  GOOD.  ANY QUESTIONS?   CLEARLY  PRESENTED.    SO WE'RE GOING TO ACT ON THAT LATER THIS MORNING.  AND OUR FINAL ITEM IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.  THIS IS PERTAINING TO  THE PRINCIPAL  PORTFOLIO, WE  HAVE AS A  BOARD, AND AS A DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE ENGAGED  ANY NUMBER OF TIMES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE  PORTFOLIO, WHAT IT MEANS TO THE PREPARATION OF A  PRINCIPAL.  AND  ALSO, WE BEGAN WITH A  CALIFORNIA  MODEL.  WE CHANGED  FROM THE CALIFORNIA  MODEL, A  FEW MONTHS  AGO, AND NOW, WE  ARE LOOKING TO THE STATE OF  MASSACHUSETTS, AND THE WAY THEY DEVELOP THE PORTFOLIO  THERE.  AND WE ARE FEELING  REALLY GOOD ABOUT  THAT.  SO  THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION  COMING, A DISCUSSION, WE'LL ACT NEXT MONTH, BUT IT'S COMING FROM OUR PEPSC.  AND BEFORE US  IS DR.  JORDAN,  WHO'S GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THE PIECES OF THE  PORTFOLIO.   »  THANK YOU SO  MUCH, DR.  OXENDINE.  CHAIRMAN  DAVIS, SUPERINTENDENT  GREEN,  MEMBERS OF BOARD,  ADVISOR,  GOOD  MORNING, YOU DID AN  AWESOME JOB SUMMARIZING FOR US, DR.  OXENDINE, AND BECAUSE YOU  HAVE ALREADY AS A BOARD BEEN THROUGH THIS  PROCESS,  YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE  REQUIREMENTS, BUT WE WILL JUST SIMPLY HIGHLIGHT SOME  PIECES OF  THAT.  NEXT SLIDE,  PLEASE.  PURSUANT TO SESSION LAW  2023-125, THIS BOARD WAS DIRECTED TO INSTITUTE A PORTFOLIO BASED ASSESSMENT FOR PRINCIPAL  LICENSURE  CANDIDATES.  AS DR.  OXENDINE INDICATED, WE INITIALLY BEGAN  WITH THE CAL  PA DUE TO  CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR  CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS BROKE  DOWN AND WE WERE  UNABLE TO CONTINUE  EVEN AFTER THE BOARD HAD  AUTHORIZED US TO MOVE  FORWARD. GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAD AN  ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS  EQUIVALENT AND ARGUABLY  STRONGER IN SOME  REGARDS.  AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PROCEED. YOU'RE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THE TWO WAIVERS AT  PLAY,  THE FIRST WAIVER EXPIRED IN  2024, EXEMPTING CERTAIN  STUDENTS FROM THE PORTFOLIO-BASE REQUIREMENT  BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE WITH THE  CAL  APA, WE PETITIONED THE  LEGISLATURE TO INITIATE A  SECOND  WAIVER, THAT WAS GRANTED AND THAT  WAIVER ALSO ALLOWS EXEMPTION TO THIS REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS  WHO COMPLETE AT LEAST ONE  COURSE PRIOR TO AUGUST  31ST OF THIS YEAR.  NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.    AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY  PROCEED.  I WON'T WALK YOU ALL THE WAY  THROUGH THE TIME  LINE, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN A  PARTY TO ALL OF THE  WORK.  I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT MARCH  2025, WHEREIN PEPSC RECOMMENDED APPROVE THE  RECOMMENDATION OR MOVING  FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE STATE  BOARD, THE  MASSACHUSETTS  PAL, WHICH HAS  BEEN TAILORED TO MEET NORTH  CAROLINA'S  CONTEXT, YOU'LL  HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.  BEFORE DR.  TOMBERLIN COMES UP, ERIN LOCK  AND MCGUIRE WAS PREPARED TO JOIN US  TODAY, BECAUSE WE'RE  MOVING MORE  QUICKLY THAN  ANTICIPATED, SHE HAD AN AVOIDABLE  CONFLICT, SHE SENDS  HER  REGRETS, BUT I DO WANT TO  THANK HER FOR HER AWESOME FACILITATION  SKILLS, SHE HAS KEPT THIS WORK  MOVING.  THE TASK FORCE I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GREAT THINGS  ABOUT THE TASK  FORCE.  WHICH  WAS COMPRISED OF  REPRESENTATIVES FROM EDUCATOR PREP  PROGRAM,  SUPERINTENDANTS, OUR OWN DR.  MARVIN CONNELLY WAS A  SUPERINTENDENT  REPRESENTATIVE, PRINCIPALS AND A ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, THESE FOLKS TOOK  THEIR RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY  AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION WE'RE MOVING  IN.  »  THANK YOU.  SO MS. LARKEN  MCGUIRE DID COVER THIS  EXTENSIVELY IN OUR LAST DISCUSSION, I WOULD GIVE YOU  THE  HIGHLIGHTS, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS  ASSESSMENT, THESE ARE THE KEY  PEDAGOGICAL MATTERS THAT THIS  TASK FORCE ADDRESSED, INCLUDED IN THOSE  WERE, YOU  KNOW, SCOPE, VALIDITY AND  RELIABILITY, COST TO CANDIDATES WAS A BIG PIECE OF  THIS.  AND THEN OUR  CAPACITY TO SCORE THESE  PORTFOLIO-BASED ASSESSMENTS, THESE ARE NOT  STANDARDIZED MULTIPLE CHOICE  ASSESSMENTS, THESE ARE WRITTEN  ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE EVALUATED.  BY  EXPERTS.  WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE  IMPAL AND THESE CRITICAL  FACTORS AND OUR TASK FORCE ASSESSED THOSE ABOUT HOW WELL WE'RE DOING  IT, AS  YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THOSE AREAS ARE  GREEN, WHICH INDICATES THEY  FELT WE WERE SUFFICIENTLY  ADDRESSING  THOSE,LY POINT OUT  THE  SCOPE, WHICH IS A -- THAT  YELLOWISH  COLOR.  THERE WAS SOME SCOPE  QUESTIONS, IT DOESN'T  FULLY ADDRESS EVERY SINGLE  STANDARD OF THE PRINCIPAL, SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S YELLOW.  SO ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PAL, TO  MODIFY THE PAL, IS BECAUSE IT DOES -- IT DOES  MEET ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS  THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR IN  ASSESSMENT.  IT HAS  VALIDITY AND  RELIABILITY, IT'S BY A  KNOWN VENDOR TO THE  STATE,  WHICH IS  PIERSON, AND THOSE --  IT HAD FOUR PERFORMANCE TASKS  THAT ADDRESSED SEVERAL ELEMENTS OF OUR PRINCIPAL  STANDARDS.   SO THIS JUST COMPARISON, WE'RE SHOWING YOU,  IT ALREADY APPROVED THE CAL  APA, HOW IT DOES ALIGN BACK TO THAT CAL APA WITH THAT ADDITIONAL FOURTH TASK.  WE HAVE ELECTED NOT TO INCLUDE  THE FOURTH TASK BECAUSE OF ITS INCREASE IN THE COST TO  CANDIDATES.  IT DOES HAVE A  HIGHER PRICE TAG, WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP IT IN LINE WITH  WHAT THE PRINCIPAL ASSESSMENT  WAS, MANY YEARS  AGO, WHEN WE HAD  ONE.  AND HERE YOU CAN SEE THE COVERAGE  OF THE  STANDARDS.  AND THE TASK FORCE FELT LIKE FOUR STANDARDS WERE  STRONGLY REPRESENTED BY  THIS.  AND THERE WAS PARTIAL  ADDRESSING OF THOSE LAST THREE  STANDARDS, THE  MANAGERIAL, THE EXTERNAL  DEVELOPMENT, AND THE  MICROPOLITICAL  STANDARDS.  BUT WE HAVE TALKED WITH THE VENDOR  ABOUT THAT AND THEY DO BELIEVE THAT THE  INFERENCE FROM PERFORMANCE ON  THOSE STANDARDS THAT WE'RE  PUTTING  FORWARD, THOSE  ASSESSMENTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING  FORWARD WILL ALLOW ONE TO INFER THAT THE PRINCIPAL HAS  BEEN  PROPERLY AND ADEQUATELY  PREPARED FOR THE ROLE.  PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  I'M  SORRY,  ARE THERE ANY  QUESTIONS?  AT  THIS  POINT?   NO?   OKAY.   »  JUST WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS IN  SUMMARY.  SO THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY WERE  CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.  AND SO  PIERSON HAS CONDUCTED VALIDITY AND  RELIABILITY STUDIES AND WE ARE  HAPPY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE  THOSE.  PIERSON  ALSO WILL BE ON  DECK, IF NEXT  MONTH, THERE ARE  SPECIFIC QUESTIONS IN THAT  REGARD, I WANT TO ALSO  NOTE THAT IN AS MUCH AS WE DID  NOT RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE FOURTH  TASK,  NOW, WE COULD AT A LATER DATE, SHOULD THE BOARD  DECIDE, MOVING THAT  DIRECTION. AND THEN LASTLY, THE ELEPHANT IN THE  ROOM, SO THE  SENATE PROPOSAL DOES CONTEMPLATE THE REMOVAL OF THE INTERNSHIP AND SO WE'VE HAD A  NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS  INTERNALLY ABOUT THAT.  AND  HAVE HAD GREAT CONVERSATION  WITH OUR TASK  FORCE, ALL -- FROM ALL  INDICATIONS, WE BELIEVE IN THE  POWER OF THE  INTERNSHIP.  AND THE REALITY IS THAT THIS  PORTFOLIO BASED ASSESSMENT THAT IS STILL REQUIRED AND IS NOT  CONSIDERED FOR ELIMINATION IN  THE  SENATE'S PROPOSAL IS BASED ON FIELD  WORK.  AND SO WERE THERE TO BE AN ELIMINATION OF THE  INTERNSHIP, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SERIOUS CONSIDERATIONS FOR  THE EPPs AROUND HOW BEST TO  ENSURE THAT THOSE  FIELD-BASED ACTIVITIES STILL  REMAIN PART OF THE  PREPARATION  PROGRAM.  WE'RE  WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM TO MAKE SURE  THAT OUR LEGISLATORS UNDERSTAND THE  COMPLEXITIES, THE  THOUGHTS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF  FIELD-BASED  EXPLORATION.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  IF I COULD  JUST ADD TO THAT, THAT  STATEMENT ABOUT, THEN HOW DO YOU DO THE PORTFOLIO WITHOUT THE INTERNSHIP?  AND OUR TEAMS AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS ARE VERY CREATIVE AND FACULTY ARE VERY  CREATIVE AND COULD JUST --  THE PORTFOLIO COULD BE  INTERLACED WITH  COURSES.   PERHAPS.   »  THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A  POSSIBILITY.  BUT IT WOULD FALL TO  THE EPPs TO MAKE DECISIONS  ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT.  AND THEY WOULDN'T I SUSPECT  HAVING TAUGHT IN A PRINCIPAL  PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR QUITE  SOMETIME, THAT IS NOT  NECESSARILY SOMETHI NG YOU WANT TO DO ON A DIME.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:   RIGHT.    QUESTION?  MR.  DUNCAN?    »ALAN DUNCAN:  HOPING FIRST THIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS CAN WORK  ITSELF OUT TO BEST  PRACTICES,  AS THEY'RE BEING SUGGESTED  WOULD BE.  IF IT WERE TO END UP -- SO THAT'S THE FIRST HOPE AND  DESIRE, I THINK ACROSS THE  BOARD, IF IT ENDED UP THAT THE  INTERNSHIP WAS  ELIMINATED, ONE  STATUTE, BUT  THE PORTFOLIO WAS STILL, WHY  CAN THE PORTFOLIO NOT INCLUDE WITHIN IT  INTERNSHIP?   YOU'RE NOT ELIMINATING -- IT'S  NOT A SOLE  INTERSHIRN SHIP, YOU'RE MAKING  IT A PART OF THE PORTFOLIO.   » THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION  AND ONE THAT'S BEING  CONTEMPLATED BY OUR LEGAL TEAM  TO ASCERTAIN THE  EXTENT TO WHICH  THIS BOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO  FURTHER ACT AROUND ESTABLISHING A  REQUIREMENT THAT WOULD INCLUDE AN  INTERNSHIP.  AND SO WHAT WE DON 'T KNOW PRELIMINARY BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH  LEGAL, IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE  WILL BE ANYTHING ELSE IN THE LAW THAT MIGHT CONFLICT  WITH THAT  DIRECTION.  BUT IT  IS ABSOLUTELY BEING  EXPLORED.  »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  NEEDS TO BE EXPLORED BECAUSE THE  ELIMINATION OF AN  INTERNSHIP,  IT'S A  YEAR-LONG INTERNSHIP  AND THAT'S IN STATUTE, ELIMINATES A CHUNK OF  THE P ROGRAM.  IS WHAT IT  DOES. MR. -- DR.  CONNELLY.   » THANK  YOU, DR.  OXENDINE.    IT'S NOT A QUESTION BUT A COMMENT.  THE WORK WAS  PHENOMENAL.  AND WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO  ADVANCE THIS  FORWARD.  I THINK HOW FITTING IT IS THAT  THIS AGENDA ITEM IS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA TODAY. NATIONAL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS  APPRECIATION DAY.   TODAY.  AND I KNOW THAT I'M SURE THAT THIS  BOARD JOINS ME IN  SINCERELY  CELEBRATING ALL OF THE  PRINCIPALS ACROSS NORTH  CAROLINA.   TODAY. THAT SERVE AS OUR INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS.   LEADING TEACHING AND  LEARNING. MANAGING DAILY OPERATIONS TO  SUPPORT STUDENTS AND  STAFF.    WE KNOW THAT OUR PRINCIPALS  LEADERSHIP SHAPES SCHOOL CULTURE, SUPPORTS  STAFF, AND  FAMILIES.  SO HOW FITTING THAT THIS BOARD  HAS THIS AGENDA ITEM TODAY.  WE KNOW THE WORK IS COMPLEX.   AND THE PORTFOLIO PREPARE THEM FOR THE COMPLEX  WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES.  SO I SPOKE  WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT EARLIER, AND ON HIS BEHALF AND  PERHAPS EVEN THE BOARD, WE  APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PRINCIPALS ACROSS NORTH  CAROLINA ON THIS DAY, NATIONAL PRINCIPAL'S  DAY, AND THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER. WE PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR  PRINCIPALS.    [ LAUGHTER ]  »CHAIR DAVIS:  LET'S JOIN DR.  CONNELLY IN EXPRESSING OUR  APPRECIATION TO OUR PRINCIPALS. [ APPLAUSE ] »OLIVIA OXENDINE:    DR.  CONNELLY, THAT'S REALLY  THE MAGIC OF THE ES&P C OM MITTEE.  [ LAUGHTER ]  SOMEHOW OR  OTHER, ESPECIALLY  PROVOCATIVE, AREN'T  WE?  YOU MAY -- THANK YOU SO  MUCH FOR THOSE  COMMENTS.  WELL-TAKEN.    ANY OTHER  QUESTIONS?  THAT CONCLUDES YOUR  PRESENTATION.   » YES, IT  DOES.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THANK YOU  VERY  MUCH.   » THANK  YOU.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THAT  CONCLUDES ES&P.   »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK  YOU, NEXT UP IS THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS COMMITTEE LED BY  VICE-CHAIR ALAN  DUNCAN.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  GOOD MORNING,  EVERYONE, ALONG WITH MY  COLLEAGUE, JOHN  BLACKBURN, WE  LEAD THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS  COMMITTEE, AND HAVE SEVERAL  ITEMS  TODAY.  OUR FIRST SOMEONE BSOP  1,  APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS OVER  $500,000.  WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT FOR CONSIDERATION, THIS IS AN  AMENDMENT TO AN ENGLISH 2  CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE SCORING  FOR  EOCs AND I THINK WE HAVE  TAMMY HOWARD, I HOPE WE HAVE  TAMMY HOWARD TO PRESENT THIS  ITEM?  WE DON'T  HAVE TAMMY BY  VIDEO?   OKAY.  ALL  RIGHT. THANK  YOU.   WELL, WE'LL G O  AHEAD AND COVER  IT,  THEN.  NOT AS WELL AS TAMMY  WOULD.  THE CONTRACT IS FOR  SCORING CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE ITEMS ON THE ENGLISH 2 END OF  COURSE  TEST, THE REQUEST IS  FOR  ONE-YEAR  EXTENSION FOR  THE CONTRACT.  AS ALLOWED IN THE INITIAL AWARD SIGNED IN MAY OF 2021.  THE REGIONAL CONTRACT WAS FOR  THREE YEARS AND TWO  ONE-YEAR  OPTIONS TO  RENEW AS WE DO OFTEN IN  CONTRACTS.    THIS IS THE FINAL  ONE-YEAR  OPTION TO  RENEW.  THE CONTRACT SUPPORTS THE INCLUSION OF  CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE ITEMS ON  THE ENGLISH 2 END OF COURSE  TEST.  THESE ITEMS ALIGN TO THE STATE BOARD ADOPTED CONTENT  STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH 2.  THE CONTRACT  SUPPORTS THE INCLUSION OF  CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE ITEMS ON  THE ENGLISH 2 END OF COURSE  TEST.  FOR  CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE ITEMS, S TU DENTS  RESPOND TO A QUESTION CITING  EVIDENCE FROM THE  TEXT, THERE  ARE THREE OPERATIONAL ITEMMENTS IN & ONE  FIELD TEST ITEM ON EACH TEST  FORM.    MULTIPLE FORMS ARE ADMINISTERED IN EACH TESTING  WINDOW, EA CH  YEAR, ON  AVERAGE, THERE ARE NINE  OPERATIONAL ITEMS IN 15 FIELD TEST ITEMS  THAT MUST BE SCORED.  THOUGH, IT IS AN ADDITIONAL  COST, THESE ITEMS ALIGN TO THE  COMPLEXITY AND RIGOR AS  REQUIRED BY THE CONTENT STANDARDS, THUS, ENSURING ALIGNMENT AND  TECHNICAL QUALITY OF THE  TEST. SO THE REQUESTED AMOUNT FOR THIS ONE  YEAR OPTION IS  $138,414 AND THAT PRESENTS WHAT THE CONTRACT IS INTENDED TO DO. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON  THIS?  YES?  MS.  JONES.   »  AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER IN  CONVERSATION YESTERDAY, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT  ASSESSMENTS SHOULD LOOK  LIKE.  THESE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSES ARE HONESTLY THE BARE MINIMUM OF STUDENTS ACTUALLY  HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND  DISPLAY  LEARNING.  SO I'M IN  FULL SUPPORT OF EXTENDING THE  CONTRACT, IT IS  ONE OF THE FEW PLACES ON THE  STANDARDIZED TEST WHERE THE  STUDENT VOICE IS  ACTUALLY  HEARD.  AND THAT'S CRITICAL IN  SHOWING THEIR  LEARNING, IT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE  COST.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  THANK YOU.   YES.   »  THANK  YOU, VICE-CHAIRMAN  DUNCAN, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT MS. JONES  SAID,  ABSOLUTELY, FOR STUDENTS TAKING A MULTIPLE  CHOICE  ASSESSMENT, IT'S  GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT  PERFECT.  BECAUSE STUDENTS CANNOT REALLY REFLECT WHAT YOU KNOW IN THE  CLASSROOM, BUT WHAT YOU  CAN REFLECT IN THE CLASSROOM IS GOING THROUGH THOSE  CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE,  ANALYZING THE TEXT, WRITING THE RESPONSE, DEFEND YOUR  STATEMENTS, THAT'S TRULY THE  MAGIC OF  EDUCATION.  AND WHAT  OUR EDUCATORS ARE ABLE TO DO  FOR STUDENTS AND A LOT OF  STUDENTS LIKE BEING ABLE TO  REFLECT WHAT THEY LEARN IN THE  CLASS, AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT  BETTER THAN A CONSTRUCTED  RESPONSE.  SO I WOULD  HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO CONTINUE ITS  SUPPORT.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  WELL, THERE YOU  HAVE  IT, NOT ONLY DOES THE DEPARTMENT  RECOMMEND  IT, THE STUDENT  ADVISOR AND ONE OF THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR DOES WHO WORKS IN THIS  AREA, SO WE SHOULD AS GOOD  ABOUT THIS VOTE AS ANY  VOTE WE  MAKE.  THANK  YOU,  THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.   ANYONE ELSE?    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  CHAIR  DAVIS, I'M  SORRY.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  DR.  OXENDINE.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THANK  YOU,  DOES IT SAY A NYTHING -- MAYBE  I MISSED  IT.  MAYBE DR.  HOWARD MIGHT BE THE PERSON TO  ANSWER.  DOES IT MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE CONTRACT COVERING ANY --   RUBRICS -- RUBRIC SCORING?    I'M SURE -- THAT'S A  CHUNK.    RIGHT  THERE.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  I THINK DR.  HOWARD WOULD.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  WOULD ANSWER THAT.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  APPROACH YACHT  -- APPROPRIATE FOR HER TO  ANSWER THAT.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  I CAN WAIT.  »ALAN DUNCAN:  NEXT TIME WE ARE MEET ING WE CAN ASKING HER  THAT.   21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING  CENTER'S  GRANT,  WHICH WERE MENTIONED EARLIER IN OUR MEETING  TODAY.  AND THIS IS COHORT  18T COMPETITIVE GRANT COMPETITION  RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDING.  YOU WILL RECALL WE  HAVE EARLIER  REVIEWED THE  SCHEDULE FOR  THIS.  THIS IS NOW THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S  COMING OUT OF THE SCHEDULING  THAT WE ADOPTED EARLIER THIS  YEAR.  AND WE  HAVE A -- WHO I THINK IS HIS FIRST TIME YOU'VE  APPEARED BEFORE THE BOARD.  » THIS  IS, THANK  YOU, I'M  VERY EXCITED TO BE  HERE.  MY NAME IS -- PEREZ, I'M A PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR WITH  THE 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS GRANT, I'M  ACTUALLY THE PROGRAM  ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE WEST AND  NORTHWEST REGION, SO THIS IS EXCITING FOR ME TO BE HERE.    AS I BRING YOU THE RESULTS OF  THE COMPETITION.  AND I'LL WAIT FOR THE POWERPOINT TO BE PULLED UP. »ALAN DUNCAN:  OUR FOCUS, WE  KNOW THE PROCESS WILL BE ON THE RESULTS.   »  YES.   »  SO JUST A BRIEF  OVERVIEW, I'LL GO INTO THE SECOND  SLIDE.  OUR COMPETITION OPENED FROM JANUARY 13 th  THROUGH  FEBRUARY.  AND APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FOR  THE ACADEMIC YEAR AFTER SCHOOL  WITH OPTIONAL SUMMER  PROGRAMMING.  AS WELL AS FOR  SUMMER-ONLY PROGRAMMING FOR  THREE-YEAR GRANT CYCLE, SO WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF  96 ELIGIBLE  APPLICATIONS,  79  OF THOSE WERE FOR THE ACADEMIC  YEAR AFTER SCHOOL WITH OPTIONAL SUMMER PROGRAMMING.    AND 17 WERE FOR THE SUMMER ONLY PROGRAMMING  OPTION.  AND  IN THIS NEXT  SLIDE, YOU WILL  SEE A  BREAKDOWN BY  SBE  REGION, SO THIS  BREAKDOWN IS FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR AFTER  SCHOOL, WITH OPTIONAL SUMMER.   WE RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FROM  ALL EIGHT OF THE  REGIONS.  IF  YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE  COMPLETE LIST OF APPLICATIONS THAT WERE  RECEIVED AND  REVIEWED, THEY  CAN BE FOUND ON TABLE  1, PAGES 1-3 OF THE  DATA  REVIEW SYNTHESIS DOCUMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED IN  THE BOARD  MATERIALS.  AND I  WON'T GO THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL  BREAKDOWN OF  THOSE.  AND SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT  SLIDE. THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN BY REGION FOR THE  SUMMER-ONLY  APPLICATIONS.  AND AS YOU CAN  SEE, WE RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMER-ONLY PROGRAMMING FROM 7  OF THE 8  REGIONS.  WE DID NOT  RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS FROM THE  NORTHEAST.  AND AGAIN, THE TOTAL LIST OF  APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED AND  REVIEWED CAN BE VIEWED ON THE DATA  SYNTHESIS DOCUMENT THAT WAS  PROVIDED.  SO  NOW, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH AN  OVERVIEW OF  FUNDING, SO THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS  DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE ENOUGH FUNDS TO FUND THREE  ACADEMIC YEAR AFTER SCHOOL WITH OPTIONAL SUMMER APPLICATIONS.   PER EACH STATE BOARD OF ED REGION, AND THEY ALSO  DETERMINED THAT ALL  SUMMER-ONLY APPLICATIONS THAT MET THE QUALITY BAN  THRESHOLD FOR LEVEL 1 AND LEVEL 2  REVIEWS COULD BE  FUNDED.  SO APPLICATIONS  HAD TO FALL WITHIN ONE OF THE  FOLLOWING QUALITY BANS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR  FUNDING.  THAT WAS THE  EXCELLENT QUALITY  BAND, RANGING FROM SCORES FROM  123 TO  145.  STRONG QUALITY BAN FROM 100 TO  122, OR  AVERAGE,  76 TO  99.  IT'S IMPORTANT TO  NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS THAT FELL INTO THE WEAK QUALITY BAND OF 55 TO 75 OR  54 AND BELOW, IS  UNACCEPTABLE, WERE  NOT CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING  REGARDLESS OF THE REGION THAT THEY WERE  IN.  SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR  FUNDING.   74 OF THOSE  79 APPLICATIONS  RECEIVED FOR ACADEMIC YEAR  AFTER SCHOOL WITH OPTIONAL  SUMMER.  AND 14 OUT OF THE 17 THAT WERE  RECEIVED FOR SUMMER  ONLY, MET THE QUALITY BAN  THRESHOLD THROUGH LEVEL 1 AND  LEVEL 2 REVIEWS, THOSE AR E THE ONES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR  FUNDING.   74 -- OUT OF THOSE 74  APPLICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR  WITH OPTIONAL SUMMER APPLICATIONS, 25 ARE  RECOMMENDED ACROSS ALL 8 SBE REGIONS, RECOMMENDED FOR  FUNDING FOR TOTAL OF  $10.4  MILLION.  AND THEN FOR THOSE 7 APPLICATIONS, FOR THOSE 7  REGIONS, THERE IS ONE REGION THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING  FOR APPLICATION DUE TO A TIED  SCORE.  FOR OUT  OF THOSE 14  SUMMER-ONLY APPLICATIONS, WE  RECOMMEND FOR FUNDING, THERE'S  A TOTAL OF $2  MILLION, AND I'M GOING TO  GO TO THE NEXT  SLIDE.  THERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR  THE ACADEMIC YEAR.  WITH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING  WITH THE OPTION OF  SUMMER.  AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE ACROSS ALL EIGHT SBE  REGIONS.  THE COMPLETE LIST, WITH THEIR FINAL SCORES AS WELL AS THE FUNDING REQUESTS, CAN BE VIEWED IN THE DATA SYNTHESIS  DOCUMENT AND THEN IN THE NEXT  SLIDE, THIS IS THE FUNDING  BREAKDOWN  FOR THE  SUMMER-ONLY PROGRAMS ACROSS SIX SBE REGIONS.  AND  AGAIN, THESE --   THE FINAL -- THE LIST WITH THE FINAL SCORES  AND FUNDING BREAKDOWN CAN ALSO  BE VIEWED IN THE DATA SYNTHESIS DOCUMENT. AND SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR OFFICE OF FEDERAL  PROGRAMS REQUEST THAT THE 25 ACADEMIC YEAR AFTER SCHOOL WITH OPTIONAL SUMMER RECOMMENDED APPLICATIONS AND THE 14  SUMMER-ONLY RECOMMENDED  APPLICATIONS BE APPROVED FOR FUNDING.  AND I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS. »ALAN DUNCAN:  LET ME SAY  FIRST, FIRST  PRESENTATION,  KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK,  GREAT JOB.   »  THANK YOU.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  GREAT JOB.  DO  WE H AVE ANY QUESTIONS OR  COMMENTS?  WHILE YOU HAVE TIME  -- I KNOW MANY OF  YOU, MANY OF US SERVE ON COMMUNITY  BOARDS,  IN OUR VARIOUS DIFFERENT  COMMUNITIES SO DO CHECK THE MATERIALS IF  YOU THERE IS NOT A CONFLICT, THERE HAVE BEEN CONFLICTS WITH  FUNDED CHOICES FOR THIS  PROGRAM.  SO I JUST CAUTION  YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU  CHECK -- I DID A QUICK CHECK  AND DID NOT KNOW OF ANYTHING FOR  EVERYBODY, BUT I WOULDN'T  SAY -- MR.  BLACKBURN.   »JOHN BLACKBURN:  I HAVE A  CONFLICT, IF YOU COULD RECUSE  ME.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  THANK  YOU.    JUST SOMETHING AS A MATTER OF  CAUTION, I SAY  THAT, SO THANK  YOU, MR.  BLACKBURN.    SO WITH THAT, I OPEN IT UP FOR  QUESTIONS.  DR.  OXENDINE?   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A NICE PRESENTATION,  BY THE  WAY.    YES.  IN THE GRANT ITSELF, T HE APPLICATION  ITSELF, IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC  LANGUAGE THAT CONNECTS OUTCOMES TO  IMPROVING ACADEMIC  PERFORMANCE OF  STUDENTS?  »  YES.  SO THAT IS  ACTUALLY ONE OF THE REQUIREMENT AND STATEWIDE GOALS FOR THIS GRANT.  IS THAT ALL  APPLICANTS PROVIDE A PLAN FOR COLLABORATING WITH  THE SCHOOLS O F THE STUDENTS  THEY SERVE.    IN ORDER TO HELP STUDENTS  INCREASE THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND  PERFORMANCE.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  SEEMS LIKE  WE HAD A PRESENTATION A FEW MONTHS AGO, FROM MS.  BRIGMAN.   »  YES.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THAT LOOKED  AT -- MOVED INTO THE AREA OF  LOOKING AT  PERFORMANCE.   »   YES, YES,  MA'AM, AND WE DO HAVE A TABLE IN OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, AND I CAN HAVE MS. SUSAN  BRIGMAN  SEND THAT TO YOU, IF YOU WANT  TO GET MORE  DETAILS.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:   ACTUALLY,  THIS GOES TO A QUESTION THAT I POSED THIS MORNING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.  ABOUT THE 2 21ST CENTURY GRANT, IT SEEMS IT HAS  A  LIFE, RIGHT.   »  YES.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  I THINK WE  SHOULD  PAUSE, IT DOES HAVE A  LIFE.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:   I MOON --   MEAN THE FUNDING IS  HERE,  RIGHT.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  LET ME LOOK TO PITRE-MARTIN,  21ST  CENTURY FUNDING HAS BEEN ABOVE $20  MILLION?  THE  PAST, WE  DON'T HAVE THE PROGRAM  DIRECTORS HERE, BUT I BELIEVE  THERE IS A DECREASE IN  FUNDING.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THERE MAY BE A  DECREASE IN FUNDING.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  I DON'T KNOW  WHAT THE REASON NAR  IS.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  THAT OFTEN  HAPPENS, A DECREASE IN  FUNDING, BUT WE HAVE MONEY TO MOVE  FORWARD.   » GOOD  MORNING, CAN YOU HEAR ME, THIS IS SUSAN.    »ALAN DUNCAN:   YES.   »  THAT'S PERFECT.   »   HEY, NO, THERE'S NOT BEEN A DECREASE IN  FUNDING, THIS IS  JUST WHAT WE HAD LEFT OVER FOR  THIS ACTUAL  COMPETITION, WE  ARE STILL RECEIVING THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDS FROM  THE U.S.   DEPARTMENT OF ED AS WE HAD IN  THE PREVIOUS  YEAR, WHICH IS AROUND $35  MILLION.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  GOOD, THANK  YOU, SUSAN.   »  UH-HUH.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  SUSAN.    THANK YOU VERY  MUCH.   »  THANK YOU.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  ANY OTHER  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?  ALL  RIGHT.  THANK YOU VERY  MUCH.    I APPRECIATE YOUR  WORK.  »  WELL, THANK YOU SO  MUCH, I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT REST OF  YOUR  DAY.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  YOU  ALSO.    BSOP 3 IS THE APPROVAL OF  HOMELESS AND FOSTER STUDENT  TRANSPORTATION GRANT FUNDING,  YOU'LL RECALL WE TALKED ABOUT  THIS ITEM LAST MONTH WITH RESPECT TO THE  LEGISLATIVE  REPORT.  AND DR.  STACEY WILSON NORMAN HERE TO  REPORT ON THIS IMPORTANT ITEM  TODAY.  FOR  US. »  AND WE ALSO HAVE ALEX CHARLES ON  THE  ZOOM.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  VERY  GOOD.  SO WE'RE STARTING WITH DR.  WILSON NORMAL OR  ALEX.   »RUPEN FOFARIA:   ALEC, CAN WE  START WITH  YOU?  » GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD  MORNING, I'M  HERE, IF YOU NEED ME.    »ALAN DUNCAN:   YES, WE  CAN.  »RUPEN FOFARIA:  WE NEED  YOU.  »  YES,  SIR.  GOOD  MORNING,  EVERYBODY, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE IN-PERSON.  --   BACK FOR ACTION THE PLASMA GAMES  REPORT.  SINCE  PRESENTING IN  APRIL, BASED ON  SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS --   »ALAN DUNCAN:  CAN YOU HEAR  US? » YES,  SIR.    »ALAN DUNCAN:   OKAY, HOLD OFF  FOR A  MOMENT, YOU'RE JUMPING THE  GUN.   » YES, SIR, I  CAN.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  D. CHARLES.   » I APOLOGIZE.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  IS DR.  CHARLES  WITH  US.   »   HELLO, GOOD  MORNING,  EVERYBODY.  SO TODAY WE GET TO  BRING BEFORE YOU THE  PRC081, THE APPROVAL FOR THE  FOSTER  AND  HOMELESS  TRANSPORTATION GRANT, DR.  STACEY WILSON NORMAN IS  THERE TO BRING THE PRESENTATION AND I CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME UP FROM THAT  PRESENTATION.  »  GOOD  MORNING, THIS PRESENTATION IS A FUNDING  SOURCE THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE  FOR ABOUT THREE  YEARS.  IT IS FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION  FOR EXCESSIVE SUPPORT FOR OUR  HOMELESS  STUDENTS.  THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN  OFFSET-SET FOR EXTRAORDINARY  EXPENSES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.  AND SO OUR FEDERAL  PROGRAM OFFICER, WE RECEIVE  MONEY FROM THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY, ABOUT A TOTAL OF $3  MILLION.  AND WE ARE BRINGING  FORWARD OUR PLAN FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE  PARTICULAR DISTRICTS.    ELIGIBILITY COMES FOR DISTRICTS WHO HAVE EXTRAORDINARY  TRANSPORTATION  EXPENSES.  TH ESE GRANTS CANNOT FUND MORE  THAN 50% OF THE  COST.  AND SO WHEN  WE LOOK AT THE  BREAKDOWN OF EACH PARTICULAR  DISTRICT, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT  43% OF THEIR PARTICULAR COST.   WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE  THAN  50% BUT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE ABOUT  43% OF THOSE  COSTS .  AND ON THE FINAL  SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE A  BREAKDOWN FOR EACH  REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE  PARTICULAR DISTRICTS.  AND SO  WE PRESENT THIS ITEM TODAY.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  ARE TLI THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON  THIS, WE IS -- HAVE DISCUSSED THIS  BEFORE. T HIS IS A  HELPFUL THING, IT STILL LEAVES LOCAL  DOLLARS, HAVING TO BE USED FOR THE  ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION  BURDENS.  BUT  IT'S BEEN A GOOD ADDITION FOR  THE  DISTRICTS, CERTAINLY TO  GET MONEY WHERE THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT BEFORE  FOR  THIS.    ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.    MR.  BLACKBURN.   »JOHN BLACKBURN:  I WANT TO  HIGHLIGHT THE SAD REALITY IS WE HAVE OVER  30,000 STUDENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT ARE  HOMELESS.  SO I WANT  EVERYBODY TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THOSE  STUDENTS AS THEY TRY TO  NAVIGATE THEIR DAILY LIFE AS A HOMELESS PERSON.  »ALAN DUNCAN:  THANK YOU VERY  MUCH.   »  THANK  YOU.  »> OUR NEXT  ITEM, BSOP  4, FINANCIAL  --  NONCOMPLIANCE, ALEXIS SCHAUSS IS HERE FOR THIS ITEM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE UP TO THE SPEAKER  PODIUM?  » ».   »ALAN DUNCAN:  WE HAVE A TAG  TEAM  HERE, MS. SCHAUSS AND  ALYSON SCHAFFER AS PRESENTERS ON THIS ITEM.  »  SO TODAY, BEFORE THE BOARD IS THE ISSUE OF FINANCIAL  NONCOMPLIANCE ISSUES WITH GENERALLY, ARE WE TALKING  ABOUT -- WE HAVE SEVERAL  ISSUE, ONE IS  WE HAVE SOME DISTRICTS AND SOME CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE NOT  SUBMITTED THEIR AUDITS FOR THE  YEAR YET AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE WINSTON-SALEM ISSUES WHICH ARE  -- IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR  ATTENTION THAT THERE'S SOME  CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL STATUS.   AND THE BOARD HAS AN OBLIGATION -- LEGAL OBLIGATION TO OVERSEE THE  FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF THE  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS, INCLUDING  GIVING WARNINGS IF THEY BELIEVE THAT  DISTRICTS ARE OUT OF  COMPLIANCE.  AND TAKING FURTHER ACTIONS IF NECESSARY.   SO I GUESS I'LL LET MS. SCHAUSS TALK ABOUT THE FACTS  REGARDING THE AUDITS AND THE  DISTRICT.   »  THANK  YOU, MS.  SCHAFFER.   YES, WE , BY  LAW, ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL  UNITS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT  FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDITS BY OCTOBER  31ST AND THEN THIS  YEAR, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION  GAVE AN EXTRA MONTH GRACE SO  THE DEADLINE WAS NOVEMBER 30 th.    SO AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR FOR  THAT.  WE DO HAVE NINE PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS THAT HAVE  NOT SUBMITTED THEIR FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS AS OF THIS TIME.    THEY ARE SUBMITTED TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT  COMMISSION.    AND THEN WE RECEIVE THEM ONCE  THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE LOCAL  GOVERNMENT COMMISSION.    SO THAT IS THE FIRST ITEM TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION OF  NONCOMPLIANCE.  ALL OF THESE -- ALL OF THESE PUBLIC  SCHOOL UNITS HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE OF LATE SUBMISSION BACK  IN JANUARY.  THEY HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM  FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES IN  MARCH, NOTIFYING  THEM THAT AS OF MARCH  31ST,  THEY ARE NOW OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL  LAW. THERE DOES REQUIRE THAT THEIR  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BE SUBMITTED WITHIN NINE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR END.  THE  SECOND ITEM IS SPECIFIC TO  WINSTON-SALEM FORSYTH COUNTY  BOARD OF  EDUCATION, AND THEIR  LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE  UNIT.  THEY HAVE -- THEY WERE  -- THEY WERE AN ITEM OF PUBLIC  SCHOOL UNIT THAT DID -- THEY  DID SUBMIT THEIR FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS LATE.  AND SO FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION STAND POINT, WE DO A  REVIEW OF FINANCIAL  STATUS AS WELL AS NONCOMPLIANCE MEANING IN  MATERIAL  WEAKNESSES,  ETCETERA. WE CALL THAT THE AUDIT  RESOLUTION PROCESS.  AND WE DO COMMUNICATE WITH THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT.   WHEN THESE AUDITS ARE RECEIVED LATE, THAT PROCESS IS  LATE.   AND WE DO NOT SEE THEIR  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEIR FINANCIAL STATUS UNTIL  THAT  TIME.  WE RECEIVE THE AUDIT FROM WINSTON-SALEM LOCAL  BOARD, AT THE END OF THE FOURTH WEEK  OF  MARCH.  AND WITH THAT, AS WELL AS NOTICE AND  INFORMATION WE RECEIVE FROM  THEIR BOARD MEETINGS, THEY ARE IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS.  AND THIS INCLUDES RELATED TO THEIR STATEMENT -- THANK  YOU.  THEIR AUDIT SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT  DECLINE IN THEIR FUND BALANCE OF OVER $17  MILLION.  LEAVING ONLY 5  MILLION, JUST OVER $5  MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT  .7% OF THAT YEAR'S EXPENDITURES,  THEY DO HAVE A DECLINE IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT, HOWEVER  THEIR EXPENDITURES WERE  INCREASING AT A SUBSTANTIAL RATE IN  COMPARISON TO THE DECLINE OF THAT STUDENT POPULATION.   THERE WERE NUMEROUS ITEMS THAT WERE NOTED IN THEIR AUDIT  THAT PUT THEM IN A BAD -- A  PRECARIOUS SITUATION AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR  2024.   DURING THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN MONITORING  THEM, KEEPING IN MIND THAT AT THE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE  LOOKING AT REALLY THE USE AND  THE  OVERSIGHT OF  STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS.   WHAT WE CAN  NOTICE, WE CAN  NOTE AT THIS TIME IN THE FISCAL YEAR IS THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT  OVEREXPENDITURES  OF THEIR  NONINSTRUCTIONAL  SUPPORT OF OVER $10  MILLION.    WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THEM CASH  FOR THOSE EXPENDITURES, AND HAVE NOTIFIED THEM THAT THEY  HAVE TO  REALIGN THEIR BUDGETS  AND MOVE THOSE EXPENDITURES  FROM  STATE, IT IS IN FACT AN  UNAUTHORIZED  OVERDRAFT OF THAT ALLOCATION FROM STATE ON TO A OTHER SOURCE OF AVAILABLE  FUNDS.  WE HAVE ALSO NOTED THAT THEY HAVE EXCEEDED  THEIR ESSER COVID FUNDS AND PUT EXPENDITURES ON  THAT GRANT AFTER THEY HAVE  CLOSED.    AGAIN, THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING  CASH.  FOR THESE  OVEREXPENDITURES,  HOWEVER, IT IS SHOWING THAT T HEY HAVE --   THEY DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT LOCAL FUNDS TO TAKE  ON THOSE EXPENDITURES.  WE HAVE LOOKED AT THEIR PROJECTED USAGE OF THEIR  POSITIONS, WHICH FOR STATE IS ABOUT  65% OF THEIR  BUDGET AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WILL NOT  HAVE SUFFICIENT MONTHS FOR THE  CURRENT POPULATION, THE CURRENT  EMPLOYMENT OF THEIR  STAFF.  IT IS ALSO WORTHY TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE  WITH THE BUDGET SITUATIONS, WITH THE DECLINING  POPULATION AND OTHER  FACTORS, THAT WE ARE SEE ING AN  INCREASING NUMBER OF SCHOOL  DISTRICTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING  WITH THEIR FINANCIAL POSITION.  »ALAN DUNCAN:  ONE THING TO ASK RIGHT AWAY IS WITH RESPECT  TO THE  EIGHT, THE FIRST ITEM YOU  COVERED.   » YES, SIR.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  MY RECOLLECTION  IS THAT'S EIGHT  PSUS, FOUR ARE CHARTER  SCHOOLS AND FOUR ARE LEA.   » THERE ARE  NINE, AND WE HAVE  FOUR CHARTERS.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  AND FIVE LEAS.  THERE'S A PROPOSAL LET HEAR THE THE BOARD IS BEIN G ASKED TO  FORWARD, IS THAT  CORRECT?  » PROPOSED LETTER IS THAT HAS  BEEN PROVIDED IS FOR WINSTON-SALEM  SPECIFICALLY, AND THEIR FINANCIAL  STATUS.    THERE IS ALSO A PROPOSED  RECOMMENDATION FOR NOTICES TO  THOSE PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS THAT  HAVE NOT SUBMITTED TO THE  STATE, WHICH  DOES NOT INCLUDE  WINSTON-SALEM, RELATED TO THE LATE FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  AND SO WITH  RESPECT TO THE EIGHT OR THE NINE THAT HAVE NOT SUBMITTED, THERE'S ALREADY A  PROCESS GOING ON TO HASTEN THE RETURN OF OF  THOSE AUDITS AS QUICKLY AS  FEASIBLE. » THAT IS CORRECT AND EACH ONE  OF THOSE -- EACH ONE OF THOSE PUBLIC SCHOOL UNITS IS -- HAS  A DIFFERING REASON FOR  WHY THEY ARE LATE.   BUT,  YES.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  THE PROPOSED  LETTER FOR WINSTON-SALEM THAT  HAS BEEN DISTRICTED TO THE BOARD -- DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD, FAIR  TO MAKE THE CORRECTION, THE  AUDIT WAS SUBMITTED OVER FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE NOVEMBER 30th , 2024 DEADLINE AS OPPOSED TO THE 2025  DEADLINE.  » YES,  SIR.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  ALL  RIGHT, SO  THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO  APPROVE THIS LETTER WITH THAT CHANGE IN THE  DOCUMENT.  ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM BOARD  MEMBERS.   »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  I HAVE A  QUICK QUESTION  ABOUT, IF YOU COULD -- THANK  YOU SO  MUCH.    IF YOU COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HERE .  IN OTHER  WORDS, WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY OR PROBABLY  BE THE OUTCOME FOR WINSTON-SALEM  FORSYTH?  IF  THEY DO NOT COMPLY WITH WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THIS  LETTER?  » IF THE LETTER IS STATING  FACT, AND URGING A  CORRECTION. THEY ARE TAKING ACTIONS TOWARDS THEIR FISCAL YEAR END AND MINIMIZING ANY  ADDITIONAL LOSSES, I GUESS.  THEY ARE  PERFORMING REDUCTION IN FORCE AND THESE ARE KIND OF HEARSAY TYPE NOTICES WE ARE  RELATING TO WINSTON-SALEM, THEY HAVE  CONTRACTED WITH A FINANCIAL  FIRM TO HEL P THEM THROUG H THE FISCAL -- THE REMAINDER OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND TO GET  THEM THROUGH FISCAL YEAR END.  TO YOUR  STATEMENT, WHAT IS THE IMMEDIATE CONCERN?  IS CASH FLOW AND HAVING SUFFICIENT  FUNDS TO MAKE THEIR PAYROLL UNLESS THEY RECEIVE  ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH  THEIR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.  »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  WILL YOU GET OR WILL YOUR OFFICE OR THE STATE  BOARD, WILL  YOU,  FOR  INSTANCE, INFORMATION ON --   WITH RESPECT TO TH E TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE THEY'RE  RECEIVING, DO YOU HAVE -- DO  YOU KNOW WHO IS IT A FIRM, ARE  YOU CONFIDENT IN THE  FIRM?  » I  AM.  I KNOW THEM WELL --   I KNOW THEIR  WORK.  AND THEY ARE KEEPING US UPDATED AND PROVIDING AS THEY FIND OUT MORE OF WHAT THE FINANCIAL STATUS IS.  THEY ARE PROVIDING  US INFORMATION AS TO WHAT THAT STATUS  IS.    »OLIVIA OXENDINE:  OKAY, THANK  YOU.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  THANK  YOU, MS.  JONES?  » DO YOU  KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE RISK TO HELP ADDRESS  THIS, DO WE KNOW IF THAT IS TEACHING POSITIONS,  IS THIS  STUDENT-FACING  POSITIONS.   » I CAN ONLY SAY WHAT I HAVE  HEARD.  I DON'T  KNOW SPECIFICALLY BUT I HAVE  HEARD THAT IT IS  RELATED TO THEIR CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  ALL RIGHT.    ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM?  NOT  SEEING  ANY, THANK YOU FOR THE THIS IMPORTANT  WORK.   » AND THE BOARD WILL NEED TO  TAKE ACTION TO APPROVE THE LETTER.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  THIS IS AN  ACTION ITEM ON FIRST  READ.  »ALAN DUNCAN:  ALL  RIGHT, THAT ENDS OUR ACTION ITEMS ON FIRST  READ, THE NEXT TWO THINGS WE  HAVE ARE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE  HAD DISCUSSION ABOUT LAST MONTH.  AND THE FIRST ONE  IS BSOP  5, DR.  AIKEN, I KNOW IS WITH US.   THIS IS A PLASMA GAMES REPORT,  A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT HAVE  BEEN MADE TO THE  REPORT, WHICH DR.  AIKENS WILL REPORT ON AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO  AD THAT AS WAS NOTED IN THE  LEGISLATIVE RECORD  YESTERDAY,  THERE'S SOL SOME CHANGE IN THE PLASMA GAMES ITEM THAT  IS CONTEMPLATED BY THE  LEGISLATURE AT THE PRESENT  TIME, WITH THAT BACKGROUND, DR.  AIKEN,  QUICKLY  REVIEW THE CHANGES  THAT HAVE BEEN  MADE.   » GOOD  MORNING, YES,  SIR.  BASED ON THE CONVERSATION AT  THE APRIL  MEETING, TWO ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WERE  ADDED TO THE REPORT, THE FIRST  TO NOTE IS ON PAGE  3, THE CHANGES WERE  MADE IN  RED.  ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT OFTEN COMES  UP IS THE QUESTION ABOUT WHO  ACTUALLY MAKES THE CONTRACTS W ITH PLASMA GAMES.    WE HAVE MENTIONED IT IN THE  PAST, BUT NOT SURE WE PUT IT IN WRITING, I WANTED TO PUT IT IN WRITING ON THIS  REPORT THAT THOSE ARE BETWEEN THE PSUs AND PLASMA  GAMES.  THAT'S HOW THE L EGISLATION SPELLS OUT THE  PROCESS.  SO WE JUST WANTED TO ADD A STATEMENT  TO THAT EFFECT.    THE OTHER ONE I WANTED TO MAKE  SURE TO BRING TO THE  BOARD'S ATTENTION IS ON  PAGE 8, WHICH IS TH E LAST  PAGE, WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE  SAME REPORT IN 2024, THE BOARD HAD REQUESTED  TO INCLUDE A STATEMENT  INDICATING THAT THE BOARD  REALLY DID NOT SUPPORT THE  CONTINUED FUNDING OF PLASMA  GAMES.  BASED ON THE  CONVERSATION IN APRIL.  WE ADDED A SIMILAR STATEMENT TO  THE END OF THE  REPORT,  INDICATING THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE RECOMMENDING TO THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY TO DISCONTINUE THE  FUTURE FUNDING OF PLASMA GAMES  IN FAVOR OF OTHER  PROGRAMS.  WITH  RECORDS OF POSITIVELY IMPACTING STUDENTS, COME TIF AFTER SCHOOL ROBOTICS  PROGRAMS AND LOW-PERFORMING DISTRICTS, THE ONLY OTHER  THINGS TO NOTE ON PAGE  5, JUST TRY TO MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS AND SPELL OUT SOME OF THE DATA  REGARDING STUDENT PARTICIPATION  RATES.    FROM THE FISCAL YEAR '24  COHORT.  SO THOSE CHANGES ARE ON PAGE  5.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  THANK YOU, DR.  AIKEN.  ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THESE FURTHER CLARIFICATIONS FOR THIS REPORT WHICH WE WILL HAVE TO APPROVE  AS AN ACTION ITEM TODAY AND TO  THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY?  NOT SEEING  ANY,  LET'S GO TO BSOP  6, THANK YOU, DR.  AIKEN, THANK  YOU,  SIR.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  DR.  TOMBERLIN  ON THE TEACHER COMPENSATION  MODELS AND ADVANCED TEACHER ROLES FOR PROPOSALS, AN ITEM THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT SOME DETAIL AT OUR LAST MEETING, AND DR.  TOMBERLIN,  YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT AS  AN UPDATE AND  CERTAINLY, YOU'LL BE AVAILABLE  TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANY  OCCUR?  »  CERTAINLY.  AS YOU NOTED, THIS WAS COVERED PRETTY  EXTENSIVELY BY MS. SUTTON LAST  MONTH.  BUT WE'RE HAPPY T O TAKE ANY  QUESTIONS.  I DO  WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE  WAS A QUESTION FROM DR.  OXENDINE IN THE BEGINNING  TEACHER SUPPORT PRESENTATION  ABOUT HOW WE'RE INTEGRATING BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT INTO  THE  ATR MODEL.    AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS  THAT QUICKLY, IF I MAY?    »ALAN DUNCAN:  YOU  MAY.  » WE REFERENCED THESE FOLKS AS  EARLY CAREER  TEACHERS.    LARGELY BECAUSE WE HAD STRONG SUSPICIONS THAT THE TERM  BEGINNING TEACHER WAS  INTERPRETED  DIFFERENTLY FROM DISTRICT TO  DISTRICT, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO  USE THAT TERM AND THINK DISTRICTS COULD ONLY IS SUPPORT WHAT THEY CLASSIFIED AS  BEGINNING  TEACHERS, SO WE CHOSE THAT EARLY CAREER TEACHER LANGUAGE  DELIBERATELY, AND WE  ALSO KNOW THAT THAT HIGH  ATTRITION RATE EXTENDS OUT TO  ABOUT THE FIFTH YEAR, WHICH IS A LITTLE PAST WHAT BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT GENERALLY  COVERS, SO WE WANTED ATR TO T AKE A BROADVIEW OF EARLY TEA CHER SUPPORT AND  SPECIFICALLY,  BEGINNING TEACHER AS  DEFINED,  BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT ONCE POLICY  BECOMES CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IS A  BEGINNING  TEACHER.   »  ( INAUDIBLE  ).   » YES, MA'AM.  »  ANY QUESTIONS FROM DR.  TOMBERLIN ON THIS ITEM?    NOT SEEING ANY, THANK YOU VERY  MUCH FOR THE WORK ON THIS,  PLEASE THANK MS. SUTTON AS WELL.  OUR NEXT ITEM IS A  DISCUSSION ITEM.  IT'S BSOP  7. AND IT IS -- A STATE BOARD  POLICY AMENDMENT FOR  EXPERIENCED CREDIT AND GRADUATE PAY.  LICENSING  006.   AND I HAVE DR.  TOMBERLIN AGAIN DOWN AS OUR PRESENTER ON THIS DISCUSSION  ITEM.   »  SO THIS IS POLICY IS A LICENSURE  POLICY,  IT IS A FUNCTION PERFORMED BY  OUR LICENSURE STAFF, THAT HAS  FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR OUR EDUCATORS.  SO THIS POLICY IS  -- THE  REVISIONS TO THIS  POLICY BEGIN AROUND SECTION  5, WHICH DEALS WITH GRADUATE  DEGREES.  AND SO THIS IS A PROCESS WE CALL SALARY AUTHORIZATION.  SO WHERE AN EDUCATOR COMPLETES AN  ADVANCED DEGREE THAT DOES NOT  -- THAT IS NOT A  PROGRAM, THAT IS NOT A PREPARATION  PROGRAM, UNDER CERTAIN  CONDITI ONS, WE WILL AUTHORIZE THAT  PERSON TO BE PAID ON THE  MASTERS OR THE DOCTORATE LEVEL SALARY  SCALE.   AND THOSE CONDITIONS ARE RELATED TO  LAW. SO THE ADVANCED DEGREE HAS TO BE  RELATED TO THE ACTUAL  ASSIGNMENT OF THE EDUCATOR.    SO IF YOU'RE A HISTORY TEACHER, THAT DEGREE S HOULD RELATE TO  HISTORY IN SOME  WAY.  OR YOUR HISTORY LICENSE IN SOME WAY.  ALSO, THE DATE AT WHICH THE  PROGRAM WAS UNDER TAKEN BY THE  EDUCATOR, MAKES A DIFFERENCE.   THE LEGISLATURE  DISCONTINUED  MASTER'S PAY BACK IN  2013.  BUT ANYBODY WHO COMPLETED AT  LEAST ONE COURSE TOWARDS THAT  DEGREE BY AUGUST  1ST,  2013 IS STILL ELIGIBLE FOR THAT SALARY  DIFFERENTIAL.   SO WE LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.  I'M  SORRY.  MY NOTES ARE VERY  SMALL RIGHT NOW.  SO HOW DO WE -- AT THE  LICENSURE DEPARTMENT DETERMINE WHETHER THAT GRADUATE DEGREE IS RELEVANT?    SO THIS POLICY SPELLS OUT THE  WAY IN WHICH WE MAKE THOSE  DETERMINATIONS.  A COUPLE OF  KEY POINTS BEFORE I GO INTO  THAT, WHEN WE AUTHORIZE GRANL  GRANL WATT PAY OR  NONTEACHING  WORK  EXPERIENCE, THAT HAS TO  COME AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF  THE EMPLOYER.  NOT THE  INDIVIDUAL.  SO AN  INDIVIDUAL CAN'T DIRECTLY  PETITION THE STATE TO GIVE THEM  MASTER'S  PAY, THE PSU  HAS TO INITIATE THAT PROCESS.    WE AT DPI WILL REVIEW THAT PROCESS AND MOST  TIMES, WE APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PSU.   THEY ARE THE ONES TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT, AND IN MOST CASES WE WILL APPROVE  THAT, IN SOME CASES IF WE FEEL  THAT THERE'S NO RELATIONSHIP  BETWEEN THE WORK ASSIGNMENT AND THE  GRADUATE DEGREE OR THE NONTEACHING WORK  EXPERIENCE,  WE WILL DECLINE THAT OR WE WILL DENY THAT APPLICATION AND TH AT MAY TRIGGER A PROCESS FOR  APPEAL FOR THE PSU AND THE  EDUCATOR.  THIS POLICY CLARIFIES THAT IF THE LICENSURE SECTION AT DPI MAKES A DENIAL AND THE  PSU AND/OR THE EDUCATOR SEEKS  TO APPEAL  THAT, THAT THAT  APPEAL WILL GO TO A COMMITTEE  THAT IS DESIGNATED BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT TO  REVIEW THAT APPEAL PROCESS.  THE DETERMINATION AND MAKE A  DETERMINATION ON THE VALIDITY  OF THE  NONTEACHING EXPERIENCE  OR THE GRADUATE  DEGREE.  AND  THAT COMMITTEE'S DECISION WILL BE  THE  FINAL DECISION OF THE  AGENCY.  THE EDUCATOR AND/OR THE PSU  WOULD HAVE DUE PROCESS RIGHTS  IN OTHER AREAS BUT FROM DPI AND  THE STATE  BOARD'S  PERSPECTIVE, BUT THAT WOULD BE OUR FINAL  DETERMINATION ON THE MATTER.  WHEN WE MAKE  THESE DETERMINATIONS, WE LOOK  AT THE -- WHETHER THE GRADUATE  DEGREE AND/OR THE  NONTEACHING WORK  EXPERIENCE ALIGNS TO THE EDUCATOR'S PRIMARY JOB  RESPONSIBILITIES.  SO IF YOU  HAVE A -- IF YOU HAVE AN  MBA  AND YOU'RE TEACHING ENGLISH IN OUR  SCHOOLS, WE WOULD SAY  THAT WOULD NOT BE  RELEVANT.   THE DISTRICT WOULD BE ABLE TO APPEAL THAT  DECISION, THEY COULD MAKE THEIR CASE, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S  COMMITTEE WOULD RENDER A VERDICT ON  WHETHER THEY FELT LIKE THAT WAS RELEVANT OR NOT.  WE ALSO LOOK  AT TRANSFERABLE  SKILLS, WAS  THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE JOB OR THE PROGRAM  THAT DID SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT COULD BE RELATED TO THE JOB  ASSIGNMENT? AND THEN ANY SPECIALIZED  KNOWLEDGE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED IN  THAT PROGRAM OR IN THAT JOB  THAT COULD HAVE RELEVANCE TO  THE  POSITION.  SO THIS  POLICY IS JUST STRENGTHENING  AND CLARIFYING ON WHAT BASIS WE AT -- AND THE  LICENSURE DEPARTMENT WILL MAKE  THOSE  DECISIONS.  AND THEN ON WHAT BASIS THE  SUPERINTENDENT'S APPEALS  COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE THEIR  DETERMINATION.  AND THEN WE  WILL MOVE FORWARD.  FROM  THERE. WE DO GET A NUMBER OF THESE  APPEALS AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT  THAT WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT AND DEFENSIBLE PROCESS FOR HOW WE  DETERMINE THAT AND THIS IS --  THIS IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND  THESE POLICY  REVISIONS.  AND  I'M -- WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR LEGAL  TEAM, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE  ANY QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS MIGHT  HAVE.   »ALAN DUNCAN:  ARE THERE ANY  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS  PROPOSED  POLICY?  ALL R IGHT.    NOT SEEING ANY, THANK YOU VERY  MUCH.   »  THANK  YOU.    »ALAN DUNCAN:  ALL  RIGHT.  WE  ARE COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH, THE  KENTUCKY DERBY REFERENCE  HERE, WE'RE NOW AT CONSENT ITEMS.  BSOP 8 IS A REPORT TO THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY, SUPPLANT -- THERE'S NO SUPPLEMENTAL  FUNDING SUPPLANTING TO REPORT.  BSOP 9  IS A REPORT TO THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY ABOUT MISSED  INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS AND EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION  RELATED TO HURRICANE  HELENE.  THIS IS AN  EXTENSIVE REPORT, MANY, MANY -- IT'S A VERY LONG REPORT.  THAT COVERS ALL OF THE MISSED DAYS FROM THE AFFECTED VARIOUS LEAs .  AND THAT HAS  BEEN COMPILED AND IS  PREPARED, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT REPORT?  ALL  RIGHT.  THEN  FINALLY, BSOP 10 IS A CERTIFICATION OF  THE NORTH CAROLINA FINANCE  OFFICERS, WE ARE PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE NEW CHIEF  FINANCIAL OFFICERS WHO ARE UP  FOR APPROVAL FROM CRAVEN COUNTY AND THE  MOORESVILLE SCHOOL  DISTRICTS, PROVIDED WITH CONTRACTS BOTH  EXECUTED AND PLANNED, AND HAVE  BEEN NO QUESTIONS ON EITHER OF  THOSE.   AND WE ALSO GAVE OUT THE  MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO QUESTIONS ON THAT  THIS  MONTH.  SO UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, ANYONE HAS ON THEIR  MIND,  RELATED TO THESE  ITEMS, THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE  BSOP REPORT.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK YOU,  VICE-CHAIR  DUNCAN.  THE BSOP  COMMITTEE IS BRINGING US ITEMS 1-6 AND  8-10, I'LL MAKE NOTE THAT WE WILL HAVE A SEPARATE VOTE FOR BSOP  2.  BASED ON THE RECUSAL.  ANY QUESTIONS OF THE  BSOP TEAM?  SEEING  NONE, OUR FINAL COMMITTEE  REPORT ON TODAY IS THE S TRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND I'LL TURN TO MS. CATTY MOORE FOR  THAT  ITEM.   »  GOOD  MORNING, AND THANK YOU CHAIR  DAVIS.  GOOD MORNING  EVERYONE  ELSE.  SO WE HAD A  REALLY GOOD COUPLE OF DAYS IN  OUR WORK SESSION AND THEN TIME ON TUESDAY AS  WELL, TO UNDER  THE DIRECTION OF THE  SUPERINTENDENT, REALLY PROVIDE SOME STRATEGIC  FEEDBACK ON  QUESTIONS, SOME REALLY  THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS  ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT  ACCOUNTABILITY,  ABOUT WHAT'S  IMPORTANT TO KNOW IN OUR  SCHOOLS, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO  CELEBRATE IN OUR  SCHOOLS.  WE  CULMINATED THAT DISCUSSION  YESTERDAY, WITH A  BROAD DISCUSSION  ABOUT IF WE  COULD START FROM SCRATCH, WITH  OUR  SCHOOLS, WHAT WOULD THEY LOOK  LIKE?  NO  PRECONCEIVED  NOTIONS, NO B OX, NO  RULES, WHAT WE THINK WOULD  BE BEST FOR KIDS AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD ON BEHALF OF ALL  KIDS, REALLY GREAT  DISCUSSION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SUPERINTENDENT GREEN AND HIS STAFF.  SO WE  WANT TO REALLY EXPRESS  APPRECIATION FOR THAT. I THINK AS WE MOVE  FORWARD, WE ARE GREATLY ANTICIPATING ALL OF THE  FEEDBACK THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED  ACROSS THE STATE OF NORTH  CAROLINA AND THROUGH OUR SESSIONS AS A  BOARD, AND STAFF AT  DPI, TO WHAT SUPERINTENDENT GREEN WILL BRING TO US IN  THE FUTURE AS A  STRATEGIC PLAN PROPOSAL TO MOVE  FORWARD.  AND AT THE  TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY  OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS  FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE  BOARD, WHO WOULD LIKE TO  HIGHLIGHT ANYTHING PARTICULAR  OR I'LL OPEN THAT UP AND TURN IT OVER TO  SUPERINTENDENT  GREEN, UNLESS N CASE HE HAS ANYTHING ELSE HE HAS TO  ADD?  » NOTHING TO  ADD, THANK YOU,  AGAIN, TO EVERYONE WHO  PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS  OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS  AND AS I SHARED  EARLIER, LOOKING  FORWARD TO A FIRST DRAFT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN BEING  BROUGHT.  TO THE STATE BOARD  FOR ITS  CONSIDERATION.    AT THE JUNE 2025 STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.  THANK YOU.  »CHAIR DAVIS:  THANK  YOU, MS.  MOORE, AND SUPERINTENDENT  GREEN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON  THIS AND FOR THE BOARD AND PARTICIPATION OF THE  STAFF IN THE  TWO-DAY WORKING  SESSION, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT STRATEGIC PLAN  AND APPROVING  IT.  THIS  CONCLUDES OUR COMMITTEE  WORK, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY  APPRECIATION TO THE DPI  STAFF, AND ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE  CONVICTED TO THE WORK WE JUST ACCOMPLISHED ON BEHALF  OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL  STUDENTS. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO -- IN ADDITION TO CELEBRATING OUR  PRINCIPALS AS DR.  CONNELLY REMINDED US, NEXT WEEK IS  TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, AND  WE WANT TO JOIN YOU IN EXPRESSING OUR HEARTFELT  APPRECIATION FOR EVERY TEACHER  ACROSS NORTH  CAROLINA.  FOR  THEIR DEDICATION, THEIR  INSPIRATION, AND THEIR CONSTANT SERVICE TO  OUR  STUDENTS.  YOU ARE TRULY OUR HEROES IN X WE'RE  GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU DO, WE  LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING YOU NEXT WEEK AND  EVERY  WEEK.    NOW, WE'LL MOVE TO VOTING ON  ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION FROM OUR COMMITTEE  REPORTS.  AND  REMIND OUR COLLEAGUES THAT ANY CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS  PRIMARILY NOT COMPLEX AND MAY  HAVE COMENT TO THE BOARD IN PRIOR  DISCUSSION, WE'LL V OTE  SEPARATELY ON BSOP 2.  HONORING MR.  BLACKBURN'S  RECUSAL.  AT THIS TIME, I ASK  IF THERE'S A REQUEST TO  REMOVE ANY ITEM FROM CONSENT ACTION OR ACTION ON FIRST READING ITEMS  IN ADDITION TO BSOP  2?    HEARING  NONE, I REQUEST A  MOTION TO APPROVE THE  FOLLOWING:  SLA  1-3; EICS  1,  2; HRS  1; ES&P 1 AND  2; BSOP  1,  3-6 AND  8-10; AND THE 46 LIMITED  LICENSE AND 9 ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL LICENSE APPROVALS  THAT WERE REQUESTED IN CLOSED  SESSION LAST  EVENING.  IS  THERE A MOTION TO THAT  EFFECT?  » SO  MOVED.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  MOTIONED BY MR.  KENAN, IS THERE A SECOND.   »  SECOND.   »CHAIR DAVIS:  SECONDED BY DR.  OXENDINE.  ANY DISCUSSION ON  THIS  MOTION?  HEARING  NONE, MR.  FOFARIA?    »RUPEN FOFARIA:    DR.  OXENDINE?  »  YES.   »  ( INAUDIBLE ) .   » MS.  CAMNITZ?  »  YES.   »  MR.  KENAN?  » ( INAUDIBLE  ).   » MR.  HALL?  » ( INAUDIBLE  ).   » MR.  HALL?  » YES.   »  DR.  MASON?  »  YES.   »  MR.  BLACKBURN?  »  YES.   »  MS.  MOORE?  »  YES.   »  TREASURER  BRINER.   »  YES.   »  LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR  HUNT?  »  YES.   »  VICE-CHAIR  DUNCAN.   »  YES.   » CHAIR DAVIS.   »  YES.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  MOTION  CARRIES. OUR FINAL ITEM IS APPROVAL OF  BSOP 2.  IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE BSOP 2 AS  PRESENTED?  D?  » SO  MOVED.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  MOTIONED BY DR.  OXENDINE, IS THERE A  SECOND?  »  SECOND.   »CHAIR DAVIS:  SECONDED BY LIEUTENANT  GOVERNOR.  ANY  DISCUSSION?  » ( INAUDIBLE  ).   »RUPEN FOFARIA:    DR.  OXENDINE.   »  YES.   »   CAMNITZ.   »  YES.   »  MR.  KENAN.   » ( INAUDIBLE  ).   » MR.  HALL.   »  YES.   »  DR.  MASON.   »  YES.   »  MR.  BLACKBURN.   » RECUSAL.   » MS.  MOORE.   »  YES.   »  TREASURER  BRINER?  »  YES.   »  LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR  HUNT.   »  YES.   »  CHAIR  DAVIS.   »  YES.  MOTION  CARRIES.  THAT CONCLUDES OUR WORK FOR THIS  MONTH.  I WANT TO  THANK OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AND  DPI STAFF FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK AND PREPARING THIS  MONTH'S MEETING AND WHAT  WE ACCOMPLISHED, A SPECIAL  THANKS TO DR.  TEFR PUTMAN AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM AT HAYWOOD SCHOOLS TO BEING A GRACIOUS  HOST.    [ APPLAUSE ]  WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONVENING  NEXT MONTH ON JUNE 4 th AND 5 th .  BACK IN THE EDUCATION  BUILDING IN RALEIGH.  AND AT  THIS  TIME, I ASK FOR A MOTION TO  ADJOURN.   »  SO  MOVED.   » MOTIONED BY MR.  BLACKBURN.   » SECOND.  MR.  KENAN.  »RUPEN FOFARIA:    DR.  OXENDINE.   »  YES.   » MS.  CAMNITZ.   »  YES.   »  MR.  KENAN?  » ( INAUDIBLE ).   » MR.  HALL.   » ( INAUDIBLE ).   » DR.  MASON.   »  YES.   »  MR.  BLACKBURN.   »  YES.   »  MS. MOORE.   »  YES.   »  TREASURER  BRINER.   »  YES.   »  LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR  HUNT.   »  YES.   »  VICE-CHAIR DUNCAN.   »  YES.   »  CHAIR  DAVIS.   »  YES.    »CHAIR DAVIS:  MOTION  CARRIES, WE'RE  ADJOURNED.    HAVE A GOOD DAY.    (  MEETING ADJOURNED AT 10:46 )"}]