The Presiding Officer will call the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. before the Board Recesses to Closed Session.  The Regular Meeting will convene by 7:30 p.m. 

Persons wishing to address the Board should fill out a green speaker card.  Cards turned in by 5:15 p.m. will be given priority. Speakers will be randomly selected based on topic and position, with BUSD students generally given priority. Public Testimony is limited to 15 minutes with a 3-minute limit per speaker per topic although the time allotted per speaker may be reduced to 2 minutes at the discretion of the President. 

The Board may recess into Closed Session before or after the public meeting under the authority of the Brown Act (including but not limited to Government Code section 54954.5, 54956.8, 54956.9, 54957, 54957.6, as well as Education Code section 35146).  Under Government Code section 54954.3, members of the public may address the board on an item on the Closed Session agenda, before Closed Session.

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54953, Director Judy Appel will be participating via teleconference at the following location: 1919 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20009. This agenda will be posted at the foregoing location at least 24 hours before the meeting is scheduled to commence. Public participation will be permitted at the teleconferencing location. All votes taken during teleconferencing meeting shall be by roll call.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Donald Evans, Ed. D., Superintendent
DATE: December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Board Meeting Calendar for 2018

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The proposed Board meeting calendar for 2018 includes 20 regular meetings. The meeting dates have been determined with the consideration of major religious holidays as well as major school events and breaks. 

POLICY/CODE:
BB 9100 / Ed Code 35143

FISCAL IMPACT: 
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the regular Board meeting calendar for 2018.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Donald Evans, Ed. D., Superintendent
DATE: December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Committee and School Assignments for 2018

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 
Board participation on the various committees, workgroups and schools serves to create and maintain a collaborative relationship between the District and the community while supporting Board policies and mutual objectives. 

Proposed school and committee assignments for 2018 are attached. 

POLICY CODE: 
BB 9100 / Ed Code 35143

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the proposed committee and school assignments for 2018.

Persons wishing to address the Board should fill out a green speaker card.  Cards turned in by 7:15 p.m. will be given priority.        

Speakers will be randomly selected based on topic and position, with BUSD students generally given priority.  Public Testimony is limited to 30 minutes with a 3-minute limit per speaker per topic although the time allotted per speaker may be reduced to 2 minutes at the discretion of the President. 

Board members and the Superintendent are given the opportunity to address any issue.  

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO:          Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:     Evelyn Tamondong-Bradley, Assistant Superintendent, HR
DATE:       December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:      Approval of Human Resources Reports

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On a regular basis, staff presents Human Resources Reports listing employment actions for the Board to approve officially. Please refer to attached reports for details.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:          Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:          Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services
Pat Saddler, Ed.D, Director, Programs and Special Projects
DATE:      December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:    Job Description: African-American Success Program - Project Manager

BACKGROUND
On May 17, 2017, the Board approved this position as part of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). At that time, the Board gave direction to staff to draft a job description to further the approval process. As a classified position, approval of tonight’s job description by the Board will send the document back to the Personnel Commission for final approval.

Original Background and Rationale for the Position

Direct Support and Program Development for African-American Students

Given persistent challenges and disparities in outcomes for black students, the Educational Services team is seeking to develop an intensive support system for African-American students throughout BUSD. Many of these students continue to find themselves disproportionately impacted by or involved in a broad range of negative outcomes across our district. While outcomes like graduation rates and state math performance show African-American males in BUSD outperforming their counterparts across the county and state, those comparative gains are still well below many non-black peers and other ethnic groups across the district, constituting a significant disparity or gap in outcomes that warrants continued and sustained attention.

These challenges facing black students are evidenced nationally in drop-out rates, general struggles in school, contact with the police or the juvenile justice system, and in over-identification for special education services, as well as a host of other disparities.

Inspired by both a desire to become increasingly specific and focused on the issues as they impact black students, as well as by recent research on programs yielding positive gains and impact, Educational Services is recommending the creation of a position with the working title of African-American Student Success - Project Manager.

This position, a classified position, would be tasked with developing cohorts for support in grades 7 through 10 to, in part, develop programs similar to those found in the most current research – in particular, around work done in the Becoming a Man (BAM) program in Chicago, which has shown reductions in negative behaviors and contacts with law enforcement as well as gains in school engagement and graduation rates by coupling culturally specific supports with coping skills rooted in the psychology of automaticity.

To quote a recent Washington Post article on the program, while in the face of these challenges, "policymakers have increasingly rallied around early childhood interventions that might alter the life trajectories of young boys well before they ever become young men. But that is, of course, not a solution that will help men of color already drifting." We believe that comparable challenges exist for our female students as well, and the position will help to coordinate supports for female students of African descent in the grade ranges focused on below.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/03/young-black-men-face-daunting-odds-in-life-these-programs-can-help/?utm_term=.b06d2f6802ae

This position would focus exclusively on developing and coordinating supports and mentoring for kids in grades 7 through 10 during the school day, as well as to develop and facilitate groups like the Chicago program referenced above.

Coupled with a strong, skills-based program like AVID, we could build, with this position’s leadership, a multifunction program that provides cultural support, coping strategies, and strong academic supports exclusively to this group of students.

FISCAL IMPACT:
Previously approved  $125,000 in LCAP Supplemental Funding.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Job Description

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO:             Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services
DATE:         December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:   International Field Trip Request-Berkeley High School-Cuba

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The following proposed international field trip request is being made:

Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble Proposed Tour of Cuba, January 26-February 3, 2018
Approve participation of 23 Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble students, at least three teachers and nine other adults on a nine-day, eight-night trip to Cuba.  The group will depart on Friday, January 26^th, and return on Saturday, February 3, 2018, with specific flights to be coordinated by Travel Wizards, Inc.

PlazaCuba is a humanitarian-based arts organization that fosters the investigation and preservation of Cuban music and culture throughout the Americas.  In the 12 years since its inception, PlazaCUBA has organized over 25 different trips to Cuba, including music and dance workshops, humanitarian aid missions and artistic exchanges.  Actual classes and events will be jointly developed based on the needs and desires of the group, under the direction of music teacher Sarah Cline from the Berkeley High Jazz Program.  The tour will include a variety of classes with four to five hours of instruction per day, including lectures, classes on individual instruments, rhythm workshops and ensembles.  Master teachers will include internationally known musicians and professors from various music schools.  Classes will take place at the National School of Music or other music schools in Havana. Students will have opportunities to play with Cuban music students and also perform.

The cost per student is currently projected to be approximately $4,000 including airfare and incidentals.  PlazaCUBA’s service includes:

• accommodations with breakfast and dinner
• travel license for the group to engage in educational activities in Cuba
• travel assistance – PC offers assistance arranging travel to Cuba, but is not responsible for reserving or booking the actual flights
• airport transfer from/to Havana airport
• ground transportation with an English-speaking guide for planned activities
• daily program leadership
• other activities (for example: City Tour, Music and Dance performances, excursion outside of Havana)
• on the ground assistance with a PlazaCUBA logistical coordinator; the group may also be accompanied by a representative of the Cuban government.

PlazaCUBA offers three- and four-star hotel accommodations at Hotel Kohly, Hotel Riviera, or Hotel Palco. All room assignments will be gender specific and supervised.  Families are asked to pay one-half of the cost of the trip, with the other half being paid with funds provided by the Berkeley High Jazz Parents Association.  The Association is prepared to provide need-based scholarships to students in appropriate cases, so that no student is denied access based on inability to pay.  The trip will require teachers and students to miss six days of instruction.  Requested by: Erin Schweng, BHS Principal.

POLICY/CODE:
Education Code 35330
Board Policy 6153

FISCAL IMPACT:
As indicated above.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the out-of-state travel trip consistent with the District policies and instructional programs.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:             Donald Evans, Ed. D., Superintendent
FROM:        Pat Saddler, Director of BUSD Programs and Special Projects, and Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent of Educational Services
DATE:         December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:  Approval for CalSAFE Agreement for Child Development Services between Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) and the YMCA of the Central Bay Area

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The District has historically contracted with both the YMCA and City of Berkeley to provide support services for the district California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) program located at the Vera Casey Center in Berkeley. For the past three years, the YMCA has provided childcare services for the children of teen parents so that these parents could attend school, and they also added the parent training services and support services that the City of Berkeley was providing the previous years. The YMCA has agreed to expand their services to include both childcare as well as parenting classes and support for the student/teen parents.

This Memorandum of Understanding replaces the previous ongoing MOU with the YMCA of the Central Bay Area. The district is billed by the YMCA for the services provided to both parents and children based on the previous grant from the CDE. The funding for Cal-SAFE funding is now allocated to the district as a part of base LCFF funding and has been set aside in the budget as an expected expense for 2017-18.

A copy of the CalSAFE Agreement for Child Development Services has been attached. Board approval is required for payment of services.

POLICY/CODE:
California Development Division
Ed Code Title 5

FISCAL IMPACT:
Approximately $60,000 of General Fund Base Grant will be paid to YMCA of Central Bay Area for the services provided

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the CalSAFE agreement for Child Development Services between Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) and the YMCA of the Central Bay Area.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:              Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Lisa Graham, Director, Special Education
DATE:        December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:    Approval of Master Contracts for Nonpublic School for the 2017-2018 School Year  

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The District contracts with nonpublic schools, when necessary, to provide an appropriate placement, special education and/or related services if no appropriate public education program is available.  For students requiring nonpublic school day programs, the cost is for tuition for the educational program and services. An individual service agreement (ISA) is developed for each student to whom the service provider is to provide special education or related services. 

Transportation costs are included in the special education transportation budget.  All nonpublic schools must be approved by the California Department of Education. Services are provided pursuant to Ed. Code Section 56034 and 56366. Students enrolled in nonpublic schools are deemed enrolled in public schools. 

POLICY/CODE:
Education Code 39800
Board Policy 3310         

FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of these services is estimated not to exceed $168,863 funded from the Special Education Budget.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Master Contract for the Nonpublic School listed above.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:              Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:          Lisa Graham, Director, Special Education
DATE:          December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:    Approval of Master Contracts for Nonpublic Agency Services for the 2017-18 School Year

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The District contracts with nonpublic agencies, when necessary, to provide related services to students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP). The following nonpublic agencies provide related services as defined in Section 1401 of Title 20 of the U.S. Code and section 300.34 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and California Ed. Code 56363 to enable students with IEPs to benefit from their special education. An individual service agreement (ISA) is developed for each student to whom the service provider is to provide special education or related services.

POLICY/CODE:
Education Code 39800
Board Policy 3310         

FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of these services is estimated not to exceed $1,850,248 funded from the Special Education Budget which may require an additional contribution from the General Fund.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve the Master Contracts for the Nonpublic Agencies listed above.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:           Dr. Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Pauline E. Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
DATE:        December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Approve Listing of Warrants issued in November 2017.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Each month the District writes several checks to vendors for services provided and goods received.  The checks are written against both the Restricted and Unrestricted General Fund.  The summaries of warrants for the month of November are attached for the Board’s review.

POLICY/CODE:
Educational Code Section 41010 et seq.

FISCAL IMPACT:  
$3,670,851.57 for the month of November 2017 from various funds.  

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the monthly bill warrant list for the month of November 2017.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:             Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
DATE:         December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Approval of Payroll Warrants Issued in November 2017

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
On a regular basis, the Board receives information on the total amount paid employees during a month.  The attached represents a summary of pay warrants from various funds for the month of November 2017.

POLICY/CODE:
Educational Code 41010 et seq.

FISCAL IMPACT:
$8,298,438.19, for November 2017 from various funds.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: 
Approve payroll payments made in November 2017.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:            Donald Evans, Ed. D., Superintendent
FROM:        Pauline Follansbee, Interim Asst. Superintendent of Business Services
DATE:        December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:   Approval of Contracts/Purchase Orders for Services  Contracts 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The District contracts with consultants or independent contractors who can provide valuable and necessary specialized services not normally required on a continuing basis. The following contract services are requested. Expenditures are within budget.

1. Community Resources for Science, to provide mentoring and project coordination of investigative lab unit to Longfellow and King Middle Schools for the period from 2/9/18 – 5/1/18. The cost will not exceed $20,000. To be paid from LCAP and BSEP funds. Requested by Patricia Saddler.
2. Regents of the University of California, to provide Destination College Advising Corps and Early Academic Outreach Programs to Berkeley High School for the period from 8/28/17 – 5/25/18. The cost will not exceed $18,000. To be paid from General Fund. Requested by Pasquale Scuderi.
3. Bill’s Ace Truckbox, to provide vehicle modification services for the Maintenance Department for the period from 12/7/17 – 6/30/18. The cost will not exceed $11,891.45. To be paid from Measure H. Requested by Steve Collins. 

POLICY/CODE:
Public Contract Code: 20111
Board Policy 3310 

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the contracts with consultants or independent contractors as submitted.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO:             Donald Evans, Ed.D, Superintendent
FROM:            Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Business Services
DATE:             December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:      Acceptance of Gifts/Donations

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Board may accept and utilize on behalf of the District gifts of money or property for a purpose deemed to be suited by the Board. The following donations have been presented to the District:

1. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $1,000 to Rosa Parks School for the Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
2. Cindy Vix donated $600 to Rosa Parks School Principal’s Discretionary Fund, for teachers Susan Gatt and Kim Beeson.
3. Malcolm X PTA donated $2,400 to the Contract for Puberty Education with contractor Ivy Chen.
4. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $1,656.28 to 16-17 Classroom Grant 1-005.
5. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $70.55 to 16-17 Classroom Grant 1-005.
6. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $10,000 to 2017-18 Strategic Impact Grant 1-707.
7. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $234.32 to Payroll cost for Teacher 2016-17 classroom Grant 5-081.
8. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $192.47 to 17-18 strategic Impact Grant 1-706.
9. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $500 to Washington Elementary School.
10. Nicole Moore donated $60 to Gardening and Cooking Program.
11. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $453 to Thousand Oaks Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
12. Your Cause AT&T donated $40 to the Thousand Oaks Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
13. Keri Dulaney Greger donated $20 to Thousand Oaks Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
14. Patricia Donaldson donated $100 to Rosa Parks Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
15. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $420 to Rosa Parks Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
16. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $1,000 to Rosa Parks School for Landforms field trip.
17. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $420 to Rosa Parks School for Wildlife Ambassador.
18. The Walt Disney Company Foundation donated $690 to Rosa Parks School Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
19. Dean Schmitz (Your Cause, LLC Trustee for Pacific Gas & Electric) donated $500 to Rosa Parks School Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
20. Life Touch donated $2,000 to King Middle School for PD Support.
21. LeConte PTA donated $4,000 for PTA Field Trip and PTA Professional Development.
22. Washington Elementary PTA donated $13,000 to Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
23. John Muir PTA donated $32,170 for Dance Teacher, PE, RTI.
24. City of Berkeley reimbursed District $11,391.35 for Trauma Informed Care Learning Circles.
25. Berkeley High School Development Group donated $8,041.07 for salaries for staff attending Special Education retreat.
26. Berkeley High School Development Group donated $32,825.54 to BUSD for Afterschool Tutoring
27. Berkeley High School Development Group donated $8,081 for Courtney Anderson academic support class for BIHS.
28. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $1,200 to BHS Design team activities, 16-17 Strategic Impact Grant 18-772.
29. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $1,651.83 PD, 17-18 Strategic Impact Grant 17-760.
30. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $2,000.00 to Rosa Parks School.
31. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $162.61 to BHS for the NSBE Jr. Chapter project.
32. Willard Middle School PTA donated $3,565.74.
33. GAP Inc., donated $400 to Cragmont School.
34. Philanthropic Foundation donated $1,000 to Cragmont School for Special Ed materials.
35. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation donated $909.68 to Cragmont School for a field trip.
36. PGE & Walt Disney donated a total of $625 to Jefferson School.
37. Nathan Phillips Photography donated $300 to Washington School Principal’s Discretionary Fund.
38. Multiple donations from checks and cash total of $12,331 for the VAPA program.  Checks: Mathew McClear $120; Marcus D. Davis $105; Sashi Kijivan $40; Marcin Matuszkiewicz $40; Holly Robinson $25; Linda Pazdirek $20; Sherri L. Norris $8; Timothy H. Gardner $20; Mark George Kabella $20; Heather W. Clague $20.
39. Berkeley Public Schools Fund donated $1,000 to BHS Design Team activities, 16-17 Strategic Impact Grant 18-722.
40. The Walt Disney Company Foundation donated $690 to Rosa Parks Principal’s Discretionary Fund.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Accept the donations to the District and request staff to extend letters of appreciation. 

POLICY/CODE:
BP 3290

FISCAL IMPACT: 
The District received a total of $157,701.44 in donations.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:  Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:    Timothy White, Executive Director of Facilities
DATE:     December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:  Approval of the Schematic Design of the Longfellow Makerspace

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On June 28, 2017, the Board of Education approved a project to renovate the Longfellow kitchen and cafeteria into a makerspace in the amount of $400,000.  SVA Architects has been working on the design of the project. There have been four Site Committee Meetings.  Attached to this cover memo is the presentation which includes site and floor plans. The project includes:

1. Workshop 1 – computer workstations, program equipment storage, presentation/collaboration wall, carpentry wall and main open work space in old cafeteria
2. Workshop 2 – science/experiment area in old kitchen dish wash area
3. Workshop 3 – electronics and prototyping lab in old kitchen
4. Storage

The current construction budget is estimated to be $357,285. We anticipate receiving an additional estimate during winter to ensure the project is within budget.

There was no controversy during the process. The Site Committee supports the project plan.

FISCAL IMPACT: 
The project has been estimated to be $73,966 over budget. We will value engineer the project to bring the project within budget. The recommended project will be funded from Measure AA.  

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the schematic design of the Longfellow Makerspace.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:      Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Timothy White, Executive Director of Facilities
DATE:           December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:   Approval of the Schematic Design of the King CDC Play Yard Project 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On March 6, 2016 the Board of Education approved a plan that included a project to add a transitional kindergarten play yard at the King Child Development Center in the amount of $300,000. Vallier Design has been working on the design of the project. There have been four Site Committee Meetings.  Attached to this cover memo is the presentation, which includes the schematic plan. The project includes a substantial play structure with a hill slide, a rock scramble/climbing feature, log benches and steps, art walls, landscaping, poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing, and site and drainage improvements.

The construction estimate for the current design is $232,136 which is $57,000 over budget.  Staff does not believe that there are any excesses in the design that can be removed.

There was no controversy during the process. The Site Committee supports the project plan.

FISCAL IMPACT: 
To achieve the current design, the project budget would need to be increased by $63,000 to cover the added estimated construction costs and contingency.  The project will be funded from Measure AA.  

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the schematic design of the King CDC Play Yard and increase the project budget to $363,000.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:              Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Timothy White, Executive Director of Facilities
DATE:        December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Approval of Architect for Design Phase of the Modernization of the King Auditorium

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On April 12, 2017, the Board of Education approved a contract for CAW Architects to complete a Scoping and Assessment Study of King Auditorium.

The next step is to begin designing the construction documents to refurbish seating, install ceiling-mounted projector with motorized screen and provide accessibility improvements.

Facilities staff is requesting approval of a contract with CAW Architects to provide architectural and engineering services for the project.  The project will include staff input and District Facilities staff input.  Deliverables will include design, construction documents and construction administration.

POLICY/CODE:
Public Contract Code 10510.4 – 10510.9.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve contract with CAW Architects for the Design Phase of the Modernization of the King Auditorium.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:              Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:          Lisa Graham, Director, Special Education
DATE:           December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:     Request Approval of Maxim Healthcare Services Contract for the 2017-18 School Year

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The mandate for Special Education is to provide those services which allow a student to access his/her education.  These services can range from modifying an assignment to providing additional personnel to ensure the safety of a student in pursuit of an education.

Maxim Healthcare will provide these services this school year:

• LVN support for two students per their IEP.
• LVN support districtwide.  Responsibilities are primarily monitoring Diabetic Type 1 students.

The total cost for LVN services is $268,000. 

POLICY/CODE:
Education Code 49423.5         

FISCAL IMPACT:
$130,000, funded from the Special Education budget.
$138,000, for Diabetic Monitoring and Scoliosis Screening funded from the General Fund.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Master Contract with Maxim Healthcare Services for SY 2017-2018.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:        Donald Evans, Ed.D, Superintendent
From:          Lisa Graham, Director, Special Education
Date:           December 6, 2017
Subject:     Request Approval of Speech Pathology Group Contract for the 2017-18 School Year

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The District provides speech and language therapy services for students who require speech therapy as part of their individual educational plans (IEPs).  The District contracts with California Department of Education (CDE) certified nonpublic agencies for staff positions that cannot be filled through the District’s hiring process.  The following agency will provide services. If the District is able to hire staff during the school year, there is a notification process specified in the master Contract for reducing contracted service providers.

POLICY/CODE:
Education Code 56363, 49423.5

FISCAL IMPACT: 
$693,036.25 from Special Education Budget
$350,000.00 funded from MediCal

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the 2017-18 Contract for Speech Pathology Group

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO:                Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:           Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Business Services
DATE:            December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:     Approval of First Interim Budget Report 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Staff has prepared the First Interim report in compliance with Education Code EC 42131 (a)(1) requirements and AB1200. The First Interim Report covers the reporting period ending October 31, 2017. The report is required to be approved by the governing Board no later than 45 days after the close of the reporting date to determine whether or not the District is able to meet its financial obligations. The following certifications may be assigned:

• Positive: assigned to any district that based on current projections will meet its financial obligations in the current fiscal year and two subsequent fiscal years.
• Qualified: assigned to any district that based on current projections may not be able meet its financial obligations in the current fiscal year and two subsequent fiscal years.
• Negative: assigned to any district that based on current projections will not be able to meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the current fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year.

The County Office of Education is required to report to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within 75 days after the close of each reporting period the district’s certification status. 

Staff prepared the First Interim Report, along with assumptions using the School Services of California, Inc. Dartboard and Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Calculator, which provides school districts critical economic indicators for budget projections. Multi-Year projections along with other analytical reports are provided under separate cover. The First Interim Report contains the following documents for review and consideration by the governing board and will be presented by staff: 

1. Assumptions
2. Variance Report
3. Comparative Reports
4. District certification of First Interim Report
5. Form 011 – General Fund Summary and Restricted and Unrestricted formats
6. Form 11I–67I for all other district funds
7. Form AI – Average Daily Attendance
8. General fund Multi-year projection using the MYP software (under separate cover)
9. Criteria and Standards

This First Interim Report along with the Multi-Year Projections (under separate cover) indicate that the District will be able to meet its financial obligations in the current and subsequent two fiscal years.  Therefore, the District is submitting the First Interim Report to the County with a positive certification.

POLICY/CODE:
Education Code Section 42100 – 42134 et seq.

FISCAL IMPACT:
Not Applicable

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board of Trustees accept the Positive Certification of the First Interim Report (as presented under separate cover), certifying that the District will be able to meet its financial obligations for the current and subsequent two years.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO: Donald Evans, Ed.D, Superintendent
FROM: Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Ed Services
DATE: December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Proposal: Berkeley Technology Academy and Independent Study

We return to the Board to provide further information and for further discussion about aspects of our 18-19 budget reduction targets that affect Berkeley Technology Academy (BTA) and Berkeley High Independent Study (BIS).

This item was also on the Board’s agenda for discussion on November 1, 2017, and will return to the Board again on January 10, 2018, as an action item.

It is important to note that BTA’s enrollment challenges and program goals are not the lone reason for the proposal that staff brings to the Board again for discussion tonight. On May 3, 2017, in light of an anticipated need to reduce spending by $1.8 million District-wide beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, staff presented a list of possible budget reductions that included the concept of a single administrator supervising both BTA and Independent Study, programs that share a physical school property and have a combined enrollment of approximately 200 students.  This potential action has been on the list of possible budget reductions that the Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee (SBAC) has been reviewing for several months now (and indeed, if not approved by the Board will necessitate approximately $127,000 more in reductions to be made elsewhere in the District).

Tonight then, our discussion and forthcoming decision are prompted by a need to both:

• Address the persistent under-enrollment challenges at BTA and

• Explore reductions at both BIS and BTA given wider fiscal challenges and in light of the aforementioned need to reduce costs by $1.8 million beginning in school year 2018-2019

At the November 1, 2017 meeting, the Board gave staff direction to return with additional details on specific components that could be in place in a restructured BTA, specifically, options for concurrent enrollment, Career Technical Education (CTE), and Independent Study for students at BTA. These areas will be discussed in detail during tonight's presentation.  

The Board also wanted to ensure that staff had sufficient time to hear from the communities of BTA and BIS.  As discussed below, we have revised our proposal in part in response to these discussions, and we appreciate engagement of the staff and families of BTA and BIS.

Program Challenges: BTA Current Enrollment and Staffing

As we explained in our November 2017 discussion, with about 50 students enrolled in total, and an attendance rate of roughly 70%, our recent physical headcounts reveal that between 12 and 15 students are attending BTA in the mornings with an average of 30 students total on campus in the afternoon. Many more students are on campus for the afternoon blocks, and state law allows continuation students to be marked present for the day if they are in attendance for 180 minutes during that day.

Multiyear data confirms that enrollment has steadily declined over a 10-year period from a high of about 100 in 2007.

Significantly, there are approximately 100 students enrolled at Berkeley High at any one time who have similar academic profiles to the students at BTA.  While these students are being served in various ways at Berkeley High, they are not receiving the benefit of the disproportionate District resources that are being allocated to BTA. Many students with credit deficiencies are staying at BHS and accessing after-school or before-school credit recovery opportunities that are available at BHS.

Recent Program History at Berkeley Technology Academy (BTA)

In 2006, the  Board approved a program that was called a “continuation high school,” yet at the time the Board also described the program as a UC/CSU prep program, which is generally thought of as a different kind of program than a continuation high school.  The on-the-ground reality is that BTA has been operating as a traditional continuation high school, in that the vast majority of BTA students for several years now are receiving high school diplomas but are not meeting UC/CSU Eligibility at the end of their K-12 experience.

Acknowledging this reality is not meant in any way to disparage the accomplishment that a high school diploma represents for these graduates, particularly when one considers where many of them were academically after their first few years of high school. Staff points this fact out to observe that if the significant overstaffing that has been allocated to BTA in the last 6-7 years (currently 6.3 students to every 1 teacher) is justified in part by an attempt to maintain the option for students to both recover credits for high school graduation and also become eligible for 4-year institutions, we are not meeting those goals.  Indeed, in the past four years, only approximately 10 BTA students have graduated with A-G eligibility, many of whom returned to BHS before graduation.

Staff believes that significant changes in the structure and goals of BTA must be given deeper consideration for the 2018-2019 school year.

We must also consider that the resources we are currently allocating to what many would consider some of the most vulnerable students in our District are simply not getting to them because they are not enrolling at BTA, and a rerouting of those resources to kids with comparable challenges, in high school and also earlier on the K-12 continuum, might very well serve our equity goals better than current allocations and may also be a fiscally responsible move.

Staff believes that this proposal best manages the programmatic impact of a fiscally-necessitated reduction in staffing at both sites, as well as addresses the sustained challenges associated with underenrollment at BTA.  

Staff Recommendation : Reorganization of BTA and Independent Study

Staff has been exploring the reorganization of the Independent Study (IS) and BTA programs recently in light of forthcoming budget cuts.  Our proposal would bring BTA staffing down to proportionate levels, and allow us to redirect significant resources in a way that may better serve the students most in need of increased support.  Again, we note that, after further conversation with members of the BTA and BIA communities, we have revised our proposal with respect to reduction of clerical staff at each site.  Our proposal no longer proposes a reduction there because with the transition to a new, single administrator model, our goal would be to provide that administrator with a higher level of support staff during the transition. Once the programs have a year to adjust to the new single administrator model, staff could revisit the clerical staffing allocation ahead of the 2019-2020 school year.

We start with the  current staffing levels at each program:

Current Berkeley Technology Academy Staffing (Approximately 51 students)

BTA Principal 1.0

Clerical Staff 1.0

Counselor 1.0

Teachers 8.0

Safety Officers 2.0

Student Welfare and Attendance Coordinator 1.0

Current Independent Study Staffing (Approx 140 students)

BIS Coordinator 1.0

Clerical Staff 1.0

Permanent Teachers 2.0

Temporary Contract Teachers

Our proposal is to merge some staffing in both programs.  To be clear, we are NOT proposing a merging or combining of BIS and BTA.  They will remain separate and independent programs, but with some shared administration.   

Proposed Berkeley Technology Academy Staffing (Approximately 51 students)

Berkeley Alternative Programs Principal 0.5 (1.0 shared with BIS)

Clerical Staff 1.0

Counselor 1.0 (to also work with BIS students)

Teachers 5.0

Safety Officers 1.0

Student Welfare and Attendance Coordinator 1.0 (Site-funded and could be share services with BIS)

Proposed Independent Study Staffing (Approx 140 students)

Berkeley Alternative Programs Principal 0.5 (1.0 shared with BTA)

Clerical Staff 1.0

Temporary Contract Teachers

Permanent Teachers 2.0

Shares Counselor with BTA

The overall savings by position that this could create would be:

3.0 BTA Teachers

1.0 Administrator

1.0 Safety Officer

The total annual ongoing savings from these 5 positions would be approximately $400,000. Approximately $200,000 would be General Fund savings, and $200,000 would be savings from BSEP. These savings will help us reach our budget reduction goal of $1.8 million in 18-19, and will do so in a way that allows us to redirect resources towards targeted students. 

This savings will also create an opportunity to reroute some of that BSEP support to cover costs related to other programs and supports for similarly-situated students, i.e., students who meet the academic profile of BTA students but are not enrolled at BTA.

Note that because this proposal retains the 1.0 clerical position for each program that we had initially proposed combining, the proposal represents an approximate savings of $50,000 less than the November 1 proposal.

Additional Components of the Proposal: Clarifying that BTA is a Continuation/High School Diploma Program

The proposed staffing reductions at BTA will require the District to redefine BTA as a continuation school/high school diploma program.  Since the program has been functioning as a continuation high school, and as it reflects the outcomes we have been generating, we do not view this as a change that will be felt acutely by our students, but it does require some changes to the program.  

What follows are some of the basics of what officially defining BTA as a continuation/HS diploma program would entail:

First, some background from CDE:

Continuation education is an alternative high school diploma program. It is for students who are 16 years of age or older, have not graduated from high school, are still required to attend school, and who are at risk of not graduating.

Many students in continuation education are behind in high school credits. Others may need a flexible school schedule because they have jobs outside of school. Some students choose continuation education because of family needs or other circumstances.

Students who attend continuation high schools must spend at least 15 hours per week or three hours per day at school. They take courses that are required for graduation. They also receive guidance and career counseling. Some programs offer independent study, job-placement services, and concurrent enrollment in community college.

To be clear, we believe that student outcomes under this proposal will be the same as the current outcomes for BTA, if not better.  Our hope is that we can continue to build on the current work being done at BTA to further our goal of ensuring that BTA is an attractive, challenging program that presents a number of diverse opportunities for our students.  

Defining BTA as a continuation high school would mean adjusting the graduation requirements toward the state minimum for a High School Diploma to 130 or possibly to 150, the latter if we wanted to add a custom requirement like CTE.

With staffing at BTA reduced to 5.0 FTE, and with the current four-block, semester schedule allowing students to earn up to 80 credits per year maintained, students, even those entering the program with next to no credits by 11th grade, would have an opportunity to earn a high school diploma.

If this schedule was adhered to, and we retained class sizes of 18, BTA could still generate the outcomes it is currently generating, namely, the majority of BTA students earning high school diplomas rather than A-G eligibility. We in essence could achieve the same outcomes for students we are generating now with significantly reduced costs.

Maintaining and Expanding Opportunities at BTA 

At the previous meeting, staff was asked to return and highlight specific program opportunities that could be deepened at BTA in order to bolster options even with an overall reduction in general fund staffing. Those areas, which will be discussed in detail tonight include:

• concurrent enrollment

• independent study

• career technical education (CTE)

Ultimately staff believes that this proposal may provide an opportunity to channel current resources, those being underutilized at BTA, to students with comparable needs, earlier and with greater consistency.

Additional Considerations/Previous Discussion: Involuntary Transfer

Moving forward, whether or not the District staffs BTA at its current level or reduces that staffing as outlined in this memo, increasing enrollment will remain a priority. At a current enrollment of 50, even with a staff of 5.0 teachers, the school would, at a class size of 18, be able to accommodate approximately 90 students. This means that even if the proposed reduction was enacted, current enrollment could nearly double and still be served by the revised staffing proposed here. This means a combination of recruiting efforts, involuntary transfers, and new program opportunities would need to be used in tandem to grow enrollment regardless of whether the District maintains or reduces staffing at BTA.

In general, using an involuntary transfer system to increase enrollment at BTA would require a clear, fair, and uniformly applied system and process. Of note also is the fact that Ed Code does not allow final decisions on involuntary transfers to be made by staff at the school from which a student is being involuntarily transferred.

Additionally, Ed Code elsewhere notes that involuntary transfer policies must not yield disproportionate impact on students in just one or two demographic groups, or rather that they should reflect proportionality to the district as a whole. At present, a review of potential students who would be eligible for involuntary transfer would mean an almost exclusive application of involuntary transfer to primarily students of color who qualify for free and reduced lunch.  The point here is that while we may very well want to involuntarily transfer students to BTA, we will need to approach this carefully and deliberately to make sure the process is fair and legal. 

FISCAL IMPACT:
Savings of approximately $250K to BSEP and an additional $150K to the general fund.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Discuss staff’s proposal and ask any remaining questions that the Board has, in anticipation of a vote on this proposal at the first meeting in January.   In order to roll this proposal out for 2018-2019, we cannot wait beyond the first meeting in January to make a decision.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM: Timothy White, Executive Director of Facilities
DATE: December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: District-Owned Rental Housing for Employees

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The School Board first discussed the issue of employee housing in March 2017. At that meeting, the School Board directed staff to conduct a preliminary analysis of the issue, including potential sites and identifying the legal, financial, and operational issues that would need to be addressed.

In August 2017, staff presented its preliminary analysis as follows:

• The District owned four potential sites on which significant housing units could be built without a need for a zoning adjustment. The number of units that could be build varied from 50 to 200 and the cost ranged from $32 million to $74 million. The sites were just for illustrative purposes and no recommendation to pursue a site was made or discussed.
• It was legally feasible for the District to finance and build rental units but not units for employees to own.
• The financing options worth exploring further included state tax credits, the Alameda County Affordable Housing Bond (Measure A1, 2016), the City of Berkeley Housing Trust Fund, and a possible BUSD Housing Bond.
• A survey was recommended to determine whether there was a need among employees for low-rent housing units and to provide further information regarding of the nature of the need, if any.

The School Board directed that the survey be conducted and that staff return in December 2017 with potential financing options that had no impact on the General Fund. No decision was made regarding whether the District should move forward with providing employee housing.

Survey Results

Working with the Center for Cities & Schools, the District administered a housing survey to its employees in October 2017. The survey was administered both online and in-person. Over 800 employees responded, which corresponds to a response rate of over 60% of all district employees. The aggregated responses to each question in the survey are available in Attachment 1, the aggregated responses to each question for employees who do not own their homes are available in Attachment 2, and the aggregated responses for each question for employees who own their homes are available in Attachment 3. An analysis of survey results by the Center for Cities & Schools is below.

Preliminary Findings

Overview

Who are our survey respondents?

• 62% are certificated employees; 38% are classified employees
• 83% work for BUSD full-time; 17% work for BUSD part-time
• 42% own their residence; 58% are renters (includes all non-owners: those renting their residence, renting a room, living with family and not paying rent, etc.)

  Where do employees live?

• Predominantly not in Berkeley: only 30% of employees live in Berkeley
• A greater percentage of owners live in Berkeley (36%) compared to renters (26%)
• 21% of all employees commute more than 40 minutes in each direction (to and from work) every day

  Who do employees live with?

• 16% of renters live with non-family housemates (i.e., roommates), and that number rises to 27% when looking at young employees (under 35 years old)
• 53% of employees live with a partner; 52% live with at least one dependent

  Income

  To determine where employees fall within certain defined income bands based on household income, we used local Area Median Income (AMI) limits set by HUD and the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Segmenting respondents by owners and renters, we can see in Table 1 that 87% of owners fall into the Moderate or Above Moderate categories, while only 46% of renters fall into either category. In other words, 54% of renter employees are Low, Very Low, or Extremely Low income. We can also see the distribution for certificated and classified employees, with 46% of certificated employees in the Above Moderate range compared to only 21% of classified employees.

  Table 1 Distribution of Employee by Income Category

  Income Category (% AMI)	All	Owner	Renter	Certificated	Classified
  Extremely Low (30% and below)	7.80%	2.20%	11.90%	3.70%	14.70%
  Very Low (31% - 60%)	14.80%	4.00%	22.70%	6.40%	29.00%
  Low (61% - 80%)	13.90%	6.50%	19.40%	11.80%	17.50%
  Moderate (81% - 120%)	26.70%	27.20%	26.40%	32.00%	17.80%
  Above Moderate (above 120%)	36.70%	60.20%	19.60%	46.10%	21.00%
  	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

  
  Housing Costs

  Table 2 below shows the distribution of monthly base housing costs for owners and renters. Renters face greater exposure to housing price increases than owners do.

• More than half of renters fall into the $1,000 - $1,999 range, whereas more than a quarter of owners have costs in the highest range: $3,000 or more.
• Of renters paying less than $2,000 per month for housing, over half experienced an increase of $100 to $399 to their monthly base housing costs since 2014.
• Yet 39% of owners did not see their housing costs increase during that time – compared to only 10% of renters. For owners who did experience cost increases, many were in the range of a $1,000 or more increase (17% of owners), an indication that they likely transitioned from renting to owning and thus saw a large jump in their monthly base housing costs.

  Table 2: Monthly Base Housing Costs by Ownership Type

  Monthly Base Housing Costs	Owner	Renter
  Less than $1,000	7.40%	16.20%
  $1,000 - $1,499	10.50%	25.80%
  $1,500 - $1,999	20.10%	26.70%
  $2,000 - $2,499	20.10%	18.00%
  $2,500 - $2,999	16.70%	17.10%
  $3,000 or more	25.20%	5.80%
  	100.00%	100.00%

  
  Housing Pressures

  Employee experiences with high housing costs:

• 78% of renters are experiencing financial pressures due to high housing costs (vs. 45% of owners)
• 54% of renters have considered leaving BUSD because of high housing costs, nearly twice as high as the rate of owners (23%)
• 69% of renters think the high cost of housing negatively impacts their long-term ability to stay at BUSD, more than twice the percentage of owners who hold that view (27%)
• 31% of all respondents report that they have moved residences due to increased housing costs while working for the district
• 50% of all respondents know another employee who has left BUSD because of housing costs

  Interest in District-Owned Housing

  Are employees interested in living in this housing?

• 74% of renters would be interested in living in BUSD-owned employee housing
• 67% of renters think the option of BUSD-owned employee housing would increase the likelihood that they continue to work in the district
• 59% of renters would like to live closer to work

  Would this housing help the district retain and recruit employees?

• There is strong agreement between renters and owners that high housing costs negatively impact the district’s ability to retain current employees: 79% of renters, 73% of owners
• Both renters and owners also overwhelmingly agree that the option of district housing would increase BUSD’s ability to recruit employees: 86% of renters, 78% of owners

Spotlight: Young Employees

• Housing pressures are particularly acute for younger employees (under 35 years old), who make up one-fifth of the district’s workforce. 84% of young employees are renters, compared to 58% of employees overall, and 27% of young employees live with at least one roommate.
• Young renters are especially likely to have considered leaving the district due to high housing costs (62% vs. 54% of all renters) and to think the high cost of housing negatively impacts their long-term ability to stay in BUSD (79% vs. 69% of all renters).
• Given this context, it’s not surprising to find that young renters had the strongest positive response of any sub-group to the option of BUSD-owned housing: 83% would be interested in living in the housing and 74% think employee housing would increase the likelihood that they stay in the district.

Spotlight: Certificated & Classified Renters

• Among employees who rent, both certificated and classified renters are interested in BUSD housing at the same rate: 74% for each group.

• Table 3 below shows the AMI distribution for all renters interested in BUSD housing, segmented by employment status (certificated and classified). This provides a more granular view of income categories by zeroing in on only those employees who are currently renters and are interested in BUSD housing.

Table 3: Income Categories for Renters Interested in BUSD Housing, Certificated & Classified

Options

Staff explored various financing options and concluded that if the District chose to pursue providing low-rent employee housing, then there were two basic approaches to financing the cost of constructing such housing. The first approach would generate the required amount of money primarily through the issuance of voter-approved bonds. (Tax credits and commercial loans could also be utilized.) The bond measure could be put on the ballot in 2018 or 2020 by the District and the City. In theory, a bond measure could also be put on the ballot by voters via the initiative process. Under this approach, all the housing that would be built would be designed for District employees and there would be flexibility in setting the rent level.

The second approach would generate the required amount of money by enabling a developer to build market-rate housing (open to anyone who could afford it) in additional to the low-rent employee housing. (Tax credits and commercial loans would also need to be utilized.) For this second option to work, the District would need to enter into a long-term lease (probably 50-75 years) with the developer on which the developer would build market-rate housing. Possession of the market-rate housing units would revert back to the District at the end of the lease. Under this approach, it is likely that at least half – and possibly more – of the housing units built would need to be market-rate.

In sum, the options for the Board to consider are:

Option 1A: Pursue a bond measure in 2018. The District would pursue placing a bond measure on the November 2018 ballot. This could be done by the District or the City. This would require a poll to be conducted in February or March of 2018. The bond measure would need to be written and approved by June 2018. If it was a District bond measure, there would be a one-time, increased cost to the General Fund of up to $50,000 (up to $35,000 for the poll and up to $15,000 for bond counsel to write the measure).

Option 1B: Pursue a bond measure in 2020. The District is likely to place a bond measure on the November 2020 ballot for school facilities. This option would mean that funds to build housing would be included in this measure. As the facilities measure would already include a poll and the need to write the measure, there would be no increase in anticipated costs to the General Fund. 

Option 2: Public-Private Partnership. The District would pursue a public-private partnership to build housing. To do so, the District would prepare a Request for Proposal/Qualification and then select a development partner to finance and build both market-rate and employee housing. In order to prepare the Request for Proposal/Qualification and fully analyze this option, there would be a one-time, increased cost to the General Fund of up to $15,000.

POLICY/CODE:
N/A

FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact is dependent on the option chosen by the Board.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Provide update and request Board direction.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO: Donald Evans, Ed.D, Superintendent
FROM: Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Ed Services
Lisa Graham, Director of Special Education
DATE: December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Special Education Review and Program Analysis

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In light of growing costs related to special education both statewide and within BUSD, District staff and special education leadership recently retained a consultant for the purposes of reviewing the special education program and delivery systems within BUSD. Fiscal realities dictate that the District analyze its current systems and explore alternate ways to meet student needs in a manner that is more cost-effective while also maintaining appropriate levels of service to students and families.

In order to undertake the most effective and useful analysis possible, the District retained the services of Dr. William Gillaspie. Dr. Gillaspie has extensive experience in educational settings, fiscal management, and management assistance. Among his multiple leadership jobs, he previously served as both a County Superintendent and, most relevantly, as the Deputy Administrative Officer for the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance team serving the California school system from 2002 to 2016. Dr Gillaspie has conducted more than 100 comprehensive management assistance studies throughout California schools including, but not limited to, county Offices of Education, unified school districts and Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPA).

Tonight’s presentation will include the preliminary findings and summary of recommendations for Special Education based on his recent visit to BUSD, which included briefings with executive cabinet, an on-site review at the District office, and interviews with a variety of staff that included district administrators, school site administrators, teaching staff, and support personnel.

The proposed scope of work leading to tonight’s presentation and preliminary findings included:

• A review of the District’s implementation of Student Success Team (SST), Response to Intervention (RTI), and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

• Analysis of whether the District is overidentifying students for special education services compared with the statewide average and, where applicable, recommendations to reduce that overidentification.

• Analyze special education staffing ratios and caseload sizes using statutory requirements for mandated services and statewide guidelines

• Review of the efficiency of staffing allocations for special education paraprofessionals and paraeducators throughout the District

• Review of the procedures for identifying the need for paraeducators, the process for monitoring those resources, and determining processes for evaluating year to year needs for classroom and 1:1 paraeducators

STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Receive the report and discuss the consultant’s preliminary recommendations.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:             Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:        Natasha Beery, Director of BSEP and Community Relations
Valerie Tay, BSEP Program Specialist
DATE:         December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:    Election, Diversity and Activity Report for School Governance Councils, Berkeley High BSEP Committee and BHS School Site Council for the 2017-18 School Year

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Each year the Board receives a report on the elections and membership of the School Governance Councils (SGCs) for the Pre-K Program, the K-8 schools, Berkeley Technology Academy (BTA), and the Independent Study (IS) Program; and the two Berkeley High School (BHS) committees: the BHS BSEP Site Funds Committee and the BHS School Site Council (SSC). 

Principals and committee members were surveyed online to obtain a full picture of the conduct of elections for each site, including candidate outreach, nominations, election mechanisms, and community notification. 

Candidate outreach and recruitment 

Schools solicited parent candidates using:

• Paper flyers with an attached nomination form;
• Email and e-tree messages encouraging participation, in most cases with an online nomination option;
• Announcements and information tables at Back-to-School Night, PTA meetings, and other gatherings; and
• Outreach to specific individuals

While most principals used a combination of methods, more than half found face-to-face individual outreach itself “very effective.” Although this methodology could have been leveraged by parent liaisons or SGC chairs/members to make more personal pitches, outreach was largely in the hands of the principals. Only three sites reported using OFEE specialists or reaching out to a target group.

Principals also reported using a variety of messages to encourage participation, including:

• Have a say in school priorities and how BSEP monies are spent;
• Take the opportunity to learn more about the school and engage with staff and other parents and students;
• We need you – your skills and unique perspective; and
• Be a sounding board for the principal.

Although little used, the last option was suggested by the BSEP office several years ago as messaging reflective of SGC responsibilities. It was also meant to address an oft-expressed frustration from some members who felt the SGC’s are not truly “governance” committees in the sense of the term used by, for example, charter schools where such committees have a wider role.

Our SGC/SSC in the BUSD have a more limited scope, but can become a meaningful “sounding board” when there are communication skills and specific intentions on all sides. The SGC can be a stabilizing and unifying influence where community members are invited to have important conversations in a respectful environment about the school and its needs. Additionally, with the proliferation of committees requiring parent participation, the hope is that the SGC or SSC will be a nexus for all the various groups that could otherwise be ‘pulled away’ from the table. More informed discussions can take place when all the various constituencies come to the table.

The compressed elections period coupled with the overwhelming amount of information disseminated at the start of the school year continues to be a dilemma, although many experienced principals have come up with different formulas to make it work. (While seven principals expressed the desire for an extended elections period, seven also said it was fine as is.) For those schools that struggled to constitute a committee, the low participation could be attributed to a number of factors, including a packed calendar, and other issues of higher priority. Instituting early and more personalized recruitment practices as well as more assistance from the BSEP department have resulted in some improvement. 

In order to encourage greater participation, some principals have opted to blur the distinction between voting and alternate members and elect slates instead of individuals. Seven schools ended up with more than the required six parent members, with one having 10 additional “participatory members” and another parent slate of 15. The Board Policy Subcommittee and BSEP Office are working to address bylaws issues that could address the challenge of encouraging wide participation and ensuring the correct composition of each group.

Outreach at the high school level continues to be the most challenging, and despite renewed efforts by the PTSA at Berkeley High, nominations were not robust and the period needed to be extended. The struggle to get volunteers - both parent and staff - for its SSC continued, with the principal and BSEP office looking for options, including combining some meetings with the more active BSEP Site Committee. This issue will also be put before the Policy Subcommittee this school year.

Ballots and Voting:  Parent candidates were presented via printed and/or online ballot statements, and only rarely in person at school meetings/elections. Seven principals reported conducting elections with paper ballots only, four with online only, and six with a combination. The parent community’s thoughts on the elections process roughly mirrored the principals, with half saying the process seemed rushed and the other feeling that it went fine. Seven principals expressed satisfaction at the outcome/turnout of their elections, but no approach or combination of approaches ensured higher turnout.

The transition to voting for slates over individuals may have contributed to lower parent voter turnout, a little over 8% across the district, ranging from no votes at two small sites/programs to a high of 37%. Voter turnout at Berkeley High School matched the low 3% turnout of 2013, and we are looking at having the BSEP department take a greater role in running the school’s election going forward.

Best Practices and Month-to-Month Agenda: A handbook for School Governance Councils is now available both online at the BUSD website and in binders for all SGC and SSC members. The handbook includes sections on "Best Practices" and Suggested Agenda items, as well as templates for submitting minutes and site plan changes. There is a section for bylaws and guides for all school committees and the various funds they oversee, including BSEP site and district-wide, LCAP, and Title I.

This guide is revised annually, as discussions with principals, committee members, and the Office of Family Engagement and Equity (OFEE) continue to improve ideas for outreach and recruitment as well as raise issues that are barriers or accelerators of equitable participation. Use of the Google Classroom tool has not proved an effective one for increasing staff participation in the nominations and elections process, as it funneled all information to principals instead of widening their support team. Based on the latest survey and election results, the BSEP office will revert to information dissemination that includes the past year’s chairs, site coordinators and parent liaisons. Their more involved participation in the committee process from outreach to mentoring could improve results.

For example, when committee officer elections take place at a first meeting, new members may not feel ready to step into leadership roles. Can mentoring of new members increase/accelerate participation and improve distributed leadership? How can OFEE staff best support the SGCs? Are agendas constructed to ensure opportunities for discussion, and are meetings run so that wide participation is supported? How can the broader community be engaged with the work of the SGC?  

Staff: Staff committee members were mainly chosen by consensus. Finding candidates, especially those to fill the classified seat, has become more problematic for sites, anecdotally because more and more staff live outside of Berkeley and commute some distance to their homes. Availability during SGC meeting hours, as well as a reluctance to serve without compensation has been cited as a barrier to participation. Conflict of interest concerns also dampens participation.

Roster: Attached as Appendix A is a roster of the approximately 262 parent members (including 10 called “participatory”), high school students, teachers, principals, and other staff members who have made the commitment to serve on their SGC, the BHS BSEP Committee, BHS School Site Council, or the P&O this year.

Diversity: Attached as Appendix B is a chart showing the ethnic/racial composition of the SGCs in Pre-K through 5 schools, middle schools and high schools, as well as a comparison with the district student body. This year the methodology of collecting these data followed these practices:

• Ethnic/racial categories match the federal and state categories which are used for the student CALPADS data.

• Race/ethnicity data was primarily obtained through self-report, rather than only asking the principal to supply the data as was done in prior years. 

Given the relatively small numbers at each site, rather than providing counts and percentages for each school site, results were summarized by preK-5, middle school and high school levels.

Overall, 49% of committee members identify as non-white (Asian, Hispanic, African-American, multi-racial) and 51% are non-Hispanic white. This is a drop of eight percentage points in the White category. A few key findings:

Based on self-reporting, many members’ race/ethnicity does not “match” their children’s mixed heritage, potentially leading to a conclusion that the SGCs are leaning white and less representative of the student body. A closer look at these self-reported notes give the picture of a very diverse collective.

The use of the five categories used to identify students in CALPADS was problematic for many SGC parent members, who did not feel their ethnicities fit into the options provided. Some indicated, for example, that they were white Europeans, as distinct from White Americans. Others of Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and Filipino backgrounds did not feel comfortable identifying with any of the offered categories.

Not only does the five category report not fully capture the diverse backgrounds of the members, it does not show the many perspectives brought to the table as parents of children with learning disabilities, or as single parents, for example, which can be important dynamics for both outreach and inclusion. Furthermore, in hard numbers, many site find it difficult to build a committee when parents of “unduplicated” students are pulled away to serve on the PAC and those of English learners to ELAC or DELAC. The BSEP office is looking at a proposal to review and revise the purpose of the election and diversity report to better serve the outreach and functioning of the SGCs. 

Activities: On October 19, 2017, the annual School and District Committee Orientation was held at Longfellow Middle School. The format was changed from prior years in order to review best practices with respect to the Brown Act, Robert’s Rules, and group norms. A brief presentation by Allison Krasnow of the DigiTech team was designed to give committee members a look at the kind of programming and tools used in the classroom and the intersection of skills building, testing, and data-gathering. A 60-minute period was also set aside for SGC mini-meetings by site, to focus on reviewing the school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), discussing the meeting calendar and other initial business of the SGC.

In the past, the workshop evening has included options for new and returning members to attend an orientation and presentations on a variety of BUSD educational programs. This year, the orientation to reinforce good fundamental practices was provided in a plenary session, and additional workshops will be scheduled for January in concert with the Superintendent’s State of the District presentation. At that session, attendees will have their choice of workshops ranging from needs assessments, leadership development, and “uniting goals and resources for an effective school plan.”

The turnout of approximately 120 included SGC members as well as PAC and ELAC and DELAC representatives. Some schools fully utilized the mini-meeting time to conduct business while others that had already conducted first meetings did not push their members to attend the orientation. New members received a Site Committee binder while all attendees received a customized folder including revised sections and their site’s budget summary. Based on feedback from attendees, the mini-meeting time will likely continue next year, augmented with a round-table or Q&A session. The intent is to firmly ensconce site-specific time, while broadening opportunities for inter-school exchanges and more interactive participation for attendees.

This handbook is online at the BSEP/SGC and School Site Council webpage at the BUSD website. The handbook includes a suggested month-to-month agenda of suggested activities, attached to this report as Appendix C.

POLICY/CODE:
California Education Code 52852-52855; BUSD School Governance Council Bylaws, adopted by the Berkeley Board of Education April 23, 2008; BUSD Berkeley High School Site Council Bylaws, adopted by the Berkeley Board of Education August 4, 2010; Amendment to SGC Bylaws for Small Programs, adopted by the Berkeley Board of Education March 22, 2017.

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive this School Governance Council, Berkeley High BSEP Committee and BHS School Site Council Election, Diversity and Activity Report for 2017-18.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:         Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:   Tammy Rose, Interim Manager, Student Services
Pasquale Scuderi, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services
DATE:    November 30, 2017
SUBJECT: Quarterly Report of the Number of Students Referred for Expulsion

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
BUSD’s Board Policy 5144.3 specifies the following: “On a quarterly basis, the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board the number of students who are currently being referred for expulsion, the number of students who are serving or have served since the most recent report a suspension longer than five days, and the number of students currently serving expulsions, including suspended expulsions. This report shall include relevant demographic information for each of these students, to the extent that the demographic data does not disclose confidential student information.”

The information contained in this quarterly report is for the first quarter of the year.

Quarter 1: August 30, 2017 to October 30, 2017

The number of recommendations for expulsion this school year: 1

There has been one instance of a student being recommended for expulsion this school year. The recommendation for expulsion did not move forward through the expulsion process because other means of correction were recommended to address the conduct and support the student.

The number of students who were referred for expulsion this school year: 0

The number of students serving a suspension longer than five days this school year: 3

The number of students currently serving an expulsion: 1

*Expelled during the 2016-2017 school year

Expelled student demographic data:  

Demographic information for expelled students will be provided to the Board confidentially.  Due to the small number of students, it is not possible to provide this information publicly without risking the inadvertent identification of one or more students.  At the end of the second quarter of 2017, staff will publicly provide aggregate demographic information for the entire 2016-17 school year.

POLICY/CODE:
Board Policy 5144.3

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the information regarding the number of students referred for expulsion.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:               Donald Evans, Superintendent
FROM:           Timothy White, Executive Director of Facilities
DATE:           December 6, 2017
SUBJECT:    Measure H Financial Update 

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION
This report is an update of the Maintenance Yearly Plan and H expenditures from July 1, 2017 through October 31, 2017.  This document summarizes Measure H expenditures.  This report does not separate encumbered (obligated) expenses from other planned expenses.  This report is not intended to be a comprehensive look at the activities in this fund; that more comprehensive look occurs annually.  The first chart details the actual recorded expenses as of October 31, 2017, and the current projected expenses for the remainder of the Fiscal Year.   All expenses are consistent with previous reports and are based upon State defined object codes.  As such, there are some expenses which may need to be clarified in the future, as the contract line includes not just contracts, but interfund charges as well.     

 TYPE OF EXPENSE    EXPENDED       PROJECTED        FY2018 EXPENSE                                          

Sal/Ben                        $ 1,296,086          $ 2,712,493                   $4,008,579

Supplies                             126,369                351,631                         478,000      

Contracts                           387,349                761,041                      1,148,390

Equipment                         109,770                    2,230                        112,000

Indirect/Direct Cost                      0                 336,957                        336,957                        

TOTAL                            $ 1,919,574          $4,164,352                  $6,083,926

The next chart compares the projected expenditure recommendations in the 2018 Annual Plan with current projected expenses.

TYPE OF EXPENSE     BOARD PLAN      FY2018 CURRENT         VARIANCE

                                                                 PROJECTED EXPENSE

Sal/Ben                        $4,017,502                   $4,008,579                  ($8,923)

Supplies                            484,000                         478,000                   (6,000)                   Contracts                        1,100,000                       1,148,390                  48,390        

Equipment                          65,000                         112,000                  47,000

Indirect/Direct Costs         337,000                         336,957                          43         

TOTAL                              $6,003,502                  $6,083,926              $80,424 

MODIFICATIONS

EXPENDITURES

SALARIES AND BENEFITS

The projected expenditures for salaries, benefits and overtime is $8,923 less than the Annual Plan.  We currently have one full vacancy that has been vacant for most of the year and may take another month or so to fill.

The salary and benefits budget includes costs for the following list of permanent staff positions.  Please note that we list some jobs by functional area; we feel this provides the information in a more meaningful way.

POSITION CURRENTLY FILLED

• One Maintenance Manager and a portion of the Operations Manager and the BHS Facilities Manager
• Two supervisors
• Three Lead Trades Workers
• One Security Engineer
• Eleven Maintenance Engineers (one position assigned to BHS)
• Three Maintenance Technicians
• Two General Maintenance Workers
• Three Lead Gardeners
• Eight Gardeners (one position assigned to BHS)
• 1.90 FTE Administrative Coordinators
• 0.25 FTE Facilities Analyst
• One FTE Security Worker (two positions of 0.5 FTE each)
• Fifteen Custodian II’s (5% of each salary)
• Three 0.15 FTE Vehicle Mechanics
• 0.4 Network Engineer
• 1.0 Phone Technician

  VACANT POSITIONS

• One Maintenance Engineer

SUPPLIES

The projected expenses for supplies are $6,000 less than the projections in the 2018 Annual Plan. We spent slightly less on supplies, over summer, than expected.

CONTRACTED SERVICES

The planned expenditures for contracted services are $48,390 more than the Annual Plan.  

EQUIPMENT

The projected expenditures for maintenance equipment purchases are $47,000 more than the annual plan. We had to replace the fuel tanks on several of our natural gas vehicles unexpectedly.

INDIRECT/DIRECT COSTS

The indirect/direct costs are projected to be the same as planned.    

TOTAL EXPENDITURES

The changes detailed currently result in an $80,424 increase of projected expenses compared to the 2017-2018 Annual Plan. 

TOTAL REVENUE

The 2017-2018 Annual Plan revenue projection for Measure H is $6,016,592.  The projected revenue from Measure H is $3,890 less than projected and reported in the Annual Plan.  

TOTAL REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURES

Projected revenue from Measure H for this Fiscal Year is $6,012,702. Expenses total $6,083,926, with expenses in excess of revenue of $71,224. The beginning fund balance is $1,251, 683. The ending fund balance is projected to total $1,180,459.

POLICY/CODE:
None.

FISCAL IMPACT:
The projected ending fund balance in the Annual Plan for 2017-18 was $845,553. The projected ending fund balance for the First Interim represents an increase of $334,906.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive Financial Update on Measure H.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:             Donald Evans, Ed.D, Superintendent
FROM:        Timothy E. White, Executive Director of Facilities
DATE:        December 6, 2017
SUBJECT: Facilities Plan Update 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
This report is an update of the Facilities Construction Plan approved by the Board on January 11, 2017.  Data in this report are current as of November 28, 2017.  This report includes updates of all active construction projects. Maintenance projects are detailed in the Maintenance Quarterly Reports. 

Persons wishing to address the Board should fill out a green speaker card.  Cards turned in for the earlier open session public testimony will be given priority.  Speakers will be randomly selected based on topic and position, with BUSD students generally given priority.  Public Testimony is limited to 15 minutes with a 3-minute limit per speaker per topic although the time allotted per speaker may be reduced to 2 minutes at the discretion of the President.