Agenda 01-18-22; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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14 1 said county commissioners do not know enough, and must work in partnership with the schools. 2 She said the Board needs to hear more from the schools to better understand the root of the 3 achievement gap. She said there is a broad range of students in this community, and the Board 4 needs to have a better idea before setting outlines that may not help and may actually harm. 5 She said she supports providing the money for mental health and the Board should look back at 6 the details of what the school asked for, and what was not provided for previously. She said the 7 Board should ask the schools what needs they currently have, and be clear on who is 8 responsible for what. She said she does not agree with current proposal. 9 Commissioner Richards said the job of the school district should be geared toward all 10 children achieving success at all times. She said she does not want to throw more money at a 11 program to address closing the achievement gap, which is a hot buzz word these days. She 12 said she does not believe either school district is working up to its mission, and wants to see 13 better quality educational and outcome for all students. She said this money should go to social 14 emotional health, and the ramifications of COVID-19, isolation, and stress. She said she 15 understands the county should not micromanage, but she thinks what the schools asked for, but 16 was unable to be funded, should dictate how the money is allocated. She said she would like to 17 know the gaps in terms of the overall district request, and what was funded and what was not. 18 She said she supports money going to mental health, social emotional learning (SEL), because 19 there has never been enough support in this area. 20 Commissioner Fowler said the surplus came about through austerity and online sales 21 tax. She said the county was austere in what it provided to the schools, and she supports this 22 money and thinks the schools should dictate where the emphasis and dollars go. She said she 23 would like to know if the schools have already received other funds in this area, and may no 24 longer need it. She said if funds are needed, she supports giving them to the schools. 25 Chair Price said she is in favor of$1.5 million going to mental health and SEL, which 26 were both highlighted as needed areas in the budget from the schools. She said if students are 27 unable to learn because of some other reason, achievement scores will go down. She said she 28 falls in the middle on whether or not the county should have some say in how the money is 29 spent. She said what is outlined here can help with collaboration between schools and the 30 county. She said she would like to see a spending plan with indicators contained within, prior to 31 Board approval. She said the Board does have some degree of fiduciary responsibility, and 32 wants everyone to work together for the best of the children. She said it helps the Board if 33 progress is tracked with key indicators, so as to better budget in the future. She said the needs 34 are likely endless. 35 Commissioner McKee said none of his comments were meant to denigrate any 36 individual or board. He said no one can say that the proficiency rates are acceptable, and these 37 rates are his focus. He said he is happy to approve the proposal tonight, but he very much 38 wants to address these issues in the future. He said it was not intent to change anything 39 tonight, but he will not accept the proficiency levels, and will keep hounding the issue until 40 students achieve a significant increase in proficiency rating overall. He said he refuses to see 41 students matriculate out of schools without being proficient. 42 Commissioner Bedford said she supports this amount, but this is a recurring expense for 43 future years. She asked if actual enrollment will be used for this year. 44 Travis Myren said he was going to use projected ADM, but would have to look at that in 45 advance of the budget amendment coming back on the 14t" 46 Commissioner Bedford said she became a school board member in 2003, and heard a 47 lot about community mental health services being offered in schools out of state, and local 48 schools hoping to do the same. She said over the years, some mental health services have 49 been cobbled together through various measures, but there has never been anything 50 comprehensive. She said Orange County leads in ratios of mental health counselors in 51 schools, but is still less than what is recommended by national standards. She said she would