Jun 25, 2026 Town Council

THE MOST JOYOUS FOUR WEEKS.

IT HAS BEEN AMAZING.

WE'VE HAD THE BEST TIME BROUGHT YOU ALL CAMP FORGE T-SHIRTS SO YOU CAN HAVE ONE GRAB IT ON THE WAY OUT I ALSO HERE WE GO I WANTED TO QUICKLY YOU KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT TO GET TO SO JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS THE AFTER-SCHOOL CLUB VALUE AND THE CAMP FORGE VALUE THIS YEAR WE SORT OF RECONFIGURED BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS PUT A LOT MORE STRUCTURE AROUND THEM MORE GOALS MORE TANGIBLE METRICS.

AND SO I WANTED YOU TO SEE THAT THIS YEAR FOR AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS, HOW MANY STUDENTS WE SERVED, 482 STUDENTS THIS YEAR.

WE HAD 28 DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, AND WE ENDED UP PAYING STAFF

[00:10:01]

ALMOST $40,000 OVER, IN ADDITION TO THEIR SALARIES.

SO THAT WAS GREAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO PROFITED ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT.

SO THAT WAS, I THINK, WIN, WIN, WIN FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS ON THAT ENDEAVOR.

AND THEN CAMP FORGE, LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN THE MOST FUN FOUR WEEKS AT WESTLAKE ACADEMY.

WE HAVE HAD...

145 UNIQUE CAMPERS, BUT MANY OF THEM WERE REPEATS.

SO WE'VE HAD ANYWHERE FROM 55 TO 85 CAMPERS A WEEK ON CAMPUS.

AND 39 DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

OUR STAFF HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.

WE'VE HAD 18 DIFFERENT TEACHERS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO, OR THEY DIDN'T VOLUNTEER, WE PAID THEM, BUT WHO CAME UP WITH IDEAS TO BE THERE.

EACH OF THEM HAS SURPASSED MY EXPECTATIONS IN EVERY WAY.

I MEAN, MISS WOLF WITH THE WOODWORKING, I MEAN, KIDS CAME OUT OF THERE WITH FULL DESKS.

MR. HANEY, HISTORIES AND MYSTERIES.

I MEAN, WE'VE HAD THE COOLEST STUFF GOING ON ON CAMPUS.

SO ANYWAY, WE ENDED UP PAYING WESTLAKE ACADEMY TEACHERS $44,725 THIS SUMMER IN ADDITION TO THEIR PAYCHECK, SO THEY'RE HAPPY.

AND THEN ONCE WE PAID OUT EVERYTHING, WE ALSO PROFITED $20,000.

SO WE ARE HAPPY WITH THOSE RESULTS, AND WE JUST HOPE TO KEEP GROWING IT AND GROWING IT.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT CAMP IN PARTICULAR.

I DID WANT TO POINT OUT SINCE WE'RE DOWN THAT 40% OF OUR CAMPERS HAVE A WESTLAKE ADDRESS.

WHICH IS ABOUT THE SAME AS THEIR SCHOOL.

YEAH, IT WAS GREAT.

WE HAD A LOT OF THE KIDS WHO WE HAD WERE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE STARTING SCHOOL IN THE FALL, LIKE NEW WESTLAKE RESIDENTS, AND THIS WAS THEIR WAY TO, WE INCLUDED AN INVITATION TO CAMP WHEN WE SENT OUT THAT.

WELCOME TO WESTLAKE ACADEMY PAPERWORK.

OH, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

YEAH, AND THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.

WE HAD A LOT OF NEW KIDS WHO GOT TO MEET TEACHERS, GOT TO GET FAMILIAR WITH CAMPUS, MAKE SOME FRIENDS BEFORE THE FIRST DAY.

SO I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE SAD IT'S OVER.

AND I THINK FOR THE PARENTS, AND I SENT A NOTE TODAY SORT OF WRAPPING UP CAMP, BUT 8,785 SCREEN-FREE HOURS IN JUNE THAT WE PROVIDED FOR KIDS.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF.

IT WAS GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN.

SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT.

I KNOW YOU DROVE THIS THING.

BETH, GREAT WORK.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT.

JUST OUTSTANDING.

I WANT TO REALLY RECOGNIZE, BETH, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, WE CAME TO YOU EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WE SAID THERE'S A NEED HERE.

WE NEED TO REVAMP WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS WAY.

WE NEED TO MAKE THE SALARY COMMISERATE FOR AT LEAST, KIND OF GETTING IN THE RANGE OF WHAT THIS KIND OF WORK REQUIRES.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR APPROVING THAT.

YOU CAN SEE THE OUTCOMES OF THIS.

THESE ARE THE STRATEGIC DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING EVERY DAY ON CAMPUS.

WE ARE ELEVATING.

WE ARE FINDING TALENT LIKE BETH RAYMOND, AND WE ARE PUTTING THOSE PEOPLE IN POSITIONS TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF IMPACTS.

THESE ARE COMMUNITY-WIDE IMPACTS.

AS SHE POINTED OUT, THIS IS REVENUE FOR OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE ON VERY LIMITED SALARIES.

AND SO THIS IS A WAY FOR THEM TO EARN EXTRA INCOME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

AND IT IS OUTREACH BOTH TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WESTLAKE ACADEMY.

THIS YEAR WE HAD ROOM FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY TO SIGN UP.

AND SO THEY WERE SERVED ON OUR CAMPUS IN A VERY SPECIFIC WAY, IN A VERY FRONT-FACING WAY.

AND THE KIDS HAVE HAD AN AMAZING TIME.

THERE'S BEEN JUST AN OVERWHELMING RECEPTION TO THIS.

AND I COULD NOT THANK BETH RAYMOND MORE FOR ALL OF THIS.

ALL OF THE HOURS THAT SHE HAS PUT INTO THIS PARTICULAR ROLE.

I LOVE THIS THANK YOU I ALSO LOVE THE FACT THAT NEW STUDENTS GET TO GO INTO A SUMMER BEFORE THEY GO INTO THE REAL FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND THAT TAKES A LOT OFF SO I LOVE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL IT IS SO WELL DONE THANK YOU.

[O. CONSENT AGENDA ]

CONSENT AGENDA DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO PULL OUT OF THE CONSENT AGENDA OR CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? YES I'D LIKE TO PULL OUT 01 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.

CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

COUNCILMAN YAKIRA.

YES, SIR.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS.

OH, OKAY.

GOT IT.

OKAY, SO MOVED.

[P.1. Conduct Public Hearing to receive public input regarding the Westlake Academy FY 2026-2027 School Budget.]

NEXT IS OUR BUDGET REVIEW.

DR.

RITCHIE.

THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, AND I HAVE JOINING ME J.W.

BENTLEY AND KATHY COHEN.

[00:15:01]

YOU'VE MET KATHY BEFORE.

SHE'S WITH CHARTER IMPACT.

J.W.

BENTLEY IS AN EXPERT IN CHARTER SCHOOL FINANCE AND BUDGETS, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH HIM AS WE DEVELOPED OUR BUDGET.

HE WAS WITH UPLIFT, WHICH IS A LARGE...

CHARTER SCHOOL ORGANIZATION IN TEXAS AND HAS WORKED WITH THEM FOR MANY YEARS ON THEIR VERY EXTENSIVE BUDGET THERE'S A THERE A LARGE NETWORK OF SCHOOLS AND SO I'M HAPPY TO ASK HIM TO COME UP TONIGHT AND KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT OUR BUDGET WILL HOLD FOR NEXT YEAR EXCELLENT.

AND I'M GOING TO ADJUST THIS FOR A TALL PERSON.

SO I'M GOING TO START OFF BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BUDGET ITSELF AND THANK THE STAFF OF THE CITY THAT'S BEEN RUNNING THIS ON THE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING TEAM.

THAT GOOD? EXCELLENT.

EXCELLENT.

I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS AND I'VE SEEN SOME CRAZY.

STUFF THAT YOU GO, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S HAPPENING.

I BET.

THEY GAVE ME DATA THAT ONCE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEIR ACCOUNT CODES WERE, I COULD DO SOMETHING.

I WAS SO PLEASED.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS WALKING INTO.

WHILE WE WILL BE CHANGING MORE AS THIS BECOMES MORE OF A STANDALONE CHARTER SCHOOL WITH ACCOUNT CODES IN THE BACKGROUND, WHAT THEY GAVE ME WAS FANTASTIC SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME SAVINGS THEN RIGHT ABSOLUTELY OKAY I WAS GONNA SAY THAT I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA SAY THAT NEVER MIND HIM HE'S SO IF WE CAN GO AHEAD OH THANK YOU FANTASTIC THE TJ'S BLOCKING ME A LITTLE BIT BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THE 27 PROPOSED REVENUES AND EXPENSES AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT IN HIM OUR ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.

I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE ASSUMPTIONS BEHIND THOSE.

ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THE BUDGET GOALS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A ONE YEAR STORY.

WE'RE GOING SOMEWHERE WITH THIS.

AND THAT WILL TAKE US INTO REVENUE GROWTH, PROGRAM FUNDING, AND I'LL GIVE SOME EXAMPLES.

SO FIRST, THIS IS THE FY27 REVENUES BUDGET.

YOU CAN SEE THE 26 ADOPTED BUDGET ON THE SECOND TO LAST COLUMN AND THE 27 PROPOSED BUDGET.

WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS A PICKUP IN THE FEDERAL REVENUE.

SO I CHECKED THE TEA'S PLANNING WEBSITE, AND THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THEY GAVE US, FOR HOW MUCH WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE SCHOOL.

IDOB IS THE ONE THAT IS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING IN THE PAST IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SPECIAL EDUCATION THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FUNDING FOR IT YOU WILL GO OVER I GUARANTEE YOU WITH YOUR FEDERAL WITH YOUR STATE AND YOU WILL HAVE TO USE YOUR FUNDS SO HIGHLY IMPORTANT YOU'LL SEE IDEA B PRESCHOOL IS ON THERE THAT MEANS SOMEBODY GOT CODED WRONG IT'LL FALL OFF IN YOU SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE INCLUDE...

THAT'S MONEY THAT WE WEREN'T GETTING BEFORE? IT HAS BEEN SPENT.

ONLY THE IDEA BE.

THE OTHER FUNDS, NOT YET.

NOW, IT'S FEDERAL MONEY, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU NOW, USE FEDERAL MONEY, MORE COMPLIANCE.

IT'S NOT AS EASY.

THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO GROW IT.

WE HAVE TO START TAKING ON THE COMPLIANCE.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CHARTER IMPACT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.

ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE 26 ADOPTED AND THE 27 PROPOSED BUDGET.

YOU WILL LOOK AT A FEW THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, FIRST THING THAT'S GOING TO JUMP OUT TO ANYBODY IS INSTRUCTION.

FUNCTION 11, AS IT'S KNOWN.

THE 26 HAS 6.7.

AND I'M DOING 6.1.

THIS IS, I BUILT THAT NUMBER FROM THE GROUND UP.

ALL MY NUMBERS ARE FROM THE GROUND UP, STARTING WITH STAFFING, BENEFITS, AND THEN YOU LAYER IN ON TOP OF THAT YOUR NON-PAYROLL.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HIT 6.7.

YOU'RE GOING TO HIT ABOUT 6 MILLION TO 6.1.

ALL THE DATA EARLIER TODAY THROUGH 6.15.

SO THIS IS NOT CUTTING ANYTHING.

THIS IS JUST CRISP ACCOUNTING.

CRISP.

GOT IT.

AND IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT AS...

MY PREDICTION, ONCE THE AUDIT IS DONE,

[00:20:01]

INSTRUCTIONAL IS GOING TO BE ABOUT $6 MILLION TO $6.1 MILLION.

AND AS WE GO THROUGH, A FEW CALL-OUTS ON HERE.

OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP STAYS THE SAME, BUT IT'S GOOD TO NOTE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT KEEPS DR.

RITCHIE RIGHT HERE.

NOT ALL OF THAT, NO.

I DO WANT TO CALL OUT...

41, GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.

THIS IS ONE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE STATE.

YOU'LL SEE IT HAS A JUMP.

THAT IS CHARTER IMPACT, BRINGING THEM IN TO DO THE BACK OFFICE WORK.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE STATE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TOO MUCH OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION EATING UP YOUR BUDGET.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THAT IN A MINUTE, HOW THE STATE ACTUALLY SCORES THAT ON A RATING.

BUT THAT IS ONE AREA THAT IS BACK OFFICE.

THAT MEANS FINANCE, ACCOUNTING, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, AND CAR.

NOBODY ELSE.

SO THE LAST ONE I WANT TO BRING OUT IS YOUR FACILITIES.

THAT'S 51. WHENEVER I GO INTO A CHARTER SCHOOL, I LOOK AT 51 BECAUSE IT CAN GET OUT OF CONTROL BECAUSE IT'S FACILITIES AND THINGS BREAK IN TECH.

WE HAVE AIR CONDITIONERS DOWN HERE, RIGHT? WATER HEATERS BREAK.

YOU DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S THE ONE THAT CAN BE THE MOST SURPRISING.

SO SOMEONE WILL WATCH CLOSELY.

ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON? BEFORE YOU GO ON, THERE'S TWO LINE ITEMS HERE THAT NEED A LITTLE EXPLAINING.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES DOWN 80,000.

LINE 36.

THAT IS ACTUALLY MOVING A POSITION.

I HAVE MOVED A POSITION TO ANOTHER SPOT BECAUSE...

THAT FUNCTION WASN'T RIGHT.

WHERE DID IT MOVE TO? IT'S IN 11 NOW.

GOOD CATCH.

MY QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE GOING TO TOUCH ON THIS, BUT DATA PROCESSING SERVICES FELL BY MORE THAN HALF.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? OH, YES.

LOTS OF CUTS WERE MADE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MICHELLE.

SHE HAD SEVERAL, AND I'LL SHOW YOU ON THE NEXT PAGE.

WE HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT.

AT THE END, WE'RE LOOKING AT NET INCOME OF $404,000 AT THIS CURRENT.

ALL RIGHT? SO SOME OF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS, AND GETTING TO WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING TO, WE'RE SAYING ENROLLMENTS, 920 STUDENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A 97% ATTENDANCE RATE.

WE ELIMINATED A ROLE, 83K, FOR PAYROLL AND A COUPLE OF STIPENDS THAT HELP SAVE.

TECHNOLOGY COST SAVINGS OF 226K.

THAT WAS COMING FROM WHAT DIFFERENCE BUSES? THE TECH LAB.

WHAT TECH LAB IS WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET WITH TECH LAB AND KIND OF THE CUTS WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE WITHIN OUR TECHNOLOGY BUDGET.

THAT'S THE MAIN SAVINGS.

CJ, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, NO, NOT NOW.

NEXT UP, I HAVE FEDERAL IDAB FUNDS.

AGAIN, THOSE ARE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOLARS.

THOSE WILL BE UTILIZED TO PAY FOR SAID CONTRACTED SERVICES.

CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION ARE EXPENSIVE.

THERE ARE JUST NOT ENOUGH DIAGNOSTICIANS AND SOMEBODY TO HELP WHEN YOU HAVE A BLIND PERSON OR A DEAF PERSON.

YOU HAVE TO BRING THEM IN.

THEY'RE COSTLY.

I RECOMMEND PUTTING IT ON FEDERAL FUNDS BECAUSE IT GOES THROUGH IT.

WELL, WE'VE HAD DIAGNOSTICIANS.

WE'RE JUST BUDGETING IT TO A DIFFERENT SPOT.

BUT THE FEDERAL FUNDING IS NEW TO US.

THE FEDERAL FUNDING.

ARE WE USING ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY? HAVE WE INCREASED THE BUDGET FOR THE SPEND? NO, SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.

SAME AMOUNT OF BUDGET.

SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.

SO THIS YEAR THE SCHOOL IS QUALIFIED FOR A GRANT.

IT IS STRICTLY FOR FACILITY-RELATED COSTS, DOCTOR.

IT'S THE STATE CHARTER SCHOOL'S FACILITY GRANT.

I KNOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A STATE.

IT'S ACTUALLY A FEDERAL GRANT.

HAPPY TO HAVE.

WE'LL USE IT TO HELP COVER THE FACILITY NEEDS.

LET'S TOUCH BASE REAL QUICK, BECAUSE, KELLY, I KNOW I KNOW THIS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SENT A MESSAGE.

YOU GUYS APPLIED FOR A GRANT.

I APPLIED FOR A GRANT ABOUT...

TWO MONTHS AGO, THREE MONTHS

[00:25:01]

AGO, AND WE JUST GOT NOTIFICATION ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO THAT WE RECEIVED IT.

AND IT IS A FEDERAL GRANT SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO ENHANCE STATE FUNDING TOWARDS CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES.

AND WE HAVE BEEN PRELIMINARILY AWARDED $111,000 PENDING THE FINAL RECEIPT OF OUR PAPERWORK TO SUPPORT THAT.

SO WE'RE GETTING THAT PAPERWORK TOGETHER NOW.

THEN I'M GOING TO BEAT THESE GUYS ASKING THE QUESTION.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE.

BEATING DOWN EVERY DOOR FOR EVERY GRANT THAT WE CAN GET AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED Y'ALL'S HELP.

AND I'M ASSUMING, IN FOLLOW-ON TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, YOU ARE GOING TO BE HELPING US WITH THAT PROCESS OF GRANT WRITING? AS LONG AS CHARTER IMPACT WANTS ME HERE.

I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND THANK YOU TO DR.

RITCHIE FOR GETTING THE GRANT, BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING WHAT WE GOT LAST YEAR IN FACILITIES FUNDING AND THE INCREASE.

SO THIS IS GOING TO HELP US AT LEAST GET CLOSER TO WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR WITH FACILITIES FUNDING, EVEN THOUGH WE GOT ABOUT ONE- 40, 150 LAST YEAR.

WE'RE GETTING NONE FROM THE STATE THIS YEAR.

AND SO THIS WILL AT LEAST COVER SOME OF WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN LAST YEAR THAT WE DIDN'T.

ONE THING WE WANT TO NOTE, AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK, YOU LOOK AT THE DEBT SERVICE LINE AT THE BOTTOM.

THOSE ARE LEASES OF TECHNOLOGY.

THESE ARE, I BELIEVE, TWO YEARS LEFT ON THE LEASE.

ONCE THOSE ARE DONE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THAT TO CAPITALIZING, CAPEX, THOSE EXPENSES, GET IT OFF OF THE INCOME STATEMENT, GET IT OVER ON THE BALANCE SHEET.

OUR CASH WILL, OF COURSE, LOOK THE SAME.

IT WON'T CHANGE THAT.

IT WILL CHANGE HOW THE INCOME STATEMENT LOOKS.

I ALSO WANT TO SHOW YOU A PROPOSAL WITH A 2% COLA.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE WE'VE GONE FROM $404,000 TO $227,000.

WE'RE ABLE TO BRING THAT THROUGH.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY FANTASTIC THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIT A COLA IN.

I'M NOT ABLE TO DO THAT IN A LOT OF PLACES.

SO SOMETHING THAT WILL BE DUG INTO MORE, AND WE HOPE TO BRING TO YOU NEXT SESSION.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET GOALS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

WHERE ARE WE GOING? FIRST IS TO MEET THE TOP SCORE FOR THE CHARTER FIRST RATINGS FOR DAYS CASH ON HAND.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, SOMETHING THEY CALL THE FIRST RATING, FINANCIAL INTEGRITY RATING SYSTEM OF TEXAS, THAT ALL SCHOOLS HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR MONEY WELL.

WELL, IN FY25, THE SCHOOL GOT A 92 OUT OF 100.

SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

BUT.

LET'S GET THOSE LAST EIGHT POINTS.

THERE YOU GO.

SO THE FIRST IS GOING TO TAKE THE LONGEST.

THIS WILL TAKE THREE YEARS, AND THAT IS TO HAVE A TOTAL CASH ON HAND THAT WILL NEED TO BE ABOUT $1.9 MILLION.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT $1 MILLION.

WE CAN DO THAT BUILDING UP OVER THREE YEARS AS LONG AS NO MAJOR APEX PROBLEMS COME UP, ANYTHING WE HAVE TO FIX.

MICHAEL, YOU REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION.

HOW DO THEY MEASURE THIS AND WHEN? SO THIS WILL GET MEASURED AFTER THE AUDIT.

SO THE AUDIT WILL BE FINISHED OCTOBER, NOVEMBER.

BUT IS IT AN AVERAGE CASH ON HAND? IS IT A PERIOD IN TIME? YOUR LAST DAY OF YOUR FISCAL YEAR.

YOU KNOW WHY I'M ASKING THAT, CLEARLY.

BESIDES THE...

THE PRESTIGE THAT COMES ALONG WITH BEING ABLE TO GET THE RATING, WHAT OTHER FINANCIAL BENEFIT IS THERE FOR US? IF WE MISS SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT HELPS US COVER THAT.

AND ALSO, IF WE EVER NEED TO GO TO THE BOND MARKET.

SO IT IS A BENEFIT FOR THE BOND MARKET, RIGHT? YES.

OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE.

BORROWING.

EASY THING TO SELL AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE AN A RATING.

HEY, WE HAVE 100 OUT OF 100.

OH, YES, AND THE FACILITY FUNDING WILL BE BACK WHEN WE TURN THIS IN.

SO THAT WILL BE PART OF THE THREE-YEAR, GETTING MORE MONEY.

THE NEXT ONE, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EASY ONE.

THIS IS MEET THE TOP SCORE FOR THE RATINGS ADMINISTRATIVE COST RATIO.

I SAID THE STATE KEEPS A VERY CLOSE EYE ON ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

THAT FUNCTION 41 RIGHT THERE, GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.

IT WANTS TO KNOW FOR A SCHOOL THIS SIZE THAT YOU ARE USING 15.61% OR LESS OF YOUR FUNDING

[00:30:06]

ON THAT GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.

AND THAT'S JUST AN EFFICIENCY RATIO, SO YOU'RE NOT TOP-HEAVY.

YEP.

GOT IT.

TOTALLY.

WE GOT 8 POINTS, 8 OUT OF 10, REAL CLOSE.

WE'LL BE FINE THIS YEAR.

THE ONLY THING THAT CAUSES TROUBLE TO THAT.

IS SPED LEGAL ACTION.

AND LEGAL DOES GO UNDER THAT ADMIN.

OTHERWISE, WE'LL HIT THIS.

I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT ONE.

THE LAST ONE, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME, IS GROWING THE FUNDS PER STUDENT.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FIRST RATING STUFF BEFORE I MOVE ON? ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE GOING TO INCREASE THE STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS BY ENSURING EVERY FAMILY FILLS OUT A CHILD NUTRITION FORM AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION.

SO REVENUE GROWTH PLANS.

THIS IS SOMETHING I'LL SAY AS I'M A MANSFIELD ISD PERSON, AN ISD THAT IS FAIRLY WELL-FUNDED.

THEY DON'T CARE.

THEY MAKE ME FILL OUT EVERY YEAR FOR MY KIDS.

YOU FILL THAT FORM OUT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY ATTACHED TO THAT BESIDES FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE STATE COMP ED, WHICH WILL DO TITLE I, AND EARLY EDUCATION ALLOTMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE ALL STEPS ARE TAKEN TO GET THAT FACILITIES ALLOTMENT THAT WE DIDN'T GET.

THAT WILL FLOW RIGHT TO THE BOTTOM LINE, SO THAT WILL FEEL VERY GOOD.

THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK, AND I'LL DIG INTO THIS ONE, WE'RE GOING TO ALIGN COURSE OFFERINGS TO CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, MOST PEOPLE THINK, OH, WHAT IS IT, AUTO MECHANIC AND WELDING? YEAH, YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION.

AT UPLIFT, WE REQUIRED EVERY NINTH GRADER TO BE A PROFESSIONAL.

PROF THOMAS, WE CALLED IT.

IT'S A LOT OF COMPUTER CLASSES.

OUR STUDENTS HAD 3D PRINTERS BEFORE EVERYBODY COULD BUY A 3D PRINTER.

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET SOME FUN, INNOVATIVE CLASSES.

THEY WORK WITH THE IB, INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE, THAT THE SCHOOL USES.

UPLIFT USES THE SAME.

WHILE I WILL COMPLAIN ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION NOT GETTING FUNDING, BILINGUAL NOT GETTING FUNDING, I WILL NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ONE.

THIS GETS FUNDING.

IT'S FOR SEVENTH GRADERS AND UP.

AND IF YOU HAVE A TEACHER TEACHING THAT CLASS, YOU CAN PUT THAT PORTION OF THAT CLASS TO THE CTE FUNDS INSTEAD OF TO YOUR GENERAL.

RIGHT.

THIS IS ANOTHER FEDERAL? WHAT'S THAT? THIS IS A FEDERAL? THIS IS A STATE.

THERE IS A SMALL FEDERAL PORTION AS WELL, BUT THIS IS A BIG STATE.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS IN A MINUTE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP SOME NEW QUEER TECHNICAL EDUCATION CLASSES.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

HERE I HAVE KELLER ISD, NORTHWEST ISD, AND WESTLAKE ACADEMY.

SO WE CAN SEE THE REAL COMPARISON.

YOU MAY SAY, HEY, I WANT TO SEE CARROLL ISD.

CAROL ISD SENDS A LOT OF MONEY TO THE STATE OF TEXAS UNDER THE ROBIN HOOD ACT.

IT'S OVER $19 MILLION.

WE'D BE COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES THERE.

KELLER AND NORTHWEST ALSO SEND, BUT THEY SEND THAT AMOUNT.

IT'S A MUCH MORE REPRESENTATIVE THING.

KELLER ISD, STATE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION, THAT IS FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS TO DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU GET.

AND THEN YOU USE IT ON YOUR STUDENTS WHO ARE AT RISK, SOMEBODY AT RISK OF FAILING.

KELLER GETS 504 PER STUDENT.

NORTHWEST IS GETTING 430.

WE'RE GETTING 22.

THERE ARE LITERALLY SIX KIDS RIGHT NOW WHO ARE CODED TO STATE COMP ED, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT CODED THEM THAT WAY.

NOT DOING THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING THOSE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES.

AND WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE GOING INTO THIS YEAR? YES, WE DO.

WE DID A SCREENER AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, AND THEN AFTER WE MET WITH JW, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO THE FULL FORMS WHEN EVERY STUDENT RETURNS BACK TO CAMPUS.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE DO WHEN THEY GET BACK ON CAMPUS.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? WHAT WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW IS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE FREE

[00:35:01]

AND REDUCED LUNCH.

THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS WE GET FUNDING FROM, LIKE COMPED, TITLE I, TITLE II.

I COULD GO ON EARLY EDUCATION ALLOTMENT.

THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO SELL IS THERE ARE SO MANY STRINGS TIED TO THIS THAT IF YOU JUST SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT, WE COULD BE OUT MONEY.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.

ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT ONE ON THERE IS TITLE I.

TITLE I IS A LOT LIKE STATE COMPACT.

I'M SORRY, GO BACK.

IS THIS A MATTER OF EDUCATION? FOR THE PARENTS? YES, IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

THIS IS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH DARCY MCFARLANE WHO'S OUR ACCOUNTABILITY DIRECTOR.

THIS FOR SURE IS A CULTURE PIECE.

NO ONE HAS, YOU KNOW THE ASSUMPTION FROM WHAT I CAN TELL HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS IS A SCHOOL THAT SITS IN WESTLAKE.

NO ONE HAS NEEDS.

THAT'S JUST FUNDAMENTALLY NOT TRUE AND WE KNOW THAT FROM BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE KNOW WHAT STUDENTS WE HELP.

WE KNOW WHAT STUDENTS HAVEN'T COME FORWARD FOR HELP.

WE KNOW WHAT EMAILS WE GET ABOUT THE COST OF UNIFORM OR THE COST OF A TECHNOLOGY FEE OR THE COST OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED JUST AS NORMAL PARTS OF ATTENDING A CHOICE SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T GET FULLY FUNDED.

SO WHEN YOU ARE FIELDING THOSE KINDS OF INQUIRIES, YOU KNOW THE NEED IS THERE.

THE PROBLEM IS WE JUST HAVE NOT BEEN QUANTIFYING THOSE.

SO FOR 23 YEARS, THE SCHOOL HAS JUST OPERATED AS IF EVERYBODY WALKS OUT OF A $5 MILLION HOME AND COMES ONTO CAMPUS.

AND THAT'S YOU KNOW THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE WE KNOW THAT'S NOT TITLE ONE IS MUCH LIKE STAY COMPETITIVE IT'S JUST THE FEDERAL VERSION IT IS ALSO BASED ON YOUR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH DOLLARS AND IT GOES TOWARDS STUDENTS WHO ARE AT RISK EARLY EDUCATION ALLOTMENT THIS IS $91 IN KELLER THIS IS 119 NORTHWEST AND $20 AT WESTLAKE, YOU GET AN ALLOTMENT BASED ON TWO THINGS.

ONE IS HOW MANY K-3 KIDS DO YOU HAVE? AND TWO IS HOW MANY OF THOSE K-3 KIDS ARE EITHER BILINGUAL, NEEDING HELP LEARNING TO SPEAK WITH ENGLISH, OR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED? ANOTHER REASON WE COULD BE TOUCHING THAT MONEY.

AND THEN I ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

THEY DO HAVE CLASSES IN PLACE, AND WE'RE GOING TO GROW THAT.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S OVER $1,000 A SCHOLAR IN KELLER.

THEY ARE DOING GREAT.

919 IN NORTHWEST AND 320.

WHAT CLASSIFIES AS CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION? CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, THAT IS COLLEGE READINESS CLASSES.

I SAID PROF-COM, PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS.

MOST OF THE SCHOOLS I'VE WORKED WITH DO SOMETHING WITH COMPUTERS.

HOW MANY BOYS DO YOU ASK THAT SAY, I WANT TO BE A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? AND YOU CAN BUILD OUT MULTI-YEARS OVER THREE OR FOUR YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL OF, HEY, WE'LL HAVE STEP ONE, STEP TWO, STEP THREE, STEP FOUR OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLASSES.

COULD ENTREPRENEURSHIP POSSIBLY BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES.

I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, BUT I BET WE COULD.

NURSING.

AND AS PART, YOU HAVE TO LINE UP CORRECTLY TO THE TEKS THAT THE STATE HAS.

IT'S TOTALLY DOABLE.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU A QUICK IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.

STATE COMP ED, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? SO IN KELLER, 34% OF THEIR REFINED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.

ARE STATE COMP ED ELIGIBLE.

IT'S 31 OR 30.1 PERCENT IN NORTHWEST.

BUT WHAT IF WE HAD 20 PERCENT OF KIDS AT WESTLAKE? $260,000.

YOU MAY SAY WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SPEND THAT ON? YOU HAVE $208,000 RIGHT NOW PAYING TEACHER AID, THE GENERAL EDUCATION FUNDS THAT BELONGS RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS USE IT OR LOSE IT MONEY.

YOU DON'T GET TO KEEP IT IF YOU'RE NOT USING IT ON WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.

THIS IS SUPPLEMENTAL MONEY, SO YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR JUST, HEY, LET'S PAY OUR TEACHERS OUT OF IT OR WHATEVER.

IT HAS TO BE TO ENHANCE ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND AID ABSOLUTELY COUNTS AS THAT, AND INTERVENTION IS BRINGING IN A TUTOR.

IT COULD BE A TUTORING COMPANY, A PERSON WHO DOES TUTORING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIRE THEM.

[00:40:01]

BY MANIPULATIVES.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE SUPPLEMENTAL ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU ALREADY.

I WOULD GO AHEAD AND PUT ALL THAT $208,000 THERE AND FIGURE OUT THE REST.

THIS ADDITIONAL REVENUE WOULDN'T DROP TO THE BOTTOM LINE, BUT IT WOULD ENHANCE OUR OFFICE.

IT WOULD DROP TO THE BOTTOM LINE.

IT REDUCES US PAYING MONEY.

IT REPLACES US SPENDING AND COVERING THOSE COSTS.

THIS IS USE OR LOSE.

GEN ED, YOU GET TO KEEP.

AND IF YOU WANT TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF GEN ED, FINE, BUT YOU WON'T GET IT.

I WAS THINKING, GO AHEAD, KELLY.

SO, YES, TO JUST KIND OF REITERATE WHAT HE'S SAYING, WE HIRE PEOPLE ALREADY TO BE THERE AS KIND OF REINFORCEMENTS FOR OUR TEACHERS.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE THESE PARAPROFESSIONALS IN PLACE WHO ARE WORKING ON TUTORING, WHO ARE WORKING ON INTERVENTIONS.

SO THIS MONEY IS ALREADY COMING OUT OF OUR BUDGET.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCE FOR IT.

THIS IS TUTORING AND THAT'S REALLY A GREAT EXAMPLE.

WOULD THAT MEAN THAT WE COULD HIRE ANOTHER PERSON? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WE COULD, YES.

YES, IF THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND, WE COULD DO FOR THE SECONDARY LEVEL WHAT WE ARE DOING VERY WELL WITH PRIMARY RIGHT NOW.

ALL OF, NOT ALL, THE MAJORITY OF OUR SUPPORTS RIGHT NOW ARE ELEMENTARY GEARED.

AND WHEN THEY TRANSITION TO SECONDARY, THAT IS, THOSE ARE MORE, THE SUPPORTS ARE MORE CONTAINED TO THE CLASSROOM.

AND SO THIS WOULD OPEN UP A WAY TO REALLY CREATE EQUITY THERE.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, YOU SAID TUTOR.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECOMMENDATIONS IS GO FIND A TEACHER WHO LEFT, GO RAISE THEIR KIDS, WHO WANTS TO COME BACK PART-TIME, PAY THEM $35 AN HOUR, HAVE THEM COME IN 15 TO 20 HOURS A WEEK, AND THEY'RE A MATH TUTOR.

THEY GO IN, THEY DO THEIR MATH, AND THAT'S IT.

AN EMPLOYEE AT THAT POINT OR A CONTRACTOR, BUT THEY GET SOME TIME BACK.

GET IN THE CLASSROOM AND HELP KIDS.

REALLY GREAT WAY TO GO AS COMPARED TO GOING TO A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO COST YOU.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE JUMPED ON THIS AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MOVING THE FINANCE OVER IS BECAUSE ALL THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT THAT WAS OUT THERE THAT WE WEREN'T TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHEN YOU GUYS BRIEFED IT THE FIRST TIME.

LOW-HANGING FRUIT'S GREAT, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF WORK TO GET IT DONE.

SO DO WE HAVE AN ACTION PLAN FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE LINE ITEMS? OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO GET IT AND WHO IS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT THAT FOOTBALL IS PICKED UP OFF THE GROUND AND CARRIED ACROSS THE GOAL LINE.

GREAT QUESTION.

SO MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BUT HOW DO CHARTER SCHOOLS GET PAID? STUDENTS.

WHAT'S THAT? FOR STUDENTS.

FOR STUDENTS.

IT'S NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS.

IT'S WHAT'S CALLED PEMS, PRIMARY EDUCATION, INFORMATION SCHOOL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

SORRY.

THROUGH AN EXTRA S IN THERE.

WE SEND EVERY SIX WEEKS TO THE STATE A REPORT.

IT IS FOUR PAGES LONG.

AND ONE OF THOSE PAGES IS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SIGN.

AND ON IT, IT SAYS, I HAVE THIS MANY SPECIAL EDUCATION KIDS WHO ARE SELF-CONTAINED OR IN A RESOURCE ROOM OR SPEECH THERAPY.

STATE PAYS YOU BASED ON A DIFFERENT RATING, WEIGHTING FOR THE DIFFERENT KIND OF KIDS.

SAME WITH STATE COMP ED.

THEY TAKE THOSE STATE COMP ED KIDS.

THEY LOOK AT WHERE THEY LIVE.

IF IT'S MORE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, THE WEIGHTING IS HIGHER.

IF IT'S LESS, THE WEIGHTING IS LOWER.

BUT IT'S STILL THERE FOR EVERY KID.

SO WHEN WE WORK ON OUR PEMS DATA, THAT HAS TO BE THE CRISP THING THAT WILL REWARD US QUICKLY FROM THE STATE.

FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY ONLY TAKE IT ONE TIME A YEAR.

IT'S CALLED SNAPSHOT, LATE OCTOBER.

THEY TAKE WHAT YOU GOT AND THEY GO, GREAT, WE'RE GOING TO PAY YOU NEXT YEAR OFF OF THIS.

AND THEY DON'T EVEN PAY YOU THEIR REIMBURSEMENT.

THE STATE AT LEAST WILL SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'LL REIMBURSE YOU ON NEXT YEAR.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A YEAR TO BUILD INTO FEDERAL FUNDS.

BUT THE STATE CAN COME THIS YEAR AND START DOING THAT.

OKAY, SO ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO MANAGE? ARE YOU GOING TO TOP LEVEL MANAGE EACH OF THESE SINGLE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH? AWESOME.

AND THEY'RE PROACTIVELY PINGING THE SCHOOL TO GET THE DATA YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT.

SO YOU'RE PINGING MICHELLE.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD.

THAT'S ONE FOLLOW-ON QUESTION.

A STATUS REPORT, QUARTERLY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, HOW WE'RE DOING AGAINST THE...

CAN WE GET...

[00:45:01]

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, RIGHT? WHERE ARE WE GOING? FUNDS, THE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE FILLED OUT BY THE PARENTS FOR THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FORMS THAT GO IN THAT KICK OFF ALL THE OTHER TITLE FUNDS THAT COME THROUGH, THEY'RE A YEAR BEHIND.

SO THOSE TITLE FUNDS WON'T COME INTO THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR BASED ON THE METRICS THAT COME THROUGH, BASED ON THOSE FORMS NOW.

BUT THE STATE FUNDS WILL COME.

THE FEDERAL ARE ALWAYS BEHIND A YEAR.

SO WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENTLY ALWAYS MAKING SURE THOSE ARE GETTING FILED ON TIME SO WE NEED TO GET THAT.

SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S WORTH A LOT OF GROWTH.

NEXT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

TODAY WE'RE GETTING $279,000.

SO IF WE HAD 10% OF OUR STUDENTS IN A CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION CLASS, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT $745,000.

I'VE SAID THIS IS THE ONE I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING UNDERFUNDED.

I MEAN IT.

THIS WAS AT UPLIFT HOW I WAS RAISING MORE MONEY PER STUDENT.

STUDENTS TO GROW THIS, GET WITH THE CURRICULUM TEAM AND SAY, OKAY, YOU TELL ME WHAT LINES UP, AND LET'S START CHANGING CLASSES THAT ARE CLOSE.

IT'S A PSYCHOLOGY CLASS OR SOCIOLOGY CLASS, AND ALIGN IT, GET IT IN THE BOOK.

IT WAS A FANTASTIC WAY BECAUSE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE EXPENSIVE.

THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

GREAT WAY.

TO HELP US AND OFFER THE STUDENTS REALLY NEAT CLASSES.

JUST TWO POINTS ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

ONE IS WE ARE AN IB SCHOOL, AND THAT IS OUR FOCUS.

AND JW COMES FROM AN IB BACKGROUND.

SO THIS IS NOT TO SUPPLANT THE IB PROGRAM.

THIS IS TO SUPPLEMENT IN CLASSES.

EVERY STUDENT THAT WE SERVE HAS ADDITIONAL ELECTIVE PERIODS IN THEIR SCHEDULE.

SO THIS IS MAXIMIZING THOSE ELECTIVE PERIODS.

IT ALSO IS IDENTIFYING CLASSES THAT WE ALREADY OFFER AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE CORRECTLY CODED IN THE SYSTEM TO BE ELIGIBLE AS CTE CLASSES.

THIS IS NOT REVERTING TO A DIFFERENT PROGRAM.

THIS IS NOT RUNNING A PARALLEL PROGRAM.

WE ARE WHOLEHEARTEDLY ALL IN AS AN IB SCHOOL.

THAT IS OUR MISSION.

BUT THIS DOESN'T DETRACT FROM THAT.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY FOCUSED ON THAT.

YOU'RE JUST CHECKING A NEW BLOCK.

ALL YOU'RE DOING IS CHECKING A NEW BLOCK.

SAYING IT MEETS THAT CRITERIA.

YEP.

RIGHT.

WELL SAID.

YOU MIGHT NEED A NAME CHANGE.

YEAH, THAT'S IT.

JUST LAST, THE OTHER AREAS WE WANT TO GROW, I SHOWED YOU THE TWO BIGGEST ONES.

TITLE I, FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.

LET'S USE THOSE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FORMS. TITLE II IS FOR TRAINING TEACHERS AND LEADERS.

EIGHTY PERCENT OF IT IS BASED ON THOSE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FORMS. EARLY EDUCATION ALLOTMENT.

YOU GET A WEIGHT OF 0.01 FOR EACH K-3 KID YOU HAVE.

YOU GET A WEIGHT OF 0.1 IF THEY ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED OR IN AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER.

CARL PERKINS, YOU ASKED EARLIER ABOUT...

IS THAT CARL PERKINS' BLUE SUEDE SHOES, HARPER? THAT'S A GUY.

HE ALSO SET UP A GRANT.

NO ONE OTHER THAN YOU AND I KNOW THAT REFERENCE, BY THE WAY.

THIS IS A FEDERAL FUND THAT IS ALSO CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IT'S NOWHERE NEAR AS BIG AS WHAT THE STATE PAYS US, BUT IT'S THERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO USE IT AS WE GROW IT.

AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF ADMINISTRATING VOTING AND GATHERING THE INFORMATION PROPERLY.

AND COMPLIANCE PIECES.

I MEAN, THERE ARE, I MEAN...

TO THIS POINT, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A SCHOOL.

AND THERE'S SOME COST TO COMPLIANCE.

THERE'S ALWAYS A COST TO COMPLIANCE.

BUT, YES, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

AND THE BIGGEST PIECE OF COMPLIANCE IS WHEN YOU GO TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT'S ALL REIMBURSEMENT.

YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT YOUR CASH, RIGHT? THE STATE GIVES YOU THE MONEY BASED ON JUST WHAT YOU TURNED IN FOR THE SIX WEEKS.

SO YOU'RE OUT THAT CASH.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT YOU DID.

IS IT IN COMPLIANCE? BECAUSE THEY WILL SAY, OH, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS ONE.

[00:50:02]

WE'RE NOT PAYING YOU FOR THAT, AND THAT CAN HURT YOUR CASH.

SO GOOD COMPLIANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THAT REASON.

FOR ALL REASONS.

YES, FOR MANY REASONS.

LAST, WE KNOW THE FACILITIES ALLOTMENT.

THAT'S MY FAVORITE.

WE WANT TO GET THAT.

AND THAT'S IT FROM ME.

SO ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT JOB.

SO THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF FOUND MONEY HERE.

SO KELLY AND MICHELLE ESPECIALLY, AND I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT MY NOTES BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THIS.

WHEN WE REALLY GOT INTO THE FINANCES A YEAR AGO, WE WENT TO AUSTIN.

THESE NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE AROUND.

IT WAS LIKE $8,500 PER KID WE WERE TARGETING.

WE WEREN'T EVEN MEETING THE AVERAGE CHARTER SCHOOL, AND WE WERE WAY OFF THE AVERAGE ISD.

SO EVERY SCHEDULE I WANT TO SEE GOING FORWARD, I WANT TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS.

WHAT OUR TOTAL KIND OF REVENUE PER KID IS, AVERAGE CHARTER SCHOOL, WHATEVER ELSE YOU THINK IS FINE, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE DELTAS OF THIS.

SO THIS PRESENTATION, HAVE I READ THAT RIGHT? REVENUE'S UP, EXPENSES DOWN.

EXPENSES FLAT.

MAYBE A 2% COLA, WE'RE HOPING.

OTHERWISE, EXPENSES FLAT, REVENUES UP.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEMS DATA IS LOOKING GOOD EACH SIX WEEKS.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU.

WE OUGHT TO TAKE THE PEMS DATA FROM THE END OF THIS YEAR.

AND WHEN THAT FIRST SIX WEEKS IS DONE, WE CAN SAY, HEY, WHAT'S OUR VARIANCE? HAVE WE GROWN? ARE WE SEEING THAT? AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT GIVE US ADDITIONAL FUNDING? AND DOING THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS THE BEST WAY TO KNOW YOUR FUNDING.

AND WE DO THE PIMS REPORT EVERY WHAT'S A FREQUENCY? EVERY SIX WEEKS.

EVERY SIX WEEKS.

KIM, WHEN YOU REVIEW THAT DATA AND WE DO THE REVIEWS, I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE DATA AND SHOW WHERE WE ARE.

I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO SET A TARGET OF WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO ACHIEVE, TOO, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A GRADE, BUT WHAT'S OUR TARGET THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO PER STUDENT? AND LET'S SET THAT AND LET'S TRY TO GET THERE.

LET ME TELL YOU, WE GOT THE AVERAGE CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD BE A MIRACLE.

THAT WAS A COUPLE MORE THOUSAND.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT IS.

I MEAN, IF WE JUST START AND SAY 10 TO BEGIN.

BECAUSE WE'RE COMING INTO THIS NEW SCHOOL YEAR AND WE'RE CLEANING UP THE DATA AND WE HAVE A LOT OF REPORTS TO LOOK FORWARD WITH, I'D LIKE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRENDS THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.

I LIKE THAT.

IF I CAN SUGGEST.

AND THEN I THINK THEN WE CAN TAKE THOSE TRENDS AND COMPARE THOSE TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAN START BENCHMARKING FROM THERE.

IF WE BENCHMARK OFF THAT FIRST SIX WEEKS AND SECOND SIX WEEKS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE TRUE PICTURE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT TRENDING THAT OUT.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST WE LOOK AT IT FROM THAT POINT AND THEN WE CAN REVISE FROM THERE GOING FORWARD.

WE'RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.

WE'RE GOOD.

GREAT.

WELL SAID.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL? NO.

EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

GREAT START FOR US.

I'LL NOW OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A COMMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED WESLEY ACADEMY FY2026-2027 SCHOOL BUDGET? IF SO, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME.

THERE'S NO ONE.

I NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

[Q.1. Discuss, consider and act regarding WA Resolution 26-12 approving and adopting the proposed Westlake Academy budget for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2027, including Committed and Assigned Fund Balances.]

AND MOVE TO REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. Q1, DISCUSS, CONSIDER, AND ACT REGARDING WA RESOLUTION 26-12, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE PROPOSED WESTLAKE ACADEMY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2027, INCLUDING COMMITTED AND ASSIGNED FUND BALANCES.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.

CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? HALLELUJAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM Q.

CAN I SAY ONE THING? YES, PLEASE.

I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR QUARTERLY FINANCIAL PRESENTED.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT.

WE SHOULD BE DOING IT.

WE NEED THAT KIND OF TRANSPARENCY.

WE HAVE THAT ON THE...

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE STILL HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE OUR PROTOCOLS ACROSS THE...

ORGANIZATION, SO WE'LL DO THAT.

THIS IS A GREAT START.

THANK YOU

[Q.2. Discuss, consider and act regarding WA Resolution 26-16 approving the SY 26-27 Compensation Schedule.]

FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

Q2, DISCUSS, CONSIDER, ACT REGARDING W.A.

RESOLUTION 26-16, APPROVING THE S.Y.

2627 COMPENSATION SCHEDULE.

HEY, SANDY, HOW ARE YOU? HI.

MAYOR, COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING.

ALL RIGHTY.

[00:55:04]

SO TONIGHT I'LL BE PRESENTING THE 26-27 PROPOSED EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION SCHEDULE.

I'LL GO OVER THE COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY, WHAT OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS ARE DOING, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE.

SO THE RESOLUTION TONIGHT THAT WE'LL BE VOTING ON IS 26-16.

HOWEVER, I DO INTEND ON COMING BACK.

IN JULY, WITH THE REVISED SALARY SCHEDULE, BASED ON TONIGHT'S VOTE, WHAT WAS JUST PASSED WITH A 2% INCREASE, WHAT YOU'LL BE SEEING TONIGHT DOES NOT HAVE THAT INCREASE IMPLEMENTED IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE.

SO SOME OF THE SCHEDULE UPDATES TO DATE THAT WERE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET SHOW THAT THE TEACHER'S SCHEDULE IS JUST REFLECTING WHAT WAS THERE FOR THE...

25-26 SCHOOL YEAR WITH NO CHANGES.

THE SAME FOR THE NON-TEACHING PROFESSIONAL SCHEDULE.

THE COUNSELOR DIAG SCHEDULE DID SHOW A CHANGE, JUST A COLUMN FROM 193 DAYS TO 192.

THE ADMINISTRATION SCHEDULE DID HAVE A CHANGE.

WE HAVE OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR INCREASED FROM 202 DAYS TO 212.

DUE TO AND ALSO DUE TO INCREASED RESPONSIBILITIES OUR DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION HAS NOW CHANGED OVER TO AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OUR SUPPORT STAFF SCHEDULE THE IT COORDINATOR POSITION HAS BEEN REMOVED A FACILITIES TECHNICIAN POSITION WAS REMOVED THIS UH POSITION ACTUALLY WAS NOT ACTIVE THAT THOSE FUNDS HAVE MOVED OVER INTO CONTRACT SERVICES LAST YEAR, SO JUST TO CLEAN UP THE LIST.

A RECEPTIONIST POSITION WAS ADDED.

A FINANCE SPECIALIST WAS JUST RECLASSIFIED FROM AN ADMIN ASSISTANT POSITION OVER TO FINANCE AND THEN SOME DAYS ADDED TO MEET THOSE REQUIRED DUTIES.

ATTENDANCE CLERK WAS JUST RETITLED FROM AN ADMIN ASSISTANT POSITION.

OUR ACADEMIC STIPENDS SCHEDULE, THERE WERE TWO STIPENDS THAT WERE REMOVED.

THE ATHLETIC STIPEND SCHEDULE, THERE WAS A STIPEND THAT WAS REPURPOSED, AND THE OTHER SCHEDULES HAD NO CHANGES.

THE CONTRACT AND CALENDAR DAYS WERE UPDATED JUST TO REFLECT THE CHANGES THAT I MENTIONED A WHILE AGO.

ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? BEFORE THE RUN-UP.

I ACTUALLY DO HAVE A QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD, TJ.

MY QUESTION IS ON THE DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION ROLE.

NOT ONLY DID THE TITLE CHANGE, BUT IT WENT FROM A PAY GRADE 3 TO A PAY GRADE 7.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF THE PAY INCREASE IN THAT GRADE SWITCH? THE RANGE WILL SHOW AN INCREASE.

IT'S A DIFFERENCE FOR ABOUT $20,000, $22,000 ON THE RANGES.

OKAY, WHAT'S THE HIGHEST PAY GRADE? BECAUSE THAT NOW SEEMS TO BE THE SECOND HIGHEST PAID POSITION AT THE SCHOOL.

IT IS.

IT'S PAY GRADE SEVEN, THE HIGHEST PAY GRADE.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR FOUNDATION, WHICH IS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOUNDATION, AND THEN WE HAVE DR.

RITCHIE'S POSITION.

OH, THERE ARE SALARIES THAT MAY BE HIGHER.

BUT THE PAY RANGE IS LOOKING TO BE IN THAT HIGHER PAY RANGE.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT A PERSON IS AT A PARTICULAR SALARY.

SALARIES COULD BE HIGHER.

ARE YOU ASKING IS IT THE HIGHEST PAY RANGE OR THE HIGHEST SALARY? NO, I'M SORRY.

IS PAY GRADE SEVEN THE HIGHEST PAY GRADE IN OUR SCALE? THAT WAS MY QUESTION, MY FIRST QUESTION.

MY SECOND QUESTION THEN IS WHAT DETERMINES THEN WHERE WITHIN EACH OF THESE RANGES IS.

THE PERSON LANDS.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE EXPERIENCE IN THAT PARTICULAR POSITION.

AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THERE'S A PAY GRADE SEVEN, WHICH ARE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, AND THEN THERE'S THE PAY GRADE EIGHT, WHICH IS THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION OR HEAD OF SCHOOL.

MAYBE KELLY COULD EXPLAIN THE SCOPE OF WORK, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT HELP THE UNDERSTANDING A LITTLE BIT MORE AND ANSWER HIS QUESTION.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO WHAT WE ALSO DID WITH THIS POSITION IS IT WENT FROM A 217 TO A 226, WHICH

[01:00:01]

MEANS THIS BECOMES ESSENTIALLY A YEAR-ROUND POSITION.

SO THERE IS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF EXPECTATION ABOUT AVAILABILITY.

THIS POSITION HAS CURRENTLY ALREADY BEEN PRETTY MUCH WORKING YEAR-ROUND, BUT NOT BEING COMPENSATED FOR THAT KIND OF SCHEDULE.

AND IT IS THE ROLE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE TRANSITION POINT POINT PERSON.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A COUPLE OF MAJOR TRANSITIONS WITH TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCE.

THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY PIECES WITH THAT, AS YOU JUST HEARD DURING THE PRESENTATION.

SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S QUALITY ASSURANCE AROUND THOSE, AS WELL AS SOME VERY SPECIFIC GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF WITH THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT.

WE'RE GOING INTO YEAR TWO OF THAT WITH THE DATA COLLECTION YEAR.

THERE'S A LOT WRITING ON HOW THAT GETS FINISHED AND COMPLETED.

AND SO THIS POSITION IS RECOGNIZING THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT.

SO JUST TO APPLES TO APPLES, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF IT'S INCREASING FROM 10 MONTHS A YEAR TO 12 MONTHS A YEAR, IT'S A 20% INCREASE IN TIME, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A 20% INCREASE IN COMPENSATION.

IS THAT RIGHT, SANDY? YOU SAID IT'S ABOUT $20,000, AND I PRESUME THIS IS ON THE LOW END OF THIS RANGE, SO IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT $118,000 A YEAR? THE RANGE IS, YEAH, I'M TALKING IN RANGES, NO ONE'S SPECIFIC SALARY.

THE MINIMUM IN THAT RANGE IS $118.

THE SALARY SCHEDULE THERE IS IN THE PACKET, THOUGH, SO THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO.

MINIMUM SALARY FOR THAT RANGE IS $118.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM.

THE PAY INCREASE IS COMMENSURATE WITH THE ACTUAL HOURS OR DAYS WORKED INCREASED.

EXPERIENCE THAT COMES INTO THAT LEVEL, AND IT HAS TO BE WORK THAT'S DONE, OBVIOUSLY, AT THE A HIGHER LEVEL THAN WAS DONE IN A PREVIOUS PAY RATE.

BUT YES, THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT GOES WITH IT, IF THAT'S ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.

JUST AS A FOLLOW-ON TO TJ'S QUESTION.

SO THE PERSON WHO IS ENTERING THAT JOB, HAVING JUST GIVEN THAT JOB, WOULD START ON THE LOW END OF THAT PAY SCALE? CORRECT.

YOU STARTED BY SAYING, AND I THINK WE NEED THIS GETTING...

WHY? IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 2%, POTENTIALLY 2% RAISE FOR THE TEACHERS, WHY ARE WE NOT THIS PAST? WHY DO WE WAIT? TONIGHT, I DIDN'T WANT TO COME AND PRESENT A 2% OR A POSSIBLE 2.5% OR A 3% AND SHOW YOU WHAT ALL THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT THEY WERE PRESENTING AS FAR AS A BUDGET AND WHAT WAS GOING TO BE APPROVED.

THEN NEXT MONTH I'LL COME BACK AND SHOW WHAT THE SALARY SCHEDULES WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS FOR THE TEACHERS AND THE COUNSELORS THE RANGES ON THE ADMIN SCHEDULE ARE NOT ARE NOT SCHEDULED TO CHANGE THOSE RANGES ARE SET THEY COULD MOVE IF SO DESIRED AND THAT WAS THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD BUT FOR RIGHT NOW THOSE ARE IN PLACE THOUGH THE SALARIES THAT WILL BE CHANGING WILL BE THE THE TEACHER, THE NON- CLASSROOM TEACHER AND THEN ALSO THE COUNSELOR DIAG.

THOSE ARE ON STEP SCHEDULES AND THOSE RAISES WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED INTO THAT ALONG WITH BASE RAISES FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S NOT FALLING INTO A STEP SCHEDULE.

SO MAYBE A WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS I KNOW JW SHOWED WHAT THE EFFECT OF IT WOULD BE.

SO WE DO IT THIS WAY SO THAT WE SEE WHAT KIND OF ROOM WE POSSIBLY HAVE.

AND THEN COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THIS.

AND IT'S BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

CORRECT.

SO TONIGHT HAS TO BE VOTED ON BY JUNE 30TH.

WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN.

AND THEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND PRESENT THAT AMENDED SCHEDULE.

AND JUST, SORRY, I SEE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR SCHOOLS TO COME BACK AND DO THE AMENDMENT WITH REGARD TO SALARY.

IT'S...

I MEAN, I'VE WORKED AT SCHOOLS WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN DO THAT AMENDMENT UNTIL OCTOBER.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR MORALE.

SO I THINK JULY IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT.

BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THOSE TO EVEN WAIT THROUGH FIRST QUARTER.

AND MOST SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW, SUMMERS ARE VERY BUSY FOR OUR OFFICES.

AND I MEAN, SCHOOLS HAVING BOARD MEETINGS THIS WEEK EXACTLY DETERMINING THIS.

AND SO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU...

LENDS ITSELF TO THAT AND WHY I'M SHOWING YOU 2526 INFORMATION.

AND JUST TO ECHO MICHAEL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND I KNOW WITH YOU GUYS,

[01:05:01]

WE WANT TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEST-IN-CLASS PROCESS AND PROCEDURES AND HOW WE DO ALL THIS STUFF AND CONTINUE LEARNING TO GET BETTER.

SO THIS MAKES SENSE NOW, BUT THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DO IT NEXT YEAR.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE FIGURE THAT OUT.

THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE BETTER IS TO ADOPT EARLIER AND HAVE IT DONE.

BUT...

IT'S SO MUCH WORK GOING INTO THE BUDGET THAT WE END UP THIS WAY.

BUT, YES, WE ARE HERE TO HELP.