Feb 11, 2026 Board Meetings

ALL RIGHT. I WAS WONDERING WHY EVERYONE WAS STARING AT ME. I WAS FOLLOWING. ALL RIGHT, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO ORDER AT 5:15 P.M..

[I. OPEN SESSION]

[00:00:09]

PRESENT. META. PRESENT. MAURA. PRESENT. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A QUORUM. AND BOARD MEETINGS ARE LIVE STREAMED AND RECORDED AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD.

THE LIVE STREAM IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING THE DAY AFTER THE BOARD MEETING. THOSE IN ATTENDANCE SHOULD EXPECT THAT THE RECORDINGS WILL CAPTURE ALL ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSIONS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE MEETINGS.

THIS EVENING THE BOARD WILL BE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.

[V. CLOSED SESSION]

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ANY OF THE ITEMS IN CLOSED SESSION? SEEING NONE. WE WILL RECONVENE OPEN SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30 P.M.

OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CONCLUSION OF CLOSED SESSION.

[VI. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION]

WE'RE RECONVENING OPEN SESSION AT 636. HELENE, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? PRESIDENT GRANT. PRESIDENT HARDING. PRESENT. META.

PRESENT. PRESENT. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

I'M GOING TO ASK RICK TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.

PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

ALL RIGHT. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING.

CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? I FEEL LIKE THE. THIS IS A LITTLE LOW.

CAN WE HAVE SOMEONE? IS THAT A LITTLE BETTER? TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST. TEST, TEST. THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S.

NO. NOT YET. TEST. TEST. CHECK ONE. CHECK. OKAY.

BETTER. A LITTLE BIT MORE. GO AHEAD AND JUST GO ALL THE WAY.

ALL RIGHT. OH. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S FAIR.

ALL RIGHT. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING.

BUT BEFORE WE MOVE ON, JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD BYLAW NINE 323 MEETING CONDUCT INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST SUBMIT A COMPLETED PUBLIC COMMENT CARD PRIOR TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ITEM.

AND NO LATER THAN THE FIRST ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ALLOWED TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD SHALL LIMIT THE TOTAL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON EACH ITEM TO 20 MINUTES.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND HAND IT TO THE STAFF MEMBER AT THE TABLE OUTSIDE OF THE BOARDROOM.

AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING, WE ASK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO REFRAIN FROM APPROACHING THE DAIS TO PROVIDE BOARD MEMBERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIR BELONGINGS SIGNED DOCUMENTS AND SECURE ANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

BOARD MEMBERS MAY MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC BY STEPPING DOWN FROM THE DAIS AND ENTERING THE AREA FOR AUDIENCE SEATING.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?

[X. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

WE HAVE AN AGENDA. NEXT UP WE HAVE A CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

[XI.a. African American/Black History Month]

WELL, GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT GRANT. TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT CASTILLO, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.

IT IS AN HONOR TO SHARE HOW NATOMAS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY AS AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

CELEBRATING OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE EXTREME PRIDE IN NATOMAS.

AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WAYS WE ARE HONORING THIS MONTH.

SO AS PART OF OUR EARLY LEARNING READING EARLY LEARNING LEARNERS READING INITIATIVE, READ TO SUCCEED.

THE BOOK GOING PLACES VICTOR HUGO GREEN AND HIS GLORIOUS BOOK, WRITTEN BY AWARD WINNING AUTHOR TANYA BOULDING, HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY AND K-8 LIBRARIES FOR STUDENTS TO JOIN TO ENJOY.

IT'S A STORY THAT TEACHES STUDENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS.

HERE'S A SHORT HIGHLIGHT VIDEO. SOME REACTIONS FROM STUDENTS WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE BOOK.

[00:05:09]

THE BOOK WAS CALLED GOING PLACES. IT'S THE STORY OF VICTOR HUGO GREEN, WHO MADE AN AMAZING CONTRIBUTION TO NOT JUST AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, BUT AMERICAN HISTORY. SHARP BLUE GRAY UNIFORM CREATED A RESOURCE KIND OF LIKE A GUIDEBOOK FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS TRAVELING ACROSS AMERICA, BASICALLY OUTLINING WHICH PLACES WERE SAFE TO STOP GREEN, FLIPPED OPEN MAILBOXES AND RANG DOORBELLS.

NOW THAT IT'S SAFE TO GO ON ROAD TRIPS, IT MADE ME FEEL HAPPY.

DID PEOPLE GET AROUND? AND WHY DO YOU LOVE READING? BECAUSE THAT IT GROWS MY BRAIN AND IT. AND IT GROWS MY MIND IN AN ILLINOIS TOWN.

WHY DO YOU LIKE READING? BECAUSE IT MAKES US LEARN BETTER.

LANGSTON HUGHES, DUKE ELLINGTON'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THE BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARY AND THE BOOKS THAT I READ TO STUDENTS FEEL REFLECTIVE OF WHO THEY ARE SO THAT STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEIR STORY IS IMPORTANT, THEIR IDENTITY IS IMPORTANT, AND THAT IT'S VALID.

ALL SORTS OF PLACES. IN ADDITION, THIS YEAR WE HAVE LAUNCHED READING BUDDIES AND READING BUDDIES IS A PAIRING OF SOME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH SOME OF OUR YOUNGER SCHOLARS TO READ TO ONE ANOTHER.

THIS IS ALSO A PART OF THE READ TO SUCCEED INITIATIVE.

AND THIS MONTH THERE WERE A VARIETY OF BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES ON DISPLAY, HIGHLIGHTING BOOKS WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN AND BLACK CHARACTERS AND AUTHORS.

AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PHOTOS OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO READ THIS MONTH AT HERRON.

PASO VERDE AND H. ALLEN HITE. ALSO, WE HAVE OLIVIA HERE.

SHE RECORDED A READ ALONG FOR THE BOOK THE ME I CHOOSE TO BE BY NATASHA TARPLEY, AND WE ALSO SENT THIS READ ALONG AS WELL AS A FAMILY ACTIVITY GUIDE THROUGH PARENT SQUARE.

AND IT'S ALSO ON THE READ TO SUCCEED WEB PAGE SO THAT FAMILIES CAN NOT ONLY LISTEN TO THE BOOK, BUT THEY CAN ALSO DO AN ACTIVITY WITH THEIR CHILDREN TO JUST ENHANCE READING AT HOME.

SO WE WANT TO THANK OLIVIA, ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AGAIN UTILIZING SOME OF OUR OLDER STUDENTS TO WORK WITH OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS.

WE ALSO HAD A PARENT UNIVERSITY SESSION LAST WEEK WHICH WAS VERY, VERY WELL ATTENDED.

WE HAD 52 FAMILIES AND SO EACH FAMILY CAME WITH AT LEAST ONE CHILD.

SOME HAD 2 OR 3 OR MORE. SO IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY COLORFUL NIGHT.

OUR AUTHOR, WHO IS ALSO A PARENT, HER NAME IS JASMINE WILLIAMS, AND SHE READ HER BOOK, OUR COLORFUL SCHOOL.

AND SHE ALSO LED OUR FAMILIES IN AN ACTIVITY.

AND THE WONDERFUL THING THAT IS REALLY POPULAR IS ALL OF THE ATTENDEES ARE ABLE TO LEAVE WITH A BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR.

SO LASTLY, WE HAVE SO MUCH GREAT THINGS GOING ON.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST A GLIMPSE OF SOME OF OUR OLDER STUDENTS.

AND SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH TYSON AMIR AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THREE YEARS.

AND HE THIS IS NOT JUST DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BUT IT'S THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE HE'S TEACHING OUR STUDENTS HISTORY THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW SPECIFICALLY SOME OF THE BLACK HISTORY.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A VIDEO HEARING FROM THE STUDENTS AND THEIR REACTIONS TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE LEARNING. SO HERE WE GO. LET ME GET LET ME GET EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.

LET'S GET STARTED. IF YOU DO WANT TO SHARE, SAY.

ALL RIGHT. COOL. THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THE BLACK PROGRAM BEING AT SCHOOLS HERE IN NATOMAS UNIFIED, AND THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR BEING HERE AT BANNON CREEK.

THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER HANDS THAT WERE UP, I THINK IT WAS TO PROTEST THE BAN ON THE RIGHT TO FREE EVENTS.

YES. SO CALIFORNIA, OUR GOAL IS FOR THEM TO DEFINITELY KNOW MORE ABOUT WHO THEY ARE, THEIR HISTORY, THEIR CULTURE, THEIR TRADITION, TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD THAT THEY LIVE IN, BUILDING COMMUNITY. SO WE REALLY PRIORITIZE CREATING A COMMUNITY SPACE WHERE THE STUDENTS CAN SEE EACH OTHER, WHERE THEY CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER, WHERE THEY CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND THEY CAN HAVE POSITIVE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INTERACTIONS, AND THEY COME IN READY TO LEARN AND READY TO PARTICIPATE.

IT'S ABOUT BLACK HISTORY, AND IT'S AND IT'S ACTUALLY FUN.

AND YOU ACTUALLY GET TO BE EDUCATED ON HOW YOUR HISTORY WORKS.

WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING WITH STUDENTS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.

SO POTENTIALLY OUR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS, I MIGHT GET TO SEE US FIFTH GRADERS GET TO SEE THEM AS SIXTH GRADERS,

[00:10:05]

I LEARNED A LOT OF STUFF FROM IT, ESPECIALLY ABOUT LIKE, MY HISTORY AND ANCESTORS AND STUFF THAT I'VE NEVER LEARNED OR KNEW ABOUT HOW PEOPLE IN MY AGE HAVE DONE STUFF TO IMPACT OUR FUTURE AND LIKE HOW MY LIFE IS NOW.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY COOL. I'M NOT MOSTLY BLACK.

I'M ALSO FILIPINO, SO I NEVER KNEW MORE ABOUT MY ETHNICITY AND MY DAD.

HE SOMETIMES TELLS ME ABOUT IT, BUT I WAS MORE EXCITED TO LEARN IT HERE.

SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WE HOPE THAT THEY GET FROM THE PROGRAM. AND ALREADY I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SEEING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE FOUR MONTHS INTO OUR TERM WITH THE BLACK PROGRAM HERE AT BANNON CREEK. AND THAT IS ALSO CURRENTLY AT NATOMAS MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE PROUD OF OUR DIVERSITY IN NATOMAS AND THE MANY CULTURES THAT COMPRISE THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

THIS IS NOT AN INCLUSIVE LIST. IT'S JUST SOME EXAMPLES THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH TRUSTEES ON HOW WE'RE RECOGNIZING AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. LET ME GET LET ME GET EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.

LET'S GET STARTED. UNCLE ONCOR. OKAY. NEXT UP ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS. IS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CSEA AVAILABLE? I'LL JUST READ IT ANYWAY. ALL RIGHT. DOESN'T LOOK LIKE REPRESENTATIVE IS PRESENT.

NTA.

[XII.b. Natomas Teacher's Association (NTA)]

WE OFFER GRATITUDE FOR LAND ITSELF, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE STEWARDED FOR GENERATIONS AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY, LEARN, WORK, AND BUILD COMMUNITY HERE. WE ALSO HONOR THE WILTON RANCHERIA, THE ONLY FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY, AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN THIS SPACE TO ENGAGE IN CONTINUED LEARNING ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO HAVE LIVED AND WORKED ON THIS LAND SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. WE OWN A MEASURABLE AMOUNT OF GRATITUDE TOWARDS THE BLACK EDUCATORS WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US, AND WHO ARE CURRENTLY EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES AND OUR STUDENTS WITH RESPECT TO THEIR CULTURE AND HISTORY. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS DISTRICT'S HISTORY TEACHER ASSOCIATION MEMBERS HAVE AUTHORIZED A STRIKE BY OVER 98%.

LET ME BE CLEAR. NOT A SINGLE EDUCATOR IN THIS DISTRICT WANTS TO LEAVE HER CLASSROOMS OR STUDENTS.

WE WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO SUPPORT THEIR ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL GROWTH.

BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.

WE HAVE CRITICAL VACANCIES ACROSS OUR DISTRICT, LEADING TO OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS AND UNDER-RESOURCED STUDENTS.

SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCES ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN LACKING AND HAVE LED TO UNSAFE SITUATIONS FOR BOTH OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS.

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DISSERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS WITH SOME OF OUR HIGHEST NEEDS, TEACHERS ARE BURNING OUT AND BREAKING DOWN.

THIS CAN'T CONTINUE. FOR OVER A YEAR, WE'VE BEEN CALLING ON YOU TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AND REPRIORITIZE SPENDING TO MEET STUDENT AND STAFF NEEDS INSTEAD.

MISSING LEADING EMAILS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO OUR MEMBERS, ATTEMPTING TO CONFUSE AND DIVIDE US WHILE FAILING TO MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE THE BARGAINING TABLE. BUT OUR STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE MAKES CLEAR THAT 98% OF EDUCATORS AREN'T BUYING THE LIES AND WERE NOT BACKING DOWN.

TONIGHT, THERE WILL BE FINANCIAL PRESENTATIONS THAT WILL AGAIN ATTEMPT TO HIDE THE VAST RESOURCES AND USD HAS AVAILABLE TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS AND BRING REAL STABILITY AND SAFETY TO OUR SCHOOLS. CLAIMS THAT REDUCTION IN SPENDING ON OUTSIDE CONTRACTS AND UPPER ADMINISTRATION, BUT BUDGET REPORTS FILED WITHIN THE STATE TELL A DIFFERENT STORY.

IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, SPENDING ON OUTSIDE CONTRACTS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAS SKYROCKETED, WHILE SPENDING ON EDUCATORS HAS DROPPED TO ITS LOWEST LEVEL EVER.

NATOMAS UNIFIED NOW SPENDS MILLIONS MORE THAN SIMILARLY SIZED DISTRICTS STATEWIDE ON CENTRAL OFFICE SALARIES.

PROMISES TO RESTRUCTURE AND REDUCE CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF HAVE BEEN VAGUE AT BEST, AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY CONCRETE PLANS OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, YOUR RESERVES HAVE INCREASED BY OVER $20 MILLION TO 22% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET.

THE GOVERNOR'S JANUARY BUDGET PROPOSAL MAKES CLEAR THE 10% RESERVE CAP FOR BOTH 20 2526 AND 2627 WILL BE TRIGGERED.

[00:15:05]

THAT'S ON TOP OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE QUIETLY TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND INTO FUND 40 AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT COULD AND SHOULD BE SPENT ON STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE BEING HELD IN A SLUSH FUND FOR SPECIAL BUILDING PROJECTS.

OUR STUDENTS DON'T NEED A FANCY NEW CENTRAL OFFICE WITH TESLA CHARGERS OUTSIDE.

THEY NEED EDUCATORS. THEY NEED SAFETY AND STABILITY AND THEY NEED IT NOW.

IT'S TIME TO STEP UP AND DIRECTOR, SUPERINTENDENT AND THE DISTRICT TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT SOLVING THE STAFFING AND SAFETY CRISIS IN NATOMAS.

OUR FACT FINDING HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 20TH.

NTA REMAINS WILLING TO LISTEN TO ANY SERIOUS PROPOSALS, AND USD IS READY TO MAKE AT THE BARGAINING TABLE.

NONE OF US TAKE THE IDEA OF GOING OUT ON STRIKE LIGHTLY, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE KNOW OUR DEMANDS WILL BRING LONG TERM POSITIVE GAINS FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

IT'S TIME TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE DISTRICT TO GET SERIOUS AND BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, WE ARE. OUR STUDENT BOARD MEMBER IS NOT HERE.

DARREN. ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT UP, WE HAVE OUR TRUSTEES.

[XII.d. Board Members]

HOW ABOUT NOW? YES. PLEASE TAKE CUES FROM THEM.

OKAY, SO LET'S START WITH TRUSTEE MORE. OKAY.

LET'S START WITH TRUSTEE META. SO IT WAS NOT TOO EVENTFUL.

I WAS IN INDIA BECAUSE MY DAD WAS SICK, SO. BUT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE AWARD CEREMONY IN BANNON CREEK LAST FRIDAY.

AND IT'S ALWAYS CLOSE TO MY HEART TO SEE THESE KIDS EXCEL.

WHILE ALL THE ADVERSITIES THAT GO ON IN THEIR LIFE.

AND I'M SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPALS AND THE SCHOOL STAFF WHO HELPED THEM WITH THIS, AND OF COURSE, THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS WHO'VE BEEN DOING THAT.

SO IT IS VERY, VERY MEANINGFUL TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THESE KIDS FLOURISH AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE SAME DAY LAST FRIDAY, THE MULTICULTURAL FEST, WHICH WAS AMAZING TO SEE.

WE HAVE IT. I THINK WE HAVE IT IN APRIL. DEIRDRE.

RIGHT. IF DEIRDRE IS HERE, I DON'T KNOW. YES.

SO IT'S IN APRIL. SO I ATTENDED ONE IN EVERY THREE CHARTER SCHOOL.

AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY NICE AND BEAUTIFUL TO SEE ALL THE PERFORMANCES.

THE LAST THING IS, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DEIDRE FOR YOUR TEAM TO DOING ALL THESE DIVERSITY EVENTS EVERY TIME, EVERY MONTH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DEIDRE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE MAYOR.

TRUSTEE DOCCHECK. A COUPLE OF BRIEF THINGS. LAST WEEK, THREE OF US HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS CEREMONY.

IT WOULD TAKE WAY TOO LONG TO BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE JUST HOW MEANINGFUL THAT EVENT IS TO THIS DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY TO OUR STUDENTS. BUT THERE'S ONE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, AND I THINK TRUSTEE WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHICH ONE.

BUT WE HAD A STUDENT AT ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING INSECURITY.

BUT STILL, DESPITE MOVING THROUGHOUT THE REGION IN MULTIPLE COUNTIES, LET ALONE MULTIPLE CITIES, IS STILL COMING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY AND PARTICIPATING IN ATHLETICS.

HER SUCCESS IS DUE IN NO SMALL PART TO HER EFFORTS, HER HERCULEAN EFFORTS, AND HER COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL.

BUT IT'S ALSO DUE TO THE VILLAGE OF SUPPORTS THAT THIS DISTRICT PROVIDES FROM PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND HER TEACHERS ON SITE.

WITHOUT THAT VILLAGE, SHE WOULD NOT BE SUCCEEDING THE WAY SHE IS RIGHT NOW AND ON TRACK TO GRADUATE WITH HONORS IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.

SO I WANT TO THANK NOT ONLY OUR CAFE TEAM FOR PUTTING ON THIS AMAZING EVENT, BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERY TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR, COUNSELOR, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE, EVERYONE WHO HAS COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THIS STUDENT WHO THEN AT THE SITE WENT EVEN A STEP FURTHER, KNOWING THAT SHE HAS NO DISCRETIONARY INCOME WHATSOEVER, HAS PAID FOR HER SENIOR CLASS TRIP AND HER PROM TICKETS.

THAT'S THE KIND OF DEDICATION WE SEE THAT DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH.

SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE.

WHILE I'M IN THE PROCESS OF THANKING WHEN WE HAD A BOARD PRESENTATION.

SOMETIME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE DATA.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD ASKED FOR WAS A BREAKDOWN OF THAT DATA COMPARING, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A HIGH TRANSIENCY RATE, WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT COME INTO THIS DISTRICT FROM OTHER DISTRICTS, AND LIKEWISE SOME THAT GO OUT.

AND WHEN WE'RE COMPARING OUR RESULTS YEAR OVER YEAR, I FELT LIKE IT DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE TO SAY, WELL, HOW'S THIS GRADE LEVEL DOING? IF HALF OF THEM WEREN'T IN NATOMAS LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE ESTABLISHING THE BASELINE OR PROVIDING THOSE SUPPORTS.

[00:20:05]

THE LONGER STUDENTS ARE WITH US IN THE DISTRICT, THE BETTER THEIR OVERALL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, WHICH TELLS US THAT WHILE NONE OF US ARE SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OVERALL THAT WE'RE HAVING, WE DO SEE THAT THE STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING IS HAVING A QUANTIFIABLE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENT SUCCESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS.

AND I KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL PROBABLY BE ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE LATER TODAY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE. I HAVE NO REPORT. TRUSTEE HARDIN. WELL, TRUSTEE STOLE MOST OF IT, SO I WILL JUST KEEP THIS VERY BRIEF FOR THE SAKE OF ALL FOR STARTING THIS WAY. YEAH.

I'M SO SORRY FOR THE. HOW DARE ME FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE GET TO HAVE IS GOING TO THE.

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS, AND IT ALWAYS MAKES ME CRY.

BUT TO SEE WHAT ALL WE BRING TO THE TABLE AND THE THINGS AND HOW THAT CAMPUS WENT THAT EXTRA MILE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET. SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF.

IT'S ALMOST BETTER THAN GRADUATION, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU GUYS.

YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WE SHOULDN'T SAY THAT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.

THE ONLY OTHER THING IS I WENT TO SOME SITE VISITS. EVERYTHING'S LOOKING GOOD. THE THOMAS PARK ELEMENTARY.

I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS, AND I'VE ALREADY SHARED THEM WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, SO THAT IS THE END OF MY REPORT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE HARDIN. TRUSTEE MAURA.

THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO START WITH SOME SITE VISIT REPORTS, THE FIRST ONE BEING THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND THE LEROY GREENE ACADEMY BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT FOR THIS SPRING. AND IT WAS EVERYTHING THAT IT USUALLY IS, INCLUDING SOME SOME VERY INTERESTING DAD JOKES FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. SINCE THE PRINCIPAL WHO IS KNOWN FOR DOING THOSE WAS SICK.

SO I THINK IT JUST SHOWS HOW CONNECTED THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS AT LGA, AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO SEE THE WORK THAT STUDENTS ARE DOING IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSES IS ALWAYS A WELCOME OPPORTUNITY.

I KNOW FOR ALL OF US. ANOTHER ANOTHER SITE VISIT THAT WAS ALSO A CONGRATULATORY VISIT WAS FOR OUR CLASSIFIED STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR. WHO IS ANNA OVER AT AMERICAN LAKES SCHOOL.

AND I SAW THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND SOME OTHERS WERE ABLE TO TO STOP BY AND MAKE SURE SHE WAS PROPERLY CONGRATULATED.

AND SO I AND SO I FELT LEFT OUT AND I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, COME BY AND MAKE SURE THAT SHE WAS FEELING ALL OF THE LOVE FOR THIS TREMENDOUS AWARD, BUT ALSO BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE FIRSTHAND HOW HOW POSITIVELY SHE INTERACTS WITH EVERYONE WHO COMES BY THE, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT OFFICE THERE, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS.

AND YOU KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS YOU KNOW, SUPER SUPER PERSON SUPER WOMAN WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY CONFIDE IN THEM, THE, THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED TO THEM THAT DAY AND MAYBE ALSO SOME OF THE CHALLENGING, CHALLENGING THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM THAT DAY TO ESPECIALLY THE STAFF AT THE FRONT OFFICES.

AND SO JUST THAT REALLY SPECIAL REPORT THAT SHE HAS WITH, WITH STUDENTS AND WITH OTHERS, I THINK IS IS WORTH RECOGNIZING IN THIS MOMENT. AND ALSO, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT CASTILLO, FOR JOINING ME IN THAT SECOND VISIT TO TO REALLY THANK HER.

I ALSO WANT TO CELEBRATE A COUPLE MORE THINGS.

THE FIRST ONE BEING THAT THE RELATED TO TWO AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAVE LATER TODAY, AND I PREFER TO TOUCH ON THEM A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE EXTENSIVELY RIGHT NOW, THE FIRST THE FIRST BEING THAT WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPROVE THE DISTRICT'S FIRST EVER LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS MONUMENTOUS FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

BUT THE BIGGEST REASON BEING TO HONOR THE INDIGENOUS HISTORY AND THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE BEFORE ALL OF US WERE HERE.

AND REALLY, THAT'S WHAT EDUCATION IS ABOUT, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FORGET A LOT OF THINGS, BUT ESPECIALLY THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HAVE LED US TO BE WHERE WE ARE NOW.

AND SO I THINK FOR A DISTRICT AS DIVERSE AS OURS, IT WILL BE REALLY MEANINGFUL TO HOPEFULLY APPROVE THIS LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

AND ALSO AT SOME POINT, SEE A PLAQUE ON THE WALL IN THE MEETING ROOM.

[00:25:05]

AND I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SEEN AND ANECDOTALLY RELATED TO SOCIAL WORKERS AT EVERY SCHOOL SITE.

BUT TO BE BRIEF, THEY ARE ALSO SUPERHUMANS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

LASTLY, ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A HEAR FIRST HEAR A FIRST READING ON SOME POLICY UPDATES. AND I REALLY NEED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT AND THIS PRIVILEGE TO SAY THAT STUDENTS AND MANY MORE THAT ARE PART OF STUDENTS LIVES ARE AFRAID OF A LOT OF FEDERAL ABUSES RELATED TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS NOT SEEN WHAT THOSE THINGS HAPPENING ACROSS OUR COUNTRY ARE.

SOMETIMES I WONDER IF BECAUSE WE'RE IN YOU KNOW, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA A LITTLE BIT MORE FARTHER GEOGRAPHICALLY REMOVED FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER, WE MAYBE FORGET OF SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO OUR STUDENTS LIVES, WHETHER IT'S A PARENT OR IT'S AN AUNT OR AN UNCLE THAT'S NO LONGER THERE WHEN THEY RETURN FROM HOME.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY WITH OUR WITH WITH EVERYONE, LIKE I SAID, BUT ESPECIALLY SOMEONE AS YOUNG AS OUR YOUNGER, OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS. AND SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING UPDATED POLICIES THAT VERY CLEARLY DELINEATE WHAT THE DISTRICT AND EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT SHOULD DO IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST AN ITEM IN A FEBRUARY MEETING.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT LAYS AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR WHAT TO DO IN THESE VERY URGENT SITUATIONS AND DIRE SITUATIONS THAT ARE LIFE CHANGING.

AGAIN, TO THE YOUNGEST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, WHO ARE OUR LEARNERS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. AND I WANT TO AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THAT CHANCE TO AGAIN DIVE INTO THESE TWO TOPICS SINCE SOMETIMES WE MOVE A LITTLE QUICKER AND WE GET INTO SOME OF THE SEMANTICS OF THESE ITEMS. SO I'D RATHER DO THAT AT THE AT THE FRONT OF THE MEETING.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. SO WE HAD THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, BUT ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE THAT SAME DISCUSSION AT THE ACTION ITEM. IT'S NEVER A PROBLEM FOR THAT TO DO THAT PUBLICLY.

IT LOOKS LIKE TRUSTEE HARDIN MAY HAVE JUST LET'S NOT FORGET RAMADAN STARTS NEXT WEEK.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

[XII.e. Superintendent]

I'VE BEEN TO NATOMAS MIDDLE SCHOOL, H. ALLEN HITE, LEROY GREENE ACADEMY, AND TWO RIVERS TODAY.

ALSO, OUR EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDING EVENT WAS AMAZING, AS WAS SAID, AND I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE AXA REGION THREE EVENT WHERE IVAN FROM NATOMAS PARK WAS RECOGNIZED REPRESENTING NATOMAS UNIFIED.

SO THAT WAS THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT. SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I WAS MADE AWARE THAT JENNIFER SOSA, WHO IS A TEACHER AT TWO RIVERS, WAS ALSO SELECTED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SERVE AS A CONTENT REVIEW EXPERT FOR THE STATE'S UPCOMING ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL ADOPTION PROCESS.

THIS WORK WILL TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, AND WILL DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE STATE'S OFFICIAL ADOPTION LIST. SO WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE NATOMAS UNIFIED REPRESENTED IN THIS PROCESS WITH THE THREE TEACHERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN OUR DISTRICT. AS EVERYONE HERE KNOWS, NUSD AND NTA HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS SINCE FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, AND THE DISTRICT REMAINS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS WORK IN GOOD FAITH.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FACT FINDING PROCESS THAT BEGINS NEXT WEEK, AND WE HOPE TO FIND A RESOLUTION.

OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR THE OVER 16,000 STUDENTS WE

[00:30:08]

WE DEEPLY VALUE THE TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO DEVOTE THEIR TALENTS AND CAREERS TO SHAPING THE FUTURES OF OUR STUDENTS HERE IN NATOMAS.

WE'RE AWARE THAT NATOMAS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN A STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE WITHIN THE LAST DAY.

WE ARE DISAPPOINTED TO SEE CTAS STATEWIDE STRATEGY SEEMS TO BE DISRUPTING THE COLLABORATIVE, LOCALLY FOCUSED BARGAINING THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS IN NATOMAS.

IT'S ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT THE STATE NEEDS TO INVEST MORE IN K-12 EDUCATION, BUT LOCAL DISTRICTS AND OUR STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT.

AS THE MOST DIVERSE DISTRICT IN CALIFORNIA AND THE SECOND MOST DIVERSE IN THE NATION.

WE HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES THAT ARE BEING CAST ASIDE BY THESE EFFORTS.

WE ALSO CANNOT IGNORE THAT THE DEMANDS OF NTA ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH THE DISTRICT'S FISCAL REALITIES, AND WOULD REQUIRE CUTS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR STUDENTS.

THESE DEMANDS COULD MEAN REAL CUTS TO ATHLETICS, COLLEGE AND CAREER SERVICES, OUR INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES. NATOMAS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING TEACHERS WHILE ALSO PROTECTING STUDENTS AND THE DISTRICT'S LONG TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY. MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT DISTRICT RESERVES, AND THE POINT IS IMPORTANT THE DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A 9% RESERVE. TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, OUR DISTRICT'S RESERVE WOULD BE FULLY SPENT IN ABOUT A FULL MONTH AND A HALF JUST TO MEET OUR PAYROLL.

LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN. WE SUPPORT THE BROADER CALL FOR INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AT THE STATE LEVEL.

THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER EDUCATORS DESERVE SUPPORT, IT'S WHETHER PROPOSALS ARE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE AT OUR LOCAL LEVEL.

WHILE WE MUST ENSURE THAT THIS DOESN'T COME AT THE EXPENSE OF STUDENTS AND OUR ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING TOWARDS FAIR AND SUSTAINABLE AGREEMENT.

BUT THAT REQUIRES PROPOSALS THAT ARE GROUNDED IN LOCAL REALITIES AND A GENUINE EFFORT TO REACH A RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT CASTILLO.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, WE HAVE OUR CONSENT ITEMS.

[XIII. CONSENT ITEMS]

WE HAVE OUR BOND OVERSIGHT REPORTS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, ON THE CONSENT ITEM TONIGHT.

YEAH. YEP. FOR THE. AND SO I WANT TO JUST THANK OUR BOND BOTH OF OUR, BOTH OF OUR BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES FOR THE VOLUNTEER WORK THAT THEY DO IN THOSE REPORTS. SO WITH THAT, I HAPPILY SECOND THE MOTION. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION BY TRUSTEE HARDIN, SECOND BY TRUSTEE DOCCHECK.

HELEN, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? DOCCHECK A GRANT A HARDEN A MEHTA MAURA A ALL RIGHT THE MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP WE HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS.

[XIV.a. NUSD’s History of Financial Stewardship and New Bond Refinance Opportunities]

DOUG, OUR ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT WILL INTRODUCE OUR GUEST SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.

YEAH. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GRANT AND TRUSTEES.

SUPERINTENDENT WE HAVE WITH US LAURIE RANIERI AND KEITH WEAVER FROM OUR PARTNERS AT GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, TO WALK US THROUGH SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT NOW ARISE TO SAVE OUR TAXPAYERS EVEN MORE MONEY AND CONTINUE OUR HISTORY OF FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP IN REGARDS TO OUR BONDS AND OUR FINANCES. THANK YOU GUYS. GOOD EVENING.

THANKS FOR HAVING US. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SERVICES JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY.

YOU'RE ONE OF OUR STALWART MEMBERS, VERY COMMITTED TO OUR VALUES WHICH ARE OUR FINANCE BEST PRACTICES ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY.

WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND MR. WEAVER IS GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

HI. GOOD EVENING. SO BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU TONIGHT ON THE TOPIC OF OUR CONTINUING RECOGNITION OF FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO START WITH JUST A BRIEF REVIEW OF HOW THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN FUNDING FACILITIES AND THEN GET INTO HOW WE CAN CONTINUE OUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND THEN WRAP UP WITH SOME SUGGESTED NEXT STEPS. SO JUST BY WAY OF REVIEW, WE FUND OUR FACILITIES FROM A FEW MAIN SOURCES.

ONE IS OUR BOND MEASURES, WHICH ARE APPROVED BY OUR VOTERS.

WE'VE HAD FIVE SUCCESSFUL BOND MEASURES OVER THE PAST 34 YEARS, WITH MEASURE L BEING THE MOST RECENT.

AND THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO. WE ALSO HAVE OUR BUILDING PERMIT FEES THAT WE RECEIVE FROM DEVELOPERS WHEN THERE'S NEW DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE STATE SCHOOL FACILITIES PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECEIVE MATCHING FUNDS FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

[00:35:06]

AND THIS WAS A $172 MILLION BOND MEASURE THAT AUTHORIZED IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR CLASSROOMS, SAFETY AND SECURITY, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER SCHOOL FACILITIES PROJECTS.

AND THOSE BONDS ARE REPAID BY OUR PROPERTY TAXPAYERS.

SO ONE WAY THAT WE CAN HELP WITH FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP IS DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOND MEASURE.

AND SO TO BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE HOW SUCCESSFUL MEASURE L WAS, THE DIFFERENCE IN IMPROVEMENT FROM WHAT WAS BUDGETED PRIOR TO MEASURE L'S ELECTION. AND THE ACTUAL RESULTS WAS THAT WE ENDED UP THE DISTRICT ENDED UP RECEIVING OVER $5 MILLION MORE IN ITS BUDGET FOR FACILITIES PROJECTS.

IT RECEIVED THOSE FUNDS FASTER, WHICH ALLOWED US TO ACCELERATE PROJECTS.

THIS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE LOW INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT THAT OCCURRED DURING 2020, AND WE ARE ABLE TO GET THE FUNDING MORE QUICKLY, WHICH, AS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, PROVIDED TREMENDOUS SAVINGS WITH CONSTRUCTION COSTS ESCALATION AND THEN FROM OUR TAXPAYERS.

THE DEBT SERVICE ENDED UP BEING $60 MILLION LESS, WHICH HELPED GENERATE SAVINGS FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.

SO FROM A TAX LEVY PERSPECTIVE THE DASHED LINE ALONG THE TOP HERE IS THE MAXIMUM TAX LEVY THAT WAS AUTHORIZED BY EACH OF OUR MEASURES HISTORICALLY.

AND YOU CAN SEE CURRENTLY OUR TAX LEVIES ARE 74% BELOW THE MAXIMUM.

AND THEN IN THE TABLE YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE MEASURE, THE TAX LEVY IS LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM THAT WAS AUTHORIZED BY VOTERS.

SO IT'S A REALLY NICE OUTCOME FOR OUR TAXPAYERS TO HAVE THE TAX LEVIES BE LOWER THAN WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE ELECTION.

SO ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP IS THROUGH OUR ONGOING EFFORTS.

AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES NOW. ONE OPPORTUNITY IS THAT WE ARE IN A LOWER INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT THAN WE HAD BEEN WHEN SOME OF THE BONDS WERE ISSUED.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE IN GREEN HERE WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE REFINANCING CANDIDATES. AND A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN THE CURRENT MARKET AND THE CURRENT MARKETS, ILLUSTRATED BY THE DASHED LINE ON THIS CHART, WHICH IS A BENCHMARK.

AND THOSE COUPLE HAVE A CALL DATE THAT'S COMING UP THIS AUGUST.

AND THE CALL DATES ARE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO HELP REFINANCE THESE BONDS.

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IS WE RECENTLY RECEIVED AN IMPROVED CREDIT RATING.

AND SO IN OCTOBER OF 2025, THE DISTRICT'S BONDS WERE EVALUATED BY ONE OF THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES, MOODY'S. THE MOODY'S UPGRADED OUR BOND CREDIT RATING FROM AA3 TO AA2.

AND THE REASONS THEY CITED INCLUDED THE DISTRICT'S STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION AND PRUDENT FISCAL PRACTICES.

SO I THINK THAT'S A NICE RECOGNITION OF THE LEADERSHIP AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DISTRICT.

AND THEN MORE BROADLY, THE EXPANDING LOCAL ECONOMY AS WELL AS GROWING ENROLLMENT.

JUST A QUICK QUESTION. GO BACK. IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE A SUMMARY OF WHAT THIS CREDIT RATING ALLOWS US TO DO.

YEAH. SO THE THE CREDIT RATING IS SIMILAR TO SORT OF A PERSONAL LEVEL, WHAT MIGHT BE A FICO SCORE.

AND SO IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL TAKING OUT A MORTGAGE, THE BETTER THE SCORE THE LOWER INTEREST RATE CAN BE ACHIEVED.

SIMILARLY FROM THE DISTRICT, THE BETTER THE CREDIT RATING, THE LOWER INTEREST RATE WE CAN ACHIEVE ON OUR BONDS.

AND YOU WOULD SAY MOODY'S IS A REPUTABLE SOURCE OF CREDIT RATINGS.

YES, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S ONE OF ONE OF TWO MAIN CREDIT RATING AGENCIES IN THE INDUSTRY.

THANK YOU. SO WE'RE ESTIMATING WITH THESE TWO OPPORTUNITIES THE DISTRICT CAN HELP LOWER THE INTEREST RATES ON ITS BONDS.

YOU CAN SEE WITH THE THREE THAT WE IDENTIFIED, THE CURRENT INTEREST RATES RANGE FROM ABOUT 3% TO 5%, AND THEN WE ESTIMATE THEY CAN BE LOWERED TO ABOUT 2.5% TO 3.5%.

AND SO THE OUTCOME OF THIS WOULD BE SAVINGS FOR TAXPAYERS OF $6.5 MILLION OVER THE REMAINING 17 YEARS.

NOW WE ALSO RECOMMEND FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES, AND THERE ARE BEST PRACTICES PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

AND THEIR GUIDELINE INCLUDES A METRIC THAT SUGGESTS A MINIMUM PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS OF AT LEAST 3% OF WHAT'S BEING BORROWED.

AND SO WE'VE HAVE A CHART HERE SHOWING WHAT WE ESTIMATE THE SAVINGS WOULD BE IN COMPARISON TO THAT METRIC.

THE BOND ON THE LEFT IS FROM 2014. WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT WOULD BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THIS METRIC AT 1%.

BUT WE'RE STILL RECOMMENDING MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE WE CAN BUNDLE IT WITH THE OTHER REFINANCINGS, AND BY BUNDLING, WE CAN HELP SAVE COSTS. AND THEN SECONDLY, THERE'S JUST A FEW YEARS LEFT.

[00:40:02]

THE OTHER TWO BONDS HAVE SAVINGS THAT ARE ESTIMATED TO BE WELL ABOVE THE METRIC AND SO SIGNAL.

IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REFINANCING BECAUSE THERE'S ESTIMATED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SAVINGS.

AND THAT'S 11% ON ONE OF THE BONDS, 6% ON THE OTHER.

AND SO FOR ALL OF THESE BONDS COMBINED, WE'RE ESTIMATING 6% ACCORDING TO THIS METRIC.

SO THAT WELL EXCEEDS THE THE SUGGESTED MINIMUM AS PUBLISHED BY BEST PRACTICES.

AND THEN WHAT THIS WILL DO FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE'RE ESTIMATING IT WILL REDUCE THE TAX LEVY BY $1.66 PER 100,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE.

SO FROM A TAX LEVY STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A REDUCTION.

IT'S NOT REALLY A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION. BUT I I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT DESPITE INCREMENTALLY DOING THIS REPEATEDLY OVER TIME.

THE SAVINGS IS ABLE TO GROW, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THE TAX LEVIES HAVE COME DOWN SO MUCH FURTHER THAN HAD BEEN ESTIMATED AT THE TIME OF THE ELECTIONS.

SO IT'S BETTER THAN GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN THAT. AND THEN JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SORT OF THE INCREMENTAL STEPS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS LOOKING AT REFINANCINGS HISTORICALLY AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BIT BY BIT LITTLE BY LITTLE THAT SAVINGS IS ACCUMULATED TO ABOUT $49 MILLION.

AND AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REFINANCING THIS YEAR, THAT WOULD ADD ANOTHER 6.5 MILLION BY OUR ESTIMATE ON TOP OF THIS.

SO IN TERMS OF SOME SUGGESTED NEXT STEPS, NOW IT'S JUST INFORMATION.

AND THEN WE'D ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AT THE MARCH 11TH BOARD MEETING FOR A ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE US TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND THEN WITH YOUR APPROVAL IN ON APRIL 23RD, WE SELL THE BONDS, WE LOCK IN INTEREST RATES.

AND THEN ON MAY 7TH THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED AND THE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR REFINANCING.

AND THEN WE PLAN TO COME JOIN YOU AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW THE RESULTS TURNED OUT.

SO THANK YOU AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEES. QUESTIONS. COMMENTS. DISCUSSION.

TRUSTEE HARDIN. SO I THINK IT'S JUST FAIR TO SAY THAT WE'VE PUT OURSELVES IN A GOOD POSITION BASED ON MAKING GREAT CHOICES.

YES, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THAT'S VERY FAIR TO SAY. THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE DACIC. SO, AS IS MY WANT TO OVERSIMPLIFY SO WE CAN SAVE THE GOOD TAXPAYERS OF NATOMAS, INCLUDING OURSELVES, $6 MILLION. AND IT DOESN'T REALLY COST US ANYTHING.

NET, THERE'S NO NET COST TO DO THIS. IT DOESN'T INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE NUMBER OF BONDS, THE VALUE OF THE BONDS, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME FEES TO DO IT. THEY GET BUILT IN. BUT LONG STORY SHORT, WE SAVED THE TAXPAYERS $6 MILLION.

YEAH. SO THE SIX, THE 6 MILLION IS NET OF THE COST.

THERE ARE SOME UPFRONT COSTS TO PROCEED, BUT THAT SAVINGS IS NET OF COSTS IN ORDER TO BENEFIT OUR TAXPAYERS.

AND IT WILL LOWER THE, THE TAX LEVIES FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.

JUST LIKE REFINANCING A MORTGAGE, THERE'S FEES WHEN YOU REFINANCE A MORTGAGE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU END UP PAYING LESS INTEREST OVER THE REMAINING YEARS OF THE MORTGAGE. THAT'S PRINCIPAL. THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT. SAME PRINCIPLE. SOUNDS LIKE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP.

YES. THANK YOU. ALWAYS ENJOY THIS PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE MIGHT NOT BE THIS COMMENT FOR THIS ONE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THE BONDS, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS FOR THE CBA COMMITTEE OVER THE YEARS WHO'VE BEEN AUDITING.

THERE'S THOSE ARE THE PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN GIVING THEIR TIME AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

LOOKS LIKE THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT,

[XIV.b. Governor's 2026-27 Proposed Budget Update and Budget Development Update]

WOW. PRESENTATION. BE GOVERNOR'S 20 2627 PROPOSED BUDGET UPDATE AND BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATE.

HEATHER BROWN, OUR ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT CBO, WILL PRESENT ON THIS ITEM.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT GRANT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT CASTILLO AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THIS EVENING, I'M PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED STATE BUDGET FOR 2627 AND HOW IT MAY AFFECT OUR DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

THIS PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON THE MAJOR STATE BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS, KEY FUNDING FACTORS FOR K-12 EDUCATION, AND HOW THOSE ASSUMPTIONS ARE SHAPING OUR LOCAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND BEYOND.

THIS IS AN EARLY PREVIEW AND WILL LIKELY CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THE MAY REVISE WHEN THE GOVERNOR UPDATES HIS BUDGET OUTLOOK.

ALL OF OUR DISTRICT GOALS ARE PRESENTED HERE AS THEY ARE ALL REFLECTED IN OUR UPCOMING BUDGET.

THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY GOALS FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.

FIRST, I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET THAT ARE MOST RELEVANT TO K-12 EDUCATION.

SECOND, I WILL SHARE THE MAJOR BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE DISTRICT MUST ACCOUNT FOR AS WE PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR.

[00:45:02]

THE GOVERNOR'S JANUARY PROPOSAL IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE, BUT IT REPRESENTS ONLY ONE STEP IN A PROCESS THAT CONTINUES THROUGH MAY REVISION, BUDGET ADOPTION AND ONGOING MONITORING THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.

THE STATE'S BUDGET ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REFLECTS CONTINUES TO REFLECT UNCERTAINTY, AND THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET REFLECTS A CAUTIOUS APPROACH.

THE BUDGET IS DRIVEN BY STOCK MARKET GAINS, WHICH ARE DRIVEN BY JUST A FEW TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES.

AS NOTED HERE AND IN ADDITION, THE REAL IMPACT TO OUR STATE'S BUDGET WITH THE DECREASE IN FEDERAL FUNDING IS STILL BEING WORKED OUT.

SO ALTHOUGH THE 2627 STATE BUDGET IS BALANCED, THERE STILL REMAINS A $22 BILLION DEFICIT IN 2728 PROJECTED, WITH SHORTFALLS IN THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS. THE.

THIS BUDGET ALSO ASSUMES NO RECESSION OR STOCK MARKET DOWNTURN AT THIS TIME.

THE GOVERNOR PROJECTS $7.7 BILLION MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE MINIMUM GUARANTEE THAN THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING, AND THIS IS MAINLY BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR PROJECTS 17 BILLION MORE IN PERSONAL INCOME TAX ALONE.

PERSONAL INCOME TAX IS HIGHLY VOLATILE SINCE IT'S TIED SO CLOSELY TO THE STOCK MARKET, AND IT MAY CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE WHEN THE STATE BUDGET IS FINALIZED. IN ADDITION, I WANT TO NOTE THAT PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A $5.6 BILLION SETTLE UP.

THIS MEANS THAT THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING TO APPROPRIATE $5.6 BILLION LESS THAN THE MINIMUM GUARANTEE TO SCHOOLS.

TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, THE GOVERNOR USED THE SAME MANEUVER LAST YEAR AND HELD BACK $1.9 BILLION.

THESE FUNDS COULD BE REPAID AT A LATER TIME BY THE STATE IF ENOUGH REVENUE IS RECEIVED.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

SO BASICALLY AN IOU. YES. THIS SLIDE SHOWS HOW MUCH IN LCFF REVENUE THE STATE PROPOSES FOR NEXT YEAR BY GRADE SPAN, USING THE UPDATED COLA OF 2.41%. THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT PER ADA FOR TC STUDENTS IS ALSO NOTED HERE.

ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASSUMPTIONS AFFECTING OUR BUDGET IS THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, OR COLA. SO, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE ESTIMATED COLA FOR 2627 HAS DECREASED FROM OUR PRIOR YEAR MULTI-YEAR PROJECTIONS DROPPING FROM 3.02% TO 2.41%. SIMILARLY, THE COLA FOR 2728 HAS ALSO DECLINED FROM 3.42% TO 3.06%. THESE LOWER COLA RATES LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO KEEP PACE WITH COST RATE INCREASES.

SO IF WE APPLY THESE NEW FACTORS TO OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS THAT I PRESENTED AT FIRST INTERIM, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT DECREASES OUR TOTAL REVENUE PROJECTIONS BY $2.4 MILLION FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS.

BASED ON THOSE ASSUMPTIONS ALONE. THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL INCLUDES A NEW ROUND OF FUNDING FOR THE STUDENT SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DISCRETIONARY BLOCK GRANT. BUT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THESE FUNDS WOULD BE ONE TIME AND THEY COULD DECREASE OR EVEN BE CUT BASED ON THE STATE BUDGET OUTLOOK AS WE GET CLOSER TO JUNE. ARTS AND MUSIC AND SCHOOLS.

FUNDING UNDER PROPOSITION 28 CONTINUES WITH NO PROPOSED CHANGES.

THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM INCLUDES A PROPOSAL FOR $1 BILLION IN ONGOING FUNDING STATEWIDE, AND THE LEARNING RECOVERY EMERGENCY BLOCK GRANT INCLUDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WHICH MEANS WE WILL NEED TO UPDATE OUR 2627 LCAP ACTIONS TO REFLECT THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS. SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING CONTINUES TO BE A CRITICAL FOCUS AREA.

THE STATE HAS PROPOSED INCREASING THE FUNDING TO $999 PER ADA.

THIS WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $60 PER ADA FOR OUR DISTRICT, THIS INCREASE IS MUCH NEEDED, BUT OUR GENERAL FUND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AS FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING DO NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH TO COVER ALL EXPENSES EVEN WITH THIS INCREASE FROM THE STATE. THIS SLIDE SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT SEVERAL ONE TIME FUNDING SOURCES WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30TH, 2026. THESE INCLUDE THE ARTS, MUSIC AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS DISCRETIONARY BLOCK GRANT, THE EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS BLOCK GRANT, AND THE A THROUGH G LEARNING LOSS MITIGATION AND ACCESS GRANTS.

THIS TABLE SUMMARIZES THE PLANNING FACTORS USED IN OUR MULTI-YEAR PROJECTIONS.

[00:50:03]

EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RATES FOR CALSTRS AND CALPERS ARE ASSUMED TO STABILIZE BUT DO REPRESENT AN ONGOING COST.

ANY CHANGES TO THESE ASSUMPTIONS WILL IMPACT OUR FUTURE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED PRELIMINARY BUDGET REDUCTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.

THESE INCLUDE REDUCTIONS TO DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, ADJUSTMENTS TO IB PROGRAM STAFFING AND COSTS.

REDUCTIONS IN CONTRACTS AND IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.

STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE OPTIONS AND RETURN TO THE BOARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE RECEIVE ADDITIONAL STATE BUDGET INFORMATION.

THIS SLIDE COVERS THE TIMELINE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE STATE BUDGET.

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS ARE CONTINUING TO HAPPEN, AND BY MAY 14TH, THE GOVERNOR WILL RELEASE HIS REVISED BUDGET PROPOSAL.

THIS INFORMATION WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE DISTRICT'S 2627 ADOPTED BUDGET, AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS WILL CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE GOVERNOR UNTIL AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED AND A FINAL STATE BUDGET IS ENACTED.

NO LATER THAN JUNE 30TH. AND WITH THAT, I'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

I JUST HAVE ONE. DO WE UNDERSTAND WHY THE CALSTRS EMPLOYER RATE IS PROJECTED TO BE FLAT AT 19.1%? YEAH, THEY'VE STAYED FLAT. IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE THEIR BOARD AND WHAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN 19.1% FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW, WHEREAS CALPERS, THEY REEVALUATE EVERY YEAR.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE FLUCTUATIONS YEAR OVER YEAR.

GOTCHA. TRUSTEES. OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. TRUSTEE MAURA, I MEAN, VICE PRESIDENT MAURA.

SORRY, I HAVE ONE COMMENT AND ONE QUESTION. MY FIRST COMMENT IS IN REGARD TO THE STATE BUDGET AND WHAT CSBA HAS REFERRED TO AS PROP 98. I THINK THEY REFER TO IT AS MANEUVERING. WE I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY AROUND THAT TOPIC THROUGH SOME OF THE LETTER WRITING OPPORTUNITIES THAT GET FORWARDED AND GET SENT TO TRUSTEES BECAUSE IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF PROP 98 IS THOUGHT IS UPHELD.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES THAT I KNOW WE'RE ALL AWARE OF, SOME RELATED TO SPECIAL ED FUNDING AND REALLY THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND SO THAT LEADS TO MY QUESTION, WHICH IS, IS IT CORRECT TO STILL SAY THAT THE STATE RECEIVES A GROSSLY UNDERWHELMING AMOUNT OF WHAT IT SHOULD FROM THE FEDERAL BUDGET TO FUND IDA OR, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL EDUCATION? WELL, ONE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SOURCES OF FUNDING, AND THEREFORE, THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE OURS.

THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE DO RECEIVE A PORTION OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE RECEIVE MORE FROM THE STATE, BUT EVEN STILL, WE HAVE A CONTRIBUTION THAT OUR GENERAL FUND MAKES EACH YEAR TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. SO IT IS ALTHOUGH WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE EXTRA $60 PER ADA IT IS A SMALL PIECE TO TO REALLY FULLY FUND WHAT, WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER. ALL RIGHT. DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, WE HAVE A DISCUSSION.

[XV.a. First Reading - Board Policies and Administrative Regulations]

SO THE PROPOSED REVISED POLICY IS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ARE POLICIES THAT THE DISTRICTS ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO REVISE.

THIS IS THE BOARD'S OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ANY OF THE 13 PROPOSED POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.

STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TONIGHT.

THERE WILL BE A SECOND READING AT ANOTHER MEETING. BUT THIS IS THE TIME FOR TRUSTEES TO DISCUSS THESE POLICIES.

SO, TRUSTEES, WE GOT A FEW ITEMS RIGHT. AND I CAN JUST MAYBE JUST SUMMARIZE FOR THE SAKE OF EXPEDIENCY HERE OR TIME OR DISCUSSION THERE ARE POLICY REVISIONS AROUND OUR COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY PLAN, ACCESS TO DISTRICT RECORDS, RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT STUDENT RECORDS.

AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER CLEANUP RECOMMENDATIONS THAT LEGAL COUNSEL HAS BROUGHT BEFORE US.

[00:55:06]

I KNOW TRUSTEE MOORE, HE MADE SOME VERY POIGNANT COMMENTS EARLIER.

I WILL ECHO THAT SENTIMENT. I DON'T THINK KIDS SHOULD GO TO SCHOOL IN FEAR OR WORRY ABOUT HOW THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS FOCUSED ON EVERYTHING BUT EDUCATING THEM.

AND SO TO ME, THIS THIS IS EASY STUFF. IT'S NOT DIFFICULT FOR ME.

THERE'S THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO TO PROTECT KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT IS REALLY, REALLY CRIMINALLY DOING SOMETHING CRAZY. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL AND FOCUS ON THEIR EDUCATION. THAT'S SIMPLE TO ME. THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL TO ME. SO DISCUSSION.

THE REST OF THEM SEEM LIKE TO ME PRETTY EASY CLEANUP ITEMS. BUT I DON'T LIKE TO BELABOR THE POINT AND WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR OTHER TRUSTEES TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, SO. OR NOT. OKAY. TRUSTEE MOORE. WELL, I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THE TIME FROM STAFF TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RELATED TO SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND MAKING SURE THAT I COULD UNDERSTAND THE SERIES OF EVENTS THAT WELL, THE STEPS FOR HOW EACH POLICY REALLY UNFOLDS.

AND SO, AS ALWAYS, IT'S VERY WELCOME TO BE ABLE TO BE FULLY CLEAR ON ON HOW EACH POLICY WILL WORK IN PRACTICE. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE I WAS SO ARTICULATE THAT A NOT AT ALL.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT TO THE ACTION ITEMS. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO ACTION ITEM A PRESENT INITIAL 2026 2027 ENROLLMENT

[XVI.a. Present Initial 2026-27 Enro lment Projections and Approve Associated Staffing]

GOSH, YEAR WENT BY QUICK. SO THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE BIG KICKOFF EVENTS AS WE PLAN FOR THE START OF NEXT YEAR.

AND AGAIN, THIS TOUCHES ON EVERY ONE OF OUR DISTRICT GOALS WITH THIS REALLY SETS THE TONE FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S ABOUT TO COME WITH STAFFING FOR OBJECTIVES. THIS EVENING I'M GOING TO SHARE INITIAL ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.

I SAY INITIAL BECAUSE IT'S EARLY FEBRUARY AND SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, AND OCTOBER IS ACTUALLY OUR CENSUS DATE.

SO A LOT OF MOVING PARTS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WE TRY TO GET AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S NEVER A PERFECT SCIENCE.

WE'VE DONE PRETTY WELL OVER THE YEARS, BUT WE'LL SEE EVERY YEAR.

YOU KNOW, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH OUR REACHING OUT TO OUR THIRD PARTY VENDORS AND PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER.

WE ALSO SHARE OUR CLASS SIZE RATIOS AND AVERAGES, INCLUDING TC AND OUR PRIMARY GRADES.

THERE'S SOME AVERAGES WE HAVE TO STICK WITH. MAKE SURE BECAUSE THERE'S PENALTIES ASSOCIATED. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT INITIAL PLAN STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS AS WE HEAD INTO PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR AND THEN REQUEST APPROVAL OF SOME ASSOCIATED STAFFING. SO FOR OUR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, WE ALWAYS START OUR THIRD, THE THIRD PARTY DEMOGRAPHICS VENDORS, THEY GET A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY HAVE ACCESS TO, LIKE CITY BUILDING PERMITS. WHAT TYPES OF HOUSING.

WHAT'S WHAT'S BEING PLANNED AT THE CITY LEVEL THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE OR DECREASE ENROLLMENT? WE ALSO LOOK AT OUR TREND ANALYSIS YEAR OVER YEAR AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IN WHICH GRADES ROLL UP WITH HOW MANY KIDS? WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND THEN WE TAKE OTHER FACTORS INTO CONSIDERATION, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, CHARTER SCHOOLS.

IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING? IS THERE A NEW PRIVATE SCHOOL OPENING OR CLOSING? AND THEN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE HAD TC EXPANSION.

THAT'S NOW SETTLED AS FAR AS THE THE SIZE OF THE GRADE LEVEL IS NOW COMPLETE.

IT'S A WHOLE YEAR. IT'LL STILL HAVE SOME IMPACTS, BUT IT'S GOING TO WE EXPECT THAT TO SETTLE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

THEN WE LAND ON OUR PROJECTIONS AGAIN. INITIAL PROJECTIONS.

AND THEN WE TAKE THOSE PROJECTIONS, AND WE COMPARE THOSE TO WHAT OUR CURRENT STAFF IS AT OUR SCHOOLS, THE CAPACITY, MEANING HOW MANY CLASSROOMS ARE PHYSICALLY AT THE SCHOOL.

AND GIVEN OUR CONTRACT LANGUAGE AND OTHER FACTORS, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO WE PLAN FOR EACH CLASSROOM? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? AND WE MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

SO TO DETERMINE OUR PROJECTIONS, WE DEFINITELY ANALYZE ENROLLMENT.

LIKE I SAID GROWTH IS RELATIVELY FLAT. IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT A LITTLE BIT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, DESPITE THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING CONTINUING TO GROW.

IT DOESN'T YIELD AS MANY STUDENTS. FOR TC, WE NOW EXPECT A MORE STABLE NUMBER.

LIKE I SAID AND OUR INDEPENDENT CHARTER ENROLLMENT IS PROJECTED ALSO TO BE FLAT.

AND THAT'S BASED ON WHAT THE LEADERS ARE SHARING WITH US BASED ON THE PLANS THAT THEY HAVE AT THEIR SITES. ALSO, WE'VE SEEN AND IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT ALL THROUGH THE MEDIA.

BIRTH RATES ARE DECLINING. AND THERE'S SOME POPULATION TREND THINGS HAPPENING IN CALIFORNIA SPECIFIC AREAS MORE THAN OTHERS.

[01:00:01]

SO WE DO HAVE SOME OUTSIDE OF THAT ENROLLMENT ADJUSTMENTS TO LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, HEREDIA ARRIAGA SCHOOL CURRENTLY GOES UP TO SECOND GRADE.

NEXT YEAR. WE NEED TO ADD A THIRD GRADE. FORTUNATELY, WE HAD BRIDGE STAFFING, SO THOSE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY HIRED AND IN PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR, SO THAT'S GREAT. LGMA IS GOING TO INCLUDE SECOND THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES FOR NEXT YEAR.

WHICH IS JUST A ROLL UP FROM THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS FIRST THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.

AND THEN ALSO AT THIS TIME WE'RE EVALUATING SPECIAL EDUCATION GROWTH FOR NEXT YEAR.

WE DO EXPECT SOME GROWTH. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHERE AND HOW MUCH. SO ALL THAT'S BEING STUDIED STILL, THAT'S WHY THIS IS JUST AN INITIAL ENROLLMENT PROJECTION.

SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND ON ANY GIVEN DAY, WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST 17,000 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

THAT COULD BE FROM PRESCHOOL ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH OUR ADULT PROGRAMS. AS TRUSTEE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO, KIDS ARE COMING IN, KIDS ARE GOING OUT.

THERE IS MOBILITY IN THE DISTRICT. AND SO WE LOOK AT THAT AND THAT NUMBER ALSO INCLUDES OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL, ALL OF THEM. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE PROJECTING FLAT GROWTH.

SO FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE KEEPING THINGS STEADY WITH LAST YEAR.

AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL WATCH AND ADJUST AS WE GO THROUGH AND SEE IF WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT AT ANY POINT.

ADD STAFFING OR REDUCE STAFFING. BASED ON ATTRITION.

THIS IS AS OF LATE JANUARY, THIS LAST DATA. AND WE DO HAVE ABOUT 180 STUDENTS PROJECTED FOR PRESCHOOL.

THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS NUMBER BECAUSE THIS NUMBER IS MORE OF A FINANCIAL NUMBER. AND PRESCHOOL HAS SOME DIFFERENT THINGS INCLUDED WITH IT.

AND THEN WE DO SEPARATE OUT LGA FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES.

THERE ARE STUDENTS, BUT WE CALCULATE THINGS DIFFERENTLY FOR FUNDING.

SO WE'D JUST LIKE TO CALL THAT OUT SEPARATELY.

THIS SHOWS THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTED FOR EACH SCHOOL.

WE LISTED THE SCHOOL AND THEN THE GRADES THAT ARE SERVED AT THE SCHOOL AND THEN THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT NEXT TO IT.

SO WITH THE RELATIVELY FLAT STAFFING, ALL YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THERE'S DEFINITELY A SPIKE AT HEREDIA ARRIAGA BASED ON ADDING THE GRADE LEVEL.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 419 STUDENTS THERE NEXT YEAR.

AND THAT'S THE MAIN DIFFERENCE. MEEKS IS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THIS YEAR.

SO A COUPLE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND. TC LAST YEAR, BEING AT FULL IMPLEMENTATION, WE HAVE A 10 TO 1 STUDENT TO STAFF MEMBER RATIO.

TYPICALLY THAT'S ONE TEACHER AND ONE AIDE. AND THEN ONCE YOU GET ABOVE 20 IT BECOMES ONE TEACHER WITH TWO AIDES.

WHICH RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY WE HAVE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN TC AND WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING WITH TWO AIDES IN EVERY CLASSROOM WITH A TEACHER.

SO THERE'S THREE STAFF MEMBERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM. RIGHT NOW WITH ROUGHLY 24 KIDS.

WE ACTUALLY HAD TO OPEN A NEW TC CLASS RECENTLY AFTER THE START OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

AND THEN AS FAR AS TC THREE OR THE K-3 CLASS SIZE AVERAGE NEEDS TO STAY BELOW 24 TO 1 IN ORDER TO RETAIN ALL OF OUR CLASS SIZE REDUCTION FUNDING DOLLARS.

IF WE WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THAT, THERE'S UP TO A POTENTIAL $3 MILLION PENALTY TOWARDS THE FUNDING THAT WE COUNT ON.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS CAREFUL ON MONITORING THAT AND BEING CAREFUL BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THAT FUNDING.

AND SO FAR WE'VE BEEN GREAT WITH THAT. WE ARE NOT PREDICTING OR WE DO NOT NEED TO HAVE ANY STAFF LAYOFFS FOR 20, 26, 27. SO NO CERTIFICATED LAYOFFS ARE REQUIRED AND NO CLASSIFIED LAYOFFS ARE REQUIRED AT THIS TIME.

IF WE DECIDE WE NEED TO ADD MORE TC CLASSES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALONG THE WAY, OR SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES, WE MAY END UP NEEDING TO HIRE NOT JUST THE TEACHERS, BUT ADDITIONAL CLASSIFIED AIDES TO SERVE IN THOSE CLASSES.

BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHY THIS IS INITIAL. WE'RE STILL WATCHING THAT.

COUPLE ADMINISTRATIVE REDUCTIONS THAT WERE CALLED OUT IN THE HEATHER'S PRESENTATION.

SO FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE REDUCTIONS. WE HAVE THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT WHO WOULD OVERSEE FACILITIES AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND A DIRECTOR THAT'S IN OUR EDUCATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT. SO THOSE ARE TWO REDUCTIONS IMPORTANT POSITIONS, BUT WE WILL HAVE VACANCIES, SO WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO SAVE WHERE WE CAN.

AND THEN SOME EXTRA REQUESTED ACTION TONIGHT.

THERE'S TWO ACTIONS, ONE REQUESTING TO ADD TWO ADDITIONAL CAMPUS SAFETY SPECIALISTS, ONE AT HERRON SCHOOL AND ONE AT PASO VERDE SCHOOL.

THIS IS BASED ON ENROLLMENT NUMBERS. IN KIND OF COMING IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR SCHOOLS.

THOSE ARE TWO OF OUR LARGEST SCHOOLS FOR THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. AND THEN ALSO ONE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT TWO RIVERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IT'S THE LAST ELEMENTARY CAMPUS THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT THIS TIME. A RECENT POLL WAS DONE AT THE CAMPUS.

92% OF THE STAFF WERE IN FAVOR OF ADDING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OVER ADDING A DEDICATED SAFETY STAFF MEMBER.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY TIME FOR THAT ONE.

[01:05:03]

SO THOSE ARE TWO REQUESTED ACTIONS. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. THANKS, DOUG. I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

NO. ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEES COMMENTS. DISCUSSION.

YES, PLEASE. TRUSTEE HARDIN. YES. THANK YOU. DOUG.

CAN YOU JUST GO BACK AND KIND OF EXPAND ON WHEN YOU SAID THAT THE TC HAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFERENT STUFF TO IT FOR THE PUBLIC, SO THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THAT A BIT. WHEN TC HAS MORE DIFFERENT STUFF.

I'M SORRY. YES. WHEN YOU WERE SAYING HOW WITH THE FUNDING, HOW WE WEREN'T INCLUDING IT, WE CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE.

SAID WE DON'T DO THE WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THE TC BECAUSE IT HAS DIFFERENT STUFF TO IT.

OH YEAH. PRESCHOOL. SO PRESCHOOL. OKAY. YEAH.

PRESCHOOL HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS THE LENGTH OF DAY.

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT KIND OF REQUIREMENTS TO RUNNING A STATE FUNDED PRESCHOOL PROGRAM THAT ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN OUR TRADITIONAL STAFFING.

AND PRESCHOOL HAS A SEPARATE FUNDING SOURCE. AND SO WE WE CALCULATE THAT SEPARATELY FROM THE OTHER ENROLLMENTS TK THROUGH 12 AND UP INTO ADULT.

YEAH. AND THEN IF WE CAN, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT FLAT ENROLLMENT IS STATEWIDE RIGHT NOW? DECLINING ENROLLMENT STATEWIDE? IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE STATE AS A WHOLE CERTAIN REGIONS ARE GROWING JUST DEPENDING ON WHERE THE HOUSING IS, BUT MORE REGIONS ARE DECLINING THAN ARE GROWING.

THIS AREA, THE HOUSING IS GROWING. WE'LL SEE IF OUR LITTLE LULL ENDS UP TURNING AROUND.

AT THIS POINT, WE CAN'T SAY THAT FOR SURE. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING CAUTIOUS. THANK YOU. AND THEN, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, WHERE'S THE NEWEST TK LOCATED? CURRENTLY, IT'S AT ARRIAGA SCHOOL. IT'S A TRADITIONAL TK BECAUSE IT WILL SERVE STUDENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

IT'S WHERE WE HAVE SPACE CURRENTLY. THIS LATE INTO THE YEAR.

SO. AND WE HAVE BUSSING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE ANYBODY THAT ENROLLS GO THERE FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE A BUS ROUTE GOING TO ARRIAGA EVERY DAY.

IT ENDED UP BEING MAKING THE MOST SENSE TO DO THAT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. DOUG. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE.

MY GOODNESS. IF THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER BOARD COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

ALL RIGHT. SO, MOVED BY TRUSTEE DOCCHECK MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS PRESENTED.

SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THAT MOTION SECOND BY TRUSTEE HARDIN.

GLAD TO SEE AP AT TWO RIVERS. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? AYE. GRANT. AYE. HARDIN. MEHTA. MORA. AYE. ALL RIGHT.

THAT MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ACTION ITEM B, APPROVE THE ANNUAL DISTRICT

[XVI.b. Approve the NUSD Districtwide Land Acknowledgement]

DEBATE. JUST HAPPY IT'S HAPPENING. YES. STILL HAPPY IN MOTION.

ALL RIGHT, SO THERE'S A MOTION BY TRUSTEE MAURA.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY TRUSTEE MEHTA? COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? AYE. GRANT. ABSTAIN. HARDIN I META I MAURA, I.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES 401 ACCEPT ACTION ITEM C APPROVE ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER.

[XVI.c. Approve One Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Member]

SORRY, I STEPPED OUTSIDE. WHICH ONE IS IT? ACTION ITEM C APPROVED.

ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER.

YEAH, THIS IS A GOOD ONE. HOLD ON A SECOND. I NEED TO PULL IT UP ON MY PHONE.

SO, ADRIANA ALCAZAR, WHO'S BACK THERE? I KNOW THIS ISN'T YOUR COMFORT ZONE, BUT I'M SO IMPRESSED.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WALK INTO THE ROOM AND TAKE UP SPACE LOUDLY LIKE ME.

AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO SHIFT THE ROOM SIMPLY BY BEING IN IT.

YOU LEAD WITH HEART. YOU LISTEN DEEPLY. YOU'RE GENEROUS.

YOU STAND WITH OTHER PARENTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, AND YOU MAKE US ALL FEEL ACCEPTED AND IMPORTANT.

YOU DO IT WITHOUT. WITHOUT SPECTACLE. YOU JUST HAVE INTEGRITY, COURAGE AND DEEP CARING.

I KNOW STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP LIKE THIS IS OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE POWERFUL. YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STRETCH, GROW, AND SAY YES, EVEN WHEN IT FEELS VULNERABLE IS INSPIRING TO ALL PARENTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. THAT KIND OF COURAGE CHANGES COMMUNITIES AND CHANGES OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES.

YOUR PRESENCE MATTERS, YOUR VOICE MATTERS, AND THE WAY YOU SHOW UP DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE. AND THANK YOU FOR STEPPING ON TO THE CAC.

[01:10:01]

MOVE. APPROVAL. MOVED BY TRUSTEE DOCCHECK. I WILL SECOND THAT.

HELENE, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? AYE. GRANT.

AYE. HARDEN. ABSTAIN. MEHTA. AYE. MAURA. AYE.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES, 401. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ACTION ITEM D APPROVED THE 2026, 2027 AND 2027

[XVI.d. Approve 2026-27 and 2027-28 LEAP Academy Expanded Learning Core Provider Contracts]

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I'M NOT SEEING ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSIONS.

MOTIONS. THIS IS A LIST OF PROVIDERS. THEY LOOK PRETTY HEALTHY TO ME.

IS THERE ANY AGREEMENT DISCUSSION? JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE. I WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF MOVING TOO QUICKLY. OH, HIS LIGHT IS ON. THERE IT IS. ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEE MAKE A MOTION.

OKAY. WELL, NO, DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION.

I MEAN, THE LIST LOOKS HEARTY AND GOOD, SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE SOME NEW PROVIDERS AND SOME RETURNING.

SO I THINK EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SO SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A MOTION FROM TRUSTEE AND A SECOND BY TRUSTEE MEHTA.

SO TECHNICALLY MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACTS AS PRESENTED.

ALL RIGHT. SO MOVED SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MEHTA I APPRECIATE THAT.

COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL I GRANT I HARDIN I MEHTA I MORA I.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. ACTION ITEM E APPROVED THE LEAP ACADEMY 2026 SUMMER INTERSESSION CORE PROVIDERS CONTRACT.

[XVI.e. Approve the LEAP Academy 2026 Summer Intersession Core Provider Contracts]

I'M SORRY, I CAN'T SEE THIS ONE. LEI LEI, I'M SO SORRY.

ARE YOU GOING TO COME ON THIS SIDE? GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT CASTILLO AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS JULITA. I'M A PARENT LEADER AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF NATOMAS BLACK PARENTS UNITED.

I'M HERE TO URGE THE BOARD TO FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL'S SUMMER PROGRAM, OPERATED BY THE ROBERTS FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

FOR EIGHT YEARS, FREEDOM SCHOOLS HAS DELIVERED A PROVEN, EVIDENCE BASED LITERACY CURRICULUM ROOTED IN CULTURALLY AFFIRMING INSTRUCTION.

THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL DESIGNED TO ACCELERATE READING SKILLS AND STRENGTHEN COMPREHENSION.

SCHOLARS RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY LITERACY CURRICULUM THAT FOSTERS AND I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ATTITUDE.

ONE OF THE REASONS THIS PROGRAM IS SO EFFECTIVE IS THE SMALL GROUP STRUCTURE.

FREEDOM SCHOOLS OPERATES WITH A 10 TO 1 STAFF RATIO COMPARED TO CLASSROOM SIZES NATOMAS OF 24 TO 1.

THIS ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND TARGETED LITERACY SUPPORT THAT MANY STUDENTS SIMPLY CANNOT ACCESS DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR. THIS YEAR, RFTC IS BEING ASKED TO SERVE NEARLY 200 STUDENTS WITH $300,000, WHICH IS ALMOST 50% LESS FUNDING PER STUDENT THAN LAST YEAR, WHEN $400,000 SERVED ABOUT 140 STUDENTS.

RFTC IS BEING ASKED TO PRIVATELY RAISE AN ADDITIONAL $100,000 TO FULLY OPERATE THE PROGRAM.

AT THE SAME TIME, NUSD HAS ACCESS TO EXPANDED LEARNING FUNDS AND EQUITY MULTIPLIER DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO SUPPORT HIGH NEEDS STUDENTS THROUGH EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS. SEVERAL NATOMAS SCHOOLS QUALIFY, AND FREEDOM SCHOOLS ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH THE PURPOSE OF THESE FUNDS.

I AM ALSO DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ARE BEING EXCLUDED FROM FREEDOM SCHOOLS THIS YEAR AS WELL.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A CRITICAL LITERACY INTERVENTION PERIOD.

REMOVING ACCESS UNDERMINES CONTINUITY OF LEARNING AND EQUITY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE BOARD FULLY FUND FREEDOM SCHOOLS USING AVAILABLE EQUITY MULTIPLIER AND EXPANDED LEARNING FUNDS.

ELIMINATE THE $100,000 FUND RAISING BURDEN PLACED ON RFTC, AND RESTORE ACCESS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

TRUSTEES. COMMENTS. DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO READ ON TO THE RECORD HERE.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROVIDERS. AS A PART OF THIS PACKAGE, IT'S NOT ONE THERE'S THE SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY CHINESE SERVICE CENTER AS A PART OF THIS PACKAGE. AND THIS GENERATION TEACH AS WELL. AND SO IT'S NOT JUST THE ONE ITEM.

I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR IF THERE IS ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION ON THE ITEM.

JUST TO ADD TO THAT, IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS ITEM.

AND AGAIN, THIS INFORMATION IS ON THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AGENDA.

THE THE FUNDING FOR EACH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS IS IDENTICAL.

IT IS FOR EACH OF THOSE, AND THE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY ALL THE SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING ROBERT'S FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER,

[01:15:07]

I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO, OR UNLESS THERE'S MORE BOARD COMMENTS. AND SECOND.

ALL RIGHT. SO I'M NOW PREPARED TO MAKE THE MOTION.

I WILL MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT AS PRESENTED. MOVED BY TRUSTEE AND SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MAURA.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, CAN WE SUBSTITUTE THE PRIOR UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE? ALL RIGHT, WITHOUT OBJECTION.

MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. ALL RIGHT. ACTION ITEM F, APPROVE THE AMENDMENT.

[XVI.f. Approve Amendment to the MOU Between the District and CSEA Regarding Event Safety Extra Duty Opportunities]

EXTRA DUTY OPPORTUNITIES. WOW, THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL.

OKAY IS THERE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. NOT SEEING ANY.

IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, ACTUALLY, IS THERE A MOTION FIRST? ALL RIGHT. MOVED BY TRUSTEE. YEAH. SECONDED BY TRUSTEE.

IF THERE'S NOT AN OBJECTION, CAN BE SUBSTITUTED. PRIOR. UNANIMOUS. ROLL CALL. VOTE. ALL RIGHT.

AWFULLY CHATTY TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. AND THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS SO COLLABORATIVELY.

ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. THAT MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO ACTION ITEM G, APPROVE THE AGREEMENT WITH MESA.

[XVI.g. Approve Agreement with Mesa Energy Systems, Inc. for HVAC Units & Pelican Wireless Thermostats to be Insta led Districtwide]

WIRELESS THERMOSTATS TO BE INSTALLED DISTRICT WIDE.

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT ONE. OH, YES. OH, OKAY.

SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN.

SECONDED BY TRUSTEE. I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE'S NOT AN OBJECTION WE COULD SUBSTITUTE THE PRIOR UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. ALL RIGHT.

HELENE LIKES THESE ONES. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. ACTION ITEM H.

[XVI.h. Approve Resolution No. 26-02 Recognizing February 2026 as African American/Black History Month]

I WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE APPROVAL. I WILL SECOND THAT.

SECOND BY TRUSTEE HARDIN. BLACK HISTORY. AYE.

MAKING IT RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL SUBSTITUTE THE PRIOR UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. ALL RIGHT.

I'M SORRY. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. ALL RIGHT.

MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. AND LAST ACTION ITEM, I APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 26 TO 0 THREE,

[XVI.i. Approve Resolution No. 26-03 Recognizing March 1 - 7, 2026 as National School Social Work Week]

AND, MAN, THEY DO EVERYTHING FOR US, DON'T THEY? YES. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S MOVED BY TRUSTEE MEHTA. SECOND.

AND SECOND BY TRUSTEE MORA. WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE COULD SUBSTITUTE PRIOR UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. ALL RIGHT.

THIS TIME, I HAVE THREE PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

[XVII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

I APPRECIATE THE BIGGER TIMER. IT WAS A SPECIFIC REQUEST.

SO I'M GOING TO PAUSE TO RECOGNIZE THE VERY GROUND BENEATH OUR FEET.

OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CITIES, AND OUR DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN BUILT UPON THE STOLEN LABOR, BRILLIANCE AND ENDURANCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN.

THEY TILLED THE SOIL, RAISED THE CHILDREN, NURSED THE NATION, AND CARRIED BOTH ITS BURDENS AND ITS HOPE THROUGH SLAVERY, SEGREGATION, AND SYSTEMIC EXCLUSION. THEY STILL CREATED CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CARE WHEN NONE WAS OFFERED TO THEM.

WE HONOR THESE WOMEN WHOSE UNCREDITED WORK SUSTAINED GENERATIONS THE TEACHERS, ORGANIZERS, CAREGIVERS, AND CREATORS WHO MADE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR PROGRESS IS INSEPARABLE FROM THEIR STRUGGLE AND THAT BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT, I WROTE IT FOR SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN COMING HERE AND I'VE BEEN FIGHTING, BUT NOT POLITICALLY AND NOT PERSONALLY, BUT AS A MOTHER TRYING TO SECURE SERVICES FOR MY CHILDREN, AFRICAN AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN, I'VE WANTED THEM TO LEARN AND GROW AND FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG IN THEIR OWN SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

DURING THAT TIME, I FOLLOWED NATOMAS UNIFIED'S PATH TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION.

I ATTENDED MEETINGS, I SENT EMAILS, SOME WENT UNREAD.

I MET WITH STAFF. I MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH EVERY TRUSTEE EXCEPT FOR SCOTT DISICK, WHO NEVER RESPONDED TO MY EMAILS.

I TRUSTED THE PROCESS AND WHEN THOSE STEPS DIDN'T RESOLVE AND WHAT MY CHILDREN NEEDED, I CAME HERE.

SO AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING WHEN TRUSTEE SPOKE ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENTS USUALLY NOT BEING GERMANE TO THE TOPIC OR THE BOARD MEETING'S AGENDA, NOR SUBSTANTIVE, IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR FAMILIES RAISING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD TO FIGHT TO BE HEARD

[01:20:09]

FOR IMMIGRANT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES WHO FEEL THE NEED TO BE INVISIBLE AND STAY OUT OF SIGHT, WE ALL COME HERE.

STANDING HERE ISN'T ABOUT POLITICS. IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING A POINT.

IT'S ABOUT GETTING WHAT THEIR CHILDREN NEED BEFORE THEY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, I HAVE SHARON THURMAN.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I DON'T KNOW, HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS QUOTE? WHEN ALL OF THE IMPORTANT ADULTS IN A STUDENT'S LIFE HAVE THAT STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST AT HEART AND WORK TOGETHER, THOSE STUDENTS WILL SUCCEED. I DON'T KNOW WHO GENERATED THAT QUOTE, BUT I'LL TAKE CREDIT FOR IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN GET TO THE PLACE WHERE, YES, WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH OUR STUDENTS BEST INTERESTS AT HEART, EVEN IF IT MEANS WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME SACRIFICES.

AND SO TODAY, AS I MOVE INTO A NEW SEASON OF LIFE AFTER SIX YEARS OF COMING, I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAN THE PUBLIC TWO MINUTE SPEECHES.

GOING TO INVITE OUR ESTEEMED TRUSTEES TO COME.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU MORE THAN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK, BECAUSE THE ACCOUNTABILITY FACTOR PROBABLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO READ AT GRADE LEVEL AND ABOVE.

WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO THINK CRITICALLY. WE ALL WANT THAT.

HOW WE GET THERE AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT IT IS UP TO US.

THEY ARE COUNTING ON US. WE ARE THE MATURE ADULTS IN THE ROOM.

WE CAN DO THIS. WE CAN DO THIS. SO LET'S GET ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THE TEACHERS, WITH THE CSEA FOLKS, WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND OUR TRUSTEES, BECAUSE EVERY PROBLEM HAS A SOLUTION.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LAST PUBLIC COMMENT I HAVE IS FROM GARY.

I DON'T WANT TO MESS UP YOUR LAST NAME. THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOT IT. FOR NEXT TIME. SO SORRY. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. MY NAME IS GARY FLEISCHMAN. HOW DO I PUT THIS? IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN. YEP. MARCH 14TH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER KITE FESTIVAL.

IT'S GOING TO BE OUR FOURTH YEAR. LAST YEAR, WE HAD 400 PEOPLE PLUS THROUGH THREE YEARS OF WORKING WITH THE CITY, THE AIRPORT AND THE FAA, WE'VE ACTUALLY EVEN BEEN ABLE TO GET APPROVED A MODEL ROCKETRY LAUNCH DEMONSTRATION, WHICH IS KIND OF UNUSUAL, ESPECIALLY DEALING WITH THE FAA.

THE AIRPORT. SO I'VE ALSO INCLUDED SOME PACKETS FOR ALL OF YOU TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS PROGRAM, A COPY OF OUR NONPROFIT, AS WELL AS THE THE FLIER FOR THE KITE FESTIVAL.

AND WE ALSO HOLD A FREE KITE BUILDING WORKSHOP IN THE COMMUNITY.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE MANY PEOPLE AS THEY WANT TO COME OUT AND HAVE SOME FUN. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS WE DO HAVE IN NATOMAS.

ON ANOTHER INCIDENT I WAS ASKED THIS YEAR I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO SECURE SPONSORSHIP FOR A MODEL ROCKETRY WORKSHOP.

NOW I APPROACHED SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN THE AREA AND NOBODY GOT GOTTEN BACK IN TOUCH WITH ME, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIT STRANGE BECAUSE TYPICALLY SPONSORSHIP FOR THOSE PROGRAMS DO NOT COME DOWN. VERY DO NOT COME ALONG VERY OFTEN.

THAT OPPORTUNITY IS STILL HERE. SO IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO EITHER HAVE A, A KITE BUILDING WORKSHOP AT A, AT A LOCAL SCHOOL, PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN POSSIBLY DOING A MODEL ROCKETRY WORKSHOP AT THE SCHOOL, PLEASE REACH OUT. IN THE MEANTIME, BRING YOUR FAMILY, BRING YOUR FRIENDS, BRING YOUR INNER CHILD AND HAVE SOME FUN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD CAN ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 7:59 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.