Board of Education Work Session, March 10, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaPYxAEs9lo
The roll is taken. [It is not possible to hear who is and is not present.]
The agenda is adopted, and
the meeting minutes from the Feb. 24, 2022, meeting are approved.
Item 2.7 is the Board Member
Recommendation: Operations, Budget & Fiscal Affairs Committee. Miller
states that Board Member Belinda Queen, the elected board member representing
District 6, officially resigned on Monday, March 7. She thanks Ms. Queen for
her services and wishes her success in future endeavors. In accordance with
Board Policy 8100, the standing committees must have at least 4 members. With
Queen’s resignation the Operations, Budget & Fiscal Affairs Committee only
has 3 members, so Curtis Valentine has been asked to serve on the committee.
Valentine is currently on the Academic Achievement Committee and will continue
to serve on that until new members are on the board.
Miller announces this is Women’s
History month and gives a roll call of women trailblazers in Prince George’s
County. She again announces that the school system won a Silver Magna award for
its language immersion program, and gives kudos to the Frederick Douglass boys
basketball team for advancing to the state basketball championships. Goldson
interjects that Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders are also in finals. Miller apologizes
for her oversight.
Public comment is next. Comments
address the consolidation of alternative high schools plan and the closure of
the Community Based Classrooms, special education paperwork day, and special
education problems. Shawn Mitchell
discusses his qualifications for the Maryland State Board of Education Teacher
Member position.
The Work Session Topics are
presented.
First is a presentation on Mental Health
(presentation is on BoardDocs).
Mickens-Murray asks if
teachers have to do the workshops on their own time. Goldson replies they can
use their planning time or the Board-approved mental health half days. She also
asks if parents/students are seeking out the workshops. Dr. Faison states this
is a work in progress. This is the second year of the rollout. Finally,
Mickens-Murray asks if the school system has data on younger students
committing suicide. Dr. Faison replies there is a database that tracks students
who present with suicide ideation and one that tracks students who have
committed suicide. They are rolling out videos and training concerning this
topic, and professional counselors present classroom lessons so students know
where they can go for support.
Williams asks about schools that
don’t yet have a clinician. Faison responds that additional clinicians will be
added over the next two school years. Right now they are utilizing school
counselors and psychologists to provide services, and if they find a student
that needs additional services, they will refer that student to a community
agency. Williams then asks about how the baseline data was captured. Faison
states they are anecdotal and captured by clinicians from the start of the year,
so they are establishing the baseline. Williams notes her approval of starting
to instruct students in mental health issues and self care starting at a young
age and looks forward to seeing the data from year to year. Finally, Williams
asks about how the system is marketing these services to parents. Faison says there
is an infographic, clinicians participate in informational sessions, and she
hopes to increase communication to parents and students. She doesn’t want this
to be a best kept secret.
Boozer-Strother thanks Faison
and her staff for their work so far. She notes national stories that there are
staffing shortages and asks if that is a concern here. Faison states staffing
is always a concern. Capacity should be 140 clinicians but right now there are
10.5 vacancies, two are recent resignations. Recruiting is a challenge. That is
why they have launched another RFP for providers who may have access to other
clinicians. She also asks about COVID fears and a low vaccine rate and if there
is an intersection around vaccine hesitancy and a healthcare conversation we
need to be having so we can reach 80 percent. Faison says we can go back to
clinicians and see if we can plan something. The Facing COVID Fears
presentation was to reiterate safety protocols, grief and loss, returning to
school to address misinformation.
Thomas notes Boozer-Strother had
questions along the same line as mine. He notes that the plan is to have a
clinicians in every school and asks what would keep them from reaching that
goal? Is it the talent pool or budget or another factor? Goldson thanks the
board for approving the CEO’s budget, which includes that funding, and
hopefully the County Council will also approve it. It won’t be funding, it will
be staffing. He also asks about the breakdown of distribution of time for the
mental health professionals. He would love to see some survey data from the
staff how accurate that time distribution is and if it is matching up. He also
would like to see data about efficacy. Dr. Coley responds that they meet weekly
to double check the evidence and meet to see if reports are matching reality.
Thomas asks if they can see that data. Coley states they are looking at the
relationships that have developed between clinicians and school counselor, and
she is proud of that. Faison notes that the distribution of time is intended to
be an example and let principals know what their clinician may do. If a
clinicians is in a large HS, they may spend the majority of their time
counseling students so the time distribution may vary.
Valentine echoes his
appreciation. He is also interested in assessing capacity and the need of
students vs. those who are asking for it. He would like to know how board
members can address stigma regarding mental health and asking for help. Peers
typically confide in each other and is there a way they can anonymously ask for
a wellness check for a friend. He also is interested in how they are handling
language barriers, can these programs be sustained financially over time, and
how students can access assistance outside of the school day (like a 24-hour
hotline). Faison replies that we know not all children/families feel
comfortable accessing the services. Their clinicians were trained to use
Language Link, and they would love to have more bilingual therapists. The county
has a 24-hour hotline and that is provided to students, staff, and principals.
Coley responds that students do inform guidance counselors about their peers
and those are followed up on immediately.
Ceron-Ruiz is recognized next.
He asks about the current process for students to get help. Faison replies that
for clinicians to see a student and to provide counseling (outside of an
immediate crisis), they need signed consent from parent. They are launching a
universal consent form and an MOU with a partner mobile crisis response.
Parents will need to opt out. Ceron-Ruiz notes the issue in local communities
and get support for young males. He also asks about the role of the school
psychologists. Faison states there is a triage: counselors are there for
personal/social development, academic support, college and career readiness, or
are having a barrier to accessing education. Clinicians do counseling.
Psychologists are trained to do counseling but they are there to do
assessments, such as IEP. They also support crisis response.
Adams-Stafford’s questions
include the restorative approaches and implementing them with fidelity. She
also asks about Federal support for mental health and how the Federal
initiatives will be used in the system. Faison states that a few years ago the
definition of restorative approaches changed so that it now includes
restorative circles, peer mediation, and positive behavior intervention and
support. The circle training in new schools has been delayed due to COVID.
Their office will be looking to secure and build capacity for additional
programs using Federal funds.
Williams asks about support for
teachers and how many teachers are taking advantage of the training
opportunities and supports for transitioning from COVID. Faison details how
information was disseminated, and they can see how many views videos received.
Mickens-Murray states how
impressed she is with Goldson’s leadership team and their knowledge.
The second presentation is 2021 Graduation Cohort Data
(presentation is on BoardDocs).
Ceron-Ruiz asks about the
strategies being used to mitigate the graduation rate. Goldson states that they
used ESSA funds to provide free summer school for all grades K-12, and it will
be offered again this summer: virtual, hybrid, and in person. Their data shows
which students need to be in summer school and what classes they need so they
can address that and get them back on track. Ceron-Ruiz also asks how cohort
tracker is accounting for waived requirements. The administration responds they
will be programming that in as part of a second phase.
Williams asks detailed questions
about data calculations.
Boozer-Strother inquires about
the fifth year students. They are tracking both 4-year and 5-year students
figuring out what they need to graduate. The school system does get credit for
5-year graduates. She notes the data is illustrating a significant social
change and blurring of grades as a result of COVID. Goldson replies that the
state still has requirements for what has to be done at each grade level, but
it is essential that our community schools continue to provide wraparound
services. She explains that the Blueprint is what is driving accountability.
Boozer-Strother notes she hopes we can continue talking about the
social/emotional aspect.
Valentine thanks the school
leaders and educators for their work as well as administration. He asks about
the drop in the graduate rate in 2019-2020 and what caused that dramatic drop. The
data about the graduation rate of African Americans also jumped out at him and
the difference in graduation rates between males and females. He is also
interested in seeing the graduation rates broken out by school model. Goldson
responds that they tried to salvage the last part of the school year for the
2020 graduation year but some students had to recover their last credits over
the summer. By school year 2021, teachers had perfected virtual teaching.
Next, Mickens-Murray asks when the
cohort tracker started. The administration replies it was September 2021. Mickens-Murray
is interested in knowing how many 9th graders were lost at the end
of this school year.
Adams-Stafford requests
clarification on demographic data. She asks if they are using Edgenuity for the
students who are at risk of not graduating. Goldson replies that if they are in
a day program, no. They are in front of a teacher. If they are in an evening
program then they may be using that program. Adams-Stafford states it seems to
her it would make sense to retain a model like the CBC program as it seems to
be working. Goldson states we are still offering it, it is just in a different
location. Adams-Stafford replies that we have 1200 students that are not graduating,
so to her it would make sense to take that program and grow it. The other
point, she continues, is reclaiming students and using the TAWS program if we
are consolidating CBC. Goldson states the TAWS and CBC programs are different.
TAWS is more of a CTE program. The system is expanding seats, if you look at
the alternative program redesign. Adams-Stafford asks if the cohort tracker
will be married to the response intervention tracker. The administration states
they are two different systems. She reiterates that she is trying to understand
how they can expand on the CBC.
Boozer-Strother congratulates
Northwestern and High Point on their efforts and asks about the funds available
for schools with below 70 percent graduation rates and what happens they reach
that rate. The administration replies that the state is defining those
parameters.
Williams asks a detailed
question about the 5 year adjusted cohort and some clarifying questions about
items in the presentation.
Miller circles back to take
a vote on having Curtis Valentine serve on the Operations, Budget, and Fiscal
Affairs Committee until the board has a full complement. The motion passes.
New business is the first
reader of the PGCPS 2022-2023
School Calendar. The motion to accept it as a first reader passes.
The board then passes a
motion to confirm actions taken in Executive Session.
Meeting adjourns.