BOE Meeting for May 10, 2005
1. Budget Report/ Review of Second Interim Report
Background: In March the Board of Edcuation approved the second interim Financial Statements for 2004/05. Since the statements showed the District may not be able to meet fiscal requirements in 2005/06, the District submitted their statements as "qualified".
The Associate Superintendent for Fiscal Services from Alameda County Office of Education (see Grand Jury Report as to why Alameda County Office of Education is under pressure to require tighter fiscal oversight) made a presentation to the Board. She covered the provisions of AB1200 which outline the County obligations in reviewing and approving school district's budgets, as well as the FCMAT indicators for fiscally distressed school districts. She confirmed that fact if AUSD submits a 2005/06 budget where the reserves are below 3%, the County is obligated to disapprove the budget. At that point, the County would work with the District to develop a fiscal recovery plan and appoint a fiscal advisor to oversee the recovery plan.
Fiscal Implications: To be determined.
Strategic Significance: All Goals due to fiscal impact.
2. Employee of the Month
Background: The employee recognition program is a district-wide program to publicly honor special employees. This month the employees honored were:
Jane Baldi - Coordinator, Student Achievement, Accountability, Assessment and Intervention
Jane Lee - Coordinator, Categorical Programs, Student Achievement and Equity
Strategic Significance: Goal #12 Communication and Community Engagement
3. Community-Based English Tutoring (CBET) Program Notification of Intent to Participate, Fiscal Year 2005-06
Background: The purpose of the CBET program is for Local Educational Agencies (LEA) to provide free and subsidized programs of Adult English Language Instruction to parents and other members of the community who pledge to provide English language tutpring to English Learners.
The average annual per pupil allocation has been approximately $30 per English Language Learner student.
The Board approved the Intent to particpate.
Fiscal Implications: $64,440 potentially.
Strategic Significance: Goal #7 - Limited English Proficient Students
4. Alameda Science & Technology Institute (ASTI) Report
Background: Alameda Science & Technology Institute (ASTI) is an accerelated 9-12 high school where students can potentially earn in four years a high school diploma and up to two years of community college credit.
Current enrollment profile is as follows:
Free and Reduced Lunch: 17 students Intervention Students: 4 students
Ethnicity: Blacks-4 Chinese-12 Filipino-6 Hispanic-9 White-9 Asian Pacfic Islander-6
School/Area of Origin: Chipman-20 Lincoln-8 Paden-2 Wood-6 Outside of Alameda-10
Overall GPA - 22 earning a GPA of 3.00 and above
Currently, 35 new students have returned applications to enroll in ASTI next year:
Ethnicity: Blacks-5 Chinese-13 Filipino-2 Hispanic-4 White-4 Asian Pacfic Islander-6
School/Area of Origin: Chipman-7 Lincoln-13 Wood-4 Encinal HS-3 Outside of Alameda-8
The report was presented as background for the following agenda item.
Strategic Significance: Goal #6 High School Graduation
5. Approval of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Peralta College District and the Alameda Unified School District Regarding the Alameda Science & Technology Institute
Background: Located on the campus of the College of Alameda, Alameda Science & Technology Institute (ASTI) is one of the high schools in the Alameda Unified School District. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Peralta College District and the Alameda Unified School District is a partnership as it pertains to the ongoing maintanence and operations of ASTI facilities.
The Board approved the MOU with Perlata College District.
Fiscal Implications: To be determined, no impact on general fund.
Strategic Significance: Goal #6 High School Graduation
6. Appointment of Administrators
Background: The Superintendent recommended approval of appointments for the following positions:
Chipman Middle School - Acting Vice Principal - Michael Cooper
Island High School - Acting Principal - Alysse Castro
The Board approved the appointments.
Strategic Significance: Goal #3 - Staff Recruitment, Assignment and Retention
7. Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) Annual Report
Background: Each year Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) produces an annual report. The annual report was presented as part of the oversight repsonsibilities of the District.
Strategic Significance: Goal #6 High School Graduation
8. Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) Annual Report Evaluation
Background: Each year the District is required to conduct an annual site visit to the Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) and produce a report. The report was presented as part of the oversight repsonsibilities of the District.
The report contained the following recommendations:
- An inventory control system should be established to monitor and safeguard items of equipment purchased with public funds.
- The Charter School is currently working to increase insurance coverage, as was discussed in the process of developing the revised MOU. The District should continue to receive updates regarding these efforts.
- The Charter School has made marked progress toward meeting the "highly qualified" requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. This is another area which merits regular updates to the District.
- Required Element A of the Renewal Application should discuss the degree to which all WASC Visiting Committee Recommendations have been implemented, as well as discuss substantive preparation for the upcoming accreditation cycle.
Strategic Significance: Goal #6 High School Graduation
9. Alameda Community Learning Center Annual Report
Background: Each year Alameda Community Learning Center(ACLC) produces an annual report. The annual report was presented as part of the oversight repsonsibilities of the District.
Strategic Significance: Goal #6 High School Graduation
10. Alameda Community Learning Center Annual Report Evaluation
Background: Each year the District is required to conduct an annual site visit to the Alameda Community Learning Center (ACLC) and produce a report. The report was presented as part of the oversight repsonsibilities of the District.
The report contained the following recommendations:
- Since the Charter delegates important responsiblities to the ACLC Governing Board, which include the expenditure of public funds, entering into contracts, and borrowing money, I recommend that provisions of the Brown Act and Public Records Act be fully incorporated into the operation of the Charter School Governing Board. Further, recommend a review of the parameters of governance delegated to the ACLC Governing Board as they may impact potential liability for the District. Finally, I recommend that the annual ACLC fiscal audit be conducted spearately from that to the District.
- To further provide a liability shield for the District, I recommend that the ACLC Governing Board obtain non profit public benefit corporation status. In addition, I recommend that the successor MOU include well drafted, mutual, "hold harmless" language.
- Also in repsect to the successor MOU, I suggest that ACLC fiscal procedures, inventory practices, as well as Governing Board contracting rights as well as governance prerogatives be addressed.
- Page 14 in the Memorandum of Understanding provides that general liability and automotive insurance shall be provided for ACLC by the District. It further provides that the District shall be compensated for the incremental cost of the additional coverage. As noted in the previous review, I did not find a discrete budget entry to indicate that this payment is being made. The same section goes on to require that the ACLC will provide, at its own expense, certain other insurance coverage. I did not find a budget entry which indicates that the ACLC obtained such coverage.
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The stated goal of both parties, throughout the course of Charter development, was that the operation of the ACLC would be fiscally neutral for the AUSD. This is a goal which is easy to propose, appropriate to pursue, but elusive to attain. Part of the difficultly in attaining financial neutrality is common to all charter authorizing school districts, e.g. the task of maintaining records of all staff time for evaluating mandated cost claims. Part of the difficulty in attaining financial neutrality is the structural funding formula in the Charter Schools Act which applies when a Unified School District authorizes a charter school which serves high school students. However, the greatest difficulty in attaining fiscal neutrality is unique to the relationship between ACLC and the District.
There is a high degree interrelatedness ACLC and the District, both in terms of centralized services and the instructional program. This is a major benefit to the District in that ACLC provides some revenue for the support of the existing infrastructure.
To analyze the true costs of services provided by the District will be an extraordinary complex task. I would suggest that such an analysis should, at least, be discussed as part of the process for charter renewal and development of the successor MOU between the two parties. I would further suggest that this financial analysis may eventually require the advice of an outside fiscal expert. Finally, I would suggest that the goal of fiscal neutrality will be a a "moving target" in that periodic recalculation will be necessary over the next five years of charter renewal.
When conducting the analysis regarding fiscal neutrality for the District, I suggest that particlar attention be devoted to these areas of inquiry:
- The 2003-2004 ACLC budget included an expenditure of $6,011 for Special Education. Is that sum sufficient to result in fiscal neutrality for the District?
- Does the sum charged for general fund oversight, as opposed tot he statutory 3% calculation for monitoring/supervision and facilities, provide enough income to Is that sum sufficient to result in fiscal neutrality for the District?
- Do the amounts charged for ACLC students taking Encinal High School classes,participation in food service programs, sports, a pro rata share of campus security, etc. provide enough income to result in fiscal neutrality for the District?
- Are Section 504 services, as a function of general education, supported by the ACLC budget?
In conclusion, ACLC is a highly functioning Charter School and a source of pride for all concerned. As such, it is highly deserving of charter renewal. None of the recommendations in this report concern the educational program or the general operation of ACLC. Rather, I am suggesting that the renewal process is the time to insure full compliance with best gevernance processes and to take all reasonable steps to minimize exposure to liability for the District.
Strategic Significance: Goal #6 High School Graduation
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Last modified: May 11, 2005
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