January 10, 2024
2023 in review - summaries of all board meetings (Note: If the newsletter is truncated in an email, readers can click on "View entire message")
Brief summaries of CHCCS school board meetings from January 5, 2023 – October 25, 2023 may be found below.
There were 20 regular meetings of the school board during the 2023 calendar year. Seventeen of the meetings are briefly summarized below. The final three meetings have been previously summarized and are available in other posts (by date) in this newsletter.
CHCCS board meetings are typically held on the first and third Thursday of each month from 6:00pm – 10:00pm. Meetings are called to order at 6:00pm, however, the first item is Closed Session, so the open public meetings begin for all practical purposes at 7:00pm.
The meeting summaries below cover only work sessions and “discussion and action” items before the board. There is a Consent Agenda item at every board meeting as well. These items are not summarized here.
For each meeting below, links have been provided to both the agenda and minutes for the meeting. Please note, as you review the summaries, the reader is advised to visit the agenda for copies of all reports, presentations, and abstract information.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the school board is January 18, 2024 at 7:00pm.
TOPICS BY DATE
Curriculum August 17
Facilities Mar 2, May 18, Sept 7
Finance/Budget Related Information Jan 5, Feb 2, Mar 2, Mar 16, May 18, Sept 21, Oct 19
Policy Feb 2, Feb 14, March 16, April 12, May 18, June 15, July 27, Sept 7
Programs Jun 15 (Exceptional Children), Sept 21 (Dual Language)
Strategic Plan Sept 21, Oct 5
Student Performance Data Jan 5
Transportation Jan 19, Feb 14, Sep 21
Board Meeting: January 5, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board approved some new courses for 2023-24, board committee assignments, board member school liaison pairings, and made an adjustment to the 2022-23 board meeting schedule.
Student performance data and some post-pandemic district demographic data was reviewed from 2022-2023 and State tests from 2021-2022. Together the datasets represented the first glimpse of comparative data from the return to in-person learning.
Preliminary FY 2023-24 Budget Development Overview was presented as an update to the board. The narrative detailed the continuation needs that drove the operational financial plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Note: “The Board of Education has appropriated a significant portion of its available fund balance in order to empower, equip, and invest in its highly capable staff. This bold investment has created a high level of uncertainty in our economic future regarding local funding. Strong local funding support is required for CHCCS to continue improving upon state-leading levels of service for all students. The foundation of that local support is found in the continuation portion of the Local Operating Budget. This portion represents the expenses required to be able to continue providing the existing level of services and standards of education in the upcoming fiscal year.”
Board Meeting: January 19, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
A presentation on Class Rank and Valedictorian Status was made by the Student Equity and Empathy Ambassadors.
The Transportation Optimization Committee presented options that would improve the crisis in the transportation department.
The board extended its sincere gratitude to the Carol Woods community for its continued support of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Given the importance of building inter-generational connections in today’s quickly evolving world, the generous contribution of $30,000 was especially appreciated.
The Board of Education’s 2023 legislative priorities and positions were finalized.
Board Meeting: February 2, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The Board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy 4150 (School Assignment and Reassignment).
An update on potential Local Operating Expansion Budget items was presented.
Board Meeting: February 14, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy 5020, Visitors to Schools and move the policy forward to second reading as a consent item.
The board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy 3570, International Student Exchange Program.
District administration presented three recommendation alternatives to alleviate the bus driver shortage. The board approved Recommendation #1. This recommendation represents a combination of approaches to address driver and position needs as well as bus stop efficiency.
Ø Increase driver pay to $20.00 per hour for new drivers; existing drivers would receive a three step increase (or the higher of the two wages).
Ø Market dual roles (TA/driver, custodian/driver) and/or require new or existing classified staff to acquire a CDL; the district will reimburse.
Ø Amend our current policy/practice to allow 18 year olds to become bus drivers. Currently, individuals must be high school graduates.
Ø Consolidated stops- incorporating neighborhood stops with a maximum distance of .3 of a mile for elementary students and .5 of a mile for secondary students.
Ø Continuing the partnership with the city and other entities on biking and walking options.
Board Meeting: March 2, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
Topics and plans (drafts) for the Board Retreat scheduled for March 20 and 21 from 4:30-7:30 pm were reviewed and discussed.
The Superintendent’s Proposed Local Operating Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2023-24 was reviewed and discussed. Mr. Scott detailed salaries, wages, benefit increases, inflationary adjustments, unfunded continuation costs, fund balance, and the expansion budget requests.
Mr. Al Ciarochi, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, presented an overview of the 2024-2034 Capital Investment Plan. The Board of Education receives a recommendation of the 10-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) annually. The CIP format follows guidelines set forth by Orange County, which includes both a funded plan that aligns with our District’s Strategic Plan, anticipated revenues, and an unfunded plan that identifies the District’s needs which exceeds the revenue projections set forth by the County.
FY 2024-2034 Funded Plan: There are major improvements and upgrades needed in
the area of fire, safety, and security across the District. The 2022 Facilities
Assessment includes recommendations with respect to fire alarm and security
improvements that are included in the District’s plan. These needs are addressed in the
lottery funds portion ($824,304) of the CIP. The technology infrastructure and device
refresh cycle have also been addressed in the Article 46 portion ($1,614,704) of the
CIP.
Unfunded Plan: The major components of the unfunded needs plan ($304,787,949)
are replacement estimates to the nine older schools identified in the 2022 Facilities
Assessment. Through participation in the Joint Capital Needs Workgroup, Orange
County is engaging with a third party to perform an assessment of all Chapel
Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools that will include up to date
evaluations of all school facilities and provide cost estimates to include future inflation
factors. This information will be used to plan the next 10 years starting in 2024 and
will prioritize projects based upon need and available funding.
Board Meeting: March 16, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy Code 3102 Online Instruction.
The board voted unanimously to approve the pass/fail option of the first reading of Policy 3450 Class Rankings, with the remainder of the policy revisions to be brought back to the full board during the April 12, 2023, Work Session meeting.
The board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy Code 3225/4312/7320 Technology Responsible Use.
The board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy Code 3220 Technology and the Educational Program.
The board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy 7430 Substitute Employees. The administration requested that the BOE consider allowing Recommendation #1 to be fully implemented with the addition of combination leveling where needed. This was approved unanimously.
The board unanimously approved the fiscal year 2024-2034 Capital Investment Plan. This was initially presented at the March 2, 2023, board meeting.
The board formally approved the Local Operating Budget request in order to send it on to the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Scott’s presentation included student data, continuation budget, salaries and wages, benefit increases, non-salary operating costs, unfunded continuation costs, fund balance, and the expansion budget and implementation of the classified employee compensation study.
Board Meeting: April 12, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 6-0 to approve the first reading of Policy Code 3400 Student Evaluations and Grading. From the meeting minutes: Regulation Code 3400-R Student Evaluations and Grading Specifies a new K-12 district-wide Student Evaluation and Grading Plan, which defines:
Ø Assignment types and weights,
Ø The minimum number of assignments based on the assignment type,
Ø The minimum grading floor (50%) for any assignment for which grades are assigned, progress reports, and report cards
Ø Late work and reassessment guidelines.
The board voted 5-1 to approve Policy 3450 Class Rankings Plan C and waive the second reading. From the Agenda: Allow students who have earned a “pass” in a course taken pass/fail to be eligible for valedictorian status if all other grades are As. This change would encourage more students to take courses that enrich their academic careers and promote lifelong learning without adversely influencing their GPA and class rank.
Transition the valedictorian honor system to a Latin Honor System. The valedictorian honor system would be phased out after 2022-2023. If the administration’s policy recommendations are adopted, it would require high school principals to designate the following:
Ø Students with a 3.70 - 3.79 weighted grade point average shall receive the distinction of cum laude.
Ø Students with a 3.80 - 3.89 weighted grade point average shall receive the distinction of magna cum laude.
Ø Students with a 3.90 and above weighted grade point average shall receive the distinction of summa cum laude
The board voted 6-0 to approve the first reading of Policy 3620/4500 - Extracurricular Activities, Co-Curricular Activities, and Student Organizations. From the meeting Minutes:
This policy was brought to the Policy Committee twice this year. References to athletics have been removed from this policy and currently reside in policy 3621/4510. Non-instructional time and guidance for starting a club have been outlined based on feedback from the policy committee. The adjustments now align the policy with the Equal Access Law. Eva Dubuisson, Board Attorney, clarified that the language is in line with language from the NCSBA, and the policy was brought forward and is needed to comply with the Equal Access Act, which has to do with making sure all non-curricular clubs are treated the same.
The board voted 6-0 to approve the 2023-2024 Board of Education Meeting Calendar as amended.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the first reading of Policy 3226/4305: Internet Safety. From the meeting minutes: Debby Atwater, Executive Director of Technology, presented the first reading of policy 3226/4305 Internet Safety to ensure all CHCCS students, staff, and community members are aware of the district internet safety requirements and processes to protect students and remain compliant with the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and ensure eligibility for continued federal E-Rate funding discounts that partially supports the purchase of district network infrastructure maintenance tools. There are three major sections of the policy (listed below). Although the policy is new to the district, the technology requirements are not and have been implemented in the district since 2001.
Ø Access to inappropriate material and matter
Ø inappropriate network usage
Ø Education supervision and monitoring
Board Meeting: April 20, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 7-0 to approve the Board of Education’s budget request to the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
The board voted 7-0 to designate four schools as closed, with Smith Middle School, Glenwood Elementary School, and Carrboro High School closed with no transfer exceptions.
The board was updated on the CHCCS Recruitment Strategy. From the meeting minutes:
Dr. Ashauna Harris, Senior Executive Director of Employee Recruitment and Learning highlighted the status of educator and support staff shortages and its impact on the increasing importance of a comprehensive and multi-faceted recruitment strategy.
Dr. Harris shared that with teachers and staff leaving the field of education and educator preparation programs not being able to meet the demand of needed educators, recruitment and retention must be comprehensive and systematic. In alignment with our Strategic Plan’s priority of Empowering, Equipping, and Investing in Our People, during the 2023-2024 School Year, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) will offer a referral bonus of $500 to active CHCCS employees who are on payroll and refer a school-based employee or bus driver who is hired by the district.
Board Meeting: May 4, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
Board members participated in an exercise to prioritize workflow and the agenda development process using a consensus-building protocol to identify agenda topics for the 2023-2024 school year. Board members were allowed to select five topics each they were most interested in receiving updates or presentations to the full board. The following topics received the most attention.
Ø Academic programs (Dual language, Newcomers, Pre-K, LEAP, AVID)
Ø Student engagement
Ø Support programs
Ø Culturally relevant curriculum
Ø Innovative schedules
Ø Academic Return on investment
Ø Program evaluation
Ø Policy based on progress
Ø Integration of Technology
Ø Professional learning
Ø Academic return on investment
This information will be used in developing the forecasting document for next year.
Board Meeting: May 18, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 5-0 to approve Policy Code 3135 Homework on first reading. From the meeting minutes: Proposed changes to policy 3135 Homework were presented for approval on first reading.
Ø Specifically naming where homework lands (Constructing and Practicing Academic Knowledge and Skills) amongst grading guidelines.
Ø Set specific nightly homework time guidelines for K-12 (Grades1-8 set at 10 minutes per grade level, for example, 7th grade = no more than 70 total minutes, Grades 9-12 set at no more than 25 minutes per class, with no more than 2 hours total), with consideration for students taking advanced courses and the additional homework time that may be needed.
Ø Align language to match Policy Code 3400/R changes around grading floor and late work regulations per grade level.
Ø Coordination of testing days and due dates across the grade level/building for long-term projects by subject areas to help ensure time guidelines are not exceeded.
Ø Board members were given the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback regarding the presentation. Questions were related but not limited to the assessment and reinforcement of total time involved in completing homework for high school students and how the district will promote and manage communication from students to teachers when there are issues with homework completion.
The board voted 5-0 to approve Policy 3400 Grading to include the amendment of adding assessments to the minimum grading floor. From the Abstract: BACKGROUND: Student evaluation and grading are a way of measuring a student's performance in school. They are usually given in the form of letters or numbers and reflect the student's level of understanding and achievement in a particular grade, subject, or course. Grades can be used to track a student's progress over time, determine whether they have met certain learning objectives, and help them understand areas where they need to improve. In March 2021, the Board asked the administration to recommend changes to Policy Code: 3400 Student Evaluations (Grading) during the 2021-2022 school year. For a number of reasons, including the return to in-person learning, recommendations were not submitted to the Board for review. This school year (2022-2023), a group of teachers, school leaders, and central service staff provided the administration with input and feedback on policy changes. Additionally, direction was sought from the district’s Curriculum Management Team (CMT), Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory (STAC), Board Policy Committee, various student groups, and individual teachers, school leaders, and students. Outlined below is a summary of the policy shifts recommended by the administration. Policy Code 3400 Student Evaluations and Grading
Ø Most changes are technical in nature, including clarification of policy language, removal of outdated guidance, and updates to policy cross-references.
Ø The major shift recommends establishing new policy guidance, Regulation Code 3400-R Student Evaluations and Grading Regulation Code 3400-R Student Evaluations and Grading
Ø Specifies a new K-12 district-wide Student Evaluation and Grading Plan, which defines:
Ø Assignment types and weights,
Ø The minimum number of assignments based on the assignment type,
Ø The minimum grading floor (50%) for any assignment for which grades are assigned, progress reports, and report cards.
Ø Late work and reassessment guidelines. The Board gave the administration guidance regarding changes to Policy Code 3400 Student Evaluations and Grading at its October 20, 2022, meeting, communicating the importance of maintaining a minimum grading floor, outlining what’s graded and how often, promoting student success and mastery, and establishing a uniform system of grading. The administration believes that the proposed policy shifts align with Board guidance and advance fairness, equity, uniformity, transparency, and accountability in evaluation and grading across CHCCS.
The Board voted 5-0 to approve the County's request for property transfer.
Brandy Reeves, Chief of Staff & School Leadership, shared a proposed schedule for review of the Board handbook.
Overview of RFQ No 367-OC5375 for Facility Condition Assessment Project. Al Ciarochi, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, introduced Project Manager Jessica Goodell and Educational Master Planner David Sturtz to present an overview of the Comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) and Optimization Plan.
Board of Education Prioritized Workflow and Agenda Development Follow-up. The board agreed to move this item for presentation to the June 1, 2023, meeting.
Update on the 2023-24 Orange County Manager’s Recommended Budget. Jonathan Scott, Chief Financial Officer, updated the Board on the development of the Orange County Manager’s recommended budget. Mr. Scott reiterated the Board presented the County Commissioners with an approximate 8.4 million dollar need in the continuation budget with an additional 2.7 million in expansion items.
This continuation request was driven by an estimated 4% increase in salaries mandated by the State. It was also driven by estimations of the matching benefits rates like retirement and health insurance premiums. With the $7,245,956 in total proposed funding contained in the County Manager’s recommended budget, this leaves $1,194,044 needed to fulfill the estimated continuation costs in the Board’s request. Put in terms of the Special District tax that would require 0.86 additional cents to make the continuation request whole.
Ø Net Continuation Request $8,440,000
Ø Proposed Increase in Funding in Manager’s Recommended Budget 7,245,956
Ø Remaining Unfunded Continuation Request $1,194,044
Mr. Scott summarized the County Manager’s budget that was presented to the County Commissioners in early May, highlighting the budget would include a 10% increase in county appropriations for both school districts and a 1.5 cents increase in special district tax.
Board Meeting: June 1, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 5-0 to rescind the board’s April 20th action to the extent necessary to allow for an exception to enrollment caps for children of CHCCS permanent full-time employees for any capped school. The Board voted by consensus to ask the Policy Committee to review enrollment cap policies.
At the May 4, 2023, board meeting, the Board of Education participated in an activity to build consensus around agenda topics for the 2023-2024 school year. Each board member identified up to five agenda items the entire board should consider. The administration then combined and categorized similar topics, which board members prioritized using the consensus-building protocol. Below is the prioritized list of the board’s proposed agenda topics.
Ø Innovative Scheduling (Extended day, block & traditional, learning opportunities outside of traditional school day)
Ø Culturally Relevant Curriculum
Ø Student Engagement/Support Programs
Athletics/Music/Arts
After school/Community Schools
Blue Ribbon Mentor
Exchange Program
Student Groups/Clubs
Ø Academic ROI/Program Evaluation
Ø Academic Programs
Dual Language
Newcomer
LEAP
Pre-K
AVID
CTE
Ø Curriculum Audit Plan Implementation
Ø Professional Learning Plan (What is it, how is it monitored – what is the impact of what we do?), Professional Development for staff (and ways to differentiate)
Ø Integration of Technology/Technology Plans
Ø Updates on progress of recent homework/grading policy changes (Have we seen improvement?)
Ø Academic Return on Investment Activities & budget issues
Ø Looking at EC responsibilities: compliance, caseloads, teacher morale
Board Handbook (draft) was reviewed
Board Meeting: June 15, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board approved the first reading of Policy 7360/8225 Crowdfunding on Behalf of the School System with changes discussed.
The board approved Policy 2120 Code of Ethics for School Board Members on first reading with changes discussed.
Exceptional Children’s Departmental Update: PURPOSE: To provide the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, community, and staff with an Exceptional Children's Departmental Update to include the following:
Ø CHCCS EC Child count Data 2022-2023
Ø CHCCS EC Departmental Improvement Plan Update
Ø EC Departmental Organizational Structure Update
Draft Board of Education Handbook (Next Steps)
Board Meeting: July 27, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 6-0 to approve School Nutrition Procurement Plan in accordance with the DPI Administrative Review.
Board members Rani Dasi, Mike Sharp, Riza Jenkins, and Deon Temne voted Yes, and George Griffin and Ashton Powell voted No to approve Policy Code: 7510 Leaves of Absence and waive the second reading.
Board Meeting: August 17, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 7-0 to approve the Curriculum and Instruction Management Plan and High School Schedule Assessment. From the meeting minutes: Dr. Rodney Trice, Deputy Superintendent, Teaching & Learning, Systemic Equity, and Engagement, presented the administration is seeking approval of the 2023-2024 Curriculum and Instruction Management Plan (CIMP) and High School schedule assessment.
The Curriculum and Instruction Management Plan is designed to achieve these goals by supporting student learning by guiding students’ educational experiences that ensure content mastery and life-long success. The plan aims to coordinate efforts in designing, developing, delivering, evaluating, and supporting a curriculum that is aligned from school to school and from classroom to classroom to meet the needs of our diverse student population. The plan outlines the expectations and procedures regarding the written curriculum, the taught curriculum, and the assessed curriculum. The Curriculum and Instruction Management Plan will be updated annually with time-sensitive information with a comprehensive review every four to six years.
Dr. Trice highlighted and summarized some major points of the one-hundred-page-plus Curriculum and Instruction Management Plan covering four main points
Ø Review the purpose of CIMP (Curriculum and Instruction Management Plan)
Ø Understanding the structure and function of the CIMP
Ø Highlighted the next steps for implementation
Ø Seek board approval to start a high school schedule assessment
Dr. Trice invited Minnie Goins, Principal of Seawell Elementary, Amy Rickard, Principal of Morris Grove Elementary, Luke Paulsen, Principal of Culbreth Middle School, and Jesse Casey, Principal of East Chapel Hill High School, to speak about how they have or will use the CIMP for the upcoming year.
The next steps that were shared with the board included
Ø Create a public-facing version of the CIMP
Ø Update the CIMP as needed (major changes brought to the Board for approval)
Ø Socialize the CIMP with Classroom teachers
Ø High School schedule assessment
The board voted 7-0 to approve all fees, as presented in the spreadsheet, with the exception of athletic gate fees for students.
The board voted 7-0 to approve athletic gate fees as is on the agenda, with the exception of High School students attending home games for the school for which they are enrolled.
The board voted 7-0 to approve the Superintendent’s hiring authority from August 17, 2023, to September 7, 2023, in the categories of any certified positions, assistant principals, and coordinator-level administrative positions.
Board Meeting: September 7, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
Update on Facility Condition Assessment Project (RFQ No 367-OC5375)
Al Ciarochi, Deputy Superintendent of Operations shared as a strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of operational services, Orange County Government, Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools, and Orange County Schools collaborated on the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a design firm to provide a:
Ø Comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment (FCA)
Ø Optimization Plan of Existing Space Utilization; and
Ø Examining Prioritization Models, Bench marking Best Practices and Scenarios for both school districts that recognize the distinct structure of the County allocating funds to the two school districts.
This resulted from the work conducted by the joint Capital Needs Work Group consisting of representation from Orange County Government, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, and Orange County Schools. The desired outcome will help county and school professionals and elected officials better plan, manage, and fund new construction and maintenance of the thirty-one (31) school campuses and administrative offices for the two school districts. Ensuring that scarce capital resources are used effectively requires a better understanding of when to repair/maintain, renovate, or replace buildings, how and when to contract across campuses and school districts, and how to provide reliable funding to assure that school facilities are built and maintained in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Recommendation for Approval of Second Reading of Policy 7815 Evaluation of Classified Employees. Board members Dasi and La Serna shared concerns about the wording in Section 5 referencing evaluation data. Brandy Reeves, Chief of Staff and School Leadership, stated the policy would go back to the policy committee and then come back to the Board for a second reading.
The board voted 6-0 to approve the first reading of Policy 2123 with the requested changes.
Board Meeting: September 21, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted 7-0 to approve the Q4 Financial Budget Amendment and the additional $1,061,000 fund balance appropriation.
The board voted 7-0 to approve the administration to explore changes in the DL (dual language), ML (multi-language), and Newcomer’s program, including program staffing in K-12 positions. From the meeting minutes: Updates were related to, but not limited to, the present state of dual language in Elementary and Middle Schools, program staffing, Visa sponsorship, benefits, recruiting, and pipeline for high school graduates. Also shared were recommended areas of focus for research with a focus on continued improvement in program efficiency for the betterment of all students in the many programs.
2022 -2023 Accountability Measures and Strategic Plan Update
BACKGROUND: On September 6, 2023, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) released the end of year test results from the 2022 - 2023 school year. Overall results showed that students across the state of North Carolina continue to recover ground lost to the COVID pandemic, with gains across all grades, subjects, and student groups. The 2022 - 2023 Accountability Report is the second report since the 2018-2019 report to show all elements of the state’s accountability measures to include the calculation of growth measures and school performance grades. Of the data report released by NCDPI on September 6, CHCCS highlighted the following in our district press release:
Ø CHCCS is pleased to announce a 94.8% graduation rate, a new record high for the second consecutive year.
Ø District gains included a 71.1% passing rate on all state exams, the highest in the Triangle.
Ø 83.3% of CHCCS schools Exceeded or Met Growth expectations.
While highlighting the aforementioned accomplishments for the district, the district’s press release also noted the following areas of focus for this school year:
Ø While 83.3% of CHCCS schools Exceeded or Met Growth expectations, the district is down from 100% the year prior.
Ø The proportions of students who achieved grade-level proficiency or greater were down compared to 2018-19 (pre-pandemic), but comparable to the 2021-22 levels. The 2022 - 2023 Accountability Measures and Strategic Plan Board Update will provide a deeper analysis of the end of year data in alignment to our 2027 CHCCS Strategic Plan. This analysis will also be coupled with an in-depth discussion of next steps for improving student outcomes.
Transportation Update
BACKGROUND: Over the past twenty months the district administration has sought to find solutions to the nationwide bus driver shortage. CHCCS has explored a variety of options with consultants and stakeholder committees. In March 2023 the board approved the recommendation of the administration to consolidate bus routes, allow 18 year olds to drive, utilize dual employment roles and increase driver pay. The implementation of these efforts began this summer and have continued into the school year.
Board Meeting: October 5, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted to accept the Board Self Evaluation “as-is” for a first cycle by a vote of 5-0.
The board discussed constructing an instrument for their self-assessment at its October 21, 2021, meeting. Then again, in the Spring, the Board committed to moving forward with creating a tool. The Board plans to use the assessment tool as a means of internal feedback for the full Board. The tool's results will help guide the continued development of the Board. Board members were given the opportunity to ask questions and share comments. Jillian proposed the board take the evaluation as is and provide feedback to adjust the document to be discussed during the November Board of Education work session. Ashton suggested that at the beginning of each year, each board member would add five questions related to their goals for the year and how they plan to work with the Superintendent and Lincoln Center.
Strategic Plan Update: Empowering, Equipping, and Investing in Our People Priority and Goals- Equitable and Transparent Fiscal Stewardship- Strengthening Family and Community Engagement -
Al Ciarochi, Deputy Superintendent of Operations; Jonathan Scott, Chief Financial Officer; Danielle Sutton, Interim Senior Executive Director of Recruitment, Learning, and Employee Engagement; Mark Bailey, Coordinator of Recruitment and Employee Engagement; Pam McCallister, Principal, Smith Middle School; and Rodney Trice, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, Equity and Engagement, provided an update to the Board of Education regarding the advancements made toward achieving priorities three, four, and five of the Strategic Plan 2027: Think (and Act) Differently during the academic year 2022-23. The update encompasses a comprehensive review of the key strategic actions undertaken within each pillar over the past year. Additionally, it offered insight into the primary priorities of each pillar for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year.
Danielle Sutton and Mark Bailey presented Strategic Plan Goal 3 (Empowering, Equipping, and Investing in Our People), focusing on three targets.
Ø Increase staffing of Hispanic/Latinx and AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander)
Ø Recruitment
Ø Retention priorities
Al Ciarochi and Jonathan Scott presented Strategic Plan Goal 4 (Equitable and Transparent Stewardship and Operations), focusing on
Ø Safe Spaces
Ø Facility Assessments
Ø Equitable Allocation of Resources
Ø Timely, Accurate, and Transparent Communication of Financial Information
Rodney Trice and Pam McCallister presented Strategic Plan Goal 5 (Strengthening Family and Community Engagement), focusing on
Ø Implementation of strategies around family and community engagement
Board of Education’s FY 2023-24 Local Operating Budget -
Jonathan Scott, Chief Financial Officer, updated the Board of Education on the impact of the NC Biennial Budget on the FY 2023-24 Local Operating Budget and obtained consensus for continuation needs to be included in the Board of Education’s FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget.
Board Meeting: October 19, 2023 (For further details about any agenda item please open the agenda here and then click on the individual items for copies of board abstracts and slide presentation decks. For meeting minutes please click here.)
The board voted to adopt the fiscal year 2023-24 budget resolution with a vote of 7-0.
The board voted to accept the recommended revisions to the strategic plan by a vote of 7-0.
From the Board Abstract: PURPOSE: Strategic plan status updates were recently brought before the Board on September 21 and October 5; this discussion and action item provides the Board information about the proposed revisions to the strategic plan. The strategic plan is meant to be a living document that should reflect our collective best thinking about how to be responsive to our data; therefore, revisions throughout the strategic plan will be necessary. These proposed changes will be brought to the Board on a yearly basis.
BACKGROUND: During our September 28, 2023, Strategic Plan check-in meeting, the Steering Committee, in collaboration with district leadership team members, proposed changes to the strategic plan. The committee discussed adding a key strategic action. Our data shows that in order to support students, we need them to be in attendance at school. The committee felt that this new key strategic action should be placed under priority 5, Strengthening Family and Community Engagement:
Ø Reduce Chronic Absences from the 2022-23 level by 2.5 percentage points annually. We will work with schools to develop an attendance campaign and work with our Family and Engagement team to continue to put support in place to help schools reach this key strategic action.
Under the Instructional Excellence priority, one update was made in order to increase the percentage of pathway completers. When writing the plan, the baseline data was not readily available, and once we began to monitor this metric, we noted we needed to be more aggressive with this target goal.
Ø Existing: speaks to 33% goal
Increase the overall percentage of CTE credentials earned by high school students completing a Career & Technical Education pathway to 70% or more.
Additionally, under the Equitable and Transparent Fiscal Stewardship and Operations priority, we updated this key strategic action to reflect work that will need to be done to continue to finance the implementation of the plan. As we adopted the new strategic plan, we have been intentional about redirecting funds to support the plan. In doing so, we have to be intentional about leveraging Academic Return on Investment (A-ROI) so that we can measure the effectiveness of the programs we have in place and those we are considering using the forward-looking approach (this consists of proposed programs) we will look to measure the effectiveness to ensure we see a return on investment.
Ø Existing: Shift from proportional allotments to needs-based allotment in personnel and non-personnel resource allotment systems.
Ø Proposed: Introduce an equity-centered resource allocation strategy and incorporate Academic Return on Investment (AROI) principles into budgeting, teaching, and central office operations. This effort aims to transform mindsets, enhance resource efficiency, and elevate educational outcomes by aligning resource allocation with academic impact, nurturing a culture of continuous improvement.
The final update to the strategic plan includes a change to the timeline. Our Human Resources Division will continue researching innovative solutions to carry out this key strategic action. The request was made to extend the time frame. This change will require a change in the implementation timeline.
Ø Clarification was discussed around Goal 1 in EEIP (this item will remain in planning status)
Key Strategic Action 2: Explore more flexible work schedules and commit to developing manageable workloads to the greatest extent possible
Since the inception of the Strategic Plan, the Steering Committee has met twice, once in January 2023 and again just recently in September 2023. During our January check-in, we discussed revisiting our mission statement to have it read more succinctly. The committee will meet again at the end of the year to gather additional information about how to deepen the implementation and discuss the mission statement further.
Sustainability Update
Al Ciarochi, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, provided the Board of Education with the district’s sustainability update.
Ø Sustainability Efforts/Activities
Electricity Savings Projects
Diesel Fuel Savings
Water Use
Energy Modeling
Waste Diversion
Water Quality