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>> GALLAGHER: GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. IT IS 10:04 A.M. AND WE'LL OFFICIALLY CALLED THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> CLERK: SO MUCH. FIRST THINGS FIRSZ, DO WE HAVE ANY EDITS TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. (AYES.)
(. >> GALLAGHER: ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTENTIONS, MOVING ALONG. MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY. >> FIRST AND FOR MOST A CONVERSATION AROUND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, A KIND OF MODEL -- WAYS THAT COMMUNITIES CAN INTERVENE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND WAYS THEY CAN HELP OUR LARGER COMMUNITY IN THAT WORK ITSELF.
SO FOR THAT MODEL, WE HAVE ALEJANDRA LOPEZ WHO WILL BE PRESENTING TODAY,
SO COME ON UP. >> LOPEZ: NOT TO BE CONFUSED --
>> NOT THIS ONE. >> THERE'S AN ALEJANDRA LOPEZ WHO'S AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, SO THERE'S THREE OF US.
HELLO, EVERYONE. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT MY VERY CUTE TIGHT FACE DIDZ NOT TRANSFER INTO THIS, SO I WOULD NOT CHOOSE [INDISCERNIBLE] FOR THIS TOPIC, LET THE RECORD REFLECT. MY NAME IS ALEJANDRA LOPEZ. IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE TODAY. I AM A SECOND-GRADE TEACHER ON LEAVE FROM MY POSITION AND CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO ALLIANCE OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL.
WE'RE THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL IN SAN ANTONIO ISD. AND SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TO GIVE A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, THE TERM "COMMUNITY SCHOOLS" GETS, I WOULD SAY -- ENTERS INTO THE CONVERSATION OFTEN, AND OFTENTIMES PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT A MODEL WHICH IS LARGELY AROUND WRAPAROUND SERVICES FLTS AND SO THAT CAN INCLUDE A FOOD PANTRY, A CLOTHING CLOSET, ADDITIONAL TUTORING. AND WHILE WE KNOW THAT THOSE WRAP AROUND SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IN A DISTRICT LIKE SAN ANTONIO ISD OR REALLY ANY OF YOUR SOUTHERN DISTRICTS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE WORKING-CLASS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WE SERVE. WHEN OUR UNION AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, WE INCLUDE SO MUCH MORE.
AND SO I WANT TO SHARE KIND OF WHAT WE CONSIDER THE PILLARS OF THE SUSTAINABLE AND TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODELS TO BE, AND THESE PILLARS DRAW FROM BOTH AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR NATIONAL UNIONS, AND THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, WHO HAVE REALLY LED THE WAY IN INTRODUCING THIS MODEL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, ALONGSIDE THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. IEL IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
THEIR VISION IS AN EQUITABLE SOCIETY IN WHICH SHARED LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVELY USES ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THEIR COMMUNITY, SO I WOULD SAY IT'S VERY TELLING THAT IEL IS A BIG PROPONENT OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL. THEY HOLD A NATIONAL CONFERENCE EVERY SINGLE YEAR THAT BRINGS TOGETHER PARTNERS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UNIONS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE MODEL AND HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE MODEL IS TRULY MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. SO I'M GOING TO JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THESE PILLARS. THIS IS -- THEY'RE VERY WORDY ON THERE, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE THIS MUCH TEXT, BUT THERE'S JUST SO MUCH GOOD STUFF HERE. SO THE FIRST TWO ARE STRONG AND PROVEN CURRICULUM. YOU KNOW, IN TEXAS, WE DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED WHAT THE IMPACT OF CURRICULUM IS EVERY DAY IN OUR CLASSROOMS, AND SO STRONG AND PROVEN CURRICULUM IS A KEY COMPONENT.
IT INCLUDES, OF COURSE, CULTURALLY RELEVANT MATERIAL, SOMETHING THAT OUR UNION'S VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR STUDENTS. IT ALSO INCLUDES THINGS LIKE AAP AND IB, TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY RIGOROUS AND ARE COLLEGE PREP, AND THEN IT ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT SPORTS, ARTS, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION. HIGH-QUALITY TEACHING IS ANOTHER PILLAR, SO WE -- YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL, IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE FULLY CERTIFIED, AND THAT THEY ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO PLAN THOSE LESSONS, TO ANALYZE STUDENT WORK AND ADJUST CURRICULUM.
YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT PARTICULARLY IN A STATE LIKE TEXAS, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT HIRING FULLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS, AND FULLY CERTIFIED KNOWLEDGEABLE
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TEACHERS IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL.ONE THAT WE ARE INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP, SO THIS REALLY BUILDS ON WHAT OUR CAMPUSES HAVE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A CAMPUS ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND REALLY -- YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO JUST BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO KIND OF GET FEEDBACK, REALLY PUTS BOTH EDUCATORS, PARENTS, STUDENTS AND CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION AT THE TABLE, SO THAT THEY ARE MAKING SHARED DECISIONS. AND SO SHARED DECISION-MAKING IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE, AND IT'S INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE WHO HAS A STAKE IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS AND OF A SCHOOL. AND SO IT'S STRUCTURED IN A WAY WHERE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT IMPACTS THE LIFE OF THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO COME TO THAT GROUP AND IS GOING TO NOT JUST GET FEEDBACK, BUT ALSO MAKE DECISIONS COLLECTIVELY. A CULTURE OF BELONGING, SAFETY AND CARE, THIS REALLY IS, I WOULD SAY -- TALKS ABOUT WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY CALLED LIKE THE APPROACH TO DISCIPLINE, RIGHT? WE NO LONGER SAY APPROACH TO DISCIPLINE BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE FULL HUMAN BEINGS, WE TALK MORE ABOUT CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, AND NOW WE REALLY PUT IT UNDER THIS UMBRELLA, WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT OUR STUDENTS SHOULD FEEL SAFE, THEY SHOULD BELONG, THAT WE SHOULD INSURE THAT ALL OF OUR INTERACTIONS OR THAT WE'RE MODELING POSITIVE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN STUDENT TO STUDENT, STUDENT TO ADULT. AND THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING A RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AT THE CAMPUSES AS WELL. SO PEER MEDIATION, RESTORATIVE CIRCLES. IT REALLY JUST TALKS ABOUT HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING BEHAVIOR IN OUR CAMPUSES, WHICH IF YOU TALK TO ANY TEACHER, YOU KNOW, IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC IN OUR SCHOOLS AT THE MOMENT, PARTICULARLY COMING OUT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, SO, AGAIN, OTHER REALLY CRITICAL PILLAR. I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SEEING OUR FAMILIES AS A PART OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO SHOW UP ONCE A NIGHT FOR PARENT NIGHT, BUT FOR THEM TO BE REALLY EMBEDDED INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR SCHOOLS.
YOU KNOW, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE AT A SCHOOL WHERE PARENTS ARE WELCOME AND WHERE THE EDUCATION IS REALLY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS AND FAMILIES IS WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE BEST OUTCOME. AND THEN THE LAST ONE, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS THOSE COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES, SO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING MEALS, SOME COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROVIDE ON-SITE HEALTHCARE, PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, FOOD PANTRY OR CLOTHING CLOSETS. IT'S REALLY JUST THE UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND OUR FAMILIES ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEIR MATERIAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET, AND HOW CAN WE EMBED THOSE SERVICES WITHIN THE SCHOOL SO THAT FAMILIES AREN'T HAVING TO GO TO FOUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO ACCESS THESE SERVICES.
SOMETHING THAT ALREADY OCCURS IN SCHOOLS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO BENEFITS OF THE MODEL, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, EDUCATOR RETENTION, PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE. I LIFT THIS UP, BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO HAS COME TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND SITS IN BOARD MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, REGULARLY, I MEAN, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT CONSISTENTLY COME UP WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION. THEY ARE ALL LINKED, THEY ARE ALL IMPORTANT. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THEY ALL FEED INTO ONE ANOTHER, AND THE RESEARCH ON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AS A MODEL SHOWS THAT YOU SEE IMPROVEMENT IN EACH OF THESE AREAS PRETTY CONSISTENTLY WHEN THE MODEL'S BEING PUT INTO PRACTICE AND IS REALLY HOLDING TRUE TO THOSE PILLARS. SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT ALL YEAH ALL VERY INVESTED IN RESEARCH. I'VE COME TO COMMITTEE MEETING BEFORE AND HEARD Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA, SO THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT RESEARCH. I DO WANT TO LIFT UP TWO STUDIES, BECAUSE THEY ARE COMPREHENSIVE. SO THE FIRST ONE IS ILLUSTRATING THE PROMISE OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND THIS IS A STUDY MEASURING THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, NEW YORK CITY, OF COURSE, IS A DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE, BUT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS THAT ARE MADE UP OF DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR FROM WORKING-CLASS BACKGROUNDS, I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY IN SAISD AND SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK.
AND SO YOU'LL JUST SEE SOME OF THE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON ATTENDANCE, A REDUCTION IN DISCIPLINARY INCIDENTS, CREDIT ACCUMULATION.
JUST THINGS THAT ARE REALLY KEY MARKERS OF WHAT WE'RE MEASURING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL. AND THEN THE ONE THAT I PRINTED OUT FOR Y'ALL, BECAUSE I SAID MAYBE THEY'LL -- LIKE IF I HAND IT TO THEM, THEY'LL LIKE -- YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE IN THEIR HANDS AND THEY'LL READ IT, BUT I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK ENOUGH ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS STUDY IS. IN 2021, CALIFORNIA AS A STATE MADE AN UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL.
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THEY INVESTED 4.1 BILLION -- I KNOW, IN TEXAS, WE CAN ONLY DREAM, RIGHT -- BUT, YOU KNOW, IN COMPARISON TO THE NATIONAL INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, WHICH UP UNTIL THAT POINT WAS ONLY 670 MILLION INVESTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU CAN SEE HOW CALIFORNIA, THROUGH THE ADVOCACY OF, YOU KNOW, EDUCATOR UNIONS, PARENT ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, REALLY INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL.AS A RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY WERE SEEING POSTCOVID-19.
AND REALLY IN 2021, I MEAN, IT WASN'T EVEN POST, RIGHT? WE WERE STILL IN THE THICK OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE WERE STARTING TO SEE THE IMPACT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT DISRUPTION IN OUR STUDENTS' LIVES REALLY MEANT. SO THEY INVESTED 4.1 BILLION, THEY HAD A VERY STRONG MODEL THAT REALLY DREW ON THE PILLARS THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT. THEY CREATED THIS PROGRAM WHERE SCHOOLS COULD -- DISTRICTS COULD APPLY FOR THIS FUNDING, AND SO THIS REPORT JUST CAME OUT LAST FALL, AND SO IT IS INCREDIBLY, LIKE, CURRENT AND COMPREHENSIVE, AND REINFORCES THE SUCCESS OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.
I THINK MOST NOTABLY, GAINS WERE LARGEST FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS. SO THEY DID DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS, REALLY ENSURING THAT SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, WERE SERVING STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, THEY GOT MORE FUNDING.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE, I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT IS HOW DO WE DRIVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, BETTER ATTENDANCE AND ULTIMATELY BETTER OUTCOMES ON ALL LEVELS IN OUR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED ANDY VESTED FROM COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL AS EVIDENCED THROUGH THIS STUFFDY SHOWS THAT IT IS A WAY TO ADDRESS THESE HISTORICAL INEQUITIES. AND JUST A LITTLE BIT, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN ACTION, LIKE WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE, I WANT TO LIFT UP THIS EXAMPLE FROM LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY'RE MASSIVE. IT IS HUGE, BUT THEY MANAGE TO IMPLEMENT THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL, I THINK, IN A REALLY ROBUST WAY.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THEY DO A PARENT ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM AT THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOL SITES, VAWBL THEY EMPOWER THEIR PARENTS, TRAIN THEIR PARENTS, THEY SHOW HOW MUCH OF A PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS SHOULD BE BETWEEN OUR PARENTS, OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITY. SO POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS COMMUNITY, I RECOGNIZE WITH THIS COMMITTEE, I RECOGNIZE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH 17 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE BUDGET PRESSURES THAT WE'RE ALL FACING, BOTH AT THE CITY AND AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, I DO HAVE TO SAY, AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTNER WITH SCHOOL TICK -- DISTRICTS I THINK IS DEFINITELY AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK EXPLORING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTEGRATED SUPPORT AND ALIGNING THAT SUPPORT WITH THESE PARTNERSHIP EXPECTATIONS.
I WOULD SAY THE STRAIGHTFORWARD THING IS LIKE OH WE'RE GOING TO INVEST MORE MONEY IN SERVICES AND EMBED THOSE SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL, AND LIKE I SAID, WHILE THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND WE WOULD ALL WELCOME THAT, THE REAL POWER OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL IS HOW YOU'RE BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS ABOUT THE SCHOOL AND OUR STUDENTS. AND THAT SHARED DECISION-MAKING, I THINK, IS WHAT EQUATES TO STRONGER OUTCOMES.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALEJANDRA, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND APPRECIATE THE BIG PACKET YOU GAVE US AS WELL WITH MORE DETAILS HERE.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO START WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. NO? COUNCILWOMAN KAUR?
>> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED HERE.
THIS WORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I WAS JUST TRYING TO BASICALLY THINK OF WAYS THAT OUR WORK COULD BE CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL, AND SO THERE'S A C COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS FOR US IS THE WRAPAROUND SERVICE PIECE. WE TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT WITH THE DELEGATE AGENCY WORK THAT WE JUST MOVED FORWARD FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, AND DELEGATE AGENCIES ARE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDING THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. SO ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE ADDED TO OUR FUNDING THIS YEAR, AN INITIAL PROVIDES SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN ISD SCHOOLS FOR KIDS THAT NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND LIKE WRAPAROUND SERVICES CAN BE SO MUCH AND THERE'S -- KNOW WE'RE ONLY PROVIDING A SMALL PORTION OF FUNDING FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES, BUT I THINK THAT ONE I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS WE -- I KNOW ALL THREE OF US ARE ALIGNED ON THAT WORK, BUT AS WE GO THROUGH OUR TRIAL BUDGET ON THURSDAY, THERE ARE SOME DISCUSSIONS COMING UP ABOUT POTENTIALLY CUTTING THAT FUNDING, AND I THINK THIS COULD BE A GOOD BASIS FOR SAYING WHY THAT WOULD BE DISASTERROUS FOR US, FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS, I DIDN'T SEE IT
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MENTIONED IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT FROM MY BACKGROUND, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ALSO FOCUS ON EXTENDED LEARNING AND SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS, BECAUSE AS WHAT WE SEE IN OUR -- AND WE KNOW THIS FROM OUR CITY PROGRAMMING THAT WE OFFER -- THAT KIDS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CAPITAL ARE RIGHT NOW PROBABLY -- GETTING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, ALL THAT'S NOT GOING TO PREVENT SUMMER SLIDE, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS, THERE'S A LOT -- A GAP THAT OCCURS. SO AS A TEACHER, YOU ALWAYS SEE THAT SUMMER SLIDE COMING IN WHERE KIDS HAVE FORGOTTEN A LOT OF WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED FROM THE LAST YEAR. AND SO ENCOURAGING AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE FUND IN OUR FOUR URBAN CORE DISTRICTS IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE THAT. AND THEN ALSO SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND HOW WE CAN GROW OUR OWN CITY SUMMER PROGRAMMING, BUT PARTNER WITH SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK.AND EVEN OUR MUSEUMS THAT OUR CITY RUN TO ENSURE THAT DURING THE SUMMER THEY'RE ENROLLING EQUITABLY, BECAUSE THOSE SUMMER CAMPS FILL UP SO FAST AND THEY DO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE. SO I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THAT WRAPAROUND WORK, BECAUSE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DIRECTLY CONTROL THE CURRICULUM THAT KIDS ARE BEING TAUGHT, WHICH IS GOVERNED AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT WE CAN CONTROL A LOT OF THE OTHER SUPPORTS TO FILL IN THE GAPS THAT ARE NOT OCCURRING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT OVERSIGHT OVER THEM. SO I THINK THAT WAS THE MAIN THING THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT AS I WAS LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION AND THEN THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION AROUND LIKE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND HOW WHEN WE TRAIN THAT AT A YOUNG AGE FOR KIDS, THAT TRANSLATES UP THROUGHOUT -- AND IT SHOULD TRANSLATE UP FOR US THROUGHOUT THE -- I GUESS WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL IT THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? BUT IF WE CAN ADDRESS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR KIDS AND RESTORATIVE DISCIPLINE IN K-12, AND THEN SHOW FOLKS THAT THEY HAVE A SECOND CHANCE, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE IN THE REAL WORLD, WE'RE SHOWING PEOPLE THAT IT'S OKAY TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND YOU'LL -- AS LONG AS YOU'RE LEARNING FROM IT, THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU. SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. BUT THAT'S -- I MEAN, ALL OF THESE THUNKS CAN BE -- THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IN THIS KIND OF RANT IS THAT THESE THINGS ARE SO EASY TO SAY, BUT THEY'RE REALLY HARD TO IMPLEMENT IN A SCHOOL BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE GOING FROM CLASS TO CLASS AND TEACHING ALL DAY AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SPACE TO COLLABORATE, LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS MENTIONED FOR TEACHER LEADERSHIP IS COLLABORATION, BUT IF YOUR LEADERSHIP IS NOT BUILDING IN CROSSVERTICAL COLLABORATION OR HORIZONTAL COLLABORATION, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. AND SO THIS STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM ITSELF MAKES THIS REALLY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE VERY INTUITIVE. LIKE, YEAH, OF COURSE, YOU SHOULD CREATE A CULTURE OF CARE IN A SCHOOL, LIKE WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO DO THAT? WELL, I'M TRYING TO DO FIVE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.
THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF RANT. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION. THANKS. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: AS THE COUNCILWOMAN MEMBER THIS IS A VERY TIMELY PRESENTATION. I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL CLIMATE AND DISCIPLINE, RIGHT, AND SCHOOL SUSPENSION, TRANSFERS TO ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I HAD AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION OF BENNY PRICE AT THE BIG MOMMA SAFE HOUSE, MANY OF THE PROGRAMS FOCUS 16 GO 24. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPORTER EMPHASISES IN TERMS OF 13 TO 14 YEAR OLDS WHICH IS WHERE FROM HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WHERE KIDS HAVE THE MOST NEED AND OFTEN DEVIATE INTO A DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIME POTENTIALLY.
SO I THINK THIS SERVES A LOT OF VALUE, THE EMPHASIS ON THE SCHOOL CLIMATE AND DISCIPLINE, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, RIGHT, AS WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DELEGATE AGENTS, HOW CAN WE WORK WITH BIG MOMMA SAFE HOUSE, ALL THE DELEGATE AGENCIES WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUTH, RIGHT, BUT, AGAIN, GOING YOUNGER IN TERMS OF THE SUPPORT THAT'S NECESSARY. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EMPHASIS ON THE ALIGNING OF PARTNERSHIPS AND COCREATING THOSE EXPECTATIONS, SO THAT WAY WE CAN BE INTENTIONAL, AGAIN, RIGHT, WITH THE LIMITATIONS OF THE STATE AND LIMITED LOCAL DOLLARS TO MAKE THE GREATEST IMPACT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GALVAN: THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.
I HAD A QUESTION RELATED TO THAT POINT ABOUT THE ALIGNMENT, I THINK THAT'S THE MOST CRUCIAL POINT. WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUPS THAT EVERYONE DOES REALLY GREAT WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS AND CITY AND BEYOND OUR EDUCATIONAL WALLS WITH OUR YOUTH, AND SO WONDERING HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALIGNMENT IS POSSIBLE -- I KNOW MELODY YOU'RE HERE FOR A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION AND I DON'T WANT TO STEER TOO FAR OFF, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS -- DO WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR ISDS DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED OR SUPPORT SERVICES THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BEFORE WE KIND OF ALLOCATE IT OUT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
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>> WOOSLEY: SO WHAT WE'LL DO -- AND WE'VE DONE THIS FOR YEARS WITH -- ESPECIALLY SAN ANTONIO ISD BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE PROGRAMS ARE SERVING THEIR KIDS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE THE PROGRAMS THEY WANT IN THEIR SCHOOLS, SO WE'RE NOT MAKING DECISIONS IN A VACUUM AND THEN THE SCHOOL SAYS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED.
SO WE DO THAT DURING THE PROCESS. AND THEN WE ALSO INVITE SCHOOL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES TO SIT ON THE PANELS.
>> GALVAN: OKAY. GOT IT. THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW.
I'D BE INTERESTED TO LOOKING INTO THAT EITHER IN THIS COMMITTEE LATER
ON OR SEE WHAT WE CAN WORK ON. >> I WILL SAY I THINK ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS AND ASSETS ASSESSMENT AT THE VERY START OF THE PROCESS, AND THAT IS A VERY ROBUST PROCESS THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS, BUT ALSO PARENTS, STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE PROCESS CAN TAKE, YOU KNOW -- AND SHOULD TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY ITSELF TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED, BUT ALSO WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE. SO IT'S WITHIN AN ASSET-BASED FRAMEWORK. AND I THINK THAT IS -- THAT BEING THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH THE MODEL BUILDS FROM IS REALLY VALUABLE, PARTICULARLY IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. >> GALVAN: CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, TOO, ABOUT
WHO CONDUCTS THAT? >> A KEY COMPONENT OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL AS I'VE OUTLINED IS HAVING A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS COORDINATOR.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS -- AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN KAUR CAN REALLY SPEAK TO THIS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IS VERY AT CAPACITY WITHIN A SCHOOL, FROM YOUR TEACHER TO YOUR APS TO YOUR PRINCIPALS. SO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL REALLY ADVOCATES FOR A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS COORDINATOR POSITION, OFTENTIMES THEY SAY THAT THAT PERSON IS ALREADY AT YOUR SCHOOL, RIGHT? IT'S -- YOU KNOW, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SAISD'S PEACE ROOMS, THEY LOOK FOR THE PERSON ON CAMPUS THAT STUDENTS WERE ALREADY GOING TO WHEN THEY WERE IN CRISIS, RIGHT? AND SO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS COORDINATOR IS SOMEONE THAT SHOULD COME PROBABLY ALREADY FROM THE SCHOOL ECOSYSTEM, AND THAT PERSON HOLDS ALL OF THIS WORK, RIGHT? THEY ARE THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ALIGNMENT, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE COMING, AND SO THEY WOULD BE THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE CONDUCTING THIS. YOU KNOW, PLANNING THE MEETINGS, THAT KIND OF THING. AND THEY, YOU KNOW, WILL HAVE RECEIVED KIND OF ROBUST TRAINING TO THAT REGARD, BUT IT'S SOMEONE ALREADY EMBEDDED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHO'S JUST RESPONSIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, STARTING AND CARRYING OUT THE PROCESS, AND THEN ENSURING THAT
THE PILLARS ARE BEING UPHELD. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S HELPFUL TO WRAP OUR MINDS AROUND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. IT COULD BE INTERESTING, TOO, I KNOW, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS TALKING ABOUT OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT SCALE FOR INVESTMENT, TOO, RIGHT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE AYE DO LOGICAL CONVERSATION, TOO, ABOUT HOW WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES, TARGET IN ONE AREA VERSUS SPREADING IT THIN OUT, IT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TIS CUS DISCUSSING THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS? >> KAUR: I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A PLUG BACK FOR THE THING THAT WE STARTED THE COMMUNITY WITH WITH OUR DATA COLLECTION. I FEEL LIKE THE MORE WE CAN GO BACK AND SHOW WHERE -- LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PEACE ROOMS THAT ARE BEING RUN ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY THE NONPROFIT. I REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHERE OUR FOLKS ARE DOING WORK AND THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THOSE AREAS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT WILL MAKE OUR DEBATE -- OR DEFENSE -- YOU KNOW, LIKE THE DEFENSE TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD EVEN MORE IMPACTFUL WHERE WE SEE LIKE, OH, WE DO SEE GAINS IN THIS CAMPUS.
WHAT ARE ALL THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PUSHING IN? LIKE -- AND WHO'S BEEN SUPPORTING THAT SCHOOL ASIDE FROM JUST LEADERSHIP AND CURRICULUM? LIKE THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER THINGS GOING ON, AND IF WE COULD IDENTIFY THAT, IT WOULD HELP US, I THINK, DEFE DEFEND THE WORK. >
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M THINKING THROUGH MY THOUGHT RIGHT NOW, I'M THINKING AGAIN THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE OF SAN ANTONIO, SO MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WHAT YOU WOULD ENVISION THAT FACILITATION LOOKING LIKE IN TERMS OF CONVENING SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEN, OF COURSE, GETTING TO THE ROOT, THE FAMILIES AND THE TEACHERS TO HELP GIVE THAT INPUT. I GUESS DO YOU HAVE A FLAME WORK IN MIND ON HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT, WOULD THAT BE THROUGH CITY STAFF SUPPORT, WOULD THAT BE THROUGH HIRING A CONSULTANT TO FACILITATE, BUT, AGAIN, LIKE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL. SO I'M JUST -- CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT YOU ENVISION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO CONVENE FOLKS AROUND A COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL?
>> YEAH. I THINK -- I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT IS A FUNDING THING. WHEN WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH TRUSTEES AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, YOU KNOW, AT THE -- AT ITS MOST BASIC, ONE, YOU HAVE TO LINE UP PARTNERS, BUT THEN YOU ALSO NEED THAT
[00:25:03]
ONE FTE FOR THE COORDINATOR, BECAUSE WHAT I KNOW FROM TALKING WITH COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THEY ARE KIND OF THE LINCHPIN TO ENSURING THAT THE MODEL CAN BE IMPLEMENTED SUCCESSFULLY.UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE IN A BUDGET SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT AT -- WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO EVEN FUND WHAT OUR CURRENT CAMPUSES ARE WITH FULL SERVICES, LIKE LIBRARIAN, ET CETERA, SO MUCH LESS FOR AN FTE. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT, WHAT DOES A PILOT PROGRAM LOOK LIKE WHERE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES GET TO KIND OF OPT IN AND SAY WE WANT TO MOVE INTO THIS MODEL, AND THEN HOW CAN WE FIND THE FUNDING FOR YOU KNOW, THAT MODEL TO BE IMPLEMENTED FROM START TO FINISH.
I THINK THAT CAN CERTAINLY HAPPEN ACROSS MULTIPLE DISTRICTS AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A VALUABLE THING TO BE HAPPENING ACROSS MULTIPLE DISTRICTS SO THEY CAN CONVENE BACK TOGETHER AND DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, HOW'S IT GOING, WHAT'S GOING WELL, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES, THAT KIND OF
THING. >> CASTILLO: THANKS, CHAIR.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALEJANDRA. REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THE REST OF OUR TIME. NEXT WE'LL BE MOVING TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION, THE DATA OF IT IS ALL NECESSARY BUT ALSO IMPORTANT TO GET OUR BOARDS. MELODY, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> MELODY, I'LL JUST VERY QUICKLY DO AN INTRODUCTION.
I'M MELODY WOOSLEY, HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION AND THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE NEXT TWO ITEMS. SO FOR NUMBER THREE YOUR HEAR FROM DIVIA BAREN AND SHE'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMMISSION'S CHARGE, SHARE YOUTH-IDENTIFIED BUDGET PRIORITIES AND DISCUSS THESE ININFLUENCE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES IN OUR AREA.
AND THEN FOR ITEM NUMBER 4, YOU'LL HEAR FROM JONAH MARTINEZ, WHO IS THE MAYOR'S APPOINTEE AND VICTORIA SHIPLEY WHO IS CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY BOARD, AND THEY'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOARD AND THE 2025 SAN ANTONIO HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SURVEY.
AND THAT WILL INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN STUDENT SUCCESS. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DIVIA AT THIS TIME.
>> >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR GALVAN AND MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS DIVIA BERAN, CHAIR OF THE YOUTH COMMISSION. I'M PART OF THE 2025, 26 USA DEBATE TEAM REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES THIS SUMMER IN NAIROBI, KENYA. I'M HONORED TO PRESENT TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION WHICH WE ALSO AFFECT NATDLY DUB AS STA CI. FIRST I'LL INTRODUCE THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION AND DISCUSS OUR ROLL IN SUPPORTING YOUTH IN SAN ANTONIO.
NEXT I'LL SHARE BUDGET PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED IN YOUTH IN SAN ANTONIO THROUGH THE YOUTH BUDGET SURVEY AND ANNUAL YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALLS.
THESE PRIORITIES WILL REFLECT WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE BELIEVE IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEIR WELL-BEING, DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE SUCCESS.
FINALLY I'LL DISCUSS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE PRIORITIES AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES IN SAN ANTONIO AREA STUDENTS.
FIRST, A LITTLE BIT ON WHO WE ARE. STACI WAS ESTABLISHED ON
JUNE TUITE, 1991 WITH THE GOAL OF APPLYING. >> SAYC, ACT AS REPRESENTATIVE. SAYC IS MADE UP OF 22 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH TWO REPRESENTATIVES APPOINTED BE I THE MAYOR AND EACH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MEMBER. COMMISSIONERS ATTEND MONTHLY PUBLIC COMMISSION MEETINGS PRESENTED TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, CONDUCT MEDIA INTERVIEWS AND LEAD COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS KEY ISSUES AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO. THEY ACCESS TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY, THE TEENS DAY SA AND THE WE HEAR YOU SUMMIT. HERE'S A LIST OF THE CURRENT MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT MEMBERS. THE PHOTO IS FROM OUR PROMOTION OF THE LAUNCH OF THE 2026 TEEN MENT L HEALTH SURVEY AT CITY COUNCIL WITH PROJECT WORTH TEEN AMBASSADORS. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUTH PRIORITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET THE CITY CONDUCTED A YOUTH BUDGET SURVEY AND HOSTED THE 2025 YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL. THE FISCAL YEAR 2026
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YOUTH BUDGET SURVEY WAS DEVELOPED TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAD A DIRECT VOICE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S BUDGET PROCESS.THE SURVEY INVITED YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO IDENTIFY SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS, THEY BELIEVED, SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
THE 2025 YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL WHERE THE YOUTH FOCUS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT THAT PROVIDED YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE CITY BUDGET, DISCUSS COMMUNITY NEEDS AND SHARE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH CITY LEADERS. THE EVENT WAS ORGANIZED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION, THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD AND NEXT-LEVEL [INDISCERNIBLE] BUILDERS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. FOR THE FISCAL 2026 BUDGET SURVEY WE RECEIVED 185 RESPONSES WITH REPRESENTATION FROM EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT. THIS HELPED CITY STAFF AND YOUTH LEADERS IDENTIFY CITYWIDE YOUTH PRIORITIES WHICH DIRECTLY INFLUENCE THE FORMAT OF THE 2025 YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL. THE 2025 YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL HAD DEPARTMENT-LEVEL EXERCISES WHERE YOUTH WERE ABLE TO RANK THEIR TOP BUDGET CATEGORIES. NOW LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL PRIORITIES WE RECEIVED FROM THOSE SURVEYS, HERE IS A COMPARISON FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET PRIORITIES RANKED THROUGH THE CITYWIDE COMMUNITY SURVEY AND THE CITYWIDE YOUTH SURVEY. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY AND YOUTH SURVEY, THEY BOTH RANKED AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SERVICES TO ASSIST THE HOME LSZ AS TOP PRIORITIES.
WE SAW DIFFERENCES IN THE THIRD RANKED PRIORITIES AND BELOW.
FOR THE COMMUNITY WE SAW POLICE SERVICES, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEAN UP, STREETS AND FIRE EMERGENCY SERVICE TION WHATS YOUTH WOULD PRIORITIZE LIBRARIES, PARKS AND RECREATION, METRO HEALTH AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION. BOTH ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS REVEALED THREE CONSISTENT THEMES OF WHAT IS NEEDED FOR YOUTH IN SAN ANTONIO.
STABILITY AT HOME, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT BEYOND SCHOOL, AND HEALTH AND SAFETY. YOUTH EXPRESSED HAVING THESE PRIORITIES MET HELPS YOUTH FOCUS ON ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.
BASED ON THE SURVEY, WE -- WITH PRIORITIES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SERVICES TO ASSIST THE HOMELESS, IT'S EVIDENT THAT YOUTH ARE ALSO SPEERNSESING THE RAMIFICATIONS IN RISES OF COST OF LIVING INCLUDING RENT AND HOUSING. HAVING THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET IS THE FOUNDATION TO STABILITY IN THEIR LIVES WHICH LEADS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA -- SERVICES AND FAMILY SUPPORTS. WITH THESE SURVEY RESULTS HIGHLIGHTING LIBRARIES, PARKS AND RECREATION AND YOUTH SERVICES AS PRIORITIES, IT'S EVIDENT THAT EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT BEYOND SCHOOL IS NEEDED.
THESE SERVICE AREAS PROVIDE PROGRAMMING THAT IS NOT ONLY EDUCATIONAL, BUT PROVIDES COMMUNITY AND SOFT SKILLS FOR YOUTH.
EDUCATION HAPPENS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM.
INVESTMENT FOR THIS AREA INCLUDES TUTORING AND HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, TESTING PREPARATION, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, CAREER READINESS PROGRAMS AND SAFE COMMUNITY PLACES WHERE YOUTH CAN THRIVE AND LEARN.
LASTLY, THE SURVEY ALSO IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY ON YOUTH WITH PRIORITIES THAT INCLUDED METRO HEALTH SERVICES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION AND SERVICES TO AS CYST THE HOMELESS.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR YOUTH.
INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA WOULD INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES AND PREVENTATIVE SERVICES. YOUTH EXPRESSED HAVING THESE PRIORITIES MET HELPS YOUTH FOCUS ON ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING. YOUTH IDENTIFIED AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES AS THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY WHICH IS ESSENTIAL AND BASIC NEED FOR ANYONE BUT ESSENTIALLY YOUTH AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. THEN THE STABILITY AND SAFETY WHICH ALIGNS WITH SAFETY AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, WHICH HELP MAKE YOUTH SAFE, INCLUDED AND GIVES THEM THE TOOLS TO BE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND EXCEL IN THEIR EDUCATION. THEY ALSO EMPHASIZED THAT EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS DEPENDS ON ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, LIBRARIES, TUTORING AND COMMUNITY SPACES. TOGETHER THESE SHOW THAT YOUTH VIEW THESE AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT FOR LEARNING BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. NEXT, TAKING A LOOK AT OUR NEXT STEPS. OUR NEXT STEPS INVOLVE THE ANALYSIS OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 YOUTH BUDGET AND TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SURVEYS TO CONTINUE IDENTIFYING WHAT YOUTH IN SAN ANTONIO ARE EXPERIENCING AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND LEAD A HEALTHY LIFE.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING THE FISCAL YEAR '27 YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN AUGUST AND A YOUTH SUMMIT IN SEPTEMBER THAT WILL FOCUS ON CONNECTING YOUTH TO TOOLS THAT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND WELLNESS.
ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMUNITY FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND I'D BE HAPPEN MY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIVIA, YOU DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB. REALLY INCREDIBLE STUFF
[00:35:02]
HERE, OF COURSE, A LOT OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.GRATEFUL TO SEE THERE'S ALIGNMENT WITH ALL OF OUR YOUTH, INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT YOUTH SUMMIT AND EVERYTHING, WHAT THE TOWN HALL WILL LOOK LIKE, HOPEFULLY I CAN BE IN ATTENDANCE AGAIN THIS ROUND.
ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO?
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, DIVIA FOR THE PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS TO LEANNE AND TRINITY FOR THE DISTRICT FIVE APPOINTEES.
I REALLY VALUE THE WORK AND INITIATIVE THAT YOU PUT INTO SERVE OWRG YOUTH BUDGET PRIORITIES. ONE OF MY ASK IS WHEN WE RECEIVE OUR BUDGET BRIEFING TOMORROW THAT SLIDE 7'S INCLUDED, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE LARGER BUDGET SURVEY RESULTS, COUNCIL BUDGET PRIORITIES, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE OF VALUE TO INCLUDE SLIDE 7 WITHIN THE PRESENTATION GOING OVER OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES. AGAIN, I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE THE BUDGET PRIORITIES, AGAIN, YOU ALL ARE IN THE CLASSROOM, AT THE DINNER TABLE, AND AS WE SEE MANY OF OUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF LIBRARY STAFF IN THEIR SCHOOLS, I THINK YOU ARE SEEING A TREND IN WHICH MOST OF US AS ADULTS THAT AREN'T IN THE CLASSROOM AND/OR TEACHERS AREN'T SEEING, SO I JUST REALLY VALUE THE BUDGET PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL HAVE LAID OUT. AND I SEE A LOT OF ALIGNMENT IN TERMS OF THE FOLKS ON THIS COMMITTEE AND OUR PRIORITIES AND ALSO THE WORK WE DO WITH YOUTH, BUT JUST ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONNECTION TO THE FIRST PRESENTATION WITH ALEJANDRA AND ALIGNMENT OF THE INITIATIVES THAT THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAS TAKEN ON IN TERMS OF PROVIDING MICROGRANTS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AND PROVIDING THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SO JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND THE YOUTH COMMISSION FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR INITIATIVE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR?
>> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, DIVIA, FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I'M SORRY, I GOT YOUR NAME WRONG, DYRA IS MY APPOINTEE. REMIND ME OF YOUR NAME AGAIN.
>> DIVIA. >> AWB BRIE IS ALSO MY APPOINTEE.
I WAS LOOKING AT BOTH 6 AND 7 TO SEE THE OVERLAP AND THE PART THAT REALLY SCARES ME IS THIS MIDDLE SECTION IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET CONVERSATION BECAUSE LIBRARIES, PARKS AND REC ARE B SOME OF THE ONES MOST BEING HEAVILY AFFECTED RIGHT NOW AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW -- I MEAN, AS WHAT Y'ALL LISTED HERE WITH THE SAFE COMMUNITY SPACES AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, I THINK IT'S JUST LIKE VERY BLATANT THAT WHAT WE ARE -- THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT CUTTING IS THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE HIGHLIGHTING THAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT, SO JUST REALLY HITS HOME FOR US WHEN YOU GUYS PRESENT THIS. SO I THINK IT'S A VERY TIMELY PRESENTATION. WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU GUYS AND HOPEFULLY CONVINCE SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT I WOULD INVITE ALL OF YOU TO SEND AN E-MAIL TO YOUR COUNCILPERSON AND SHARE AND MAYBE EVEN SHARE THIS SLIDE WITH THEM AND SAY THIS IS WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AND THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD URGE YOU GUYS TO FUND -- TO CONTINUE FUNDING, IF NOT INCREASE FUNDING AT LEAST FOR THIS YEAR. THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO ALSO PLUG IS THE LAST -- FOR 3, SEEING THAT THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION PART IS SO HIGH, EVEN FOR OUR YOUTH PRIORITIES IS -- IT HURTS ME A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS A REASON WHY THAT THAT IS HIGH, BUT SEEING THAT UP THERE MAKES ME THINK THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS REALLY IMPORTANT, SO LATER TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DO AN OVERVIEW OF THE REPORT, THE ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION -- COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO STICK AROUND, IF YOU'RE ALREADY ENJOYING YOUR SUMMER AND WANT TO STICK AROUND CITY HALL, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A SUMMARY OF THAT, BUT ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE INNER PERSONAL VIOLENCE SUBCOMMITTEE IS WORKING ON IS DOING A CURRICULUM IN OUR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT'S FOCUSED ON HEALTHY HABITS AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO LAUNCH IT THIS SPRING, BUT HOPEFULLY THIS COULD BE THE EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST TRY TO GET IT DONE IN THE FALL.
BECAUSE THERE IS A REQUEST FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY -- AND PREVENTATIVE SERVICES, I GUESS, MORE SO T FOR THAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO. I DID HAVE A REQUEST, THOUGH. CAN WE SEE THE FULL SURVEY RESULTS? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT -- I'D LOVE TO SEE -- AND MAYBE ALEX OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD HELP US GET THAT TOGETHER? I JUST -- OR MAYBE MELODY, IF WE COULD -- IF YOU COULD SEND US OVER THE FULL -- THE DATA FROM
THE FULL RESULTS FOR ALL OF THE 185 YOUTH? >>
>> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS, CHAIR.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU, AGAIN, DIVIA, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK.
[00:40:02]
OF COURSE WITH THE YOUTH BUDGET SURVEY AND THE TOWN HALL ITSELF HAPPENS IN AUGUST, CAN YOU REMIND ME, DOES IT HAPPEN BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS OR AFTER? I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S MID OR EARLY AUGUST?>> IT'S AUGUST 22ND IS THE DATE SET FOR THE BUDGET TOWN HALL.
AND THE YOUTH SUMMIT I THINK IS THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK IN OCTOBER
TENTATIVELY. >> GALVAN: OVERALL THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE YOUTH THAT MEETS THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO GET THEM MORE INVOLVED IN THIS WORK, HOW CAN WE ALSO DO IT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS AS WELL, THAT WAY MAYBE FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING READY FOR THE SUMMER, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON THEIR MIND, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT OR WHAT YOUR OPINION WOULD BE ON OVERALL ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER YOUTH THROUGHOUT OUR CITY?
>> I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING PROBLEM BECAUSE THE BUDGETING PROCESS DOES HAPPEN WITHIN THE SUMMER WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T REALLY LOOKING AT THAT. I THINK MAYBE THE BEST SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS, SO APRIL, MAY, AND WE WERE CONSIDERING HAVING THE YOUTH SUMMIT DURING THAT TIME THIS YEAR, IT JUST DIDN'T END UP FALLING WITHIN OUR CAPACITY AS A COMMISSION, BUT I THINK MOVING INTO THE NEXT YEAR, IT'S A REALLY BIG PRIORITY TO HAVE CITYWIDE EVENT WHERE KIDS ARE INVOLVED IN DOING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING ABOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS BEFORE THEY LEAVE SCHOOL SO THEY CAN HAVE THAT IN MIND FOR WHEN THE YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL ROLLS AROUND IN SEPTEMBER
OR AUGUST. >> GALVAN: LET US KNOW WHERE YOU NEED US TO STEP IN AS WELL TO SUPPORT Y'ALL. I KIND OF WANT TO ASK YOU A THEORETICAL QUESTION, A LITTLE BIT. YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD ALL THE RESOURCES IN THE WORLD AND TIME AND ENERGY AND THINGS WERE NOT IN THE WAY EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHAT KIND OF THINGS WOULD YOU DO FOR ENGAGEMENT OVERALL, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO CONNECT WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO AREN'T
ALREADY ENGAGED? >> OH, GOSH. I'D DEFINITELY MAKE A BIGGER DEAL THAN PREREGISTERING 17 AND A HALF-YEAR-OLDS, THE LIBRARY MAKES A BIG DEAL, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT TO SCHOOLS AND MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE PREREGISTERING. I THINK ALSO TRY TO HAVE AS MANY EVENTS WITH MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY THAT KIDS CAN ENGAGE AND ACTUALLY DO THE LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM THAT WE'D LOVE THEM DO IS LEARNING BY SPEAKING WITH THE ADULTS WHO ARE IN CHARGE, WHO DO HAVE POWER TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT THEY WANT TO SEE DONE. I THINK WE DO GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES PRETTY TBREECTLY AND WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL, BUT I THINK IF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE MADE EVEN MORE FREQUENT, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMERTIME WHEN KIDS MIGHT LOSE THOSE LIKE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IT WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT TIME TO KIND OF HAMMER HOME THE
IMPORTANCE OF IT. >> GALVAN: COOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE. I APPRECIATE THAT AND APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AGAIN. HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK
SOON. >> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> GALVAN: NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR FINAL ITEM, NUMBER 4, WITH MELODY AND
OUR WONDERFUL SPEAKERS. >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR GALVAN AND MEMBER OF THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS JONAH AND THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE. I'VE SERVED THREE FULL YEARS ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION SENATE ADVISORY BOARD FIRST UNDER COUNCILMAN MANNY PELAEZ AND CURRENTLY UNDER THE MY YORAL REPRESENTATIVE. WE ARE HONORED TO PRESENT TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD AND WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY AND SAN ANTONIO'S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WHO SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE WHAT WE DO POSSIBLE. OKAY.
TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THIS MORNING'S PRESENTATION, BEGIN WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR BOARD AND THE ROLE WE SERVE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. FROM THERE WE'LL PROVIDE A BROADER OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT EDUCATION LANDSCAPE IN SAN ANTONIO INCLUDING TRENDS, WE'LL ALSO PROVIDE KEY FINDINGS FROM THE 2025 SAN ANTONIO HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SURVEY, WHICH FOCUS ON BARRIERS IMPACTING COLLEGE PERSISTENCE AND DEGREE COMPLETION AMONG STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. FINALLY, WE WILL SHARE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND POTENTIAL AREAS FOR CONTINUED COLLABORATION THAT WE BELIEVE CAN HELP
STRENGTHEN STUDENT SEC SES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. >> HELLO, EVERYONE.
I'M EXCEPTIONALLY SIDED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS VICTORIA SHIPLEY AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE CHAIR FOR THE HESAB UNDER COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO. I PROVIDE A UNIQUE 360-DEGREE PERSPECTIVE ON HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE HESAB.
BACKED BY OVER A DECADE OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE UNIVERSITY OF INCARNATE WORD'S DIRECTOR
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OF ACCREDITATION AND PLANNING AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.I HOLD AN UNDERGRAD IN BACHELOR OF SCIENCES IN LEGAL STUDIES, A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENTLY I'M OBTAINING MY MASTER'S OF ORGANIZATION AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY. AS A FIRST-GENERATION NONTRADITIONAL LATINA STUDENT WHO BEGAN THIS JOURNEY IN 2011, WELL INTO MY ADULTHOOD, AND HNOW AS A PARENT OF TWO SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE GRADUATES, I UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S HIGHER EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM FROM EVERY ANGLE, CLASSROOM, ADMINISTRATION AND HOUSEHOLD.
THE HESAB WAS CREATED OFFICIALLY IN DECEMBER OF 2018 FOLLOWING THE APPROVAL OF COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST INTRODUCED BY FORMER COUNCILMEMBER REY SALDAÑA. TODAY THE BOARD IS COMPRISED OF 11 STUDENT MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT WITH MEMBERS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO. THE WORK OF THE BOARD IS CENTERED AROUND THREE PRIMARY GOALS. FIRST, INCREASING COLLEGE ENROLLMENT, SECOND, IMPROVING STUDENT PERSISTENCE AND ATTAINMENT AND THIRD, ADVISING THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILS ON ISSUES IMPACTING HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS ACROSS OUR CITY. IN ADDITION TO THE ADVISORY ROLE, THE BOARD ALSO COLLABORATES ON BROADER YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES THROUGH DHS, ONE EXAMPLE INCLUDES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSIONS, THE ONES THAT JUST PRESENTED BEFORE US, ON INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL AND THE YOUTH SUMMIT PLANNED FOR THIS FALL.
DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN IS THE CURRENT COMPOSITION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD WHICH IS MADE UP OF AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF STUDENT LEADERS WHO ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO IMPROVING STUDENT SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION OUTCOMES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS COMPOSED STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES BOTH FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS AND TOGETHER OUR MEMBERS REPRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF ACADEMIC BACKGROUNDS, STUDENT EXPERIENCES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS CITY. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HESAB, I WANT TO TRANSITION TO THE BROADER HIGHER EDUCATION LANDSCAPE IN SAN ANTONIO. THE FOLLOWING DATA WAS ORIGINALLY SOURCED AND PRESENTED TO THE HESAB IN 2024 AND HELPS PROVIDE IMPORTANT CONTEXT REGARDING HIGHER EDUCATION TRENDS, ENROLLMENT AND EDUCATION ATTAINMENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
IN FALL, 2024, AN ESTIMATED 1.6 MILLION STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN POSTSECONDARY PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ACROSS TEXAS.
HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 197,750 UNDUPLICATED STUDENTS ENROLLED DURING THE 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, ALL MAJOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN BEXAR COUNTY EXPERIENCED POSITIVE ENROLLMENT GROWTH FROM '22 TO '24. FURTHER, REINFORCING THIS POINT FROM THE CHART THAT THE HIGHER -- FROM THE CHART FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD ILLUSTRATES THAT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS FOR SAN ANTONIO INSTITUTIONS EITHER INCREASING OR REMAINING RELATIVELY STEADY OVER THIS TIME. THIS SUGGESTS THAT SAN ANTONIO IS NOT FACING A LACK OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
STUDENTS ARE ENTERING HIGHER EDUCATION AND OUR INSTITUTIONS CONTINUE TO SERVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF LEARNERS ACROSS THE CITY.
HOWEVER, ENROLLMENT ALONE DOES NOT TELL THE FULL STORY.
THE LARGER QUESTION IS WHETHER STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO PERSIST AND ULTIMATELY OBTAIN THEIR DEGREE OR CREDENTIALS THAT CREATE LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AS WE LOOK AT THE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT RATES WE BEGIN TO SEE A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE CHALLENGES FACING OR COMMUNITY. WHEN FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER, WE SEE THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS ALREADY FALLS SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WITH 32% OF TEXANS HOLDING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER, COMPARED TO 34% NATIONALLY. EVEN MORE CONCERNING, HOWEVER, IS THAT SAN ANTONIO'S EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT RATE LAGS BEHIND BOTH STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES WITH ONLY 27% OF RESIDENTS HOLDING A BACHELOR'S OR HIGHER THIS GAP IN OUR 2027 ATTAINMENT RATE IS NOT CAUSED BY LACK OF STUDENT BUT BY PREDICTABLE REAL-WORLD BARRIERS SUCH AS CHILDCARE AND SCHEDULING LOGISTICS.
THAT FORCES STUDENTS TO DROP OUT BETWEEN SEMESTERS ERASING THEIR MOMENTUM. AS WE REFLECT ON THE MISSION OF THE HESAB,
[00:50:01]
PARTICULARLY OUR FOCUS ON INCREASING COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND EDUCATION ATTAINMENT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN HELPING STUDENTS ACROSS -- ACCESS AND ENTER HIGHER EDUCATION; HOWEVER, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT A LARGE CHALLENGE STILL REMAINS AND REQUIRES FURTHER EXAMINATION ENSURING THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO PERSIST THROUGH COLLEGE AND ULTIMATELY CROSS THE STAGE BY COMPLETING THEIRDEGREES AND GRADUATING. >> THANK YOU, VICTORIA. OUR BOARD FOCUSED ON ONE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION. THAT QUESTION BEING WHY ARE STUDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO STRUGGLING TO PERSIST THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION AND ULTIMATELY COMPLETE THEIR DEGREES. SO IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DHS TEAM, THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SURVEY WAS CREATED AND LAUNCHED FROM JANUARY 21ST THROUGH APRIL 20TH, 2025, FOR STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND ALSO FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTENDED A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS. THE SURVEY AND ITS SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS HAD THREE PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS, THE FIRST BEING THE PROCLIVITY OF THE STUDENTS DROPPING OUT AND THEIR ENROLLMENT STATUS, THE SECOND BEING THE REASON THEY WITHDREW FROM COLLEGE AND THE THIRD ABOUT IMPROVING PERSISTENCE. SO ONCE THE SURVEY CLOSED IN APRIL 2025, THE -- AGAIN, DHS SOCIAL ANALYSIS AND METRICS TEAM CONDUCTED A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AND ITS FINDINGS.
558 RESPONSES WERE COLLECTED AND IMPORTANTLY THE DATA WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT AND REPRESENTATIVE OF SAN ANTONIO ACROSS DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS, HELPING ENSURE THAT STUDENT PERSPECTIVES WERE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY OVER OR UNDERREPRESENTED.
THAT 59-POINT 7% OF RESPONDENTS IDENTIFIED AS FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS, 60% REPORTED BEING PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE OR PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS, INTERESTINGLY, THOUGH, 52-POINT 7% OF RESPONDENTS FELT THAT SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS WERE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.
ADDITIONALLY 26.5% STUDENTS WERE WITH DISABILITIES, 43% WERE AGED 25 OR OLDER. NOW, THIS 43% REFLECTS THE GROWING PRESENCE OF THE QUOTE, UNQUOTE, NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT ROUGHLY 20% OF RESPONDENTS IDENTIFIED AS PARENTS OR GUARDIANS FOR CHILDREN LIVING IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS AND NOTABLY 88.3% OF STUDENT PARENTS SURVEYED WERE WOMEN. WHEN EXAMINING ATTRITION RISKS WE ASKED RESPONDENTS IF THEY HAVE ONE, EITHER DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE, OR, TWO, CONSIDERED DROPPING OUT OF COLLEGE AT ANY POINT WITHIN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS. 38% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY HAD EITHER CONSIDERED WITHDRAWING FROM COLLEGE OR HAD DROPPED OUT FROM COLLEGE WITHIN THE TWO-YEAR TIME FRAME.
TO EXAMINE THE REASONS BEHIND THIS, WE ASKED WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY REASONS FOR DROPPING OUT OR CONSIDERING DROPPING OUT? RESPONDENTS SHARED FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. IN FACT, 54% OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED CONSIDERING LEAVING COLLEGE DUE TO FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS WAS CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AT 44% AND 39% EXPRESSED FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY AS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
STUDENTS ALSO FREQUENTLY IDENTIFIED WORK COMMITMENTS AND ACADEMIC CHALLENGES IMPACTING THEIR ABILITY TO PERSIST IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
A. >> OKAY. MY APOLOGIES, RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO SHARE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING RETENTION AND DEGREE ATTAINMENT. THEIR SUGGESTIONS INCLUDED FINANCIAL LITERACY, INCREASED FINANCIAL AID, ENHANCE ACADEMIC ADVISING, DAY CARE SERVICES AND SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAMS. WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT 71.7% INDICATED THAT CHILDCARE RESOURCES WOULD IMPROVE
THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN ENROLLED. >> OKAY.
SO KEEPING IN MIND BOTH IS SURVEY FINDINGS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED HERE DIRECTLY BY THE RESPONDENTS THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE PRESENTS A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS DEVELOPED BY OUR BOARD.
[00:55:02]
WE'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY OF THEM IN GREATER DETAIL AND CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION REGARDING POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND PARTNERSHIPS MOVING FORWARD. SO RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 1 HERE, I'D LIKE TO REFER HERE AS THE HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCE HUB.WE ENVISION A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT INVOLVING PARTNERS SUCH AS CAFÉCOLLEGE, LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, NONPROFITS, WORKFORCE, TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, NAVIGATION AND AWARENESS OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 2 RELATES TO IMPROVING FINANCIAL LITERACY, WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE HERE FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WAS THE NUMBER ONE SUGGESTED WAY TO IMPROVE RETENTION FROM THE SURVEY RESPONSES.
SO ON THAT POINT, WE RECOMMEND EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF INTEGRATING FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMMING INTO CITY-SUPPORTED SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVES. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS COULD INCLUDE REQUIRING SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS TO EITHER MEET WITH A FINANCIAL COUNSELOR OR COMPLETE SOME SORT OF FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND TRYING TO INCREASE THE PRESENCE OF FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNSELORS THROUGH THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER AT LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER WAY OF ACHIEVING THIS GOAL IS TRYING TO EXPLORE ESTABLISHING PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT SUPPORT FINANCIAL LITERACY INITIATIVES FOR STUDENTS. AND VICTORIA'S GOING TO PRESENT THE NEXT COUPLE
OF RECOMMENDATIONS. >> SO FOR -- WITH DHS COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ON OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE OUTREACH AND DIGITAL PRESENCE THROUGH COSA AND DHS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS TO SUPPORT RESOURCE AWARENESS EFFORTS. WE ALSO RECOMMEND FOR NUMBER 4 THE CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR IMPROVING AWARENESS OF AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR STUDENT PARENTS. THIS COULD INCLUDE EXPANDING ELIGIBLE CRITERIA OF ALREADY EXISTING CHILDCARE SUPPORT RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGING ON-CAMPUS CHILDCARE SERVICES AND STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. FINALLY, WHILE THE 2025 HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SURVEY PROVIDED VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO BARRIERS IMPACTING COLLEGE PERSISTENCE AND COMPLETION, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WORK CANNOT END WITH A SINGLE SURVEY AND PLAN TO CONTINUE CONDUCTING HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SURVEYS FOCUS GROUPS AND BROADER --
AUDIO] -- DEVELOP THE TREND ANALYSIS. >> ON BEHALF OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD, WE'D LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE FOR YOUR TIME.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE CITY LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO EVALUATE EXISTING RESOURCES, IDENTIFY GAPS IN SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND DEVELOP ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICY THAT MEANINGFUL IMPROVE STUDENT PER SIS TANS, COLLEGE ATTAINMENT AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC MOBILITIES. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH VICTORIA AND JONAH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION TODAY AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU PROVIDE. IT'S HELPFUL TO SEE THE WHOLE CONTEXT IN THE DATA FORM AND GO INTO THE KIND OF WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
AND IN PARTICULAR BREAKING DOWN WHO YOU'VE BEEN CONNECTING WITH.
I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT LANDSCAPE YOU ALL TOUCH. ANYONE WANT TO START WITH THE CONVERSATION?
MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? COUNCILMEMBER KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, GUYS BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION. YOU DID SO WELL.
STARTING ON SLIDE 8, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CHAIR MENTIONED, AND HONESTLY, LIKE FIRST OF ALL, GETTING THIS SAMPLE SIZE, I THINK, IS REALLY GREAT. I THINK TRULY REPRESENTATIVE.
I'M CURIOUS, WAS IT REPRESENTATIVE BY POPULATION OF EACH OF THE
UNIVERSITIES? >> THAT, I'M NOT TOO SURE.
WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE SOCIAL AND DATA ANALYSIS.
>> KAUR: NO WORRIES. MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE I MEAN, THIS IS PRETTY -- 20% PARENTS WITH -- THE 83% WOMEN DOESN'T SURPRISE ME BUT 20% OF ALL INSTITUTIONS BEING PARENTS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, THE THOUGHT AROUND CHILDCARE AND ALSO A QUARTER 26% OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IS HIGHER THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY SEE IN OUR K-12 STUDENT POPULATION. THIS WAS VERY INTERESTING IN TERMS TO SEE WHO IS RESPONDING TO THE DATA AND GOING TO THE SLIDE AROUND 10, I WAS LIKE WHAT ARE THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE COULD FOCUS ON, AND IT'S, AGAIN, SO FITTING FOR OUR CONVERSATION BECAUSE NUMBER 3 IS ENHANCED ACADEMIC ADVISING, AND YOU MENTIONED CAFÉCOLLEGE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, AND I THINK -- I HAD A CHANCE TO GO SPEND SOME TIME OVER THERE AND I LOVE THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AT CAFÉCOLLEGE, AND THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT IS POEN TH POTENTIALLY ON THE LIST FOR THIS WEEK.
THIS IS MAKING ME THINK THAT THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IS AT LEAST HELPING FOR SOME FOLKS. AND REALLY IMPORTANT AT LEAST AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND ALSO INCREASED FINANCIAL AID, IT'S JUST LIKE SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS, SO I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE SUPPORT THAT IF WE
[01:00:03]
WANT TO SEE RETENTION, BECAUSE THAT IS, TO YOUR POINT, ENROLLMENT, WE'RE THERE. WE GEERTING KIDS ENROLLED, BUT W WE'VE GOT TO GET KIDS AND ADULTS -- SORRY, I'M SO K-12, BUT ALSO GET EVERYBODY GRADUATED AND UPSKILL THEM. THE LAST THOUGHT OR QUESTION I HAVE, WHICH YOU GUYS PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER, BUT FOR LIKE DAY CARE SERVICES, I WONDER IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR READY TO WORKDAY CARE FUNDING TO PARTNER FOR SERVICES, LIKE WHAT -- I KNOW WE STARTED THAT AS A PILOT BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO A BARRIER FOR OUR READY TO WORK PROGRAM, BUT I'M CURIOUS -- BECAUSE I KNOW NOT EVERYONE IS USING THAT FUNDING RIGHT NOW, SO JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. AND THEN THE SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM, THE OTHER THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY FOCUS ON JUST THE 12TH GRADERS THAT ARE GRADUATING AND TRYING TO MAYBE EVEN INCREASE THAT PROGRAM AND HAVE MORE FOLKS -- LIKE OUR AMBASSADORS.BECAUSE MY -- I FORGOT TO GIVE MY SHOUTOT. LEO IS MY REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMISSION AND HE'S BEEN AN AMBASSADOR FOR US.
HE'S IN HIS THIRD YEAR NOW AND WE LOVE HAVING LIMBING.
I KNOW THE PROGRAMS WE OFFER ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND SOMETIMES THOSE ARE THE MOST QUESTION. SO THEY DIRECTLY ALIGN TO THIS WORK. THANK YOU FOR MY PRESENTATION.
>> TO YOUR POINT, YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION, WE HAD 16 OF THE SAN ANTONIO INSTITUTIONS PRESENTED.
REGARDING DAY CARE SERVICES, SOMETHING WE DID LOOK AT IS THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED OUR CITY CARES WHICH IS EMERGENCY CHILDCARE.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS, WE FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, IF YOU'RE A PART OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND THE CRITERIA FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS, I BELIEVE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO SEMESTERS OF COLLEGE UNDER YOUR BELT.
SO WE THOUGHT MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, FREKSZ, IF A PARENT IS STRUGGLING TAKING SUMMER CLASSES, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE PERHAPS EXPANDING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THERE. AGAIN, IT'S NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION BUT FOR A PARENT WHO'S IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, THAT
MAY BE SOMETHING. >> KAUR: THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I SUPPORT THAT. THANKS, CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> CHAIR, I CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE READY TO WORK AND CHILDCARE FUNDING. THAT FUNDING IS LIMITED TO READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS; HOWEVER IF STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN TARGET OCCUPATIONS, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN READY TO WORK AND RECEIVE THE FUNDING, THE WRAPAROUND ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING CHILDCARE, SO REALLY IT'S ABOUT MAYBE CROSSPOPULATING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WITH STUDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY
ENROLLED. >> ALSO TO ADD AN AWARENESS PIECE, A LOT OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS ARE UNAWARE OF ALL THE GREAT SERVICES THAT YOU
ALL ARE INVESTING IN. >> CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ALSO.
YOU HAVE SPOKEN A LITTLE BIT TO THE FINANCIAL OBSTACLES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS AND I WILL SAY THIS SURVEY DID TAKE PLACE TO STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2024. A LOT HAS CHANGED FUNDAMENTALLY WITH THE WAY THAT HIGHER EDUCATION HAS BEEN REGULATED FEDERALLY, AND SO A LOT OF THAT FUNDING HAS DECREASED. ANY INSTITUTION, WHICH I BELIEVE MOST OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN SAN ANTONIO WOULD CONSIDER AT HSI, HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION. THAT TERM NO LONGER EXISTS, SO A LOT OF THAT FUNDING HAS DISAPPEARED. AND ANYTHING HEALTH RELATED, YOU SAW THAT PROGRAMS THAT WERE CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS HAD INCREASE IN FINANCIAL AID ARE NOW NO LONGER CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. SO THAT FINANCIAL AID HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF. SO WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT WE TOOK FROM STUDENTS FROM 2024, WE DO ALSO WANT TO RECOMMENDATION FIEZ THAT THAT HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY AS FAR AS
FUNDING FOR STUDENTS. >> GALVAN: THANK Y'ALL. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO?
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. VICTOR AND JONAH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO THANK STEPHANIE, ALSO SEFERRED AS OUR INTERN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS SO WE'VE APPRECIATED HER DEBRIEFING US ON THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TACKLING. IN TERMS OF THE ATTRITION RISK AND THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT WAS THE MOST CITED CHALLENGE, WAS IT COST OF HOUSING, INSURANCE RATES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WITH FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES, IS IT THE COST OF CHILDCARE, CARING FOR AN AGING PARENT, CARING FOR A SIBLING AND HER CHILD WITH DISABILITIES, I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL HAD DROPBOXS OR IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE SURVEYS FUTURE SO WE CAN HAVE MORE IDENTIFIERS IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGE THAT STUDENTS ARE FACING.
. >> SO THE 2025 HIGHER EDUCATION SURVEY WASN'T THAT DETAILED BUT THAT'S WHY FOR RECOMMENDATION FIVE WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE MORE UP-TO-DATE SURVEYS AND PERHAPS CASE STUDIES
OR -- YES. >> CASTILLO: I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO
[01:05:05]
ENGAGE IN FINANCIAL LITERACY, WHAT DO YOU ALL ENVISION? WOULD THAT BE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATES, HOW TO MANAGE A BUDGET? WHAT DO Y'ALL ENVISION IN TERMS OF FINANCIALLITERACY FOR STUDENTS? >> I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER, I CALLED THE PHONE AND I ASKED WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH DO YOU ALL DO.
AND -- UNIVERSITIES, I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I ASKED IS HOW BOOKED ARE YOUR FINANCIAL COUNSELORS, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF AVAILABILITY, WHICH I BELIEVE PERHAPS MEANS IT'S BEING UNDERUTILIZED, SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE STUDENT RECOMMENDATIONS HERE, TO REALLY ENGAGE STUDENTS ON CAMPUSES AND, AGAIN, MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY HUGE THING. AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE THE POINT THAT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CITY SERVICES THAT ARE ALREADY DOING GREAT WORK, BUT A LOT OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS QUITE FRANKLY ARE UNAWARE OF THEM, AND I THINK THAT'S AN AWARENESS THING THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE. THAT'S ALSO WHY ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS TIED TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND LOGO THAT'S TARGETING THAT DEMOGRAPHIC TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THESE RESOURCES SO THEY CAN UTILIZE THEM.
>> CASTILLO: I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THAT REMINDS ME OF ONE OF THE FIRST YOUTH BUDGET TOWN HALL, THE CONVERSATIONS I DIDN'T KNOW PARKS AND/OR LIBRARY OFFERED ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING WITHIN EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, SO I THINK IT SPEAKS TO WHAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING, RIGHT, THERE ARE PROGRAMS, THEY MAY BE UNDERUTILIZED AND HOW DO WE MARKET AND/OR GET INTO SCHOOLS TO SHARE WHAT THOSE RESOURCES MAY BE AVAILABLE. LASTLY, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN EXPRESSED IN TERM OF THE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE AND HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY -- ONE, MOVE FORWARD WITH RENEWING PRE-K FOUR SA'S INITIATIVE, BUT ALSO HOW CAN WE EXPAND AND MAKE CHILDCARE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE IN TERMS OF CHILDCARE BEING A CHALLENGE FOR COMPLETING THE HIGHER EDUCATION. BUT JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING AND, OF COURSE, PROVIDING THE DATA IN TERMS OF WHAT THESE BARRIERS MAY BE. AND I THINK WHAT'S -- NOT NECESSARILY -- WHAT'S CHALLENGING, RIGHT, ACADEMIC CHALLENGES BEING AT 28%, AND TO KNOW THAT FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES MAY BE A BARRIER, RIGHT, AND HOW CAN WE TIE THOSE DELEGATE AGENCIES AND/OR HIGHLIGHT, RATHER, TO HELP CLOSE THOSE GAPS.
APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
YEAH, AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
INCREDIBLE JOB PUTTING THIS STUFF TOGETHER. PRESENTING TO US TODAY.
I'LL ECHO A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT MY COLLEAGUES SHARED. I THINK THE ONLY OTHER PIECE I WAS GOING TO ADD ON THE CAFÉCOLLEGE TOINT, POINT, TOO, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR PLANNING PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND SEEKING A LOT OF WAYS TO DO SOME MORE DETAILED DATA COLLECTION FOR SHESMS MAKE SURE THEY CAN AR TECH CUE LATE WHO THEY'RE FUNDING.
AND THE CITY UNDERSTANDS THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AND WHO THEY'RE SERVING.
I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED BY SLIDE 8 TO SEE THE DIVERSITY AND PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THAT ONE. I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF BRIDGE Y'ALL CAN SHARE, MAYBE WE CAN WORK ON THAT AFTER THIS MEETING ABOUT HOW TO KIND OF CONNECT MORE WITH THE BOARD THEMSELVES, I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HAVE YOU ALL CONNECT WITH THEM A BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THINGS YOU HEAR FROM STUDENTS YOU'RE CONNECTED WITH AND HOW MAYBE THEY CAN ALSO BE A BIT MORE, AGAIN, MEETING FOLKS ON I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS' PERCEPTION IS THEY HELP US ADVISING AND THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE THERE.
ON THE POINT ABOUT CHILDCARE WITH CATHOLIC COLLEGE AND READY TO WORK, I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ PUT TOGETHER A CCR TALKING ABOUT CAREER READINESS WITHIN CATHOLIC COLLEGE ITSELF AND THAT CONVERSATION IS ONGOING WITH COUNCIL AND THE BOARD THERE. INTERESTED IN SEEING IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF BRIDGING WE CAN DO WITH READY TO WORK A[INDISCERNIBLE]. IT'S VERY HIGH LEVEL AT THE MOMENT BUT INTERESTING TO SEE IF MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS AS A COUNCIL AT EITHER THIS COMMITTEE OR ANOTHER . YEAH, KIND OF THE OVERLAP THERE. WE KNOW CHILDCARE IS A CRITICAL THING HERE AND I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S POINT ABOUT PRE-K 4 SA AND WHAT CAN WE DO THERE. PROVIDING CHILDCARE ON SITE IN SOME WAY.
AND WONDERING WHAT THAT COLLABORATION COULD LOOK LIKE.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE MAIN THINGS. APPRECIATE ALL THE DETAILS.
OH. I DON'T WANT TO STICK MY NOSE TOO MUCH INTO THIS BUT MELODY, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR DHS TO PROVIDE A WEBSITE FOR THE ADVISORY BOARD, LIKE A
[01:10:07]
DIRECT WEB PAGE ON THE DHS WEBSITE? >> WOOSLEY: SURE.
IN WORKING WITH ITSD AND C&E, THEY'RE TRYING TO GO IN THE OTHER DIRECTION BECAUSE THE CITY HAS SO MANY OFF SANANTONIO.GOV WEBSITES, THE PRACTICE RIGHT NOW IS TO REDUCE THAT AND LINK TO THE WEBSITES THAT -- YOU KNOW, THE DOT GOV WEBSITE.
IT'S THE SAME WAY WITH LOGOS. THE BRANDING HAS BEEN THE
SYMBOL BUT HAVE HIGHER EDUCATION SEPARATELY . >> GALVAN: NOT NECESSARILY AN OFFSHOOT BUT WITHIN THE ACTUAL DHS WEBSITE. I THINK THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAD ONE AND THE BOARDS OF COMMISSION. MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ONE SIMILAR FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ON OUR SANANTONIO.GOV WEBSITE.
I SEE YOUR POINT. >> WOOSLEY: WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE A LINK -- WELL, A PAGE FROM THE DHS WEBSITE IS WHAT
WE'RE PROPOSING. >> GALVAN: YES. GOT IT.
THAT'S HELPFUL. OF COURSE, INTERESTED TO SEEING WHAT KIND OF WORK GOES ON THERE . I KNOW IT CAN BE A LITTLE CHALLENGING WITH THAT BUT DEFINITELY CRITICAL FOR THE POPULATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK ANYONE IN OUR AGE RANGE WANTS TO SEE THE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE FIRST BEFORE WE SEE ANYTHING ELSE AND THE WEBSITE SECONDARY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE VIBE HERE. IS IT SOMETHING I CONNECT WITH OR IS IT GOING TO BE FUNKY AND NOT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, BEFORE I GO TO THE WEBSITE AND SIGN UP FOR SOMETHING. INTERESTED TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO THAT AND MEET OUR YOUTH AT EVERY LIFE WHERE THEY'RE AT. THOSE ARE ALL MY THINGS.
ANY LAST COMMENTS YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD IS WORKING ON OR HOPES AND DREAMS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL?
>> WE HAVE DIVIDED UP INTO THREE SUBCOMMITTEES ALL WORKING ON DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AND EACH ONE HAS A STRATEGIC GOAL WITHIN EACH PILLAR.
PILLAR ONE IS ON GATHERING INFORMATION FROM ALL THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES AND STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES SO THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE ON SURVEYS THAT GO OUT, EVENTS THAT HAPPEN, THAT TYPE OF THING.
THE SECOND PILLAR IS OUR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT THERE ON SERVICES THAT DO RELATE TO THESE OBSTACLES THAT HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS ARE ENCOUNTERING? AND THEN THE THIRD SUBCOMMITTEE IS BASED ON RESEARCH. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE NUMBERS PROVIDING A LIST OF RESOURCES THAT WE CAN TALK TO HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS ABOUT.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED WITH THAT WORK. AND I'VE SERVED ON MANY COMMITTEES AND BOARDS AND THIS ONE THAT I'VE WORKED ON IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING. I LOVE EACH AND EVERY MEMBER.
THEY'RE HIGHLY INVESTED AND THEY'RE WILLING TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DO THE
WORK. >> GALVAN: THAT'S GREAT. >> THANK YOU.
>> GALVAN: THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. I APPRECIATED SEEING YOU LAST NIGHT AT THE NORTHSIDE ISD'S BOND CONVERSATION. INCREDIBLE FOLKS WE HAVE POINTED TO THESE BOARDS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.