BOE Meeting for January 8, 2008

1.) Employee(s) of the Month

Background: Each month the District recognizes an employee nominated for Employee of the Month. This month the District honored:

Superintendent Goal: Goal #3 Attract retain quality employees.

2.) Pathway to Excellence & Equity Update: Elementary & Secondary Task Force Update

Background: Staff provided an update on the progress of the two task forces: Elementary Task Force Powerpoint and Secondary Task Force Powerpoint.

At the Sept. 25 BOE Meeting, the Superintendent presented a comprehensive planning process to address educational excellence and equity when focusing on boundaries and facilities.

The Superintendent revised and updated her process at the October 9th BOE meeting by creating two task forces:

Alameda Unified School District

Pathway to Excellence and Equity

Overview to Excellence and Equity Task Forces
and Stakeholder Communication

October 9, 2007

• Form Task Forces

Elementary Facility Capacity Task Force
Secondary Education Task Force

• Task Forces Generate Initial Research and Analysis

Elementary Facility Capacity Task Force analyzes Demographic Study and Facility Capacity
Secondary Education Task Force develops potential program options e.g. district-wide charter, magnet schools, etc.
• Secondary Education Task Force Adds Teacher Representative
• Stakeholder Groups Provide Feedback to Task Forces

Internal AUSD Meeting Structures
Board of Education meeting
Board of Education Workshops
Supertintendent's Community "Sounding Board"
Community-Wide Forums

• Task Forces Develop and Refine Program/Facility Options
• Stakeholder Groups Provide Feedback on Proposed Options
• Superintendent Makes Recommendations on Program/Facility Options
• Board of Education Acts on Program/Facilities Recommendations
• Staff Implements Approved Recommendations for Program/Facility Options

Stakeholder Communication

The Superintendent has designed a system of communication feedback loops that integrates input from AUSD stakeholders, creates a new Community Sounding Board of external community stakeholders, and provides for a series of community forums to share and receive input from the task forces. The continous flow of feedback from stakeholder groups is key to development and refinement of program and facility options.

Here is a pictoral representation.

The timelines for the two Task Forces are as follows:

In June, 2004, The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No. 45 Accounting and Financial Reporting by Employers for Postemployment Benefits Other Than Pensions. The pronouncement will require employers providing postemplyment benefits, commonly referred to as other postemplyment benefits, OPEB, to recognize and account for the costs of providing these costs on an accural basis and provide footnote disclosure on the progroress toward fudning the benefits. The implementation dates for this pronouncement will be phased in over three years based upon the entity's revenues GASB Statement 45 will be effective for the Alameda Unified School District beginning 2007-08 fiscal year. The effect of this pronouncement on the financial condition of the District has not been determined.

In 2006, a CTA presentation disclosed their position on acknowledging the liability associated with retiree health care benefits. In 2008, FCMAT issued a background paper on Other Post Employment Benefits.

AUSD will be required to state its intentions for liability of OPEB in fiscal year 2008. The components of the liability and future costs include: acturial accured liability and the annual OPEB cost.

Next step include a presentation on acturial valuation of the liability and a recommendation on a plan to match assets with liabilities.

Fiscal Implications: None at this time

Superintendent Goal: Goal #2 Align spending plan.

4.) Budget Development Calendar for 2008/2009

Background: Each year The budget development calendar is approved.

Fiscal Implications: None

Superintendent Goal: Goal #2 Align the spending plan.

5.) Technology Services Implementation Plan Update

Background: AUSD updated and completed the Education Technology Plan for 2007-2010. Staff was to make a progrees report that can be used as a guide for technology-related decision making and an instrument to monitor and evaluate progress. However to due the length of the charter school application debate, this item was deferred.

Fiscal Implications: None.

Superintendent Goal: Goal #1. Closing the achievement gap.

6.) Consideration of Community Learning Center Schools, Inc. New Charter School Application

Background: On November 7, 2007 the ACLC Governing Board officially changed its name and mission of the corporation to Community Learning Center School, Inc (CLCS) in order to meet legal obiligations for CLCS to operate multiple charter schools in California.

The CLCS Board of Directors then approved a charter petition to be submitted to AUSD for a new K-12 charter school to be named the Nea Community Learning Center (NCLC). NCLC will be operated by CLCS a nonprofit public benefit corporation. This petition was submitted to the Superintendent's office on November 9, 2007.

The Board of Education conducted a public hearing as required by law within 30 days of filing the petition. The Board of Education has 60 days to grant or deny the charter from date of receipt (Janaury 8, 2008).

CLCS presented an overview of the charter application. Additional background on charter oversight is available here.

Staff prepared their recommendation to deny the application.

The Board heard from 30 speakers equally split on approval/denial of the charter application and closely matched the comments sent to the Board of Education via Email.

The Board adopted the findings to deny the charter.

Fiscal Implications: Dependent on the number of AUSD students that enrolled if charter application is approved by the District, County or State.

Superintendent Goal: Goal #1.

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Last modified: January 9, 2008

Disclaimer: This website is the sole responsibility of Mike McMahon. It does not represent any official opinions, statement of facts or positions of the Alameda Unified School District. Its sole purpose is to disseminate information to interested individuals in the Alameda community.