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>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
[1. 19-2974 Pre-K 4 SA program overview and briefing on the Pre-K 4 SA FY 2020 Budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019 as adopted by the Pre-K 4 SA Board of Directors on April 9, 2019. [Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Sarah Baray, Ph.D., CEO, Pre-K 4 SA]]
SESSION AGENDA.TODAY WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA REGARDING PRE-K FOUR SA.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIK WALSH.
OUR PRESENTATION IS HIGHLIGHTING PROGRAMS UNDER WAY AS WELL AS BUDGET COMING UP FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
THIS IS IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF ITS PROGRAM.
DR. BRAY IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT PRE-K FOUR SA IS A MODEL EDUCATION CENTER THAT SHOWS 2,000 CHILDREN EACH IN FOUR QUADRANTS OF THE CITY.
FAMILY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OFFERED TO OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND, FOURTHLY, THE ISSUANCE OF COMPETITIVE GRANTS THAT PROVIDE OUR PARTNERS TO INCREASE QUALITY RECENT STUDY DONE FOR US BY DR. MIKE VILLARREAL AT THE URBAN EDUCATION INSTITUTE AT UTSA INCLUDED THAT STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PRE-K FOUR SA PERFORMED BETTER IN MATH AND READING AND HAD BETTER ATTENDANCE FROM KINDERGARTEN TO THIRD GRADE AND DR. BRAI'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE FINDINGS IN MORE DETAILS OF THE PRESENTATION.
FINALLY AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY, DR. BRAY WILL REVIEW THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADOPTED THE 2020 BUDGET -- PRE-K FOUR SA REQUIRE THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE BOARD-ADOPTED BUDGET ANNUALLY.
AND PENDING SOME INPUT FROM YOU TODAY, WE HOPE TO BRING THIS TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL ON MAY 2ND.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. BRAY.
>> THANK YOU CITY MANAGER WALSH.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO PRESENT OUR FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET.
AS CITY MANAGER WALSH SAID IT WAS ADOPTED LAST WEEK BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AND BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT CT AUAL BUDGET, I WANT TO SHARE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND I'VE INCLUDED PICTURES, LOTS OF CUTE PICTURES OF OUR KIDS BECAUSE THEY'RE ADORABLE, AND THESE ARE ALL ACTUALLY CHILDREN FROM PRE-K FOUR SA.
PRE-K FOUR SA IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE AND WAS DESIGNED TO CHANGE SAN ANTONIO'S GENERATION.
WE DO THIS THROUGH HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING.
WHILE WE OR NOT A UNIVERSAL PREK PROGRAM OUR GOAL IS TO BENEFIT ALL FOUR-YEAR-OLDS IN SAN ANTONIO AND A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE OLDER THAN FOUR AS WELL AS YOUNGER THAN FOUR.
SO JUST A BRIEF TIMELINE OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE, PRE-K FOUR SA WAS CONCEPTUALIZED BY THE BRAIN POWER TASK FORCE, WHICH WAS A MAYOR-APPOINTED GROUP THAT WAS READ BY GENERAL ROBLES OF USAA AND CHARLES BUTT OF H-E-B EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNITY EDUCATION LEADERS, WHO STUDIED FOR A YEAR ALL THE OTHER EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS THAT YOU COULD USE TO IMPROVE SAN ANTONIO'S EDUCATION TRAJECTORY.
AND AS I HAVE OFTEN SAID, THIS WAS A VERY SMART GROUP. AND SO THEY LANDED ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY OUTCOMES.
IN 2012, THE ISSUE WAS PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS AND WAS PASSED IN A REFERENDUM, AND THIS ALLOWED US TO RAISE OUR SALES TAX BY AN EIGHTHTH OF A CENT TO FUND THIS PROGRAM.
FROM 2012 TO 2016 OUR PROGRAM WAS IN ITS RAMP UP PHASE, OPENING CENTERS, BEGINNING OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, AWARDING OUR FIRST GRANTS.
THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN REFINING AND SYSTEMETIZZING OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT STRUCTURE TO DELIVER ON THE PROMISES OF PRE-K FOUR SA.
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AS I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION WE'RE MOVING INTO OUR REPLICATION PHASE.AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HELPING OTHER PROGRAMS TO IMPLEMENT THE QUALITY PROCESSES AND EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED AT PRE-K FOUR SA SO THAT THEIR PROGRAMS CAN ALSO DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING.
SO PRE-K FOUR SA IS ACTUALLY A 501(C) ORGANIZATION KNOWN OFFICIALLY AS THE SAN ANTONIO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH A COUNCIL RESOLUTION.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO OVERSEE THE OPERATION, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER HAS A ROLE IN OVERSEEING THE PROGRAM AS THE CITY EXECUTIVE.
SO THIS CREATES A DUAL REPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ME, WHICH IS -- WORKS REALLY QUITE WELL.
THE BOARD IS FANTASTIC AT WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS WELL RUN.
THESE ARE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
YOU APPOINTED THEM, SO YOU KNOW THEM, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OUTSTANDING BOARD MEMBERS THAT -- -- RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY.
THEY ASK GREAT QUESTIONS, THEY HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR MISSION AND THEY ENSURE THAT THE TAXPAYER INVESTMENT IS WELL SPENT.
THE BOARD -- LAST YEAR, THE BOARD DEVELOPED -- WE LOOKED AT OUR -- AS WES MOVED INTO OUR REPLICATION PHASE, WE WANTED TO GET SOME GUIDANCE ON THE NEXT FEW YEAR, AND SO THE BOARD CAME UP WITH FIVE BIG PROMISES.
AND THESE BIG PROMISES GUIDE OUR WORK, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BUDGET.
THE FIRST BIG PROMISE IS TO DEVELOP A BEST IN CLASS GLOBAL EDUCATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT.
AND, OF COURSE, THIS IN LARGE PART, IS WHAT WE AIM TO DO WITH OUR EDUCATION CENTERS.
BIG PROMISE TWO IS THAT TO DEVELOP PRE-K FOUR SA AS THE NATIONAL LEADER IN EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES, RESEARCH AND TRAINING.
AND WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY IN DOING THIS.
WE ARE CLEARLY SEEN AS A NATIONAL LEADER AND SAN ANTONIO IS ON THE MAP, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IS THE ENVY OF EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE NATION WHO ARE -- WHO WOULD LOVE TO REPLICATE AND HAVE A PROGRAM VERY MUCH LIKE THIS, AND THEY OFTEN CONSULT WITH US AND COME AND VISIT OUR CENTERS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW TO DO IT.
BIG PROMISE NUMBER THREE IS CONTRIBUTE TO SAN ANTONIO'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY LAYING A STRONG DEVELOPMENT OF LITERACY, NUMBERACY TO BUILD AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE.
WE REALLY ARE ABOUT WORKFORCE FOR TOMORROW AND BEGINNING THAT TODAY, AND WORKING NOT JUST WITH OUR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS BUT ALSO WITH THEIR FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ABLE TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE IN SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT HAVE HIGHER SKILL LEVELS AND THAT WILL HELP US BE A VIBRANT COMMUNITY INTO THE FUTURE.
BIG PROMISE NUMBER FIVE IS TO CATALYZE THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE POWER AND PROMISE OF EARLY LEARNING AND TO ELEVATE FAMILY PROSPERITY.
AND THE FIFTH BIG PROMISE IS TO FULFILL THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES AUDIO] MAXIMIZE ITS IMPACT ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF EARLY LEARNING CITYWIDE.
SO THESE FIVE BIG PROMISES WE CARRY OUT THROUGH THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF OUR PROGRAM -- MANAGERRUALCH MENTIONED.
THEY SERVE 2,000 CHILDREN EACH YEAR.
FULL DAY PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE TWO HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS FOR CHILDREN EACH DAY, WE OFFER TRANSPORTATION IN BUSES, SPECIALLY CUSTOMIZED TO INSURE SAFE TRANSPORT OF YOUNG CHILDREN, WE HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND ASSISTANT TEACHERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM, WE USE AN EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM AND OUR TEACHERS RECEIVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING SO THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH SKILL LEVEL.
MOST OF YOU HAVE VISITED THE CENTER SO YOU HAVE SEEN THEY ARE PRETTY AMAZING PLACES.
THEY'RE LOOK TO BE REMARKABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE DEMONSTRATION SITES.
THEY DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO A HIGHLY SKILLED TEACHER AND AN EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM.
THEY HAVE PROVEN WHEN CHILDREN HAVE THAT, THEY CAN LEARN AT VERY HIGH LEVELS.
THEY'RE ALSO MEANT TO BE DEMONSTRATION SITES FOR EDUCATORS WHO WANT TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS.
THIS YEAR ALONE WE'VE HAD OVER 900 VISITORS IN OUR EDUCATION CENTERS AND THEY'VE COME FROM CITIES WANTING TO DO THIS, POLICYMAKERS WHO WANT TO SEE WHAT THE EFFECTS OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING IS, AS WELL AS OTHER EDUCATORS WHO COME INTO OUR CLASSROOM TO LEARN SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH OUR TEACHERS TO THEY CAN REPLICATE THAT IN THEIR OWN PROGRAMS. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR INNOVATIONS.
OUR CENTERS ARE INCUBATORS OF INNOVATION.
ONE OF OUR CHARGES FROM THE BOARD IS TO DEVELOP INNOVATION THAT WILL HELP RAISE THE QUALITY OF PROGRAMS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO
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AND DEVELOP UNIQUE FEATURES THAT REALLY BENEFIT THE YOUNG CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE.THE FIRST ONE IS OUR OUTDOOR LEARNING INITIATIVE, THIS IS THE ONE WE BEGAN DEVELOPING A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND OUR PROCESS IS TO DEVELOP THEM WITHIN OUR CENTERS, PILOT THEM THERE, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS AND SHARE THIS ACROSS WITH OTHER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY.
SO OUTDOOR LEARNING IS REALLY CREATING A SENSE OF AWE ABOUT THE WONDER -- AUDIO] -- YOUNG CHILDREN OF THIS GENERATION GET OUTSIDE, ABOUT 50% LESS THAN THEIR PARENTS WHO ALSO GOT OUTSIDE LESS THAN THEIR PARENTS.
AND THIS IS CREATING ALL KINDS OF ISSUES FOR CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT BOTH PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
SO WE WANT TO REVERSE THAT TREND BY SHOWING PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN HAVE CHILDREN CONTINUE TO LEARN OUTDOORS, THEY CAN LEARN MATH, LITERACY, SCIENCE, EVERYTHING THEY CAN LEARN IN AN INSIDE CLASSROOM, THEY CAN LEARN OUTDOORS, BECAUSE THAT'S OFTEN THE REASON THAT PEOPLE WILL SAY, THAT THEY DON'T ALLOW TIME FOR CHILDREN IN OUTDOORS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO BUSY TEACHING THEM WITHIN THE CLASSROOM.
SO WE ARE ALSO TEACHING THEM HEALTHY HABITS, WE WANT TO HELP OUR CHILDREN DEVELOP INTO PHYSICALLY HEALTHY BEINGS, BECAUSE SAN ANTONIO HAS A VERY HIGH RATE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND DIABETES AND PART OF THAT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT AS ACTIVE AS THEY COULD BE.
WE ALSO ARE TEACHING THEM TO SUSTAIN OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO IF YOU EVE BEEN TO THE CENTER, YOU'VE SEEN THAT THEY GAREN, WE HAVE COME -- GARDEN, WE HAVE COMPOST BIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN REUSE HINGES IN THE WORLD TO HELP MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE WITH OUR RECYCLE CENTERS.
WE HAVE 21 PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE NOW SUPPORTING ACROSS THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT OUTDOOR LEARNING.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OUTDOOR LEARNING CROPPING UP IN ALL KINDS OF SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
OUR SECOND INITIATIVE IS OUTDOOR TO TABLE AND THIS IS FOCUSED ON HEALTHY EATING, IT'S DESIGNED TO CHANGE SAN ANTONIO'S EATING HABITS BY TEACHING FOUR-YEAR-OLDS HOW TO EAT BETTER.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A GROUP CALLED CHEF AND OUR FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER, THE FOOD BANK.
WE ARE CONNECTING THIS TO OUR TEACHING WITH PARENTS SO THAT WE'RE HELPING PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN MAKE SMALL CHANGES IN YOUR DIET THAT HAVE BIG IMPACT ON YOUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH.
THIRD INNOVATION IS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND THIS IS TO INSTILL A LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR SAN ANTONIO AND LEARN THE BENEFITS OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS ALSO HELPS OUR CHILDREN LEARN TO VOICE THEIR PERSPECTIVE, SO IN NOVEMBER, OUR CHILDREN HELD AN ELECTION AND THEY ELECTED TO SUPPORT CHILD SAFE AS OUR NONPROFIT FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THEY'VE BEEN LEARNING ALL ABOUT CHILD SAFE.
AND THEY EVEN HELD A STUFFED ANIMAL DRIVE A FEW WEEKS BACK BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHILD SAFE WAS NEEDING, WAS ADDITIONAL STUFFED ANIMALS FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN THIS MONTH -- OR THIS SEMESTER BEEN WORKING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS TO CREATE ART PIECES.
AND THOSE ART PIECES, WE HAD A RECEPTION LAST THURSDAY AT THE SAN ANTONIO CENTRAL LIBRARY AND LOTS OF PEOPLE CAME, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME TO VIEW, AND THEY ARE NOW AUCTIONING THEM -- WE'RE AUCTIONING THOSE ITEMS OFF AS WE SPEAK, SO IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO CHECK THAT OUT, 32AUCTIONS.COM FOR THE PRE-K FOUR SA GRACIAS PROGRAM.
AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY GREAT PIECES IN THERE.
I'VE GOT MY EYE ON A FEW OF THEM AND HAVE ALREADY PUT MY BID IN.
I SORT OF HAVE AN ISSUE -- I HAVE A PROBLEM, PEOPLE SAY, WITH CHILDREN'S ART.
THE GOOD FLAWS IS THERE'S -- GOOD NEWS IS THERE'S LOTS OF PLACE AT PRE-K FOUR SA FOR ME TO DISPLAY IT.
ALL THE MONEY THAT'S RAYED FOR THAT ACTION WILL BE DONATED BACK TO CHILD SAFE.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT WAY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN THEY CAN BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED CITIZENS AS YOUNG PEOPLE.
CONNECTED TO THAT IS ARTS INFUSION.
PRE-K FOUR SA HELPED SAN ANTONIO BECOME A WOLF TRAP AFFILIATE.
THIS IS A NATIONAL MODEL FOR INFUSING ARTS INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD TO IMPROVE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE THE SITE FOR THAT AND NOW ARE SUPPORTING OTHER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THEIR PROGRAM SO THAT OUR CHILDREN, AGAIN, ARE BENEFITING FROM THE CREATIVITY THEY LEARN THROUGH THE ARTS.
WE HAVE SOME INNOVATIONS IN PROGRESS THAT ARE REALLY EXCITING.
ONE IS WE'RE WORKING ON A SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING COMPONENT BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO TAUGHT IN ISOLATION, SO WE ARE& DESIGNING A WAY THAT YOU CAN HELP TO DEVELOP -- AUDIO] -- SKILL AND HAVE SUPPORTS FOR THEM TO HAVE MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN TO DEVELOP THEIR SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE D. HOWARD FOUNDATION AND SOME OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING THAT WILL FEED INTO EXISTING PROGRAMS AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE WE WANT TO DEVELOP A PIPELINE OF AERONAUTICAL -- FOLKS WHO CAN WORK IN THE
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AERONAUTICAL SCIENCE INDUSTRIES IN SAN ANTONIO.AND WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO LOOK AT CODING AND ROBOTICS BECAUSE REALLY CODING IS ANOTHER LANGUAGE AND WE WANT THEM TO BEGIN QUOPING -- DEVELOPING THAT LIKE THEY DO OTHER LANGUAGES.
WE HAVE 15 LEARNING SPECIALISTS WHO THIS YEAR HAVE ALREADY DELIVERED 12,000 HOURS TO OVER 1200 EDUCATORS.
WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED CREDENTIALING FOR OVER 120 AS ASSISTANT TEACHERS TO GET THE ENTRY LEVEL CREDENTIAL WHICH IS CALLED A CDA.
OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IS MINDS ON, HANDS ON.
WE DO IT WITH SEMINARS, WITH EDUCATION ALEX -- EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS.
SO FAR YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE THE NUMBERS OF THE -- LAPPED -- -- AS HIGH AS NORTH EAST, NORTH SIDE WITH OVER 2,000 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THIS YEAR IN HUNDREDS OF EDUCATORS, SO THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL PART OF OUR PROGRAM IN DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING FOR OUR DISTRICTS.
FOR OUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS WHICH WE DIDN'T INITIALLY START OUT WITH A FOCUS ON, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A FOCUS ON -- AND I WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS STATISTIC BECAUSE IT'S QUITE ALARMING.
IN SAN ANTONIO, WE HAVE 513 LICENSED CHILDCARE FACILITIES.
89% OF THEM HAVE NO ACCREDITATION OR RATING IN THE QUALITY INDICATOR SYSTEM, MEANING THEY DO NOT -- WE DON'T -- WE CAN'T SAY THEY DON'T MEET IT, BUT THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN MEETING THE LOWEST QUALITY RATING IS VERY CONCERNING, BECAUSE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN ARE.
WE -- THERE ARE LOTS OF FOLKS WHO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THOSE CENTERS, BUT WHAT PRE-K FOUR SA NOTICED WAS THAT THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY COORDINATED, AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SEE THAT WE WERE MAKING PROGRESS IN GETTING MORE ACCREDITED CENTERS.
IT'S HARD TO ASK FAMILIES TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE QUALITY OF WHERE THEY'RE SENDING THEIR CHILDREN IF THERE ARE NOT QUALITY CENTERS IN THEIR AREA.
SO WE HAVE CONVENED THE GROUP OF PARTNERS TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE CREATE THIS PIPELINE.
AND THE SHORT STORY IS THAT THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION FOCUSES ON ACCREDITATION FOR CENTERS AND HELPS TO DEVELOP THAT.
THEY PROVIDE MENTORS AND THEN THEY DO THE ACT WALLACE SESMENT FOR THAT -- ACTUAL ASSESSMENT FOR THAT.
THE PROBLEM IS MANY OF OUR CENTERS ARE SO FAR BELOW STANDARDS THEY CAN'T EVEN APPLY TO BE CONSIDERED FOR MEN FORSHIP ORAC CREDTATION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EVEN -- OR ACCREDITATION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE.
PRE-K FOUR SA HAS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.
WE STARTED WITH ONES WHO RECEIVED GRANTS FROM US AND WE'VE ADDED OTHERS, AND OUR COMMITMENT IS TO HELP THEM GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION SO THE TEXAS WORKFORCE ALAMO CAN TAKE OVER AND HELP THEM TO GET ACCREDIT SOD WE CAN HAVE MORE HIGHER -- PART OF THAT IS WITH THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, THIS IS THE ENTRY LEVEL CREDENTIAL.
AND SAN ANTONIO HAS HAD TOO FEW ASSISTANT TEACHERS OR TEACHER AIDES WHO HAVE THIS CREDENTIAL.
AGAIN, IT'S A BASIC CREDENTIAL, SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PROGRAM FREE OF CHARGE THAT WE OFFER TO ASSISTANT TEACHERS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TEACHERS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS TO GAIN THIS CREDENTIAL.
WE HAVE, I'M PROUD TO SAY, 100% PASS RATE FOR THE 120 FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN ENROLLED IN THAT.
BUT THE -- THIS YEAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHICH IS A HEAD START PROGRAM, AND THEY HAVE PARENTS WHO WORK IN THAT PROGRAM AND THE PARENTS INTERESTED IN THE CDA PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WOULD LEARN A LOT ABOUT THEIR OWN CHILDREN AND THEIR -- AUDIO] -- SO WE ENROLLED THEM IN THE PROGRAM, 16 PARENTS PARTICIPATED AND THEY'RE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY, FOUR -- AUDIO] -- LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEIR OWN CHILDREN BUT GAINING JOB SKILLS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE.
SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY -- FAMILIES, OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM, TO DATE WE HAVE OVER -- ALMOST 4500 FAMILY ENGAGEMENTS THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS A FAMILY WHO HAS EITHER VOLUNTEERED OR COME TO AN EVENT TO PARTICIPATE.
WE HAVE HELD OVER 1900 CONFERENCES AND HOME VISITS WITH OUR FAMILIES.
WE'VE HAD 500 FAMILIES WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR PARENTS AS PARTNER PROGRAM, WHICH IS ROUGHLY LIKE A PTA PROGRAM, BUT IT'S PARENT-DRIVEN, AND WE HAVE 48 PARTICIPANTS IN A BRAND NEW PROGRAM CALLED -- AUDIO] -- WHICH I'LL TALK -- IS REALLY A STRENGTHS-BASED PROGRAM THAT IS DRAWN -- DRIVEN BY THE PARENTS' NEEDS AND
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INTERESTS, SO WE CUSTOMIZE IT BASED ON WHAT THE PARENTS NEED.IT'S ALL ABOUT PARENTS LEARNING TOGETHER WITH SUPPORT FROM EDUCATORS, AND THAT WE PROVIDE PARENTS AS GROUPS ESTABLISH FOUR STANDING COMMITTEES, THE AMBASSADORS WHO ARE PEOPLE THAT GO OUT AND TALK TO THE COMMUNITY OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING AND OUR PROGRAM.
WE HAVE HOME SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, THEY'RE HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN BE BETTER PARTNERS TO FAMILIES, THEY'RE HELPING US WITH OUR OUTDOOR LEARNING AND GARDENING INITIATIVE AND WE'VE LAUNCHED FAMILY FIT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WERE INTERESTED IN IMPROVING THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND ONE OF THE MOTHERS WHO ACTUALLY IS AN ALUMNI, SHE COMES BACK EVERY WEEK AND CONDUCTS ZUMBA CLASSES AND OTHER KIND OF EXERCISE CLASSES AT EACH OF OUR CENTERS FOR THE FAMILIES.
WE HAVE OTHER FAMILIES THAT HAVE STARTED WALKING PROGRAMS, THEY DROP THEIR CHILDREN OFF IN THE MORNING AND THEY TAKE A WALK AROUND THE BUILDING AND THEY'RE GETTING IN MILES THAT WAY.
OUR FAMILIES ARE REALLY DEMONSTRATING AND MODELING THAT BEING ACTIVE AND FIT, NOT JUST FOR THEIR CHILDREN BUT FOR US AT PRE-K FOUR SA AS WELL.
FINALLY IN OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WE LAUNCHED PUENTES EL FERCLERA, IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP PARENTS UNDERSTAND THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AS WELL AS UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME.
SO MATT DEVELOPED IT, THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A MECHANISM FOR DISSEMINATING THAT, SO WE AGREED THAT WE WOULD DO THAT, WE'D FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT, SO THEY PROVIDED US A SMALL GRANT TO SPEND THE TIME TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
WE HAVE, AND WE'VE NOW LAUNCHED OUR FIRST INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE 48 FAMILIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT, WHICH IS EXCITING.
OUR GOAL IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS SO WE CAN SHARE THIS WITH OTHER SCHOOLS.
FINALLY COMPETITIVE GRANTS WE AWARD $4.2 MILLION IN COMPETITIVE GRANTS EVERY YEAR.
THAT BENEFITS IN OUR CURRENT GRANT CYCLE IS BENEFITING OVER 6500 STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF OUR PRE-K FOUR SA CENTERS.
WE HAVE CREATED 700 FULL-DAY SEATS OUTSIDE OF OUR CENTERS THROUGH OUR GRANT PROGRAMS AND OVER 2,000 EXTENDED DAY SEATS BY PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT PRIMARILY TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HERE'S THE AWARDS FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL AS WE PROVIDE MONEY FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE TO STO OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND THIS GRANT IS BASED ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THEIR PROGRAMS AND WE PROVIDE SUPPORT IN THEM -- WITH THEM TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED FROM OUR GRANT PROGRAM WAS THAT NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT MATTERS MOST IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
QUITE FRANKLY, MOST LEADERS IN EDUCATION DON'T COME OUT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPACTFUL PRACTICES, SO WE DEVELOPED THE HIGH QUALITY IMPACT PYRAMID TO HELP OUR GRANT RECIPIENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT -- AUDIO] -- AND HOW TO MAXIMIZE THOSE DOLLARS.
AND HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, 42% OF OUR GRANT DOLLARS ARE GOING TO TIER 1, WHICH ARE THE BASIC FOUNDATIONAL ASPECTS THAT YOU NEED IN A PROGRAM TO BASICALLY JUST P -- BE SAFE, BE A MINIMALLY QUALIFIER -- AUDIO] -- INSTRUCTION QUALITY, ENVIRONMENTS, THE INSTRUCTION MATERIAL ARE HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS, TIER 3, ENGAGEMENT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING 16% OF THE GRANT FUNDS AND TIER 4 IS ABOUT INNOVATIONS.
IT'S ABOUT YOU HAVE TO GET THOSE FUNDAMENTALS CORRECT FIRST BEFORE YOU CAN MOVE ON TO INNOVATION, SO WE HAVE MANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE GREAT AND THEY ARE WORKING ON SOME INNOVATIONS, BUT THAT IS THE SMALLEST FUNDING CATEGORY IN TERMS OF IMPROVING BASIC QUALITY STANDARDS.
SO I JUST -- THIS IS ACTUALLY RELATIVELY SMALL TO SEE BUT THERE ARE 10 NEAR STANDARDS, THOSE ARE LISTED ON THE LEFT.
TEXAS ONLY REQUIRES PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S A CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER OR A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MEET FOUR OF THOSE CRITERIA.
I WILL SAY THAT OUR NEIGHBORING STATES ARE REQUIRED TO MEET ALL 10.
WE ARE WOEFULLY BEHIND IN THAT REGARD, SO PRE-K FOUR SA GRANTS GO TO FUND THESE INITIATIVES TO HELP OUR PROGRAMS MEET THOSE STANDARDS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS MEETING ALL 10 NEAR STANDARDS OF HIGH QUALITY.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE FOUR COMPONENTS AND I WANT TO MENTION BRIEFLY.
WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED A PROGRAM WITH EDGEWOOD TO DEVELOP A MODEL PREK THROUGH SECOND GRADE PROGRAM.
WE WILL LAUNCH THIS FALL PREK KINDERGARTEN CLASSES WITH THEM WHICH WILL REPLICATE THE PRACTICES THAT WE'VE LEARNED AT PRE-K FOUR SA.
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WE'RE LEVERAGING A PIECE OF LEGISLATION CALLED SB1882 THAT INCENTIVES DISTRICTS TO WORK WITH OUTSIDE PARTNERS WHO HAVE A TRACK RECORD FOR SUCCESS AND THEY GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT.I HAVE TO SAY, EDGEWOOD HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER AND WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
I WILL TELL YOU, THEY ARE GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE.
IT'S JUST UNREAL HOW GREAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE, BETTER THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE AT PREK, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.
IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE EXCITED TO SHOW WHAT WE CAN DO IN OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK.
TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RESULTS -- STUDY DONE BY UTSA RECENTLY THAT WAS RELEASED AND A COUPLE OF THE IMPORTANT FINDINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS THAT CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED BOTH PRE-K FOUR SA AND A PUBLIC PREK -- AUDIO] -- MILLION DOLLARS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF FUNDING BECAUSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED BASED ON STUDENT ATTENDANCE.
IT ALSO FOUND THAT PRE-K FOUR SA DROVE A HUGE SURGE IN AWARENESS ABOUT PREK AND THE NEED FOR FAMILIES, OR THE DESIRES FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE FULL-DAY PREK.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT IN WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS YEAR.
SO IN 2013, THIS IS A MAP OF HOW MANY -- WHAT AREAS OF SAN ANTONIO OFFERED FULL-DAY PREK AT THE TIME.
HERE'S A MAP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR -- WELL, THERE'S A MAP.
THERE IT IS -- FOR THE COMING -- NOPE.
THERE'S A MAP FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMING YEAR.
OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMMITTED TO HAVING FULL-DAY PREK EVEN WITHOUT HAVING THE STATE FUNDING.
SO WE HOPE THE STATE FUNDING COMES IN, WE'RE ALL ROOTING FOR THAT, BUT OUR DISTRICTS HAVE SAID, IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND OUR FAMILIES UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, OUR DISTRICTS ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN WITH OR WITHOUT THAT STATE FUNDING, AND PRE-K FOUR SA IS HAPPY TO SUPPORT THAT, WORKING WITH DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT FOR OUR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS.
SO, AGAIN, SAN ANTONIO'S THE ENVY.
NO ONE CAN BELIEVE THAT OUR DISTRICT -- GO TO FULL DAY EVEN WITHOUT HAVING ANY ASSURANCE OF FUNDING.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, MANY OF THEM VOTED BEFORE WE EVER THOUGHT FULL-DAY FUNDING WAS EVEN A POSSIBILITY IN THE LEGISLATURE, SO KUDOS TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR SUPERINTENDENTS FOR REALLY DOING THAT HARD WORK.
JUST A COUPLE OTHER POINTS THAT -- OUT OF THAT INITIAL IMPACT STUDY.
AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT BETTER ATTENDANCE.
PRE-K FOUR SA STUDENTS HAD SEVEN WEEKS BETTER ATTENDANCE THAN THEIR PEERS WHO DID NOT ATTEND A PREK PROGRAM.
THAT'S COUNTING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE.
OUR MATH SCORES WERE BETTER THAN 16.9 PERCENTAGE POINTS AND OUR READING SCORES PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE CATEGORIZED AS EDUCATIONALLY DISADVANTAGED WERE 12.3% BETTER ON THE THIRD GRADE STAAR THAN ANTICIPATED.
SO GOOD NEWS, THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM AND YOU OFTEN DON'T SEE THOSE KIND OF RESULTS IN THE FIRST YEAR, SO IT SPEAKS WELL -- I WASN'T THERE IN THE FIRST YEAR, SO I CAN'T TAKE ANY CREDIT FOR THAT AT ALL, BUT SPEAKS WELL OF HOW WELL THE PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED FROM THE START.
I'M GOING TO -- OOPS, I'M GOING TO SWITCH TO BUDGET.
BUT -- AND I WANT TO TALK FIRST OFF THE BAT ABOUT COST PER STUDENT BECAUSE THIS IS OFTEN WHAT PEOPLE WILL SAY.
YES, OF COURSE, YOU SHOULD BE FABULOUS BECAUSE YOU SPEND SO MUCH MONEY.
-- IS TRUE, QUALITY COSTS MONEY.
YOU CAN'T DO QUALITY ON THE CHEAP.
WE'VE SEEN THAT IN SCHOOLS FOR DECADES.
SO I WANT TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION, SO DISTRICT AVERAGE SPENDING ON FULL-DAY PREK IS ABOUT $8,500 PER STUDENT.
AT PRE-K FOUR SA OURS AVERAGES -- SOME OF THE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE GONE TO HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS AND IMPLEMENTING -- AND HAVE BEEN RATED WITH HAVING THOSE QUALITY STANDARDS, THEY'RE SPENDING AS MUCH AS 13,000.
SO THAT-- I MEAN, WHEN FOLKS TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T SPEND THE MONEY, IF WE WANT TO DO QUALITY AND WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT, IT DOES COST MONEY TO DO THAT.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE FINDING OUT IN SAN ANTONIO IS WHAT IS THAT RIGHT NUMBER? AND THE MORE OF US THAT ARE DOING THIS, THE LESS IT WILL COST PER STUDENT.
I THINK SAN ANTONIO -- IN FACT, TEA IS REALLY LOOKING TO SAN ANTONIO TO HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES HIGH QUALITY COST IN OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IT'S PART OF -- ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER IN OUR EDGEWOOD PARTNERSHIP IS FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE ALL THOSE COSTS ASSOCITED WITH RUNNING HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO OUR POLICYMAKERS AND TO OUR CITIZENS SO THEY KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO HAVE A HIGH QUALITY PROGRAM SO THEY CAN CHOOSE TO FUND THAT.
SO BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS, WE -- OUR APPROACH TO BUDGETING IS TO ESSENTIALLY START FROM A 0 SUM EVERY YEAR.
[00:30:02]
REQUIRED TO DO, AND THEN FUND WHERE WE CAN FROM THAT.SO WE START BY SAYING WE MUST SERVE 2000 STUDENTS IN OUR EDUCATION CENTER, WE MUST HAVE A PROGRAM OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, PROVIDING THE TRANSPORTATION, THE FOOD, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE AGREED TO -- WE PROMISED TO THE VOTERS THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE.
WE THEN TALK ABOUT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE THAT WAS ALSO A PROMISE TO THE VOTERS.
WE WANT TO HAVE A MODEL PROGRAM, WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS WELL SO THAT WE CAN ENGAGE FAMILIES ANTS HELP THEM TO -- AND HELP THEM TO BE REALLY STRONG ADVOCATES FOR THEIR CHILDREN, NOT JUST IN PREK BUT BEYOND.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO HELP TEACHERS, PREK THROUGH THIRD GRADE IN SAN ANTONIO GET BETTER AT THEIR CRAFT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAXIMIZE AND AMPLIFY THOSE -- THE INVESTMENT THAT SO MANY ARE MAKING IN PREK.
AND THEN COMPETITIVE GRANTS, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING OTHER PROGRAMS AND DOING IT.
BECAUSE AS I SAY, WHILE SERVING 2000 CHILDREN IN OUR EDUCATION CENTERS IS FANTASTIC, THAT WOULDN'T BE ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE IF THAT'S ALL THAT WE DID, BUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS TO DO THE SAME IS WHAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO STAND OUT SO MUCH MORE SO THAN SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPAL PROGRAMS. SO GOING INTO OUR ACTUAL BUDGET, AS A REMINDER, THIS WAS ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD LAST WEEK, AND THIS IS OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST BASED ON THE PAST YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN PLACE AND THE YEARS GOING FORWARD.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE BEGINNING BALANCE THAT WE HAD IN TERMS OF OUR FUND BALANCE.
IN OUR FIRST FEW YEARS IT WAS A RAMP UP PHASE, SO WE WERE COLLECTING SALES TAX BUT NOT NECESSARILY SPENDING IT ALL BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE DIDN'T NEED IT IN THE BEGINNING AS WE WERE JUST BUILDING OUT.
THE MIDDLE BAR -- OR ROW IS ON THE REVENUES, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S PROJECTED FOR THE COMING YEAR TO BE ABOUT 44.6 MILLION IN REVENUE.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SPEND DOWN OUR FUND BALANCE.
NEXT YEAR WOULD BE THE FINAL YEAR OF -- 2021 WILL BE THE FINAL YEAR OF THE PROGRAM AND WE ANTICIPATE SPENDING DOWN THE FUND BALANCE TO CLOSE TO NOTHING IN THAT FINAL YEAR AND THAT'S HOW THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED.
SO WE ARE HERE FOR -- OUR COUNCIL B SESSION AND WE WILL GO TO A SESSION TO GET YOUR FINAL APPROVAL ON -- WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR MAY SECOND.
SO THE VAST MAJORITY, OUR PROJECTED REVENUES FOR THE COMING YEAR IS 47.6 MILLION AND THE VAST MAJORITY COMES FROM THE 1/8 CENT SALES TAX.
WE DO GET A PORTION OF FUNDING.
WE REQUEST FROM OUR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE GET ABOUT 4.3 MILLION, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS COMING YEAR, THAT COMES FROM THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE DULY ENROLLED IN THEIR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHEN THEY ARE ENROLLED AT PRE-K FOUR SA EDUCATION CENTER.
THAT MEANS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS CREDIT FOR THE ENROLLMENT AND PULLS DOWN THE FUNDING.
WE ASK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THAT FUNDING.
DISTRICTS GET ABOUT $3,600 PER STUDENT, AND WE ASK FOR $3,200 OF THAT IN EXCHANGE FOR PROVIDING THAT FULL-DAY PREK, AND THAT AMOUNTS TO ABOUT A $4 MILLION REVENUE SOURCE FOR US.
WE ALSO GET REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE WE OFFER THE -- ESSENTIALLY HAVE A SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM SO WE GET PART OF OUR FOOD COSTS ARE COVERED BY THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR FUND BALANCE THERE THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO USE, AND WE GET A SMALL PORTION OF SLIDING SCALE TUITION, BECAUSE WE DO RESERVE ABOUT 20 TO 25% OF OUR SLOTS FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT DON'T QUALIFY FOR STATE PREK, THEY MAKE A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH MONEY, BUT NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO AFFORD PREK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, SO WE HAVE A SLIDING SCALE TUITION PROGRAM FOR THEM.
OUR REVENUE ESTIMATES IS ABOUT A 2% INCREASE FROM WHAT WAS ESTIMATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR '19.
THE TAX RATE ASSUMES THAT WE'LL HAVE A 3% INCREASE IN THE -- 3.9% INCREASE IN SALES TAX THIS COMING YEAR, THAT'S -- WE GET THAT FROM OUR BUDGET OFFICE, AND WE THAT -- OBVIOUSLY IS JUST A PROJECTION.
IT'S BEEN REALLY STRONG THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, AND SO WE HOPE THAT WILL CONTINUE BUT WE'LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AT MIDYEAR IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
OUR EXPENDITURES MATCH, 47.6 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT A 1.9% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR EASIEST -- YEAR'S ESTIMATE.
WE ALWAYS DO A MIDYEAR ADJUSTMENT, AND SO THIS INCLUDES COST OF LIVING, THOSE KINDS OF ANTICIPATED PERSONNEL COSTS, BUT ALSO IT INCLUDES ADDING BACK IN 15 POSITIONS THAT WE HAD -- THAT WE HAD COVERED THROUGH TEMPORARY POSITIONS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO THOSE ADDING IN THE PERSONNEL IS OFFSET A LOT BY REDUCING COSTS OF SUBSTITUTE AND TEMPORARY WORKERS. I MENTIONED THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KIND OF
[00:35:02]
RIGHT SIZE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO RUN THE PROGRAM.WHEN I CAME IN, I FELT LIKE WE WERE A LITTLE BIT HEAVY, AND SO THROUGH ATTRITION, WE'VE REDUCED SOME POSITIONS, PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES IT COST AND HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FULLY RUN THE PROGRAM INCLUDING EXTENDED DAY AND SUBSTITUTES WHEN WE HAVE FOLKS OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING IN RATIO.
SO THAT IS GOING TO GIVE US ABOUT -- THAT WILL GIVE US 431 POSITIONS, 400 OF THOSE BEING FULL-TIME.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF THE PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT OVER TIME.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS WE WERE RAMPING UP IN FY '17 WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY WERE AT FULL CAPACITY AND WE HAD 463 POSITIONS AT THAT TIME.
WE -- AS WE REORGANIZED AND REALLY REFINED WHAT WE WERE DOING AND FIGURING OUT HOW MANY STUDENTS WE HAD AND HOW TO DO THIS, WE REDUCED SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS IN FY '18 AND '19 AND NOW THROUGH THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, I CHARGED THE DIRECTORS WITH REALLY LOOKING AT HOW THEY WERE UTILIZING THEIR PERSONNEL, HOW MANY WE NEEDED, HOW MANY SUBSTITUTES WE WERE USING, HOW MANY TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES SEW THAT WE CAN GET THE RIGHT NUMBER.
AND WE FEEL THAT WITH THESE 15 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WE'VE GOT THAT NUMBER AND DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY CHANGES IN THE YEARS GOING FORWARD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SARAH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
A GOOD CHECK-IN, BUT ALSO A REMINDER OF HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
I APPRECIATE SLIDE 36 AND REALLY IF THERE WAS ONE GOAL, OVERARCHING GOAL FOR OUR EFFORT IN PRE-K FOUR SA, IT WAS TO SEE IF WE COULD INFLUENCE THE OVERALL ECOSYSTEM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CLEARLY WE'VE DONE THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HOW MUCH OF THAT CAN BE TOTALLY CREDITED TO PRE-K FOUR SA IS UP FOR DEBATE, BUT WE'RE IN A BETTER POSITION TODAY THAN WHEN WE WERE WHEN WE APPROVED THE INITIATIVE.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS ON THE TRAINING HOUR SLIDE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S QUITE A DISPARITY IN THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS IN HOW MUCH THEY'RE UTILIZING THE TRAINING HOURS AND THE SLOTS AVAILABLE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND HOW WE MIGHT SEE SOME EQUITY BUILT INTO THAT?
SOME OF THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, AND IT LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
QUITE FRANKLY, SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT INITIATIVES THE DISTRICTS HAVE UNDERWAY.
WITH EACH OF OUR PARTNER DISTRICTS WE MEET ANNUALLY WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND THEN DEVELOP A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
SOME DISTRICTS ACTUALLY HAVE -- THEY'VE USED THEIR GRANT FUNDS TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN TRAINING AND SO THOSE HOURS AREN'T REFLECTED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DIRECTLY PROVIDING THOSE.
SO THAT'S SOMETIMES WHERE YOU SEE THE DISPARITIES.
AND SOME HAVE TO DO WITH JUST WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM, ONCE THEY HAVE STARTED IMPLEMENTING A BIG PROBLEM, THEY MAY NOT BE SENDING PEOPLE TO TRAINING IN QUITE AS HIGH NUMBERS AS THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING AND FIGURING IT OUT AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK AND GET SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING HOURS.
AND SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT QUITE FRANKLY AND THE NUMBER OF EDUCATORS THAT THEY HAVE.
THE FINAL FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THAT IS THAT MANY OF OUR SESSIONS ARE SELF-SELECTED, SO TEACHERS CAN SIGN UP FOR THEM, ALL OF OUR SATURDAY AND SUMMER SESSIONS ARE FOR TEACHERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT AND SO THAT FLUCTUATES JUST BASED ON THE TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT.
WELL, I THINK THAT SLIDE BECOMES MORE CRITICAL AS WE SEE THE DISTRICTS KIND OF VENTURING INTO FULL-DAY PREK, SO --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: INTERESTED IN THE CHECK-IN ON THAT.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WITH REGARD TO THE FUND BALANCE, GETTING TOWARDS FY '21, COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT FUND BALANCE IS BEING UTILIZED, THAT 3%.
SO WE CONSIDER THAT IN OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR, AND SO THAT'S PART -- IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE PART OF WHAT WE ARE USING IT FOR.
IT'S -- WE TRY TO USE AS LITTLE OF IT AS POSSIBLE, BUT, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT THE EIGHT-YEAR FORECAST AND THEN WE NEED TO SPEND DOWN, AND SO IT -- THE MAJORITY OF IT GOES INTO GRANTS IS WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING, IS THAT ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES WE HAVE, WE CAN PUT INTO GRANTS TO HELP OTHER PROGRAMS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH, THAT -- THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
I GUESS THE OVERALL CONCERN I HAVE IS IN LOOKING AT THE SPEND DOWN ON FY '20 AND '21, IF VOTERS REAPPROVE PREK IN '20, THAT MOVES IT BEYOND '21, ARE WE STRUCTURALLUALLY BALANCED? ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT AT THE SAME PACE AND THE SAME SCALE THAT WE ARE TODAY?
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT STRANGE POSITION TO BE IN BECAUSE WE'RE BOTH PLANNING FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE WON'T EXIST AFTER 2021, AND OUR VERY REAL HOPE AND POSSIBILITY THAT WE
[00:40:01]
WILL.AND SO WE'VE GOT BOTH OF THOSE THINGS GOING.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTE IS THAT IN THE 2021, WE ONLY HAVE PROJECTIONS FOR NINE MONTHS OF REVENUE, SALES TAX REVENUE BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT FUNDED, THE SALES TAX WILL END IN MARCH -- AT THE END OF MARCH.
IF WE ARE REAUTHORIZED, IT WILL CONTINUE IN AND WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL MONIES.
SO WE KNOW THAT THROUGH THE END OF 2021, WE'VE GOT THAT.
AND THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF WHERE DOES THE PROGRAM -- WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BUDGET -- OR A BOARD WORK SESSION IN JUNE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT IS THE DIRECTION, HOW ARE WE DOING THAT? BUT IN TERMS OF FISCALLY, YES.
THAT WAS PART OF THE EXERCISE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS OF FIGURING OUT THE COST SO THAT WE CAN SAY, YES, WITHOUT A FUND BALANCE, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BENEFITS OF EACH ASPECT ARE.
WELL, I MEAN, I'M OF THE MIND THAT -- ESPECIALLY IN THIS SPACE IN EDUCATION IN GENERAL, WE CAN'T EVER REACH THE POINT WHERE WE SAY MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO MY HOPE IS THAT PRE-K FOUR SA CONTINUES TO LIVE EVEN IF IT EVOLVES WITH THE STATE'S WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MY LAST QUESTION IS REALLY, I GUESS, MAYBE FOR ERIK, YOU MENTIONED, SARAH, A 3.9% SALES TAX GROWTH.
DOES THAT MATCH OUR FORECAST? I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO SEE KIND OF A DIP -- NOT A DECREASE, BUT THE GROWTH WAS SLOWING A LITTLE BIT?
>> I'M LOOKING TO FREDDY, BECAUSE FREDDY WORKS --
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A LITTLE BIT OF PREVIEW.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE FINANCIAL FORECAST HERE WITH YOU ON MAY 8, BUT SALES TAX IS DOING SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN BUDGET THIS YEAR.
>> AND PART OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, THIS IS A PROJECTION FOR PRE-K FOUR SA'S BUDGET NEXTS YEAR, SO THEY'RE WELL COORDINATED WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THAT WILL MATCH OUR ASSUMPTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
>> AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE BUDGET VERY CONSERVATIVELY BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE -- BECAUSE IT IS JUST A PROJECTION, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALWAYS CHECKING IN TO MAKE SURE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE SO WE CAN ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, SARAH, AND PETER AS WELL.
AND YOUR BOARD DOING PHENOMENAL WORK AND WE'RE SEEING IT WITH THE RESULTS OF THE KIDS GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, SARAH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
QUICK QUESTION, I GUESS IT'S ON SLIDE NUMBER 28, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GRANT RECIPIENTS, CAN YOU TELL ME THE GRANT RESIP YENTS, HOW ARE THEY AWARDED? IS IT THROUGH THE BOARD OR IS THERE A SELECTION PROCESS? AND WHAT EXACTLY DO THESE -- I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHAT DOES IT GO TO, THE AWARDS?
>> SO IT IS A COMPETITIVE GRANT, SO IT'S A SELECTION PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE PREAWARDED ONES THROUGH OUR REGULAR RFP, OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND SO IT IS A FORMAL PROCESS WHERE WE PUT THE RFP OUT, WE HOLD PREPROPOSAL SESSIONS SO THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT S AND PROGRAMS CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S REQUIRED IN THE PROPOSAL.
WE REALLY TRY TO MAKE IT AS USER FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT EVEN SMALL PROGRAMS CAN APPLY, AND THEN THERE IS A SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS IT AT MULTIPLE LEVELS.
THERE'S ONE THAT STARTS WITHIN THE PROGRAM AND THEN IT GOES UP TO AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL, BOTH PETER AND I ARE ON THAT, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER FOLKS TO REVIEW EACH OF THOSE PROPOSALS AND SCORE THEM, AND THEN, OF COURSE, ONCE THE HIGHEST SCORING PROPOSALS AND THE GRANT AWARDEES ARE IDENTIFIED, WE WORK WITH THOSE GRANT AWARDEES TO DEFINE THEIR PROJECT, MAKE SURE THEY'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND IT REALLY DOES ALIGN WITH OUR HIGH QUALITY IMPACT PERIOD.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FOLKS ARE USING IT TO FUND FULL DAY, EXTENDED DAY, THOSE SERVICES FOR FAMILY AND FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONS.
SO MATERIALS, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN --
>> VIAGRAN: IS THAT WHY THERE'S THE DIFFERENCE OF NORTHEAST BEING 800,000 AND HARLANDALE GETTING 250,000?
SO PART OF THE GRANT -- THE CONSIDERATION IS HOW MANY FOUR-YEAR-OLDS THEY SERVE.
>> SO WE DO TRY TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
OBVIOUSLY, NORTH SIDE IS A MUCH LARGER DISTRICT, SERVING A MUCH LARGER NUMBER THAN OUR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS.
>> A LOT OF FOLKS THINK THAT -- THEY'RE NOT AWARE THAT NORTH SIDE HAS A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF YOUNG CHILDREN THAT QUALIFY FOR PREK BASED ON INCOME, THEY DO HAVE A SIZABLE POPULATION OF LOW-INCOME CHILDREN, SO THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY GOES IS TO HELPING THOSE CHILDREN.
>> VIAGRAN: AND SO IN THE RFP PROCESS, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE GRANT PROCESS, DO YOU ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT -- OR IS THERE A POINT SYSTEM TAKEN
[00:45:02]
INTO CONSIDERATION IF IT'S A PUBLIC SCHOOL OR A CHARTER SCHOOL OR A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN.>> Y OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS GET BONUS POINTS FOR BEING PARTNER DISTRICTS.
CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY AND THOSE ARE RATED JUST LIKE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS ARE -- THAT, MOST OF OUR CHARTER FOLKS DON'T RCHLT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER AWARDED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND SO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE -- WE ARE AGNOSTIC IN OUR APPROACH, AND SO ANYONE IS WELCOME TO APPLY.
AND THIS REALLY WAS ON A POINT SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR STAFFING.
JUST -- I THINK IN GENERAL -- THIS ISN'T WORKING VERY WELL FOR ME -- JUST IN GENERAL WITH THE NUMBER OF STAFF YOU HAVE -- YOU MENTIONED THIS ALREADY -- WHAT'S -- I'M TRYING TO FIND --
>> VIAGRAN: YES, THERE YOU GO.
>> VIAGRAN: SO THE PART-TIME AND THE FULL-TIME STAFF -- SO TELL ME ABOUT THEIR STATUS, THEY'RE NOT OFFICIALLY CITY EMPLOYEES OR ARE THEY ARE.
>> THEY ARE ACTUALLY CITY EMPLOYEES, YES.
>> VIAGRAN: SO WHAT IS THEIR -- SAY THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH WORK OR SOMETHING THAT THEY GO TO -- THAT THEY GO THROUGH.
>> THEY HAVE THE SAME HR PROCESS THAT ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE, BUT WE HAVE INSTITUTED ACTUALLY SOME ADDITIONAL MEASURES THAT ARE MORE FAMILIAR TO EDUCATION FIELD, QUITE FRANKLY, WHERE THEY CAN BOTH WORK THROUGH HR, THROUGH THEIR SUPERVISOR, THROUGH ME, TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES, BUT THEY ARE AT-WILL EMPLOYEES.
BECAUSE WE ARE FUNDED THROUGH A SEPARATE NONGUARANTEED, ESSENTIALLY, FUNDING SOURCE, EVERYONE AT PRE-K FOUR SA, INCLUDING ME, IS AN AT-WILL EMPLOYEE.
>> VIAGRAN: SO THEY'RE CITY EMPLOYEES BUT THEY'RE AT-WILL EMPLOYEES?
AND ABOUT THEIR -- DO THEY GET -- I KNOW YOU'D MENTIONED THEIR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, DO THEY HAVE BONUSES OR PERFORMANCE PAY OR HOW DOES THAT WORK?
WE USE THE SAME PERFORMANCE SYSTEM.
SO WHATEVER THE CITY COUNCIL PASSES FOR A COLA, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THEIR EMPLOYEE EVALUATION PLAN BASED ON THAT, THAT'S HOW THEY GET THEIR RAISES.
>> VIAGRAN: SO THEN YOU HAVE MANAGERS OR PEOPLE WITH STEP PAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
WE HAVE BOTH THOSE THAT ARE CLASSIFIED AND NONCLASSIFIED, SO SOME OF OURS ARE STEP EMPLOYEES.
I'LL ALSO SAY PRE-K FOUR SA IS COMMITTED -- WE PAY HIGHER RATES THAN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF FOR OUR ASSISTANT TEACHERS.
PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS DRIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD, THE FIELD TOWARDS A STATUS WHERE YOU CAN HAVE CONTINUITY IN YOUR STAFF BECAUSE THEY'RE PAID ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THOSE POSITIONS.
SO I WILL SAY EVEN WE KNEW THAT THE COUNCIL WAS MOVING TOWARD THE $15 AN HOURMENT WE'VE HAD OUR EYE ON THAT AND TRIED TO KEEP UP WITH THAT AND STAY AHEAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THE SKILL SETS THAT THEY HAVE.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT -- WHERE -- FUTURE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL BE HAVING.
AND I HOPE I'M NOT BIDDING AGAINST YOU RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE I WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION, BECAUSE I WAS BIDDING ON SOME ARTWORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
AND I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT THE -- PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE BUDGET HERE.
>> PERRY: LET'S JUST START WITH I GOT CONFUSED ON THE BUDGETS HERE.
IT GOES -- ON THIS PAPER COPYRIGHT HERE.
>> PERRY: IT GOES FY 2018 ACTUAL, THEN THE BUDGET, AND THEN ESTIMATED 2019 AND THEN A -- I DIDN'T QUITE FOLLOW THAT.
>> BECAUSE WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS RIGHT NOW, JUST LIKE NOW, WE'RE RIDING -- WE'RE ESTIMATING WHAT OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BE.
BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT NOW, OUR FISCAL YEAR RUNS JULY 1 TO JUNE 30 WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY BUDGET.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN ONCE THE CITY BUDGET THAT GETS ADOPTED THAT AFFECTS OUR BUDGET AND WE GO BACK IN AND MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AT MIDYEAR TO AN ACTUAL COST.
WE'RE IN A SYSTEM WHERE OUR FISCAL YEAR IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR.
[00:50:01]
GUESS WHY DIDN'T THE ACTUAL OF 2018, THE 8.7 MILLION GET TRANSFERRED UP TO THE BUDGET OF 2019?>> I CAN'T SEE THAT DOCUMENT, SO I DON'T -- AND SO I'M NOT... I'M GOING TO ASK FREDDY TO COME UP HERE AND --
>> IT'S A FUNCTION OF THE TIMING.
SO THE BUDGET IS, AS YOU KNOW, ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD IN APRIL OF EACH YEAR.
OUR FISCAL YEAR END IS JUNE 30TH, SO THE ACTUALS ARE NOT KNOWN UNTIL AFTER WE PRESENT THE ADOPTED BUDGET TO COUNCIL.
AND AT MIDYEAR WE ADJUST THE FINANCIAL AUDITED FOR '18.
I'M GOING TO NEED SOMEBODY TO WALK ME THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T LINE UP TO ME.
>> PERRY: YOUR LINE HERE FOR INTEREST AND MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, IT'S KIND OF BOUNCED UP AND DOWN.
AND IT WENT FROM 137 TO 51, UP TO 310, AND THEN IT'S PROPOSED FY 2020 FOR -- BACK DOWN TO 51, AGAIN.
WHAT -- WHAT IS THAT LINE ITEM AND WHY IS THAT BOUNCING AROUND SO MUCH?
>> AND SOMETIMES -- WE HAVE MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE FROM THINGS LIKE WOLF TRAP, IF THEY GIVE US A GRANT, OR IF SOMEBODY -- LIKE THIS YEAR WE HAD THE PUENTES GAVE US A GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THAT, CHEF DID.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT -- SO THIS YEAR WE HAD ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY HAVE.
THEY'RE NOT PASSTHROUGHS BUT THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY FOR US FOR US TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE PROGRAMS IN WHATEVER THE GRANT HAS -- YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THAT GRANT.
SO THIS YEAR WE HAD A COUPLE OF THOSE ADDITIONAL, AND THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS WHERE OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE GIVEN US FUNDS TO DELIVER ON SOME KIND OF INITIATIVE THAT THEY WANT OUR HELP WITH.
>> PERRY: ON -- I THINK THAT WAS SLIDE 30, WHERE YOU SHOWED THAT YOU HAVE A BUDGET HERE OF 4.7.
THIS IS FOR TWO -- 2018 HERE, THE FIGURES THAT YOU SHOW?
I ADDED UP THOSE NUMBERS AND THEY'RE NOT ADDING UP TO WHAT YOU HAD IN THE '18 BUDGET.
>> BECAUSE THE 18 -- YOU MEAN, IN THE PREVIOUS LIST OF WHAT WE -- THE AWARDS.
>> BECAUSE THOSE ARE JUST FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE ALSO GIVE AWARDS TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND OTHER PROGRAMS. SO IN THAT LIST OF THOSE -- THOSE ARE JUST THE SCHOOLS IN THIS SLIDE IS ACTUALLY ALL OF THE AWARDS.
WELL, THE REASON I ASK THIS IS BECAUSE LAST TIME YOU BRIEFED THE GRANTS, IT SEEMED TO BE A LITTLE LOOSY GOOSESY ABOUT AWARDING THE GRANTS AND WHAT THE OUTPUT WAS.
>> PERRY: HAVE Y'ALL TIGHTENED THAT UP AS FAR AS, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE REALLY GETTING FOR THAT MONEY GOING OUT TO THE DISTRICTS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS?
>> PERY: WHAT ARE WE GETTING AT THE END OF THE DAY? ARE WE PROVIDING CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION, DO THEY GET -- WHAT ARE THEY GETTING?
SO A LOT OF IT GOES FROM GOING FROM HALFWAY TO FULL-DAY SEATS BECAUSE THOSE DISTRICTS THAT DON'T CURRENTLY FUND OR HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FUND WE'RE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL REVENUE SO THEY CAN DO THAT.
EXTEND A DAY SO DISTRICTS CAN RUN THE PROGRAM FROM 3:00 TO 6:00 FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE WORKING.
THERE IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES WITH THAT.
SO FOUR -- FOR OUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, WE'RE HELPING THEM TO GET THE HOURS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO MEET CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT SO THEY'LL BE ELIGIBLE FOR TRS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT DIFFERENT IT MAKES IN STUDENTS' OUTCOMES SO THIS YEAR WE'VE ASKED FOR DATA FOR BEGINNING AND END OF YEAR READING SCORES AND KINDERGARTEN ENTRY SCORES SO WE CAN SEE IS THE MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE PROGRAM HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE ULTIMATE GOAL WHICH IS STUDENT OUTCOMES.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THOSE DATA.
WE JUST HAVE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE DON'T HAVE IS UH-HUH THE COMPARATIVE DATA YET.
>> PERRY: THAT'S WHAT I WAS DRIVING AT LAST TIME.
$4 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY, WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR THAT? WHAT'S OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT?
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES IT CHALLENGING WITH THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IS EVERYBODY USES DIFFERENT MEASURES, SO THERE'S NOT A STANDARD WHERE WE SAY THIS IS HOW WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT THIRD GRADE READING AND FIRST GRADE MATH SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS HELP DISTRICTS IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE METRICS OR INSTRUMENTS THEY CAN USE TO MESH SHUSH THESE IMPORTANT LEARNING BENCHMARKS SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN MOVE FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT, AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN HAVE SIMILAR ENROLLMENT PROCESSES, THE MORE THAT WE CAN HAVE SIMILAR ASSESSMENT PROCESSES, THE MORE EFFICIENT WE'LL BE AND I THINK THE BETTER WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE HOW WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE MAKING A
[00:55:01]
DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CHILDREN.>> PERRY: YOU'RE FULL ENROLLMENT, RIGHT? YOU'RE AT CAPACITY.
>> PERRY: WHAT'S YOUR WAITING LIST?
>> CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, IT DEPENDS ON THE CENTER.
AT THE NORTH CENTER WE USUALLY HAVE TWO TO ONE BY THE TIME IT'S DONE.
AT THE SOUTH CENTER, WE HAVE A VERY SMALL WAITING LIST, MOSTLY BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS OFFER FULL-DAY PRE-K.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN ASKING OUR FAMILIES AND IN THIS ENROLLMENT SEASON IS TO FIND OUT WITH ALL THE DISTRICTS ADDING FULL DAY, HOW MIGHT THAT AFFECT OUR ENROLLMENT.
I WAS HOPING THEY WOULD SAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADD 3-YEAR-OLDS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO DO.
THE DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE CAPACITY TO ADD FULL DAY AT EVERY CAMPUS, SO OUR FAMILIES -- WE STILL ANTICIPATE BEING AT FULL ENROLLMENT EVEN WITH THE FAMILIES WE HAVE.
>> PERRY: THE REASON I ASK, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE.
YOU EVEN DO LIKE A LOTTERY SYSTEM.
>> WELL, WE'VE GONE AWAY FROM THE LOTTERY.
BUT WE'RE STILL PAYING OVER $800,000 FOR MARKETING.
>> PART OF IT IS NOT JUST AROUND AWARENESS FOR ENROLLMENT, BUT AROUND AWARENESS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND FOR FAMILIES TO KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LEARNING.
IT ALSO HELPS WITH GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE AND WITH LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEIR RESULTS ARE AND THOSE SORTS OF PIECES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S ONE OF THE PIECES THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE REALIZES THAT THE DAYS OF WAITING FOR FOLKS TO SHOW UP AT YOUR DOOR AND ENROLL ARE OVER.
THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT USED TO BE.
BUT NOW FAMILIES HAVE CHOICES.
AND SO WE'RE IN A CUSTOMIZATION SOCIETY.
PEOPLE EXPECT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.
AND SO MARKETING IS GOING TO BECOME AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PART OF ALL SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN GET ENROLLMENT IN THERE.
>> PERRY: I JUST GOT A CONCERN YOU GOT A WAITING LIST BUT STILL WE'RE SPENDING CLOSE TO A MILLION BUCKS ON MARKETING.
WE DON'T DO A LOT OF MARKETING UP NEAR THE NORTH CENTER BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A WAITING LIST.
THE VERY FIRST DAY WE OPEN WE WILL HAVE A WAITING LIST.
THE SOUTH CENTER IS NOT THE SAME WAY BECAUSE IT TAKES A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO GET CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN.
WE STILL HAVE A NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT DO NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF EARLY LEARNING OR UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM OR THE PROCESS FOR GETTING IN THERE.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE MARKETING BUDGET COMES IN TO BE ABLE TO REACH THEM AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND BOTH THE BENEFITS AND THEIR OPTIONS, WHETHER IT'S AT PRE-K 4 SA OR OTHER PLACES.
SO OUR WAITING LIST IS NOT EQUAL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF OUR MARKETING COMPLETELY WENT AWAY THAT WE WOULD NECESSARILY HAVE HAVE AS MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE ENGAGED IN EARLY LEARNING IN GENERAL.
AND THEN DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIST IT HAS TRANSFERS TO DEBT SERVICE.
IT'S FAIRLY CONSISTENT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, BUT IN 2020 IT'S ABOUT 3.3, $3.4 MILLION.
2020 IT DROPS DOWN TO $1.9 MILLION.
THAT'S BECAUSE OUR DEBT SERVICE GETS PAID OFF.
OUR DEBT SERVICE WILL END E IN FEBRUARY OF 2020.
THAT'S WHEN WE WILL HAVE OUR BUILDINGS AND ALL THE DEBT THAT WE INCURRED TO OPEN THE CENTERS.
>> WE'LL BE DEBT FREE IN FEBRUARY 2020.
>> PERRY: AND I UNDERSTAND THE AVERAGE DISTRICT COST IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HIGH QUALITY.
BUT THE ALL-IN COST FOR -- YOU HAVE 2,000 STUDENTS, RIGHT?
>> PERRY: AND YOU HAVE ROUGHLY A $50 MILLION PROGRAM.
WHEN I DO THAT MATH, IT COMES OUT TO $25,000 A STUDENT.
WE DON'T JUST DO THE EDUCATION CENTER.
WHEN YOU COMPARE COST PER STUDENT, IT'S NOT BASED ON THE 2,000 STUDENTS.
THE COST PER STUDENT FOR US IS BASED ON THE COST OF RUNNING THE EDUCATION CENTERS.
IT'S AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON HOW DISTRICTS CALCULATE COSTS PER STUDENT.
WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM, THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM, THE COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM THAT ARE NOT PART OF THAT CALCULATION.
BUT YOU DO WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.
YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T GET HOW THAT WORKS.
>> PERRY: I WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU SOME MORE ABOUT THAT.
>> PERRY: AGAIN, WE'RE FUNDING THIS AT $50 MILLION FOR 2,000 STUDENTS.
[01:00:01]
AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.BUT THAT'S ALL GOING INTO THIS PROGRAM, WHICH THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS.
>> WELL, IF WE WERE GOING TO GO COST PER STUDENT, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS TAKE ALL THE STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THE GRANTS IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
IF YOU CALCULATE OUT FOR EVERY TEACHER THAT WE TRAIN, THEY SERVE 20 STUDENTS.
THAT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS -- OR STUDENTS A YEAR.
SO THEN OUR COST WOULD BE ALMOST NOTHING PER STUDENT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE USING A COMPARISON THAT IS LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT DOES IT COST.
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT COST PER STUDENT THEY'RE THINKING IN THE CLASSROOM.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM IS MUCH BIGGER THAN OUR FOUR CENTERS.
THAT'S WHY THE COST PER STUDENT DOESN'T -- IT'S A -- IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THE MONEY BECAUSE IT'S A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM THAN THAT.
THEN EXPLAIN TO ME -- AND THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, THIS CONTINGENCY PROGRAM FOR IF A VOTE DOESN'T TURN OUT THAT THEY WANT TO EXTEND THIS PROGRAM OR THE STATE COMES IN AND FUNDS A FULL PRE-K 4 SA.
IS THIS COMMITTEE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT TO DO WITH THE FACILITIES?
ALL THOSE QUESTIONS WOULD NEED TO BE ANSWERED WHAT HAPPENS.
>> PERRY: HAS THAT PROCESS STARTED AT ALL?
>> THAT'S WHAT OUR JUNE BOARD MEETING IS ABOUT, TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
NOW, THREE OF OUR FACILITIES ARE LEASED AND SO WE WOULD JUST STEP OUT OF THOSE LEASES.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH ALL THE RESOURCES, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, IT'S A STRANGE THING TO BE PLANNING TO CONTINUE AND PLANNING TO CLOSE.
BUT THAT'S JUST WHERE WE ARE AND TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND YOU MENTIONED THE EAST CENTER.
THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT FACILITY.
I LOVE GOING AND READING TO THOSE KIDS OVER THERE.
FUNDING FOR FULL DAY, EVEN IF WE FUND -- EVEN IF THE STATE FUNDS FULL DAY, THE NEED FOR PRE-K 4 SA EXISTS.
AS YOU HAVE SEEN, THE STATE DOES NOT FUND QUALITY.
WHAT THE STATE FUNDS IS BASIC ALLOTMENT AND SEATS.
AND SO OUR DISTRICTS REALLY RELY ON OUR GRANT DOLLARS DURING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO DELIVER ON THE QUALITY.
WE'RE SERVING A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR 3-YEAR-OLDS IN SAN ANTONIO.
DISTRICTS ARE INTERESTED IN EXPANDING THE 3-YEAR-OLDS, BUT UNTIL WE GET ALL 25,000 OF OUR 4-YEAR-OLDS IN HIGH-QUALITY SEATS, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR FOCUS.
SAN ANTONIO IS AHEAD OF THE GAME BUT THERE'S STILL LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> WALSH: COUNCILMAN, ALONG THE SAME LINES OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
I WENT TO THE LAST BOARD MEETIND MEETING -- AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE TO BEGIN HAVING THOSE SAME CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO START THAT IN JUNE.
AND I THINK FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BRING BACK TO THE COUNCIL IN THE EARLY FALL PERIOD OR MID-FALL, TO FIND PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK AND GET SOME DIRECTION FROM THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET THE BOARD TO DO SOME OF THE HEAVY LIFTING AND DISCUSSING AND PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES AND OPTIONS ON WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE.
SO WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU.
>> AND WE PURPOSELY SCHEDULED THAT IN JUNE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES, UNLESS WE HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT ANYWAY EVEN IF WE HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
COUNCILMAN PERRY ASKED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.
COULD YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE DISTRICT -- AVERAGE DISTRICT PROGRAM AND THEN OF COURSE WE KNOW PRE-K 4 SA.
BUT WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A DISTRICT HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAM?
>> WE HAVE SOME OF OUR DISTRICTS THAT HAVE INVESTED IN HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, CAROL, ECE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THEY HAVE THE COACHING SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS.
THEY HAVE THE FULL DAY, THE EXTENDED DAY, ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS.
>> GONZALES: AND DIDN'T CAROL PERFORM NEARLY AS WELL AS PRE-K 4 SA?
>> GONZALES: SINCE THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROGRAM?
>> WE DON'T HAVE THOSE COMPARISONS.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THE DATA AND THE COMPARISONS OF THAT, YEAH.
>> SAISD HAS A COUPLE OF THEM.
I MEAN, THERE ARE -- I'M TRYING TO THINK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THE NAMES OF THEM.
NORTHEAST IS OPENING A HIGH-QUALITY CENTER THIS FALL AT WEST AVENUE.
THERE PROBABLY ARE AND THEY'RE NOT COMING TO ME.
I HATE TO SAY THERE AREN'T ANY.
[01:05:02]
>> GONZALES: I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET AN EXAMPLE OF --
>> YEAH, CAROL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
>> GONZALES: I'M FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS IN MY DISTRICT -- I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME, BUT I KNEW THAT CAROL HAD PERFORMED NEARLY AS WELL OR MAYBE ABOUT THE SAME.
>> WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE MEASURE.
AND SO THE MEASURES WE USE ARE REALLY BASED AROUND THE MEASURES THAT MATTER LONG TERM.
ONE OF THE CAUTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR DISTRICTS IS NOT GETTING INTO MEASURES THAT ARE PRETTY MEANINGLESS.
AT ELEMENTARY, THINGS LIKE DISCREET ACADEMIC SKILLS.
THEY ARE TERRIBLE PREDICTORS OF HOW CHILDREN WOULD DO.
BUT MEASURES OF THINGS LIKE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, VOCABULARY, MATHEMATICAL THINKING, LITERACY.
THOSE ARE INDICATORS THAT ARE GOOD PREDICTORS OF HOW CHILDREN WILL DO LONG TERM.
THE CHALLENGE IS THAT IN ORDER TO ASSESS THOSE AUTHENTICALLY IN YOUNG CHILDREN, YOU HAVE TO USE MEASURES THAT RELY HEAVILY ON HIGHLY-TRAINED TEACHERS TO DO ANECDOTAL NOTES AND WATCH CHILDREN.
A TERRIBLE WAY TO ASSESS CHILDREN, YOUNG CHILDREN'S LEARNING IS TO PUT THEM IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER AND HAVE THEM FILL IN -- CLICK ON RESPONSES.
BECAUSE YOUNG CHILDREN ARE NOTORIOUSLY TERRIBLE AT DOING THINGS ON DEMAND.
THAT'S JUST NOW HOW THEY FUNCTION.
>> GONZALES: YEAH, TELL ME ABOUT IT.
GETTING THEM TO DO ANYTHING ON DEMAND.
>> WHICH MAKES ASSESSING YOUNG CHILDREN A CHALLENGE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO DO IT OVER TIME.
IT'S NOT A ONE-DAY, 20 MINUTES SIT IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER.
OR EVEN ASK YOU A QUESTION AND RESPOND.
THAT'S NOT AN ACCURATE MEASURE.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF COST ASSOCIATED WITH AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENTS, PROGRAMS OFTEN RESORT TO THESE LESS EFFECTIVE, LESS MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENTS, WHICH IS A HUGE CAUTION.
WELL, I KNOW WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THE RESULTS FROM CAROL, CONSIDERING THE KIDS ARE SO POOR AT CAROL.
I THINK THE DEMOGRAPHIC THERE IS VERY LOW INCOME AND LOTS OF, YOU KNOW, TRAUMA AND LOTS OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS FOR OUR KIDS THERE.
SO I HOPE THAT THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT WILL SHOW PROGRESS FOR OUR KIDS.
AND SO A SIMILAR RESULT AT -- I'M SORRY.
SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHIC AT GARDENDALE, ALTHOUGH MAYBE NOT QUITE AS LOW INCOME, THAT AREA, EDGEWOOD.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT? I UNDERSTAND THAT -- I UNDERSTAND IT TO BE THE SAME KIND OF PROGRAM THAT SAISD IS USING FOR SOME OF THEIR IN-DISTRICT CHARTERS.
SO IT'S STILL AN IN-DISTRICT CHARTER FOCUSING ON, YOU KNOW, THE PRE-K TO GRADE TWO.
AND THEN I WAS JUST READING ABOUT THEN THE REST OF THE PROGRESS OF THE KIDS.
BUT COULD YOU JUST DESCRIBE THAT PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT AND HOW YOU ANTICIPATE IT BEING A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM?
>> SO SB182 REQUIRES THAT IF DISTRICTS ENTER INTO THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THE PROVIDER HAVE A LEVEL OF AUTONOMY OVER HIRING, CURRICULUM SELECTION, ASSESSMENT, ALL THOSE ASPECTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN STUDENT OUTWORKS.
WE HAVE WORKED -- IT'S TAKEN US OVER A YEAR TO WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH EDGEWOOD.
BECAUSE, ONE, WHEN PEOPLE -- WHEN SOME FOLKS FIRST APPROACHED ME ABOUT WHETHER PRE-K 4 SA MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN 1882 PARTNERSHIP, I SAID NO BECAUSE I'M NOT INTERESTED IN RUNNING SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROGRAM.
WE'RE A CAPACITY-BUILDING ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS PEOPLE RUN THEIR OWN PROGRAMS WELL.
SO BUT THEN WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT COULD WE SOMEHOW LEVERAGE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BUILD CAPACITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAVE -- WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE FOLKS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY, ONE, THE SCHOOL.
TWO, WE'RE DOING COLLABORATIVE HIRING.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE HIRING THE TEACHERS THAT WILL BE IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE WILL BE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THEM.
I'M WORKING SIDE BY SIDE, MENTORING THE PRINCIPAL.
WE HAVE AN INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST FROM PRE-K 4 SA TO BE ASSIGNED TO THAT CAMPUS TO HELP THE TEACHERS IMPROVE THEIR INSTRUCTION.
BUT WE'RE TEACHING THEM EVERYTHING FROM THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS.
HOW CAN YOU GET FAMILIES INTO -- AGAIN, YOU CAN'T JUST OPEN YOUR DOORS AND HAVE PEOPLE APPLY AND ASSUME PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP.
YOU NEED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
WE WILL BE MONITORING THE PROGRESS AND HELPING THEM TO IMPLEMENT THE HIGH-SCOPE CURRICULUM, WHICH IS WHAT WE USE AT PRE-K 4 SA.
OF COURSE IN THE FIRST AND SECOND GRADES WE'LL BE USING THE PROJECT-BASED APPROACH, WHICH IS WHAT WE TEACH IN THE UPPER
[01:10:02]
GRADES.WE'RE GOING TO WALK SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM TO CREATE THIS OUTSTANDING PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE HELPING THEM TO DEVELOP THE FACILITIES.
WE'RE PUTTING OBSERVATION WINDOWS IN THERE SO THAT CAN BE A DEMONSTRATION SITE.
WE'RE BUILDING THEIR OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACES, HELPING THEM TO DO -- ESSENTIALLY IF YOU HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY, WHERE CAN YOU SPEND IT TO GET THE KIND OF OUTCOME THAT YOU WANT TO GET?
>> GONZALES: AND SO THEN IS THE IDEA THAT YOU STAY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEN YOU LEAVE?
ULTIMATELY, THE IDEA IS WE BUILD THE CAPACITY THERE AND WE STEP OUT AND WE'RE ABLE TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE.
>> GONZALES: AND THAT'S THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS?
>> PEOPLE SAY IT'S GOING TO TAKE FIVE.
I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY DO IT IN THREE TO FOUR.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.
SO WE'RE HOPING ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS TRY TO BUILD ON THE SYSTEMS THEY HAVE.
THERE'S NO POINT IN BUILDING A PROGRAM THAT CAN'T BE SUSTAINED BECAUSE THE DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE THE SYSTEMS TO DO THAT.
PART OF OUR LEARNING IS HOW DOES EDGEWOOD OPERATE.
HOW CAN WE BUILD ON THOSE SYSTEMS AND IMPROVE THE SYSTEMS TO THEY CAN SUSTAIN THEM AFTER WE'RE GONE.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
THANK YOU, SARAH AND TO YOUR BOARD AND TO YOUR STAFF.
THAT'S IT FOR OUR B SESSION AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY, ERIK?
>> WALSH: WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TOMORROW.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
[Ceremonial Recognitions]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD EVENING.
ARE YOU ALL FEELING IN THE SPIRIT? I SURE AM.
WE'VE GOT THREE CEREMONIALS TONIGHT.
AND SO I'LL INVITE US ALL TO GET FESTIVE.
THE FIRST IS A PROCLAMATION FOR THE CENTRO SAN ANTONIO AMBASSADORS.
THEY'LL PRESENT THEIR 2019 FIESTA MEDAL TO THE AMBASSADORS WHO HELP ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING RESIDENTIAL POPULATION THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS IN THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TO POSITION DOWNTOWN AS A PREMIER CONVENTION AND VISITOR'S DESTINATION.
THESE MEN AND WOMEN SERVE AS GOODWILL AMBASSADORS BY ASSISTING DOWNTOWN USERS, PROVIDING INFORMAL AND DIRECTIONAL SERVICE, AND GIVING EXTRA ATTENTION TO THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF DOWNTOWN.
SO AID I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD EDDIE AND MIKE FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, VERY MUCH.
REPRESENTING THE ORGANIZATION.
>> YEAH, SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PLACE MAKING FOR SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR BELOVED AMBASSADOR TEAM.
THE LEADERSHIP NEXT TO ME INCLUDES MR. MIKE PACHECO, WHO HAS SERVED AS THE MANAGER OF THE AMBASSADOR TEAM FOR TEN YEARS.
DESPITE THE CHANGE, OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCED, AND THE CHANGE THE CENTRO ORGANIZATION HAS SEEN OVER THE YEARS, THE AMBASSADOR TEAM, MIKE LEADING THEM, HAS REMAINED FOCUSED ON PROVIDING THE BEST DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE FOR BOTH SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
I WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK HIM DURING THE PAST SIX YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH CENTRO.
MR. PACHECO AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM HAVE BUILT A CULTURE OF PRIDE AND COMPASSION WITH OUR AMBASSADOR TEAM.
HE'S A COMMUNITY LEADER, A CANARY ISLAND DESCENDENT, A FRIEND AND A ROLE MODEL.
>> THANK YOU, LIZ, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THESE WOMEN AND MEN WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE OUR DOWNTOWN IS CLEAN AND SAFE.
WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY CENTER DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, THE TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAVEN FOR HOPE, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
IT'S TRULY A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF VISITORS WE HELP EACH YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE HELPED 1.4 MILLION VISITORS GET TO THEIR REQUESTED PLACE AND EVENTS DOWNTOWN, AND OTHER PLACES AROUND THE CITY.
DURING FIESTA LAST YEAR, OUR AMBASSADORS ASSISTED 34,000 PEOPLE IN TWO WEEKS, AND COLLECTED 6,000 LARGE BAGS OF TRASH.
OUR JOB IS TO CREATE THE ILLUSION, SO WHEN FOLKS WAKE UP IN THE MORNING TO VISIT DOWNTOWN AFTER FIESTA EVENTS, OR ANY OTHER EVENTS DURING THE YEAR, IT LOOKS FRESH LIKE A PARTY NEVER HAPPENED.
[01:15:01]
ILLUSIONISTS.THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND ALLOWING US TO SHARE THE VALUE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE SYMBOL OF OUR APPRECIATION WE ASK OUR AMBASSADOR TEAM TO PRESENT YOU THE 2019 FIESTA MEDALS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE AMBASSADORS.
OF ALL THE INVESTMENTS AND ALL OF THE, I GUESS STRUCTURES THAT WE'VE EVER PUT IN PLACE, I THINK THE AMBASSADORS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD HAVE INSTITUTED.
IF I RECALL, I THINK THIS WAS DONE PROBABLY ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS PREVIOUSLY ON THE COUNCIL.
I THINK THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ASSIST THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I THINK IT'S BEEN WELL WORTH IT.
PEOPLE COME TO YOU FOR ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE AMBASSADORS AND I THINK SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL, AND CERTAINLY OUR VISITORS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> I REPRESENT A NORTH SIDE DIS DISTRICT, OUR FAR NORTH.
IF YOU WANT TO VISIT DISTRICT 8, YOU'LL HAVE TO BRING A BOTTLE OF OXYGEN.
IT'S THE NORTHERN-MOST DISTRICT WE'VE GOT.
BUT I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, COUNCILMAN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THOSE NICE PEOPLE IN YELLOW TO BE UP HERE ON THE NORTH SIDE, TOO.
AND WHAT A COMPLIMENT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST TOURISTS THAT LOVE YOU, BUT THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN SEE THE VALUE OF HAVING YOU ALL OUT THERE.
NUMBER TWO IS NOT LOST ON ANYBODY, THAT IT'S NOT JUST A FRIENDLY FACE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING, RIGHT? AND A WELCOMING EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE THAT APPROACH YOU AND TALK TO YOU.
BUT SAN ANTONIO IS ACTUALLY SAFER BECAUSE OF YOU.
RIGHT? AND THEN NUMBER THREE, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE REACT TO YOU.
WHEN I'M DOWNTOWN, I'VE SEEN TOURISTS, AND WATCH THEM -- WATCH YOU COME BY, AND I SEE THEM AND THEY TALK ABOUT YOU ALL, AND THEY DO IT WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE.
38, 39 MILLION PEOPLE COME THROUGH HERE EVERY YEAR AND YOU GUYS ARE MAKING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SMILE.
THAT'S A REALLY SPECIAL THING.
I BARELY MAKE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE SMILE IN A WEEK, AND YOU GUYS DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS.
I WISH I COULD MAKE THAT MANY PEOPLE SMILE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO MAKE MY CITY EVEN BETTER THAN IT IS.
>> COURAGE: I WANT TO COMMEND PAU ALL OF YOU FOR DOING THE JOB YOU DO.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK AN HOUR OR TWO WITH ONE OF YOU, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S HARD WORK.
ESPECIALLY IN JUNE AND JULY AND AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD A PICTURE TAKEN BY A TOURIST WITH YOU? HOW MANY OF YOU SAID, LET ME HAVE YOUR -- ALMOST ALL OF YOU, I'M SURE.
YOU REALLY ARE GREAT AMBASSADORS FOR THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO IN KEEPING DOWNTOWN CLEAN AND JUST PUTTING A GOOD FACE ON OUR CITY.
>> I, OF COURSE, WANTED TO ECHO ALL THE SENTIMENTS AND OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU AS WELL.
LAST YEAR, OR EXCUSE ME, LAST WEEK I HAD A STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.
ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE LAST DECADE IS THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDINGS, LAND SCAPES, AND EMPLOYERS THAT ARE NOW RESIDING DOWNTOWN, IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL TO WALK AROUND, AND MAKE IT A FRIENDLY PLACE AS WELL.
THAT'S THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE US A GREAT CITY IN AMERICA.
[01:22:24]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
OUR SECOND ITEM TONIGHT IS OUR FLAMBEAU NIGHT PARADE.
THE 71ST ANNUAL FIESTA FLAMBEAU PARADE WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "REFLECTIONS OF MUSIC PAST," AND SERVING AS GRAND MARSHAL IS CHUBBY CHECKER.
THE FLAMBEAU IS ONE OF THE PREMIER EVENTS OF FIESTA AND HAS BEEN CALLED AMERICA'S LARGEST ILLUMINATED NIGHT PARADE.
SO I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD BONNY CURSOW FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WILL HOST A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO -- OOPS, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE.
THE FIESTA FLAMBEAU PARADE ASSOCIATION WILL HOLD THE NIGHT PARADE ON APRIL 27, 2019 AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS REFLECTIONS OF YEARS PAST.
AND WHEREAS THE MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN THE SUN SETS AND THE PARADE STREAMS THROUGH THE STREETS OF BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO, ILLUMINATED BY THOUSANDS OF LIGHTS TO GIVE THE COOL TEXAS EVENING THE APPEARANCE OF BEING LIT BY THOUSANDS OF STARS, AND WHEREAS THE FLAMBEAU PARADE, ONE OF THE PREMIER EVENTS OF FIESTA, HAS BEEN CALLED ONE OF AMERICA'S LARGEST NIGHT PARADE, AND ENJOYED BY 7 HURCH,000 PEOPLE ALONG ITS ROUTE AND ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION ON TELEVISION.
IT'S KNOWN AS THE PEOPLE'S PARADE.
SHOW CASING THE BEAUTY OF THE VARIOUS CULTURES AND DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY AND DEDICATED TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 27, 2019, A FE IS TA FLAMBEAU PARADE TITLE.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND AN HONOR TO BE NAMED THE PREMIER EVENT OF FIESTA.
WE WERE NAMED ALSO THE BEST PARADE BY THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF EVENTS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE'RE SO EXCITED TO CLAIM THAT HONOR IN OUR BUDGET CATEGORY.
BUT WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU, ALL ALONG THROUGH THE STREETS AND CLOSURES AND EVERYTHING.
Y'ALL HAVE BEEN THERE, AND VERY SUPPORTIVE WITH US.
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WE THANK YOU.Y'ALL READY TO TWIST WITH US? CHUBBY CHECKER IS READY TO TWIST WITH Y'ALL.
WE'RE READY TO GET THIS PARTY STARTED, AND CELEBRATE WITH US, AND LET'S TWIST ON APRIL 27TH, 2019.
SAN ANTONIO, WE LOVE ALL OF OUR PARADES, ESPECIALLY THE FLAMBEAU PARADE.
I JUST LOVE THE NIGHT AND THE LIGHTS.
SO THAT'S MY FAVORITE PARADES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR 71 YEARS OF SERVICE, AND 71 YEARS OF EXCITEMENT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL TO ME THAT CHUBBY CHECKER'S GOING TO BE HERE.
I USED TO WIN AWARDS FOR MY TWIST CONTESTS.
I WON'T SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN IT WAS IN THE LAST CENTURY.
BUT I THINK THAT WILL BE GREAT TO HAVE HIM HERE.
AND YOU ALL PUT ON SUCH A WONDERFUL SHOW FOR SAN ANTONIO.
>> PELAEZ: THIS IS THE FACE I MAKE WHEN I HEAR JOHN COURAGE WAS A CHAMPION TWISTER.
I WON'T BELIEVE IT UNTIL I SEE IT.
I'M EXCITED THAT'S THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S PARTY.
I WILL BE OUT THERE WITH A CAMERA TO TRY TO CAPTURE JOHN COURAGE TWISTING.
AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND I'M PROUD OF Y'ALL, AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR MAKING SAN ANTONIO SPECIAL.
AND THEY LOVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND I TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL OF IT.
BUT I KNOW IT'S YOU DOING THE HARD WORK.
>> I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
THIS IS ALWAYS A VERY FUN PARADE.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING EVENTS DURING FIESTA.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE LEADERSHIP FOR FLAMBEAU FOR REALLY LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND RESPONDING IN WAYS THAT HAS MADE THE PARADE EVEN BETTER EVERY YEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING FIESTA FUN ALL THE WAY TO THE END.
>> THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.
WE ARE PROUD TO PUT ON THIS PARADE FOR OUR CITY, AND FOR ALL THE CITIZENS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO.
[APPLAUSE] THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WILL HOST ITS FIESTA EVENT, "A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO" (NIOSA) APRIL 23RD TO THE 26TH, 2019.
THE FOUR-NIGHT FESTIVAL IS HELD IN THE LA VILLITA NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND CELEBRATES SAN ANTONIO'S DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE.
WHAT BEGAN AS A HANDFUL OF SOCIETY LADIES SERVING FOOD AND DRINK FROM RIVER BARGES HAS GROWN INTO THE TOP FUND-RAISER FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE NATION AND TRULY LIVES UP TO ITS MOTTO AS A "CELEBRATION FOR PRESERVATION." SO THANK YOU, MARGIE, AND TO YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE PROCLAMATION RIGHT NOW.
WHEREAS THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WILL HOST A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO, APRIL 23RD TO 26TH, 2019, IN THE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHAT BEGAN AS A ONE-DAY INDIAN
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FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE THE HERITAGE OF THE CITY'S EARLY SETTLERS HAS GROWN INTO THE NATION'S LARGEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION CELEBRATION TO SHOW CASE SAN ANTONIO'S UNIQUE AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS, WHEREAS THE FOUR-NIGHT EVENT IS PRODUCED BY 13,000 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, AND OFFERS 15 ETHNIC THEMED AREAS WITH OVER 240 FOOD BOOTHS TO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT FOR MORE THAN 85,000 REVELERS, AND WHEREAS PROCEEDS FUND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY "MISSION FOR RESTORATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, TRADITIONS AND THE INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF OUR MULTICULTURAL CITY IN NEIGHBORING COUNTIES THROUGH EDUCATION, POLICY, AND ADVOCACY GRANTS AND PRESERVATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, NOW THEREFORE I RON NEERM MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF PROCLAIM APRIL 23RD THROUGH 26TH, 20189, TO BE A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO DAYS.>> THANK YOU, MAYOR NIRENBERG.
WITH ME THIS EVENING, I HAVE MY TREASURER, JACKIE FILLERS, VICE CHAIRMAN SHARON HEARN, JANA FOREMAN, JULIE TERRELL, DEE WRIGHT AND LONGTIME SOCIETY MEMBER MARY ROGERS.
A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY BY CELEBRATING AND PRESERVING THE CUSTOMS AND THE CULTURE THAT'S UNIQUE TO OUR REGION.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE BECOME ONE OF THE PREMIER FIESTA EVENTS OVER THE YEARS, AND WE'RE ALSO THE LARGEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND-RAISER IN THE COUNTRY.
A FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF.
ALL OF OUR MONEY THAT WE RAISE GOES BACK INTO THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY COFFERS FOR OUR PRESERVATION, AND EDUCATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE CITY-OWNED LA VILLITA ARTS VILLAGE.
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY AND THE FUNDS THAT NIOSA GENERATES HAVE BEEN OVER $5 MILLION TO THE CITY.
AND ALSO, WE'VE GIVEN BACK ABOUT $1.9 MILLION TO THE LA VILLITA HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND.
WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE CITY DOES, AND TODAY WE BROUGHT SOME LITTLE GIFTS ALONG FOR YOU.
WE INVITE YOU TO USE YOUR COMPLEMENTARY TICKETS THAT WE GAVE YOU TO COME AND ENJOY THE 71ST PRESENTATION OF A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO.
>> WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL TOO FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR SAN ANTONIO AND THE GREAT CAUSE THAT NIOSA RAISES MONEY FOR.
NIOSA WAS MY FIRST FIESTA EVENT AN ANTONIO SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND IT'S BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A DAUGHTER NOW AND I TRIED BRINGING HER WITH US WHEN SHE WAS A BABY.
AND I LEARNED THAT I HAVE TO BRING HER EARLY, PROBABLY BEFORE 6:00.
BUT IT'S STILL A WONDERFUL EVENT.
WE LOVE GOING TO NIOSA EVERY YEAR.
>> PELAEZ: THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO NIOSA WAS MY FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
AT THE END OF THE NIGHT I HAD A STACK OF ABOUT 30 BEER CUPS AND I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME STANDING IN LINES OF PORT-A-POTTYS.
MAYOR, I WANT TO READ OFF A FEW THINGS.
13,000 POUNDS OF BEEF, 5,300 TAMALES, 2,000 POUNDS OF CHEESE AND 1,300 POUNDS OF SHRIMP, FISH AND FROG LEGS.
THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE AMOUNTS OF FOOD THAT IS SERVED AT NIOSA.
COINCIDENTALLY, LADIES, THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF FOOD ME AND THE MAYOR EAT WHEN BODY BUILDING.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE YOU ALL OUT HERE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE TALK ABOUT THE FOOD, IT'S THE ETHNICITY BEHIND SO MANY OF THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOODS THAT ARE REALLY THE BEST PART OF NIOSA.
IT'S BRINGING ALL THESE DIFFERENT ETHNIC COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, ALL THESE DIFFERENT CULTURES AND SHARING OF THEMSELVES, AND I THINK EVERYBODY ENJOYS GOING AROUND AND TRYING FOOD FROM EVERY PART OF THE WORLD THAT'S REPRESENTED THERE.
IF YOU CAN JUST STAND THE CROWD.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALL LIKE SARDINES IN THERE, BUT IT'S VERY WELL WORTH IT.
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SO THANK YOU FOR PERPETUATING THIS WONDERFUL PART OF FIESTA, AND THE CULTURE, AND THE MIX OF CULTURES IN SAN ANTONIO.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OF COURSE, I ALSO WANT TO OFFER A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU.
IT'S A SAN ANTONIO TRADITION, IT'S SORT OF A TRADITION TO BRING A GUEST FOR THE FIRST TIME TO NIOSA, AND HAVE THEM GO THROUGH THE RITE OF PASSAGE TO TRY THEIR FIRST ROCKY MOUNTAIN OYSTER.
BUT IT IS THE EVENT WHERE PEOPLE GET TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN BUT REMINDED THAT IT'S ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
IT IS THE PARTY OF FIESTA, AND IT IS A REMINDER THAT WE DO THIS FOR A PURPOSE, AND THAT IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT TRADITION POSSIBLE AND VIVA VI ES TA.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MARY, DO YOU WANT THE FLOOR?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.