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Board of Education — November 14, 2023

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The Redlands Unified School District Board of Education held a regular meeting on November 14, 2023, beginning with a moment of silence for former educator Kathleen K. Womack, who taught kindergarten and second grade at Mariposa Elementary School and retired in 1996. The board approved minutes from the September 26, 2023 meeting and heard a comprehensive presentation on 2023 CASP (California Assessment for Student Performance and Progress) test results, followed by reports from the Redlands Educational Partnership, teacher and classified employee associations, and various committee updates. The meeting included multiple action items related to business services, volunteer approvals, and personnel appointments.

Key decisions

  • Approved minutes from September 26, 2023 Board of Education regular meeting (unanimous vote)
  • Designated Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 6:00 PM as the Board of Education Organizational Meeting (unanimous vote)
  • Adopted Resolution 14, 2023-2024, emergency resolution to award contracts without bids pursuant to Public Contract Code 20113 (unanimous vote)
  • Approved consent items 15B through 15E regarding school improvement plans and related matters (unanimous vote)
  • Approved consent items 16B through 16AI including volunteer appointments and fingerprinting (unanimous vote)
  • Appointed Maria Fernanda Navas Arias to the position of Director One, Accounting and Payroll effective November 15, 2023, at step one of the management team salary schedule (5-0 vote: Ayala-Quintero, Holahan, O'Neill, Renner, Barra voting aye)

Public comment

Two public speakers addressed the board during community input. Paul Blatchley, a high school parent from trustee area five, expressed concerns about how CASP data is presented, noting that the district lumps 'standard nearly met' into performance numbers to inflate percentages, unlike the state website which only counts 'standard met' and 'standard exceeded.' He urged the district to compare itself to higher standards than just the county and state averages. Belinda Sunny, a parent of two district children, expressed disgust about sexually explicit books in school libraries, specifically citing 'Beyond Magenta' by Susan Cookland as containing graphic sexual content inappropriate for children. She questioned the district's transparency regarding book selection, parent notification, and opt-out procedures, and called for the removal of such materials from schools.

Notable speakers

Jamie Quartz - Presented comprehensive CASP assessment data and student performance analysis, Jennifer Moore - President of Redlands Educational Partnership, reported on $86,000 in grants distributed to schools, Susan Apt - Teachers Association president, commended ELO program specialists and after-school programs, Martha Brewster - RESPITE representative, proposed recognition of classified employees on National Educational Professionals Day, Dr. Acosta - RAPA president, highlighted parent-teacher conferences and teacher dedication, Mr. Barra - Board member, emphasized quality of student typing skills impact on testing and noted exceptional district scores, Mr. O'Neill - Board member, highlighted substantial donations for Science Camp and other enrichment programs, Paul Blatchley - Public commenter, raised concerns about CASP data presentation methodology, Belinda Sunny - Public commenter, expressed concerns about explicit content in school library books

Topics: CASP test results and performance analysis · Student achievement in ELA and mathematics · English learner proficiency assessment · Science testing and assessment · Equity support schools performance · Pre-COVID performance recovery · Online testing and technology skills impact · Redlands Educational Partnership grants and funding · Teacher parent conferences · Classified employee appreciation · Career and technical education programs · Volunteer coordination · School library book policies and content concerns · Staff appointments and personnel matters