Board of Education · Work Session · September 11, 2025

Good evening everyone. >> Thank you. >> 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. Interpreters for tonight are members of the Multilingual Resource Center. Thank you for taking the time to join us. The first item on our agenda is a moment of silence.

I'd like to ask for us to take a solemn moment to reflect and honor on the lives lost. We remember the nearly 3,000 souls who perished on September 11th, 2001. A tragedy that forever changed our

nation and the world. Their memory continues to remind us of the importance of unity, resilience, and compassion. We hold space for the victims of gun violence, especially those lives that were threatened in our schools this week. Places that should be sanctuaries for learning and those lost in the realm of public service and politics who dedicated their lives to their communities.

We acknowledge the deep sorrow of the recent passing of educator in Wake County. Teachers shaped the future and the loss of one is a loss for us all. Please join us in a moment of silence to honor their memories, their families, and the communities left behind. Thank you. The next item on our agenda is agenda

review and approval. Um, move approval of the agenda as presented. >> Second. >> It's been moved by Miss Beyer, seconded by Miss Carter Oden to approve the agenda as presented.

At this moment, we are going to do a voice vote. We have Chair Armstead joining us virtually momentarily, but not for this vote. So we can go ahead and vote together if we would like. All those in favor?

>> I >> I >> I. >> It passes unanimously. I would also like to take the time to um acknowledge the student from theu superintendent advisory committee council. I'm sorry, Briana Bri Barona. Thank you so much for joining us.

Is there anything you'd like to share right now? >> Oh, I would like to say uh thank you so much for this opportunity. Um I'm very happy to be here. I'm very happy to be informed today and I'm ready to get this started.

>> Let's do it. Love it. >> Colleagues, the next item on our agenda are the minutes from August 14th. Approval of the minutes from August 14th, 2025.

>> Second. >> It's been moved by Emily Chávez, seconded by Miss Harold Goff to approve the minutes from August 14th, 2025. Is there any discussion? All in favor say I.

>> I. >> All oppose. You can use the same sign, but it passes unanimously. Thank you.

The next item on our agenda is general public comment. So, a quick review of the rules. First, please state your name. If speaking for

an organization, please state your name, the name of the organization. Second, speakers are asked to present their comments in 3 minutes. When the yellow light comes on, you will have one minute left to start winding up your remarks. When the red light comes on, it will beep which will indicate 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, andor the operation of the school system. Finally, board members will listen carefully and consider comments, but we do not engage in a discussion with speakers. Our first speaker is Holly Harden, followed by Fawn Hickey.

Good evening. My name is Holly Harden and I'm a middle school teacher here in DPS. I am here tonight as a group as a part of a group of parents, teachers,

and concerned community members and concerned that current district policy does not adequately protect students due process rights or provide enough clarity around how staff should respond in the event of some law enforcement activities, including immigration and customs enforcement. In light of heightened immigration enforce enforcement and federal recision of sensitive location policies, we urge the district to revise and strengthen policy 5120 on relationships with law enforcement and adopt a new private zones policy and protocol. As an educator, I know that I cannot do my job if students and families do not feel safe in our schools. I was here under s similar circumstances in 2017 fighting alongside students and other teachers for the board to adopt a similar policy that would protect students due process rights and ensure their physical and emotional safety and undisrupted learning. We were successful in that

fight and the school board at the time voted to approve that policy officially adopting it as part of policy 4321 in the district policy manual. But since that time, that policy we fought so hard for was removed without our knowledge. Some elements of policy 4321 were incor incorporated into current policy 5120, but others were stripped out. Our group has submitted revisions to 5120 to the policy committee that would add back in those parts and would add additional protections for our students in light of recent policy changes at the federal level. Current policy 5120 allows any law enforcement officer with a warrant to arrest the student at school without specifying the type of warrant or outlaw outlining a protocol for the super for the for verifying the warrant's validity. It doesn't specify whether school policies related to law enforcement apply just on school grounds and just during school hours or whether

policy extends to include bus stops to include parking lots, sporting events, field trips, and other school sponsored activities. Protocol around communicating law enforcement activities to parents is not clear, nor does it include requirements that interpretation must be provided for the student and their family in their home language. Our policy revisions address these concerns and emissions. We urge you to adopt these revisions along with the private zones policy and protocol which others will share more about for the safety and well-being of the entire DPS community.

Thank you. And I have just a summary of the policy we submitted. So I'll if you'll give that to our clerk. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Fern Hickeyi and I'm here tonight as a member of School Parents for Immigrant Defense and

as a proud DPS parent. I'm here because I'm deeply concerned by the impacts that current federal policies are having on our public schools and our students ability to access the education they deserve. We may not have the ability to change federal policy right now, but we can strengthen local policy to protect against some of the harms. In addition to proposing revisions to current policy 5120, we also urged the board to adopt a new private zones administrative policy and protocol. This policy, which was drafted by lawyers at the ACLU and the SNC Justice Center, outlines detailed steps to be followed in the event of immigration enforcement activities or inquiries, making it clear what school staff should do and what students and parents can expect if such an event were to unfold. We believe this policy is necessary to alleviate some of the fears and uncertainty currently affecting parents ability to feel safe sending their kids

to school and students ability to access an education free from fear. I was grateful when a letter was sent to parents back in February reaffirming the district's commitment to safety, privacy, inclusion, and support for all students. But this letter did not provide detailed information about how the district would respond in the event of immigration enforcement activities. Nor has such information been forthcoming in the time since then.

Without an explicit protocol in place that all school staff are trained on, parents and students will continue to face unnecessary fear and uncertainty which will in turn impact attendance rates, students ability to learn, and quite likely district enrollment. I'm joined today by other parents, teachers, and students who are here to share some of the fears families are facing or experiencing in the absence of clear district policy. We know that you share our desire for all DPS students to be

able to learn free from fear and we look forward to working with you to strengthen district policy in support of that shared goal. Thank you. Thank you. River Wadssworth, Mercedes Mccurly, everybody.

Let's see. All right. All right. Thank you.

Uh my name is River Wadsworth. I'm a DPS parent and a proud teacher at Hillside High School and also a member of DAE. And first, I just want to offer my sincere thanks to the many of you on the board and district leadership who have already been working to on on how to keep our immigrant students and their families safe and to be able to co-create the education that they deserve. Um, so that's a thank you.

First, I want to talk about urgency and I want to talk about strategy. Um, and to assure to try to assure you on the board um that you have broad and deep support to do what's right. Um, so

fundamentally this is about our humanity. It's not about learn numbers or learning objectives. I'm sorry. Um, it's inconceivably that this that in this moment young people must fear being kidnapped while at school or that their families may not be there when they come home.

I trust, however, that you will feel this urgency and also will soon hear it upon hearing other testimonials. So, I'm here to speak as a teacher. Um, so it's too soon to have confirmed enrollment numbers, but we have seen our multilingual uh learner enrollment at Hillside down roughly 20% from last year. Attendance numbers are even worse.

Especially hard hit are our refugee students, mo, many of whom have already fled wars and also our newcomers, people their first year in the country. Um, it's also very hard to ask multilingual parents to come to any kind of school event. very difficult to foster their active participation, shaping and supporting the school. Um, we have lost just from last year award-winning students, collegebound,

exemplary students. Um, they're just gone and we don't know what has happened to them. So, this is what the reproduction of a racial cast system looks like in our time. Um we all know the importance one minute um of literacy throughout a person's lifetime.

Okay. So student even students who do show up to class I'm going to summarize this. Even students that who do show up to class are still facing hurdles. Um studies often focusing on black students confronting racism in schools show that like just uh physiologically the brain cannot learn.

You cannot focus on academic study if you're in fear. Um and so this is uh this is next level. And lastly, strategy. We are not asking for bravado.

We're not asking for for us to stand up. The NC justice um uh resolutions are perfectly legal as teachers. What we need is just clarity.

We need protocol we can follow and we need excellent training for um for all of our schools. Thank you so much. >> Hello. I see my time to Jer.

Thank you. >> Thank you. Y Pina Ringo. >> Hello everyone.

My name is Yahir. I am currently a freshman here in high school. I'm proud to be a Mexican descendant here in this great country. Well, that's what I thought just a few months ago that this was a great country, but I still believe and have hope that this can continue to be a great country. " Now, I feel that this can be denied at any moment. My family, my friends, my teachers, my neighbors, everyone was

just fine. My life was great all the way to middle school until one day everything changed. One day I suddenly woke up hearing the other side of the door. My family talking about being worried about the daily news about what was happening in this country.

I didn't feel a need to worry about that until this last summer. One day I was trying to go play soccer with one of my best friends and enjoy summer with them before high school started. I couldn't get in touch with them. The days passed, not knowing what was happening with them.

One day, I asked my mom if I could visit them. When we got to their house, we found out that he and his family were gone. A few days later, I got a text from him. He texted me, "Hey, here.

Me and my family left the USA because of what's happening all over the US. My family was really worried and didn't feel safe anymore. I'm really going to miss all the memories we had in school and out of

school playing soccer with you and being even soccer teammates. That really hurt because we all have known each other almost for 4 years. I know friends come and go in life, but not like this. Their families didn't feel safe and secure anymore.

You don't understand the fear and anxiety that some of us feel knowing we could be the next family to leave from here. Now the question is, do I feel safe at school? I said, I don't know anymore. My family would protect me at home, but what about school?

What are you going to do to protect all my friends and students that have been targeted just because of a color of our skin? I request that school board to inform to train everyone who works in schools on how to handle this type of situation. Thank you.

>> Thank you, Tony Matias and Katie McNo. >> Good evening. I'm Tony MSAS. I'm also a proud DPS parent and a member of school parents for immigrant defense. I'm going to read a letter written by a concerned parent who wishes to remain anonymous. I will first read it in Spanish in the language it was written, then I will read it in English.

DPS. informal. Durham. public schools board of education.

As a mother of three daughters, I am responsible for their education and emotional well-being. I tried to keep them calm at home. Now, their other

concern is at school due to all the changes that have taken place in recent months. Therefore, I ask you to please consider the great responsibility that each of you has to ensure that every student feels safe in DPS schools and is focused on their studies and on their future. Please review policy 5120 in detail and clearly communicate how you are preparing for any changes. How are you training around these new policies?

Who will you train and how long will that training last? And finally, I ask that you please inform students, teachers, and parents so that we all know how to act. We know that the families most affected by these changes are immigrants and refugees in Durham. I am asking for your solidarity.

Sincerely, anonymous. Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Elen McDonald and I'll be

seating my time to Katie McDonald. Katie McDonald. Um, before I begin tonight, I want to make something really clear in this room. Uh, many of you know that I had the intention to run for this board in 2026.

Um, and despite my passion and my desire to serve my community and our educators and students like that brave kid right there, um, I can't be the leader that Durham deserves and the mother to my girls who are going to need me in these last years of high school. So, when I'm here tonight, I'm not here laying a political foundation. I'm not putting my footprint down. I am here to hold you directly accountable. Um, it's September and I'm a teacher. Um, and in past years, I would have just assumed that this upper respiratory illness is because of the little petri dishes I serve on a daily basis in my

classroom. Um, but this year I find myself asking, is the illness coming from the children I teach or from the building I teach in? If you'd like this clerk, you can certainly have it. Instead of attending monastery training today, I spent my day seeking medical attention to figure out exactly why I am sick.

Thank you, Dr. Lewis for finally providing some surface level details about our air quality testing, but my mind is blown at the timeline of these events. DPS had the initial IAQ testing performed on Thursday, August 21st. Um, but with no results in hand, the district took it upon themselves to assume that our building was safe and we hosted open house to hundreds of families that same night.

The next Friday, August 22nd, you received the raw service sample reports. Clearly, you didn't like what you saw because you ordered a full report for me at me. Yet,

the following Thursday, August 28th, Dr. Hogan stood before our staff on your behalf. I invited all of you and said that the district had received the results and our air quality was safe. I now know that that was untrue because I reached out directly to SNME and I found out you got your results on Tuesday, September 8th.

Let me remind you that if it hadn't been for a brave colleague demanding action, this testing would have never even taken place. That reality terrifies me. Our building's only 32 years old. If this is happening here, what is happening in older schools across the district.

I am fortunate to work under a school leader who allows his staff to speak the truth rather than reprimand us into silence to preserve an image. And the truth is that symptoms and illness among staff are piling up. But clearly listing them here does not move this board to action.

So let me tell you about one child. We have an immune compromised little girl who hasn't been to school for three weeks. Not because this district protected her. It's because her teacher did.

I picked up the phone. I disclosed our building's insecurities. I did this because I held that little girl in my arms last December when her body collapsed into chaos. We were moments away from leaving that school in an ambulance together.

You guys didn't visit her in the hospital when she was there for nearly two weeks. Uh you didn't witness the agony her little body endured as the doctors desperately see for answers. And when a diagnosis finally came, you didn't buy the children's book off Amazon and read it to your class to explain to her how her new autoimmune disease was her superpower. I did. This district was prepared to let her walk into that building without any data to concern her safety. That failure directly contradicts point two of your

strategic plan to provide a safe and healthy learning environment that supports the whole child. I would hope that my health is included in that statement as well. Your inaction has spoken louder than your words and I promise you your silence has not gone unnoticed. You make me want to quit teaching.

You make me want to quit the one thing that I've been driven to do. And that's a goddamn shame. Thank you. Avery O'Brien, Aiden Mendoza, Maya, Emily Khan, and Christy Glimp.

>> Hello, my name is Avery O'Brien and I seed my time to Aiden Mendoza Maya. >> Good evening. My name is Ada Mendoza

Maya and I am the recruitment lead of the Sunrise Movement Hub at DSA. As you all know, last year along with many other students throughout DPS advocated to the board and for a green new deal for DPS. And although we may not we sorry, we have not given up on this, we do recognize the financial restrictions that our school district is under that make these demands difficult. We recognize that in our individual conversations with you all, you agreed with our cause and our demands, but felt weary of your own jurisdiction on the matter at the at this time.

However, we also recognize that we as students cannot make an impact for this degree at the state level without the support of city councils and school districts. We we see the value of taking action in local communities, especially in times when the federal government has forsaken its responsibility to represent the interest of us, the people. We know that we need a build from our local

communities in order to give back, to give a voice back to the citizens of America. So, we come to you today with a new ask, a new resolution. Currently, the National Sunrise Movement is running a campaign to make polluters pay. A legislative campaign that would pass bills at the state level to require large polluting corporations to pay proportionately to their emissions.

These funds would then be collected in the state level climate super fund which in our proposed resolution would be distributed back into our local communities for green initiatives in public schools like improving air quality in schools ensuring that schools are a safe place for all. It's not right that billionaires who run these companies get to hoard more money than we can comprehend. Well, here at elementary schools in Durham, we are scraping together funds for reliable heating systems. However, this kind of legislative legislative change won't happen without local resolutions of support, and it also won't happen overnight. That's

where you all come in. We spent our summer compiling a new demand of the school board. One that urges you support, one that urges your support as we move to state level action while also calling upon our district to move toward green initiatives in creative ways that don't require state funding. So, we propose that the board pass the items of our previous res resolution that requires little financial commitment but high levels of information gathering, community collaboration, and uplifting of young voices.

One, we urge DPS to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis by committing to um completing a comprehensive environmental assessment of all district facilities and operations. two, operating with local and state governments, nonprofit organizations, business leaders, students, teachers, and parents to create a comprehensive district-wide climate disaster plan. Three, establish a committee inclusive of students, teachers, and local climate

experts to add climate curriculum across grade levels and subjects. and to audit science textbooks to include information on envir on on environment environmental justice and the disproportionate effect of the climate crisis on minority communities. Four, partnering with local and state governments, businesses, nonprofit or nonprofit organizations, unions, and trade/technical schools to expand pathways to well-paying union jobs, combating the climate crisis and career technical offerings. and five, incorporating climate change mitigation, education, adaptation, and disaster response in the annual superintendent evaluation beginning this year and into and into the 2029 2034 DPS strategic plan with specific measurable timebound goals and research informed strategies under each priority. In addition to these cost effective efficient demands, we urged that Durham public school the the Durham public

schools board to advocate to relevant state representatives for statewide super fund legislation that will fund green initiatives for schools such as update school infrastructure to run on 100% clean energy. Provide locally sourced and sustainably grown lunch. Connect students with meaningful and well-paying union jobs combating the climate crisis. create climate disaster plans for school school districts and their surrounding communities and develop a comprehensive climate justice curriculum.

Lastly, we urge the Durham Public Schools District Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Lewis, to forward a copy of this resolution to relevant city and state officials who who are specified in our resolutions. All of our more detailed demands are included in our new resolution draft and we look forward to speaking with each each of you on what it will take for this action to move forward. Our time is running out and we must act now. We will be emailing our resolutions to you guys after the schoolboard meeting. Thank

you. Hello, my name is Emily Khan and I'm the parent of two girls at Durham Public Schools, one at CC Spalding Elementary and one at Lakewood Monastery Middle. During attendance awareness month, I'm asking the board to reconsider family responsibility zones at lowincome elementary schools like CC Spalding. On the surface, this policy may appear fair because it applies the same standard to all schools that meet the criteria.

But fairness and justice are not the same. Fairness treats everyone the same. Justice recognizes the different barriers families face. Justice works to create a level playing field so that all children have a chance to succeed. At CC Spalding, many families in our

responsibility zone face serious challenges that make daily attendance difficult. No sidewalks on neighborhood streets, a school located on a dangerous high-speed thoroughfare, limited access to vehicles or transportation, parents working shift jobs without flexibility, and police activity in nearby neighborhoods. One which caused a lockdown at our elementary school this afternoon. The Southside neighborhood has organized volunteers to help, but we cannot cover every family, especially at dismissal.

The policy is not improving attendance. It's making it harder for children to get to school safely. I urge the board to reconsider this rule for lowincome schools, and instead work with families and communities to remove barriers, not add them. Every child in Durham deserves the chance to attend school safely every day. As a parent, I want what every parent wants for my daughters and for all of our children to walk through school doors with safety, dignity, and

the same opportunity to learn as anyone else. Thank you. Hello, Christy Clam, physical therapist, member of DAE. Um, I'm here for OT's, PTS, um, all of classified.

Um, a couple people asked me today, are you going to go again? And I said, yes. They said, why? And I said, well, if I've been running a marathon and I've been showing up for two years, not going to stop in what I hope is the final mile.

So, I'm hopeful when the internal study that Mr. Ter's working on comes out soon that we see it's truly the finish line for classified and having fair competitive wages versus realizing it's turning into an ultramarathon. People will drop out of an ultramarathon. We've already had lots

drop out of this regular marathon. Um almost two years ago exactly five OT's and I went to a board meeting, spoke, then gave letters, sent information. And I look back through my fund, look at a picture of it today. Three of the five are gone due to pay.

Heard us heard me say a couple meetings ago, we've had 10 OT's leave, maybe nine, nine or 10 OT's leave since June. PT was short one person coming into this school year. And in the last week, we've had two resignations. PT has with going to bordering counties.

Um, multiple reasons in that, but pay definitely being a factor. We are missing three of eight PTs. 38% of our staff is vacant and you have five people remaining in that small department. Yesterday in a meeting there were tears shed in the group saying bye to those who are leaving soon and going to things that are better for them. But the

remaining five go how are we supposed to piece this together? How? Which child do you want me to pick to see and which one do you want me to pick not to see? We spend more money on contractors than you do a direct hire.

We spend more time onboarding and trying to get a contractor to stay. A contractor is not going to be vested in DPS like a direct hire. Please pay DPS direct hires what you need to pay us to be competitive to get us to stay. If I went to the neighboring county where these other two folks do it, year 30 here, year seven in that other county would be paying me more than your 30 here. Please correct that. Let this be a marathon with the finish line coming with hopefully good information very soon for all classified and then just tell us to hang on and get through this next year to hopefully see something

competitive next school year. Do it for the students. You are losing good, dedicated people across the board in classified positions. And the people of can't just keep hanging on when the finish line keeps changing.

Thank you. Thank you all. Colleagues, the next item on our agenda is the consent agenda. >> Move approval of the consent agenda.

Second move by Miss Harold Golf, seconded by Miss Beyer to approve the consent agenda. Is there any further discussion? Okay. Uh, all those in favor say I.

>> I. >> I. >> Okay. I apologize.

I've just been informed Mr. Tab joined us virtually. Um, so we'll do a voice vote and we'll start with Mr. Tab.

We're approving the consent agenda. Good evening, Mr. Tab. >> Good evening everyone.

Uh, I vote I Wendell Tab. >> Emily Chávez. >> I miss buyer. Hi, >> Miss Carter.

>> Hi, >> Miss Harold. Go. >> I >> and I vote I. The consent agenda passes unanimously.

>> Thank you all. >> Uh the next item on our agenda is administration, the bank recommendation. >> Good evening. Um work session chair Rogers, board members, and Dr.

Lewis. Um so, thank you for um having this on the agenda this evening. And so, we do have a guest with us. Um, so we have Mr. Kevin Herwood with JP Morgan Chase. Um, and I will, you know

who I am, and I'll let him introduce himself before I make my presentation. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Kevin Herwood. I am an executive director with JP Morgan Chase in our government banking group.

I cover um I help develop our relationships with cities, counties, and school districts across the state. Uh I work in my our office in Raleigh. I'm a proud DPS parent. Um two kids who have graduated through DPS and my baby boy Evan is a junior at J D Clement um early high school early college, excuse me.

Um here to answer any questions that you might have um of myself, our company um our proposal and our commitment to Durham. If we can uh move to the next slide, uh we'll provide the board uh just with some context of our current banking environment as it exists in Durham public schools. Um and so at this current point, as the board is aware, we

receive hundreds of millions uh in state and federal dollars that we're we are not allowed to earn interest on. And so uh the state and the federal government earn their own interest. And so we pull down those funds only as we need them um on a weekly basis. So those are managed in a in a core checking account that's housed with the state treasurer in North Carolina.

So um that is not really a part of our our conversation this evening. Uh beyond that uh we have a variety um of other banking accounts and activities that we engage in uh to manage our local funds, capital outlay, workers comp uh for our self-insured workers comp fund, uh school nutrition grants that we receive and of course each of our individual schools have their own checking account uh to manage their school level funds. Uh so so quite a bit um so lot of history here uh in in um so Durham's uh banking relationship started with Central Carolina Bank uh and followed that through the train to when it became truest or when it became

Sunrust and then Sunrust became Truist right so it's been quite some time uh since we've really had a a thorough review um of the relationship and in particular in this kind of a public setting um we also have one account for our grants and community schools fund uh and six of our schools with mechanics and farmer um here and we list the schools um that currently have a relationship with mechanics and farmer. Um and I will just say that this work um I wish I could say I was surprised. No finance officer really enjoys putting this out for review uh because it's a big change and it's a lot of work uh for the finance officer and the staff to implement the change uh once you do that. And so it's not often that our institutions have an opportunity to to put in an offer for school system business.

You don't see this happen much. And so um I think as we get through the presentation, we'll see that it was a fruitful activity for for Durham public schools to go through that. Um and so in our process um we

communicated our RFP uh to our banks that have an infrastructure in Durham. And by that meaning that they've got some form of a branch presence uh within Durham County. Um and we did through that process interview uh all of our firms who elected to respond uh to the RFP. Um that committee consisted of myself um and a number of finance staff members along with a school treasurer who serves on our school treasurer advisory committee.

Um, this one in particular, um, has a unique lens, um, in that she's one of our schools that is cashless, um, and and has kind of an interesting perspective just on the online banking environment and other features, um, that might be suitable for a school that doesn't touch actual cash. Um, so moving on from that, we had a number of obviously a lot of criteria. Um, on the next slide, um, we need to bump up two more slides. Um we had quite a bit of criteria that we were looking at um in order to assess uh our

financial partner and and the committee graded um our presenters on a rubric um in order to have this be um as um independent as possible and as quantitative as possible while we were looking at this. Um I won't read all of the categories, but you can see we were looking for service. We were looking for uh a good interest rate. uh looking for technology that was going to meet our needs, uh an institution that was able to to provide the collateralization uh that the state of North Carolina requires for all of our funds.

Um and fraud protection and and things of that nature. Um on the next slide, uh we share uh the firms that we heard from uh in the process. And so our non-incumbent firms uh that we interviewed were PNC, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase. Uh and then we also received uh a proposal and and conducted an interview with Truist um who is one of our incumbent institutions. On the next slide, um we talked through uh we talked through our recommendation

and then in a moment we'll kind of share how that institution scored uh in the process. Uh and so again, we're recommending that obviously we don't have much choice in the process. our state and federal funds remain as they are um through that core checking account that we have with the state treasurer. Um and we're recommending um that our local accounts uh that we discussed earlier along with those 51 schools um migrate uh from Truist to JP Morgan Chase.

um our grant community schools fund. Uh we recommend that that migrate to JP Morgan Chase as well uh to uh uncomplicate some of our transactions uh when we we do have occasions where we need to move money from that fund uh to our funds that are currently a truest and so it will simplify uh the work in our accounting department to have that together. um for our six schools um who are currently uh banking with Mechanics and Farmer, we recognize the the significance of Mechanics and Farmer being a local uh operation um here in Durham. Uh and so we want to honor that

" Um on the next slide we just share uh we share the criteria. Um we we operated with a total scale of 100 with a with five bonus points for any kind of value added services that we found to be unique. Um and as you can see uh JP Morgan Chase rated very well uh with the committee. Um and we're um just we were just very impressed uh with the presentation that we received and with the the technology that was that was demonstrated to us.

uh and and the support that we would have. Um on the next slide, uh we talk about the advantages of of this recommendation. Right? So there are uh of of the interviews that we conducted, we felt sort of the most uh commitment uh in in

terms of a a presence with with bank branches and and and growth uh in the Durham community. Uh so there are currently two existing branches in Durham, one on 9inth Street and one in the South Point area. There is a third one that's very close to opening I believe in the Oxford Commons uh shopping center or community center uh with a fourth branch um that I don't think we're allowed to say where it's going to go just yet. And so we're just very grateful um and and glad to see it's rare now that we're seeing banks open branches.

We're seeing more closures or we're seeing banks kind of cling on to their multiple branches and having very thin staffing uh in order to keep those branches open. Um we're very pleased um that um and this this one was pleasing and painful at the same time, right? in that uh through this process uh we're able to get a much better interest rate uh on our checking accounts uh than we currently um have uh have been receiving uh from from our incumbent partners and just conservative

math um 600,000 more per year um in interest income for Durham public schools kind of with this transition and um I think the painful part is wish that Durham could have gotten to this point sooner and we could have been kind of realizing some gain sooner, but but we're here. We're moving forward and and we're excited about that. Um all of our bank fees uh with this model are currently covered. Um and so uh we have to maintain a minimum of two and a half million across our accounts in order to mitigate um any kind of banking fees and that's very reasonable for us.

Uh and we're able to do that. Very excited about the opportunity for uh free remote check deposit scanners um at all of our locations. We do have one in central office that we use to reduce the need to actually go to a branch. Uh our schools that are currently cashless would benefit from this greatly and it it for those treasurers would reduce their need to leave the building in order to go to the bank uh and would reduce us having to reimburse for

mileage and and things of that nature. So that's a real opportunity for some efficiency uh for some of our school treasurers uh who don't touch cash. Um and for our schools who happen to have a day that there is no cash and only checks um that will be great for them in those instances. Um related to that and just sort of separate from this project, we are on the side thinking about some solutions to even help on the cash front um to see what we might do there uh in the near future to to help keep our treasurers um at at the school as much as possible.

Um and we were also just very impressed with the web platform. Um that was an opportunity for a lot of improvement with the incumbent situation and we were very pleased with with that platform and it something that we interact with daily in finance. Our treasurers interact with it on a regular basis as well. Um and I really like the search features and our ability to quickly research things uh in the platform that was distribut uh that was uh presented uh by JP Morgan.

On the next slide, uh we just sort of share our timeline uh for the implementation of that project. Uh and so ultimately, right, we're seeking your approval. Um and so when we originally compiled this, um it was contingent upon legal approval of the contract and and the service agreement. Uh that has that review is now complete and everybody's in an agreeable spot uh with the documents.

And so we're um we're very happy about that um that we were able to make progress on that. And uh one thing uh that was that was helpful for that and and made that go a little smoother than normal is that the city of Durham has recently migrated their banking services to JP Morgan Chase and we had sort of those documents as a launching point to to bring things aligned with North Carolina government. So, um, so once once we've got your approval, we'll be at a spot where we can start our testing processes, uh, making sure that they're able to read our check images, uh, get signature files lined up, uh, and start testing just really critical a

files. So, we want to make sure, uh, that we don't have payroll snags, uh, with that banking change. So, we want to test that as soon as possible to make sure we're good to go. uh November, probably November through December, we'll start really doing some work to update.

Uh we do have vendors who send us money electronically, including the state. Uh and so we we've got to get some paperwork done and put some things in place to make sure they have the right information for us. Uh and then we will be live in our new banking environment January 1st. Uh we recognize that we'll have to uh provide some training uh for our treasurers. Um this will be sort of a unique environment for some of them because Durham's not been through the bank change per se and so they'll be there will be a brief period of time where they'll be combining two bank statements to reconcile uh their books for their school and and we're prepared to support them through that and make sure that that period of time is as short as possible. So, uh, we're we're starting our process now for checks, uh, that have not cleared the

bank that need to clear the bank, working with folks to find out why they haven't cashed those and things of that nature. So, um, worst case scenario, um, you know, it would be about this time next year before any old truest checks have cleared, but we'll be working diligently to get it done before that just so our bookkeepers don't have to, um, hang on to that. So, we're we're going to be um really go above and beyond the state's requirements for a sheeting old checks uh to make sure that we minimize the the impact of the change for our treasurers. So, I know I've said a whole awful lot um very fast uh but u on the next slide we just call for board questions and so Mr.

Herwood and I are happy to um answer any questions you might have this evening. >> Thank you. Um, I'll start with my colleagues here in the room and then move to the colleagues online. Um, Emily Chávez, thank you. Um, thank you, Mr. Herwood,

if I'm saying it correctly, for being here. Um, so this sounds like a positive, um, change for us. So, I'm looking forward to, um, well, we probably won't feel anything up here, but um, we're here, but uh, not, you know, dealing with the nitty-gritty, but um, thank you. it sounds like it'll um create more efficiency for us and among other things.

So um one comment on this on slide two um I think something got changed and I just wanted to uh bring that up. It says the grant and community schools fund will be held with mechanics and farmer. >> So that's our current environment. >> Okay.

And then on slide um and then on slide a little deeper into the presentation um on on slide six we kind of >> paint the transition. >> Got it. Okay. So sorry about that. And then my one question is um what what all is encompassed in the grant and

community schools fund which is now going to be community ed. >> Right. So great question. And so in in the current environment that I kind of stepped into, there was a blend of things in there, right?

So our before and afterare program um and all of the work that they do, their funds are managed there. And we also have a number of grants and donations uh that were managed there. Um specifically, the Mackenzie Scott contribution was a major tenant of of that account, right? that is no longer uh and so we have been working in order to uh uncomplicate our accounting work and make things easier for finance staff.

Um we have been migrating um our new grants and donations away from that account and moving it over to our fund 8 um our special use fund right just to make that extra clear. And so our goal is ultimately that fund six um or that u that community schools fund will be nothing but our before and afterare programming. Um just to just to make that cleaner and make that more explicit

that that's what that's for. >> Thank you. That's helpful. Thank you so much, >> Miss Beyer.

>> Thank you. Um Mr. Mr. Ter, I just want to express gratitude to you for leading this um group of staff through this RFP process.

Um it is overdue obviously and um I look forward to um you gently leading all the staff that will have to do a lot of training and and I can't even imagine reconciling moving accounts. Um can you talk a little bit more about how you're going to support staff in that um big transition? >> Absolutely. Um so we do have um so right at the end of the day, you know, the big the big piece um for our um for our school treasures in particular, right, is that they will have they'll be getting a legacy truest statement that has checks that are progressively clearing. The deposits will ultimately

go away, right? And so their their truest accounts really going to get to a point of just checks um that that are clearing that account um that predate the change. Um and they'll pair that with their new statement uh that will come from JP Morgan Chase and they'll they'll gra they'll take the two totals um right from those statements and and add those up to make that match to their books. But um our goal is to help them clear that out um clear out the truest checks as quickly as possible.

And so we do have um retired school treasurers on staff um that'll support them through that. Um and then we also do uh we we're positioned um so we have a retired um a retired school auditor um that worked with me in a past life that will also help supplement that who's been through bank changes. I've been through that as well, but I can only be so many places, right? And so she will also kind of be available to them to help uh manage through that process. Uh and then JP Morgan Chase um has helped other

districts through that. Uh and they'll be, you know, they've given us some advice and some strategies to to kind of help quickly clear out uh the the the old uh the old checks. And so we're um very pleased in their presentation about how they've helped districts transition. >> Thank you.

Are treasurers aware that this is happening, do you think, or will it >> not? They are now. So we uh but we want you know we wanted to make sure it was approved before we did that and certainly we know at a minimum Miss Alpazar who was on our committee is aware um and so we will have some with approval tonight right we'll we'll have some very kind of specific communication that goes to our treasurers uh to let them know what's occurred and the timeline and what we're going to do for them. >> Thank you so much and Mr.

Mr. Malone, I saw you nod that you have reviewed this contract and >> Yes, we have. Jason Weber in our office did. Yes. >> Thank you, colleagues. We have about five minutes left for questions.

Miss Harold Gooff. >> Thank you. I just My question I hope is really simple. It was um you mentioned that it had been a long time since we done this, but it sounds like that you've been through bank transitions before in other places.

Is this something that is common practice to revisit it every certain amount of time? Like um is this a if it hasn't been done in a while, is this something that will become a part of our new practice to be re to? >> It will, you know, and I I have a reputation of being um just an RFP, I guess. I don't know, just people know me, right, as as as just someone who puts RFPs out quite a bit for services um just to stay on top of that and make sure that we're um on on the edge of things. And so um it is definitely a best practice for us to do that um you know every three to five years or so um for this banking you know relationship. But um if you have the right relationship um it

does it does make that a little bit smoother and and knowing that you're getting the rate that you could get uh in and having the right the right partners at the table. But but certainly u I've been through this process and we have retained the incumbent bank and I've been through the process before where we've made the change. And so um so regardless, right, it's it's a good thing to put out for review is >> to make sure that we're um >> getting the best we can. Yeah.

>> Getting the best we can and in the best relationship that we can have. Thank you, >> colleagues. Mr. Tab has a question and then I'll entertain a motion.

>> Uh, thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Teter. A quick question.

First, thank you very much for um maintaining that longtime partnership that Durham Public Schools has had with Mechanics and Farmers Bank. I'm glad to see that that those six schools are still being included. My simple question is um is that locked in? Can other schools, if

they wanted to um work with mechanics and farmers with their local in-house school funds, are they able to do that moving forward or is that something that has not been discussed? >> So, I we have not necessarily had that discussion, but we u if if we do have a principal to make that request, uh we we certainly will we'll make sure we have that conversation. >> Okay. Thank you.

That was my only question. Thank you very much, >> Miss Carter. >> I just want to make a motion. We ready?

>> Okay. I'd like to make a motion to approve the transition of our banking relationship to JP Morgan Chase and to retain up to six school checking accounts with mechanics and farmer. >> Second. It's been moved by Miss Carter, seconded by Miss Beyer, uh, to transition our banking services to JB Chase. I'm sorry.

You can get the name right. Um, you're not going to tell me. Okay. JP Morgan, thank you.

JP Morgan Chase and maintain up to six schools uh at Mechanics and Farmer. Is there any further discussion? >> Yeah, discussion. >> Uh, that's right.

Go ahead, Mr. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's why I asked that question because I I didn't want it to be that principles could not uh have that conversation with mechanics and and farmers.

>> Yeah. Mr. Malone, would you like us to vote down vote this down and or how would you like us to modify the motion? >> If someone wants to modify the motion, you can make a motion to amend the motion to instead of saying up to six,

I >> I'm not ready to amend the motion because I wanted to hear from Mr. Teter what the implications of that would be and what your preference is. I it sounds like you've made a call that most schools should transition and so I don't know that we want to open the door to all schools being able to but I would love to hear more from you on this. >> Right.

I am I'm fine u right if the if the motion were to be amended to say to maintain our six um our six school accounts at mechanics and farmer like we can we could work with that that be sufficient. Sorry, I thought when we talked about it previously and I understood your interpretation to be that they could stay or they could choose to transition. >> Right. Right.

We want we want to work with our principles. Uh right. And so for now, you know, we're not going to compel the six mechanics and farmer schools to make a change. Um, and so I think our kind of our goal this evening is to make the big change to JP Morgan

and Chase, but honor those six schools that are currently in mechanics and farmer. Okay. So, the motion on the floor is up to the six schools that are at Mechanics and Farmers. Um, Mr.

Tab, I'll start with you on the vote if there's not further discussion. >> Uh, Mr. T, I will I >> Emily Chávez. Sorry.

>> Well, actually, I have a question because I want to Can we say the motion again one more time? I just read it, but I thought that when it was stated by Miss Carter, she did not say up to six. She just said six. So, I wanted to clarify that.

>> Is it up to six? >> Okay. All right. I

I I >> I no. Um but it passes. 51. It's got um if it were to come to pass that more schools felt very strongly about transitioning, can this come back before the board?

>> Yeah. Oh, certainly. Yes. Absolutely.

>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Congratulations. >> Um the next item on our agenda is a 2526 finance update.

>> Um okay. So thank you again. Uh so we um

in in a board meeting at the work session in August um you know we had shared with the board that we would come back to you at this work session to provide an update. um on on where we are um in in the current school year and in how we're trending in our ability uh to try to do something ourselves uh in the absence of state support uh for a change in classified employee compensation. I think the the conversations, right, have um just as we were going through the budget cycle um last year to develop this budget, right, we we heard uh clearly, you know, that if we can do at least 2% um for our classified employees, that would be a a good goal for Durham. And so we we are keeping that in mind and and um looking for every way possible for us to do that. Um, and so, uh, we just want to continue to be transparent as we do our work to build up to that point. Um, and and share as much information as we can publicly of of why we make a call when

we do, um, and and when we're we feel comfortable agreeing to things. And so uh on the next slide um just some pertinent updates on on the state side of the world uh which is really the biggest variable to this and it's also a variable that's to mostly out of our control. Uh and so one state still has not adopted a permanent budget. Um and so I have diminishing confidence um that it's going to happen but we'll see.

Um we um the the state of state of North Carolina specifically the department of public construction um has as they historically do have been releasing our funds to us in waves. 6 million or so um in in state funding. Uh we started this year uh before the mini budget went into place and before our colleagues at the department of public construction uh really delved into their

work of releasing funds. 2. We don't sweat that because we go through this every year and we know that stuff is coming in waves. 8.

Uh and we are continuing to receive uh resources. So had we had communication just yesterday uh about about $800,000 of funding that's going to be coming our way tomorrow. And so they're they're continuing to do their work to uh implement the state budget as they believe it to be right now. So um we've got a couple of other pieces that u we're reconciling.

So, we have two restart schools uh in Durham public schools that require a transfer of funds in order to to operationalize those and comply with how restart schools work. Uh the state of North Carolina gives us a rate uh per child uh that we have to transfer in order to make that happen. We still do not have that rate quite

yet, largely due to the budget um circumstance uh at the state. Uh and then we are uh as the board is aware we have a number of international exchange teachers that there's some financial conversions that are involved in that uh that we're working to finalized right we had a number of teachers sort of join us uh close to the start of school so it was some work to tidy that up. Um the most pertinent bullet point right is our our estimate at this time is we would need $3 million in order to make this work um for our staff. And so laser focused on these variables.

Uh and we're continuing every every time we get an update, we're reacting. We're refiguring. Um and we recognize the significance and the importance uh for us to be able to do something um at a minimum of 2% and we do it in a way that we can sustain it uh and that we don't have to come back to you later and say we made a mistake. Uh and we just don't want to we don't want to live through that. So, um, this just kind of shows

you where we are in and things that we're evaluating. Um, on the next slide, we just kind of share just a very high level steps of where we are, right? We're continuing to monitor those monitor those state funds as they're released. Um, we're still working to monitor our enrollment and and any kind of adjustments that we may need to make um that that are reflective of how our enrollment panned out compared to what was projected.

So that's a major important work that we do at this time of year. Uh and then we're we will make another report to you uh September 25th to let you know how have these variables um in question u materialized as we get closer. So um we're we're working hard on that. U the budget department and I are talking about it at least two or three times a day of here's this here's that here's that um as the pieces come together. So, um just wanted to make sure we honored our commitment to provide that update um and share as much um information as we could uh so that

folks know we are working on it. Happy to answer questions. Colleagues, any questions? >> Miss Beyer, this is maybe a question for anybody and including Dr.

Lewis and and Mr. Mr. Ter, like is anybody hearing anything about what the general assembly is going to do when they are going to get back and do their jobs, which is to take our tax dollars and fund our staff on behalf of our students. Anybody hearing anything that from our I'll preface this by saying I always say hope is not a strategy. I had a um a meeting today with um a member of our delegate assembly and um he seemed to be hopeful that it will be visit revisited next month and so that's the only update that I've received and so remain um skeptical but hopeful as well but I

appreciate this update because you know as we say our kids can't wait our staff can't wait either. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mr. Ter.

>> All right. Thank you. >> The next item on our agenda uh is academic services 2024 2025 SA accountability model results. Dr.

Rooster, welcome. Good evening. Next slide, please. Why are they pulling up the next slide?

Good evening, DPS board members and Dr. Lewis. Uh, welcome to the 202425 Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA DPS

accountability data presentation. I am Al Royster, executive director of research and accountability. Today I will review the district and school's accountability data for the 2425 school year. I'd like to introduce my outstanding team.

Um Dr. Michelle Tuck Thomas, director of assessments and accountability. Uh Mr. Nelson Soros, director of data integration and accountability, and Mr.

Adam Johnson, data and reporting uh coordinator. He's not here tonight. um they were instrumental in compile and helped me compiling this data and creating this presentation. My goal is to present district and school data collected from our students and staff align with guidelines from NCDPI. Um, DPS departments have reviewed and will continue to reflect on these results to identify both strengths and areas of growth while making adjustments based on our DPS 2023 to 28 strategic plan to ensure in alignment with district priorities, address, identify challenges, and build on success

successful practices. I do have about 48 slides tonight. A lot of data and celebrations. So, as y'all know me as I do presentations, I'll try to be as efficient as possible going through these slides.

Next slide, please. The next three slides will explain the components of school performance grades and briefly highlight the difference between achievement and growth. Next slide. This slide shows a pie chart of the school performance grade we'll call SPG as I will refer to throughout throughout the presentation.

um SPG is based on 80% achievement and 20% on academic growth per NCDPI. The total score is converted to 100 100 point scale then assigned a final grade using the 15point scale and you see that that table at the bottom right hand corner. Next slide please. Uh this slide breaks down the SPG indicators for elementary, middle, and high school. Elementary and middle schools are based on integrade or EOG test scores and English uh language assessments for English learners. grades

3 through eight with firstear e students excluded. High school SPG includes end of course test, ACT uh work keys or AWA scores, four-year graduation rate and EL assessments grades 10 with firstear EL students excluded. Specifically, you can see the indicators for each grade level and some of the business rules applied by NCDPI on the right hand side. Next slide, please.

This slide gives a brief explanation of the difference between achievement and growth. On the left side there are brief explanations of achievement and then on the right side there are brief explanations of growth. Uh at the top you can see that um there is a link that if you have time to look at it's a threeminut um video that explains the difference between achievement and growth. So pretty much as I slide over, you can see that um achievement or achievement on that side kind of goes on um where students are in terms of their grade where the grade levels are or or

what they're doing. And then on the growth side, it's the measure of the amount of academic progress students make between two points in a time, usually the academic school year. So growth and achievement. So again, you can watch those videos and see them see that as an explanation at the top.

Uh next slide, please. The next few slides, we'll review our district performance data. Within these slides, we'll talk about school performance grades or SPGs, improved letter grades for schools, low performing performance, and schools moving out of low performing, alternative schools, modified accountability system for uh Durham uh performance learning center, um PLC and Lake View School, and we'll have some district celebrations. Next slide. So this slide shows school performance grades across five years 2018 and 19 to 2024-25 with the 201920 and 2021 school years excluded due to COVID 19 and no growth uh reported for 2425 the district's A B

8% which was 28 schools in 2324. The 2425 school year also marks the highest number of A schools since 2018 and 19. And you could see uh also we do um again you can see the pie card again starting on the left side going I mean starting on the left side going to the right side. Next slide please.

Um this slide celebrates our schools that earned a A B and C grade. Um, again I'm on the side so I I trying to move so I can see but as you can see uh schools with A grade, our middle was Lakewood Monastery. Our high school was City of Medicine, JD Clement College and Middle College. Our schools with B-grade was Burton Easley George Watts, Lions Farm, Mangum, Morehead Monastery and Pearson Town. Middle school was Rogers Herur and our high school was Durham School of Technology and Durham School of the

Arts. And then also our G grades are schools with C-grades. Our elementary was Club Boulevard, EK Poe, Forest View, Glenn, Holt, Hope Valley, Merrickmore, Oak Grove, Southwest, Spring Valley, and Little River. And our middle schools were Shepard, Githins, and School for Creative Studies.

And our high schools were Jordan and Riverside. Next slide, please. So these are our improved um improved letter grades. This slide shows our uh low this slide shows at least schools that rose at least one letter grade from last year.

Proof that their strategies, persistence, and hard work are making a difference. So you can see our schools that move from a D to C. Hope went from 50 to 56 and those are their um scores beside them in parenthesis. Hope Valley went from 53 to 55.

Little River went from 53 to 62. Oakrove went from 51 to 69. And then Spring Valley went from 54 to 60. And then our schools moving from

C to B status. It was Rogers her going from 68 to 73. And then Burton going from 66 to 73. And then also our B school or B school going to A was Lakewood Monastery with going from 83 to 86.

Next slide please. So um we uh this slide shows our low performing schools from 1819 1819 excuse me through 2425. You notice the numbers stayed the same for the 2018 201920 and 2021 because of COVID. Um as a celebration we're excited to share that as a district the number of low performing schools has decreased from 20 in the 2023 2024 school year to 17 um for the 2425 school year.

a clear step forward in the right direction. Next slide, please. We do have school. This slide recognizes our schools that have moved that have worked incredibly hard alongside their staff, students, and families and communities to move out of low

performing status. It reflects dedication, commitment to their continuous improvement, and a belief that our students can and will succeed. So our schools moving out. You see elementary was Eastway, Eno Valley, Hope, Hope Valley, Little River, and Spring Valley.

And our middle school was Lucas. Next slide, please. So this slide shows our 17 schools identified as low performing. This is not a label of limitation, but of opportunity.

These schools have dedicated educators, resilient students, and committed leaders working tirelessly every day. They're not defined by where they are today, but by the tremendous potential they hold. We believe and will speak into existence that they will not remain where they ended up where they where they ended last school year. So, you can see for our elementary schools, I'm not going to read them off.

You have 11 as last year we had 13 elementary schools. Um, for middle, we have two. Last year, we had three that were in low performing. And then for high school, we had we have three this year. We had

three last year. And then, of course, you see our one school at the bottom. um at the bottom that covers all our grade levels. Next slide, please.

This slide explains the alternative schools accountability for Durham public uh Durham Performance, excuse me, learning center, which is PLC and Lakewood School fall under. Um, the state board of education provides three accountability system options for alternative schools and you as a school board approved option C for PLC and Lake View for the 2425 school year during the May 23rd, 2024 board of education session. As a board, you have approved option C for PLC and Lake View for the 2025 2026 school year. You did that did that this past May at the board of education work session.

Next slide, please. So this table shows a breakdown of six indicators and percentages earned at each indicator for PLC. Um the breakdown of the four designated areas is shown in

the table on the on the bottom. Um which starts with emerging to developing to succeeding and excelling as the highest. 3 which earned PLC a succeeding designation which was the second highest designation and as a brief breakdown you can see participation um was 10% worth 10% this this kind of reports this report provides um EOCC testing cycles so they can monitor their progress or participation in those tests school performance was actually just proficiency because they don't have the uh PLC does not have growth a growth index. So the proficiency uh is data for all ELC assessments and ministers that were cor that were collected. So the proficiency for that cohort graduation rate is self-explanatory is those students that graduated and then also persistence is the calculation for um the percentage of students who enrolled in PLC and remain enrolled in in PLC or

any North Carolina school through the end of the school year including students who graduate. And then also they have earned credits which is um for earn credits it's it's the indicator is power school or infinite campus now was used for the authoritative source. So again it was the total uh total group of students that their final grades and students marked with a potential credit and then all those that got that potential credit. So that's just a breakdown of kind of the categories for PC.

Next slide please. Similar this is a breakdown for Lake View. They also have six indicators. They have different indicators.

6 which earned them the excelling designation which is the highest designation. Um their breakdown was attendance. Of course those are students that attended of course uh Lake View at at the time at the end of the year they did an attendance rate. Persistence is the same as PLC. Again, it was the percent of

students who enrolled at Lake View and remain enrolled at Lake View or any North Carolina uh school through the end of the school year. Suspensions, it was this indicator measured students enrolled at the end of the year who were not assigned out of school, short-term, long-term, or any kind of 365 suspension. Then you have school performance. They actually have proficiency and they have growth.

So, of proficiency, of course, is the students that were proficient on their EOCC's or EOGs. And then also EVOS growth was our EVOS growth and that was 20%. So that's just a breakdown of the table of the the indicators for Lake View. Next slide please.

So the next slides will review EVOS growth status for DPS over a 5-year period and highlight some celebrations. Just as a reminder, the education education value added system assessment systems or EVOS. It measures student growth in North Carolina by comparing the students performance to the average progress of the students statewide. And so rather than focusing on final

achievement levels, EVOS tracks how much a student grows from the start to the end of the school year. A school's overall growth status is based on the combined growth of all their students in their school. Next slide, please. So this slide reviews the EVOS growth status comparison over five years 201819 to 2425 with n the years 1920 in 2021 excluded due to COVID 19 and no growth data.

8% which was 48 48 schools in 2324. The 2425 school year also marked the highest number of schools meeting or exceeding growth since before 2018-19. Next slide please. So the next two slides are recognized schools that met or exceeded growth. Growth is one of the measures of our that impacts because it shows no matter where students begin educators are

moving them and and making a difference. So as you can see I'm moving again for elementary. You see Burton, CC Spalding. Let me say these are exceeded growth.

Um Burton, CC Spalding, Eastway, Eno Valley, Forest View, Holt, Lions Farm, Mangum, Merrick Moore, Morehead Monastery, and Oak Grove. And those elementary schools that met growth was Bethesda, Club Boulevard, Creekide, Easley, Fagatville Street, George Watts, Glenn, Hillindo, Hope Valley, Lakewood, Little River, Pearson Town, Orange Harris, Southwest, Spring Valley, WG Pearson, and we Smith. Next slide, please. This slide shows um the uh middle schools that met or exceeded growth.

And just want to recognize before I lead off read off 100% of our middle schools either met or exceeded growth. So that that's a that's a great accomplishment. So for exceeded growth we have Brogden,

Carrington, Shepard, uh Lakewood Monastery, Lucas, Rogers Hur, Githens, and School for Creative Studies. And then for our schools that met growth, you have Ignite Online Academy, Lowe's, and Neil. And I think there is one more underneath there that I can't see. Um that's it.

Okay. All right. Next slide, please. And then these are the schools that met or exceeded on our high school level.

And so for exceeded on the high school, it was City of Medicine Academy, Durham School of Technology, Durham School of the Arts, and JD Clement Early College. And for our schools at high schools at Met Growth, it was Jordan, Hillside, Riverside, Southern School of Energy and Sustainability. Next slide, please. So, DPS continues its trends by having schools ranked in the top 100 and 20 percentile of the state's 2,590 schools for academic growth. So, we had

39 growth index was which was the highest in DPS. We had two other schools ranked in the top 100. It was City of Medicine. They were ranked 44th in North Carolina.

And then Shepard Middle ranked 69th in North Carolina. DPS had 15 schools ranked in the top 20% of the state's 2590 schools for academic growth. These schools with asterisks um had two consecutive school years in the top 20 in the state. Um the first three you've already mentioned, Early College, CMA, and Shepard.

And as noted, they have asterisks. So they had uh they were in this ranking in the top 100 or 20 percentile for two consecutive school years. We have Lakewood Monasury Middle, Durham School of the Arts, Burton Oak Grove, Durham School of Technology, CC Spalding, Rogers her, Lions Farm, Holt, Lucas, Morehead Monastery, and Mangum. Next slide, please.

This slide highlights DPS statewide ranking for of schools meeting or exceeding growth. So DPS place in the top 10, actually number nine among all districts with with our district being the largest school system in the top 10. Again, these are schools meeting or exceeding growth. So that's a great accomplishment.

Next slide. This slide also, this slide highlights, I should say, how DPS ranked among the 12 largest districts in North Carolina with schools meeting exceeding growth. 9. So the number in parenthesis as you see um is school districts where the district ranked in the state, meaning they're they're ranking the state with meeting or exceeding growth.

I'll let you, most of you seen this, but let you look at it for a second, but as you can see, we're first and you can see some of where our counterparts are ranked in the state as well. I won't say any names. Next slide, please.

So, this slide shows how DPS compares with Durham Charter Schools in meeting or exceeding growth. 4 for among Durham charter schools. Next slide, please. Um, this slide highlights DPS ranking among the 12 largest district in NC, specifically its 35% English learner or EL progress, which ranks us right about the middle around seventh among other large districts.

Next slide, please. The next set of slides will review the district's overall grade level proficiency, subject level proficiency, EO progress, and some celebrations around EO progress. Next slide, please. This slide reveals the district's overall grade level proficiency or GLP, which includes all end of grade, which is EOG's, and end of course EOCC's over six school years from 18 the school years 18/19 to 2425.

of course excluding the 1920 year due to covid 19. 2 percentage points from 2324. 3 percentage points. Next slide, please.

7 percentage points from 23 24. We had a proficiency uh gains in each of our grade levels. As you can see, the changes from the 23 24 school year to the 2425 school year. Next slide, please.

1 percentage points from 2023 to 2024. Now I should say is 3 through eight as well including uh math one um our math one also included in there as well. So EOG's for eighth grade and math one those that took that um we had proficiency gains of six out of the seven areas with the only increase in uh with only decrease I'm sorry in grade three as you see the changes from the 2324 to the 2425 school year. Next slide please.

5 percentage points as you can see the changes from the 232 24 to the 2425 school year. Do want to note that reorming uh happened in the 2425 school year. So reorming involved the state updating its science standards. So

the science tests were reormed uh and this year now serves as a new baseline going forward. So going forward students results in science will always be compared back to this baseline year to ensure alignment with updated standards. So that's what it means for it to reorm. Okay, next slide please.

Um this slide shows our end of course or EOC proficiency results for biology, English 2, math one for middle and high school high school students and math 3 compared to the 23 24 school year. We had a proficiency gains in four out of the five areas with only decrease in math one in high school. As you see those changes, uh wanted to note that math 3 had the biggest increase with 12 percentage points from the 23 24 school year. Next slide, please. And this is our English learner or EL progress slide. This ESSA requires each state to provide an annual English

language proficiency assessment for all identified English learners or EELs. 0 or access test. Um, under ESSA ELE progress must be measured and reported for all ELELS in grades K through 12. But for SPG or school performance grade, the following grades are used.

elementary grades three through five, middle school grades 6 through 8, and high school grade 10 only. 9 percentage points from the 2023 2024 school year. 5. Students yearly progress goals were also adjusted to match this change. 1 percentage in 2020 in 2020 2021. Since then, DPS has grown 25 points, outpacing the state by

2 in 24-25. So, we came behind and are now keeping keeping pace. 9% to 35% since 2020 2021 closing a 9point gap with the state. Next slide please.

So this celebration slide shows all the schools that surpassed the strategic plan goal 1E benchmark of 38% or better which we had 33 out of our 55 schools which is 60% of our schools. So that's not just a statistic, that's a lot of students making progress in language acquisition. Next slide, please. So our next slides will show our district's high school, college, and career or CCR indicator comparisons and some celebrations. So, North Carolina CCR indicator sets benchmarks measuring

student proficiency in English and math at the college level with the goal of ensuring graduates can succeed can succeed in introductory college courses without remediation. Next slide, please. So, this slide reviews the high school or the CCR indicators across six years from 2018 and 19 through 2425 excluded the 1920 year due to COVID. So CCR includes five indicators.

Four-year cohort graduation rate, math course rigor, ACT or ACT work keys, and the combined ACT work keys or AWA first introduced in 1718. And so this table shows our CCR CCR indicators for the 2425 school year. 4. 9 percentage points from last year.

And again, the four-year cohort graduation rate of students who graduate in four years after their ninth grade entry date. 5. We decreased

from last year 510 of a percentage point. And this is the number of seniors who receive a math uh credit for math 3. 2%. 1 percentage points.

And that is the number of 11th graders who scored proficient on the ACT composite score. So I know this might be a little confusing again. So I'm going to try to explain it with the asterisk if you can see it. So if you look for the for the 20 so for the 2122 22 23 and 2324 school years system minimum requirements changed the ACT minimum composite to 19 to count as passing for students.

Before that the score was 17. So in those years you had to get 19. They changed it to 19 and um where it yes they changed it from 19 to count and before that it was 17. So those are the 2122 22 23 and 23 24

years. Then in the 1819 2021 and 20 24 2025 years they changed it back. So the UNCC systems changed it to count for 17 for passing instead of 19. I know that's confusing, but that's how they did it.

So that's why we tried to put asterisks there. So pretty much the 24, the ones that have the orange asterisk and the green asterisk, they switched them back and forth. So one time you had to get 19, they switched it to 17, then they went from 17 to 19. So we tried to spell it out for you, but the state did that, not us.

So that's the reason why that is up there like that. So if you look at the orange asterric that goes with the description of when when it changed and the green goes with the one it changed. So that's the reason why. So again for the 2425 they changed it back again for this year they changed it to 17 to pass for students and LA the year before that it was 19.

Okay. All right. And so then we

7%. 7%. And the ACT work keys are the number of CTE concentrators who earn a silver or better on the work keys assessment. All right.

So I'm really going to confuse you now. So ACT and ACT work keys are reported, but for SPG or for the indicators, they combine ACT and ACT work keys. Meaning that they look at seniors and if a senior scored whatever this year scored that 19 or 17, I should say, on ACT or they got a silver, they count one of those. So, for example, if I'm a senior and I hit one of those marks, then I go into the ACT ACT work keys pot, if that makes sense. So, ACT and ACT work keys are reported, but that bottom one, ACT, ACT work keys

or AWA is what's counted in school accountability. Okay, I know that's confusing, but I I'm trying to that's that's it's it's complicated, but that's what they use as an indicator. So, if I'm a senior and I don't pass either if I don't get a silver certificate or I don't make that minimum score on the ACT, then I'm not counted. If I do one of those, then I'm counted in that count to go to school school uh performance grade.

Okay, I don't know if that makes sense, but I tried to explain it. All right, next slide, please. So, this is high schools with ACT. 4% or better. So you have JD uh Clement Early College, City of Medicine, Middle College of Middle College High School uh at DTCC which is now as our deck schools but that's what it was last year and then Durham School of the Arts. Next

slide please. decks. I'm sorry. We got that.

You got that acronym. Okay. 4% or better. So, we had three schools that achieved 100%.

So they had a 100% graduation rate and that was JD Early uh JD Clement Early College, City of Medicine Academy and Middle College High School at DTCC or DEX. 9% and that was Durham School of the Arts, Durham School of Technology, and the School for Creative Studies. Next slide, please. So this slide gives information about DPS advanced placement and our AP score report. This data is not officially a part of the ESR accountability data, but we did want to share it as it relates to

college and career readiness indicators. So among the celebrations for DPS uh 20 2025 score reports, there was an increase of 247 exams taken, a 5-year high with a 6% increase in qualifying exams. And then we also had an increase in performance for all student groups. There were 51 AP teachers who had courses with scores at or above the state or global average.

And then finally, 40% 46% of our AP classes offered in DPS had scores above state and or global average. Next slide, please. So the next few slides, we'll review our district subgroup performance data. Within these slides, we'll talk about composite for all subgroups with the change with the change from the 23 24 school year, subgroup comparisons over time for the last seven years and sub subgroup cohort graduation rate over the last seven years. Next slide, please. So, this slide shows subgroups within

DPS with the total number of students tested and the overall composite are on the top row and then all other subgroups are listed to the left. The total number tested was in the middle and their percentage and their percent proficient to the right. And then on the far right, the change from the 2324 to the 2425 school year. 4 percentage points from 2324.

Six out of 10 subgroups increase from the 232 24 year American Indian, black, Hispanic, white, and academically gifted. We had four out of 10 subgroups decrease from 2324. That was Asian, multi-racial, economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient, and students with disabilities. Next slide, please. So this slide highlights our cohort graduation rate CGR by race and ethnicity over a seven-year period

beginning in 2018-19 through the last school year 2425. So the SC subgroups listed are all students Asian, black, Hispanic, multi-racial, and white. 4. So we were down three percentage points from 23 24.

And so here that as noted some differences. I know those are small but some differences. 9 percentage points. Our black subgroup modestly decreased by onetenth of a percentage point.

However though we had an increase of almost 2 percentage points for black students since 1819. 6 percentage points. 2 percentage points. Um, I'm sorry.

2 percentage points. 7 percentage points. Next slide, please.

Um, this slide highlights our other subgroup uh, graduation cord rate over that 7-year period. Um, again, beginning in 1819 through last school year, 24-25. And the subgroup listed are of course all students academically gifted, economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient and students with disabilities. And so um here are kind of just notes.

Our academically gifted remain constant at 95% and as a general reminder please note that data points greater than 95% must be shown as 95% to protect those students confidentiality. 5 percentage points. 5 percentage points. Next slide, please.

Okay. And as at this time, I'll turn it over to Miss Ashley Stevens. She's the director of school innovation as she will review efforts toward continuous improvement, district level actions, and

school supports. Good afternoon. Tonight I will highlight our focus and supports that will ensure we continue moving the data presented forward. Under the leadership of Miss Sidbury, the continuous improvement in school support department is grounded in the idea that we are not looking for surface level fixes.

Our commitment is to steady the work that is already moving the lever for students and to remain true to the processes, procedures, expectations, and policies we have. Next slide, please. When we talk about continuous improvement, we want to be clear across the organization that this is not about chasing the next shiny solution. We're aligning frameworks that are already in place to ensure sustained, meaningful outcomes for students. It's about doing the steady work that makes a difference for students. By aligning these frameworks, we're creating one connected

system instead of a patchwork of initiatives. This co that that coherence helps our schools focus, keep expectations consistent, and ensure equity is at the center of every decision. Next slide, please. At the district level, we've made a conscious shift from compliance oversight to true partnership with schools.

One of our most powerful tools in this shift is the use of 360 degree data for impact. With this model, we use multiple types of data to conduct triangulation and root cause analysis to develop highle action steps, high leverage action steps. It gives a full picture of a school by looking at qualitative, quantitative, process and perceptual data through the lenses of student outcomes, demographics, environment, and implementation fidelity together, not in isolation. That deep review helps us respond to the underlying concerns that create reactive

practices, communicate more clearly with schools, celebrate our wins, and provide support that actually builds capacity where it's needed the most. Next slide, please. At the school level, leadership teams are driving this work forward. They're leaning leading the planning, keeping PLC's focused and reviewing data regularly so that adjustments can happen in real time.

Communication with staff and families keeps everyone engaged and aligned. The steady, consistent approach is what grows teacher capacity, strengthens school culture, and most importantly, produces lasting results. Our charge moving forward is to not be distracted by shortcuts or quick fixes. Instead we will stay steady, focused and aligned because that is what will deliver the outcomes we are looking for.

Thank you. Next slide please. Thank you both

colleagues. Um who wants to go first? >> Yeah, take questions. I'm sure there's a lot of them.

Well, there's a lot to celebrate and um you know, there's still more work to be done, but our students and our educators did well last year. >> Miss Harold Golf, >> I just want to say, yay. Go DPSO. Want to be a cheerleader.

Congratulations to all of our students, you know, who are working really hard. And and I love saying um I know uh I've heard Dr. Lewis talk about, you know, being the number one premier district in the country, in the world, in the universe, but um I I really do feel like um we're we're quite exceptional. So, it's hard to read the numbers and to see things moving and changing and to know all the work we have to do, but so so much gratitude for the hard work that our students and our educators are doing

every day. And we are quite exceptional. Emily Chávez, >> thank you for this great presentation. Um, and thank you for the team for all the work that you've done.

Um, I think the theme is growth. It's, you know, all throughout. Um, and so it's there is a lot to be proud of. Um, I I I think I just want to make some comments.

Um, I wanted to note that I was really happy to see the increases in all the reading levels. Um, we know that's fundamental for our students. Um, the increase in EL progress, that's huge. Um, I hope that we will, uh, be a model for this state as one of the districts with the highest EL populations. Um and so I'm I'm so proud of the work that we've, you know, clearly done um especially in the last couple years around that. And um and so

um I want to note that um and also just I want to say something about standardized tests because our students are obviously not um we don't ever want them to feel like a number reflects who they are as people. And it's not to criticize anything any work that we're doing because we are teaching our scholars to navigate this world and we are and standardized tests do give us information that we use. Um and so they're a tool um and like other tools they have limitations. Um and you know they they can be ableist.

They have a history of racism and classism. And so um I keep that in my mind as I'm looking at this data. Um but so I just want to say that to kind of frame things but um at the same time we have lots um you know we have put in clearly our staff have put in so much work um and invested

in our scholars to to um help them to ignite their limitless poss uh uh potential possibility is that thank you. Um uh and let me see. I wanted to note um that I'm glad to see a focus on decreasing the variability across the schools. Um that's important.

Thank you for sharing about the 360 process as well. Um I and this is in a larger context, but I was concerned to see that 6% drop for Hispanic students of their cohort graduation graduation rate. 5% is pretty is is very low and that's not um that I don't know what it is nationally but I you know we are in a larger context so I don't think it's just DPS but it's concerning and um it's the lowest of any racial or ethnic group. Um and then I

wanted to just say one thing about incentives. I hope that we will also um not use incentives that divide students in any way um around the around testing um or that shame any of our students. We are continuing to invest in our students and um and we love them and you know believe in them no matter what score they get on the test. So um those are my those are my comments but thank you so much.

Um I mean it really shows a lot. It really shows a lot and thank you Dr. Lewis because um it's a it's a collective you know systems level um effort that you know trickles all the way down. So thank you so much >> colleagues.

We have four minutes left. Miss Carter Aton. Um I'll be be brief and just reiterate

thank you um congratulations recognize this is the result of a lot of hard work on behalf of our staff here and um and in our schools um and our students and also just holding the truth that like these numbers while I'm feeling very proud of many of these numbers this is just a piece of the story um and really knowing what happens in our schools and the magic that takes place in all of our classrooms is the more important maybe or other accompanying part of the story, right? We need our kids to be proficient and we really really want to see growth and that's what's super exciting this year. That means kids have learned a lot um and that many of our kids have learned. So um I still am left this is might take more than our a loted time. I'm still feeling a little bit confused about the um and I'd sent this question ahead of time and still don't quite understand the answer and that might be a me problem but um the English learner progress and the science the fact that the so the English learner progress

we'll start with that because the exit score changed does that mean that we really can't compare this year's um this year's percentage point um with last year's And if that is not the case, then can you help me understand why those are comparable if the exit score changed? >> All right. So, yes, I'm going to I'm going to read it from an accountability standpoint. I actually talked to Miss Ramen today or talked to her also talked to Miss to Dr.

Pitman. So, I'm going to kind of read I kind of did try to try to put this in in in simpler terms. If I don't answer it, I apologize. as maybe you can follow up to get your specific answer, but the the change kind of affected who can the the change affected who can exit. It also lowered the yearly goals for some students, even if their goal was only to make progress and not to exit. DPI made this change because the data showed that over the last three

5 were performing like their nonl classmates on state test. So the this rule is only about 2425. A new access test will start in 2526 and then the standard will be reset then. So I that was a long answer.

I don't know if I answered your question. I don't know if we could follow up with with uh Dr. Pitman's department to get more of a of a clear answer, but that's kind of what when we talked without convoluting. I don't know if I answered your question, but um that's what I kind of checked based upon your question.

I received kind of the answer that I that I received because again, I'm kind of speaking it from an accountability standpoint whereas that department can can do those nuances if that makes sense. So, I don't know if I answered your question or not, but I tried. >> Thank you. 9 percentage point increase from last year to this year. >> Yes, >> that is an accurate reflection of this

data. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes.

>> And then I'll follow up to learn more about this and what my brain might not be understanding right now. And then about the science proficiency. So on that slide 32 on my um slide deck, those really are not like that looks very bad, but that we those are not real um that's not real change because the science was reormed. >> Every time uh and and Nelson is a good reorm uh Mr.

Surles, I'm sorry, can can also attest, but let me say this first. it went around the science scores for the state every the district I two dropped everywhere because when you reorm the test again it's new standards >> so what's happening is is they establish new standards at the state and then students are tested on those standards and then once those standards and the results come back that's called reorming. So again, next year at this time, they will compare after students take the test during the 25 26 year, they'll then compare those scores and

those those cut scores and everything to the students this year. So this is like a I guess am I saying it's a rock bottom? It's a it's a base. So that's the reason why they're so low because it's a it's technically a new test.

Every time we've reormed, we've had a dip um historically meaning and and it's not just our district. I talked to other districts, everybody's science scores were low, but it's going to be it's expected because it's a brand it's a new test with new standards, >> right? So, it doesn't make sense to actually compare the 23 24 to this year's >> Yeah. So, so Dr.

Dr. Tuck Thomas said it's not included in accountability when they reormed, but I I I guess you could say we just wanted to let you know where we were at, but we typically compare yeartoear. So, that's the reason why it looks like it does because it's a new test, but it it's really a different test because the tests they took this year are different standards than the 2324 school year. >> Okay. Thank you.

>> Anybody else? Miss Beyer, you look like you want to say something. >> I I want to um always take the time to celebrate the the students and the staff that um work so hard to get us to this place. I love seeing Bree's school as an A school, which means that Bri and her peers are are getting it done.

a school that exceeded growth. City of medicine, a school that is number 44 in the state for academic growth. Um, Bri, we're proud of you, but we are also proud of every single school in this district. So, two minutes.

What are you Is that what you're looking at me about? Yeah, I don't like the new timekeeping. I'm just going to go ahead and put that in the record. Um I think um one of this things that that needs to be celebrated that I didn't hear others say was the

the growth in numbers of kids taking AP courses and doing well in AP. That's huge. Um and then one of my areas I look forward to hearing more about is just how we work on this this um graduation rate because we've got to make sure that every child in Durham is ready for what is next and that's a high school diploma. Um, so I just want to celebrate our folks and give the minutes back to Miss Rogers.

Thank you. >> Um, thank you. I will start with some of my questions. Um, very very appreciative of presentation.

Miss Beyer started with the AP. uh what plans are in place if the state of North Carolina doesn't support uh paying for the AP test this year? How do we make sure that we keep those numbers up? Um is there an ask of the board to help with that? Uh what what are we doing to communicate with families that

they may need to pay for AB testing, look for resources, anything like that? As I will say, I I'll kind of look over at um Dr. Pitman. Um I just do I'm I'm kind of reporting on accountability, so we can get that answer for you.

I'm sure people are taking notes and and doing that, but I'm not able to answer that per se on >> Are you nervous about what it's going to do to accountability results if the state doesn't pay for them? >> I'm I'm nervous if we don't get any kind of funding. Yes. So, >> well, >> yeah, >> we all are.

>> Yes. >> Things change drastically. The last report I heard was the state was going to pay for the AP exams. Dr.

Pitman, did that change? Have that changed yet? >> Yes. And we're waiting for definitive guidance from the state um so that we can support our students.

We don't want our exams to to cut to lower and participation rates. We're on an upward trajectory. We've got positive momentum, great leadership from the district level, our schools, our our principles,

and our of course our AP faculty. So, we have really made tremendous gains tonight. Dr. King over the last couple of days and our director Laura Parrot have been presenting at the state level on our progress and the work we're doing.

So, we definitely want to maintain this momentum and continue the good work our schools are accomplishing. >> And let me clarify too, I'm sorry I said this in my presentation. I had a a a brain freeze and Nelson reminding the AP, even though I don't want to disinish, it's very important, but it's not a part of accountability measures. So let me say that.

So okay I did. Okay. >> Thank you. Um the only other question that I kind of have and I wonder if my colleagues are in well there two I have a question that I'm going to ask for Mr. tab. But um the one question I think I have for my colleagues is are we aware as a board about the um

per pupil spending at the schools that are outperforming other schools? And um would it be of interest to us to look at the per pup people spending based on the scores? Does that make do you understand my questions? Uh my short answer is yes.

Um I would be interested to know that. Um, I also, um, I'm curious about, uh, like spending that is not captured, um, uh, maybe more more officially like um, kids who get to go on field trips, sorry, kids who get to go on field trips or the spending on those things. Um so some there are is spending that is um only allotted for certain groups of students based based on activities that they're participating in. Um so anyway

that's something I think about. So you just tapped into that and um and then with our reporting of grants I'm interested to know how that affects um your pu per pupil um spending as well. I I can't speak to when the right time would be for that. Miss Carter, for any of it.

I don't know, Miss Cart. U I'd be super interested in um looking at per pupil spending with the long-term goal of like having a more um and I know Dr. Lewis has mentioned this before, having a more like equity based allocation of resources in our district at least would be where I would would be going with that. And I think that if maybe if okay um to make sure we're giving more resources, staffing allocations andor like financial resources to schools that need more of that >> buyer. >> Yeah, I'm just kind of reflecting we we did that we dug into that spreadsheet wise many many years ago and it is

helpful. And I also want to be clear that none of our schools have enough. And so, um, I'd be interested in like cabinet taking a look at it and seeing what reflections they have maybe leading into budget season, but, um, I don't think just bringing straight numbers straight to us without their um, yeah, I don't know. >> I also, let me be clear.

Yes. I just, I would like us to see it. I also don't believe that everywhere we're spending there's more per people spending is performing better, right? Because there's some schools that are doing great with less and so we don't know that unless we look into it every few years.

So just to know would be helpful. Emily Chávez, >> I would ask Dr. Lewis, what are your thoughts on on this and how do you use that data currently? Yeah, I just got the report yesterday, Jeremy, per pupil. It's

kind of varies by school and you also have to take into account exactly what um uh Chair Rogers mentioned around um some schools that may we may spend more on may not be outperforming based on that. Plus, you have to take in account small schools and additional staff. Jeremy can speak to how he developed the spreadsheets. I mean, do we have the spreadsheet ready?

I think yeah, Dr. Lewis prepared me to anticipate um this request and so we um so we did um so in the past day or so develop a sheet that just looked at every funding source, state, local, federal um grants, uh things of that nature, right? We excluded we excluded school nutrition, right? You know, the board's got a level playing field there with everyone having access to free breakfast and lunch.

And so uh we look we looked at every column there of of funding type um that we provide from budgeted funds and then we divided that by the the number of of peoples enrolled and and I think Dr. Lewis is right. We

did see a mixture of things that some were doing well with less and some didn't do so well with a whole lot um and and outcomes in between. Um and um we really had some I think we expressed that part two of that is a deeper dive of how effective um are the choices um have you know how how how well um are they making choices with those resources. And so we're looking at things like how much of that was spent on food, how much of that was spent um on on tutoring or or development and and things that we know are high impact. And um and I think uh one piece that's a factor in that um you know there there are dollars that are at the school's control u and some of them bene you know some of them may benefit from they have more seasoned um teaching personnel um and and more personnel with master's degrees and so the the personnel expenditures are driving some of that per pupil cost and so we can um

certainly push into that further to how much of that is driven by the cost of the personnel at those schools and is it reflective of a higher qualified teacher base at certain schools. So there's a lot of different ways we can dissect it. And so just based on that initial look yesterday, right, we have I think more questions that will spring into as a cabinet um to Miss Beyer's point and and uh h happy to compile some sort of analysis for the board. >> Thank you.

Okay, I have to ask Mr. Tab's question. How did we end up with two F schools this year instead of just the one from last year? I don't know.

Um I don't know that we identified what schools those were. >> No, we >> in the slide. >> No, we didn't we didn't identify those. But and and I'm sorry, repeat the question. How

Yeah. >> Um I I guess the accountability is that the answer would be is of course there all their indicators for SPG gave them a certain score which did that. Now if I guess if you're asking what what happened at that particular school or schools is is is that the is that the question? >> Okay.

So I can't interpret that. I'm not I'm not going to begin to interpret that. But what I'm hearing is you're the numbers guy and these are the results. And it may not even be the same one of the same the school that was the F last year and then it could be potentially two different schools. Um I guess the better not the better question the additional question would be what supports are being put in place for those schools to improve them this year. Um, so as we look at our schools, one thing that we've done, um, we've always

looked at it this way, but we've taken a deeper dive of really focusing on those growth indexes for the schools. So our schools meet or exceed or don't meet, but we actually get a growth index score. So that's really where we're able to see. Sometimes our school's um achievement, which is just the achievement part of the score, might be at one range, but their actual growth, the rate at which they're growing students change.

So, we've done a really deep dive into what those index scores look like. And we've created um a matrix view of schools that are moving forward, moving backward, and maintaining proficiency versus moving forward, backwards, and then their growth index to really look at as we looked at reeering schools based on some very specific metrics to provide them support. What's that next layer of when we actually go into a school and conduct what we call impact meetings and really look at the right now data? School

started a week later. What data do we have? We have that idea of we really need to be focused on moving that growth index because we do know it will take longer for some students to reach proficiency. The expectation is that they're still growing at that steady rate so they can reach there.

Thank you. >> And was mentioned earlier really taking a hard look at how we're providing additional resources at those schools. Dr. King indicated at our last meeting and shared with the board and the public uh that cabinet will be doing uh its meetings out in schools.

We are prioritizing those to schools on the front end so we can hear and see from um hear from the staff, hear from the administration as relates to what additional supports are needed in in in those schools. So, uh, yeah, we're keenly aware of those two schools and it it was one additional um, well, it was one elementary school that was added to that list and another middle school that maintained on that list. And so, not only are we, uh, concerned about just the academic supports, but the

wraparound services, uh, the additional just the upkeep of the buildings too, which also makes a difference as well. So, we're looking holistically at uh, providing equitable resource resources to all of our buildings. Colleagues, anything else? Miss Miss Chavez, >> I just want to ask if Bri has any questions or thoughts?

>> Oh, I was going there, too. >> You're good. >> Hello everyone. Um, good afternoon.

Um, I would like to say I'm really proud of the schools. I'm really proud of all the changes. I was I was worried about the science change but since they changed the curriculum that makes sense. Um I just want to say thank you to all the teachers because without the teachers we wouldn't have made this growth. I am very grateful. Teachers always have an impact and I feel like good teachers will make a great impact in the future.

I'm sorry. they will increase education and I feel like when you have a good teacher it makes an impact and it will just help you strive to get a better education. I would like to say shout out to my teachers and my principal you know thank you espec es especially my principal um Dr. for Griffin Jordan.

I would like to give her a thank you for giving me an opportunity and helping me see this new world cuz I really like I want to come to the next meeting. Like I really like these meetings. They're really interesting. I like to hear everybody out and I like to see the data and what we can do to improve schools and education.

And I would I have one question about the graduation rates. What can we do to increase those graduation rates and decrease dropout rates? Thank you for being here and thank you for that question. So we um that's one of our strategic plan goal teams and we

meet regularly to kind of look at this data and provide supports to schools. Um we have a couple of strategic efforts that are in place now and that is one of the shifts we're making. there is a lot of um data entry and paperwork that goes into getting that graduation cohort rate. So in order to do justice to that, we have to make sure that we have those processes and procedures in place and making sure that that's tight across all schools.

But our shift has been in focusing in really our student services side of it and looking at those trends and dropouts and what proactive things we can put in place starting all the way down into elementary school. So that is really been our focus and making those shifts looking at mentor programs looking at our um four-year co fouryear plans that we're working with in our middle schools so that we can be proactive on that front end. and then making sure that we have strategies for our current seniors that we want to see get across the line, you know, this

coming school year and that cohort rate. So, finding a balance between what do our students need right now and what can we do so that we don't get to this place again. If I could add um exactly I agree exactly what um what was shared there but also when we think about just the academic performance of of all of our students and ensuring that they are equipped to perform at that next level really keening in leaning in into what are the early indicators of a student dropping out and it's typically attendance. So being keenly aware of that where those patterns are and then also math proficiency ensuring that they are uh proficient in math by seventh and eighth grade is an early indicator in terms of dropout. And as was mentioned there's a lot of reporting that goes on uh in that. And so um you know when a student may transfer to another school in state or out of state if we don't know where that student is if the receiving school doesn't send us a um records request and we can't locate that student that student is considered a

dropout. And so it's going to take some accurate reporting, some sometimes stalking on social media to find out where these students are so they can count for our um graduation rate. And here's the thing, I shared this with our high school principles is that right now your nth grade class has 100% graduation rate at which point do we lose it? And it's typically after that first nine weeks, that first quarter.

And so what are the safety nets? Uh you know, you often hear that sometimes kids just fall through the cracks. Well, there should not be any cracks. So what are those safety nets that we have in place immediately after that first quarter if a student fails one, two, or three classes?

What are those interventions and safety nets that we can put in place so that uh kids are are not that we're not waiting until 11th and 12th grade trying to catch students up? So it's going to take a holistic approach, but we we have a plan for that. >> Thank you all. Colleagues, that's everything.

the next thing on our agenda. >> Can I make some comments? >> Wasn't he just talking?

>> I have more comments. This is Go ahead. >> Much to celebrate. Uh certainly appreciate Bri uh sharing uh the teachers matter.

Uh the the the results of this data are a collective effort, but you've heard me say before, the number one decisive factor in terms of improving student outcomes is indeed the classroom teacher. Um the teachers can't teach the students if they're not at school. So our bus drivers, safety monitors, safety assistants who got the uh students to school, our food services who feed the students, all it takes a full collective effort. And so if you think about just the growth that was shared today, uh yes, we want to celebrate, you know, we're not not going to throw a huge party because we have much more work to do, but that is something to be said about uh our amazing educators and most importantly our amazing students in this school system.

despite the year that we had last year yet and still we were able to to see some of these gains. So, I'm just hugely excited about where we're going um this this this this next year. And a huge shout out to PLC and in um um

Lakewood Lake View, I'm sorry, PLC and Lake View um succeeding over there. So, we have a lot to be really proud of and and and excited about as we think about just where we've come this this this short year. So, more to come on that. We're going to dig deeper in in this data um and definitely come up with some action plans.

We did not want to present this data without sharing also uh what we're doing to respond to this data. So, more to come on that, but hugely excited about u where we are and where we're going and the fact that um we uh I think it was 89% of our schools met or exceeded growth. 89% met or exceeded growth. And of the largest 12 districts, we're we're number one.

And you uh you you shared um Dr. Russell shared the the charter school growth. Uh and I just will say publicly that that sometimes parent families in this community think that charter equals better. And that's certainly not the case. And so we have um some amazing schools in Durham public

schools and we will continue to educate this community on um what's special what's so special about Durham public schools. Colleagues, is there a motion to go into close session? >> I move that we go into close session for the reasons stated on the agenda. >> Second.

>> It has been moved by Miss Beyer, seconded by Miss Harold Gaul for us to go into close session for the reasons stated on the agenda. Is there any further discussion? Mr. Tab?

I Wenddale Tab >> Emily Chávez. >> Hi, >> Miss Ber. >> Hi, >> Miss Cardotten. >> Hi, >> Miss Herob.

>> I >> And I vote I um thank you all. Thank you, Bri. We won't stream after close session. Um so, thanks all. Good night.