May 19, 2026 Educational Opportunities Committee

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>> GALVAN: THE TIME IS NOW -- I GUESS WE'RE EARLY.

THE TIME IS NOW 9:59 A.M. ON MAY 19TH, 2026, AND WE'LL CALL THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? >> CLERK:

[Approval of Minutes  ]

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT, CAN I GET A

MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MUNGIA: MOTION TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND. >> GALVAN: ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

(AYES.) >> GALVAN: ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTENTIONS? GREAT. WE'LL GET INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE HAVE TWO ITEMS TODAY ON THE EXTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM LOCALLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. EXCITED TO HEAR BOTH AS IT RELATES TO HEALTHCARE AND SCHOOL CHOICE. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THIS, WE ALL HAVE OPINIONS ON THIS COMMITTEE, SO I THINK IT'S PARAMOUNT THAT WE FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE LOCAL FACTOR ALREADY SEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY VERSUS THE DEBATE ABOUT WHAT SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS STATE RELATED. I DID THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AT THIS COMMITTEE AS IT AFFECTS THE LOCAL ISD THAT WE HAVE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR LOCAL EDUCATION LANDSCAPE IS AND WHAT'S DRIVING SOME OF THE COSTS.

THAT'S WHAT THE ROLE IS WITH ITEM NUMBER 2. ITEM NUMBER 3 IS EXTREMELY IMPACTFUL TO OUR RESIDENTS, HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOLS, HOW THE FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO GET THE FULL RESOURCES THEY NEED.

[Public Comments  ]

NAME. ARISMINDI. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.

MY NAME IS ANGI ARISMINDI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAN ANTONIO. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, IDEA HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN ANTONIO. WE HAVE GROWN TO SERVE MORE THAN 17,000 SCHOLARS ACROSS OUR 30 CAMPUSES. WE'RE HONORED TO EMPLOY OVER 2,000 STAFF MEMBERS WITH HUNDREDS LIVING IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.

EVERY EDUCATOR IN THIS CITY, WHETHER AT A CHARTER SCHOOL OR AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WAKES UP EACH DAY WITH THE VERY SAME MISSION, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN THROUGH EDUCATION.

WE MAY OPERATE THROUGH DIFFERENT MODELS, BUT OUR PURPOSE IS SHARED.

WHILE I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TODAY TO SHARE ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE RESULTS, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW. IN DISTRICT TWO, IDEA CARVER AND IDEA MAGEM COLLEGE PRAP BOTH OUTPERFORMED COLLEGE PRPREP AND READING. IDEA CARVER HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE NATION AND A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL.

IN DISTRICT FOUR, WE HAVE TWO CAMPUSES EXCEEDING AVERAGES IN BOTH READING AND MATH. IDEA EWING HASELL PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO 36% OF OUR SCHOLARS WITH 26% OF THEM BEING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

82 PERCENT ARE ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED. CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR ISDS, NOR SHOULD THEY BE PORTRAYED IN THAT WAY.

AS THIS COUNCIL CONTINUES CONVERSATIONS AROUND EDUCATION IN OUR CITY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH CHARTER LEADERS, VISIT OUR CAMPUSES AND SPEAK WITH OUR FAMILIES SO THAT YOU CAN SEE FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT'S BEING MADE IN THE CLASSROOMS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENTS OF

SAN ANTONIO. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KIZZY

THOMAS. >> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY LEADERS, EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES. MY NAME IS KIZZY THOMAS, I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO. I HAVE SERVED STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, BOTH TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS DISTRICT TWO AND SIX. MY PERSPECTIVE IS NOT ROOTED IN POLITICS, IDEOLOGIES, BUT IN CLASSROOMS, CHILDREN AND FAMILY. I CAME INTO EDUCATION BECAUSE I BELIEVE EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE GREATEST EQUALLISERS WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY FOR

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ACROSS OUR CITY AND STATE, WE ALREADY SEE CHARTER ORGANIZATIONS AND TRADITIONAL ISDS WORKING ALONGSIDE ONE ANOTHER TO SERVE STUDENTS.

THAT REALITY SHOWS THAT THESE SYSTEMS DO NOT HAVE TO EXIST IN OPPOSITION.

THE CONVERSATION SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT PROTECTING SYSTEMS. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT SERVING CHILDREN. WE SHOULD SUPPORT AND HOLD ACCOUNTABLE EVERY SCHOOL THAT IS CREATING OPPORTUNITY AND DELIVERING RESULTS FOR STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THE MODEL.

I HOPE TODAY WE LEAVE WITH A BROADER VIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SAN ANTONIO, ONE THAT INCLUDES EVERY CHILD, EVERY FAMILY, AND EVERY SCHOOLWORKING TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY IN OUR GREAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MEGAN

GARRISON. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.

MY NAME IS MEGAN GARRISON, I'M THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING FOR HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS A TUITION-FREE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. ACROSS OUR SOUTH TEXAS CAMPUSES, WE PROUDLY SERVE A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 80% ECONOMICALLY DISAD SCRAN TAJED STUDENTS, 45% EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS, 13% SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND 6% SECTION 504 STUDENTS.

EVERY DAY OUR EDUCATORS WORK TO PROVIDE STRONG, ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES, STEM-FOCUSED LEARNING, COLLEGE-READINESS PROGRAMS, CAREER PREPARATION AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS FOR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH TEXAS. HARMONY IS DEEPLY STEM ORIENT AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENT GROUPS, INCLUDING EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN THROUGH GIRLS IN STEM INITIATIVES, ROBOTICS AND -- STUDENTS ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOLS FOCUS HEAVILY ON HELPING STUDENTS BECOME COLLEGE, CAREER AND LEADERSHIP READY FOR THE FUTURE. IN FACT, 100% OF OUR GRADUATING SENIORS ARE CONSIDERED COLLEGE READY, AND LAST YEAR, 91% ENROLLED IN TWO- OR FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE AFTER GRADUATION. WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE BROADER PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMUNITY SERVING OUR CITY'S CHILDREN. FAMILIES CHOOSE HARMONY FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, WHETHER IT'S STEM PROGRAMS, COLLEGE PREPARATION, SMALLER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS OR SIMPLY FINDING A SETTING WHERE THEIR CHILD FEELS SUPPORTED AND SUCCESSFUL. THIS CONVERSATION DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ABOUT ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM VERSUS ANOTHER.

SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES ARE DIVERSE AND STUDENTS HAVE DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. WE BELIEVE STRONG COMMUNITIES ARE BUILT WHEN FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO MULTIPLE HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP STUDENTS GROW, SUCCEED AND PREPARE FOR THEIR FUTURES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SERVICE, AND YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.

WE HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THIS COMMITTEE CAN SUPPORT EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY --

NEXT WE HAVE MELISSA FRANKLIN. >> GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.

MY NAME IS MELISSA FRANKLIN AND I'M SPEAKING -- AUDIO] -- AND SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED IN BOTH TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS TEXAS. I'M NOW A POLICY ADVISER FOR THE COLUMBIA LAW CENTER'S PUBLIC RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENT. MY ROLE IS ACTUALLY TO BRING SOLUTIONS TO WHERE WE CAN SCALE ACROSS EDUCATION SYSTEMS NATIONWIDE RATHER THAN JUST LOCALLY. WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST TODAY ABOUT TODAY'S CONVERSATION IS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TURN EDUCATION INTO AN US VERSUS THEM DEBATE, INSTEAD OF ASKING WHY FAMILIES ARE MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO LEAVE THOSE SCHOOLS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

FAMILIES AREN'T LEAVING RANDOMLY. I DEFINITELY KNOW THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT MARKETING. IT AFFECTED MY FAMILY PERSONALLY. I WANTED MY CHILDREN TO HAVE THAT TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. THE FOOTBALL GAMES, SCHOOL EVENTS AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES THAT A LOT OF FAMILIES HOPE FOR. BUT LIKE A LOT OF PARENTS IN THIS CITY, EVENTUALLY HAD TO MAKE A DECISION BASE DZ ON WHAT I BELIEVED WAS BEST FOR MY STUDENT'S FUTURE AND ACADEMIC POSSIBILITIES THAT.'S NOT BETRAYAL,

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IT BECOMES DISHEARTENING WHEN PARENTS AND EDUCATORS TRY TO HAVE HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH LOCAL LEADERSHIP ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THESE SCHOOLS ONLY TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS BECOME POLITICALLY UNCOMFORTABLE OR IGNORED ALTOGETHER. WE CANNOT SAY WE CARE ABOUT STUDENTS WHEN REFUSING TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND THEIR OUTCOMES. IF THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPEND TIME DISCUSSING SCHOOL CHOICE AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, THEN WE SHOULD ASK WHY ARE FAMILIES LEAVING EDUCATIONAL PLACES IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE OUTPERFORMING NEARBY DISTRICTS SUBSTANTIALLY. NOT ALL, BUT SOME.

AND INSTEAD OF FEARMONGERING FAMILIES BELIEVING THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE DETROYING PUBLIC EDUCATIONS, MAYBE WE NEED TO ASK WHAT ARE SOME SCHOOLS DOING RIGHT, WRONG? HOW DO WE REPLICATE THIS FOR MORE STUDENTS SUCCESS ACROSS THE CITY INSTEAD OF FEARMONGERING AND DOING POLITICS. I SAW A RECENT SOUTH SIDE CAMPUS FOR DOING INCREDIBLE WORK WITH STUDENTS, BUT INSTEAD FOCUSING ON THE TEACHERS AND LEADERS, THE SCHOOL NEWS OUTLET FOCUSED ON THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP INSTEAD. THIS IS WHAT FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS ARE EXPERIENCING ACROSS THE BOARD. THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO THE STUDENTS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED WHILE THE SYSTEMS AVOIDING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS FOR ACCOUNTABILITIES AB PERFORMANCE CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. THIS ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN CHARTER SCHOOLS VERSUS TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS. ENROLLMENT IS DECLINING NATIONWIDE.

BIRTH RATES ARE DECLINING, FAMILIES ARE CHANGING AND EDUCATION SYSTEMS, EVERYWHERE ARE BEING FORCED TO ADAPT. SO INSTEAD OF CREATING DIVISION, THIS COMMITTEE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON COLLABORATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRUE SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE STUDENTS DON'T NEED ADULTS PROTECTING THE SYSTEMS ALREADY IN PLACE, THEY NEED ADULTS BRAVE ENOUGH TO TELL THE TRUTH ON WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT, AND WHAT FINALLY NEEDS TO CHANGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ALYSSA FREEDY.

>> GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THESE VOICES TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. MY NAME IS ALYSSA FREENY AND I WANTED TO SPEAK FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE STUDENT AND I FEEL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS EXPERIENCED EVERY MAJOR EDUCATIONAL PATH FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, HOME SCHOOLING, VIRTUALLY, EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN EXCEPT PRIVATE SCHOOLS. I BEGAN MY JOURNEY IN EDUCATION THROUGH TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALTHOUGH I WAS PLACED IN A PREK PROGRAM DUE TO ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, I WAS ALREADY READING AT A FIRST AND SECOND-GRADE LEVEL.

IN A SETTING WHERE MOST OF MY PEERS WERE SPANISH SPEAKERS AND IT MADE ME FEEL OUT OF PLACE, NOT DUE TO THE LANGUAGE, BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS A SYSTEM THAT DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MY READINESS FOR MORE ADVANCED LEARNING. AS A CHILD, EXPERIENCES LIKE THAT STAY WITH YOU.

EVENTUALLY TRANSITIONED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS WHERE I SPENT MOST OF MY EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. THOSE SCHOOLS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, MENTORSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT HELPED ME GROW PERSONALLY AND ACADEMICALLY. WHEN I LATER MOVED INTO SAN ANTONIO, I NOTICED SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I SAW THAT IN SOME EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS, EXPECTATIONS HAD SHIFTED AND I PERSONALLY FELT THAT COMPLACENCY AMONG ADULTS WAS BEGINNING TO IMPACT STUDENTS MORE THAN PEOPLE WANTED TO ADMIT. THAT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME, BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR MANY EDUCATORS, LEADERS AND ADULTS WORKING IN THESE SYSTEMS TODAY. I WANT TO STATE IT CLEARLY THAT I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE ADVOCATING FOR EDUCATION IN THE CITY.

I TRULY BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS AND GENERALLY CARE ABOUT STUDENTS. -- EDUCATIONAL DECISIONS WHO MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING TODAY. EVENTUALLY, I MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION THAT HOME SCHOOLING WOULD BETTER SUPPORT MY GOALS AND FUTURE. I COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH TEXAS TECH HOME SCHOOL PROGRAM AND I NOW ATTEND UTSA AS I MOVE INTO MY SOPHOMORE YEAR.

I COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL AND SHARING THE STORY, IT WAS A LOT DIFFERENT BECAUSE I SEE THE STUDENTS DIRECTLY LIVING THROUGH THESE SYSTEMS WERE NOT AS FORTUNATE AS I WAS. STUDENTS ARE THE ONES AFFECTED WHEN ADULTS CREATE AN US VERSUS THEM CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS. WE SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING VALUABLE TIME CREATING DIVISIONS BETWEEN SCHOOL SYSTEMS. WE SHOULD BE ASKING HOW DO WE IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, HOW DO WE SUPPORT STUDENTS AK DEMOCRAT CLICK AND EMOTIONALLY AND HOW DO WE PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, CAREER AND REAL LIFE.

I HOPE CITY LEADERS REMAIN OPEN TO HEARING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THE FUTURES OF THE VERY PEOPLE THESE SYSTEMS ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LAURIE ALVAREZ.

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>> SORRY, I'M A LITTLE SHORTER. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS LAURIE ALVAREZ, I'M A DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT AND MEMBER OF THE SAISD SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.

I'M ALSO A MOM TO THREE GIRLS, A THIRD GRADER, AND FIRST GRADER WHO ATTEND IDEA CARVER AND A KINDERGARTENER AT FIN WICK ACADEMY.

EACH OF MY GIRLS HAVE DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES AND DIFFERENT NEEDS.

MAGNET PROGRAM. I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT HERE BECAUSE I'VE GIVEN UP ON OUR SCHOOLS. I'M HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE ENOUGH IN EDUCATION TO FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT FIT FOR MY CHILDREN.

I STARTED ADVOCATING WHEN MY OLDEST DAUGHTER WAS FIVE YEARS OLD AND STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS THAT WERE NOT BEING PROPERLY ADDRESSED. I CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE NOW FOR MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WITH AUTISM JUST TO RECEIVE BASIC INCLUSIONS ALONGSIDE HER PEERS IN HER ELEMENTARY. WHEN MY OLDEST WAS STRUGGLING I FELT UNHEARD AND NEEDED HELP IMMEDIATELY, NOT INITIALLY.

THAT IS WHEN I FOUND IDEA CARVER AND IT CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY DAUGHTER'S LIFE. HER EXCITEMENT AND LIGHT HAS RETURNED TO HER EYES. CHILDREN ARE NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL, AND DISTRICT TWO FAMILIES ARE FACING HARD REALITIES, MATH PROFICIENCY IN DISTRICT TWO IS JUST 26%, MEANING NEARLY THREE OUT OF EVERY FOUR CHILDREN ARE NOT MEETING THAT GRADE LEVEL. MEANWHILE, IDEA CARVER COLLEGE PREP SERVES ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY WHILE ACHIEVING 65% READING PROFICIENCY.

THIS IS NOT A THREAT TO COMMUNITY, IT'S A LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE ON THE EAST SIDE. AND THE TRUTH IS, MANY CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ALSO WITHIN OUR ISD SCHOOLS, TOO.

SOME FAMILIES LIKE MINE HAD TO SIT ON A WAITLIST FOR OVER TWO YEARS JUST HOPING FOR A CHANCE, WHILE OTHER CHILDREN HAVEN'T HAD THE ACCESS OR THE OPPORTUNITY. THAT SHOULD CHALLENGE US TO COLLABORATE MORE, SHARE WHAT WORKS AND EXPAND SUCCESSFUL MODELS, NOT DIVIDE FAMILIES INTO SIDES. RESTRICTING CHARTER ACCESS DOES NOT PROTECT MY CHILDREN. IT PROTECTS SYSTEMS WHILE FAMILIES ARE OUT HERE CARRYING THE BURDEN OF FINDING SOLUTIONS ON THEIR OWN.

PARENTS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, WE ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, WE'RE FIGHTING FOR OUR CHILDREN, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE A BETTER EDUCATION THAN WE DID. TODAY I ASK, PLEASE STOP MAKING IT HARDER FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE TO ACCESS EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS WHERE OUR CHILDREN THRIVE. LEAVE TODAY WITH A BROADER VIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SAN ANTONIO, ONE THAT INCLUDES EVERY CHILD, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL WORKING TO EXPAND THEIR OPPORTUNITY. BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NEVER BE ABOUT THE SYSTEMS FIRST, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABOUT THE KIDS FIRST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE SHANNON TOLLIVER.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SHANNON TOLLIVER BLACKMAN AROUND I'M A PROUD PUBLIC SCHOOL LEADER AT KIP SAN ANTONIO.

WE PROUDLY SERVE STUDENTS RIGHT HERE IN DISTRICT ONE AND 5.

PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN TEXAS, KIP IS TUITION-FREE, OPEN ENROLLMENT. WE VALUE YOUR PARTNERSHIPS.

WE DO WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION WITH COUNCILMAN TERI CASTILLO AND COUNCILWOMAN KAUR WHO HAS VISITED OUR CAMPUSES, SEEN OUR WORK FIRSTHAND AND ENGAGED WITH OUR FAMILY.

WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND WE INVITE EACH OF YOU TO SHARE IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. THERE'S A NARRATIVE HERE DESIGNED TO PIT SCHOOLS AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT THE CHALLENGES WE FACE ARE NOT CHARTER VERSUS ISD, THEY'RE SAN ANTONIO'S REALITY.

NATIONAL AND STATE TRENDS PROJECT SHARP DECLINE. I WANT TO BE ENTIRELY TRANSPARENT, TRADITIONAL ISDS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES FEELING THAT PRESSURE. AT KIP SAN ANTONIO, WE'VE HAD TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO CLOSE TWO OF OUR CAMPUSES AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, MY OWN CAMPUS, KIP AMUNDO PRIMARY ON THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO WILL BE ONE OF THOSE CLOSING OUR DOORS. AGAIN, IT'S NOT A PRIVATE PARTY DISTRICT, IT'S A SAN ANTONIO REALITY. DESPITE THOSE INEQUITIES, OUR CAMPUSES ARE PROVING WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN WE PUT STUDENT OUTCOMES FIRST. I AM A PROUD LEADER AT KIM AMUNDO, I'M GOING TO SHOUT US OUT, WE SERVICE CHILDREN AT 97% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, 14% SPECIAL ED AND 39% ENGLISH LANGUAGER LEARNER. WE'VE TAKEN THAT RATING FROM BELOW THE STATE LEVEL FROM AN F TO A B. THROUGH MY LEADERSHIP, WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN OUR READING AND MATH SCORES DESPITE NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE TRENDS. THERE ARE 44,729 PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS

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WHILE ISD SUPERINTENDENTS AND STATEWIDE ADVOCACY GROUPS HAVE SPENT MONTHS IN BRIEFING THIS COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SCHOOLERS, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH OF US AT THE TABLE TO SPEAK FOR WHAT WE DO, AND WE INVITE YOU GUYS TO INCLUDE US IN THAT CONVERSATION. WE ASK THIS COMMITTEE TO BROADEN ITS VIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, DO NOT PASS RESOLUTIONS, STRUCTURE CITY PROGRAMS OR LEAVE OUT THE NEARLY 45,000 OF OUR CITY CHILDREN. JUDGE US BY STUDENT OUTCOMES, NOT BY SCHOOL TYPES. PLEASE COME VISIT OUR CAMPUSES, INCLUDE US IN CITY INITIATIVES AND RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FAMILIES COUNT, TOO.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAV WE HAVE ERLINDA AGUILAR.

>> GOOD MORNING COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS ERLINDA AGUILAR AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE. I AM A SPANISH AP BILINGUAL EDUCATOR, PUBLIC SCHOOLS IF DISTRICT SIX AND I'M ALSO A PARENT OF CHILDREN WHO ALSO ATTEND IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALSO IN DISTRICT SIX.

I WANT TO BEGIN BY SHARING WHAT MY SCHOOL COMMUNITY MEANS TO ME.

AS AN EDUCATOR, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF LEARNING WHERE STUDENTS ARE HELD TO HIGH EXPECTATION AND SUPPORTED WITH STRUCTURE, CONSISTENCY AND CARE. AS A PARENT, I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOW MEANINGFUL IT IS TO SEE MY OWN CHILDREN IN SCHOOL WHERE THEY ARE CHALLENGED ACADEMICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. THAT COMBINATION HAS MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN BOTH MY PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE.

DISTRICT SIX HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CHARTER SCHOOLS ENVIRONMENT RATES IN THE CITY, SERVING OVER 8,000 STUDENTS, ABOUT 26% OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT IDEA, COMPASSES AND OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE CONSISTENTLY SHOWN STRONG ACADEMIC OUTCOMES INCLUDING SERVING AS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS WHILE STILL OUTPERFORMING CITY AVERAGES. FAMILIES ARE MAKING INTENTIONAL CHOICES BASED ON WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I'M NOT HERE TO CRITICIZE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES HAVING ACCESS TO MULTIPLE HIGH-QUALITY OPTIONS. PARENTS KNOW THEIR CHILDREN'S BEST AND THEY DESERVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE CHILDREN CAN THRIVE.

I HOPE THIS COMMITTEE WILL DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH WITH EDUCATORS.

THE RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE TO UPLIFT STUDENTS ACROSS ALL SYSTEMS, NOT TO LIMIT WHAT FAMILIES RELY ON. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW TODAY'S EDUCATION TO BECOME A STEP FOR REDUCING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR DISTRICT. OUR STUDENTS CAN NOT AFFORD TO WAIT AND DESERVE HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.

THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LAUREN

LOUIS. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.

MY NAME IS LAUREN LOUIS, AND I AM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PRELUDE PREP CHARTER SCHOOL. KATEED IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND LIKE ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOL IS FREE, PUBLIC, AND OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS.

TODAY YOU WILL HERE THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE HARMING PUBLIC EDUCATION, BUT I BELIEVE THE REAL CONVERSATION SHOULD BE ABOUT HOW WE ENSURE EVERY FAMILY HAS ACCESS TO A STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR THEIR CHILD.

DISTRICT FIVE CURRENTLY HAS THE LOWEST PERFORMANCE IN THE CITY, WITH ONLY 30% OF STUDENTS READING ON GRADE LEVEL AND ONLY 20% OF STUDENTS MEETING GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS IN MATH. AT PRELUDE PREP, WE'RE 92% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, AND NEARLY 30% RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. 51% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE READING ON GRADE LEVEL, AND 42% ARE MEETING GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS IN MATH.

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR FAMILIES.

FAMILIES IN DISTRICT FIVE DESERVE ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOL OPTIONS THAT ARE HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEED.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING PERSONAL. MY PASSION FOR EDUCATION WAS SHAPED BY MY LACK OF ACCESS I EXPERIENCED AS A STUDENT GROWING UP IN SAN ANTONIO. WHEN I WAS PREPARING TO ENTER HIGH SCHOOL, I NEEDED A STRONGER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, AND THE ONLY WAY FOR OUR FAMILY TO ACCESS THAT WAS FOR MY PARENTS TO GIVE CUSTODIAL GUARDIAN SHIP OF ME TO MY GRANDPARENTS SO I COULD LIVE WITH THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN. I'LL NEVER FORGET THE MORNING THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOWED UP AT 6:00 A.M. TO MAKE SURE I WAS ACTUALLY LIVING THERE, JUST BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO ATTEND A BETTER PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN THE SAME DISTRICT. I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO MY FAMILY WHO MADE

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TODAY FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE MORE PUBLIC SCHOOL OPTIONS THAN THEY DID WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I AM NOT HERE TO ATTACK TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE ALL HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US, AND WE ARE ALL TRYING TO DO OUR BEST TO SERVE STUDENTS.

AS A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE ENGAGE WITH US, IN THE PAST SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE, BUT NEITHER I NOR MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN CONTACTED TO PARTICIPATE. COME VISIT OUR CAMPUS, INCLUDE US IN CITY INITIATIVES, AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, TOO.

WE ASK THAT YOU REPRESENT ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE TODAY'S CONVERSATION WITH A NARROW VIEW OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SAN ANTONIO.

LEAVE WITH A BROAD ONE, ONE THAT INCLUDES EVERY CHILD, EVERY FAMILY, AND EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOLWORKING TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY IN THE CITY.

THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE DIANA

LAMBERT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DIANA LAMBERT AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF [INDISCERNIBLE] SAN ANTONIO. I'M A MOM, I'M AN IMMIGRANT, A DAUGHTER OF TWO GENERATIONS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND A FORMER SAISD EDUCATOR.

I DO NOT COME HERE TODAY TO TURN DOWN SAISDS. I GREW UP IN THEM.

I WANT ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO THRIVE AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I HAVE TO BE HONEST TODAY. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THIS COMMITTEE CHOOSE TO LEARN ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS FROM AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO OPPOSE THEM. WITHOUT INVITING A SINGLE CHARTER FAMILY, EDUCATOR OR SUPERINTENDENT TO THIS TABLE.

[INDISCERNIBLE] SAN ANTONIO'S POLLING SHOWS 64% OF SAN ANTONIANS WANT A FULL SYSTEM OF PUBLIC SCHOOL OPTIONS IN OUR CITY.

LISTEN TO FAMILY, NOT TO FRIEND GROUPS WITH A PREDETERMINED AGENDA.

ABOUT 100,000 CITIES INNER CITY ATTEND AN A OR B-RATED SCHOOL, NEARLY A THIRD OF THOSE SEATS ARE CHARTER SCHOOL SEATS. WHEN A FAMILY IN DISTRICT FIVE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE ONLY 20% OF KIDS MEET GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS IN MATH, CHOOSING A CHARTER GIVING 48% MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY, [INDISCERNIBLE] DOLLAR FOLLOWS THE CHILD. THAT IS A PARENT RESPONDING TO A NEED OF THEIR STUDENT. THAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY.

THERE IS OVER 63,000 STUDENTS IN [INDISCERNIBLE] IN ONE OF THE POOREST CITIES IN AMERICA, THAT IS THE CRISIS.

NOT PITTING THE SYSTEMS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. THESE FAMILIES DESERVE DIGNITY, NOT SHAME. SCHOOLS EARN FAMILIES THROUGH RESULTS, THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS, WHEN THEY SHOW UP, FAMILIES STAY. WHEN THEY DON'T, FAMILIES LEAVE. I'M ASKING FOR TWO THINGS FOR THIS COMMISSION, ONE, HOLD A BALANCED BRIEFING THAT INCLUDES CHARTER FAMILIES AND OPERATORS SERVING SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS. AND ONE, PUBLISH AN ANNUAL METRIC OF THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE MEETING GRADE LEVEL ACROSS ALL SCHOOL TYPES, WHICH SHOULD WE DEMANDING EXCELLENCE ACROSS NO MATTER WHAT. THESE FAMILIES ARE NOT ASKING YOU TO PICK A WINNER, THEY ARE ASKING YOU TO TREAT THEM WITH DIGNITY AND PROTECT THEIR RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT WORKS FOR THEIR CHILD. THANK YOU.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS RAY T TIJIERNA.

>> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.

MY NAME'S RAY TIJIERNA, I WAS BORN AND RAISED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, A SOUTH SIDE ALUM AND CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTH SAN ISD. I'M HERE NOT JUST TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT BUT TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY.

SAN ANTONIO HAS BUILT ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC EDUCATION CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF SCHOOLS, MICROSCHOOLS COMING IN, LEARNING PODS, NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY, THERE'S REMARKABLE THINGS HAPPENING FOR KIDS BUT THE BIG PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY, NOBODY COMMUNICATES, NOBODY SHARES INFORMATION, NOBODY TALKS TO EACH OTHER. NORTHSIDE ISD IS DOING AMAZING THINGS, ALAMO HEIGHTS IS DOING AMAZING THINGS.

SOUTH SAN IS ON THE UP AND UP, IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES ACROSS TOWN ARE DOING GREAT THINGS, WE'RE JUST NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND SHARING RESOURCES WHICH WOULD BE INVALUABLE TO OUR CITY. THE URGENCY IS REAL. EDUCATION IS CHANGING FAST, TECHNOLOGY AND AI ARE RESHAPING WHAT SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE, WHAT TEACHERS DO, WHAT STUDENTS NEED. THE INSTITUTIONS THAT FIGURE THIS OUT TOGETHER WILL SERVE CHILDREN FAR BETTER THAN THOSE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT ALONE.

THIS ISN'T ABOUT INSTITUTIONS, IT'S ABOUT KIDS.

SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS DESERVE A CITY THAT MATCHES THEIR POTENTIAL.

I'M ASKING THE CITY COMMITTEE TO CHAMPION A CROSS-SECTOR TABLE WHERE

[00:30:05]

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY FOR THIS ITEM. OH, WE HAVE MORE?

ARE WE MISSING ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP? >>

>> GALVAN: THAT'S OKAY. GO AHEAD. >>

>> GALVAN: GO AHEAD. YEAH. >> GO AHEAD, MA'AM, YOU CAN START. YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES.

>> GREAT. . >> GOOD MORNING CAN YOU START MY THREE MINUTES IN ONE SECOND. APOLOGIES. GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, MY NAME IS GABBY PATENT AND I'M A RESIDENN KAUR AND COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ I'M A TEACHER AMERICAN ALUMNI, I'M YOUR CONSTITUENT, COLLEAGUE AND ALSO A 14-YEAR VETERAN EDUCATOR WHO HAS SPENT EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY CAREER SERVING IN SOUTH AND EAST SIDE COMMUNITIES AND TITLE I SCHOOLS EXCLUSIVELY ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.

AND EVEN TODAY AS I STAND BEFORE YOU, I AM THE PRINCIPAL OF A SOUTH SIDE CAMPUS IN DISTRICT FIVE, BUT I AM NOT THERE TODAY.

I'M HERE. AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I NEED Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND -- LIVING OUT DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN ROOMS LIKE THIS WITHOUT VOICES LIKE OURS. LAST JUNE WE WERE BLIND SIDED BY FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS THAT STRIPPED THREE CRITICAL PROGRAMS OF OUR CAMPUS OVERNIGHT WITH NO WARNING. SINCE AUGUST, I HAVE WATCHED ICE TERRORIZE THIS COMMUNITY FORCING ME TO SPEND MY OWN TIME AND MY OWN RESOURCES LEARNING HOW TO COUNCIL FAMILIES THROUGH LEGAL CRISES THAT I HAVE NO TRAINING TO NAVIGATE, ESCORTING FAMILIES TO IMMIGRATION COURT AND SO MUCH MORE, JUST TO TRY TO KEEP THEM ENROLLED IN MY SCHOOL. BUT COUNCIL, I AM A PRINCIPAL AND I CANNOT CONVINCE A FAMILY THAT THEIR SCHOOL IS SAFE WHEN THEIR CITY HAS NOT MADE THEM FEEL SAFE IN THEIR HOME.

IN SEPTEMBER, EVERY SINGLE BOOK IN MY ENTIRE BUILDING WAS ORDERED TO BE SCANNED, CATALOG DZ AND REPORTED UNDER THE LIBRARY TRANSPARENCY LEGISLATION COSTING ME TIME AND MY STAFF WITH MY FAMILIES, WEEKS.

IN JANUARY OCR COMPLAINTS, OFFICE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR YEARS BY TEA WERE UNCEREMONIOUSLY REOPENED UNILATERALLY BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN COORDINATION WITH MIKE MORE WRATH TRIGGERING MONTHS OF INVESTIGATION AND DOCUMENTATION THAT HAVE PULLED ME OFF CAMPUS REPEATEDLY AND AWAY FROM MY STUDENTS. AND BEFORE ALL OF THIS, I HAD TO ABSORB MANDATE AFTER MANDATE WITH NO FUNDING ATTACHED, ARMED SECURITY, NO BUDGET.

TEACHER RAISES WITH NO ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, AND THESE COMPLIANCE CUTS THAT I HAVE HAD TO MAKE TO SUSTAIN MY CAMPUS AND OUR ACCREDITATION HAVE COST US OUR CHILDREN. I AM LOSING STUDENTS. FRIDAY, I HAD TO STAND IN FRONT OF MY STAFF AND INFORM THEM THAT DUE TO A 200 STUDENT DEFICIT, WE WOULD BE CUTTING HALF OF THEIR ROLES, EVEN BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

AND IT'S NOT JUST MY CAMPUS. IN DISTRICT FIVE, WE HAVE SEEN -- JUST THE SOUTH SIDE IN TOTALLY, ATHENS ELEMENTARY CLOSED, KINDRED, KAY SAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WEST HIGH SCHOOL, RODES MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL CLOADS. SAN ANTONIO ISD HAS SHUTTERED 15 SCHOOL.

EDGEWOOD HAS BEEN UNDER CONSERVATORSHIP. A CHARTER SCHOOL ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, CLOSED. SOUTH SAN ISD UNDER TEA CONTROL. ONE BY ONE THE INSTITUTIONS SERVING THIS REGION AND THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN REGIONS OF SAN ANTONIO HAVE FALLEN, AND IT IS NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE STOPPED FIGHTING, IT IS BECAUSE NO ONE IN THIS ROOM HAS COME TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE OF THEM.

BUT WE DID. MY SCHOOL STEPPED UP. MY OPEN ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL ROYAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS STEPPED UP.

WE CAUGHT OVER 200 STUDENTS FROM THESE FAILING SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE NO DISTRICT, THEY HAVE NO OPTIONS, AND WE ABSORB THE DEFICIT.

WE DID THE TURNAROUND WORK, WE TOOK THE HIT ON OUR ACADEMICS, AND NOW 200 KIDS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO WHO NEVER HAD TO LEAVE THEIR COMMUNITY, NEVER HAD TO EXIT THE SOUTH SIDE, ARE READING AT GRADE LEVEL OR WITHIN ONE YEAR OF IT. COUNCIL, IS THIS NOT PRECISELY WHAT WE ARE

TRYING TO ESTABLISH IN THIS COMMITTEE? >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.

>> TO FIX A LITERACY CRISIS, AN EDUCATION CRISIS IN OUR CITY, BECAUSE IF IT IS, THIS HAS TO CHANGE. THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO

[00:35:01]

WE'RE NOT A SCAPEGOAT. IF IT WASN'T FOR MY CAMPUS, 200 MORE STUDENTS

WOULD NOT BE READING. BUT THEY ARE NOW. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTEDS AND WE'RE AT THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TODAY.

>> THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: DO WE HAVE THE NEXT FOLKS?

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS INGA COTTON B AROUND I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL DISCOVERY NETWORK AND WE'RE AN INFORMATION RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES RESEARCHING THE BEST SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR THEIR KIDS. I'M A PROUD CHARTER SCHOOL PARENT.

MY DAUGHTER ATTENDS THE SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK TO SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN GALVAN SAID, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CURRENT SITUATION AND HOW THE GROWTH OF CHOICE SCHOOLS IS IMPACTING INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE TRULY CURRENT IN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND NOT LOOK BACK TO YEARS IN THE PAST WHEN THERE WAS MORE OF A PERCEPTION OF MAYBE A ZERO-SUM GAME THAT IF LIKE ONE TYPE OF SCHOOL MODEL WAS GROWING, THAT MEANT THAT ANOTHER TYPE OF SCHOOL MODEL WAS FAILING OR STRUGGLING. AND THE REALITY NOW IS THAT, LIKE AS WE INTERACT WITH FAMILIES AT OUR EVENTS, IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP AND IN OUR MEETINGS, THAT FAMILIES ARE MOVING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLS. AND THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE INNOVATING AND THEY'RE EMBRACING CHANGE. SO WE HAVE MORE DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOW OPEN ENROLLMENT, LIKE NORTH SIDE AND NORTHEAST HAVE RECENTLY BECOME OPEN ENROLLMENT AND WE HAD A DISCUSSION IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP RECENTLY, A FAMILY GOT OFFERS AT A CHARTER SCHOOL AND ALSO AT A CHOICE SCHOOL WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT, BUT NOT THEIR ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO FAMILIES ARE MOVING BACK AND FORTH AMONG THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND AS OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, THE GOAL IS TO GET THE CHILD INTO THE SETTING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SUCCEED THE MOST.

AND PARENTS ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW THEIR STUDENTS THE BEST.

SO WE'RE SEEING -- SO SAISD HAS REALLY BEEN AN INNOVATOR IN THIS, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE HAD ABOUT 11,000 STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXITED THE DISTRICT FOR OTHER OPTIONS, THEY'VE HAD 6,000 STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE SAISD CHOOSE TO ENROLL IN SAISD CHOICE SCHOOLS, AND SO THAT'S THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT I WANT YOU GUYS TO FOCUS ON IS THAT WE HAVE A BROAD LANDSCAPE OF CHOICE SCHOOLS IN SAN ANTONIO, SOME OF WHICH ARE ACTUALLY OPERATED AND FOSTERED BY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO ARE EMBRACING A CHOICE MODEL. AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO INFORM FAMILIES ABOUT, SO THAT THEY, AS THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR KIDS THE BEST AND CARE THE MOST ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN SUCCEEDING, WILL BE WELL INFORMED AND MAKE THOSE CHOICES. SO THANKS, EVERYBODY.

>> GALVAN: THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS ITSMAN ROLL LIS, I'M A JUNIOR AT CAPE UNIVERSITY PREP HIGH SCHOOL AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.

I'LL BE HONEST, BEFORE I TRANSFERRED TO KIP FOR EIGHTH GRADE, I THOUGHT SCHOOL WAS A WASTE OF TILE. I WAS MORE FOCUSED WITH HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW IS I'D BEEN STRUGGLING WITH UNDIAGNOSED ADHD MY WHOLE LIFE.

IT WAS MY EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER AT KIP -- RECOGNIZED THAT I WASN'T A BAD STUDENT, I JUST NEEDED THE RIGHT SUPPORT. SHE'S THE ONE WHO STARTED THE CONVERSATION WITH ME AND MY FAMILY ABOUT GETTING TESTED AND AFTER I GOT MY DIAGNOSIS, SHE HELPED US BEGIN THE 504 PROCESS. WHEN I GOT -- WHEN I TRANSITIONED TO KIP UNIVERSITY PREFER HIGH SCHOOL, MRS. MINIS, A NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHER PICKED UP RIGHT WHERE THE PROCESS KICKED OFF, SHE GOT MY 504 FULLY IN PLACE AND WORKED DIRECTLY WITH MY TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE MY ACCOMMODATIONS WERE ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM, BREAKING ASSIGNMENTS INTO SMALLER TESTS, EXTRA TIME ON TESTS, BREAKS WHEN I NEEDED THEM, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I COULD ACTUALLY SHOW WHAT I KNEW. KIP DIDN'T HELP ME SURVIVE SCHOOL, IT GAVE ME A FUTURE, NOW I'M TAKING AP CLASSES, EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT WHILE I'M STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

THROUGH KIP FORWARD I'M BUILDING MY RESUME RESEARCH AND APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. I WANT TO MAJOR IN BUSINESS AND EVENTUALLY GET MY MBA. THIS WAS UNIMAGINABLE TO ME FOUR YEARS AGO.

PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS LIKE KIP ARE NOT TAKING SOMETHING AWAY FROM OUR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE GIVING STUDENTS LIKE ME SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, A SCHOOL THAT SEES US, SUPPORTS US AND BELIEVES WE CAN GO TO COLLEGE. OAF ARE I STUDENT DESERVES THAT CHANCE AND EVERY FAMILY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE A SCHOOL THAT WORKS FOR THEIR CHILD, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ONE THEY'RE IN DIDN'T WORKING.

THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[Briefing and possible action on the following items  ]

[00:40:02]

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CARRIE GRIFFITH, I'M THE COFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OUR SCHOOLS OUR DEMOCRACY.

I WAS A CLASSROOM -- I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR 25 YEARS, I WAS A CLASSROOM TEACHER IN AUSTIN ISD FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. I'VE BEEN SERVING AS -- PRIOR TO THIS ROLE, I WAS SERVING AS THE SENIOR POLICY ANALYST FOR THE TEXAS STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION WHICH IS THE STATE AFFILIATE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PATTY EVERETT IS WITH ME TODAY, SHE IS COFOUNDER, SHE'S AN EDUCATOR CONSULTANT AND POLICY SPECIALIST SPECIFICALLY IN THE WORLD OF CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND THEN MAGGIE STERN IS OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WE'LL BE HERE TOGETHER. I WANT TO FIRST JUST START BY THANKING YOU SO MUCH AS COUNCIL FOR BEING LEADERS IN THIS WORK OF BRIDGING THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS THAT'S SO CRITICAL TO OUR SCHOOLS. IT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR THE OBVIOUS HEALTH OF OUR WORKFORCE THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS CREATE, BUT AS WE ARE SEEING AND FEELING COMMUNITIES REEL IN PAIN ACROSS OUR STATE AND IN SAN ANTONIO FROM SCHOOL CLOSURES, IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE BEGIN TO BE HONEST WITH THE FACTS OF WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND JUST FUNDAMENTALLY YOU CAN'T SATURATE A SYSTEM WITH ANYTHING AND EXPECT THERE TO BE SURVIVORS AT THE END. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN TAKING THIS FIRST STEP. OSOD WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2024 AS AN INDEPENDENT NONPARTISAN 501(C)3 NONPROFIT TO PROTECT EQUAL ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TEXANS THROUGH THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO A FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION. WE'RE COMMITTED TO RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF PRIVATIZATION WHICH INCLUDES PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS WHICH AS YOU KNOW ARE RECENTLY LAW IN OUR STATE, IT INCLUDES THE STATE TAKEOVER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, IT INCLUDES THE UNLIMITED EXPANSION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. IN FEBRUARY WE LAUNCHED THE TEXAS CENTER FOR VOUCHER TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS THE NATION'S ONLY PUBLIC WATCH DOG FOR VOUCHERS, AND THEN ALSO SOMETHING REALLY CENTRAL TO THE MISSION OF OUR WORK IS TO UPLIFT THE SUCCESS STORIES OF OUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. ISDS AREN'T -- YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE MASSIVE MARKETING BUDGETS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO MARKET AND BRAG ABOUT THEMSELVES, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO HELPING WITH. GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF K-12 EDUCATION TO SAN ANTONIO AND ITS OVERALL ECONOMIC HEALTH AND FUTURE WORKFORCE, IT'S CRITICAL TO BASE YOUR SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON A FACTUAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, PERFORMANCE AND SUCCESSES OF THE EDUCATION LANDSCAPE. OSOD HAS A TOOL, IT'S THE SCHOOL LOCATOR MAP, WHICH IS THE ONLY MAP THAT SHOWS THE SATURATION OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, SO THE STARS ARE THE ISDS. THE CIRCLES ARE THE CHARTERS, AND THEN THE DIAMONDS ARE THE VOUCHER ACCEPTING PRIVATE SCHOOLS. AND THE COVER OF THE PRESENTATION IS THE LAYER OF ALL THREE OF THESE SYSTEMS. I WANTED TO SPEAK VERY QUICKLY BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO PATTY TO CONTINUE SOME OF THE PRESENTATION WITH THE DATA, BUT WHEN -- WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT PITTING SYSTEMS AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND I JUST RESPECTFULLY WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOT -- WE ARE NOT FOLKS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HERE TO PIT AGAINST ANOTHER.

IT'S THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S OUR LEGISLATURE THAT, BY DESIGN, CREATED THREE PARALLEL SYSTEMS OF SCHOOLS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SAME RULES.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE OF THE THREE SYSTEMS, THEY ARE THE ONLY SYSTEM THAT FOLLOWS THE ENTIRE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE. CHARTER SCHOOLS ONLY FOLLOW ELEMENTS OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE THAT THEY OPT INTO OR THAT OUR LEGISLATORS OPT THEM INTO. WHEN EVERY SINGLE LAW OF THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE PASS, UNLESS IT EXPLICITLY INCLUDES CHARTER SCHOOLS, THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED.

[00:45:02]

ISD SCHOOL DISTRICTS CANNOT. AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES OF WHY THE STATE HAS PIT THESE SYSTEMS TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, ONE IS PUBLICLY GOVERNED AND -- ALL THREE ARE PUBLICLY FUNDED NOW, BUT ONLY ONE IS PUBLICLY GOVERNED. SO ONE CAN -- REQUIRES VOTER APPROVAL TO BUILD FACILITIES AND PASS BONDS.

THE OTHERS DO NOT. SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE FACTS THAT WE NEED TO LEAD THE CONVERSATION WITH.

I'LL PASS IT. >> WELL, THANK YOU GUYS. IT'S GOOD TO BE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, AND YOU'RE ANOMALY. SO THANK YOU FOR BOTH THE INTEREST AND -- MAYBE IT NEEDS TO GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

CARRIE'S TOO TALL. DOWN. IT'S FINE.

YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW. THANK YOU. ANYWAY, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST COUNCIL. I LIVE IN AUSTIN BUT I WORK STATEWIDE.

I'VE BEEN DOING WORK IN PUBLIC EDUCATION POLICY SINCE 2012, AND I DO A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE ONLY BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO MOW THAT I -- MY EXPERIENCE WAS WITH AN ISD LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND I VISITED MANY, SOME OF THE ONES WHO ARE HERE TODAY, AND THAT WAS BEFORE WE REALLY KNEW -- NO ONE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS.

ONE OF THE REASONS I GOT INVOLVED AND HAVE STARTED DOING THIS POLICY WORK IS I WANTED TO KNOW WHY A CHARTER SCHOOL IN AUSTIN WAS ALLOWED TO OPEN ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM A PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT WAS NOT LOW PERFORMING IN AUSTIN.

THIS WAS BACK IN 2012. NO ONE KNEW THE ANSWER. I MEAN, NO ONE.

PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, NO ONE KNEW THE ANSWER.

I CALLED TEA, COULDN'T FIND ANYONE. I STARTED TO FIND OUT JUST HOW THINGS WORK. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE REALLY OUR REAL THEMES TODAY ARE THAT THE PUBLIC REALLY NEEDS TO BE WELL INFORMED, AND I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, IT'S VERY HARD SOMETIMES TO GET THE FACTS. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE REALLY WELL INFORMED AS YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS.

THAT'S WHY I THINK THIS TODAY IS VERY IMPORTANT. THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION TO BE HAD, BUT HAVING FACTUAL, NEUTRAL, ET CETERA, AND ALSO WHAT I CALL BELOW THE FOLD INFORMATION. IF YOU WANT EXAMPLES, WE CAN GIVE THEM TO YOU, BUT I CAN TELL YOU CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST PERFORMING IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY IN SAN ANTONIO IN HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN YOU LOOK WHAT I CALL BELOW THE FOLD, WHICH IS YOU LOOK FOR WHAT'S THEIR PERCENTAGE OF SPECIAL ED, DO THEY PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION, AND YOU SEE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY.

AND IRONICALLY, THERE ARE SOME CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND YOU HEARD ONE TODAY, THAT WHEN THEY SERVE ALL STUDENTS, AND I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE IN AUSTIN, THEY OFTEN ARE LOWER PERFORMING BECAUSE THOSE ARE MORE CHALLENGING STUDENTS. AND THAT'S THE IRONY OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE LIVE IN. SO I CAN SHOW YOU A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT DOES REALLY WELL, THEY SERVE BASICALLY ZERO SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, ET CETERA, I CAN SHOW YOU A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT SUDDENLY HAD 35% IMMIGRANT CHILDREN AND WENT FROM A C TO AN F. IT'S ALL KIND OF WHO YOU SERVE. THOSE ARE THE FACTS THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT DECISIONS. BUT LET ME JUST GO THROUGH SOME REALLY BASIC INFORMATION. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, JUST KIND OF HOW MANY -- HOW MANY STUDENTS AND WHAT THE GROWTH HAS BEEN. IT'S ALMOST A 300% GROWTH OF CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO STRESS IS THAT MOST OF THE -- WELL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.

ALSO, YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE NUMBER AS SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED, YOU SEE CAMPUSES CLOSING IN SAN ANTONIO, PUBLIC SCHOOL CAMPUSES, PUBLIC ISD CAMPUSES, BUT YOU ALSO SEE THE GROWTH OF CHARTER CAMPUSES.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, YOU KIND OF HAVE TO WONDER, HOW THOSE THINGS IMPACT EACH OTHER. WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO THAT IN GREAT DETAIL TODAY, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE DATA. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS YOU JUST SAW, YOU CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW SATURATION HAPPENS. ALSO WANTED YOU TO BASICALLY SEE WHAT THE REVENUE LOSS IS, ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR.

WHEN WE STARTED CALCULATING THIS, WORKING WITH SOME OF THE BEST SCHOOL FINANCE EXPERTS IN THE STATE, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS WAS ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE ALL ALREADY, AS YOU KNOW, UNDERFUNDED, AS OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS BY THE STATE. YOU MAY REMEMBER WE NEEDED AN INCREASE OF $1,300 IN THE PER STUDENT ALLOTMENT JUST TO GET BACK TO OUR 2019 LEVELS TO MEET -- JUST TO MEET THE RISING INFLATION COST, AND WE GOT ABOUT $55 PER STUDENT INCREASE IN THE LEGISLATURE, SO YOU'RE SEEING THAT IMPACT, NOT JUST IN ISDS, BUT ALSO IN CHARTER SCHOOLS.

BUT YOU LOOK AT THE REVENUE LOSS HERE, AND YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE

[00:50:04]

NOT TRUE AT CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO A LOT OF THEIR FIXED COSTS, MAINTENANCE, UTILITIES, BUS TRANSPORTATION, INSURANCE, ALL STAY THE SAME, SO YOU END UP THEN OFTEN WITH CAMPUS CLOSURES, THE LOSS OF REALLY VALUED PROGRAMS THAT PARENTS LOVE AND YOU BEGIN THIS KIND OF DOWNWARD SPIRAL. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS REALLY, BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT IF THERE'S -- WE HAVE A REPORT THAT WAS ISSUED IN -- ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COPIES HERE, BUT IT GIVES YOU JUST KIND OF AN OVERVIEW.

AND YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS, AGAIN, AS CARRIE MENTIONED, ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS R, SO YOU SEE THIS REALLY BIG GAP OF TEA SAYING CERTIFIED TEACHERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE CLASSROOM IN TERMS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE.

AND YET WE SEE THIS REAL GAP WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME VARIANCES IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, SPECIAL ED -- JUST FOR EXAMPLE, SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

I MENTIONED AN EXAMPLE EARLIER, BUT ACROSS THE STATE, CHARTER SCHOOLS SERVE ABOUT A THIRD FEWER SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

AND WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS, THERE'S SOME EXCLUSION GOING ON, BUT ALSO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE A -- WE THINK IT'S AT LEAST A $2 BILLION GAP BETWEEN THE MONEY THEY RECEIVE FROM THE STATE FOR SPECIAL ED VERSUS THE ACTUAL DOLLARS THEY SPEND. AND SO THAT MONEY THAT DISTRICTS SPEND ARE COMING OUT OF THEIR GENERAL REVENUES, SO WHEN YOU HAVE MORE SPECIAL ED STUDENTS, MORE OF YOUR MONEY'S GOING THERE.

AND, AGAIN, THAT CONTRIBUTES TO LOSS OF OTHER PROGRAMS, ET CETERA. I'M SKIPPING OVER A FEW THINGS.

THE LAST COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE JUST MENTION SOME SUGGESTIONS TO YOU IS THAT -- AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. SO THERE IS A CAP -- AND THIS HAS DO WITH THE UNLIMITED EXPANSION OF CHARTERS AND HOW THEY GET APPROVED.

AND THAT REALLY IS THE FOCUS OF JUST SOME SUGGESTIONS WE HAVE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT. SO THERE IS A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF CHARTER OPERATORS. AND THAT'S STATUTORY.

SO 305. BUT LAST YEAR THERE WERE -- ACTUALLY, THERE WERE 172 OPEN ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO YOU COULD LOOK AT THAT AND SAY THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM FOR EXPANSION. THOSE GET APPROVED -- THEY GET APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE FIVE THAT WILL BE -- WENT THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND SOME OF THEM, SOME PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WILL BE UP BEFORE THE STATE BOARD TO BE APPROVED IN JUNE. BUT ONLY -- YOU KNOW, OF THE FIVE, SOME WILL GET APPROVED. MAXIMUM OF FIVE WILL GET APPROVED. BUT HERE'S THE IMPORTANT THING, AND THIS IS WHAT I FOUND OUT BACK IN 2012 OR 2013, WHICH WAS KIND OF ASTOUNDING THAT NO ONE KNEW, THERE IS NO LIMIT ON CHARTER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT.

SO THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, AND NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF CAMPUSES. AND THAT'S WHERE YOU BEGIN TO RUN INTO THESE PROBLEM WITH MARKET FORCES, WHICH IS THAT -- IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU -- THAT WE TALK ABOUT TODAY, THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE CONTEXT. WHY ARE CAMPUSES CLOSING IN ALL THESE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND EVEN SOME CHARTER SCHOOLS? I THINK THE REAL KEY IS IN WE HAVE UNLIMITED EXPANSION.

NO STATUTORY LIMIT. THE WAY THAT WORKS IS, ONCE A CHARTER IS APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD, AND THOSE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BOARD MEMBERS HERE, THEY MEET CERTAIN TEA REQUIREMENTS, THAT CHARTER IS APPROVED, LET'S SAY, FOR DALLAS. AND THE WHOLE NEED AND RATIONALE IS BASED ON PROBLEMS IN DALLAS. THEY CAN THEN SUBMIT A SIMPLE ADMINISTRATIVE FORM CALLED AFTE AMENDMENT AND REQUEST TO OPEN AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF NEW CAMPUSES ANYWHERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THAT FORM IS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UNLESS YOU SUBMIT A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, AND I DO THAT A LOT.

SO SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE THE NEED IS -- OR THE RATIONALE IS, WE WANT TO LOCATE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND I READ A LOT OF THESE.

[00:55:01]

I'VE TRACKED THEM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, AND ABOUT 70% OF THOSE ARE APPROVED. FEW ARE DENIED, FEW ARE WITHDRAWN, MOST OF THEM GET APPROVED. WELL THAT SHOULD -- THAT MATTERS BECAUSE THERE IS VERY LITTLE INTEREST OR CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT NEW CAMPUS IS GOING TO BE ON EXISTING CHARTER SCHOOLS OR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES WHERE A CHARTER COMES IN AND LOCATES HALF A MILE FROM A NEW DISTRICT SCHOOL THAT HAS JUST OPENED BASED ON A BOND THAT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS.

SO YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A GROCERY STORE OPERATES, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO -- USUALLY, OPEN UP, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILE FROM AN EXISTING GROCERY STORE BECAUSE THE MARKET WON'T BEAR THAT KIND OF -- THAT KIND OF COMPETITION. BUT YOU SEE THAT WITH CHARTERS AND DISTRICT SCHOOLS, AND THAT IS A BIG ISSUE. THERE'S NO PUBLIC MEETING, BASED ON AMENDMENTS, THERE'S NO GENERAL PUBLIC NOTICE.

DISTRICTS DO GET NOTIFIED, AS DO LEGISLATORS, BUT THERE'S NO PUBLIC MEETING. THERE'S NO GENERAL NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THERE'S NO VOTE BY ANY ELECTED BODY. THAT'S THE KIND OF CRUNCH THAT I THINK WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT'S IMPACTING SOME OF THE OVERSATURATION, ET CETERA. AND IT'S EVEN HURTING CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND I'VE HEARD CHARTER SCHOOLS REALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT FOR THEIR ENROLLMENT. SO AT A TIME WHEN OUR EDUCATION DOLLARS ARE SO SCARCE, WE'RE CLOSING CAMPUSES, WE CONTINUE TO APPROVE -- THE COMMISSIONER CONTINUES TO APPROVE NEW CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

AND THIS YEAR ALONE, I DON'T HAVE MY NUMBERS, BUT I THINK THERE ARE OVER 100 THAT HAVE BEEN -- 100 THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR AND ABOUT 80 HAVE BEEN APPROVED AROUND THE STATE.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT IDEA JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, IDEA WAS APPROVED FOR ONE CAMPUS BY THE STATE BOARD BACK IN 2000, I THINK. THEY NOW HAVE OVER 130 CAMPUSES ALL AROUND THE STATE, AS YOU KNOW, MANY IN SAN ANTONIO.

THE ISSUE THERE IS NOT GOOD OR BAD OR WHATEVER, WE CAN -- THAT'S ANOTHER -- THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION. THE POINT IS THAT THOSE WERE APPROVED BY AN APPOINTED OFFICIAL WITH NO PUBLIC VOTE, NO PUBLIC MEETING, ET CETERA. AND THE THING WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, I'LL TALK ABOUT IN ONE SECOND, IS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

SO -- WELL, THERE YOU GO. I THINK I'VE ALREADY SAID ALL THAT. SO THAT GETS US INTO -- THAT'S OKAY.

I'LL DO THE RECOMMENDATIONS REAL FAST.

SO THESE ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS, BECAUSE ALL THIS SETS A CONTEXT IN A LANDSCAPE. AND BASICALLY, WE'RE HERE -- AND THIS IS THE KIND OF WORK WE DO, WHICH IS -- I GET PHONE CALLS EVERY DAY.

IN FACT, I WAS DRIVING UP FROM AUSTIN, I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH DISTRICTS, WHO DID NOT EVEN KNOW THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED THAT WOULD CREATE TWO OR THREE NEW CAMPUSES IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO THE FIRST THING IS, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT -- OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE JUST BASED ABOUT HAVING A WELL-INFORMED PUBLIC THAT HAS ACCESS TO INFORMATION, THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S EASILY AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND ALSO THAT YOU HAVE INFORMATION FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THINGS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FACTUAL INFORMATION THAT ALSO HAS CONTEXT. SO, AGAIN, YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT THE SCHOOL I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT IS ONE OF THE TOP PERFORMING HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY, UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE STUDENTS, YOU REALLY HAVE NO WAY OF EVALUATING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY BETTER.

I CAN CREATE A SCHOOL FOR TERRY'S KIDS WHO ARE ALL A PLUS STUDENTS OR WHOEVER, AND IT WILL DO GREAT. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE CHALLENGING STUDENTS AND YOU SERVE ALL STUDENT, THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY, SO CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT. THE SECOND THING IS TO GET REALLY ACCURATE INFORMATION, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT SAN ANTONIO'S SO DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF CITIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MANY DISTRICTS. AND SO HAVING SOME PLACE THAT THE CITY ITSELF CAN HELP DISTRICTS IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND TAKEOVER IS GOING TO BE HUGE. YOU ALL DON'T HAVE -- OR DO YOU -- NO, YOU DON'T HAVE -- RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A TAKEOVER DISTRICT, NOT A BIG ONE ANYWAY, BUT THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE.

I WORK WITH PEOPLE IN FORT WORTH, WORK WITH PEOPLE IN HOUSTON, ET CETERA, AND THAT IS A WHOLE NOTHER BALL GAME. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF COMING TOGETHER. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THERE BE A REPORT FWHERE YOU NOT ONLY GET JUST FACTS, BUT THE CONTEXT. AND SECOND, THAT YOU DEVELOP FORMAL COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR SUPERINTENDENTS SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE FACING, KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT MIGHT BE IN TERMS OF CLOSING CAMPUSES, WHETHER IT'S ON A NEIGHBORHOOD OR ON THE ECONOMY.

AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS THAT THERE'S A NEW REPORT OUT, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DID IT COME TALK TO YOU, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE. AND IT'S A NUMBER -- THEY HAVE REALLY LOOKED AT ALL

[01:00:03]

SO WHEN YOU CLOSE CAMPUSES OR WHEN DISTRICTS BEGIN TO STRUGGLE OR THE STATE DOESN'T FUND YOU, IT HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME WORKFORCE PRIORITIES IN YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENDA, BUT LOOKING AT HOW TO ENHANCE CTE, ET CETERA, ARE ALL REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE LANDSCAPE THERE, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE TAKING IT ON, BUT I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO LOOK AT IT THAT IS INCREASING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND I WILL LEAVE WITH ONE STORY.

WE GOT A CALL JUST LAST WEEK FROM BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAD JUST DISCOVERED THAT A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL WAS OPENING IN THEIR DISTRICT, AND THE ONLY WAY THEY FOUND OUT WAS THEY SAW A CONSTRUCTION SIGN.

SO ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE; THAT BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE WORKING HARD TO REALLY IMPROVE THEIR DISTRICT FIND OUT THAT WAY.

SO I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO WORK AROUND, YOU KNOW, CITY STATUTES AND STATE LAW TO REALLY BRING SOME OF THIS STUFF TOGETHER SO YOU CAN REALLY BEGIN TO SORT OUT WHAT WORKS FOR KIDS, WHAT WORKS FOR THE CITY AND MAKE SAN ANTONIO REALLY STRONG, SUPPORTIVE PLACE FOR EDUCATION. SO THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> GALVAN: WELL, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

YOU KNOW, I THINK REALLY QUICKLY, I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION LATER TODAY, SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO FOCUS ON THE NEXT STEPS IN PARTICULAR, THE SLIDE WE HAVE UP HERE.

I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, FOLKS ARE IN AGREEMENT ABOUT.

WE TALK PRETTY FREQUENTLY ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, ENCOMPASSING EDUCATION, EVEN OUR OWN BUDGET, HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED THERE, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STUFF TO BETTER INFORM OUR POLICIES AND OUR PROGRAMS HERE, SO I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU ARE RECOMMENDING HERE, BUT ALSO THAT YOU SEE ACROSS THE STATE AS QUALITY. THAT'S GOOD.

AND I GUESS ON THE FIRST ONE, THIS MAY HELP INFORM THE FULL COMMITTEE REALLY QUICKLY, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN OTHER CITIES, IF THEY ADOPTED SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS FOR THE FIRST

RECOMMENDATION ON MAKING THE PUBLIC MORE AWARE. >> PARTICULARLY RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION AND THOSE THINGS. I WILL BE HONEST, I DON'T THINK THERE IS A BIG EFFORT IN OTHER CITIES. I WILL SAY THIS: THAT THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL IS MUCH MORE AWARE OF AND ARE VERY MUCH IN TOUCH WITH THEIR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AND I THINK THEY -- AND THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INSTITUTIONALIZING THESE KIND OF CONNECTIONS, WHICH IS SOME OF WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING, THAT YOU HAVE THIS FORMAL COMMUNICATION ET CETERA AND REPORT AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THEN THEY KIND OF BECOME PART OF THE DMA. I THINK IN DALLAS IT IS REALLY MORE DRIVEN BY CERTAIN COUNCILMEMBERS WHERE THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S INSTITUTIONALIZED WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL. THEY DO HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, CHARTER SCHOOLS SOMETIMES FALL UNDER THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, AND THAT CREATES THEN MORE CITY -- IT THEN BECOMES -- IT'S ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

SO THEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION AND TESTIMONY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHAT HAPPENS IN MOST CITIES IS -- AND IT'S TRUE IN SAN ANTONIO, IS THAT JUST GENERAL PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION DON'T COME -- AND, AGAIN, THE CONSTRUCTION IS NOT -- IT'S NOT THE CONSTRUCTION ITSELF. IT'S THAT THEY ARE GOING TO LOCATE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SHOULD THE NEIGHBORS KNOW ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PARENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO LOCATE -- IF THEY BOUGHT LAND HALF A MILE, WHICH I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF THAT, FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL, PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THAT.

AND THAT SHOULD JUST BE PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR COUNCIL, PARENTS, WHOEVER. SO PERMITTING DOESN'T COME FROM COUNCIL.

IF IT'S A ZONING CHANGE, IT DOES, SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT THOSE ARE SOME LIMITS THAT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOUR DSD COULD JUST PROVIDE COUNCILMEMBERS ON A MONTHLY BASIS WITH YOU PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED FOR ANY SCHOOL. AND THIS WOULD BE TRUE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TOO.

THE DIFFERENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THAT, OF COURSE, THEY GO THROUGH, AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO GO TO THEIR PRESENTATIONS, BUT TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING, YOU HAVE TO PASS A BOND, BUT THE CATCH IS, THE PUBLIC HAS TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT. AND THAT'S HARD, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC DOESN'T. BUT THEY HAVE, OH, MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, DOZENS AND DOZENS -- USUALLY, MOST DISTRICTS HAVE DOZENS OF MEETINGS TO INFORM PEOPLE. IT'S A YEAR PROCESS.

THEY BRING IN PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT EVERY SCHOOL NEEDS, ET CETERA, AND THEAN PEOPLE HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT. IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE.

SO IT'S A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOL, THEY GET APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND THAT'S

[01:05:03]

BASICALLY THE AG OFFICE DOES A "DID THEY MEET ALL THE CHECKS." BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS TAXPAYERS REPAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S PAID OUT OF THE MONEY FOR THE STATE. SO YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY VOICE. SO THAT IS THE SITUATION THAT I THINK WOULD BE GREAT MINIMALLY TO JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW. THAT'S IT.

THAT''S ALL WE'RE SAYING. LET PEOPLE KNOW.

FOR MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO START THE CONVERSATION TODAY ON QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.

COUNCILWOMAN TAAS KEY OWE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REALLY WANTED TO HONE IN ON TO INCLUDE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS AND PRIORITIES. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR SOMERSET ISD'S WELDING CAMPUS AS WELL AS MEET WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE CERTIFICATIONS THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING TO THEIR STUDENTS. AND WHAT THEY DEMONSTRATED IS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INDUSTRY AND THE GROWTH THAT'S OCCURRING IN THE SOUTH SIDE, PARTICULARLY WITH TOYOTA, AS WELL AS JCB. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS TEEING UP THEIR STUDENTS, ONE, RIGHT, WITH EARNING AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE WHILE THEY'RE EARNING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, BUT ALSO WITH A WELDING CERTIFICATION, AND THAT'S ONLY ONE OF THE MANY THAT THEY OFFER.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO OFFER AN EMT CERTIFICATION AND THE SCORES AND METRICS THAT THEY'VE SHARED IN COMPARISON TO FOLKS IN JUNIOR COLLEGE WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN THOSE IN JUNIOR COLLEGE.

SO, AGAIN, JUST HIGHLIGHTING, ONE, THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN ENSURING THAT WHETHER IT'S WITH GRE GREATER SA TX OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE TRADES WITH OUR ISDS TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.

SO WHAT THEY SHARED IS BECAUSE THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH JCB, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A PAINT AND AUTO BODY SHOP, RIGHT, THAT THE INDUSTRY'S GOING TO HELP COVER THE COST OF, BUT THE GOAL IS, THE STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE TRAINING AND THEN ARE PREPARED TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO. SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF VALUE IN TERMS OF IF WE HAVE A ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF CONNECTING OUR ISDS WITH INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE RECEIVING A CITY INCENTIVE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I KNOW AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL THERE'S ALSO A PARTNERSHIP WITH [INDISCERNIBLE] WHERE THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEIR STUDENTS TO GET OSHA CERTIFY CERTIFICATIONS AND ESSENTIALLY EARN A TRADE WHILE THEY'RE ALSO GETTING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND POTENTIALLY AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AS WELL. AND AS WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND PROJECT MARVEL, REDEVELOPMENT, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO INCLUDE OUR ISDS IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME AND HOW CAN WE TRAIN OR CONNECT, RATHER, OUR STUDENTS IN ISDS THAT MAY HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS WITH OPPORTUNITY.

AGAIN, EMPHASIZING A TAX INCENTIVE FROM THE TAXPAYERS.

I DO BELIEVE THERE IS VALUE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THE COMMUNICATION WITH SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS NEW AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONVENE AND TALK ABOUT WHERE'S THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR COORDINATION, IF IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, ET CETERA, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE FOLKS THAT GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO CONVENE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR SHARED GOAL. I WAS THINKING IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT FOLKS GAVE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I NAVIGATE THIS CONVERSATION FROM A VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE IN THAT -- AND I REALLY WANTED TO THANK THE YOUNG STUDENT WHO GAVE ONE OF THE LAST COMMENTS, THAT RESIGNATED WITH ME IN THAT WHILE I'M A PROUD ISD PRODUCT, IN HIGH SCHOOL, I ATTENDED GEORGE I. SANCHEZ CHARTER SCHOOL WHICH WAS A CHARTER SCHOOL FOR AT-RISK LATINO YOUTH, SO TYPICALLY INDIVIDUALS COMING OUT OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACADEMY OR WE WERE PUSHED OUT OF ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. SO A VERY UNIQUE DEMOGRAPHIC, BUT PROVIDED US WITH TOOLS IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING, THE SOFT SKILLS ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER WITH EACH OTHER IN THE CLASSROOM AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, RIELT? AND I DID RETURN TO BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL AND ISD, BUT I JUST REALLY VALUE THE POINT IN TERMS OF HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE HAVING

[01:10:02]

OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> SEE NOW YOU'RE ON COUNCIL, SO IT WORKED. I'M PUTTING ON A DIFFERENT HAT JUST BRIEFLY, SO EXCUSE ME, BUT IN MY OTHER WORK, I WORKED FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS WORKING WITH A NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYMENT ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND SUMMER JOBS, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD, IT IS PART OF CTE. AND IN SOME CITIES, AND YOU ALL MAY BE DOING THIS, BECAUSE I DID A PRETTY DEEP DIVE IN THIS, I TRIED TO GET SAN ANTONIO FUNDED, BUT THEY FUNDED HOUSTON INSTEAD, I'M SORRY.

BUT A LOT OF CITIES ARE REALLY CONNECTING THEIR CTE PROGRAMS TO SUMMER JOBS AND ALL THOSE CONNECTIONS, BUT IN A VERY, VERY BIG LEVEL.

AND LIKE PHILADELPHIA AND LOUISVILLE AND LA ARE JUST REALLY... SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM, BUT I THINK PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT, BECAUSE IT DOES THEN CREATE THOSE GREAT TIES BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE CTE PROGRAMS, AND INDUSTRY AS THEY'RE ALREADY DOING, BUT THE SUMMER PIECE CAN REALLY BE GREAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD. BUT THANK YOU FOR SAYING ALL THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE, AGAIN, TO CARRIE'S POINT, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW PARTICULARLY THE GREAT CTE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND HOW THEY'RE

REALLY IMMEDIATING A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, SO... >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.

AND PATTY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THOSE RESOURCES AS WELL, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO IS ALSO PUSHING FORWARD A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST TO DO SUMMER EMPLOYMENT FOR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, STUDENTS AT RISK, FRANKLY, THAT WILL BE COMING TO THIS COMMITTEE LATER. SO HAPPY TO GET ANY INFORMATION WE CAN TO

EVALUATE THAT. >> I WILL DO THAT. I HAD TO GIVE IT UP BECAUSE I WAS DOING EDUCATION STUFF, BUT I WILL ABSOLUTELY CONNECT YOU TO

AT LEAST THOSE PEOPLE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY

COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> I'LL GO NEXT. >> GALVAN: COUNCILMEMBER

MUNG GAEA. >> GALVAN: I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD BE PUSHED OUT OF ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

I'VE GOT ESPECIALLY TO MEET SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE HERE TODAY AND ANY TIME A SCHOOL ASKS ME TO COME OUT I DO THAT, WHETHER IT'S AN ISD OR A TERSE SCHOOL BECAUSE I THINK IF THE KIDS ARE FROM OUR COMMUNITY IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW WHO THEIR COUNCIL PERSON IS AND SO I DO THAT. I RECENTLY WENT TO A CAREER DAY AND I STILL DON'T THINK THE KIDS KNOW WHAT A COUNCIL PERSON DOES, YOU BUT THEY WERE EXCITED THAT WE HAD FUNDING FOR A PARK NEXT DOOR. SO I WAS ABLE TO TEACH THEM ABOUT HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I WOULD SAY THE ANNUAL REPORT ON EDUCATION IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO. I KNOW ONE OF THE GROUPS HERE IN TOWN DOES SORT -- COMPILES ALL THE SCHOOL, THE TEA DATA FROM ALL THE SCHOOLS AND PUTS THEM BY DISTRICT AND KIND OF TELLS US WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE.

AND I THINK IT COULD GO INTO GREATER DETAIL ON THAT. I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE SOUND SOUH SAN ISD BOARD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, SEVEN MONTHS, WHICH FELT LIKE SEVEN YEARS, WHICH IF RAY IS HERE THAT'S NOW HIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY'RE DOING GOOD STUFF.

ONE OF MY DREAMS BACK THEN IS HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE FOR REGION 20 TO HOST AN ANNUAL EVENT WHERE ALL THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS ARE GETTING TOGETHER, ALL THE LEADERSHIP, AND THEY'RE SHARING WHAT'S WORKING ON THEIR SCHOOLS AND WHAT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT TALKING TO EPA OTHER ENOUGH, EVEN IF THEY'RE SHARING A BOTHERED.

AND I THINK IT DOES US NO GOOD TO HOLD THAT INFORMATION.

[01:15:13]

MANY YEARS AGO THE STATE HAD GIVEN [INDISCERNIBLE] STATE CHARTER SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO, AND I THINK THERE WAS SOME SORT OF PROCESS BY WHICH ISDS WERE ABLE TO OPT INTO THAT MODEL AND HIRE UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS. YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED AT SOUTH SAN ISD THEY'VE REVERSED COURSE AND SAYING THEY NEED CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS BECAUSE THAT WASN'T WORKING FOR THEIR EDUCATION OUTCOMES. SO AGAIN, WHEN SCHOOLS ARE FOCUSED ON THE EDUCATION OUTCOMES, THOSE THINGS THAT CHANGE I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO MONITOR. HAVING CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT AS A COMMUNITY SO YOU KNOW, YOUR CHILD COULD STILL BE PERFORMING VERY WELL AT A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT, BUT IF YOU TALK ABOUT TURNAROUND DISTRICT THAT'S INCREASING THEIR SCHOOL AVERAGE, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE I THINK FOR PEOPLE. SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD TOO TO ADD TO THAT.

I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE TRANSPARENCY ISSUE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH THE STATE ON ACROSS THE BOARD TOO. I MEAN, YES, THERE'S THINGS THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS NEED TO WORK ON AS FAR AS LETTING FOLKS KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T REQUIRE CERTAIN VOTES, DON'T HAVE ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATION, BUT ALSO WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ONE OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SAN ANTONIO IS PAUSING BOND APPROVED PROJECTS ON THE SOUTHSIDE AND WESTSIDE OF THEIR DISTRICT AND THEY'RE NOT HAVING ANY COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. AND THEY WANT TO PROBABLY GO FOR ANOTHER BOND WITHOUT EVEN ADDRESSING THE GAP THAT THEY HAVE ON THESE BUILDINGS.

SO THAT'S TO ME IS NOT -- AGAIN, THEY HAVE AN ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD BODY, BUT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THAT. AND WHEN COUNCILMAN GALVAN AND I SUBMITTED A LETTER AND SHARED THAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE, STAY IN YOUR LANE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS? YOU'RE A COUNCILMAN, FOCUS ON THE PARKS AND STREETS AND LET THESE FOLKS DO THAT. THAT TYPE OF MENTALITY DOESN'T DO US ANY GOOD ALSO. WHEN PEOPLE SAY STAY IN YOUR LANE WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO DO THAT. AND THEN WHEN IT'S A FUNDING GAP, THE SCHOOL SHOULD HELP US WITH THIS. I THINK WE NEED A BETTER CONVERSATION WITH THAT AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS GOING TO THE PUBLIC AND HOSTING PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THEIR DISTRICTS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THAT IS NOT MANDATED, IT'S NOT REQUIRED, AND THEN THE SAME THING, PEOPLE SAY GO TO THE BOARD MEETING IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. IT WOULD BE LIKE IF I TOLD Y'ALL COME TO CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND HEAR US DEBATE ABOUT IT, WE HAVE TO BE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES ALSO.

I THINK THAT'S MASSIVELY IMPORTANT TO DO. I THINK A LOT OF THE ISSUES ARE STATE RELATED, OF COURSE, NOT NECESSARILY LOCALIZED.

ANOTHER THING I THINK TOO IS INSTEAD OF FOCUSED ON YES, YOU SHOULD HAVE A PER-PUPIL AALLOTMENT OF FUNDING, BUT WHY ARE WE BASING FUNDING FOR ATTENDANCE RATHER THAN ON STUDENT OUTCOMES. IF YOUR CHILD, YOUR -- IF THE STUDENTS ARE DOING GREAT AT YOUR SCHOOL, THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF FUNDING ALLOTMENT ON THAT.

IF IT'S NOT PERFORMING WELL THERE SHOULD BE SOME BETTER INTERVENTION THAN SIMPLY STATING WE'RE GOING TO JUST REPLACE YOUR BOARD AND Y'ALL FIGURE IT OUT AFTER THAT.

THAT DOESN'T REALLY WORK FOR FOLKS EITHER. I THINK THE WAY WE FUND STUDENTS, THE WAY WE FUND SCHOOLS IN TEXAS IS BACKWARDS AND I THINK A LOT OF OTHER STATES ARE AHEAD OF US. WE WEREN'T ALWAYS THE LOWEST OR IN ON THE BOTTOM TIER, BUT YOU DO SEE OTHER STATES WHO HAVE TYPICALLY BEEN ON THE BOTTOM TIER OF EDUCATION START PERFORMING BETTER. PROBABLY BECAUSE I WOULD SAY OF HOW THEY DECIDE TO FUND THEIR STUDENTS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK WE HAVE TO DO AT THE STATE LEVEL TO CHANGE SOME THINGS.

I DON'T THINK THE STATE HAS EVER IN THE NEAR FUTURE GOING TO SAY NO MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS. ESPECIALLY EVEN IF THEY DID THAT, THE ONES CURRENTLY EXISTING OR THAT WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE HERE, BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE TO PUT SOME REAL TRANSPARENCY EFFORTS AND LABELS OUT THERE FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND ALSO FOR TRADITIONAL ISD SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT PERFORMING WELL. THERE'S A REASON WHY SO MANY DISTRICTS HAVE HAD SOME INTERVENTION AT THE BOARD LEVEL, EVEN BEING REPLACED BY THE BOARD BECAUSE THEIR FOCUS IS NOT ON STUDENT OUTCOMES, IS ON SILLY THINGS, MARQUEES AND UNIFORM COLORS AND TRYING TO SHUT PEOPLE DOWN IN CONVERSATIONS VERSUS TALKING ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND STUDENTS FIRST. I THINK THAT'S GREAT THAT

[01:20:03]

EVERYTHING ELSE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT, BUT YOU CAN START TO SEE THE TURNAROUND HAPPENING THERE. AND I THINK WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS AND ISDS IT'S A MIXED BAG AND PERFORMANCE. SOME YEARS THERE WILL BE A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT'S PERFORMING WELL THAT COULD SLIP DOWN, WHICH I THINK YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF THAT TOO.

IT'S A MIXED BAG OF WHO IS MIST AND DRIZZLING WELL AND WHO'S NOT.

I THINK WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHAT INGREDIENTS MAKE THAT BEST. AND THEN ALSO THE SCHOOLS, WHOEVER THEY ARE THAT ARE SERVING CHILDREN WITH LEARNING ISSUES OR HAVE SOME SORT OF OTHER DISABILITY CONCERNS, THEY NEED TO ALSO HAVE THE PROPER FUNDING NO MATTER WHO IT IS, IT SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE STUDENT BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS ARE GETTING LEFT BEHIND AT A GREATER PACE THAN SOME OF OUR STUDENTS ARE. THE STATE IS NOT DOING ENOUGH, THE RAINY DAY FUND IS BLOATED AND WE HAVE NOT EACH TRIED TO HELP KIDS AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. I WOULD ALSO SAY THE CONTENT OPENING AND CLOSING OF SCHOOLS, THAT ACTIVITY, I DON'T THINK IT'S PRODUCTIVE FOR STUDENTS OR FOR FAMILIES FAMILIES.

SO WE HAVE TO GET A BETTER GRASP ON HOW IT'S HAPPENING AND WHY IT'S HAPPENING AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER SOLUTION.

>> I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS [INAUDIBLE].

TO APPLAUD THE EXISTENCE OF THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT'S FORMALIZING THIS CONVERSATION THAT WILL EMPOWER YOU WITH THE FACTS SO THAT YOU CAN VOC FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AT THE STATE LEVEL AND YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY LOCALLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE AN ARCHITECTURE NOW AROUND THE CONVERSATIONS.

SO -- AND TRANSPARENCY IS SO IMPORTANT. AND JUST LIKE I SPOKE TO THE FACT THAT THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE EXISTS FOR ISDS, BUT NOT THE OTHER STUDENTS. INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, FOR INSTANCE, ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO NOTIFY THEIR COMMUNITIES IF THEY HAVE A D OR F RATING.

CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE NOT. INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO NOTIFY THEIR COMMUNITIES IF THEY DON'T HAVE CERTIFIED TREACHERS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN FORCED TO OPT INTO THIS, BUT CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE NOT.

BUT IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS THAT'S ASKING THE QUESTIONS AND ARMING YOURSELF WITH THE DATA, THEN YOU CAN ASK THE QUESTION, WELL, WHY? AND THEN YOU CAN ADVOCATE BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND THEY'RE FUNDING THE -- THE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULAS ARE VERY, VERY COMPLICATE AND THEY'RE NOT THE SAME FOR BOTH SYSTEMS OR ALL THREE SYSTEMS NOW THAT WE SPEAK ABOUT.

SO JUST HAVING A FORUM TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTS HELPS EVERYONE.

>> ONE THING YOU SAID, TO PUT ON THE BROADER AGENDA. THIS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM TO SOLVE, BUT IT IS YOUR PROBLEM. IT'S A COMMUNITY PROBLEM.

AND IT IS ABOUT CERTIFIED TEACHERS. WE WERE LOOKING AT DATA.

THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS COMING OUT -- CAREY CAN CITY SPEAK TO THIS BETTER THAN ME, BUT STUDENTS COMING OUT OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IS SO LOW NOW.

FINDING TEACHERS IS GOING TO GET HARDER AND HASHEDDER AND OTHER REASONS TOO, STATE FUNDING. THAT'S ALSO A COMMUNITY PROBLEM BECAUSE WE KNOW THE PERFORMANCE IS BETTER WHEN KIDS HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

THAT'S IN THE DATA. THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE. I THINK JUST TALKING ABOUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. ANOTHER ANECDOTE -- IMPORTANT TO NOTE, CHARTERS DO GET AN AVERAGE OF $1,000 MORE PER STUDENT THAN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR REGULAR GENERAL REVENUE FUNDING. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.

THAT'S ANOTHER BIG THING. I'LL PICK ON IDEA. I KNOW YOU'RE HERE TODAY, BUT IT'S AN INTERESTING -- IDEA HAS -- THEY GET THE AVERAGE IS THE CRAZIEST SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM. THEY GET THE AVERAGE OF THE SMALL TO MIDSIZE NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SIZE. SO IDEA HAS ABOUT 80,000 STUDENTS NOW, SO THEY GET $80 MILLION, BUT A DISTRICT THAT HAS 80,000 STUDENTS GETS NOTHING.

THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND CONTEXT.

>> MUNGIA: ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THE OTHER THINGS I WOULD ALSO ADD IS I WOULD URGE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS FROM YOU AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM ABOUT WHAT THE POTENTIAL OF SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION LOOKS LIKE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

IS THAT A NET POSITIVE, NEGATIVE? IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TOWARDS? BECAUSE I THINK THE WAY THESE SCHOOLS ARE FRAGMENTED IS -- CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO FOLKS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE FEEDING INTO ONE NEIGHBORHOOD OR ONE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDING INTO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIKE YOU DID WITH SOUTH SAN, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN BE REALLY DEVASTATING TO ONE DISTRICT AND CAN CAUSE A LOT OF WEAKNESSES IN THEIR ABILITY THERE ARE REALLY NO OTHER OPTION BE SERIOUS ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION AND I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY ONE FOR SURE,

[01:25:03]

>> YEAH. I'LL JUST SPEAK TO THAT. I THINK THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER, ESPECIALLY IN THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EFFICIENCY AND MAKING EFFICIENT DECISIONS. BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT CONSOLIDATION -- FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THE WAY THAT IN THE DISTRICT WHERE MY CHILDREN GO AND WHERE I TAUGHT, THE SCHOOLS WERE BEING DEFINED SORT OF AS BEING AT CAPACITY IN A WAY THAT DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE TO EDUCATORS OR STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING THAT DEFINITION, THEY WERE DETERMINING THAT DEFINITION BASED ON THE REVENUE THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING FROM THE STATE. SO AT CAPACITY WAS ACTUALLY -- UNDERCAPACITY, I'M SORRY,ANCE UNDER ENROLLED SCHOOL WAS STILL SERVING LUNCH TO CHILDREN AT 10:30 IN THE MORNING, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT WHAT TEACHERS CONSIDER UNDERENROLLED, THAT'S NOT WHAT STUDENTS OR FAMILIES CONSIDER UNDER ENROLLED, BUT BECAUSE OF THE DOLLARS ATTACHED TO THAT DEFINITION BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION THAT THE DISTRICT'S BEEN PUT INTO, THAT SCHOOL ISUNDER ENROLLED AND COULD BE CONSIDERED NEEDING TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL OR ANOTHER CAMPUS. SO AGAIN, THE CONTEXT IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE AND THE CONTEXT REALLY MATTERS. AND FOR EFFICIENCY -- SOMETIMES EFFICIENCY IS NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR COMMUNITIES, BUT IT ALL COMES -- IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE STATE AND

THE FUNDING THAT OUR SCHOOLS GET. >> GALVAN: I DON'T NORMALLY LIMIT DEBATE OR CONVERSATION HERE, BUT COUNCILMEMBER, ARE YOU OKAY WITH COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ GOES NEXT? THANK YOU.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION TODAY, BUT I DO WANT TO -- I GUESS THERE'S A FEW TAKEAWAYS.

OF COURSE THERE'S THESE NEXT STEPS THAT ARE POSSIBLE. COULD YOU GO TO THAT SLIDE FOR ONE, THE LAST ONE, 13? I HEARD THIS SAID MORE THAN A FEW TIMES FROM SPEAKERS TODAY. NOWHERE ON THIS LIST IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CLOSE DOWN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS OR TO ANTAGONIZE PARENTS OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT.

I WANT TO I GUESS START AT THAT POINT. I THINK THE CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING AS A TOP R FOLLOW-UP WILL LIKELY BE WHAT ROLE ARE WE GOING TO PLAY FOR ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS, LARGELY AT THE STATE LEVEL THIS UPCOMING YEAR AND WHAT IS THAT EFFORT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEED TO BE SUPPORTED THE MOST RIGHT NOW AND HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY WITH EDUCATION BEING ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES.

EDUCATION AS A SUBJECT BEING A PRIORITY OF THE GOVERNOR AND HIS FOLKS.

WHAT I WILL CONVEY TO ALL THOSE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK TODAY.

I'VE MET SEVERAL OF Y'ALL, SEEN SOME OF YOU SPEAK AT DIFFERENT MEETINGS.

I ATTENDED EIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOLS GROWING UP AND I'VE TAUGHT AT FOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR WORKED AT FOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WHAT I EXPERIENCED, EMMY FIRST YEAR, I DID KIND OF A STRANGE WAY OF GOING ABOUT BECOMING A TEACHER.

I GRADUATED, TOOK A GAP HERE YER AND I SERVED AS A SCHOOL MEMBER FOR ONE YEAR.

I DON'T THINK I TECHNICALLY COUNT AS AN ALUM BECAUSE I DIDN'T -- I DON'T THINK IT COUNTS. I JOINED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIP THEY HAD WITH SAISD. WE DID TRAINING AND I FELT LIKE I WAS TRIPLE CERTIFIED AT A CERTAIN POINT. AND MY FIRST YEAR TEACHING AT SAM HOUSTON WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF PARENTS, IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF STUDENT, IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO CARED AND WANT TO BETTER THEIR COMMUNITY. IT WAS ALL ABOUT HOW POLITICAL EDUCATION HAS BECOME. AND THE ACTIONS THAT THE STATE TAKES THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO BE AN EDUCATOR, THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO BE A PARENT, THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO BE A STUDENT. SO -- I EXPERIENCED I THINK A FEW TIMES. THERE WAS A REALLY STRONG DAY, OCTOBER 15TH, WHATEVER 16TH, WHATEVER SNAPSHOT DAY IS, SOME TIME IN OCTOBER, IT'S THE DAY WHERE ALL THE STUDENTS WHO ARE AT YOUR CAMPUS COUNT, YOU'RE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE STUDENTS. Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR. AND I REMEMBER THE DAY THAT

[01:30:04]

SO EVEN THOSE OF US IN SPACES FOR ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR OUR KIDS AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OTHER STUDENTS AND OTHER FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO HOW DO WE SIMULTANEOUSLY MEET THE MOMENT WHERE IT IS NOW, WHERE SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING, THE STATE OF EDUCATION EXAM IN TEXAS IS ROUGH. IT IS HARD FOR A FAMILY TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL, NOT BECAUSE THERE'S TEACHERS OR ADMIN OR ANYONE THERE WORKING IN THAT CAMPUS THAT DOESN'T TAKE THEIR JOB SERIOUSLY AND DOESN'T CARE FOR THEIR STUDENTS, BUT BECAUSE IT IS BEING MADE SO HARD TO SUCCEED AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL BECAUSE OF ACTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO EXIST AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL LEVEL. AND HOW DO WE ALSO TRY TO GET AS MANY FOLKS TO REALIZE WHAT IT TAKES ON A COLLECTIVE FRONT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUCCEED.

AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS IF WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, MAYBE WE'RE NOT GIVING PUBLIC DOLLARS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING BECAUSE THE NEED EXISTS AT A GREATER SCALE AT PUBLIC CAMPUSES. THAT'S A DECISION TO BE HAD.

I HEARD THAT CONCEPT MENTIONED BY A FEW OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY.

SO THAT'S THE SORT OF LENS THAT WE'RE VIEWING PROBLEM-SOLVING ON THIS END FROM. TO THE OTHER END IT'S NOT THE TEACHERS WHO ARE HERE, IT'S NOT US, IT'S NOT THE STUDENTS, NONE OF US ARE EACH OTHERS' ENEMY.

AND THE DISCUSSION IS LAMAR LARGELY FRAMED THAT IT IS THE PARENTS, THE CHILDREN. THE STATE IS THE ANTAGONIST HERE.

THE STATE HAS EVER INTEREST POSSIBLE IN PRIVATIZING ANY PUBLIC GOOD THEY POSSIBLY CAN. THEY WANT TO PRIVATE TIES PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DIVERTING EXCESS AMOUNTS OF FUNDS TO THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY, BUT THEY ALSO ARE INVESTED HEAVILY IN THE SUCCESS AND IN THE OPERATION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AS WELL IS THAT IN ORDER FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO THRIVE THAT THE STATE IS EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO REVERSE COURSE ON THOSE THINGS OR MAKE A MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT AND THINK ABOUT FUNDING OR PUBLIC SCHOOL. ALL THREE COULD SUCCEED IF PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE TREATED EQUALLY AND EVERY ENTITY WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE THE SAME REGULATIONS THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE. BUT THAT'S NOT THE REALITY.

I THINK THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING AND THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AS WE GO ABOUT OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE HOW DO WE TAKE THESE VERY COMPLEX IDEAS, TAKE THEM TO AN ANTAGONISTIC BODY AS OF RIGHT NOW, THINGS COULD CHANGE IN NOVEMBER, BUT HOW DO WE TAKE THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO THIS ANTAGONISTIC BODY AND BRING ABOUT CHANGE? IT MEANS THAT IT CAN'T JUST BE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OUR LOBBYING TEAMS, NOT JUST THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, PARENTS, FAMILIES, HAVE TO BE A PART OF THAT AS WELL. IN ORDER FOR ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS TO SUCCEED, CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCEED. THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE EDUCATED, THAT'S WHERE OUR WORKFORCE IS GOING TO BE EDUCATED PRIMARILY. SO IF WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO SUCCEED, WE ALL NEED TO BE ON BOARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO I THINK THAT'S THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING AND IT COMPLICATED AND EMOTIONAL.

OBVIOUSLY EMOTIONALLY CHARGED WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF YOUR FAMILY AND KIDS AND STUDENTS. SO I UNDERSTAND THE EMOTION HERE AND I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYES LASER FOCUSED ON WHAT OUR REAL TARGET IS

[01:35:05]

THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? ALL RIGHT.

>> CAN I VERY QUICKLY, VERY QUICKLY RESPOND TO THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT -- YOUR THOUGHTS VERY MUCH. SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE WITH AND SOMETHING THAT I SHARE A LOT IS THAT I DON'T FAULT PARENTS MAKING A CHOICES.

I'M A PARENT, I MAKE MY CHOICES AS WELL. BUT MY JOB AND PATS IS TO THINK ABOUT OUR SYSTEM, OUR SYSTEM OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WHEN YOU HAVE CREATED DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND YOU HAVE SOME THAT CAN KICK OUT, CHOOSE NOT TO ENROLL, WHAT HAPPENS AT SCALE -- AND THAT'S WHAT I INVITE EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT -- IS THIRD WORLD, Y'ALL. IT'S THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WILL BE IN OUR INDEPENDENT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE THE ONES WITH INCARCERATED FAMILY, THE FOSTER KIDS, THE HOMELESS YOUTH, THE EXTREME SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS, THE EXTREME BEHAVIOR NEEDS, BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE ACCEPTED ANYWHERE ELSE.

AND WE'RE CREATING -- WE, THE STATE, IS CREATING A SYSTEM WHERE THERE ARE ESCAPE ROUTES FOR FAMILIES THAT CAN GET THERE. I'M ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES, I CAN ESCAPE, MY KIDS. BUT I WANT MY KIDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARENT CHOICE YOU'RE TAKING THAT CHOICE FROM ME BECAUSE YOU'RE DEFUNDING -- NOT YOU. BECAUSE THE STATE IS DEFUNDING MY SCHOOL.

BECAUSE YOU'RE CREATING SCHOOLS THAT ARE TAKING ALL OF THE EASY KIDS AWAY AND SO WHAT'S LEFT OVER ARE THESE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF VERY EXPENSIVE AND VERY HARD TO EDUCATE STUDENTS THAT PARENTS DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE A PART OF.

AND WE'RE MAKING THAT HAPPEN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.

GRATEFUL FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY. I THINK OVERALL WITH ALL OF THESE -- AGAIN, A LOT OF THEM ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING AS WELL HERE. SO IT'S INTERESTING IN SEEING HOW WE CAN REEVALUATE THESE NEXT STEPS AS WE LOOK AT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT WE'LL HAVE AS A CITY, BUT ALSO WITHIN OUR CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO OUR FULL COUNCIL.

THANK YOU AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. I KNOW WE HAVE LIMITED TIME HERE, BUT WE'LL JUMP INTO ITEM NUMBER 3, SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS PRESENTED BID

UNIVERSITY HEALTH. >> ALL RIGHT. LET ME MAKE SURE -- I THINK I'M GOOD. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? PERFECT.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR THE INVITATION TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS, AND REALLY MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AS A WHOLE. MY NAME IS VALERIE MALDONADO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS, OUR MOBILE BUSES AND OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PIECE OF OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND I WORK ALONGSIDE MY ALONG DR. MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ, OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR. SO MOVING ALONG INTO THE HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM, WE ESTABLISHED OUR FIRST CLINIC IN 2013. OVER A DECADE AGO.

OUR INITIAL PARTNER WAS HARLANDALE ISD. WE TOOK OVER A BUILDING THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDED TO US AND WE CAME IN AND PROVIDED THE SERVICES.

IT IS ON THE CAMPUS OF COLLIER ELEMENTARY AND WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH SEEING PATIENTS OUT OF THAT BUILDING TODAY. INITIALLY WE SAW A PEDIATRIC MAJORITY POPULATION. THAT WAS OUR FOCUS, OF COURSE, BEING SCHOOL-BASED.

AND OUR SERVICES INCLUDED VACCINES, SPORTS PHYSICALS, WELL CHILD CHECKS, IMMUNIZATIONS, ACUTE CARE, THOSE VISITS. WE QUICKLY NOTICED THAT THE NEED WAS GREATER AND SO WE EXPANDED OUR LOCATIONS, WE EXPANDED OUR SERVICES.

OUR MOBILE BUSES BECAME A PART OF OUR ARM, THE EXTENSION THAT WE HAVE INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE ARE THREE COMPONENTS TO OUR PROGRAM AS A WHOLE. WE HAVE OUR HEALTH CENTERS MORE OR LESS AND MAMMOGRAPHY BUS, AND WE HAVE A HEALTH EDUCATION COMPONENT WHERE WE BRING SERVICES INTO THE COMMUNITY VIA OUR HEALTH CENTERS OR OUR BUSES. AND THEN WE ALSO HELP TO EDUCATE OUR PARTNERS IN PROVIDING CARE TO CHILDREN. AND EVEN THE FUTURE OF OUR HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE? WE HAVE SCHOOL-BASED CENTERS IN TOTALITY.

[01:40:05]

>> THANK YOU. SO THE MAP YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IS A CONCENTRATION MAP.

IT SHOWS THE ADDRESSES OF THE PATIENTS WE SEE WITH THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION ON THE WESTSIDE AND THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. THAT'S WHERE OUR MORE ESTABLISHED CLINICS ARE, OUR NISD SORRY, D AND OUR SOUTHWEST ISD CLINICS TEND TO BE ON THE WEST AND SOUTHSIDE THERE. AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE CITY, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE MORE OF OUR NEWER CLINICS. AND THOSE ARE LIGHTER, BUT WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN PATIENT VISITS IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT OVERLAPS WITH COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SERVED BY THE DISTRICTS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. THE MAP THAT'S ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS PROVIDED BY OUR INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. IT'S AN ARM OF UNIVERSITY HEALTH DEDICATED TO ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITY. AND THIS IS A MAP THAT SHOWS BOTH CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATE AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THERE IS A PERFECT OVERLAP IN THOSE TWO.

YOU SEE THAT LOWER HALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO MAP COMPLETELY GRAY.

THAT MEANS OVERLAP IN THOSE TWO AREAS, WHICH I THINK IS VERY TELLING ABOUT THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE. THESE CHARTS -- I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THEM IN TERRIBLE DETAIL EXCEPT TO IDENTIFY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTIONS PERCENTAGE. THE BAR CHART ON THE LEFT TALKS ABOUT THE PRIMARY PAYERS. WHO IS PAYING FOR THE VISITS THAT THESE PATIENTS ARE HAVING IN OUR CLINICS? AND THE HIGHEST PAYER IS MEDICAID.

AGAIN THIS, THAT'S NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THE POPULATION OF THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. THE NEXT HIGHEST IS COMMERCIAL. AND JUST AS SIGNIFICANT IS SELF-PAY. THESE ARE PATIENTS THAT ARE COMING IN AND PAYING OUT OF POCKET OR USUALLY ALLOWING THE UNIVERSITY TO BILL THEM LATER.

THIS IS NOT -- OUR SYSTEM DOES NOT CAPTURE THE INCOME OF THE PATIENTS THAT COME IN, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ANECDOTALLY HAVING BEEN A PHYSICIAN IN THIS AREA FOR 10 YEARS AND IN THE SOUTHSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE PAST FIVE, HE THESE PATIENTS HAVE INCOME THAT CAN TRULY PAY AND AFFORD THEIR MEDICAL CARE.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT FALL BELOW THE THRESHOLD OR -- ABOVE THE THRESHOLD OF INCOME FOR MEDICAID, CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE INSURANCE, THEY DO NOT HAVE OPTIONS THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYERS, THAT WE TRY TO GET INTO OUR CARE LINK SYSTEM, WHICH IS A COUNTY SYSTEM THAT HELPS THEM WITH PAY, BUT AREN'T ALWAYS ABLE TO DO SO.

AND THEN THE OTHER THREE, UNIVERSITY HEALTH PLAN, A LOT OF OUR OWN EMPLOYEES COME TO SEE US. AND CARE LINK THAT'S THE COUNTY FUNDING SYSTEM THAT HELPS OUR PATIENTS THAT DON'T HAVE INSURANCE AND DON'T QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID.

AND THEN THAT SIXTH LARGEST CATEGORY IS MEDICARE. ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU WILL SEE A DISTRIBUTION OF THE AGES OF PATIENTS THAT WE SERVE IN OUR SCHOOL-BASED CLINICS. AND THIS IS REALLY TELLING BECAUSE WE ARE THERE PRIMARILY TO SERVE THE STUDENTS OF THE CAMPUSES ON WHICH OUR CLINICS ARE LOCATED, AS WELL AS THE STAFF AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE STUDENTS ARE STILL OUR PRIORITY. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGE DISTRIBUTION, OUR HIGHEST PERCENTAGE FALLS WITHIN THAT SCHOOL-AGE RANGE. THE FIVE TO 18 YEARS.

AND THEN WE SEE A PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE. WE ALSO DO SEE ADULTS BUT AGAIN THAT PERCENTAGE IS SMALLER AND CERTAINLY SMALLER THAN THE COMBINATION OF EVERYONE 18 AND UNDER. THIS IS A BAR CHART SHOWING THE TYPE OF PATIENT.

SO WHEN PARENTS OF CHILDREN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THEIR VISIT IS GIVEN A LABEL.

WHAT -- THE MAIN TYPES OF VISITS THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT ARE NEW PATIENT VISITS.

THOSE ARE STUDENTS, CHILDREN, ADULTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN IN UNIVERSITY OR HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN WITHIN THE PREVIOUS THREE YEARS FOR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES. AND THEN ALONG THAT LINE IF WE'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE FOR

[01:45:04]

THAT THIRD BAR THERE, NEW PATIENTS IS A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT IMMUNIZATIONS. 18% OF THE VISITS WE SEE IN OUR CLINICS ARE IMMUNIZATIONS. AND I DON'T HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN BY AGE, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY TELL YOU THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THAT NUMBER IS CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO COME TO US FOR IMMUNIZATIONS WHEN THEY REALIZE THEY'RE NEARING THAT TIME OF YEAR TO HAVE PROOF OF IMMUNIZATION TO ENROLL FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. WELL CHILD CHECKS ARE THE EQUIVALENT OF ANNUAL VISITS FOR OUR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AND THAT REFERS TO OUR CHILDREN UNDER 13 THAT COME TO SEE US. WE FOLLOW THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICARE WELL CHILD VISITS WHICH MEANS WE SCREEN FOR ALL SORT OF PROBLEMS THAT CAN ARISE THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY CAUGHT IMMEDIATELY BY SCHOOL OR FAMILY MEMBERS SUCH AS DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT CAN IMPACT THEM.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR TEEN WELL CHILD THAT SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO OUR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS THAT ARE 13 AND OLDER. WE ALSO DO SPORTS PHYSICALS AND THOSE ARE TO AQUIFER STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS IN SCHOOL OR OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THERE ARE SMALLER CATEGORIES THERE THAT INCLUDE INFANT WELL CHILD CHECKS. MOST OF OUR PROVIDERS DO NOT SEE PATIENTS UNDER TWO, BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE THAT DO, SO WE DO THEY'RE REALLY, TRULY -- THEY'RE DIFFERENT SPECIES ENTIRELY BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT THEY LOOK FOR IN THIS AGE RANGE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN OUR OTHER PEDIATRIC POPULATIONS. THEN YOU WILL ALSO SEE KIND OF BURIED THERE THE THIRD FROM THE RIGHT IS THE ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT AND THAT REFERS TO OUR ADULT PHYSICALS. I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK TO VALERIE TO DISCUSS THIS --

OUR MOBILE UNITS. >> I'M GOING TO GO BACK REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE WHAT I DIDN'T MENTION BEFORE WHEN I TOLD YOU ABOUT OUR LOCATIONS IS WHO IS THERE.

WE HAVE PROVIDERS, APP'S MOSTLY, EITHER PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT OR A NURSE PRACTITIONER AND WE ALSO HAVE AN LVN ON SITE AT OUR CLINIC AND WE HAVE OUR REGISTRATION ACCESS SPECIALIST OR FRONT DESK PERSON TO GREET OUR PATIENTS AND WHO TAKE THE MAJORITY OF OUR PHONE CALLS. SO WE ARE TRULY LIKE ANY OTHER FAMILY MEDICINE PRIMARY CARE CLINIC AND THAT ULTIMATELY IS OUR GOAL.

WE WERE FIRST VERY EPISODIC IN NATURE AND AGAIN WE QUICKLY NOTICED THAT THE NEED WAS MUCH GREATER THAN WHAT WE WERE PROVIDING A DECADE AGO.

SO WE HAVE NOW REALLY TRANSITIONED TO BEING A PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME FOR OUR PATIENTS AND THAT ULTIMATELY IS OUR GOAL TO CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS, NOT GOING THROUGH THEIR ACUTE CARE NEEDS, BUT ALSO THROUGH THEIR CHRONIC DISEASES AND HELPING TO MANAGE THOSE AND OUR PROVIDERS ARE LED BY DR. RODRIGUEZ AND DOING JUST THAT. SO MOVING ON TO OUR BUSES, I STATED THAT THIS WAS ANOTHER ARM OF OUR PROGRAM, AND IT TRULY IS.

WE HAVE A PRIMARY CARE MOBILE BUS THAT IS A CLINIC ON WHEELS.

WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO MEET THE COMMUNITY EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE AT. TO PROVIDE IMMUNIZATIONS. WE HAVE PROVIDED SOME SPORTS PHYSICALS AND WELL CHILD CHECKS, BUT MOSTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE ARE IMMUNIZATIONS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NEED FOR IMMUNIZATIONS IS DEFINITELY GREAT. WE'VE ALSO TAKEN OUT OUR MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY BUS TO THE COMMUNITY AGAIN TO PROVIDE MAMMOGRAM SCREENINGS WITH THE LATEST AND GREATEST TECHNOLOGY. WHILE THAT ISN'T TECHNICALLY SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED, WE ARE VERY MUCH COMMUNITY FOCUSED AND MANY OF OUR PARTNERS ARE IN FACT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE WE'RE BRINGING SERVICES TO THE STAFF SO THAT WAY THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE WORK. THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS RIGHT ON-SITE AND GET THAT PIECE DONE. SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE AND THAT CONVENIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH OUR MOBILE PROGRAM. SO CUMULATIVELY WE'VE SEEN OVER 6800 PEOPLE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DARKER SPOTS ARE WHERE WE TAKE BOTH MOBILE BUSES, BUT TRULY WE GO EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY AND EVEN A BIT BEYOND OUR BORDERS.

I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR FLU SHOT CLINIC REALLY QUICKLY.

WE HOLD FOUR LARGE COMMUNITY FLU DRIVES. THIS IS VERY MUCH SPEARHEADED BY OUR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUR PHARMACY. OUR PHARMACISTS ARE THE ONES THAT ADMINISTER THE FLU VACCINES. AND WE PARTNER WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND OUR MOBILE

[01:50:05]

I'LL TALK ABOUT THE ONE ON THE LEFT FIRST. THIS IS ACTUALLY ME SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF STUDENTS. WITH MY -- DR. RODRIGUEZ'S PREDECESSOR, WE CREATED THE SCHOOL-BASED STUDENT PUBLIC HEALTH COHORT. WE GATHERED STUDENTS FROM LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO COME TO OUR FACILITIES AND WE PROVIDED EDUCATION ON PUBLIC HEALTH TOPICS LIKE DIABETES, COVID, AND LIFESTYLE MEDICINE MOST RECENTLY. THIS WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GAIN LEADERSHIP SKILLS. THEY DID VARIOUS ACTIVITIES, PRESENTED ON THE TOPICS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN, AND REALLY SHARED THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY LEARNED.

WE HAVE NOT HELD ANY MEETINGS THIS YEAR, HOWEVER THAT IS ONE OF DR. RODRIGUEZ'S AND MY GOAL TO CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE THIS IS TRULY HELPING TO EDUCATE THE FUTURE OF OUR WORKFORCE HEALTH CARE FUTURE LEADERS AS WELL. ON THE THREE PICTURES ON THE RIGHT SHOW A GROUP TALKING TO SCHOOL NURSES. SO THIS WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY HEALTH, DIABETES EDUCATION, TEAM MEMBERS, OUR NURSE EDUCATORS, THAT IS DR. LUCAS ON THE FAR RIGHT, OUR FORMER MEDICAL DIRECTOR, SPEAKING TO SCHOOL NURSES ABOUT DIABETES. THEY ARE OUR PARTNERS IN HELPING TO CARE FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE ISSUES BEYOND OUR CLINIC DOORS AND THE WALLS.

SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND SHARE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. SO THIS IS ANOTHER COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM THAT WE DEFINITELY AIM TO CONTINUE AND IN FACT EXPAND.

AND THAT IS OUR PROGRAM. VERY QUICKLY AND BRIEFLY. SO WE WILL TAKE ANY

QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR US NOW. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENCE AND WORK YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE PARTNERSHIPS ARE SO DEEPLY ROOTED AND FOCUS ON SERVING.

AND IT'S A PUBLIC HELP BEING HERE, NOT JUST THE FOLKS YOU'RE TARGETING BUT THE PARENTS, ADULTS AND STAFF IS REALLY INCREDIBLE TOO. ANYONE WANT TO START WITH COUNCIL CONVERSATION OR QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA.

>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I ACTUALLY ATTEND A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING AT COLLIER ELEMENTARY SO I SEE THAT OFFICE THAT Y'ALL HAVE THERE. I THINK THAT'S SO VITAL NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, BUT THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS AND MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S THAT MUCH CLOSER PEOPLE MAY DECIDE THEY WANT TO GO AND GET CHECKED FOR SOMETHING. ESPECIALLY THE MOBILE MAMMOGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE RISE OF CANCER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF ACCESS THAT THE FOLKS DON'T HAVE.

AND SOMETIMES MAYBE THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T -- REASONS WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO GET CHECKED. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS HOW CAN WE HELP YOU EXPAND THAT INTO OTHER SCHOOLS? I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SO LOOK FOR HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> CASTILLO: I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND INITIATIVE. WHILE IT'S NOT LISTED IN THE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE IT'S HARRISS MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE PRESENTATION WHERE YOU ARE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHICH IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL I ATTENDED. REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY. OF COURSE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO WITH HAIR DAN DALE ISD AS WELL. BUT JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, HEAR HOW WE COULD HELP EXPAND THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO AND WE KNOW NOT ONLY DOES YOUR WORK IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AS WELL AS ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND HELPS REDUCE ABSENTEEISM THAT WE SEE IN SCHOOL. JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND LEADERSHIP

WITH YOUR INITIATIVE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.

NO NEED TO ANSWER ALL THESE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. I HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM, BUT IT'S PRIX MAYLER AROUND THE DATA OF THE FOLKS WE'RE SERVING.

HOW DO -- I THINK WE KNOW IT, THE IMPACT OF WELL-BEING, THE IMPACT ON ATTENDANCE, BUT SEEING ANY TANGIBLE DATA THERE WITH ANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU OPERATE WITH WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE OR THAT -- JUST THE DIRECT CORRELATION. SIMILARLY ANYTHING WITH THE

[01:55:02]

I DON'T THINK WHAT THE BEST LOOK IS THERE, BUT SEEING IF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE.

WE KNOW THAT MAKING HEALTH CARE ACCESSIBLE INCREASES THAT, BUT SEEING THE SAME THING, THE PERCENTAGE THERE. ALSO INTERESTED, MAYBE THIS IS A BIT SELFISHLY FOR THE CITY A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE COST THAT THEY HAVE IN TERMS OF STAFFING AND HOW MANY -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN GET ALL THIS DEET, BUT HOW MANY STAFF UTILIZE THE CLINIC AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS ON THE BACK END FOR THE DISTRICT? I KNOW WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS HERE ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS AND AGAIN SEEING WHAT THAT EFFECT IS ON THE ACTUAL SYSTEM ITSELF. THE OTHER THING IS HOW MANY PARENTS ARE WITHOUT CHILDREN OR STUDENTS? THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A STUDENT ENROLLED, HOW MANY ACCESS THE CLINIC AND HOW MANY FOLKS DO KNOW ABOUT IT AS WELL? I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUTCOMES IN THE AREA. AND THE LAST THING WAS ALSO THE PARTNERSHIPS.

I THINK THE COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION, WHAT DID YOU CALL IT BEFORE?

>> STUDENT PUBLIC HEALTH FORUM. >> INCREDIBLE.

>> >> GALVAN: INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE, OF COURSE OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN PARTICULAR, BOTH UNIVERSITY LEVEL AS WELL AS ANY OTHER PARTNERS, WHICH IS METHODIST, ET CETERA. OTHER CAMPUSES THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK. I KNOW THERE ARE MAGNET SCHOOLS IN MANY OF OUR DISTRICTS FOCUSED ON HEALTH, BUT OTHER PROGRAMS ON DIFFERENT CAMPUSES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS AND WE'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE. ANYWAY, THOSE ARE ALL MY OVERLYING QUESTIONS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THEM ALL RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE CONVERSATION. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO

SHARE BEFORE WE WRAP TODAY? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

THOSE ARE DEFINITELY GREAT QUESTIONS AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE BACK AND REALLY SEE WHAT DATA WE HAVE CURRENTLY. AND IF NOT THEN WHAT DATA WE'LL NEED TO GATHER TO ANSWER THAT. I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO SUPPORT THE IMPACT THAT OUR

PROGRAM BRINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. >> GALVAN: THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND THE WORK YOU DO. IT IS 11:57 A.M. ON MAY 19TH, 2026.

WE WILL OFFICIALLY ADJOURN THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE MEETING. THANK YOU ALL.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.