Board of Education · Work Session · March 12, 2026

Good evening everyone. >> Good evening. >> The Durham Public Schools Board of Education work session is now in session. At this time, we wish to extend a warm welcome to everyone who is joining us this evening.

The purpose of this meeting is to inform our parents, staff, and constituents about the work aligned with our mission to embrace, educate, and empower every student to innovate, serve, and lead. The interpreters for tonight are Karen Reyes and Evette Perez. Thank you for taking the time to join us. I'm going to wait for folks to come on in the room so we can move into our moment of silence, but I want

Colleagues, I'm going to ask for us to move into the moment of silence. As we go into this moment of silence, let's um continue to think about how schools, campuses are under attack, both from some of our federal government, but also from gun violence with another university shooting at Old Dominion today. So, let's hold them in comfort as we have a moment of silence. Thank you.

The next item on our agenda is agenda review and approval. >> Madam Chair, I'd like us to consider adding a proclamation um on kids over corporations that you drafted. I'm looking for it in my document. Sorry. Um I know it has a better name. maybe consider adding that

at item 4 C. Second. It's been moved by Miss Beyer, seconded by Miss Carter Autton to add a resolution um in support of kids over corporations as item 4 C to our agenda. Is there any discussion?

All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All oppose use the same sign.

It passes unanimously which is 50 right now. Two of our colleagues are running behind and will join us momentarily. And is there a motion to approve the agenda as amended? >> Make a motion to approve the agenda as amended.

>> Second. It's been moved by Miss Harold Goff, seconded by Chairs to approve the agenda as amended. Um, is there any

further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> It passes unanimously.

50. Thank you. Next item on our agenda are the board of education meeting minutes from February 9th, 2026. Move approval of the board of education minutes from February 9th, 2026.

>> Second move by Miss Harold Goff, seconded by Miss Beyer to approve the agendas uh the minutes from February 9th, 2026. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I.

>> Um all oppose use the same sign. Again, it passes unanimously. 50. Thank you so much. The next item on our agenda is general public comment. Um, I'll do a quick review of the rules

as we go into public comment. First, please state your name and if speaking for an organization, please state your name and the name of the organization. Second, speakers are asked to present their comments in 1 minute. When the yellow light comes on, you have 30 seconds left to start winding up your remarks.

When the red light comes on, it will beep, which indicates your time is up. Complaints about named staff, students, or parents should not be voiced in open session. However, we are very interested in hearing your concerns with regard to public education, safety of students, or the operation of the school system. Finally, the board members will listen carefully and consider the comments, but we do not engage with the discussion with the speakers. So, our first speaker tonight is Jenny Jones Cauldron.

As a former DPS teacher and parent of children with exceptional needs who has been following this budget process closely, I know you all have a lot of really hard decisions ahead of you over the next couple months. And remind you all that. And I wanted to remind you all that our children are watching. They're paying attention to these conversations and they're remembering them when they're in their too hot or too cold classroom.

They're thinking about these decisions when they have a string of subs for their math class. and they can feel the weight of your choices when their Chromebook isn't working, but they're still expected to keep up with their classwork. These are hard decisions without clear answers. And I want to make sure that as we fight for the things we think are most important in our schools, we don't cannibalize each other in the process. And the only reason we're trying to figure out how to make these very difficult trade-offs is because two men in Raleigh care more about corporate tax cuts than they do our children. So, let's stop arguing about how to divide this pie and fight for a bigger pie.

Thank you. Uh, Miss Vanessa Safy and Patricia Russ is next. I apologize if I mispronounce anybody's name. My name is Vanessa Safy.

I'm a DC DPS parent. I thought about a lot of what I was going to say tonight or even if I should say anything. uh nobody seems to be listening to each other anymore. Ultimately, I come before you all today and really before my fellow parents and DPS to ask everyone to take a beat and listen to yourselves.

It's clear after watching the joint budget presentation earlier this week that we are all reasonable people who have become accustomed to unreasonable outcomes. It is unconscionable that we are being asked to decide between which harm is less harmful to our children in this room because those in rooms in Raleigh have abandoned their their responsibility. We're losing sight of our futures here. The futures who sit in DPS classrooms, some with no teachers and some with no books. How do we

continue as if this is okay? We should all be on the same side, the side of doing what the children need us to do. parenting through these unprecedented times. Feel free to email us the rest of your comments.

I'm Patricia Russ and I teach at Little River. Mold and air quality issues remain at Little River. Experts were called, reports were written, wallpaper remains, dirty, stained carpet remains, stanky air remains. Our children, teachers, and staff breathe every day in spaces that are still not clean.

Where's the action? Symptoms persist. Rashes, coughs, headaches, reminders that health cannot wait. The recommendations we were clear.

Remove the wallpaper that hides the mold. Remove the carpet that is visibly stained. Clean air should not be

a privilege. Every day the wallpaper remains. Every day the carpet stays. is another day our children breathe what they should not.

Every day without their removal is another day too long. What's the plan? Waiting is not the remedy. >> Allison Stackpole Francisco Doles.

>> Hi, I'm Allison Stackpole and I seen my time to do. >> Hello, my name is Coach Doles. I'm the physical education teacher at Pearson Town Elementary. I'm also a very proud DA member.

I'm here to speak in support of the 12% raise for classified staff and to ask for a multi-year plan for $25 per hour that includes addressing pay compression. I also like to address extra duty pay. I'm here tonight to speak on behalf of elementary school specialists, music, art, dance, physical education, foreign language teachers, media coordinators, STEM teachers, and

others. As specialists, we are very often asked to take on extra duties without extra pay. Duties that include, but are not limited to, coaching after school sports, which require many hours per week, including some weekend hours as well, and organizing special events like field day, Hispanic heritage night, choir and dance performances, art shows, science olympiads, battle of the books, and others. All of these duties require many hours of planning and coordinating with volunteers that more often than not take place after our normal working hours, taking away precious times from our home lives.

This causes undue stress with our families. As dedicated educators, we find ourselves in a difficult position when asked to take on these duties. Do we say no and be and risk being labeled as a non-team player and possible retaliation? or do we say yes and agree to countless hours of non-compensated labor in order to foster our students interests?

The answer should be simple. If we agree to take extra duties, then we should be compensated. Another extra duty that is often thrown as specialists is accommodating for larger than normal class sizes when one of our colleagues

is for to be absent. These situations happen more often than people realize and are usually at the very last minute. Last minute split classes cause major disruptions and negative outcomes for student learning during specials. For example, lack of equipment, lack of materials, or lack of instruments.

Needless to say that behavioral problems also occur during these times due to cramped learning spaces, a sudden change in student dynamics, and a change in teacher student ratio. Having a split class is most definitely an extra duty that we are forced to into. >> Thank you. Please feel free to send to the board via email. Anna Benfield, Tara Treyhey, >> there Anna Benfield. >> Okay, we'll circle back if they show.

Tara Treyhey. Hi, my name is Terry Treyhey and I seed my time to Vicky McCain. >> Vicky McCain. Leah Earlb.

>> Yes. My name is Vicki McCain and I'm a work I'm a worker custodian at DPS for 24 years. I'm a proud DAE member. I'm here today to speak in the support of 12% of the classified workers and to keep fighting for more.

I am also here to address extra duty pay. As many of you know that the changes of the health from the state, we are being asked to pay more than enough for medical care. My co-pay and doubled has doubled and my monthly medical expensure has increased by 20

increased by about 200 300. I'm a diabetic and high blood pressure and insulin is is expensive. I need my med my medication in order to function. If I don't if I don't have my medication, I'm working without breaks and my sugar drops that leads to complication. This is not just me and many of my co-workers are doing work more than one person because if somebody out or leaves then they have no subs now and we do the work of two or three workers we doing my floor person I have to move to take care of the classrooms and because of care I always make sure the works still get done I'm doing I do two or three jobs some time and we and the money should be budget from the people who are out and it should be amount of the time. The money should be the other issue is that

when we have extra work outside of the workplace sometime it has it it has like nine months before we get our our extra pay. And um thank you Leah Earlbomb, Jennifer Mski. >> Hi. Hello.

I guess Leah wasn't here. She was going to see her time, but my name is Jennifer Msky and I teach eighth grade language arts and I'm also a proud DA member. I work at Shepard Middle School. I'm here tonight to talk on behalf of our janitor custodian, Mr.

Harris. He's our daytime and full custodian at Shepard. He was supposed to speak here tonight, but he could not make it because two of the part-time custodians are out this week. In the past month, our part-time custodians have suffered from a loss in the family,

COVID, and one had surgery. All these things are unfortunate life events that could happen to any employee. The problem though is that the jobs are performed daily by three people are then assigned to Mr. Harris.

Today, Mr. Harris has to complete all his daily routine work that needs to be done around the school and then he has to take up the job of the night custodian to set the school back to set after the students and staff have left the building. m. However, of course, Mr.

Harris cannot get everything done before a shift ends, so he does end up working extra hours. >> Thank you. Feel free to email us the rest of your comments. Jackson Webb, Amanda Castillo.

Hi there. Uh my name is Jackson Webb. I am a first year teacher at Southern High School. Um I am fortunately a member of the uh Duke Teach House program. And

this last Tuesday I was fortunate as well as some of the other members of this uh board to see Superintendent Mo Green speak. Um and Superintendent Green uh spoke about reverence for teachers, a very specific language in his strategic plan for this year. Um the last five days at my school, in my classroom, it has not fallen below 80 degrees between 10:00 and 4:00. An EC teacher at my school had her room come in at 85 degrees for the last three days.

An EC teacher. So, I'm very curious. Is this what reverence for teachers looks like? Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Luna Gomez and I se the rest of my time to my mom, Rosanna

Saledo. >> Okay. Rosanna Salo and Wana Hernandez. >> I was expecting the interpreter to be here, but we can have an interpreter come in if you just hold tight.

Riverside. >> Good evening, school board members, Dr. Lewis. My name is Rosanna Salceo and I am the mother of two students at our schools Carrington of Riverside. For a long time, when we we attended or listened online to these schoolboard meetings as a Latino community, we ended

up frustrated by the problems with interpretation. Although the community has submitted complaints and possible solutions directly to interpreters and the superintendent and the board members, we have not seen consistent changes suggesting suggesting an institutional unwillingness to address the vital importance of language access so that our community can contribute more to our public schools. Some of the specific problems are very own interpretation equipment that often does not work. Apparent lack of thorough

equipment checks before each meeting with dead batteries or malfunctioning headphones. interpreters located in a room far from the meeting room for Spanish internet transmission who cannot see if Spanish speakers arrive at the meeting, distribute equipment, solve technical problems, or accompany us quickly if we wish to speak publicly at the meeting. delay in the interpreted message because it it has it has first been transmitted via the internet which causes a lot of confusion because the interpreted words

arrive so late that it is almost impossible for us to follow the meeting proceeding. The speed of the meeting pro procedures prevents interpreters from conveying a clear and accurate message. Due to a lack of contracts for overtime work, there is no guarantee interpretation will be provided by the team of two, which means lower quality interpretation. Each of the above problems has a solution. Proper implementations of

these practice can be can eliminate several problems at once. All of our recommendations are in this document that we are going to give you. Thank you for giving this recommendation in your attention. >> Thank you.

Wana Hernandean or Hernandez, I'm sorry, I can't read the handwriting on number 17. Leighton maybe Lzth. My number is Juan Hernandez. >> Good evening. My name is Juan Ernnandez. Shepherd Middle School

um complain. My daughter is a student at Shephard. Um, she had an incident. I came into the principal's office and talked about what happened.

Um, she blamed everything completely on my daughter and I would like to know who I can go to directly for to make a complaint. >> Gracias. >> That is it. Thank you.

>> Thank you. A deputy's coming out to talk. The deputy superintendent is coming out to talk with you um and collect some more information about that. Uh, is there Elizabeth?

>> My daughter. I don't know the words for that. >> Okay, thank you. Um, Heidi Hetland and Amber Joiner.

Uh, good evening everybody. I'm Heidi Joe Hetland, physical therapist, DAEA member. Uh, I want to say thank you to the board for um your relentless work on

this budget, which is no easy task, Mr. Teter. Thank you for the time and the work you've put in, especially looking at the therapist salary so we can be more competitive and keep our teams fully staffed. Um, I want to say thank you especially to those rotating off of the board um for all you've done for us and worked for us since January 2024 with the pay issues.

Um you've all heard lots of hard things from people tonight and it's just the tip of the iceberg of what staff um across the board are encountering whether it's buildings uh extra duty um salaries um and now you have a hard job to do and I don't envy that of any of you because all of these needs are super important but I do want to just say thank you again and um please consider the staff and your respect and gratitude for all of them um when you're making your decisions. Thank you. Hi, my name is Amber Joiner. I'm seating my time to Christy Clim. >> Hey, Christy Clim, Ananda Goch, and Valerie Lewis.

>> Hello. Christy Clim, physical therapist, member of DAE. Thank you again for the opportunity to do public comment and um the thought that's gone into the budget proposal. Greatly appreciate occupational therapy assistance being added in this second draft.

they are the IEP treatment specialist. Um they're some of the best therapists that I've worked with. So, thank you for considering them. Also appreciate the proposal for classified pay in general to get it to over 19.

Um I think that's very important and a step in the right direction. Um, from a technology perspective, I'm not in classrooms all day long anymore, but what I do hear folks saying is they would be super happy with the plain old whiteboard and the standard projector on the screen. Um, I know myself when I go in and out of places, I'd be happy with HDMI cord. I now carry two of those in my backpack on a regular basis just to make sure that that's there. Um, so

please consider that. From a OTPT perspective, vacancies are still still a real thing. Um, it's going to be tough decisions this summer and into the fall when decisions are being made, but we're two and a half short out of eight people right now. And it's not about any one person, but to give you perspective, IEP notes or IEPs that I've been preparing the last three evenings and writing therapy notes.

I've spent 19 hours once I've had dinner and then sit down at home and to start working again. Not on extra fluff things, but 19 hours the last three nights in federallymandated IEP paperwork that has to be done. It's not sustainable. I'm sure my month-long cough has to do with stress and fatigue of the everydays.

Thank you for your consideration. Hey, I'm Ananda Goch. I'm a DAE member

and a teacher at Githans. I'm also an advocate for technology in the classroom. I have to agree that in education, technology is infrastructure. But um we see the line item to replace outdated bright link panels and we're wondering DA is wondering if this is an urgent priority for this year's budget um when there are more urgent needs.

Learning that old projectors will be replaced with the Smartboard screens that were brought to stack meeting past week. There's concern teachers don't want this. We don't use interactive features. The survey that asked us about projection and interactive features combined those questions.

We use projection. We don't use interactive features. That's what we found speaking to our over 2500 uh employees in DPS this year about their priorities. So we want to use those priorities on extra duty.

Hi, I'm Valerie Lewis. I'm a Durham resident. I watched the recent joint meeting between the county commissioners and the school board, and I'm here to strongly support a proposed budget that raises the minimum pay for DPS to match the county. I found the county's presentation troubling.

It relied a lot on alarmist headlines and imagery not specific to Durham along with speculation that was sometimes presented as fact and not deeply rooted in data as well as comments that felt dismissive of our school's real needs. Um I here with many of you believe it's past time for our educators and pay parody between DPS and the county and it's an entirely appropriate request for DPS to ask that. Many of us in the community will stand alongside you. A deep thank you to all of you in the administration and board who advocated at that meeting um including for other basic priorities despite many difficulties coming off of the last month or two in DPS. Um I deeply appreciate the work and believe we can all stand together in this request.

>> Thank you all. Uh that now concludes public comment was Anna Benfield. Is that is that who you who we are? Okay.

>> Thank you so much. I appreciate it. My name is Anna Benfield and I'm a Durham Public Schools occupational therapist, DPS parent, and DA member leader. And I on a personal level, I'm really excited for when I go back to be an occupational therapist. I really hope I have more colleagues than my colleagues that had to hold the team together without me this year. Um, and I'm really thrilled about the

addition of occupational therapy assistants who are such important members of our team being added. Um, so I would alongside other comments that you've heard from today just continue to stand in support of a living wage for classified staff, the 1922 um extra duty pay um and the language justice proposal that was brought here tonight um by parents and supported by Alansa, Durham for all DAE and public school strong. So thank you. >> Thank you.

Leah Earlbomb. >> Hi, my name is Leah Earlbomb. I am an ESL teacher at Southern High School and a DAE member. Um I'm also here to support the language justice um proposal brought by parents tonight um supported by Aliansa Dorm for all DAE um and other parents and public school strong. Um, I'm here to finish the comments um by Jen Mski uh relating to the custodian at

Shepard who is taking on the work of three people. Um, I'll pick up right where she left off. Um, Mr. Harris cannot get everything done before his shift ends, so he does end up working extra hours.

While Mr. Harris does receive thanks for the administrators and staff, he does not receive extra pay in his paycheck for the overtime. He is also losing time with his family and it puts a burden on his routine because he faithfully takes care of his father with dementia. And when overtimes happens, he has to make other arrangements.

Mr. Harris is told that extra hours can be considered comp time and that he can use those overtime hours at a different date if he needs to be off of work for a doctor's appointment or attend to other personal matters. But when he tries to use those hours, there's push back. >> Thank you.

Again, if that comment's not finished, please feel free to email it to the board. All right, colleagues, uh, thank you all for your public comments. It's appreciated.

The next item on our agenda is our consent agenda. >> Move approval of the consent agenda, items A through J. >> Second. Been moved by Miss Buyer, seconded by Miss Harold Goff to approve the consent agenda items A through J.

Is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I.

>> All oppose. Use the same sign. Passes unanimously. We're now at 6.

Thank you for joining us, Mr. Tab. And the next item on our agenda is the policy committee update. Uh we have one for information only and then we have the revision to policy 5120 relationship with law enforcement.

Oh I do apologize. Mr. Tab has joined us and we have our student um

from the superintendent advisory council joining us today. A little piece of paper. Wami >> Hester from JD Clement Early College High School has joined us on his spring break. Thank you for being here.

>> Thank you guys for having me. >> He is a sophomore and sophomore class president. He's a co-section leader of the baritone section in Hillside High School's marching band, The Immortal Sting. I would get in trouble if I got that wrong.

8 GPA. Thank you,Wami. >> Yes. Thank you guys for having me.

>> Of course. Did you have anything else you wanted to share right now? um not specifically, but I'm just, you

know, really appreciative to be here and to be able to observe all the comments from the public and I look forward to, you know, seeing what else is on the agenda and learning more about the school system. >> Awesome. Thank you. Uh so now we will move we'll move to uh the revision of policy 5120 which is 3B um relationship with law enforcement.

Dr. Pitman. >> Yes. Good evening, Chair Rogers and members of the board.

Dr. Lewis, the revisions to policy 5120, the relationship with law enforcement, if you'll remember, uh were brought to the board on February 26th. The for first reading, however, at that meeting, we were directed to also add some additional revisions. So, in your agenda packet, you will see those track changes versions. The revision process of the policy committee has been quite extensive and has included consideration of commu community feedback as well as input from

the superintendent's principal and student advisory council, cabinet, the sheriff's office and legal counsel. So, as a result of this work, the policy in your packet again is track changes and it has major highlights that include being reorganized for clarity and including section headers. Several new sections have been included such as the guidance related to visits by federal law enforcement, resources for students, and training. And so at this time, I'll turn it back to the board for discussion um of the track changes and the presentation of the policy.

I think I think we'll be uh reviewing the policy itself on the projections so that we can man navigate whatever the board would like to call attention to. >> Colleagues, where would you like to start? >> Miss Carter. Um I just wanted to take a minute to um

as a reminder of the timeline on this. And so the hope is that this evening the board and the policy committee can receive policy committee can and can can receive feedback from the rest of the board. We can have a conversation about anything that folks really like any concerns that folks might have. Um and then the policy committee intends to continue discussing this at our next meeting which is on March 19th.

Um uh and as though Dr. Pitman said, we've we have been discussing this for um three meetings already and that was after the revisions that were made in December. So there's been robust discussion, lots of work as you can see by the track changes. Um these have been Dr.

Lewis was present for the last two meetings and Dr. Pitman of course as she's our liaison now and um our attorney representative uh Mr. Weber has been there working with us on these changes. So, um, I'm feeling really good about where it is. That's not to say that it couldn't use some more work, but

very curious to hear from my colleagues tonight to hear what y'all are thinking about this at this point. >> Miss Harold Golf, >> thank you. I just um after going through and reading through all of the revisions, I just wanted to say that a lot of work has gone into this and um I can see all the different changes. I really appreciate how it is how how it has been reorganized and structured.

So, it's it's a lot clearer than the last draft. Um, and I look forward to it going back to committee one more time. um for just a few more tweaks. Um we've gotten some feedback in email um some things that I I agree with that came in and um so um I wanted to say great work. I feel like it's come a long way from where it started and I I still I'm looking forward to and planning to attend the next meeting just to make a

few more tweaks um particularly around um I'm I'm really interested in in understanding more um this how we can think about this extingent circumstances. And so I'll leave it there. I'm going to back up and let some other colleagues have some time. Is there any further comment on policy 5120 before it goes back to policy committee?

Miss Beyer? No, I just um I I thought that was the agreed upon that we would be further finalizing it at the policy committee meeting. So, I don't have a lot to say tonight other than I look forward to that. It's the

19th at 11:30 if I have it calendared right. Um, if folks want to um um send us any feedback ahead of that, that's always helpful. I know we've gotten one email, but I think there might be other folks that have um that want to give feedback and we look forward to final finalizing this and getting this as clean as we can and uh moving forward. But I appreciate everyone's input and I appreciate Miss Harold Goff you joining that specifically.

That'd be great. >> Chair had a couple of comments and know we've went through a lot of different iterations of this policy and appreciate the work that's happened so far. There's a couple of things that I just want to uplift for the policy committee to make sure you take a look at. Um, under section D, it says visits to schools um by state or local law enforcement for non school related matters. Uh, under

number three, the beginning part says before a law enforcement officer may question a student, they must first notify the student's parent or guardian. Um, wondering who the they is there. Uh my assumption I think it was changed in a different version. It originally it said law enforcement and later in this new policy it says principles when it comes to federal law enforcement and I wonder if we wanted to track that same language to have principles.

It's not clear again who the they is. Um one might read it as law enforcement. I think we prefer to have our school principles working on that. The other question I have is should we also be using principal or designate or some other language around that as well?

Um principles who may or may not be in the building. Um there also is a question from me. Sorry, I've got lots of papers here y'all. around um in the newest version we have

and under F it says visits to schools by federal law enforcement officers but then we switch to the language it says immigration officers in that opening paragraph it kind of lists out different version of immigration and I'm wondering if there's for the for the committee to look at is their language is just cleaner um instead of switching between federal law enforcement and then immigration officer because it just feels like there other federal law enforcement people that could get there. So, is there a way to make that just cleaner and more all-encompassing? Um, there was a question from community members. I think that may have came in the email.

I met with some folks this week. They asked to be explicit around if there's not a warrant that principles do not need to permit act or do need not do not need to say yes to law enforcement in the building. So, I don't that's something for the policy committee to talk with lawyers around. Um, that was another thing that got brought up in conversations I had

with community members. And I think that ends all my questions, but I might send some more as I continue to read um and look. I think this is a really important one and I want one that we get correct. So, All right.

So, this is again for first read. Um, Mr. Malone, do we need a motion to send this to policy and bring it back for second read at our board meeting? >> Excuse me.

I think it's sufficient. Excuse me. I think it's sufficient to just have a motion to approve it for first read since it's already slated to go back to the policy committee. >> All right.

Is there a motion to approve for first read? >> I make a motion to approve policy 5120 um for first read. >> Second. >> It's been moved by Miss Harold Goff,

seconded by Miss Beyer to approve policy 5120 for first read. Um is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I.

>> All oppose use the same sign. It passes unanimously. Thank you all for your work on this. The next item on our agenda is academic services 2026 um arts in our schools month proclamation.

I will be sure to call onWami to talk about his role in arts in our schools as um we move into discussion about this item. Um welcome um >> have with us >> Mr. Turner sorry >> Mr. Turn director of arts education is with us as well.

>> Good evening and uh thank you all for being here. Thank you for being here representing. Uh thank you work chair Rogers, members of the board of education and of course superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis.

This evening we are excited to celebrate all of the magic that is arts education right here in Durham public schools. We invite the board and our community to commemorate all of the outstanding arts education happening right here in Durham public schools with this year's arts in our schools month proclamation. An annual celebration born from the US Department of Education honoring the achievements of students nationwide in dance, music, theater, and visual arts. Our students and arts teachers uplift and inspire our community with their extraordinary talents every single day and all year long. But March is a month dedicated to the arts, offering us a chance to rejoice in the boundless creativity of our students and the dedication of our amazing arts educators. The unwavering support of our arts partners community

also could never be recognized enough. The arts not only provide an outlet for self-expression, but also serving as a catalyst for learning across all disciplines, aligning directly to our lovely strategic plan. Duran public schools is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring equitable universal access to arts education for our DPS students, fostering a culture where every child's creativity can flourish without limits. I have the pleasure to visit many of the arts classrooms in my work across the district.

And so often I get to witness how the arts serve as a powerful pathway for learning, helping our students understand themselves and the world around them in a deeper, more meaningful way. This is only possible because of our dedication from our certified arts educators who serve the heartbeat of our programs, tirelessly uplifting and inspiring our young artists every single day. Just last month, DPS celebrated at one of our

board meetings the new and renewed nationally board certified teachers for the 2026. And almost half of those teachers recognized were arts educators in our district. The arts education department helps facilitate over 20 district-wide art events throughout the year. Many of you come to those events on a continual basis, and we could not thank you enough for that.

So, we want to say thank you on behalf of the arts educators, to the board of education members, superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis, DPS senior leadership, and all of our school administrators for always showing up and showing out uh for the presence at your these events for our young people. It does not go unnoticed, and you are taking that additional time out of your time each time to celebrate our young artists from across Durham and we could not thank you enough. Thank you for being a part of those young artists journey right here in Durham public schools. Chair Rogers, I respectfully yield the floor to you and request the esteemed members of the board of education to unveil this year's proclamation celebrating arts in our schools month,

please. We're going to start off with Mr. Tab, please. And then we'll work our way back around.

>> Thank you so very much. Um, this is really exciting. Um, just a comment. Uh, we do a lot of proclamations and arts.

This is the shortest proclamation I've seen on this board. But however, the arts people, we just go right to the point. >> Thank you. >> That's how it works.

All right. Um, proclamation arts in our schools month. Whereas all students have the right to an arts education that includes dance, media arts, music, theater, visual arts, and performing arts taught by certified arts educators in partnership with community providers. And >> whereas arts education encompasses a diverse array of roles, empowering students not only as performers and creators, but also as technical theater specialists, designers, stage managers, and curators, all of whom are vital to

the artistic process. And whereas arts education is part of a well-rounded education for every student as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act. And whereas the purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness of the lasting positive impact of arts education on the academic, personal and professional growth of our students. And whereas arts education helps nurture healthy, inclusive communities where all points of view are respected.

And >> whereas arts education shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them, allowing for students to be culturally responsive. Andwami, will you read the next one? >> Whereas art education supports the social and emotional well-being of students and fosters a more positive, safer school environment. And >> now therefore, be it resolved that Durham Public Schools Board of Education does hereby proclaim March 1st through

31st, 2026 as Arts in Our Schools Month and ask all to celebrate the importance of the arts in our students lives on the 12th day of March 2026. >> Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else have any comments?

I'm going to go. Okay, we're going to do Mr. Tab, Miss Herog, Mr. Hester will be able to give comment after Miss Harold Golf.

So, get your thoughts together. Um, and then then I'll get to anybody else. >> Thank you. Thank you so much um for this proclamation.

I just wanted to say that um when we talked about the proclamation and I see where you did add the designers and the stage managers and all of these folks that work behind the scenes that was so important. So I just wanted to commend you for in being inclusive of all the people that work behind the scenes. And I know that any

of the parents that are listening are appreciative of that fact because they work extremely hard. So So thank you for adding that into the proclamation. really appreciate it. >> Thank you for the suggestion.

I just uh wanted to take a moment to um all of these things about the arts are are very important, but right now to lift up that we are in a time where art, creativity, arts in particular are being challenged, attacked, you know, um in our country right now, a culture and the arts are very powerful and giving our youth the opportunity to lean into their artistic selves, their creativity is something that drives culture. Um it's it's all of these things and more. It's it's it's important in ways that are very important to our society. And so um sometimes I think we forget how powerful it is until it's attacked. But if it

wasn't, if you think about it, if it wasn't as powerful as it was, if the arts and being an artist wasn't that powerful, we wouldn't be seeing people trying to remove uh uh things from national museums and and trying to control certain artistic um uh entities, trying to control them because they're trying to drive narratives. And so, um, I really appreciate the emphasis we put on the arts in our schools. I want us to always to keep that lens very, very strong and not to think that it's something that is an other. It is absolutely essential to learning and to growth.

And just imagine what our lives and our our societies would look like if we did not have artists, if we did not support the arts in the ways that we do. It's it's definitely not a society that I would want to live in. So, thank you for this

proclamation. >> Um, as a student who is in the arts program at Hillside High School, I'm a part of the marching band. I just wanted to say like how important this is to us and how much we appreciate it because like this really highlights that the arts is not just like you know something to do after school or just another extracurricular to add on your uh resume. But the arts is like really a family whether it be band or theater or music.

It's really a place where students can go and find people who are you know just like them and share the same you know interest. And it's really just like that that safe place and this proclamation is really appreciated. >> Colleagues, any other comments? Um, I share all the sentiments that everybody else has shared. I'm very appreciative of the proclamation. As a graduate of Durm School of the Arts, I really appreciate the work that is done in Durm to make arts a part of the

education process. Right. It keeps students connected to school, but it also gives them uh something to look forward to other than the traditional trades and um a way to find joy in life. And that's really important to the work that we're doing here because we want to educate the whole child.

And the arts is important part of that as well as helping them to learn different cultures and exposure to um what whatever might interest them and how to leverage that. Um, okay. I'm gonna go to Miss Umstead. >> I was just gonna build on all that's been said. Especially for students of color, arts education helps build their racial identities, positive racial identities, which helps improves their outcomes in school. So, just building on everything that's already said, >> Miss Beyer, >> and what a remarkable thing to have two arts educators on a school board who could make a motion and a second on this proclamation.

Um, Dr. Lewis wants to make a statement. >> Yes. Just to reiterate my commitment as superintendent to our arts programs in a community where uh the arts are not only valued here in Durham public schools, but also in this the the wider community.

Many of our scholars are um connected to school for academics. Uh yes, we do have some students that run to school for that chemistry class, but for the most part, we do have a lot of students that um feel that connection through the arts. you know, whether it's they're working on the lighting at the during at a theater program or playing instrument. And I was say, as a former um trumpet player all the way through college, Alabama State University, Mighty Marching Hornets, also um I saw the value of just discipline uh instilled in in students.

Um but all not only that, it gives them a well-rounded experience. And so I'm super excited to um continue to just beef up our already robust arts programs and super excited and appreciative appreciative of our major uh art supporters and and directors. So thank you all so much.

>> Thank you all. I'll entertain a motion. >> Move approval of the proclamation. >> Second.

It's been moved by Miss Herald Goff to approve the proclamation arts in our school for arts in our school month. Seconded by Mr. Tab. Is there any further discussion?

>> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Um all those opposed use the same sign. It passes unanimously which is now 70.

Miss Chavez, thank you for joining us. Um thank you Mr. Turner. >> Thank you.

I just want to say former trumpet player can also be always trumpet player. So thank you so much colleagues. The next item on our agenda um is the intro to 2026 ELA standards. Uh Dr. King.

>> Good evening board members and thank you for this opportunity. We are really excited tonight to uh introduce to the entire school community uh the new um North Carolina K12 English language arts standard course of study. Uh over the last couple of years the department of public instruction has been working to revise the English language arts uh course of study and uh recently the state board approved those changes. What that means for us is that over the the next 18 months, we will be involved in a a deliberative process to think about what that means uh in terms of our instructional program here in Durham public schools. And so, uh, I've been sharing with principles and assistant principles and instructional coaches over the last three or four months the fact that we have, uh, a great bit of work ahead of us over the next 18 months to do all of the things that will be required, uh, to prepare prepare our teachers, uh, to deliver this new standard course of study. Tonight, uh,

we are excited to have, um, Chanel Sidbury, our assistant superintendent for continuous improvement and school supports, and Elizabeth Moffett, our director of K12 curriculum and instruction, here tonight to share with the community and the board, uh, the new standards, how they have changed, um, and what we will look forward to do doing over the next 18 months to prepare for those shifts and changes. Miss Sidbury. >> Thank you, Dr. King.

Good evening board chair, uh, vice chair, member, board members, as well as Dr. Lewis's administration. I'm Chanel Sitary. Um, as previously mentioned, today we are providing an overview of the 2026 K12 English language arts standard course of study.

We will clarify what is changing, why it matters for students, and how Durham public schools will prepare for full implementation in the year 2728. Next slide, please. This slide is just a reminder for the public, our schools, and anchoring in our expectations from our board of education. We appreciate every single

approval for core curriculum and supplemental resources as well as technology tools that provides the foundation uh of our core curriculum you uh resources. Under Dur Durham public schools policy 3200, the district is responsible for ensuring that every school implements a coherent highquality instructional program that is aligned by state standards. And so when we bring forth approvals to you for core curriculum, that is uh once that is approved by the board of education, that then becomes our anchoring foundation expectation in all of our schools. Um so North Carolina is providing these updates for the English language arts curriculum.

Durham public schools must ensure that we a have curriculum alignment with updated state standards. Number two, we provide instructional clarity for teachers and school leaders on what these things look like in practice, professional learning and supports that enable strong classroom implementation of these changes, and then monitoring and implementation of student outcomes as a result of these shifts. So, this presentation will provide an update on how we are

preparing the system to transition to these updated ELA standards. We want a long runway so that teachers do not feel pressure and overwhelmed with these updates and changes. But we also want to make sure that we're thoughtful to ensure alignment across curriculum, instruction, and professional learning. I'm now going to turn it over to a longtime colleague, Mrs.

Liz Moffett, who will then walk you through through all of these curriculum changes. Um, and I would say next slide, please. >> Good evening board members. Good evening to the Durham community as well.

Um, it's important for us to begin this conversation with clarity. The state department of public instruction along with the state board of education sets the standard for our students. These are the end of grade and end of course expectations for what students should know and be able to do. Durham public schools selects the curriculum. This is the texts, lessons, and materials used to reach those goals. This presentation

focuses on the state standards and not a curriculum change. Next slide. The standards revision process began in 2024 and included multiple drafts, public feedback, and state board approval in January of this year. The 2627 school year will be a preparation year.

Full classroom implementation will begin in the 2027 2028 school year. During this transition, we will continue using the current standards while preparing thoughtfully for the future. Next slide. The revised standards are grounded in three core principles.

These principles reflect long-standing best practices in literacy instruction and are now made more explicit and intentional throughout the standards. Next slide. The first core principle is text at the center. Students will spend more time reading, discussing, and writing about

grade level complex text. Text complexity is no longer a single standard. It is embedded across all strands, comprehension, development, foundational skills, and communication and writing. This ensures a consistent exposure to appropriately challenging material.

Next slide. The second core principle is an integrated literacy model. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are taught together, not separately. The standards reflect research on how literacy develops and emphasize integration across language domains.

Students strengthen comprehension and communication skills through connected instruction. Next slide. The third core principle is text variety. Students will engage with a wider wider range of genres, formats, modes, and lengths, including print and digital text. There is greater flexibility in text selection while

maintaining balance between literary and informational text. This prepares students for the range of texts they encounter in college, careers, and civic life. Next slide. We will now take a look more closely at the structural changes between the current standards from 2017 and the new 2026 standards.

Next slide. The current standards are organized into four strands with multiple layers. There are strands that are divided into clusters that are further divided into anchor standards and even further divided into grade level standards. While comprehensive, this structure can be complex to navigate.

Next slide. The 2026 standards are streamlined. There are three strands. Complex text, comprehension development, and communication and writing. This new structure reduces layers, reinforces an integrated literacy, integrated literacy

instruction, and improves clarity for educators. Next slide. The next major change is to the format of the standards. The new format includes both standards and objectives.

Objectives clarify expectations but do not add new content. And this format of the standard and objective um is aligns with state board policy. Next slide. The next major change is around text complexity.

Previously, text complexity was primarily addressed in just one reading standard. Now, it is embedded throughout the standards. This ensures that students consistently engage with grade level text across instruction. Next slide. Reading is no longer limited to the two broad categories of literature andformational text. The term texts allows for greater flexibility and

broader inclusion of text types while still maintaining a balance between literary andformational reading. Next slide. This change extends to writing. Students will continue writing arguments, informative pieces, and narratives.

However, the terminology and range of written and spoken text types expands to provide flexibility and cross-disciplinary connections. Students will still write arguments supported by evidence, but the terminology shifts to clarify expectations. Next slide. The next major change is that foundational skills now extend into grades 612 to support older students who need continued development.

And in early grades, oral language expectations are strengthened, reflecting research on the role of language in reading comprehension. Next slide. Next, we see that language, speaking, and listening are no longer separate

strands in the standards. Instead, they are integrated throughout reading and writing standards. This reflects how students naturally use language in authentic contexts. Next slide.

Finally, grammar and conventions move from a broad continuum to clearer gradeby-grade progression. Grammar skills will be clearly defined at each grade level and it provides a more a more explicit set of expectations and supports skill development over time. Next slide. In summary, the 2026 standards simplify structure, integrate literacy skills, emphasize complex text, expand text variety, and clarify progression across grades.

The goal is coherence, clarity, clarity, and stronger literacy outcomes. Next slide. Over the next three years, the

Department of Public Instruction will release additional guidance, including unpacking documents, glosseries, progression tools, parents, and caregiver guides. Durham Public Schools will leverage these resources to support teachers and families during this transition. Next slide. So, what's next for us in Durham public schools?

This is a phased intentional process. For the remainder of the 2526 school year, we will focus on professional learning and collecting data on current resources. As we transition into summer 2026, professional learning will begin for school leaders, coaches, and teachers. A DPS team of four will attend a 2026 ELA standard course of study statewide implementation session hosted um in June here at the DPS staff development center. The team will include uh curriculum and instruction literacy specialists and school representatives

who will then expand that learning to school leaders and support districtwide readiness for implementation. The 2627 school year will serve as a preparation year for the curriculum and instruction department to update pacing guides and curriculum maps using input from coaches, teachers, and school leaders. These updates will be finalized ahead of the 2728 school year, which will be the full implementation year. Full implementation will also include new local and state assessments aligned to the new standards.

We will prepare thoroughly before implementation and not react during it. This time I'll turn it back over to Miss Sidbury. Next slide, please. So again, uh policy 3200 is what we anchor in for uh this work. So while we're making this transition, we will continue to ensure that instructional materials, curriculum guidance, and professional learning remain aligned to the current state standards. Our next step with this work

internally uh is to continue our crosswalk analysis and our curriculum alignment. We want to support schools with professional learning and instructional guidance. Um monitor implementation through our school support and data reviews and continuous improvement cycles. Conduct ongoing review of instructional resources including the return on investment investigations that I've uh spoken to the board about previously.

Our commitment continues to be uh uh remaining committed to ensuring that every classroom is equipped with aligned standards, strong instructional resources, and the support that educators need to deliver highquality literacy instruction for all students. This board has always been supportive of the needs of teaching and learning. We want to continue that as we go into the next uh implementation of these new standards. Next slide, please. Additionally, for our public, our families, there are some resources that are linked in board docs, which will take you to the 20 uh 2026 K12 ELA standards as well as the current cross crosswalk um and an FAQ document in terms of implementation. So, there is no

action on this information today. We just wanted to affirm to our community, to our schools, and to our board of education that we are actively pursuing excellence towards this state expectation while maintaining a seamless integration of the current level of excellence in our schools. And uh as I close out, I just want to say it is a pleasure to see the board in the sunlight. That's all we have today.

Colleagues, any questions or comments? Miss Harrell Goff, >> thank you so much for this update. This is really exciting. This is the part of the schoolboard meeting that I enjoy the most. Um is getting to talk about all the things, you know, the the learning and the the instruction and the curriculums and and um all of the things that we we want our kids to excel in. So, uh, my question is around um I know we're not we're not talking about the curriculum instructional things, but I

am curious about how like when if you're thinking about when we will be able to res to see those things when we're thinking about the N next budget cycle because I'm thinking about, you know, with the stuff we're about to talk about now, um, especially with technology, you know, what materials we'll have that will align with, you know, the curriculums that we'll need and the instruction that needs to take place. Um it's too early for us to consider that for this budget cycle, but for the next one, um can we expect to have that kind of information prior to, you know, I in that in the context of how that budget cycle will go for the next school year? >> 100%. We want to have a long runway of conversation. Um the literacy adoption in particular is one that has been complex here in Durham public schools as I personally have stand stood at this podium about these conversations around 2018. So we do plan to have a long runway um and just to be sure to communicate to the board and also to our

community. We do an RFP based on our core curriculum needs. We bring in a team and representatives of teachers, administrators from across all of our schools to give us insight on what they need. And in core curriculum, we put that bid out.

We go through the RFP process. We allow teachers to vote and engage um on all those curriculums including parent nights um and resource uh information sessions. So we plan to um with Dr. King's uh support and approval definitely by mid year of of of this upcoming school year uh let's just say December January we'll have a very clear understanding of where we are with potential potential estimates um in terms of what that investment would look like.

And additionally just know that it is our expectation I do want to uplift Mrs. Gabby Hall, which is the K12 executive director of curriculum instruction. She leads this work, too. Um, but we will we want to make sure we are bringing forth a recommendation as well as a clear list of things that we will sunset. We want this to be our major priority including uh move away from this idea of multiple curriculums

at Grace Spence which provide complexities as well as uh perpetuates inequities as schools are trans or students are transient from school to school. When you have multiple curriculums in school that creates a lot of issues. So again, we're going to create a long runway um um been here down this rodeo and so we want to make sure that you understand we're ahead of the game and we will be proactive in our communications with regard to fiscal allocations. >> Thank you so much.

And if anybody is going to listen to this and play this back again because that all that information came real quick, but there were some things that I heard that I'm really excited about. Um especially the foundational skills expanding to K12. I think that is phenomenal. um expanding additional written and spoken text.

There's there's so much here that is that that I'm really excited about. Um and I also remember being very confused, you know, seeing the the standards coming from the state and how, you know, having to decipher through all of that. I remember at one time our school district, they had to take it and they were trying to break it down into packets for each of the grade levels

because it was so confusing. So, um it looks like it's going to be a lot more intuitive and so that's exciting. But thank you so much for this report and I'm looking forward to following all of the progress. >> Thank you, Miss Hergo.

Mr. Tab, >> uh, thank you very very much. As I always say, the board means I always get excited about academic pieces so that we can move continue to move our district forward um, in the most positive way academically. So, thank you for this.

Um, I just want to ask a basic kind of question. I saw a lot there was a lot to to present there and to digest. How do we align any of this or is this aligned with technology needs um as well since we're talking about a lot of technology. So I wanted to see make sure there's nothing that changes our our focus on how we deal with technology and then trying to implement this runway as well as you said. So yes, and if the board recalls in the community, if they have lots of free

time to watch board meetings, um in the technology update, I integrated that forecasting in for the core curriculum. And as you can see, the state standards now explicitly call out digital access to text. So we will have to grapple about what that looks like uh alongside of our commitment technology, but there's no changing in in terms of expectations. What we're grappling with right now is our preference.

Um and so um we want to make sure that again we are making conscious decisions. If you recall in that technology um presentation I told you uh our curriculum is very much integrated with technology right now as it stands. So we will as a community uh need to make sure that we're committed to all of those expectations and what they mean for us fiscally in the long run. Three to fiveyear investment in core curriculum as well which would include digital access.

>> Miss Emstead. Thank you, Mr. Dev. >> Thank you all. These excite me as well as someone who studies some middle grades language arts. So, thinking about

the standards and thinking about text is important. Um, I think it builds that literacy critical thinking skills that we need for our students to be having as we're moving into the 21st or continue to be in the 21st century. Um, back when we did do the curriculum adoption in 2018, I was here. We had a lot of conver I appreciate all the engagement that happened.

So, I thank you for Mr. Barry for kind of laying out how that process goes. There was a lot of opportunity for people to come and see materials and work with them. We also had a lot of conversation about supplemental materials to make sure that the text and curriculums were as diverse as we wanted them to be.

And so I'm wondering um as we're thinking about adopting new standards, will that also include evaluation of some supplemental texts or diver thinking about how do we keep um diverse texts in our system with some that we might already have and things that we might want to use that we'll be adopting to those new standards. >> Everything is on the table. Um, and so we're thinking about not only the things that are uh coming out of um in terms of um our our contracts, the things that

were recently approved. We also want to get new feedback from staff to see if is this really what you want. This is going to be a multi-year commitment. It's going to have to be something that we stand on business about and say that this is our core curriculum across all our schools.

No matter where you are, no matter your shade of your skin, you have this as a foundational expectation. and the supplemental curriculum resources. Of course, we'll get insight from both our staff as well as our students in terms of what they want. I also am going to um um challenge the team to continue to think about the public resources that we have such as Durham Public Library.

We do have loginins to access digital text there and what ways do they serve us and what ways do they leave some vacancy for complexity and other purchases that we need. So, yes, we're looking at all of those things to come back with considerations of both core curriculum and what our supplemental investments looks like too. appreciate that and I hope that we I'm gonna be here when y'all adopt the new curriculum, but we continue to use equity mindset as we approach it. Right? We have a school district that's mostly um black and brown students. So, how we

make sure these their standards align because that part is really important. We need students to be engaging with work that's aligned with their standards that's going to challenge them and it represents who they are and the culture that they bring to our community. So, thank you all. Miss Thank you, Miss Chairstead.

Um, Miss Beyer, >> thank you all for bringing this here. I see that 2017 was when these were last changed by the state is overdue and uh so glad that you all are planning ahead but also giving an a long runway for what comes next because it will impact so many educators and students in the classroom. Um, I I don't know if it's a question for Dr. King and Dr.

Lewis or for you all, but how are you all thinking about our work with AI? And is there an AI task force that is ongoing as we lead the district forward where the students kind of know more than the adults sometimes? Um

do you have thoughts on that as we go into this? Yeah. So I I will >> I was going to ask a question about the AI task force. As you recall, if you recall that was something that was in my post entry plan to establish an AI task force.

We have been having conversations with some folks in the community that are AI experts and that are steep in this work. Even um folks over at NCCU who has those million dollars of um million dollar of budget to talk about uh AI. So yeah, that AI task force is coming. And so that will be one of the tasks of this task force, not only to talk about potential policy implications, how teachers use AI, but most importantly, how our students um engage in AI as well.

And so what you'll find when we get to the part of looking at um curriculum resources that sometimes individuals will will as a part of our sales pitch say we you know we have this AI model to assist with you. So we we'll be very careful uh examining those when we bring those to the board. I'll just also add that that is one of our professional learning tracks for our

administrators and school leaders this summer at leadership retreat is around making sure that we can spot and understand the implications of AI and how it is increasing uh in use in our schools. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Beyer.

Um, thank you all for answering my questions in advance around um, this presentation. I do have one more question that I didn't send in advance and so I hope it didn't catch you too off guard. Um, love that y'all are having are going to have conversations with educators, get their feedback, etc. Um is there any point in the process when parents and community will be involved in the conversation around the curriculum? I know there are lots of conversations now about what primary sources are being used especially in the middle school and um high school courses

um and how potential budget implications impact what uh curriculums are available to students. But can you talk a little bit about what that might look like? >> Sure. I I mentioned that um earlier, but I was speaking fairly quickly.

Um but what our um engagement process looks like um is that RFP process, representation from all of our schools, presentations for our school leaders including principles and APS. And then once we narrow down because we can get an RFP for 20. um if we narrow that down to three or five based on the feedback from our committees um then schools will have the opportunity to engage. So typically what happens is they ship materials right there at the school for teachers to use and grapple with and then they send additional kits to the school so that schools can have curriculum nights and parents can um engage with those resources. Um we also in our previous adoption in 2018 hosted district curriculum nights at various locations. um myself and leading that

CNI team previously. U Mrs. Hall is leading that team now. So, I'm sure Mrs.

Hall is going to pick up um where we left off and include both uh school level um um opportunities for engagement for our families um but also district nights where we can also get other community members and partners to come out to to take a look at those resources as well as well as students of course. >> Oh, that's great. Thank you. All right.

Oh, Dr. Lewis, go ahead. >> Yeah, I just want um well, first of all, what we know is that students should be reading, writing, speaking, listening every single day, and these new standards allow for that. Also want to take a moment to acknowledge um our educators who have been through um the science of reading training.

Some are currently still going through the science of reading training that has prepared them and will continue to prepare them to implement um these standards. And so a lot has happened since 2017, the last time those standards were updated. You probably remember the um the reading wars, whole language and and balanced literacy,

whole language that depended heavily on encouraging students actually to look at pictures in order to identify words to uh balance literacy where we're actually teaching phonics. You see that evident clearly in these um new standards. And so I'm just excited about even at the lower level where students will be able to have some discussions about what they read with their classmates. And so I'm just excited about what's to come um as a result of these standards and keeping in mind uh the standards is the what and we get to decide you know how we get there with the resources.

So thank you to the team. >> And I also just want to say shout out to the entire curriculum instruction team for all of the work that they've been doing. Um and so there's pre-work and now we're in the real work and then we'll get into the real real work in next year. So thank you.

>> Thank you. Colleagues, the next item on our agenda is a resolution during public schools board of education in support of kids over corporations. Inspire, did you want

to introduce this? >> I'm happy to. Um, I was uh pleased to attend a a webinar by the North Carolina Association of Educators. so excited about their new campaign.

It's entitled Kids Over Corporations. org, or that um parents and community members can sign an online petition really raising concerns and attention to our leaders in Raleigh about the chronic underfunding and privatization movement over the last decade and a half and um drafted this resolution for this board's consideration. I think um Vice Chair Rogers shared it with you all and um Miss Smith has updated board docs. So the draft resolution is included in board docs

and welcome y'all's consideration tonight. I think they also were in looking for um county commissioners statewide to join on in support and so I think it would be great to share a similar resolution with our commissioners who I know I believe would be supportive. So, >> thanks, Miss Beyer. Um, so we're going to start again with Mr.

Tab, please. We're going to go Mr. Um, I'm still looking for it. >> Okay, it's on the screen.

Also, we're going to go Mr. Tab. Oh, you don't have it up either. All right, I'll start.

We're going to go to Chair Armstead. Miss Carter Uton, Miss Chavez, Mr. Hester, Miss Beyer, then Miss Herog, and Mr. T. Okay. It's the opposite of the way we read, so I'm have a hard time, but it's

okay. All right. Resolution of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education in support of kids over corporation. >> Okay, we we read we almost there.

>> We're going to we're going to start on this side. >> We are. Whereas over the last decade, leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly have given away over $18 billion in corporate tax breaks and vouchers for private schools. And whereas as a result, public school students in North Carolina face overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, crumbling buildings, low educator pay, and rising health care cost.

And whereas North Carolina is now one of the most poorly funded public school systems in the nation, ranking 50th in a recent analysis by the Education Law Center. And annual funding per student is $5,600 below the national average. And whereas North Carolinians want

strong public schools for our for our children, our families, and our communities. And >> whereas North Carolina's constitution >> sorry my bad let me back up I missed it. >> Whereas North Carolina's constitution guarantees every child a sound basic education and >> thank you. Whereas since the Leandro versus State of North Carolina case was filed in 1994, the courts have consistently found that far too few students are receiving an education that meets the state's minimum standard.

And whereas a strong investment in our public schools is a critical investment in our future and the economic driver for our state. And >> whereas despite Republicans holding majorities in the North Carolina Senate and House, the North Carolina General Assembly has not passed a state budget. And North Carolina is the only state operating without a state budget. And

>> whereas years of underfunding of public schools by the North Carolina General Assembly has shifted more funding pressure on local boards of county commissioners who have often raised property taxes to cover state cuts. And whereas democracy must prioritize people over corporations. As local elected leaders of Durm County, we call on all members of the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Josh Stein to prioritize. One, put kids first.

Invest in at least $20,000 per student by 2030, the highest funding in the Southeast. Fund modern facilities, free school meals, and more health professionals in schools. Recruit and retain quality public school teachers and staff with affordable health care, better retirement benefits, and a state raise of at least 25% for all school employees.

>> Two, end corporate tax breaks. End corporate tax breaks and redirect that money to schools and healthcare. >> Eliminate private school vouchers. >> Fix the tax system so the wealthy finally pay what they owe.

Reclaim our democracy, pass fair maps, protect voting rights, and restore checks and balances in the state government. Lift the ban on collective bargaining for public school workers. Protect the constitutional rights of all and reject the use of fear, violence, and intimidation to divide our communities. Signed this 12th day of March, 2026.

Thank you all. Colleagues, is there a motion? I make a comment. >> I'm trying to do the motion and then do the comments during discussion. >> I move approval of the resolution of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education

in support of kids over corporations. >> Second. It's been moved by Miss Harold Goff to approve the resolution of Durham public schools board of education in support of kids over corporations and seconded by Miss Beyer. Is there any discussion?

Miss Harog? >> Um I just wanted um can you give us some clarity on what happens next with this resolution? >> Absolutely. So um it's my recommendation that we send this over to county commissioners.

ask them to sign on and that we um send it to the delegation so that they know that this is where we're landing around um in favor of students over corporations and they can do their work to advocate for that on the state level. >> Thank you. >> Any other discussion, Miss Chavez? >> Um I really like this. Thank you, Miss Beyer, for bringing this to us. Um and um

I just want to point out that um while we are giving corporations tax breaks, undocumented individuals are contributing billions and billions and billions of dollars to um the taxes in this country. And so um this is part of a very exploitative system and this money should be um given to the people who um helped to create this country and build it and to our children um who will um who who deserve it no matter what but also will um will be doing um will be leading us in the next uh chapter of things. So anyway, thank you. Let's keep this energy. Miss Cardan also want to express appreciation um uh to Miss Beyer for bringing this to the group and just to name also that um I think it's powerful when advocacy comes from Durham, but I would love for us to

share this with colleagues at other um school boards across the state who might be interested also in bringing it to their boards and discussing it as I think it could be more powerful even if they were to develop their or build on this for their own um districts. Mr. Hester, you have any comment? You don't have to.

Okay. You can name that here. I'm notice the typo that we need to edit. >> Uh, North Carolinians.

We just need to correct the spelling. Um, thank you. Um, thank you all for um, entertaining this resolution. Um, at such a time like this, I'm reminded that boards of education, specifically in our blue

counties, are um, very similar to middle management. We don't get to control the purse, right? So we don't have we have the district's budget but we can't you know levy our own tax. Um we can create policy but the policy is inward and um is about what is happening within the district and not what is happening to the district or around the district.

So, we can't manage up and we can't uh really have true impact on um gun policy or immigration policy. Um we can't have uh create policy that will protect all of us the way we want Durham to be protected. um and that we are taking on the burden

financially of trying to take care of things that the state should be funding for our students and for our educators. And so we have to take the work there, let them know that we are serious about investing in our students and it's inhumane for them not to do so. Um, and so I really appreciate the language that's coming now while we are in budget conversations because we can we as middle management in in between the state and dependent on the state and the county and the federal government being able to um pay DPS employees enough, invest enough in technology uh in infrastructure is never going to happen from the seat that we're in. It's got to come from the outside. And so I appreciate you all passing this. So all those in favor

>> I >> All opposed use the same sign please. Passes unanimously. Thank you. Um, sorry.

With all that, the next item on our agenda is the superintendent's recommended budget. >> Good evening. Um, the IT uh group is going to call up the PDF on page nine for us. Um, and we can pick up where we left off.

Um, so, uh, we we lifted this up, um, in a slightly different format at the joint meeting that feels like it was just a few hours ago. Um, and we talked about, um, with county commissioners and the county budget staff and the manager um, our continuation needs that you've heard me talk through several times. And we still are not any clearer um on what the state

8% 8% on on average. Um increase uh for certified, 2% for classified. Um as well as um making some necessary adjustments for for the benefits that come along with that. Um of particular interest um is the governor's call uh for the state to restore uh M's pay.

Um and we've ever so hopeful um that they'll do that and we can shift the local dollars we currently invest in that back to the state and then can in this budget puzzle sort of rework that um and and dedicate those resources towards the classified pay environment most likely um in order to to help make all that work for us. Um so watching that carefully. We we'll see what

happens. We still I think we're waiting on things to settle in Senate District 26 still. Um and so hopefully there's some conclusion to that soon and folks can figure out who's in charge in the general assembly. Um and we hope that changes.

Um so we'll um so for now nothing has um changed right in that continuation space and it's still our sort of most expensive scenario that we might forecast in in in abundance of caution uh as we plan. Um some things um that have changed um since the last draft is that we have um as an administration reacted to significant feedback uh where classified employee compensation is concerned. And so the before today um the draft was reflective of a 5% uh increase um or ensuring that we had enough local resources to do a 5% increase regardless of what were to occur at the state level. Um, we have now shifted that uh to reflect what resources we would need above and beyond

our continuation estimate in order to align our classified salary schedules with a $1922 per hour minimum wage to match what's currently occurring for our Durham County government uh counterparts. Uh, and so uh we've tried to lay that math out very carefully. And so that that item as a standalone would normally be 13,288. 7 million to reflect.

We need an additional 10,562,874. to bring the two parts whole um and and um have the resources to implement what would be a slightly greater than 12% raise across the board for classified employees in Durham public schools. Um we continue to um address the trans the transportation safety assistance supplement um at the $100 uh per safety assistant for 86,658 investment. Um the next uh section sort

of near the bottom here um is a schedule change um for um occupational therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapy assistance um being added this time as a change uh from the previous iteration. So adding 32,866 in cost um and the next version will include the letter G and change um for the um March 26 session. Uh and so that total um cost for for both groups to to uh reccalibrate their schedules is 302,596. Um so in the in the previous um conversations we talked about uh aligning um or modeling our occupational and physical therapists after uh the Charlotte Meckllinburgg model um which is pretty similar to some other urban school system models that we see where those related service professionals uh are paid in a manner that's consistent with um our speech language pathologists and aiologists who are treated as certified employees in the state of North Carolina. um

where the therapy assistants are concerned to provide context around what we're doing there. Um just sort of following some industry standards um looking at an alignment where they're equivalent to about 70% of the occupational therapists and physical therapists to give you some perspective of how we tried to balance those items out. Um there is an exhibit uh deeper into the budget book document where we flesh out what those scales look like specifically for um the occupational therapy assistance that lives on the MH12 scale um and the uh therapist proper live on the MH18 scale. So where you can see those um in in greater detail um for that consumption. So wanted to lift up that particular change. So um another change um as we progress to page 10 of the document is um we have removed um the request for additional resources for the HR department realignment um and instead um

Dr. Lewis and the team will work to realign some existing FTEEs in the organization to address uh what we recognize as the needs in HR without pursuing additional resources from the county to make that happen. Um further down, um no changes in this draft where capital outlay are concerned and so we still address um the um $5 million u which is our current level of funding for capital outlay investment from the county um from their uh general resources. Um above and beyond that, um you know, we're on this agenda tonight.

The board approved the spending of some ARPA dollars that we received from the county to take care of some HVAC and boiler needs. Uh we still have um lottery resources forthcoming in the new year. We'll still have some repair and renovation funding from the state coming forward in the new year to support those efforts. Um and then we also uh lift up sort of the technology component around where there's been a lot of conversation. I may ask Dr. Lewis to

make some comments about the feedback we've recently received or even Dr. King where the technolog is concerned with the interactive panels. Um um so it's a little bit out of my space, but um the Chromebooks um right so this reflects uh a 6 through 12 refresh um as far as the grades span um and allows Dr. Lewis and his team uh who interact in this area more space to reflect on the K5 model.

Uh and so just pressing pause there for a moment. Um but this does still include um the some iteration of interactive panel um or display panel for educators in this particular model. Um and again seeking funding for those in the capital outlay revenue stream uh to mitigate the need to share those resources with charter schools. Um I wish we could fit more things in capital outlay, but these are these are the things u that are appropriate. Um and so with all that said, um it brings sort of the uh

8 million in resources um that we would request uh from the county. Um before we um sort of segue into the question series, um we did um we did collect feedback from board members um through the um simulator tool. Um and we've done the work to sort of compile a median or an average reply where appropriate for the board. um and that that we will share on the screen and talk through um sort of like we did in May or June of last year a when we already knew how much we were going to get from the county. And so this is doing this activity a little bit earlier and we will probably do it again um or we're guaranteed to do it again once we find out what kind of support we're going to receive uh from the county. So, um, so in just a moment,

I'm going to work to share my screen. Get more and more like my grandparents every day. Um, okay. Aha.

Okay. Um so in terms of this tool um we we put some models in front of the board to contemplate where classified pay is concerned right and so we had um through the meet and confer process um received a proposal um that involved a 25% increase to reach a $22 an hour uh minimum wage that also um included an additional quarter % step um for uh the step progression. Um for each of these yellow columns, I went through these yellow items, I went through and made sure we did the additional work to back

out the part of classified pay that we had built in continuation to apply that consistently across these three. 7 million or so after we back out the part that would be included in the continuation estimate. 08% um total. And I think we need to check what we've got plugged in there.

So, if you bear with me one second, I may I may tweak that number before we're finished at the end. I think we've got a typo in there. Um, and at the bottom, uh, we reflect, um, the, uh, 5% increase. 7 million. 08% 08%.

Um, and again, I may tweak that number to make sure the total's right at the bottom of the spreadsheet before we're done. Um, we sort of had a split um, with the transportation safety assistance supplement item and I wasn't really sure what to do with that uh, and how it reflected this, but I think it's worth noting that there were um, that we had four responses that said yes, let's do this to some degree. two responses for a hundred, two responses for 200. Um, and so conceivably, right, if id had a $150 option on there, I probably would have flagged that as a yes.

Um, and so I didn't have that option there, but I just wanted to call out just kind of how that landed uh as we went through that. So there were there was a majority that wanted some iteration of that. Um, so potentially um as we work through this with Dr. Lewis, the next draft might reflect 150. We need to have some conversation around it, but um we had a split on those

amounts. Um let's see. Um the next space um we had um overwhelming support um on the OTP conversation where those folks were concerned. Um at the time that we built this tool, the occupational therapy assistants um were not sort of in the conversation yet.

Um but everyone who responded supported that item. Uh and so that that was just a very resounding yes. Um to take care of that. Um throughout the way we tried to contemplate some things, right?

Just sort of forecasting uh into the future of of some things that we might have considered to balance things out if we don't get enough money or we have to make some choices. Um and so uh I think the board, you know, took some action earlier this year. um to to free up some money in the current year related to landscaping contracts, right? And so uh the board did cancel some contracts. Um some of those contracts were um we were

able to reduce some of them had already been fully expended. Um and so we may have the potential that we go into the new year um not engaging in those contracts and having those funds freed up uh for consumption in other ways. Um, we also, um, had some contemplation around, um, how we all lot staffing and making sure that it's, uh, in alignment with how we're funded, uh, making sure that it reflects the realities of our declining enrollment. Uh, right.

And so recognizing that um our enrollment um is declining and and our AIG funding is contingent upon it's it it's 4% the state at least the state says 4% of our population um is gifted or they fund us in that way. Um we know that we're more gifted than that in Durham. And so um nonetheless, right, we still move sort of proportionally to reflect the decline. Um and so we it did seem like a

space where it was prudent for us to follow the money and follow our enrollment where that's concerned. Um and that's haven't had to manage declining enrollment in quite some time. And so is I don't enjoy these thought patterns. But um that's just kind of where we all are across the state except for a lucky few um that are sprawling.

And so then um sort of in the next category um you know Durham has had a practice of allotting K3 classrooms by half of a child less um than the manner in which the state funds us. Um it seems like a trit sort of adjustment. 5 million in value to the district uh once you apply it across the board. um and it does not really impugn upon our ability to be compliant with K3 class size.

Right? So, we're allotting in a manner that's compliant with the already very low requirement for K3 class size. Um and as some good news in

the fourth and fifth grade space, right, in the current school year that was allotted at a 1 to 25, shifting that to a 1 to 24 to be aligned um with recommendations. And so, there's some trade-off there sort of in that space in the elementary building. And so as a consequence, you know, that means that six positions sort of districtwide in in the elementary arena where that's concerned um considering our declining enrollment. Um the next item um that was just a no, right?

So any kind of adjustments for how we um allot enhancements was just a resounding no. uh administrations in the same space. Uh and so um the state of North Carolina funds us um at 1 to 191 K5 students um for enhancement teachers. Uh Durham's historically been 1 to 126. Uh and when we review that uh a change of that nature or even moving in that direction

um would have been far too detrimental uh to the things that we like to offer in Durham. Uh and uh it would have been a real struggle for some of our smaller elementary schools uh to be able to offer all of the enhancements um that we've come to care for um and that our students deserve. And so, um, that's just not going to be a thing that we're looking at, um, rolling forward. Um, in the high school space, um, just sort of looking at, so middle school is already in alignment.

Um, so that's really why there's not a conversation there. Um, in the high school space, um, for 9th grade, the state funds us at one to 26 and a half. Um, no idea why that's the number, but it's been that way since I've been a finance officer. seems kind of arbitrary.

Um but um 10th through 12th um the state has funded it at 1 to 29 for quite some time. Um we looked at that. Um

some folks felt comfortable with it or enough folks felt comfortable with saying yeah. Um I will just share um as we worked on staffing allocations, we explored what that would look like across our high schools. Um that was going to be hard. Um we we already um just for additional context looked at how we had been allotting high schools um and over time and when position control maybe wasn't as strong as it should be some high schools had some things well beyond the allotment formulas in Durham.

And so we've done a lot of work to bring that under control and that was probably all they could tolerate this cycle. Uh and so making any kind of adjustment um to how we all lot for TW 10th through 12th grade would have been too hard to put on top of that. Uh and so just for awareness, right, we've not made a shift uh in this aotment season where that's concerned. Um counselors um happy to report um none of

us feel comfortable with making changes in that right in this environment. Um and so we we have been able to all lot uh counselors in a manner um that we've held flat, right? And so no changes um in terms of how we've distributed counselors in the district and in fact have made some improvements um to the documents that we use to allot that, right? And so um so broadly speaking um first 500 students there's a counselor for every 200 every 250 students beyond that allotting an additional counselor.

Um and so we've been able to make sure that's in place without needing additional staffing. Right. So it worked out to a net zero um with that model in the district. Um and some of our larger high schools um have seen sort of a pickup in that space. " Right? So,

we've we've been able to tinker with the spreadsheet to and in particular, I'm thinking about our mega campuses, right? Like Jordan, um Riverside, DSA, um that um super large, right? They're beyond 1700 students. And I think the the old documents that we had been working with in Durham for a very very very long time were built to discuss 1700.

Um and I think the spirit of the formula wanted there to be more to kick to kick in beyond that and it wasn't the formulas weren't built to make it happen. And so we fixed that this go round where some of those larger campuses are benefiting from an additional counselor presence. Um and I think some of our larger elementary schools are seeing some pickup in that regard as well uh with that shift. Uh so just wanted to talk about that. Um the next section um there was not a lot of appetite for any of those things. Um I think we saw some stray kind of marks there um but not enough um to so I think the local mast's

pay um still seems important to the board as a collective um and so so no appetite there. Again, we hope the state will pick up that cost sometime soon and that that will help the board move forward with some other items. Um the additional EC and ESL supplements remain a thing. Um I'll come back to the board in the future about subs and what I see going on in that space. I think there's a need um right and so I I appreciated um all of the replies that we received from the board about hey some of these things we might want some more context and understand couldn't really fully answer or feel comfortable committing to an answer necessarily without some context and so at a future meeting we'll um provide some context around that item um and and how that's administered in Durham. Um this next section um right we have here just sort of as conversation right because it's um it's only fair and reasonable that as enrollment declines

and we have to have conversations about schools and those natural formulas that trigger change u central office merits a look u and so we don't want to lose sight of that u and so we put sort of different percentages there and the dollar values that would shift with that um as a reminder and I think we shared in that way um in um a number of our responses that we received ahead of the meeting um there is a a review that's underway or sort of a comparability review that's underway um that measures Durham Public School central office to some other districts uh and so we're um sort of excited to to see the fruits of that report um and and we look forward to being able to share that um in the near future. And so that will uh that will be an important document that helps to guide uh any type of adjustments that we might make to central office. But as a collective um the board averaged out to about 3%. Um and we saw those

responses range anywhere from 1 to five and and it averaged out at about three. Um just for some context around that. I'm doing really good for the interpreters tonight. I'm being slow.

Um in the in the next section where we sort of look at those capital outlay items, there was not a tremendous appetite um with the board responses where the interactive panels were concerned. Um we um did see favorability for a model of doing 612 devices for the refresh um only um this go round. Um so that that was a a pretty strong reply um that we saw from the board. Um and then regarding just sort of our ongoing capital outlay needs in the lavender, um we saw a range.

It ranged anywhere from holding to the five up to the eight. And we had someone mark each of these levels um throughout the process. And so we just we add them

together and we took an average um for in that case. Um and so um it averaged closest to the six million mark. um which makes some sense because that's the level where we were for a couple of years u prior to the most recent cycle. Um so not surprised to see it land in that way.

So um just wanted to share that and so Dr. Lewis and the team will have some conversation about that feedback between now and the and the next meeting to see if we move the needle on capital outlay any further. Um continuations at the bottom. um I locked it in.

So it it's a yes, it's a musto, it's there. So um you weren't really able to modify that. I think important to note too, we built this to whatever decision you made. Um we built this to automatically calculate the charter share for you. Uh and so that that those columns reacted um to your work as you went through that. Um and it reacted to my work as I went

through and uh put in your averages. And so I know I need to um pardon the I duplicated my effort to back out some numbers earlier. So I needed to fix that. So old Jeremy thought that young Jeremy forgot something earlier and duplicated some work.

Um so uh at the bottom it lifts up for us a total request between current expense and capital outlay. Right? when we look at sort of the median or average board reply and some of these things it was more appropriate to find a median some things the average was more appropriate but um just wanted to share that and I know that you all were eager to see that um and we'll keep doing this um as we get through appropriate touch points um and so there I'm going to I'll stop sharing my screen um and I'm happy to answer questions um this evening and do whatever I can to support you through this very difficult complicated process

for you colleagues. Who wants to go first? Miss Carter Adden. Okay.

chairstead then Miss Carter >> ask a clarifying question as to next steps because you kind of we um I have more questions but we filled out that the sheet you just walked us through like what will happen next with that. I know some of that's pending our discussion tonight. >> Yes, we're we're very anxious for your discussion tonight. Um and uh the team will come back together very quickly um and and reflect on the feedback shared and um determine right are there any items in this that we need to move up or down um and uh use that to inform what the draft will look like uh for the for the next meeting on the 26th I believe it is. And so, um, and our goal, our goal at that point, right, is to to, uh,

have you authorize a specific request, uh, to the county manager, but, um, we're going to have a very narrow window coming up to to reflect on your feedback from this tool and from this document, um, to see how we might move that needle a little bit. >> Did you have a followup, Miss? No. You good?

Miss G. >> Um, thanks so much. It was, uh, it's always helpful to fill out that tool and then really useful to see how we landed as a board. Um, and thanks for the extra explanation tonight of each of those different pieces of the budget and your recommendations.

That's super helpful. I have a few questions. Um what can you share with us and the community the different ways you alluded to this but if there's anything else you could say about the different ways that district leadership is examining ways to make potential cuts. So in light

of the fact that money is short. What are all the ways we're exploring and how are we doing that to examine where we don't need to be spending what we're spending or don't not doing the things that might be extra right now. Um so very happy to just share that I think all of my colleagues in in every space of the district right the cabinet's a group of seven um at this point right and we're um everybody's been thinking in that way and so just the the folks in Dr. Kings Camp. Um so, you know, Miss Sidbury in particular doing that return on investment review um of our curriculum resources and identifying, you know, spaces where we may be duplicative um or we may have opportunities to get something for less um and and have seen many requests for proposals flowing through the purchasing department from her camp u and in their efforts um to be as efficient as they can with resources. So seen that in action and that and that work is

underway. Um our Mr. Barnes and his team in operations have been so incredibly diligent in contemplating every vacancy that they have and really reflecting on um and he's got a really unique vantage point of knowing what that area looked like a few years ago and comparing that to now and reflecting on um to what degree do we walk that back um to what it was before. Um and so he has made some proposals to us right with with some of his vacancies um that may not be needed um and and working to find ways to to make operations sort of flow um and so we really grateful for that.

Um finance constantly thinks about this um and glad that we're not alone in that in Durham. um you know and so there are some things that we may bring forward in the next couple of months that we can see that make us a little more efficient in some of our practices. Um Dr. Lewis

is very tired of hearing me complain about um some of our aging facilities that we cling on to and the utility consumption and maintenance costs, right? And so we're at a spot though now where we are talking about that a lot more and there are things in motion, right, that the board has approved to help us evaluate those things. And so I'm very happy to see us there um doing that, right? And so that's another great example um of things that we're doing.

And so um so I think we're just we're we're constantly in that frame of mind now. And and those are just a few examples. uh and um the report that's to come um from RTI I think will be a very helpful item for us and we're putting a lot of stock in that um to help us um look critically and and have an objective outsider look um of our central office. So, um, yeah. >> Um, thank you for sharing all of that

and for the work that you and others are doing to really, um, take a close look at all of these different pieces of what the district is doing right now. Um, we I just wanted to clarify the classified pay increase is being proposed. Is that will that be for all classified staff from like afterare subs to those in central like exe executive director type right? So that that 12 uh that 12 u% or so um all that calculation is acrying applying that across the board um for all of our categories of of classified employees.

Y >> and is that um the the step increase between the scales that you're proposing? Can you share that with >> So the current um the current schedules that are in the exhibit um are consistent with the current model, right? That's at the half percent. Um and I think you know it's uh not lost on us that that's sort of the next area

where we can make improvement. Uh, and so I think we see just lifting the minimum wage alone, the the costs that would come with that. Um, and then I think that's sort of the next thing, right, is what can we do, you know, with with the step increases. Um and uh even beyond that um the compression that exists between the grades on the schedule is another pressure point um that that can create um some opportunities but also come at a cost.

So if I you know if we move if we move the differentiation between um just slightly between NC4 and NC5 as an example it's going to roll up through those other grades. um and create cost. And so um yeah, so for now it's at the half percent, but we recognize um you know that um our competitors in the market, some of them are half percent like us, others are percents, others are

one and a half percent. Um and then those are also right those folks are also wrestling from various minimum wage touch points. Um, so it's uh there's a lot of different ways we could go about it, but um that's my very long way of sharing that we're at half percent, but uh thinking about that for the future. >> Thank you.

Yeah, that feels like that we've talked for every year I've been on the board about the need to raise the bottom and reduce compression and yet that feels like the impossible. Like going back to what I think Vice Chair Rogers was saying earlier about the situation we're in where we can only do so much from the local level. I can't even envision a a situation in which it sounds like you're saying we could be doing both really in the way that we really need to be doing to support >> and I think the um right so the the model that um DAE brought forward through meet and confer um is an exemplary model um for classified pay

right and so I absolutely would never dispute right that that's that's a great model um and and refct ffects everything that we would want to happen. Uh and um and so you can see sort of through the simulator tool how that kind of drives the cost and and how that can shift um the the the differences very quickly. Um and um I'm reflecting back on when the minimum wage for the state of North Carolina changed. um you know at first they made that movement to 13 and then they made the movement to 15 um and I remember when they sent us a survey right so speaking to your point about the support I remember completing a survey I was finance officer in Alamance Burlington at the time when those changes happened and we all filled out a survey to let them know if you make these changes this is u what it would cost um for us to implement for

our local employees our our enterprise funded employees like in school nutrition and this is what it would look like for you to properly address our compression concerns and and things of that nature. Um and so and I think we did that for the fiscal research arm of the general assembly. Um, and I think so I think at some point in time they were trying to give some thought to could we give school systems some extra money to really handle classified pay in the right way in in light of that minimum wage change, right? And then I think they even saw the price point.

Um, I don't know that they ever shared it with us, right? the cumulative result from all of us participating in that survey a number of years ago. Um and then there's been no more conversation since right from the state level. And so it's been um very interesting history on that. Yeah.

>> I have one more question then I'm going to pass to my colleagues. Um, we've been hearing a lot tonight in public comment and through email these stories of what happens when we don't what the stories that happen around extra duty pay. And so it has me just in a place of being curious now and wondering how other districts that are doing things really well like innovative districts that can support strong retention of staff and have great student outcomes, are they doing this? And like how do they do it?

What do we know now? And what could we learn? Um, I spent some time. Right.

So, I think first just sort of want to think back to the the hearing that we had Thursday last week. Um, right. And we we received some very concerning feedback from custodians. Um, and that it really bothered me. Not not that they shared, but what had happened to them bothered me. Um, and so while they were talking, I was emailing finance staff trying to

get information about where those things were. Um, and Friday around lunchtime, so the next day around lunchtime, we had addressed all of those sort of backlogged items, right? Um, for various reasons, pushed it out direct deposit that evening. And so, um, just clear that out, right?

And so just um so just committed to making sure when these things are brought to my attention, we're going to would love to get things to where they don't have to reach my level, right, for it to to get addressed. Um but I um the extra duty process in Durham I think is one um just the the process itself and the flow of the paperwork um is a tremendous opportunity for improvement. Um it it's been it's been one that I've kind of it's been on the burner and other things for me just keep kind of creeping up to the front burner um about how to make that process run better. And

I and I thought back um in some senses, right? You know, in the case with like our custodians, um it's effectively overtime pay, the ability to get overtime pay for working beyond the normal hours. Um, in some other cases, it's a it's a special duty item that's really probably more appropriate to call a stipen, right? And so, um, I'm I'm thinking back to my first district, right?

I'm like, how did we handle these things in other places? And so, so like Caswell County Schools, tiny little district, um, six schools, 2,200 kids. Um, we just had a form, Johnny Apples Seed's been approved to work overtime. Right.

I approved Johnny to work six hours of overtime. Um the next time you process payroll, please pay Johnny his six hours of overtime. And we rolled on. Um and um

I think in my time in Alamance, we had certain positions that were just default. Pay them their overtime if they earned it, right? They were our bus drivers, which is the case in Durham, right? bus drivers.

It's a default overtime. Um I can't remember if our custodians were structured that way. Um they may have been right, but but we had a very kind of high and tight process, you know. So um my equivalent, so it was the chief operating officer in Alamance would would send me communication.

Jeremy, we need to be able to pay Susie overtime um for XYZ thing, right? and and so it was a a little more nimble of a process where if a colleague on cabinet had approved it for something under their umbrella, we made sure it happened. And um it here it's um there are a lot of hands that touch the same sheet of paper um and it's a very it can feel cumbersome. And so I think we've got some opportunities to make

that maybe a less cumbersome process. And so I've been thinking about it um and um we'll we'll do some work to make that flow a little more smoothly. Um and um and I think that will fix a lot of what we're looking at. Um, and then I think there's maybe a separate issue, right?

If if we do have someone who's not allowing folks to get something, maybe they ought to, I think that's a separate conversation. But, um, but at least from my vantage point, you know, I'm committed to doing something that can streamline the paperwork and just make that easier um to deal with. Um, but um, anytime someone has these issues though, um, it's okay to get it to me and and I'll explore it and and keep it moving in the short term um, like we were able to do last week um, with the issue that reached uh, my my level of attention.

>> Colleagues, Dr. Lewis, Mr. Teter, we have about 10 minutes left on this topic. We're gonna give it the time it needs because we know this is our last opportunity to really influence that.

Miss Chavez, >> thank you um for all of this um and thank just for being responsive in the budget to so many different things and especially for prioritizing the lifting of the minimum wage um for classified staff. Um I do want to ask about extra duty pay. Um, I'd really like us to include that um because um it is um I just think it's an it's important to um embrace the principle of compensating people for their work. And I think it will also point out to us where we um where we need more uh resources even though um you know that

may be difficult and a strain on schools. Um but where did that fall in our priorities generally as a board? I it wasn't listed so I it didn't win but you know was it was it mixed or was I the only person who voted for that? there was not a lot of reaction to it.

Um but um and I assume right so right we're we're speaking to um one or two meet and confer sessions ago um I came back to meet and confer with some homework um right where we evaluated I think I had evaluated weight county's uh model um right so and and so specifically the extra duty space of grade level chairs and club sponsors and um things of that nature. Right. So I think right that's the space we're looking at. So um so that cost right so that cost sort of

reflected it's in line right with with what we kind of shared at meet and confer if we were to to model um the wake method for those categories of things. Um and so yeah it was not an overwhelming sort of response there. Um I but um I do recognize it was important um in the feedback that we we heard in meet and confer and so it's um >> yeah I mean but to answer your question right it was sort of a limited um yes responses on that one um in that first pass of the simulator. >> Thank you.

So I would just be interested to have more discussion on that and the value of considering that even if we considered um perhaps a less robust model than everything that you included on that list. Um but with the idea of getting to a place of compensating more fully for labor. Um yeah, rather than

assuming people should just do it because traditionally this was a primarily female field and um people are you know expected to do things for children um out of the goodness of their heart but we should pay them for that. So um I would be interested to have that more discussion on that and it may not be a priority this year. It's not clearly right now, but um I would also encourage it, you know, administration and a future board to consider that as well. Um I also wanted to ask how many central office staff is 3%.

Roughly. Well, um, so I think just in terms of while I fumble here through my documents, um, we in the simulator, right, we sort of quantified that like as the as the salary pool, right? And so, um, we

didn't necessarily look at like an average cost of employees, um, but just sort of a just sort of a rough pass at that. Um, at three, you said 3% of the employed on >> I mean, it would be about 17, right? And so, um, but in order to really move that, you know, and that's a rough just kind of on the fly estimate and and I can go back and look at some more exhaustive reports to get you a more precise number. Um, but um, you know, and those are numbers, right? And so these numbers that you look at and that we saw at the simulator, um, you can hit those pretty quickly with sort of some specific things. Um so um that that's something to think about too where it may be a target of that nature might be achieved with only 10 depending upon what types of positions we're talking about.

>> All right. Well, thank you. Um I am although I put in a vote for that, I also am concerned about the implications of that. So just you know would want to know what those are.

um maybe there's not time to fully assess before we pass the budget, but um that is uh a consideration. And then also um do we have a timeline, excuse me if I missed this, of when RTI will be done with that um assessment. >> Just leaned over and asked Dr. King that two weeks.

Okay, about two weeks. >> Awesome. Um and then lastly, the admin scales that are on the um end of the list, these are the equivalent or these are aligned to coordinator through assistant superintendent. Is that correct?

>> It would run coordinator up through um like coordinator up through deputy level. >> Okay. Yeah. Um, is it possible to get

those same scales in the same format um for this year? Because I think that they are I find this um on our website, but not the same exact type of scales as are presented in the budget booklet. >> So, I would like to be able to compare. >> Okay.

So you're saying what I have in the exhibit in the budget book, you'd like to see that same chart now that we have now on the website modeled or Got it. >> Yes. Just so I can compare um Yeah, like I can compare the other classified levels. >> Absolutely.

We can do that. >> Okay. Y Thank you. >> That's it.

Thank you so much. >> I ask a follow-up question to Miss Chavez's question about the 3% in central office. I'm looking at the central office position database that's online. And when I'm looking at that,

I'm seeing uh SNS assistants, the school nutrition workers. I'm seeing some ESL techs and specialists, um, payroll techs, records technicians, and so, uh, I see, uh, AIG testing facilitator, uh, food service equipment folks, teaching and learning coaches, mentors that are in full release. When you say 3%, you're including all those people, too. Right. And I think too it's important to sort of capture um those folks right some of those categories right are itinerant in nature and so they are home base may be central office but they are supporting many schools and they spend their whole days in schools. Um, and so I think if we were to have some sort of conversation about an adjustment to

central office, right, it's we're not going to be looking at like an occupational therapist that, >> right, >> home base might be Bacon Street, but serving 8, nine, 10 schools, right? So, >> um, we would not, um, >> I mean, there's like a courier, there's, um, the CTE equity specialist. We're talking about everybody in central office when we talk about a 3% cut, >> not just people in Fuller building, >> right? >> Well, there's people in Fuller building that are So, in essence, you're talking about administrators, some certified and some classified employees that are in these buildings.

So, there are some um classified employees in this building. So, secretaries, um bookkeepers, the likes, they're in this building as well in this in the full >> that's where your facilities folks are like the carpenter electricians. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to really understand when we say central office cuts what we're talking about. So like my mind right you know it's like I think about the Fuller Bacon Street Staff Development Center Old Northern Hamlin

Road right we're sprawled everywhere um but um you know so it's a pretty broad pretty broad reach um but we also recognize um we're also just the home base for some folks for time management purposes and they're actually supporting inside schools full-time and so we would we would um draw a distinction there for sure. um in those kinds of conversations and you can cut someone from my staff right before we would cut some of those folks. >> Yeah, but they're calculated in that. Miss Beyer. >> So, I want to thank you all for um the detail and transparency that you've brought and I want to um also support the um request to the county for raising all classified staff to at least 1922. And I also just want to be sitting with the meeting we had two days ago and the

reality that um our very progressive commissioners live in and our county manager lives in where what they told us really plainly was they have 8 million total for all additional funding requests from all departments of that report to the county and they include us in that 8 million without raising taxes. I want to sit with the notion that it we're struggling with HVACs and roofs that are failing across the district and buildings that our average age is 60 years old and that we need a new bond run for Durham public schools were at least some significant investment through lobs funding in our facilities. Um, and so I just want to be um, clear with folks because I think it's important um, we can ask we can ask and then if we don't receive, which is what's happened last year, this board and future boards will have to make really impossible

decisions. Um, and so I support the asking and the advocacy. Um, but what I think it's going to mean is about a 4 cent property tax increase when we keep adding things in for folks that doesn't just affect property owners, but infects anyone that pays rent in Durham. It just that's essentially the only tool the county has.

Um, and so here we sit together. I think it's time to um continue to do robust advocacy. And I' I've never wanted to ask the county or the city to hold their folks flat and not give them raises while our folks catch up. I've never wanted to do that.

I'm glad they're lifting their folks up. Um but the state's not coming through for our employees and um we have about three times as many employees to to lift up. Um I I hope the city and the county might revive merger talks and the see if

there are um ways that we can generate efficiencies as a community together through that. Um and I I struggle with the tool that y'all have um given us because it's easy to say cut central office 10%. It's easy to say that until you start asking the questions like Miss Rogers asked about who those folks are who are working in support of students all throughout. Um, and we can't cut HR and finance to their bare bones.

So, they are not responsive. We are the third largest employer in the community and um, we've seen what that gets. Um, I may be alone in this, but I want to share that I think the tech in our classrooms needs to be updated. It needs responsive like feedback from um our staff, but it is 13 or 14 years old.

It's breaking around folks and they are trying to use it and not able to for years they've been not able to buy bulbs or find them. So, um, and I think what we what we struggle with is not having a robust plan now that that federal funding is gone that we've relied on so long for tech and other things. Um, I attended the meet and confer where extra duty pay was um started to be discussed. And while I think it's important and and um critical, I also um felt like one thing we really need to work on first and foremost is making sure we're consistent across our schools with the way we're doing extra duty pay and communicating that out to folks. that's a serious way that we can improve like today because some schools um or there's just varying practices was what I heard there. Um I also like I we sit with not wanting

people to have unrealistic expectations about what this cycle is going to lead us to. And I appreciate you um totaling out the M's pay and pulling those out, those additional supplements that this district invests in our folks. It totals over $4 million and none of us are wanting to cut that. None of us are wanting to take that away.

But those are things that actually the state should be doing to address critical needs. And hopefully with Governor Stein's budget, they will. Um I don't know how we help on some of the feedback because what you're really what I really hope that you all will do is bring us recommendations that will have our feedback but with the information that you have on the impact on students and and where things are critical. Um, and so I hope you take our feedback with

a grain of salt and the freedom to say here's how we're weighing these impossible things. And I think probably we we make a big ask and we also start saying, okay, what if we get half of that or what if we get 70% of it or what if we get 30% of it? because I think we we could be in any number of places and it's important for us to be all along the way being honest and building trust with our staff. Um and is there's not a single one of us that doesn't want to move all of our staff faster up higher and um I hope the state does a budget for us.

I don't know. I don't think I had questions so much as a a rant. um in my typical fashion, but um I look forward to kind of more feedback from from staff on the best that we can do

um as as we uh go forward. Thank y'all. If y'all not ready to go, I can talk. >> Mr.

Tab, >> thank you so very much. Uh I just want to here again lift up in this public space that um um I support the 1922 to align us with what the county um is paying their employees. Um and I also want to continue to lift up extra duty pay. Um as Miss board member Chavez have said, you know, we should not be at a point where we're not paying people for the service and the work that they're they're doing. Um I know this is kind of historically as she said been for women but I was a man and I know that extra duty was not given to me as well. So I just want to make sure that this is across the board for

uh for everyone and um just just wanted to lift those two things up here again in this space and uh thank you for the work that you're doing. Thank you. Miss I'm set chair I'm set. Um thank y'all for the continued work on the budget ask.

Um we have a lot to wrestle with and this is just the beginning I think. Um you know we have to actually vote on in a couple weeks and then once the county makes a decision we got to do some more wrestling with what we do next. I did have a couple a couple comments maybe more than questions. Um, I too feel like take my input on that spreadsheet with a grain of salt because it was hard to know what the impacts would be on classrooms and on students and which um items do we need to be uplifting because we know that's going to be the highest leverage points around how we're improving student learning. And I would like to see more information on that. I got asked a little bit about that last time of even in the items that are listed in

our budget booklet. how do we make sure we're really clear about how that is improving learning in our schools? And so I really want to see some of that analysis and us being able to kind of wrestle through tough decisions based on using that at the forefront. Um I also would just a note on the budget booklet so many schedules in here.

If we can just make sure we put draft on the back of those um because this is all dependent on what happens on the county level, right? I am really concerned about the compression. I think I bring this up often. Um, and we talk about recruitment, but retention is about keeping people.

And when you have folks that are coming in who are making a dollar or$2 dollars off from folks who've been here for a while, I think we're going to see us continue to struggle with retention. And I know we can't fix it all in this um this budget cycle, but I want us to keep that at the forefront think about how we address that retention. Um, the other thing I think I heard you talk about, Mr. cheater and some of the cost-saving measures that we've already

started to put in place. I would like to see that as a part of our presentation when we talk about the budget. I think when we go to present to the county about our budget, we need to also include those that information in there. Here are the ways that we've already moved to be closer to state aotments.

Here's the contracts we've already reviewed. Here's the consistent practices that we're doing. I think it's important for that and it might even be in the budget book. So, it's really clear to the public that we are asking for more while we're also continuing to re-evaluate how we're currently spending our funding.

Um, and I also heard from our county around in our joint meeting what we spend local dollars on and I wonder if there are ways that we can continue to lift that up. Some of that is lifted in the budget booklet, but is there a way to even do a snapshot around local dollars fund these additional counselors at your school, right? Um some of the different positions, the enhancements that you talked about, the specials, teachers, like all of that is locally dollar funded. We want to protect as much of

that as possible as we continue to navigate this budget. Um, as we talk about extra duty pay, I'm I agree with Miss Beyer around how do we get consistent around how it's allocated currently and we have the new salary administration policy that's supposed to help guide some of how that work is going. So, I really would like to see how we have more consistency across the district. Um, and some of the things that I also heard are about extra duty pay and some of them are about just the conditions that folks are working in and expectations from supervisors.

And so, how do we address that part as well, which feels some of that might not be financial, some of that might be clarifying expectations um, so that we're really clear about what we need to do on that end. Um, trying to make sure I did want to ask around the safety assistance, trans uh transportation safety assistance. Do we have any data? I know we've put in supplements for other positions around

bus drivers or um exceptional children ellers. Do we have any data around if that's increased retention efforts or improved recruitment efforts? Do any of my colleagues have any thoughts on that? This is a work session.

It can go on the um follow-up items, but like actually has to be followed up on, right? Is there consensus that we want that information? Dr. Lewis, do you think that's feasible in timeline?

>> Okay. >> Yeah. We'll just have to have some conversations about it to ensure that is um you know directly aligned to that. So I chose to come to DPS and or I chose to

stay in DPS because of this supplement. Just had to kind of talk through how we would get that data. >> And I don't know that we have I'm not a researcher. So there's correlation and causing right I don't and but even if we look at retention rates from the last couple years to this year is there any difference there is there any other kind of survey data that could help gather but I think that's across because we've done this now for multiple positions so how do we look at that for most of the m multiple roles that we've implemented supplements for I also would like to see as we're talking about returns on our investments like how are we doing that continuously even if we do this investment with this budget cycle So we're clear about as we're making investments, this is what the return is.

This is what the impact on student learning is. So I don't know if you have anything else for that, Dr. No, like I said, we'll just have to see because I mean we can have increased retention rates. Um but I want to be able to specifically call out if it is because of the um it could be because they have fabulous principles or fabulous directors that they're staying.

Um I just want to be clear and it may just have to be a direct survey to them. you know, we can have some conversations about how we will collect that data. >> That's helpful. Um, and then at the last meeting, I think I lifted up enroll thinking about how do we increase enrollment.

Um, and I know it shared at the joint meeting, there might be an RFP coming out. Um, I think about this as a multi-year um endeavor and increasing enrollment. It's not a one-year endeavor. So, I'm wanting to know, is there any opportunity for that to be in this year's budget?

Are you all thinking about that differently? Um, in a multi-year budget ass that I will continue to to advocate for, we could be also planning for what does that look like in year 2, three, and four, five. >> I promise exhibit B is going to be in the March 26 edition um that reflects future trends. Um, and so we um with the right so you heard correctly at the joint meeting, right? Um and we um

through our relationship in the council of great you know city schools um and our some other districts right we we've heard about sort of these efforts um you know to retain firms that um that can support the outreach and and and augment um the services that we already have. Um we have seen and through that right we've seen some case studies in some other areas um and I think um the the blog that talks about South Durham News right so Westplat um sort of picked up on what we were putting down the other day um and and um really enjoyed reading uh his insight um and um illuminated some of those case studies we have heard about right in in other states where it's been successful um in returning students Um and um I think it's one of those items where we see the need to start that work very soon. Uh and right and and so um we

would want to just see go through a cycle of that. What impact does it have? Um how many students return? Um and then get some kind of gauge of what might we expect, right?

And so it and this is one of those things, right? So, I'm I almost never ever endorse use of fund balance, right? But this is one of those times where it's an appropriate, right? It's a we're experimenting with this new thing.

Um get a gauge of what it might cost, right? And and we know that from what we've seen in our research, um the if there was a model where it's a fee per student returned, um the dollars that follow that student are fivefold, if not more, um the cost to get them back, right? And so, um, it's that sort of that one, you know, so that first round we would want to kind of get a feel for it, um, and use our reserves that and then and then that can inform

do we need to build in a line item, a recurring line item moving forward if we're pleased with that first round and get a gauge of what that looks like. M Chavez, >> I only wanted to um just add a comment on the um data around recruitment and retention of um BC and ESL teachers um who have received this supplement. I because I asked about that last year as well. Um and I know we were going to get that to the board last year, but um I am just interested in the numbers the of you know new hires maybe three years back and then since we implemented the supplement and then um people who stayed for the following year. Something very simple. Um but I just want to see if those numbers have you know what the compare and contrast understanding that there are a variety of factors but what

is that what do those numbers look like and I would say three three years back would probably do it just wanted to quickly endorse something that um chair had said and that was the making more public the cuts that are the works that's being done to demonstrate like where we're looking closely at cuts. It did seem it in conversations both earlier this week and with the public, it seems like folks are not really aware of that all that work that's being done. So that could be helpful. And I do think as we move forward, we have to think about not necessarily who we're cutting, but like what are we doing that we don't have to do in a time when things are tight, when our critical mission is educating students, what is the extra stuff?

So, thank you. >> Thank you all for robust conversation. Appreciate it. Y'all going to stop letting me go at the

end. Um, I have a couple questions. I appreciate what everybody's uplifted specifically around the uh failing businesses uh I mean buildings that are falling around our students um around our personnel all that is important um I'm struggling with the idea that I'm a DPS grad came from an arts high school um we just did a arts proclamation, but the arts budget for supplies hasn't expanded for Durham public schools since pre- merger. That's problematic. Um, it makes me wonder what else hasn't expanded since pre- merger. Um, and how we're addressing those things and how that those things are being elevated and lifted to the top.

Well, they're not. How are they being overlooked? what can we do to ensure that the things that are being overlooked um rise to our concern, right? And because these things haven't gone up, are we passing off those expenses to our families in terms of supplies for these classes because that would be a barrier in keeping them connected to the arts programs.

And so we got to put our money where our mouth is. We talked all about arts a few minutes ago. >> I have so two things, right? I'd say one I wanted to sort of revisit, right?

An item that we funded last year, right? So we $150,000 investment. Um right, so for um a refresh um and so um that's there, right? And and I know um we presented that last year, right, as a

one-time non-recurring thing. Um where we're sitting now, right, we feel comfortable with that being a recurring thing. Um where that's concerned, right? So we didn't pull on a one-time source to make it happen.

We just built in the line item this year. Um and so I would imagine right just sort of based on the feedback right we've got some comfort level with that just being a recurring thing that we've added back to the arts budget right um with that 150,000 um and I would just say um where the funding level stands now in terms of those supplies right it is not it is not because the appropriate people haven't advocated for it um so less Turner has done a good job um of making it known and the we were able to answer your questions around that because of Les Turner um and and we borrowed some information that he shared with us to be able to answer that question. Um,

another So, there's that piece and then there's another sort of related piece um that has sort of vexed me since I got here. Um, with the operating budgets that we disperse to schools, um, there's a a formula for that. um the 15% set aside history being a separate issue. Um I am not confident or convinced that Durham Public Schools has always adhered to that formula and made everything available to schools that the formula calls for. Um, and so in my conversation, so we had, it's been a few weeks ago now, um, maybe maybe two weeks ago, we had a leadership meeting with principles. Um, and that was something that I talked about with them was our goal for this school year ahead is to

finally honor the formulas that exist for funding, supplies, and other operating needs of the schools that um, had not been um, and I'm right. And so, so I'm, you know, so just in that spirit, right, getting those getting more resources in their hands. Um and and whether and in our process of doing that you've got me thinking of do we do that with some additional stipulation of let's say for example if we've got a specific school that is going to get $5,000 more dollars because of us adhering to that do we say a certain percentage of this is for the arts versus your general operating right I mean so there's some there's some ways we can approach one problem that we're solving and also solve this other issue that you're lifting up um in your feedback. >> Thank you. I want to make sure I'm understanding that correctly because it sounds like you're saying that some

locations may have been withholding some of those funds. But like if there are they there could be instances that people are investing more in their arts programs. >> I think that's >> and you're asking them to stop. >> Well, so so I think there's a couple things there, right?

So one, um they there are some funds, right, allocated specifically for the arts. Um we and they have to use it that way, right? we so we we don't let it move forward um between the budget and purchasing teams if they try to use money restricted for the arts for something other than the arts. Um and then two um it is very possible that we have um some schools that tap into other funds that we've allocated to them to augment the arts, right? And you know you know and so that's commendable but also okay that may be coming at the expense of something else. Um, but different

principles will prioritize their budgets in different ways. Um, but I guess kind of what I was trying to convey is, um, from a budgeting perspective, I am not confident that Durham public schools has allocated everything that it intends for school supplies. Um, and as we rectify that for this school year ahead, we may say, okay, a part of this has got to go towards the arts, right? we may allocate it in a way that we increase the the component that's restricted for the arts and and sort of address that issue at the same time.

>> Thank you. I can appreciate that. Um it also sort of alludes to my other question. Chavez asked about more conversation for extra duty pay. I too am in support of extra duty pay and I'm hearing about the inconsistencies with the various supervisors across the district. But I have to be honest, I'm

also having some concerns about the inconsistencies in finance, payroll, and HR around um ensuring staff is paid on time, accurately, etc. And so to implement something in addition to that they need to be monitoring at this time feels like a challenge that we would be adding. Um when we need to see consistency in those departments as well as consistencies in the policy in the implementation of the salary administration policy. >> So um so I can speak right to the payroll piece. Um and so there was a past district um that I configured, you know, payroll staff where there was a payroll technician that was had some schools but then was

the sole sort of point for other things, right? That that person was the touch point for stipens, um longevity pay, other other sort of ancillary payroll items, right? And so there was like a very clear kind of line of sight and it was consistent and we knew we knew that Kelly is the person who keyed those. Um, and so very happy to think about that with the payroll team of is there, you know, is there a way for us to provide a clearer line of sight on special things like extra duty um and ra rather than it being dispersed and and it being driven by which payroll zone are you in, right, for your compensation.

So, we've got some ways we can think about tightening up the payroll piece on that for sure. >> Okay. Um, I do appreciate you all changing the recommendation uh for classified pay increase and including the OT and PT assistance. I

think that's important work going forward. I feel very strongly that we should make the ask of what we need and let other people say they know for themselves. Um, I do fear what's going to happen when it comes back to the county, but we have to deal with that when we get to it. " Because there is no extra money.

So, I appreciate this ask, Miss Herald Golf. >> Thank you. I'll be quick. I just wanted to again also say that I'm in favor of extra duty pay um and all the things that all of my colleagues have already said about um clear like figuring out you know what's going on with um making sure that processes and and and people are being treated fairly. I'm rambling. I wanted to also um make a quick comment about our the conversation around the bright

links and the technology bright links the technology um I just our educational professionals are exceptional and we know that our students are brilliant and with or without all of the resources and how do I know this because they continue to achieve they continue to do these wonderful things without all of the tools and resources that we would for them to have and you know in buildings that are not um everything that they need. But I strongly believe that our educational environments, the environment you put a child in um really radically impacts um the kind of educational experience that they have. Um and although they are brilliant and can achieve all of these things um we have to continue to keep that in the forefront. they can do it without, but we want them to have the best. And so, like, um, Miss Rogers was saying earlier, I um would, you know, we make the ask just acknowledging that

this is what they truly need. And then when we we make the ask, acknowledging that, and then when we don't get the resources that we need to, you know, then we make the harder decision. So, I agree with that. um they can be excellent without it but um I also you know of course right sizing everything and making sure it aligns I want to make sure that we don't um think that it's less efficient to have lesser technology it's we want our teachers to have all of the efficiency of education as well all of the things that come with this technology um And I guess the last thing I would say to that is um I don't remember.

So that g I think that's just it. Um but I want to lift that up. I don't want us to um think that that's a a a a light thing

to say, you know, we're going to sacrifice that. Um that's something that also could impact teacher recruitment and retention. um it impacts the work environment having things that work well for you so that you know it keeps you from having to go home in the evening with extra things to do because you have extra resources to um to support how you're teaching and learning. So um I don't know all the conversations around why or you know educators are saying that they don't need these things.

Um, I think they're saying maybe it's a sacrifice, but I just want to reiterate that I do feel like we need to upgrade our technologies. Um, and if the bright links I'm curious about whether or not these uh the bright links, like I say, I don't know if we can do it in this budget cycle, but in the next budget cycle, what are the technologies that are really going to support the curriculums that we're using and are going to enhance our our scholars learning environments? So, no question.

Just wanted to lift that up as well. Thank you. >> Miss Chavez is going to be our last comment because we are half hour over time and Miss Cooper is eager to talk to us, but go ahead. >> Um, all I wanted to say was I heard that four of us were for the extra duty pay.

So, can we reconsider? >> So, Yeah. Uh my for the extra duty pay is overtime. It's not for this next budget year.

>> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Three and a half. All right.

We'll try again next year. >> And I'll just also add for the extra duty pay. Um I think it's important for us to be crystal clear on that and I think we need additional time with that because per your policy 7502 extra duty can come in the form of compensation. And so what I don't want is for buildings,

departments, oh and and it can come in a calculated rate of pay too. So what I don't want is for some buildings and or departments to only do comp time and then there are some buildings and other departments that are doing a calculated rate of pay. So I just want um us to have some additional time to really iron that out. >> Thank you, Dr.

Lewis. Thank you, Mr. Teter. Um, if everybody's okay, we're going to move to the next item on the agenda.

It's a priority 4 update. Um, Miss Cooper. Good evening, Chair UMstead, Vice Chair Rogers, board members, Superintendent Lewis, and DPS community. Tonight, I am pleased to provide an

update on priority 4, cultivate meaningful and authentic community engagement and the work being done across Durham public schools to engage our families and community. This work is about building trust, increasing clarity, and creating systems that make engagement consistent, accessible, and culturally responsive across the district. Next slide, please. Our strategic plan is our blueprint.

It keeps us aligned and focused on what matters most, outcomes for students. Priority 4 directly supports every other priority. When communication is clear, partnerships are strong, and families feel connected, student outcomes improve. Priority 4 supports those outcomes from enrollment through graduation.

Next slide, please. Before moving forward, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the team behind this work. Priority 4 is not owned by

one department. It is truly crossfunctional. What makes this progress possible is the willingness of departments to move beyond silos to share data, align processes, and co-create solutions that serve schools and families more effectively. Those who are present today, please stand to be recognized.

This cross department alignment is one of the strongest indicators that this work is sustainable and it reflects a shared belief that meaningful engagement requires coordination, clarity and accountability across the entire organization. Next slide, please. Family and community engagement is not an initiative or end goal. It is a shared responsibility and a foundational driver of student success. Our work is anchored in Dr. Karen Map's definition of engagement as a full, equal, and equitable partnership among families,

educators, and community partners to support student learning from birth through college. Our work under priority 4 is grounded in this belief. We are building systems that make engagement intentional, culturally responsive, and measurable, ensuring every family, regardless of background or language, has meaningful access and voice. Next slide, please.

Each strategy addresses a different but interconnected dimension of engagement, customer service, communication, ambassadorship, branding, language support, engaging families, professional learning, and community partners. As we walk through each strategy, I will share examples of what we are doing today, what is working, where gaps remain, and the next steps needed to move toward greater impact. Next slide, please. Our first strategy is customer service. Our goal is to develop standard operating procedures and processes to create a culture of hospitality and

excellent service across DPS, fostering a sense of belonging and cordial experiences for employees and families that support the work we do for our students. We launched professional development to strengthen hospitality practices for central services leaders which helped shift the focus from transactional service to relationshipdriven service. This important learning provided hands-on experience for leadership unpacking gaps in culture and service and setting expectations for ourselves and each other defining how we wish to move forward as a team. Dr.

Lewis conducted a survey of our school leaders and central service members that provided necessary feedback regarding central services relationship with departments and schools. This provided a baseline for how departments are currently perceived in team in terms of service and responsiveness giving us data to identify strengths and areas where additional support is needed. The feedback was a launching point for creating the culture we desire in DPS

and we are seeing improvement in responsiveness particularly within central service departments. Because of this, there is greater awareness of service expectations. As we grow in our commitment to service, we know that consistency across schools and departments is necessary. Families should experience the same level of service regardless of where they engage because every interaction is a reflection of the district.

Moving forward, we will also establish clear service expectations, define accountability measures, expand professional learning, and strengthen feedback systems so we can measure progress because this is culture work, and culture work requires reinforcement and time. Next slide, please. Communication is how we stay connected with our families, our staff, and our community. It's not just about sending messages. Our goal is to share clear, timely information in ways that are easy to access and easy to understand. DPS

uses multiple communication platforms and vehicles to ensure that employees and communities remain informed about the district like the weekly Spark Insider newsletter, the Spark this excuse me, the weekly Spark newsletter, the Spark Insider magazine, and our social media updates for families and all stakeholders to even more tailored communication for employees like our new DPS connect employee newsletter, Spark Mails, and DPS alerts. Through these channels, we have standardized how we share information with our community. Additionally, last year we overhauled our digital presence with the creation of a one-stop shop for all things DPS, including a new website, district app, and two-way communication platform. Via previous engagement surveys, our families requested simplifying how they connect with the district, and we had an opportunity to centralize how we engage them. numbers indicate um in our first year of implementation for the website app and rooms that 76% of our families

have at least one guardian with the app and rooms access and 76% of our staff members have active accounts. We also know that monthly usage for families and staff is just below 60%. We are receiving feedback from our educators and families regarding their experiences and concerns with rooms and are actively monitoring engagement rates. This data will allow us to better understand the areas for improvement and opportunity especially how it relates to how seamlessly families families can connect with their schools and teachers.

As a next step, a full evaluation and assessment of our systems will allow us to improve upon what is already in place and make the necessary adjustments for enhanced information sharing and engagement. Next slide, please. There is authentic interest in representing DPS. Families, students, and staff want to share their stories and champion our district. That's why platforms were established to inform and empower. Through the parent ambassador

program, selected parents and caregivers serve as trusted connectors between the district, schools, and families. They do more than just volunteer at events. They share critical information through their networks, offer parent perspective on district programs and events, and serve as the ultimate cheerleaders for DPS, willingly sharing their experiences with other families. We have a core group of 25 across all grade bands and will open the application in the fall for new ambassadors.

The Spark Academy, which stands for supporting parents and advocates through resources and knowledge, is a new community certification program launched in January 2026. It is in designed to empower parents, caregivers, and advocates with the knowledge and tools to better support Durm students and champion our public schools. Through this interactive learning experience, participants explore how DPS operates from classrooms to administrative offices and discover how families and community members can partner with schools to help every student thrive.

Additionally, Dr. Lewis's councils provide a structured leadership pathway for authentic voice, advocacy, and partnership with students, staff, and school administrators. And we had a lovely example of that this evening with Mr. Hester.

However, ambassadorship must move from symbolic to strategic, and our work with our ambassador groups continues to evolve. Next steps include consistent training and resource materials, as well as defined responsibilities, guard rails, and success indicators aligned to strategic priorities and advocacy efforts. Next slide, please. Brand is experience and every interaction shapes it. That's why we have been intentional in how we tell our story and present our district to the community. I have the honor of working along the extremely talented and awardwinning team in the Office of Public Affairs where our work is to ensure that students, families, and staff as well as the broader community

understand the district's direction, decisions, and impact. We've actualized this through several initiatives like our higher ground series which highlights academic achievements at DPS schools. It's realized on social media through campaigns like scholars securing dollars which reinforce DPS as a district that delivers opportunity, preparedness, and measurable success for its students. It's delivered to rising kindergarten students when they receive a backpack of materials to prepare them for the upcoming school year at DPS.

Progress is evident in how we have refined visual identity, sharpened the message, and increased visibility. We recognize that inconsistencies still exist in that messaging and experience at both the district and school levels. That's why the next phase of our work is focused on ensure ensuring coherence between school and district messaging, strengthening consistency in outward-f facing materials, and deepening stakeholder input to guide future

outreach efforts. Every student, employee, parent, community partner, and supporter is a DPS brand ambassador. Ultimately, our goal is to move beyond simply promoting a brand to cultivating a shared understanding of who we are so that our values are reflected not only in what we say, but in what families and community members consistently experience. Next slide, please.

Language access is fundamental to authentic engagement. When families can fully understand, navigate, and participate in their child's education in the language they are most comfortable using, trust deepens and partnership becomes possible. The multilingual resource center serves as the hub for providing comprehensive language access services to schools and families. Our efforts for ensuring support to schools include implementing processes for requesting interpretation and translation services and ongoing

birectional communication to support families. This school year, the Multilingual Resource Center has received 620 requests for Spanish language interpretation for meetings involving preK students, 2,20 requests for Spanish language interpretation for meetings involving students with IEPs, 55 requests for Spanish language interpretation for openhouse events, 229 requests for after hours Spanish language interpretation, and 487 requests for interpretation in languages other than Spanish, including American Sign Language. In partnership with the Office of Federal Programs and Community Engagement, we have also increased our translation and interpretation capacity within the Office of Public Affairs, as we now have a communication specialist who dedicates a portion of her time to supporting bilingual communication. With the increase for language support services for both Spanish and other languages, we recognize the need for all schools to have consistent language

support. That's why next steps are to evaluate how we support interpretation and translation for languages other than Spanish to ensure services remain responsive to the needs of our families. Next slide, please. Our engaging family strategy is laser focused on strengthening the partnerships between schools and families.

Over the past year, we have created structured opportunities for families to provide input, expanded learning sessions designed to empower caregivers, and reinforce district level collaboration to ensure engagement efforts are aligned. Feedback from stakeholders has increased across the district this year. Since launching the thought exchange online survey and engagement platform in 2025, we have conducted 21 engagements with over 11,000 participants sharing more than 4,000 thoughts and 76,000 ratings. We've received feedback on budget priorities, school safety,

district policies, and more. Elevating families from participants to true partners in decision-making. Our family academy continues to build the confidence and capacity of our families as they support their students educational journeys. Topic-based workshops hosted at schools are designed to give families practical tools they can use immediately.

The catalog includes sessions on supporting academics at home, digital literacy, communication strategies, and more. We aim to create spaces and platforms where every family's voice is represented. We acknowledge that gaps still remain with engagement among underrepresented families as well as centering families as co-creators in engagement planning. Additionally, closing feedback loops effectively should not just reside in emails and reports, but should be exhibited through action and service deliverables. This is where our opportunities lie. As we look to the spring, we will launch the annual family engagement survey,

which was expanded from only title one schools and families to all families across the district. And we are planning for trainings for school-based staff. Our DPS family orientation is also a new initiative that's launching this spring for our families new to DPS. The event is being facilitated by a coalition of DPS departments including federal programs, the office of public affairs, ESL, transportation, student support services, the MRC, exceptional children's department, and early education.

The orientation will provide families with information, connections, and resources to successfully support their students in DPS from day one. Next slide, please. Across school districts, professional learning tied to community engagement has become a strategic lever for strengthening partnerships, improving family experience, and building two-way trust. We are currently offering evidence-based training on effective family and community engagement, strengthening the capacity of our

schools and educators with researchinformed tools and strategies. Professional learning drives organizational state organizational sustainability. That's why our next steps are focused on deepening the understanding and tailoring learning opportunities to the unique responsibilities of different staff members, ensuring that administrators, teachers, and support staff receive targeted guidance that aligns with their roles. We will also introduce a new series of learning opportunities for both new and experienced staff along with a clear framework to guide consistent highquality engagement practices across all schools, ensuring a cohesive and sustainable approach districtwide.

Next slide, please. In Durham public schools, we are truly fortunate to have a variety of businesses and organizations who partner with our schools to provide support and resources that benefit our students and strengthen our school communities. Many of these partnerships exist informally.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Office of Special Programs and the Office of Federal Programs and Community Engagement, we have formalized how we define, track, and evaluate partnerships and external collaborations. The community the community partnership engagement portal was developed to simplify how organizations connect with the district and create a more efficient review pathway for formalized partnership and to document partnerships to monitor their effectiveness. Currently 24 schools have formalized partnerships. Again I want to note our schools have community partners.

We do have um to funnel more through this partnership process to have them formalized for review and approval. Our opportunity again um is formal alignment and measurable impact. Increasing awareness of the partnership application and process is critical. Moving forward, our focus is to strengthen partnership engagement with the district and schools, ensuring consistent compliance with established expectations and expanding highquality

collaborations particularly in areas u where schools lack formalized partnerships. Most importantly, we are prioritizing alignment so that every partnership directly advances our strategic goals and student outcomes. Next slide, please. The next two slides show that many priority 4 strategies are currently at level three or four with solid foundations in place.

However, we are not yet at the level of consistency and impact to meet the strategic plans 2028 goals. Our next step is overlaying these ratings with district and school level readiness to determine where targeted support is needed. Moving us from active tracking tracking to performance monitoring. Next slide, please.

Next slide, please. This slide provides a snapshot of our progress across the priority four goals. Um, just for your edification, goal 4A says by 2025, DPS will assess school and

district processes to establish standards for enhancing consistent, understandable, accessible, and culturally responsive messaging for internal and external stakeholders. Goal 4 B. By spring 2024, DPS will develop and implement goals tools to listen to and determine family needs. By 2025, DPS will use these findings to support schools in designing effective, meaningful family engagement programming.

And by 2026, 100% of schools will implement and evaluate such programming. And goal 4C, by spring 2024, DPS will design and implement a robust process for identifying, connecting with, approving, and onboarding community organizations as partners. Then by 2027, all schools will have one or more high impact community partnership that supports increasing positive student outcomes. Overall, the work remains in process and on track for 2526 school year. Together, these efforts reflect steady progress toward building stronger relationships with families, partners, and the broader community. I want to note that pri for

priority 4B, 100% of our title one schools currently meet this goal as federal programs has provided a tool that can be used to determine family needs to design effective, meaningful engagement opportunities. Moving forward, this template will be leveraged with all schools as we support them with year-long engagement planning. Next slide, please. At this time, uh, the team and I welcome any questions and discussion.

>> Thank you, Miss Cooper and team. Colleagues, >> Miss Herog, I just want to say that I feel that priority 4 is probably for me one of the most important priorities in our strategic plan. Um I really appreciate that we even have it in a strategic plan that it's you know how important it is. Um and still so many of our stakeholders

um feel such a great disconnect in how we engage in community. So, um, I look forward to digesting all the work that's being done. And I think part of the disconnect is just being able to communicate that to our most marginalized, most disadvantaged communities that often feel invisible um, within our school district. Um, it's very, very, very hard work. So, um, this is one that I look forward to following very closely and learning more about and, um, I'm very passionate about, so I'm saying that publicly. I've been looking for opportunities to connect with you further because community engagement um, and specifically that, you know, the equitable community engagement, especially for populations that feel so

disengaged from from our schools. um is very important to me and thank you so much for this work. Anybody else colleagues? Mr.

Tab, >> I just want to just say thank you for the work. Um, community engagement is very important to me as well and just to see how it's all laid out and how it's all coming together and thank you for uplifting what needs to be improved because that means that you are uh, you know, have a path forward in making our district even better. So, thank you for that. >> Chair, >> thank you Miss Cooper and your team for this presentation. Do want to uplift um, a little bit about rooms. I think I know you have some information about it in your presentation and wanted to kind of hear about next steps regarding getting more families enrolled with I don't know if enrolled is the right word but

connected with the app. Know there was some concern when we on boarded it um about a year ago. So I want to hear more about what you all are seeing this working and what next steps might be. >> Absolutely.

We know that there is opportunity that still remains. Um, I will note that the functionality of this platform is different from other platforms that were used by various schools across the district previously and when you're in the first year of implementing anything new, that change can be challenging, but we are committed to working with our families to ensure that they have access and understand how the platform works. Uh, we've had webinars that we've hosted for families. We've had trainings that have been hosted for staff.

One of the wonderful things about this company is the 24-hour support that is really available to anyone across Durham public schools. All of our employees can send a message to get direct support on the items that they need to help troubleshoot. We also have a representative who is located right here in Durham who provides us with strategies and techniques and works one-on-one with our school leaders as well to provide them support. Uh we know that there are still opportunity to grow

and enhance. That's why we're taking that feedback in real time, having conversations with the organization so we can look at making those um those changes as soon as possible to support that family engagement. >> Miss Beyer, do you want to talk? >> I think so.

I think it's rooms, but I'm I'm actually My kids have graduated, so I don't have the DPS tech these days. Is this the thing that they wanted talking points last year or something else. Is this the >> That is correct. And I do want to make sure that we clarify that there is um um talking points is a platform that was used for two-way communication with families.

Our issue with Durham Public Schools is we did not have a singular platform that was used across the district. We had schools using multiple platforms and so there was inconsistency amongst families around how they were receiving information. our opportunity to transition to this one-stop shop was to centralize all of their

communication, what they were getting from the schools and the district in one location. >> And not to mention, many of these apps we could not even we had no control over in terms of monitoring from a safety standpoint. >> So, but when families are or when educators are saying they can't actually text get a text to a phone, is that still a capability that rooms can do we just haven't trained folks how to do? I'm still hearing complaints of some actual they can't people have to log into an app or something rather than actually get a push text.

Is that >> So families are notified via text if there is a message that has been received via the app due to the safety um precautions that are in place that surround um communication back and forth. All communication does reside within the app. But if you get a notification from a teacher, you should receive a notification that says you have a message from this person um XYZ educator and then you can go and check

the message. You do not have to be logged into the app to check the message. You can click the link and then it automatically pops up in your web browser. You do have to have the app having the app.

it. So, >> you do have to have logged in, set up a user and lo username and logged into the app >> at least one time. Once you are logged in, you stay logged in and it stays with your child until they graduate. So, I got a text message yesterday and it has a link and when I clicked the link, it populated in Safari because that's my default browser on my phone and I could read what the message was and it's a static message, but I couldn't respond to it. >> So, the two-way communication and responding back and forth to to with your teacher or other personnel at your schools does reside in the app. And if families need support with that,

who is it that they should contact? >> They most certainly can contact their schools and their schools can contact us. We are always available to support and we have done so. Our office has visited schools, set up tables at events to walk families through this process.

We have online learnings and directions that have been shared for families in multiple languages so they can access as well as videos um to show them how to navigate. >> Miss Carter, thanks so much for this presentation. Um my I can vouch for the what you've explained in rooms. That is how it works.

I use I get them text message and then I just go to the app to read it and I go to different rooms to look at different things for each of my different kids. So smooth if you have the app or maybe the web browser. I'm not sure what happens if you don't have it. So I think I'd love to see us getting more to a place I know that at our school at my kids elementary school they've worked long and hard to get folks on dojo and then felt frustrated which was like talking

points and then felt frustrated when they had to like go get people on rooms. And so I think it'll just be as you alluded to time and lots of work to get families that don't naturally get connected to things more connected. What I was going to couple things I was going to say though was um one I tend to because there's so much communication all the time when you've got different kids. I really pay attention to what's coming from my kids school.

even as a district person, I I'm much quicker to look at that than anything from the coming from the district. And so I'm wondering um and can you tell us more about what partnerships you have with schools to help them enhance the way they're communicating with their families since that is I think what many families are doing is they might not see the post coming from the district unfortunately because they're usually beautiful but they're seeing what's coming from the families which I think are variable coming from the schools which are variable. Absolutely. We work very closely with our friends in um curriculum instruction and Dr. King's

office to make sure that critical messages that need to be shared districtwide are facilitated and funneled through our communications platforms and channels to communicate directly with school administrators. We understand that greater um improvement needs to occur in this area because we know that families look to their schools first for what information is coming out. I think there's an opportunity to streamline the critical messaging that comes from the district. how we convey that to our schools and how they can then disseminate that to their families.

Oftentimes when there are big initiatives um and and highlevel communication, there is a toolkit that is created that includes all of the messaging that is shared in multiple languages that our principles can then share out and we're open to a dialogue and communication about how we can improve on that process to ensure that they're getting what they need to share with their families more effectively and efficiently. >> Thank you. I was thinking too about the um sharing your expertise with the how to communicate not just how do you get your materials to them but like helping schools who might struggle getting with

ways to communicate with their families you all supporting them in different ways. >> Absolutely. We um host professional learning um for our staff um at at the different schools. Um, one of the things that we have implemented this year is a marketing roundt which once a month we invite um, our school leaders and it could be a principal or someone that the principal designates and we talk about various communication and marketing strategies that they can deploy within their school communities around district-wide events or hyperfocused school events.

So, we have created greater capacity and increasing their learning and we look forward to partnering on new more opportunities moving forward to help in that area as well. That's great to hear. Thank you. And then my only other question comment is about language access. We've received a couple of um meaty pieces of communication today around language justice and and access. one coming from a school that I think really probably speaks to what's happening to other schools, which is that we might have interpretation in place in the district

or translation, but it takes so long to get those services sometimes that it's not supporting the needs of families the way it needs to. And so I'm curious to know in what ways are we looking at um and this might not be something you could answer right now and that's totally fine but I'm just what ways are we looking at that regularly to make sure that the turnaround time too when someone when a family needs to speak to someone else about their student they can actually do that as quickly as possible or if a school needs materials translated and thinking about not only Spanish but other languages as well. >> Absolutely. I'm actually going to invite Mr.

Freriedman to the podium to share some insight. get my numbers here. Um, good evening. Um, to answer your question, so earlier, Miss Cooper shared some numbers. So, just looking for example, Spanish language students with IEPs. Um, so far this year, we've had 2,200 requests, I'm

sorry, 2,21 requests just for Spanish language interpretation, just for IEPs. If that current trend continues into the fourth quarter, since we started measuring this data in the pandemic, it's going to be our highest number of requests we've received all year. We'll probably land around 28 2900. I'm sorry, all since we started tracking this data since the pandemic.

March is also headcount. So, if you email um or request services from a Spanish interpreter who covers IEPs, chances are they're probably pretty booked up this month, right? So part of the process also involves like hey if you have a really time-sensitive request let myself or the coordinator know so then we can u reassign it to somebody else who has more availability. So part of it is is like the reality is we have limited resources limited number of interpreters and so we're constantly figuring out um a what is their availability what requests are on the table and making sure we follow up with them on languages other than Spanish. I think the presentation um next steps I think we have an opportunity here to really reassess what does that look like. Um the reality is that workflow isn't

assigned to one staff member shared among multiple staff members as part of their other responsibilities right and so this year for example we've done 487 requests in that language and so it's also triaging and I'll give you an example from today a principal pinged me directly today mid mid afternoon like hey I have a real emergency um can we get this blank interpreter on the phone okay two minutes called the principal we landed that plane they didn't put in a request they just asked they and that's how we landed that so it all comes down to communication ation um the availability and what workflow falls into reassigning it. The reality is um there aren't we we don't have one interpreter to one school. They have multiple other assignments and they're constantly balancing the different tickets to figure out um which is a higher priority, where's their availability, and if not, does it get assigned to someone else? >> That's super helpful.

Thank you. And I'm wondering a couple things. Yeah. Like are y'all t tracking um response time? And I'm asking that because it sounds like in the future as we're thinking about budget um and we're thinking about

the growing needs of our like um that we may have more non like non-English-speaking families in our district moving forward. Maybe you're going to need more resources for your department to be able to meet the needs, right? And so I'm wondering if we can get some data moving forward on like okay how how long are folks having to wait sometimes then that could be an indication that you need more or is there other data >> point I mean we're happy to track it I just really want to be transparent in some of this data I'll give you an example right like we recently had a request for an American Sign Language interpreter two or three months out right and I said hey we've got it we're not going to follow up with you till April because it's not till May right so I'm happy to give you the response to it but it also varies because some people put their tickets in like two and three and four months in advance But we'll be transparent as we can. >> That makes sense that that maybe is not the best metric.

>> I'm just response. If you want if you want this type of data, we can figure it out and get it. >> Um, also, do you all use or have you do you use a language line or are there times that you've used a language line or what are your thoughts on that?

>> So, language line is a it's a brand. It's it's a service that one particular company um utilizes and they have a lot of government contracts. They're um a preferred vendor from the state. they have like a state contract.

Um when the MRC was first created, we had a contract with language line primarily uh for two components. Um I wasn't happy from a service delivery point um for their support for um over the phone interpretation particularly in Arabic and it's our second highest. It's our next highest after Spanish. There were a lot of call drops.

Um and so I went with a more higher quality vendor. Uh we did a little search I did a search. I actually called my counterpart at the time at Wake County Schools and he was the one that had that recommended it to me and I did some follow-through and then we switched um number of years ago, four or five years ago to a new vendor and we've been using them ever since. They're very high quality vendor.

They actually have an office here in RTP um but we use a different vendor. Uh it's informally in this work called OPI over the phone interpretation. >> That sounds awesome. Thanks so much.

appreciate all of your work, >> Miss Smson. I think this is really important that some of the language justice things that we uh uplifted here and I also want us to think about how we're building capacity across the district too for language justice. You know, is there extra duty pay or additional stipens that people get trained through your office to do some emergent work that might be at a school, right? like there are some ways to think about how do we build capacity um that will require I think some funding asks but how do we do both and think about what expansion might look like and build capacity across the district um got toolkits going out right what are the other ways that we thinking about helping build that capacity at the school level buyer >> yeah and just as a followup I think it might be helpful just to know baseline how many interpreters we have and um and maybe a student count right from from and some trends there. Have we have we made any progress in um adding capacity

there? Um and I wonder and this is I I had not heard the um question the issues that were brought to public comment before. That was my first time hearing those concerns that were addressed. Um so I look forward to to ways that we can continue to improve and address concerns.

Um, and maybe this is for you, Miss Cooper. I um I feel like since the classified pay thing, a lot of the messaging out and about within the community has been heavy often has a bit of negativity, I'll say. And I just hope that your team might have ideas about continuing to uplift people's story of goodness of why they choose DPS, not just as a parent or a family, as a student, but as an employer. Like I would love some help

from our folks who are the most amazing employees in the world to continue to tell their stories. And to me, building that trust of why our adults are the most amazing educators and the most amazing caregivers is what will help rebuild trust as people entrust us with their children. And so I've seen y'all do that some. I just think maybe in this this time of of the world being so negative and such a hard place for students, I think there's there's always more that we can do.

So, I hope if you all have creative ideas because y'all are the experts >> that you'll help us kind of lift up folks. It's like joy in the morning, right? Yeah. Bring joy to DPS.

>> Absolutely. " And so this will include students, families, staff, community partners. Um, and we are working on developing that and rolling that in the out in the very

very near future. >> Okay, close this out. Miss >> Oh, I was just wanting to piggyback off of that. Very excited to hear that.

Um, is that does this campaign include like a social media campaign and a print campaign? And so I I will say um at this point in time it is a social media campaign. Um as we've already had lots of conversation about the budget. Um you all um are probably aware that marketing, advertising, and other communications platforms to help us uh further that message and share it with a wider audience.

There are costs associated with that. Um I believe um back at the budget town hall, Mr. Teter mentioned that there were about $250,000 for marketing. I want to be clear that that marketing dollar does not reside in our office. We are working with very limited dollars and we do so um rather I think very successfully in leveraging and being as smart and nimble as we can

to to amplify that message through those dollars. But it does take a commitment uh with financial resource to ensure that we have the type of campaign and messaging that we would like to reach the audiences that we needed to. >> Would love to see that. I would love to see billboards and all they could >> and we want to do it.

>> Um are we also like I mean talking about our brilliant youth um Dr. Lewis, the the superintendent student advisory team. Is there anyone who has any, you know, social media savvy? Is there a way that we can turn this into some sort of grassroots campaign where all of our families are sharing these messages on their social media that could save us some money?

If there's a way to work into the campaign, how we involve our youth, their families, our teachers, this is what you share and we just send it out that way. That could save us some money. Um, and also can we also in that campaign include our our free billboards at all of our schools, our marquees, our

signs in all of our schools and maybe have some messaging that we're calendaring to put out because that's again those are resources that we don't have to pay for that we can activate and we have the advantage because we're all over the city, you know. So, >> absolutely. Yeah, I will tell you that is one of the next steps for our ambassadors and making sure that they have that messaging and the resource in their back pocket so they can share at the drop of a dime all the wonderful things that are happening in and around Durham public schools as it relates to their school specifically or to as to the district as a whole. And as you mentioned, utilizing some of our students and their voice and their skill and their expertise, we launched a program this year called Pixel and Pin.

We have a group of students of high school students from across Durham public schools that are content creators through the office of public affairs. We have published their work. They've been at district events. They're taking photos.

They're writing stories. They're designing things. We are already doing that work. Um, and we're excited about what they've already done and how they are bringing their skills to the table to help tell the DPS story.

>> I'm looking forward to us sending out messaging on how we can share those stories. like when the when when the district is making those and when the students are doing that, what then how then are we letting families know we need you to share this? We're trying to do, you know, just like you would do with any other major social media campaign. We have to get everyone on board.

Like that's part of the campaign is to get other people to share those messages um on their personal pages. >> Thank you. Mhm. >> Thank you, Miss Cooper.

>> Thank you. >> Y'all come back and see us again. >> Can we not leave yet? >> You know did me, Miss Cooper did mention the award-winning, but I also want to acknowledge publicly what you were talking about. And many may know that uh this year 2025 at the NCPRA um I guess conference >> it's the annual blue ribbon awards.

>> Our team OPA team walked away with nine gold awards, four silver awards, two bronze awards and the best of the best in North Carolina for digital media engagement for DPS our did you know social media campaign. So they walked away with 17 >> 16 >> 16 awards. So I would like to congratulate and thank you all so much for the work and the team. >> Thank you so much.

We appreciate it. >> Colleagues, the next items on our agenda are for information only the overnight field trip, grants, gifts, and donations. And then we have the summary of follow-up items. So, for our follow-up items on the policy, um we've jotted down the work for the policy committee followup. As far as the budget, there were a couple of items, the administrative scales, posting them in similar format

as what is in the budget notebook to what is on our website. Uh lifting up how local funds are used to support additional positions in Durham public schools, such as counselors and specials. Um there was a suggestion to share more clearly where we are making cuts and what we're doing. Um and are we considering stopping what we necessarily might not have to be doing?

Is there any data on whether the ESL and EC supplements and perhaps other supplements have impacted recruitment and retention? And I was unclear on as far as the followup around the turnaround uh time for language support in addition to the number of translation requests but that was lifted and I jotted it down in case all I have. >> Thank you colleagues. Did you have anything to add? The one I would say is the salary schedule should have draft behind them.

>> Sorry. Should have >> draft >> draft. Thank you. salary schedule should have draft.

>> I'll add that in. Thank you. >> You had something else, chair. I'm saying, >> did I miss something?

>> And I did. >> This might be pending what Mr. Teter and team does with the those board spreadsheets, but more information around the the yes or no options in that sheet and what the impact would be kind of on schools and students and learning that piece. If we're not using those spreadsheets no more anymore, then might be different.

But if we're going to continue to wrestle with those spreadsheets, I think I would more information would be helpful. Thank you. We're coming to a close, but before we do that, we want to congratulate the Southern Spartans girls and boys basketball teams, varsity basketball team. They are headed to the state championship. We hope the community will go out and join them on

Saturday in Winston Salem. The details are can be found on our social media under the did you know section. Um um we appreciate that Miss Cooper. Um congratulations and let's support our students in um every scope of this work.

We will not be streaming and coming back um live online and have interpretation services at that point um after we go into close session. We wish you all a good night. We thank everybody for joining us today. Colleagues, I'd like I'd entertain a motion going to close.

move we go into close session um based on the items on the agenda. >> Second. >> It's been moved by Miss Harold Goff, seconded by Miss Beyer to go into close session for that reason stated on the agenda. Is there any further discussion?

All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All oppose use the same sign. It passes unanimously. We're now in close session.