Minutes 02-22-2022 Virtual Joint Meeting with the Schools

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15 said that the pandemic has had impacts on children that need to be addressed. She said that it is important to create an environment where children can access information before academics are stressed. She said that having more conversations with students and teachers might bring awareness of how important this need is. She said teachers are quitting in the middle of the year and kids do not know how to deal with that on top of all other stresses. Commissioner McKee said that he appreciates what Board Member Dasi said and said that without tutors and teaching assistants, his son would not have succeeded in school. He said he is worried that the new department and positions would take funds away from other positions, like those that can tutor and be in the classroom. He said that he does not have an issue with the school systems deciding how to use their funds, but he is trying to understand both. Dr. Hamlett said that many gaps exist. She said that readiness to learn needs to be addressed first. She said many students come to school hungry or from abusive homes and those things must be addressed by professionals first. She said the expectation from Orange County was that the funds could be used solely for mental health. Commissioner McKee asked Rhonda Rath to put up the slide highlighting salary differences between Orange County Schools and Orange County Government employees. Rhonda Rath said the chart represents increases for classified staff because of state funding amounts. Commissioner McKee said he does not see the comparison as equivalent since Orange County Government does not control the salaries of Orange County Schools employees. Rhonda Rath said that if the school district chose to give a pay increase in years that the state did not provide the salary funding, it would have come out of the local funding for the district. Rhonda Rath showed the slide that reviews state teacher salary history. Commissioner McKee said that comparing the salaries for a 32+ year teacher vs. a 25+ year teacher is not a valid comparison. Commissioner Bedford said there were changes to the maximum salary at the state level. Rhonda Rath said that of the 1100 positions that Dr. Felder referred to, 260 positions are funded solely by the local budget. She said the state funds 600 positions and all of the other positions are funded through other sources. She said they cannot implement a salary increase unless there is state legislation allowing the use of those funds for that purpose. Chair Carrie Doyle said that they are in the process of stabilizing their school spaces as a priority. She said that staff members are drawn away to other jobs and the county government piece is about various places and markets where their employees are leaving for. She said that other districts do not have the same compression that they do. Board Member Sarah Smylie said that the salary supplement is for years of service in Orange County and not for years of service in teaching. She said Orange County Schools is addressing mental health with other resources and that this is not the entire picture. She said the role of a teacher assistant is important and that the district wants them to stay. She said principals also have a significant impact on the school. Commissioner McKee said he was pleased by the focus of Orange County Schools on the salaries of staff. Dr. Felder said Orange County Schools interpreted the rules of the funding to be used for support of the mental health and wellbeing of students or staff. She said by improving salaries for staff, they will improve the mental health of employees. Commissioner Hamilton said that by having two school districts, each one can focus on the needs of their individual communities. She said these funds were needed by the school