WEBVTT

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Alright, I would like to welcome everyone to the November

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20, 2020 meeting of the Texas State Board of Education.

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You know, this is a bittersweet meeting for us. It's

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sweet and the fact that we've had so much great time

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with these board members that will have their last

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meeting with us today. But it's bitter that it will

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be the last time that we are here with these six retiring

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board members today. So we're gonna have a fun day

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today. We're gonna have lots of proclamations and recognitions

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and so forth and also a little work that we will do

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also. So um,

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I am going to call on Miss Pam Little first, to

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introduce our student performance.

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Thank you Mr. Chair. Uh, the choir is on their way in.

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I am honored this morning to introduce the Lovejoy

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Acapella Choir. For those of you that may not know,

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Lovejoy is a combined area of Fairview, Allen and Lucas

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in Collin County. This group features 15 students in

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grades 10 through 12. Many quality singers from Lovejoy

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High School audition each year for a spot in this highly

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acclaimed group. These students perform in numerous

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community events and concerts throughout the year singing

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a variety of music genres including pop, jazz and concert.

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This morning, the Lovejoy Acapella Choir has selected

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several pieces for your enjoyment. Supporting the choir

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today with them are Miss Katie Cordell their Superintendent,

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Fine Arts Director, Dr. Fela Mathy. Obviously their Choir

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Director Kelly Martin, and two Lovejoy trustees are here

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Amy Smith and Marvin Bobo. And we also have the Mayor

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of Fairview, Henry Lester and his wife Nancy. And the

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Fairview Town Councilman Larry Little. I give you the

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Lovejoy Acapella choir. Good morning everyone.

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My name is Brindley Eaten. I'm a Senior at Lovejoy

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High School and we are Lovejoy Acapella. Like she said,

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we are an elect group of Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors.

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We share a passion through spreading music throughout

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our community. Thank you so much for inviting us today,

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this morning. We are so, so very excited. Today will

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be beginning with a rendition of "Everything" by Michael

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Buble. This song is about that one special person

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in the world, who makes everything worthwhile. We hope

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you can reflect on those people in your life as you

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listen. Thank you.

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"Yes, you're my everything, but a. You're a falling star, you're the getaway

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get away car. You're the line in the sand, when I 

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 go too far. You're the swimming pool on an August day.

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And you're the perfect thing to say. And you play it coy, but

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it's kinda cute. Ah, when you smile at me, you know exactly what you do.

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Baby, don't pretend that you don't know it's true. 'Cause you can see it when I look at you. And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times. It's you,

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 it's you, you make me sing. You're every line, you're every word. You're 

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everything. So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times. It's you,

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it's you, you make me sing. You're every line, you're every word. You're

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everything. So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

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Hi, my name is Katie Knuckles and I'm a Senior at Lovejoy

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High School. In 2011, the group Pentatonix put acapella

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music on the map and their song, "Take Me Home", they sing about

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about how individual heartbeats can come together and

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make a group stronger. It reminds us that even as one

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day we'll all go our separate ways. We will still be

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united through the hope and love of being a part of

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our acapella family, it is our home. Please enjoy,

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"Take Me Home" by Pentatonix. "You,

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you light up in the dark. You're the glowing and priceless work of art.

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I see, I see your shining star. You're the light through my window

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from afar. Oh, 

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And don't you forget. The only that matters is your heartbeat

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going strong. Oh, dont

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you forget. That nothing else can matter 'cause you know where I belong. Oh, take me there

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Won't you take me there? Won't you take me

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home? Oh,

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take me there. Won't you take me there? Won't you take me home?

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We, we light up the sky. Heaven knows there's no such thing

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as goodbye. 'Cause love, love can never die. We'll forever be burning,

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you and I. And don't you forget. The only that matters is our

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heartbeats going strong. Oh, don't you forget. That nothing else can matter cause we know where

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I belong. Oh, take me there

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Won't you take me there? Won't you take me home?

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Oh, take me there. Won't you take me there? Won't you take me home? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

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Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh,

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take me there. Won't you take me there?

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Won't you take me home?

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Oh, take me there. Won't you take me there? Won't you take me 

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home?"

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Hello, I'm Kila Lawrence and I'm a Senior at Lovejoy

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High School. Um, the poem, "The Sound of Silence," was

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written by Paul Simon in 1964. It is about the friendship between Art Garfunkel and his friend who woke up with sudden blindness. It is said that within

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darkness in the world, we find light within each other.

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And this is "The Sound of Silence" and we hope you enjoy.

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"Hello darkness, my old friend.

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I've come to talk with you again. Because a vision softly

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creeping.

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Left its seeds while I was

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sleeping. And the vision that

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was planted in my brain. Still remains

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Within the sound of 

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of silence. In restless dreams, I walked alone.

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Narrow streets of cobblestone. 'Neath the halo of a street lamp.

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I turned my collar to the cold and damp. When

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my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light. That split the night. And touched the sound

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 of silence. 

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And in the naked light, I saw. Ten thousand people, maybe more. People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening. People writing songs that voices never shared.

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And no one dared.

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Disturb the sound

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of silence. "Fools" said I, "You do not know

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Silence like a cancer grows. Hear my words that I might teach you. Take my arms that I might reach you."

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But my words, like silent raindrops fell. And echoed in the wells

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of silence.

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And the people bowed and prayed. To the neon

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god they made. And the sign flashed

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out its warning.

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In the words that it was forming. Then the sign said, "The words on the prophets are written on the

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subway walls. In tenement halls"

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And whispered in the sound

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of silence."

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Hi, I'm Rider Sullivan. I'm a Senior at Lovejoy

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High School. So, we finish up our performance this morning

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with the arrangement of Queen's "Somebody to Love." So,

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Freddie Mercury penned these, pinned this song. As he hoped

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to find the one person in the world that would accept

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him, regardless of his fame and fortune. In the end

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he finds hope in refusing to accept defeat. And um,

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knowing that there will eventually be somebody to love.

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"Can anybody find me somebody 

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 to love?

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Nah, nah,

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nah. Ooh, each morning I get up I die a little.

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Can barely stand on my feet. (Take a look at yourself) Take a look in the mirror and cry (and cry). Lord, what you're doing to me? (Yeah, yeah). I have spent all my years in believing you. But I just can't get no relief, Lord.

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Somebody (somebody), ooh, somebody (somebody). Can anybody find me somebody to love? Yeah. I work hard (he works hard) every day of my life. I work 'til I ache my bones. At the end (at the end of the day). I take home my hard earned pay

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(goes home). All on my own (goes home on his own). I get down (down) on my knees (knees)
And I start to pray (praise the Lord). 'Til the tears run down from my eyes. Lord,

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somebody (somebody), ooh, somebody. (Please) can anybody find me

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somebody to love?

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Somebody to love (somebody to love). Every day (every day), I try and I try and I try. 

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But everybody wants to put me down. They say I'm going crazy. They say I got a lot of water in my brain. I got no common sense. (He's got) I got nobody left to believe in. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

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Got no feel, I got no rhythm. I just keep losing my beat (you just keep losing and losing)

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I'm OK, I'm alright (he's alright, he's alright). I ain't gonna face

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no defeat (yeah, yeah). I just gotta get out of this prison cell. One day (someday) I'm

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gonna be free, Lord.

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Find me somebody to love. Find me somebody to love. Find me somebody to love


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Find me somebody to love. Find me somebody to love (find me). Find me somebody to love (find me, find)

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Find me somebody to love, love, love (ooh, find me, find me)

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Find me somebody to love (somebody to love). Find me somebody to love (ooh). Somebody, somebody

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somebody, somebody. Somebody find me. Somebody find me

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somebody to love. Can anybody find me somebody to love? (Find me somebody to love)

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Somebody to love. Somebody to love.

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Somebody to love. Somebody to love. Somebody,

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Somebody to love."

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Thank you again for your kind invitation and we hope

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you'll have a blessed day. Thank you so much.

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Good job. Uh, I know I am biased, but I think this is the best performance

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we have ever had at The State Board of Education. This

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is the best performance that we have ever had at The

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State Board of Education. And I ask you for another

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round of applause for these talented children.

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Thank you very much you were great. We've got pictures.

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And while they're doing that, I want to also recognize

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the special guest Senator Angela Paxton, who represents

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Lovejoy is also in the room here. Please raise your

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hand. And

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she told me it was on her playlist that she listens

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to.

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Perfect, right there.

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Got it. Thank you.

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Good morning.

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Yes,

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Again, an absolutely phenomenal performance. And so

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thankful to everyone who helped to get them here. And

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was part of that, that wonderful performance. Uh Miss

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Georgina Perez, will you please bring the invocation

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and lead us in the pledges?

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Good morning. If I could please invite Miss Audrey

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(inaudible)

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Please bow your heads with me. Dear Lord, thank you

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for having all of us here today. Thank you for your

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guidance and your wisdom. And all the goodness and gracious

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grace that you give us. As we make decisions that impact

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5.5 million Children in the State of Texas. Dear Lord,

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thank you for the works of the Texas Education Agency,

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the State Board of Education, and all of the staff,

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students, members and faculties of every school district

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in the State of Texas. Dear Lord, please watch over

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us. Please protect us and please keep us in your solid

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hands. As we continue to do the good works of this great

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State of Texas. Amen

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If you all would please stand and join me in the Pledge

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of Allegiance.

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"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States

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of America. And to the Republic, for which it stands. One

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nation under God indivisible. With liberty and justice for all."

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And the Texas Pledge. "Honor the Texas flag. Pledge

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allegiance to the Texas. One state under God. One and indivisible."

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Thank you Ms. Perez. And at this point I'm gonna have

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Staff to please call the roll.

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Ms. Perez? Present. Mr. Cortez? Here. Ms. Perez-Diaz?

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Here. Mr. Allen? Present.

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Dr. Bell-Metereau? Present. Mr. Hickman? Here.

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Dr Robinson? Here. Dr. Young? Here. Mr. Maynard? Here. Ms. Hardy? Here.

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Mrs. Little? Here. Ms. Davis? Mrs. Melton-Malone? Here. Dr. Johnson? Here.

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Dr Ellis? Here.

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Thank you, a quorum is present. The first business to be considered

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is the approval of the minutes of the State Board of

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Education meeting from September 2, 2022, and from September

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26, 2022. Are there any corrections to the minutes?

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There are no corrections in the minutes, and the minutes are approved.

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The next business in order is the presentation of the

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resolutions honoring the 2022 Presidential Awards for

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Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching State

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finalists. And I will again call on Miss Perez.

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If I could have Mr. Tom Maynard, enter the center of

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the ring, with the appropriate materials. And be joined

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by Miss Nikki Davis.

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Good morning.

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Miss Pam Little.

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If you would please be joined by Miss Caitlin Duncan.

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Mr. Allen?

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If you will please join Miss Jessica Garza.

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Miss Hardy?

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If you will please join Miss Denise Carbon.

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Miss Hardy, you also have Miss Cherre Palmer.

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Mr Hickman? If you will please join Miss Shatara White. Members,

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if you would please stand behind.

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Somebody from the board can help.

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Maybe Dr. Robinson. Dr. Robinson? Will you please join

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Miss Shatara White.

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Members, if you would please stand behind the finalist.

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I love the color coordination.

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As I say the individual's name, if you would please

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hand their resolution to them. Whereas the

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Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and

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Science Teaching Program, identifies outstanding mathematics

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and science teachers in each state and the four U.S.

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jurisdictions. And whereas, through state selection

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committees, three mathematics finalists and three science

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finalists were selected as Texas finalists. Whereas

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these teachers have become candidates for the Presidential

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Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science teaching.

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Now therefore be resolved, that the State Board of Education

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does hereby extend its congratulations to Miss Jessica

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Garza of Williams Elementary School Pasadena ISD,

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Pasadena, Texas.

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Kate Duncan, Robert L. Pastor Elementary School, Lovejoy

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Independent School District, Lovejoy, Texas.

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Nicole Davis, Pioneer Crossing Elementary School, Maynard

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Independent School District, Maynard, Texas.

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For being named State finalists in the Elementary Mathematics

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category for the 2022 Presidential Award. And be it

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further resolved, that the State Board of Education

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does hereby extend its congratulations to Denise Carvin,

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Radiant Stand Academy, Lewisville, Texas.

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Cherre Palmer, I. University Preparatory School, Grapevine-

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Colleyville Independent School District, Grapevine, Texas.

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Shatara White, Tomball Intermediate School, Tomball Independent

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School District, Tomball, Texas.

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For being named State finalists in the Elementary Science

00:26:45.589 --> 00:26:50.250
category for the 2022 Presidential Award. And be it

00:26:50.250 --> 00:26:53.680
further resolved, that this resolution will be presented

00:26:53.690 --> 00:26:56.130
to the aforementioned teachers for being identified

00:26:56.140 --> 00:27:00.170
as State finalists for the 2022 Presidential Awards

00:27:00.170 --> 00:27:03.950
for the Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:07.309
Program. And that a copy be included in the permanent

00:27:07.309 --> 00:27:10.019
records of the Texas State Board of Education. Please

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:14.640
witness our signatures this 18th day of November 2022,

00:27:14.650 --> 00:27:18.599
in Austin, Texas. Your Chair Dr. Ellis and myself, your

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:27.210
Secretary Georgina Perez, congratulations.

00:27:27.210 --> 00:27:33.680
If you all would face your recognition forward. For

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:36.680
a nice group photo with your Representative behind

00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:54.740
you please.

00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:57.279
Mhm.

00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:00.000
Enjoy that.

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:03.400
Congratulations again to this great group here. So

00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:06.220
as that was honoring the 2022 State finalists. The

00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:09.140
next business and orders, is the presentation of the resolution

00:28:09.150 --> 00:28:12.569
honoring the 2020 Presidential Awards for Excellence

00:28:12.569 --> 00:28:15.960
in Mathematics and Science Teaching Nationals awardees.

00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:23.210
If Miss Sue Melton-Malone would join Miss Kristen Butler.

00:28:24.450 --> 00:28:28.390
And Dr. J. Johnson, if you would please join Miss

00:28:28.400 --> 00:29:07.059
Laurie Garrett.

00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:10.309
Whereas the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics

00:29:10.309 --> 00:29:13.740
and Science Teaching program, identifies outstanding

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:16.579
Mathematics and Science teachers in each state and

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:20.779
the four U.S. jurisdictions and whereas through National

00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:24.069
selection committees, one mathematics finalists and

00:29:24.069 --> 00:29:28.029
one science finalists were selected to represent Texas.

00:29:28.150 --> 00:29:32.529
And whereas these teachers have become Texas

00:29:32.569 --> 00:29:36.599
National awardees for the Presidential Awards for Excellence

00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:40.279
in Mathematics and Science teaching. Now, therefore

00:29:40.289 --> 00:29:43.319
be it resolved, that the Texas State Board of Education

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:47.130
does hereby extend its congratulations to Kristin Butler,

00:29:47.140 --> 00:29:49.880
Midland Middle School, Northwest Independent School

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:55.140
District, Trophy Club, Texas. For being named Texas National

00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:58.319
Awardee in the Primary Mathematics category, for the

00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:08.369
2020 Presidential Award.

00:30:08.369 --> 00:30:11.000
And be it further resolved, that the Texas State Board

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:14.059
of Education, does hereby extend its congratulations

00:30:14.069 --> 00:30:17.819
to Miss Laurie Garrett, Cactus Elementary School, Dumas

00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:21.000
Independent School District, Amarillo, Texas. For

00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:25.769
being named Texas National Awardee in the Primary Science

00:30:25.769 --> 00:30:36.160
category for the 2020 Presidential Award.

00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:56.490
Turn it forward.

00:30:56.490 --> 00:31:00.730
And be it further resolved, that this resolution

00:31:00.730 --> 00:31:03.150
be presented to the aforementioned teachers for being

00:31:03.150 --> 00:31:06.549
identified as State and National Awardees for the 2020

00:31:06.549 --> 00:31:09.450
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and

00:31:09.450 --> 00:31:12.430
Science teaching program. And that a copy be included

00:31:12.430 --> 00:31:14.950
in the permanent records of the State Board of Education.

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:18.519
Please witness our signatures this 18th day of november

00:31:18.529 --> 00:31:23.849
2022, in Austin Texas. Our Chair, Dr. Keven Ellis and

00:31:23.849 --> 00:31:27.829
myself, your Secretary Georgina Perez, congratulations.

00:31:37.299 --> 00:31:40.369
Thank you Miss Perez.

00:31:40.369 --> 00:31:43.480
Next business in order is a presentation of the resolutions

00:31:43.490 --> 00:31:46.529
honoring retiring State Board of Education members.

00:31:47.089 --> 00:31:51.839
We will honor Dr. J. Johnson first, and Dr. Young is recognized

00:31:51.839 --> 00:32:09.990
to present the resolution in honor of Dr. Johnson.

00:32:09.990 --> 00:32:13.470
Dr. Johnson? Why don't you go stand by Dr. Young up there.

00:32:13.470 --> 00:32:32.289
as she presents.

00:32:32.289 --> 00:32:36.769
Whereas John J. Johnson, has the eagerness and passion

00:32:36.769 --> 00:32:41.480
to improve public education in Texas. And whereas he

00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:44.970
is a dedicated public servant for education, who was

00:32:44.970 --> 00:32:47.809
elected to serve District 15 of the State Board of

00:32:47.809 --> 00:32:52.200
Education in November 2020. Where he served as a key

00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:56.980
member of the committee on school initiatives. And whereas

00:32:56.980 --> 00:33:00.339
he served for over 16 years on the Pampa Independent

00:33:00.339 --> 00:33:04.269
School District's Board of Trustees, including as President

00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:09.289
of the Board for two years. And whereas he is a founding

00:33:09.289 --> 00:33:13.210
member of the Pampa Education Foundation, and he has

00:33:13.210 --> 00:33:16.150
served as President of the Pampa Youth and Community

00:33:16.150 --> 00:33:22.259
Center Board of Directors. And whereas, he is also famous

00:33:22.269 --> 00:33:26.279
in Pampa for being inducted into the Pampa High School

00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:30.710
Hall of Fame. And whereas, along with his dedication

00:33:30.710 --> 00:33:34.430
to education, he was responsible for many healthy and

00:33:34.430 --> 00:33:37.849
bright smiles in his profession as a dentist. Where

00:33:37.849 --> 00:33:43.410
he practiced in Pampa-Gray County for 43 years. And

00:33:43.420 --> 00:33:48.960
whereas, he is officially the bus driver, by vehicle

00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:54.619
BR 549 of the State board of Education. Therefore

00:33:54.619 --> 00:33:59.069
be it resolved, that with bright and happy smiles members

00:33:59.069 --> 00:34:02.369
of the State board of Education which John J. Johnson

00:34:02.369 --> 00:34:05.750
the very best in his next endeavors. And be it further

00:34:05.750 --> 00:34:08.889
resolved, that this resolution be presented to John

00:34:08.889 --> 00:34:12.280
J. Johnson and that a copy be included in the permanent

00:34:12.280 --> 00:34:15.469
records of the State board of Education. Witness our

00:34:15.469 --> 00:34:19.619
signatures this 18th day of November 2022, in Austin,

00:34:19.619 --> 00:34:24.340
Texas. Keven Ellis, Chair and Georgina Perez, Secretary. 

00:34:25.010 --> 00:34:27.900
You're welcome. I love you. I love you too.

00:34:27.900 --> 00:34:33.409
I'm also gonna call on Mr. Maynard now to make a presentation.

00:34:33.409 --> 00:34:36.389
I want to point out, Mr. Maynard has done yeoman's work

00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:39.780
to make sure that each of these members have a beautiful

00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:43.059
gift. Don't go, don't go far J. Stay up close there.

00:34:43.070 --> 00:34:47.000
A beautiful gift to go home to, to recognize their service

00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:49.360
and their time on the State Board of Education. And

00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:51.599
I'm gonna call on Mr. Maynard to make that presentation.

00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:56.610
Dr. Johnson, as we kind of mentioned last night that

00:34:56.619 --> 00:35:00.780
uh we, had this special thing

00:35:00.789 --> 00:35:04.869
made for you. This is a, as you look at this,

00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:08.849
seal on the wall. We we duplicated that. That seal on

00:35:08.849 --> 00:35:13.360
the wall in wood. And uh, this so far as I know

00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:16.800
this is the only one in existence. And so there may

00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:20.559
be other ones, but this is, this is number one in a

00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:24.519
series. So if it winds up on the Antiques Roadshow, but

00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:27.940
it's not signed. But I mean, it's like that and so on

00:35:27.949 --> 00:35:31.139
behalf of all of us. And we'd like to present you with

00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:37.550
this token of your service on the Board. And

00:35:37.550 --> 00:35:40.820
for your kids and grandkids to admire. And to be

00:35:40.820 --> 00:35:46.030
proud of and the example that you set for them. Furthermore

00:35:46.039 --> 00:35:50.869
Representative Ken King, has flown the flag over the

00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:55.159
over the Capital in your honor, uh this week. This

00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:57.820
week, this  your last week here, your last meeting.

00:35:57.829 --> 00:36:00.639
And uh, and we had this boxed for you, And

00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:03.739
it says here, this is flown over the Texas Capital

00:36:03.739 --> 00:36:06.980
and honor of J. Johnson State Board of Education 2021-

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:11.719
2022, on November of 2022. For you to to keep, and uh.

00:36:11.730 --> 00:36:19.099
Thank you sir, my pleasure.

00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:23.960
And from all of us, who rode in your bus. Your

00:36:23.960 --> 00:36:35.320
own little he-haw, BR 549. Thank you. You're welcome.

00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:37.909
Dr. Johnson, you know, so Representative Ken King flew

00:36:37.909 --> 00:36:39.340
that flag for you. I think you may have filled a

00:36:39.340 --> 00:36:44.289
cavity of his at one point in time also.

00:36:44.289 --> 00:36:47.789
Alright, so congratulations. And I would ask all those

00:36:47.789 --> 00:36:51.599
in favor of adopting the resolution honoring Dr. J. Johnson

00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:59.989
say aye. Aye. The resolution is adopted.

00:36:59.989 --> 00:37:06.139
I'm not accepting any nays on that one. All right,

00:37:06.139 --> 00:37:10.489
we will honor Dr. Robinson next. Miss Davis is recognized

00:37:10.489 --> 00:37:26.860
to present the resolution to honor Dr. Robinson.

00:37:26.860 --> 00:37:30.929
So I just want to first say it's my honor to present

00:37:30.929 --> 00:37:34.900
this resolution to a true hero and thank you. You know

00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:39.329
we came in together, it's just been amazing to work

00:37:39.329 --> 00:37:44.829
with you. Resolution, whereas Matt Robinson has been

00:37:44.829 --> 00:37:48.090
a passionate advocate for traditional public schools.

00:37:48.099 --> 00:37:52.130
And whereas, he showed that commitment by serving on

00:37:52.130 --> 00:37:55.780
the Friendswood ISD Board of Trustees for a decade

00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:58.889
before serving four years on the State Board of Education.

00:37:59.619 --> 00:38:02.909
And whereas, he leaves the Board as Chair of the Committee

00:38:02.909 --> 00:38:06.349
on School Initiatives. Which he diligently led the past

00:38:06.349 --> 00:38:10.280
two years. And whereas, he successfully juggled this

00:38:10.280 --> 00:38:14.019
public service with his work as a medical doctor. And

00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:17.670
whereas, examples of his dedication could be seen as

00:38:17.670 --> 00:38:20.489
he often attended local school functions and zoom meetings

00:38:20.489 --> 00:38:23.960
of the State Board of Education, while wearing his scrubs.

00:38:23.969 --> 00:38:28.260
And whereas, he used his expertise as a medical doctor

00:38:28.260 --> 00:38:31.789
to inform the revisions to the Health Education Texas

00:38:31.789 --> 00:38:36.090
essential knowledge and skills. Now therefore be resolved,

00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:39.510
that the State Board of Education wishes Matt Robinson

00:38:39.519 --> 00:38:42.639
a healthy prognosis of gratitude and appreciation for

00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:46.829
his service. And be it further resolved, that this resolution

00:38:46.829 --> 00:38:50.150
be presented to Dr. Matt Robinson and that a copy be

00:38:50.150 --> 00:38:53.099
included in the permanent records of the a State Board

00:38:53.099 --> 00:38:56.800
of Education. Witness our signatures this 18th day of

00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:01.199
November 2022, in Austin Texas. Keven Ellis Chair, Georgina

00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:11.079
Perez, Secretary. Thank you, Matt.

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:15.030
Yeah.

00:39:15.030 --> 00:39:19.059
So a few years ago, we began the practice of, sort of

00:39:19.059 --> 00:39:23.269
memorializing the leadership. That that members who

00:39:23.269 --> 00:39:27.210
are retiring from the Board have exerted. And uh,

00:39:27.219 --> 00:39:28.610
that's sort of the symbol of that leadership maybe

00:39:28.610 --> 00:39:33.960
is the gavel. And uh, and so we have uh, arranged

00:39:33.960 --> 00:39:40.179
for these, these gavel boxes. With uh, the plate that

00:39:40.190 --> 00:39:43.230
commemorates Dr. Robinson's service on the board. But

00:39:43.230 --> 00:39:47.360
also his Chairmanship on the School of the Committee

00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:50.210
of School Initiatives. As you know, that the State Board

00:39:50.210 --> 00:39:53.980
of Education, has uh three standing committees outside

00:39:53.980 --> 00:39:55.570
of the committee of the full Board and the executive

00:39:55.570 --> 00:39:59.889
committee. And uh, Dr. Robinson has been the

00:39:59.889 --> 00:40:01.900
Chair of that committee. And we'd like to thank you

00:40:01.900 --> 00:40:09.369
for your leadership.

00:40:09.369 --> 00:40:13.150
In addition, we may have to juggle here a little bit.

00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:17.980
Heavy.

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:22.230
Representative Ed Howard, has flown this flag, I believe

00:40:22.230 --> 00:40:26.369
that you of a relationship there. And he was honored

00:40:26.369 --> 00:40:29.400
to do that for you. And this flag was flown this week

00:40:29.400 --> 00:40:31.679
over the Capital in your honor. Of your service and

00:40:31.679 --> 00:40:33.750
your leadership on the State Board of Education. And

00:40:33.760 --> 00:40:38.289
thank you for your work and for your dedication

00:40:38.289 --> 00:40:49.530
to the children of Texas.

00:40:49.530 --> 00:40:52.079
Congratulations, and I would also ask all those in

00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:54.820
favor of adopting the resolution honoring Dr. Robinson

00:40:54.820 --> 00:41:01.480
say aye. Aye. The resolution is adopted. Next, we will honor

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:05.340
Miss Perez. Pasture, the last great Chair of the State

00:41:05.340 --> 00:41:08.329
Board of Education, has recognized Miss Donna Bahorich

00:41:08.329 --> 00:41:29.000
to present the resolution in honor of Miss Perez.

00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:35.730
Whereas, oops sorry, whereas Georgina Cecilia Perez,

00:41:35.739 --> 00:41:40.110
is a passionate former 8th Grade English Language Arts

00:41:40.110 --> 00:41:45.309
Reading teacher in the Ysleta School District. And

00:41:45.309 --> 00:41:49.110
whereas as a child, she often found solace

00:41:49.110 --> 00:41:52.929
and comfort in libraries and then grew up to be a fierce

00:41:52.929 --> 00:41:56.780
advocate for literacy. And has now helped provide more

00:41:56.780 --> 00:42:01.469
than 500,000 books to students who live in rural or

00:42:01.480 --> 00:42:05.820
impoverished areas. And whereas, immediately upon joining

00:42:05.820 --> 00:42:08.980
the Board, she channeled her passion for Language Arts

00:42:08.980 --> 00:42:13.050
and Reading, to ensure the board adopted a strong set

00:42:13.059 --> 00:42:17.219
of English and Spanish language arts and reading Texas

00:42:17.219 --> 00:42:20.949
essential knowledge and skills. And whereas, her State

00:42:20.949 --> 00:42:25.190
Board of Education district encompassed 40 West Texas

00:42:25.190 --> 00:42:30.119
counties. That included more than 900 miles along the

00:42:30.119 --> 00:42:36.789
Texas-Mexico border. Okay. And whereas she was often

00:42:36.789 --> 00:42:40.190
on the road again, to meet with constituents so that

00:42:40.190 --> 00:42:43.369
she could hear their concerns in person. And whereas,

00:42:43.369 --> 00:42:46.670
she served as a vital member of the Board's Committee

00:42:46.670 --> 00:42:50.309
on Instruction, and as the Secretary of the Board since

00:42:50.309 --> 00:42:55.929
2019. And whereas, she worked tirelessly to reach across

00:42:55.929 --> 00:42:59.369
party lines to bring about the best decisions on behalf

00:42:59.380 --> 00:43:03.630
of the children of Texas. And whereas, the staunch Democrat

00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:07.280
quickly formed a close and strong alliance with Donna

00:43:07.570 --> 00:43:11.559
Bahorich, uh Republican Chair of the State Board of Education.

00:43:11.570 --> 00:43:15.139
And whereas, this pairing known as Thelma and Louise.

00:43:15.150 --> 00:43:20.599
Crisscrossed this state, gathering input from constituents

00:43:20.599 --> 00:43:24.099
and together they forged bipartisan solutions on many

00:43:24.099 --> 00:43:28.880
policy issues. Whereas this proud El Paso native, was

00:43:28.889 --> 00:43:31.670
instrumental in the development of the State's

00:43:31.679 --> 00:43:36.230
1st Ethnic Studies course and helped craft a fast track

00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:40.730
approach to developing additional Ethnic Studies courses.

00:43:40.739 --> 00:43:45.949
Now be it now therefore, be it resolved that the State

00:43:45.949 --> 00:43:49.949
Board of Education, thanks Georgina Cecilia Perez for

00:43:49.949 --> 00:43:53.960
her passion and dedication to Texas public education.

00:43:53.969 --> 00:43:57.099
And be it further resolved, that this resolution be

00:43:57.099 --> 00:44:02.190
presented to Georgina Cecilia Perez. And that a copy

00:44:02.199 --> 00:44:05.230
be included in the permanent records of the State Board

00:44:05.230 --> 00:44:08.659
of Education. Witness our signatures this 18th day of

00:44:08.659 --> 00:44:13.900
November 2022, in Austin, Texas. Keven Ellis, Chair. Pam

00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:17.440
Little, Vice Chair.

00:44:17.440 --> 00:44:26.460
Present this to you.


00:44:26.460 --> 00:44:32.519
We have rules Aisha, you're not allowed to cry. You make me cry up here. Okay.

00:44:32.519 --> 00:44:37.179
I'm just gonna have to give um, my own remarks for this

00:44:37.179 --> 00:44:40.920
remarkable woman. I just have to do this. Um, Gina and

00:44:40.920 --> 00:44:44.010
I began our fast friendship right after her election

00:44:44.010 --> 00:44:47.389
to the SBOE. At the time, the Board was

00:44:47.389 --> 00:44:50.269
revising Spanish Language Arts and Reading. And I as

00:44:50.269 --> 00:44:54.960
the Chair, needed more input from the field. Um, so that

00:44:54.969 --> 00:44:58.190
we could be sure and to approve the best standards

00:44:58.190 --> 00:45:02.219
possible for our classroom. And Gina took on the assignment

00:45:02.219 --> 00:45:05.449
like immediately because I loved to give assignments.

00:45:06.530 --> 00:45:12.590
And just so you know. And um, she took it on immediately

00:45:12.590 --> 00:45:15.079
put a strong educated group together. I know many of

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:17.690
you sitting around this room will remember. You know,

00:45:17.690 --> 00:45:21.199
the incredible group from El Paso, that came up and

00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:23.860
helped us finish up the Spanish Language

00:45:23.860 --> 00:45:28.000
Arts and Reading standards. And um, and they made it

00:45:28.010 --> 00:45:31.059
and she made a huge impact from the very first meeting.

00:45:31.070 --> 00:45:35.570
And there were numerous 2am calls. Yes. Uh, just talking

00:45:35.570 --> 00:45:39.349
through what she needed to, to get ready proposing amendments

00:45:39.349 --> 00:45:42.170
to make the standards better. From that first meeting

00:45:42.170 --> 00:45:44.869
on, we never stopped working together to prepare for

00:45:44.869 --> 00:45:47.809
meetings because that's what the public expects. When

00:45:47.809 --> 00:45:50.829
they elect officials to represent them. Good faith

00:45:50.829 --> 00:45:54.639
efforts to work through the issues. Rolling up our sleeves

00:45:54.639 --> 00:45:57.460
together regardless of party labels. To work with anyone

00:45:57.460 --> 00:46:01.710
and everyone in support of the 5.5 million students

00:46:01.710 --> 00:46:04.650
of Texas. The students of our great State deserve nothing

00:46:04.650 --> 00:46:08.130
less than that effort. A lot has happened in both our

00:46:08.130 --> 00:46:11.599
lives over the last several years of our friendship.

00:46:11.599 --> 00:46:14.280
But our commitment to supporting each other professionally

00:46:14.280 --> 00:46:17.440
and personally has only grown. What also has grown

00:46:17.449 --> 00:46:21.690
is my love for the color purple.

00:46:21.690 --> 00:46:31.739
Purple.

00:46:31.739 --> 00:46:38.809
Sorry, sorry. Purple represents everything Gina is.

00:46:39.730 --> 00:46:45.409
Her language of love is truly service.

00:46:45.409 --> 00:46:50.190
Gina Perez is someone you want in your corner.

00:46:50.190 --> 00:46:54.940
No one will fight harder. Fight longer. Fight more

00:46:54.940 --> 00:46:59.909
passionately than Gina. She's a warrior in the best

00:46:59.909 --> 00:47:03.610
sense. And this is why this children of Texas have

00:47:03.619 --> 00:47:07.739
been so blessed to have Gina Perez in their corner

00:47:07.750 --> 00:47:10.940
for the last eight years.

00:47:10.940 --> 00:47:16.170
Gina, you will leave a void on this Board. I know I

00:47:16.170 --> 00:47:19.659
speak for many around the circle. That you are a rare

00:47:19.670 --> 00:47:22.829
diamond.

00:47:22.829 --> 00:47:26.590
Brilliant and fierce.

00:47:26.590 --> 00:47:31.369
A true champion for children. Well done, Georgina Perez.

00:47:31.449 --> 00:47:44.780
You will be greatly missed. Godspeed, my friend.

00:47:44.780 --> 00:47:48.030
I know.

00:47:48.030 --> 00:47:50.699
Okay, you want a photo with all this stuff? Oh yeah

00:47:50.699 --> 00:47:58.750
with all this stuff. Okay, sorry, sorry. Dry it up.

00:47:58.750 --> 00:48:03.409
I didn't ugly cry. No, you didn't. There was no snot

00:48:03.409 --> 00:48:07.050
bubbles.

00:48:07.050 --> 00:48:14.360
Thank you. Okay, Mr. Maynard, let's have it.

00:48:14.360 --> 00:48:16.300
Well, Georgina would like to memorialize your

00:48:16.300 --> 00:48:18.320
leadership on the Board, as serving as Secretary and

00:48:18.320 --> 00:48:19.969
of course as a member of the Executive Committee. I

00:48:19.969 --> 00:48:22.449
will tell you that plate doesn't really 

00:48:22.449 --> 00:48:25.510
capture that. And I what you and

00:48:25.510 --> 00:48:27.920
I have in common, is that you know, we've

00:48:27.920 --> 00:48:32.059
taught all the same same kids. Yes sir. And uh, and I especially

00:48:32.059 --> 00:48:35.989
remember that you know when the uh, the Spanish language

00:48:35.989 --> 00:48:38.940
arts. The Spanish-English language arts was completely

00:48:38.940 --> 00:48:42.769
unsatisfactory. And that uh, that that you would not

00:48:42.769 --> 00:48:45.670
accept that for those students. Because all

00:48:45.670 --> 00:48:50.269
students deserve excellent standards. And uh and

00:48:50.269 --> 00:48:52.940
and thank you for your leadership. And I hope that this

00:48:52.940 --> 00:48:56.110
will be something that will remind you of your

00:48:56.110 --> 00:48:59.219
time here, your years here, your work here. That you'll

00:48:59.230 --> 00:49:02.989
hold that in a spot and I know you and your kids.

00:49:02.989 --> 00:49:06.309
 And uh, always be a reminder of the example

00:49:06.309 --> 00:49:13.719
that you set for them. Thank you.

00:49:13.719 --> 00:49:21.539
Thank you sir.

00:49:21.539 --> 00:49:26.369
In addition, uh your good friend Representative Gina

00:49:26.380 --> 00:49:30.389
Hinojosa. Has flown this flag over the Texas Capital

00:49:30.389 --> 00:49:32.789
this week. In honor of your leadership and your

00:49:32.789 --> 00:49:36.219
service. And on her behalf, I'd like to present that

00:49:36.230 --> 00:49:42.940
to you. Thank you.

00:49:42.940 --> 00:49:48.289
Congratulations. Thank you.

00:49:48.289 --> 00:49:51.349
Congratulations. And I again, I would ask all those

00:49:51.349 --> 00:49:54.519
in favor of adopting the resolution honoring Miss Perez

00:49:54.530 --> 00:50:00.280
say aye. Aye. And the resolution is adopted. We will honor

00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:03.929
Mr. Cortez next. Miss Perez-Diaz is recognized to present

00:50:03.929 --> 00:50:26.079
the resolution and honor of Mr. Cortez.

00:50:26.079 --> 00:50:28.030
All right. Well, Good Morning everybody. I'm gonna

00:50:28.030 --> 00:50:30.409
try to get through this without crying. And I will

00:50:30.409 --> 00:50:32.639
say for anybody that's watched the State Board of Education

00:50:32.639 --> 00:50:35.869
over the last decade. Um surprise, surprise. I would

00:50:35.869 --> 00:50:39.539
be the one to do this for Ruben. Um, so I'll read

00:50:39.550 --> 00:50:43.500
I'll read this resolution.

00:50:43.500 --> 00:50:46.710
Whereas Ruben Cortez, Jr. has demonstrated a long standing

00:50:46.710 --> 00:50:48.789
commitment to service, particularly in the area of

00:50:48.789 --> 00:50:53.059
public education. And whereas he served in the Brownsville

00:50:53.070 --> 00:50:55.980
ISD Board of Trustees. I'm already crying. The

00:50:55.980 --> 00:50:58.780
Region One Education Service Center, Board of Directors.

00:50:58.789 --> 00:51:01.460
And various committees for the Texas and National Association

00:51:01.460 --> 00:51:04.059
of School Boards in addition to his decade of service

00:51:04.059 --> 00:51:08.000
in the State Board of Education. And whereas, he served

00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:10.690
as the Secretary of State Board of Education, two terms

00:51:10.690 --> 00:51:15.599
from 2015 to 2019. And whereas, he developed a reputation

00:51:15.599 --> 00:51:18.329
as someone who carefully scrutinized applications that

00:51:18.340 --> 00:51:21.219
request approval for the creation of a new school district

00:51:21.219 --> 00:51:24.110
known as a charter school. And whereas, he regularly

00:51:24.110 --> 00:51:27.469
reached out to administrators and other active educators

00:51:27.480 --> 00:51:29.969
to get their first hand input before making policy

00:51:29.969 --> 00:51:33.650
decisions. And whereas, he worked successfully with

00:51:33.650 --> 00:51:36.380
coalitions to help craft the state's first ethnic studies

00:51:36.380 --> 00:51:39.010
course, which has now become an example for other ethnic

00:51:39.010 --> 00:51:43.340
studies courses. Now therefore be it resolved,

00:51:43.349 --> 00:51:45.480
the State Board of Education wishes Ruben Cortez

00:51:45.480 --> 00:51:49.110
Jr. all the very best on his next pursuit. And be it

00:51:49.110 --> 00:51:51.760
further resolved, that this resolution to be presented

00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:54.840
to Ruben Cortez Jr. And that a copy be included in the

00:51:54.840 --> 00:51:57.579
permanent school record and the permanent records of

00:51:57.579 --> 00:52:00.119
the State Board of Education. Witness our signatures

00:52:00.119 --> 00:52:05.420
to this 18th day of November 2022, in Austin, Texas. Keven

00:52:05.420 --> 00:52:10.099
Ellis, Chair. Georgina Perez, Secretary.

00:52:10.099 --> 00:52:13.780
And of course I will also take a point of personal

00:52:13.780 --> 00:52:18.210
privilege really quickly. Um, I've been on this Board

00:52:18.210 --> 00:52:22.530
now a decade. I'm, you know, as a result of both Member

00:52:22.530 --> 00:52:25.860
Alan and Member Cortez transitioning off. I'm the most

00:52:25.860 --> 00:52:30.280
Senior Democrat on the Board now. And it's been an honor

00:52:30.280 --> 00:52:33.989
and privilege to serve next to you mi hermano. Eres familia no

00:52:34.699 --> 00:52:40.380
amigo. Um, I remember our first year on the Board. We

00:52:40.389 --> 00:52:44.860
were sworn in on January of 2013. Ruben called me

00:52:44.860 --> 00:52:46.820
up after our first Board meeting was like, all right

00:52:46.820 --> 00:52:49.809
so what do we do first? And the two of us agreed

00:52:49.820 --> 00:52:52.269
that Mexican-American studies was what our

00:52:52.280 --> 00:52:56.179
Texas students deserved. And in April 2013, we started

00:52:56.179 --> 00:52:59.449
our work. And it took us an entire year to be able

00:52:59.449 --> 00:53:01.440
to bring that to the State Board of Education from

00:53:01.440 --> 00:53:09.940
2013 to what we finally passed 2016. Um, probably

00:53:09.940 --> 00:53:13.139
longer than that, we worked really hard on that journey.

00:53:13.150 --> 00:53:17.059
Um Ruben, you've been the big brother, I've always

00:53:17.059 --> 00:53:20.519
wanted. You were there for my wedding. You've been

00:53:20.519 --> 00:53:27.130
there for all of our kids births. Um, you are truly

00:53:27.139 --> 00:53:32.190
um, you're truly family. And uh, you know, and I'm sorry

00:53:32.190 --> 00:53:38.340
I wore red on your day. Um, but the truth is

00:53:38.340 --> 00:53:44.409
Ruben, you've made an impact on this Board, on the

00:53:44.409 --> 00:53:46.610
State of public education in Texas. And truly on me

00:53:46.610 --> 00:53:51.730
and my family. Um, we love you with everything. We love

00:53:51.730 --> 00:53:54.780
your family. Um, we'll watch over your girls in San

00:53:54.780 --> 00:54:00.239
Antonio. Uh, and you know, I just wanna, I just wanna

00:54:00.239 --> 00:54:04.599
say. You've truly been the person, that's um you've

00:54:04.599 --> 00:54:07.920
been my right hand man, literally this last decade.

00:54:07.929 --> 00:54:10.489
I'm gonna miss you tremendously and I know on this

00:54:10.489 --> 00:54:14.300
Board, um for some of you, Reuben is um, the one you

00:54:14.300 --> 00:54:16.780
love to hate. And then you can go have a beer afterwards.

00:54:16.789 --> 00:54:19.630
Ruben has truly been the one I love to, love on this

00:54:19.630 --> 00:54:24.400
Board. Um so thank you. Thank you for your years of

00:54:24.400 --> 00:54:28.650
service. For your kindness, your dedication to everything

00:54:28.650 --> 00:54:39.469
you do and truly for, for your friendship.

00:54:39.469 --> 00:54:42.460
Oh, I guess this is yours.

00:54:42.460 --> 00:54:44.639
Get a picture.

00:54:44.639 --> 00:54:59.239
Yes. Let's move over here. It's in the podium.

00:54:59.239 --> 00:55:02.599
And has become our, our tradition. And we would like

00:55:02.599 --> 00:55:06.619
to present you this gavel, representing your leadership

00:55:06.619 --> 00:55:10.679
on the Board. And uh, we hope again that you will cherish

00:55:10.679 --> 00:55:13.250
that as a memento of your time. That you will be reminder

00:55:13.250 --> 00:55:15.929
not only to you, but of your children and

00:55:15.929 --> 00:55:19.269
your grandchildren. And those who come after them. Uh

00:55:19.280 --> 00:55:24.590
just a piece that the legacy. Yeah,

00:55:24.590 --> 00:55:27.510
my Grandpa was on the State Board of Education. And

00:55:27.510 --> 00:55:33.539
then. Hopefully grandkids. Yeah. Still some time. Yeah

00:55:33.550 --> 00:55:37.059
This is gorgeous. Thank, thank you guys.

00:55:37.059 --> 00:55:44.510
Yeah.

00:55:44.510 --> 00:55:48.739
And your good friend, Representative Chairman Terry

00:55:48.739 --> 00:55:52.269
Canalis. Has flown this flag over the Texas Capital

00:55:52.269 --> 00:55:56.349
this week in your honor. On his behalf, we'd like to

00:55:56.360 --> 00:56:09.730
present that to you.

00:56:09.730 --> 00:56:16.300
Well, um I noticed none of you but I actually. You

00:56:16.300 --> 00:56:21.489
all know, I am a man of very few words. Uh

00:56:21.500 --> 00:56:23.949
so I will try to make this. Testimony is limited to

00:56:23.949 --> 00:56:26.739
two minutes. I will try to make this as quick as I

00:56:26.739 --> 00:56:29.900
can. You know, every time I get an opportunity to go

00:56:29.900 --> 00:56:32.039
and visit schools. I always and I brought, I brought

00:56:32.039 --> 00:56:35.409
this up a little last night. I always like to tell

00:56:35.409 --> 00:56:38.030
those teachers as a way of thanking them. That a kid

00:56:38.030 --> 00:56:41.690
like me shouldn't be up here making decisions for 5.5

00:56:41.699 --> 00:56:45.010
million kids, right. I should be dead or in jail. If

00:56:45.010 --> 00:56:47.809
not for the great Educators that we have in this State,

00:56:47.820 --> 00:56:51.829
that helped someone like me. And so when I came onto

00:56:51.829 --> 00:56:55.630
this Board a decade ago, I had one goal. Is to figure

00:56:55.630 --> 00:57:00.000
out how we can help more Ruben Cortez's that exist

00:57:00.010 --> 00:57:03.800
in every school district across this great State. I

00:57:03.809 --> 00:57:07.210
wanted to make sure that our teachers had the best

00:57:07.219 --> 00:57:11.940
tools that they needed. Uh.

00:57:11.940 --> 00:57:15.619
We've accomplished a lot in 10 years. There's no doubt

00:57:15.619 --> 00:57:19.920
about that. Uh, Marisa mentioned some of that when

00:57:19.920 --> 00:57:22.809
we adopted the first Mexican-American studies course,

00:57:22.809 --> 00:57:26.590
and other ethnic courses that

00:57:26.590 --> 00:57:28.530
are gonna be coming into the pipeline. We've made a

00:57:28.530 --> 00:57:32.530
lot of important changes for students with dyslexia.

00:57:32.539 --> 00:57:35.440
Which is something that I'm extremely passionate about,

00:57:35.440 --> 00:57:38.599
three of my kids are dyslexic. So it was something

00:57:38.599 --> 00:57:41.550
that was very, very important to me personally, because

00:57:41.550 --> 00:57:46.340
it struck close to home. Uh, we've been a voice

00:57:46.340 --> 00:57:49.500
for all Texas schools and all Texas children. We've

00:57:49.500 --> 00:57:53.949
advocated for better pay raises. For the reduction and

00:57:53.960 --> 00:57:57.530
at times the elimination of high stakes tests. And

00:57:57.530 --> 00:58:01.550
we've on this body voted against vouchers on numerous

00:58:01.550 --> 00:58:05.659
occasions. Sometimes it's taken uh, compromise and

00:58:05.659 --> 00:58:10.969
sometimes it's taking us a lot of fights in this room.

00:58:11.489 --> 00:58:14.010
But I think you all would agree that the children of

00:58:14.010 --> 00:58:16.760
the State of Texas are worth fighting for. Even though

00:58:16.760 --> 00:58:18.610
sometimes we're fighting against each other, because

00:58:18.610 --> 00:58:20.710
the approaches we believe that will get us to the finish

00:58:20.710 --> 00:58:23.989
line are sometimes different. Uh, I've always learned

00:58:23.989 --> 00:58:27.230
to respect this process, even though sometimes I don't

00:58:27.230 --> 00:58:32.039
like the outcome. Uh, but I believe that our children

00:58:32.039 --> 00:58:35.340
in this State are worth, that sacrifice are worth

00:58:35.340 --> 00:58:38.590
that fight. Uh, and I can promise all of you this,

00:58:38.590 --> 00:58:43.679
I'll continue to do my part to fight for the children

00:58:43.690 --> 00:58:46.829
and our public schools and the families of the State

00:58:46.829 --> 00:58:51.019
of Texas. Uh, but I would be remiss if I didn't say

00:58:51.019 --> 00:58:54.489
that serving in a position like this is not something

00:58:54.489 --> 00:58:57.460
you can do without the support of your family. I know

00:58:57.460 --> 00:59:01.579
my wife and my kids aren't here, but uh I couldn't

00:59:01.579 --> 00:59:04.760
do this without my wife, Sandra. Without my daughter

00:59:04.769 --> 00:59:08.369
Sofia, and Anna, my daughter, Julieta and my son Ruben.

00:59:08.989 --> 00:59:13.960
Uh, I've made a lot of amazing friends on this Board,

00:59:14.800 --> 00:59:18.849
like my dear sister over here, Marisa Perez-Diaz. And

00:59:18.849 --> 00:59:20.670
a lot of you and a lot of you who have come

00:59:20.670 --> 00:59:25.739
and gone. I got, I got my chocolate bar from uh, Barbara

00:59:25.739 --> 00:59:29.440
Cargill. That's gonna be my uh, my sugar as I drive

00:59:29.440 --> 00:59:33.659
home. Thank you. Uh, but I just ask that you guys keep

00:59:33.659 --> 00:59:36.150
up the fight because the children of the state of Texas

00:59:36.159 --> 00:59:38.809
are worth it. And regardless of how late you stay in

00:59:38.809 --> 00:59:41.550
here, and regardless of the disagreements that go on.

00:59:42.230 --> 00:59:46.929
And just as long as we keep the students in mind, uh

00:59:46.940 --> 00:59:49.730
this Board is gonna do great things. And so I don't

00:59:49.730 --> 00:59:51.900
wanna say goodbye. I just want to say until we meet

00:59:51.900 --> 00:59:55.780
again. So God bless each of you and God bless Texas.

00:59:55.781 --> 00:59:59.651
again. So God bless each of you and God bless Texas.

01:00:05.661 --> 01:00:09.831
Thank you Mr. Cortez. And I want to say again, congratulations

01:00:09.841 --> 01:00:12.980
and all those in favor of adopting the resolution honoring

01:00:12.980 --> 01:00:18.951
Mr. Cortez say aye. Aye. And the resolution is adopted. We

01:00:18.951 --> 01:00:22.561
will honor next Miss Sue Melton-Malone. Miss Hardy

01:00:22.561 --> 01:00:24.710
is recognized to present the resolution in honor of

01:00:24.710 --> 01:00:40.131
Miss Melton-Malone.

01:00:40.131 --> 01:00:44.610
All right. Whereas Sue Melton-Malone, passionately served

01:00:44.610 --> 01:00:48.460
Texas Public Education for almost a half a century

01:00:48.460 --> 01:00:51.021
as both an Educator and as a Member of the State Board

01:00:51.021 --> 01:00:55.121
of Education. Whereas she taught school in the Ross

01:00:55.131 --> 01:00:58.930
and West School Districts for 36 years. And is now completing

01:00:58.930 --> 01:01:02.231
a decade of service on the State Board. Whereas her

01:01:02.231 --> 01:01:05.061
election of State President of the Association of Texas

01:01:05.061 --> 01:01:09.401
Professional Educators in 2007-2008 school year. Showed

01:01:09.401 --> 01:01:12.591
that Sue Melton-Malone was a recognized leader in her

01:01:12.591 --> 01:01:15.990
profession. Whereas she used her skills as a Church

01:01:15.990 --> 01:01:19.061
Choir Director to lead the Board and audience in many

01:01:19.061 --> 01:01:22.520
robust renditions of "Happy Birthday" to celebrate fellow

01:01:22.520 --> 01:01:26.380
Board Members and Staff. Whereas as Chair of the Committee

01:01:26.380 --> 01:01:28.651
of Instruction for the past eight years, she helped

01:01:28.651 --> 01:01:32.410
Members of the Committee sing from the same page as

01:01:32.410 --> 01:01:35.740
they crafted policies. That's so true. Whereas she

01:01:35.740 --> 01:01:39.300
frequently used her Teacher voice to present dozens

01:01:39.300 --> 01:01:43.761
of long and complex motions amending the Texas Essential

01:01:43.761 --> 01:01:47.291
Knowledge and Skills. And therefore be it resolved, that

01:01:47.291 --> 01:01:49.880
the State Board of Education wishes Sue Melton-Malone

01:01:49.880 --> 01:01:53.330
many years of fun. And be it further resolved, that this

01:01:53.330 --> 01:01:56.201
resolution be presented to Sue Melton-Malone, that

01:01:56.201 --> 01:01:59.541
a copy being included in the permanent records of the

01:01:59.550 --> 01:02:03.451
State Board of Education. Witnessed our signatures on

01:02:03.451 --> 01:02:18.591
the 8th of November 2022, in Austin, Texas. So.

01:02:18.591 --> 01:02:24.121
I'm gonna say one little thing. Uh, that is everybody

01:02:24.121 --> 01:02:26.901
brings a different skill to the Board. Everybody brings

01:02:26.901 --> 01:02:30.230
something different. And I would say that Sue is one

01:02:30.230 --> 01:02:35.561
of those silent warriors. Because you don't know what's

01:02:35.561 --> 01:02:40.600
going on in her head. And she will make the right choice

01:02:40.600 --> 01:02:44.510
when it comes down to it. But she is thinking and working

01:02:44.510 --> 01:02:47.820
behind and thinking and working on all these issues.

01:02:47.831 --> 01:02:53.600
In regard, mainly to her love of the elementary child

01:02:53.600 --> 01:02:57.241
and the special needs children. And I think I said

01:02:57.241 --> 01:03:00.371
this last night, we're all appreciative of that because

01:03:00.380 --> 01:03:04.820
she brought us to that point too. And so we will miss

01:03:04.831 --> 01:03:09.040
your guidance in so many ways, but especially that

01:03:09.040 --> 01:03:11.901
way. So we will miss her as a friend on the Board.

01:03:11.901 --> 01:03:14.570
But I know she's got good things planned, like lots

01:03:14.570 --> 01:03:18.461
of travel probably now that she will be free. But thank

01:03:18.461 --> 01:03:26.331
you. Thank you for all that you've done.

01:03:26.331 --> 01:03:29.081
And Sue, to commemorate your able leadership of

01:03:29.081 --> 01:03:32.211
the Committee on Instruction. First as as Vice Chair

01:03:32.211 --> 01:03:38.170
and then for eight years as Chair. And I just say

01:03:38.170 --> 01:03:39.700
that there's just a lot of things that have happened

01:03:39.700 --> 01:03:41.320
on the Committee on Instruction that people really

01:03:41.320 --> 01:03:44.771
don't really remember think about. Remember that

01:03:44.771 --> 01:03:47.031
we held the first period on the length of the (inaudible),

01:03:47.040 --> 01:03:50.380
and you think about the dyslexia handbook. By the way,

01:03:50.380 --> 01:03:55.480
I raised a dyslexic son, who now lives in West. And all

01:03:55.480 --> 01:03:58.551
of those things that really impact children and

01:03:58.551 --> 01:04:00.431
and people don't always think about it. But thank you

01:04:00.431 --> 01:04:04.021
for your leadership. And uh, and we want you to take

01:04:04.021 --> 01:04:08.811
this and as a reminder. And uh, your time here

01:04:08.820 --> 01:04:10.861
it doesn't always capture that. But I hope you'll look

01:04:10.861 --> 01:04:14.381
at that, and think about that. And maybe think

01:04:14.381 --> 01:04:31.191
about us in a kind way. Thank you. So congratulations.

01:04:31.191 --> 01:04:33.521
And in your honor, you're a good friend Representative

01:04:33.521 --> 01:04:36.930
Kyle Cassell, has flown this flag over the Capitol this

01:04:36.930 --> 01:04:42.141
week. And uh and sent you this certificate. And on behalf

01:04:42.141 --> 01:04:45.711
of our mutual friend Representative Cassell. I'd like

01:04:45.711 --> 01:04:48.571
to present you this flag, in honor of your service

01:04:48.571 --> 01:04:56.410
on the Board. Thank you.

01:04:56.410 --> 01:04:59.081
Yeah.

01:04:59.081 --> 01:05:01.841
I'm gonna save my remarks for the end. I think we'll

01:05:01.841 --> 01:05:04.781
have some personal time at the end. Right, Mr. Terry?

01:05:04.790 --> 01:05:08.771
So, I'm gonna save those for then. Uh, in case I get

01:05:08.771 --> 01:05:17.711
all teary eyed. So thank you all so very much.

01:05:17.711 --> 01:05:20.591
Congratulations and all those in favor of adopting

01:05:20.591 --> 01:05:24.860
the resolution honoring Miss Melton-Malone say aye. Aye.

01:05:25.240 --> 01:05:30.501
The resolution is adopted. And we will honor Mr. Allen

01:05:30.531 --> 01:05:34.540
next. Mr. Maynard is recognized to present the resolution

01:05:34.540 --> 01:05:57.331
and honor Mr. Allen.

01:05:57.331 --> 01:06:18.521
(inaudible)

01:06:18.521 --> 01:06:23.841
It's my honor to read this resolution. Whereas Lawrence

01:06:23.841 --> 01:06:28.071
Allen Jr., is a third generation Educator. Who dedicated

01:06:28.071 --> 01:06:31.401
his life to improving education in the classroom, as

01:06:31.401 --> 01:06:36.180
an Administrator and at the State level as

01:06:36.180 --> 01:06:38.300
a Member of the State Board of Education. And whereas,

01:06:38.300 --> 01:06:41.920
he was elected to the State Board of Education in 2004.

01:06:41.930 --> 01:06:45.071
To serve in the same seat previously occupied by his

01:06:45.071 --> 01:06:48.691
Mother, Dr. Alma Allen. And whereas, he is a Member of

01:06:48.691 --> 01:06:52.300
the Houston Association of School Administrators, the

01:06:52.300 --> 01:06:56.420
Texas Association of Gifted and Talented, National Association

01:06:56.420 --> 01:06:59.730
of Secondary School Principals, and the National Association

01:06:59.730 --> 01:07:02.550
of Secondary Administrators. And whereas, during his

01:07:02.550 --> 01:07:05.420
17 years on the Board, he served on the Committee on

01:07:05.420 --> 01:07:08.910
Planning, Committee on Instruction, and was Vice Chair

01:07:08.920 --> 01:07:12.591
of the Board for a two year term, and served as Vice

01:07:12.591 --> 01:07:14.701
Chair of the Committee on School Finance and Permanent

01:07:14.701 --> 01:07:18.230
School fund for eight years. And whereas, he developed

01:07:18.230 --> 01:07:21.091
a reputation as the E. F. Hutton of the State Board

01:07:21.091 --> 01:07:24.011
of Education. Because he did not speak often, but when

01:07:24.011 --> 01:07:28.720
he did everyone listened. Now there it, there would be

01:07:28.720 --> 01:07:32.480
resolved that the State Board of Education, wishes Dr.

01:07:32.480 --> 01:07:35.810
Lawrence Allen, Jr., all the best in his next venture.

01:07:36.341 --> 01:07:38.651
And be it further resolved, that this resolution be

01:07:38.651 --> 01:07:42.581
presented to Dr. Lawrence Allen, Jr. and that a copy

01:07:42.581 --> 01:07:45.160
would be included in the permanent records of the State

01:07:45.160 --> 01:07:47.531
Board of Education. Witness our signatures this 18th

01:07:47.531 --> 01:08:00.651
day of November, 2022 in Austin, Texas. Dr. Allen. Uh.

01:08:00.651 --> 01:08:03.420
And I would add to that, is that

01:08:03.420 --> 01:08:06.031
Dr Allen of course. And I mentioned this last night, as

01:08:06.031 --> 01:08:09.470
a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of the Permanent

01:08:09.470 --> 01:08:12.391
School Fund Corporation. Uh, there will be other Members

01:08:12.391 --> 01:08:14.391
come, but there will never be any more Charter Members.

01:08:14.391 --> 01:08:17.050
And so that is uh, you know, that's one of those

01:08:17.050 --> 01:08:18.930
things that flies into the radars. But it's really

01:08:18.930 --> 01:08:22.001
really important. Uh, Dr. Allen, I just want to thank

01:08:22.001 --> 01:08:24.660
you for uh, for your service and your leadership and

01:08:24.660 --> 01:08:28.180
your friendship. And uh, we have some things in common

01:08:28.180 --> 01:08:30.881
too that. You know, we a lot of people don't know that

01:08:30.881 --> 01:08:33.200
that I serve on the Advisory Committee for Prairie

01:08:33.200 --> 01:08:37.491
View A&M University. And uh, and Dr. Allen

01:08:37.491 --> 01:08:40.471
is one of the proud Prairie View A&M grads here

01:08:40.471 --> 01:08:44.521
on roaming around Capitol Hill. And uh, and we will

01:08:44.521 --> 01:08:47.160
continue to work on those things, and to do those things.

01:08:47.160 --> 01:08:56.251
But thank you for your service. Thank you sir. Now.

01:08:56.251 --> 01:08:58.950
And to commemorate your leadership on the Board. We'd

01:08:58.950 --> 01:09:02.210
like to present you this, this house gavel in this box.

01:09:13.231 --> 01:09:15.981
And there is a State Representative that you, you have

01:09:15.981 --> 01:09:21.830
a relationship with. Yes sir, somewhat. Somewhat. Your best

01:09:21.830 --> 01:09:24.401
friend, well besides your wife. Your other best

01:09:24.401 --> 01:09:28.471
friend, and your Mom Representative Alma Allen,

01:09:28.471 --> 01:09:31.001
has flown this flag over the Capitol in your honor.

01:09:34.001 --> 01:09:38.141
And uh, has presented this very

01:09:39.511 --> 01:09:43.011
our special certificate with this special message to

01:09:43.011 --> 01:09:47.290
you. And so I think that, I guess someone's gonna read

01:09:47.290 --> 01:09:49.511
it last night. But I guess we will dispense with. I will have my

01:09:49.560 --> 01:09:54.631
wife read it when we get home.

01:09:54.631 --> 01:09:58.501
All right.

01:09:58.501 --> 01:10:03.290
Thank you.

01:10:03.290 --> 01:10:06.001
Like my colleague Ruben, I'd like to take my minute

01:10:06.001 --> 01:10:10.300
and a half at this time. I know many people think I'm

01:10:10.300 --> 01:10:12.910
a man of few words, but you probably didn't know I was

01:10:12.910 --> 01:10:17.060
a Minister. And so I have a great ability to speak for

01:10:17.060 --> 01:10:21.361
hours, if it's necessary. I want to really and truly

01:10:21.361 --> 01:10:23.820
thank each and every one of you. As I was reflecting

01:10:23.830 --> 01:10:26.781
because I don't really want to be emotional. So I distance

01:10:26.781 --> 01:10:30.710
myself from my emotions at times. Whatever, as I remember

01:10:30.710 --> 01:10:35.060
coming in and Tyson Miller was the Chair. Uh, 18 years

01:10:35.060 --> 01:10:38.540
ago, I just know how many wonderful people who have

01:10:38.540 --> 01:10:42.631
set around this circle, and it affected my life. I'm

01:10:42.631 --> 01:10:45.641
truly gonna miss each and every one of you. I'm truly

01:10:45.641 --> 01:10:49.560
gonna miss not seeing Pat because no, not funny. She's

01:10:49.560 --> 01:10:52.771
been here with me the entire time. That she is now serving

01:10:52.771 --> 01:10:56.851
in her 20th year. It's always special to see a familiar

01:10:56.851 --> 01:11:00.391
face every time you come. And and a sounding board and

01:11:00.391 --> 01:11:03.660
that's all I want to thank you for that. My mother

01:11:03.670 --> 01:11:08.601
who sat in the seat before I did. Asked me if I

01:11:08.601 --> 01:11:11.731
would, would do this and whenever I think about my

01:11:11.731 --> 01:11:17.960
Mother, I get extremely emotional.

01:11:17.960 --> 01:11:23.800
We were in Denver, Colorado when uh, Barack Obama was

01:11:24.371 --> 01:11:29.070
being named the Democratic Nominee for President uh,

01:11:29.080 --> 01:11:31.810
during that time. And my Mother turned to me and she

01:11:31.810 --> 01:11:35.981
said, I can see you up there one day.

01:11:35.981 --> 01:11:40.050
And that's because she just believed in me. And that's

01:11:40.050 --> 01:11:43.960
why I do what I do because my Mother always believed

01:11:43.960 --> 01:11:48.170
in me. I have dyslexia. I struggled in school most

01:11:48.170 --> 01:11:52.751
of my life. But my Mother always told me if you could

01:11:52.751 --> 01:11:55.781
only see what I see, you'll go and do great things.

01:11:56.420 --> 01:11:59.501
So I thank her for encouraging me to do this. And it's

01:11:59.501 --> 01:12:04.410
been a love uh, to just honor my Mother, as I sat

01:12:04.410 --> 01:12:10.241
here. My first wife, uh Clotheo, just walked

01:12:10.241 --> 01:12:15.281
with me from the time we were 18 until today, she's

01:12:15.281 --> 01:12:18.330
still with me. I want to thank her for giving me four

01:12:18.330 --> 01:12:22.401
children, and just being by my side. To make sure

01:12:22.401 --> 01:12:25.670
this young man, who struggled could go somewhere that

01:12:25.670 --> 01:12:29.590
God wanted him to go and do great things. And now I, sitting

01:12:29.590 --> 01:12:33.281
with my best friend, and my wife and uh, Miss Carlotta.

01:12:33.991 --> 01:12:36.800
As we go on to this next level, 13 years later now

01:12:36.800 --> 01:12:39.460
we've been married. And I want to thank her for telling

01:12:39.460 --> 01:12:42.080
me every time she gets a chance, you're brilliant.

01:12:42.700 --> 01:12:45.190
Something that's very difficult for a young Black man

01:12:45.190 --> 01:12:48.221
to truly believe. And so when I can hear it from her

01:12:48.221 --> 01:12:51.491
voice that you're brilliant, I get up and get ready

01:12:51.491 --> 01:12:54.590
to run one more time. And so I want to thank each

01:12:54.590 --> 01:12:58.840
and every one of you, the Chairs from Barbara to Donna

01:12:58.851 --> 01:13:02.300
to those who serve before you've done excellent. People

01:13:02.300 --> 01:13:04.840
may not fully understand, I'll leave with this how

01:13:04.840 --> 01:13:08.641
difficult it is to get something passed. But it's the

01:13:08.651 --> 01:13:12.340
process that makes it wonderful. It's not an agreement

01:13:12.521 --> 01:13:15.670
it's not the disagreement, it's the process. And to

01:13:15.670 --> 01:13:18.460
learn that one part of Texas is not like the other

01:13:18.460 --> 01:13:21.060
part of Texas. And so I don't speak because you have

01:13:21.060 --> 01:13:24.031
to learn how to listen. Because if you come thinking

01:13:24.031 --> 01:13:28.651
you know at all, you don't know anything. Come to learn

01:13:28.660 --> 01:13:32.540
and then find what consensus is, not what I want, what

01:13:32.540 --> 01:13:35.241
we want. Thank each and every one of you and I'll

01:13:35.241 --> 01:13:42.450
see you tomorrow.

01:13:42.450 --> 01:13:45.271
Congratulations Dr. Allen and thank you for believing

01:13:45.271 --> 01:13:49.641
in us. And I would ask all those in favor of adopting

01:13:49.641 --> 01:13:53.560
the resolution honoring Mr. Lawrence Scully Allen, say

01:13:53.560 --> 01:13:55.521
aye. Aye.

01:13:55.521 --> 01:14:00.040
The resolution is adopted. Members, thank you all. I do

01:14:00.040 --> 01:14:04.741
want again, thank Mr. Tom Maynard. That is a lot, a lot

01:14:04.741 --> 01:14:09.430
of work. To make all those things happen on those presentations.

01:14:09.430 --> 01:14:13.481
And he took care of that. So I wanna just personally

01:14:13.481 --> 01:14:17.021
thank Tom Maynard for doing that. State Board of Education

01:14:17.021 --> 01:14:20.430
will take a recess says, my script until 10:30. We might

01:14:20.430 --> 01:14:22.800
go a little bit longer than that. So that we can attend

01:14:22.800 --> 01:14:25.300
a reception for the retiring members and we will stand

01:14:25.300 --> 01:14:32.491
in recess.

01:14:32.491 --> 01:14:35.800
(inaudible) will come back to order. Next business in order

01:14:35.800 --> 01:14:38.310
is the Commissioner of Education's comments and presentations.

01:14:38.310 --> 01:14:41.070
So I will call on Commissioner Morath again. As always

01:14:41.070 --> 01:14:43.790
we thank him for being here and taking time. Thank

01:14:43.790 --> 01:14:45.981
you for traveling Wednesday. So we missed our normal

01:14:45.981 --> 01:14:48.471
time with you. But thank you for uh, switching around

01:14:48.471 --> 01:14:52.511
and being available for us today. Thank you Chair

01:14:52.511 --> 01:14:55.751
Ellis, thank you Members for your service. We know

01:14:55.751 --> 01:14:58.781
we have six Members, which is kind of extraordinary

01:14:58.781 --> 01:15:00.851
six members. That this is your last meeting and I just

01:15:00.851 --> 01:15:04.540
wanted to publicly say thank you. Um, for extraordinary

01:15:04.540 --> 01:15:08.670
service to 5.5 million souls. Uh, I know y'all don't

01:15:08.670 --> 01:15:12.991
do it for the money. Uh and I am grateful. I'm grateful

01:15:12.991 --> 01:15:15.940
for this body, grateful for you and y'all's leadership.

01:15:15.950 --> 01:15:18.381
Um, I want to give you an update on a couple of

01:15:18.381 --> 01:15:22.940
things that I know um, are heavy interest to Board Members.

01:15:22.950 --> 01:15:26.381
The first one is about changes coming to the STAAR test.

01:15:26.391 --> 01:15:29.271
So just for my own benefit, raise your hand if you

01:15:29.271 --> 01:15:31.631
are aware that we are redesigning the STAAR test this

01:15:31.631 --> 01:15:34.481
year? Uh okay, good. I just wanna make sure we're getting

01:15:34.481 --> 01:15:38.310
the message out. I believe I've talked to you about

01:15:38.310 --> 01:15:41.761
that several times. Of course the STAAR test is the

01:15:41.761 --> 01:15:45.121
test that is designed to discern student mastery of

01:15:45.121 --> 01:15:48.861
your (inaudible). Um, that is what we use it for around the

01:15:48.861 --> 01:15:55.621
State. Um, and uh and before STAAR there was TAKS. Before

01:15:55.621 --> 01:15:58.101
TAKS that was TAAS. Before TAAS, um actually there

01:15:58.101 --> 01:16:03.261
weren't even any standards, TABS, TEAMS. Uh, yeah so um.

01:16:03.271 --> 01:16:06.690
So STAAR is changing. It is not getting more difficult.

01:16:06.700 --> 01:16:10.221
Which is what happened with each of those prior sets

01:16:10.231 --> 01:16:13.501
of testing changes. But it is changing to be more reflective

01:16:13.511 --> 01:16:16.200
of classroom instruction. So I think I've previously

01:16:16.200 --> 01:16:20.180
shared this information with you. Um I thought I would

01:16:20.180 --> 01:16:22.830
ground today's update. Because I do have a few pieces

01:16:22.830 --> 01:16:24.810
of information that are new. I want to make sure I

01:16:24.810 --> 01:16:27.971
share with you. Um, but just ground this update in the

01:16:27.971 --> 01:16:30.771
nature of the changes. There's five key changes happening

01:16:30.771 --> 01:16:34.210
to the STAAR test. The first thing is the passage selection

01:16:34.210 --> 01:16:38.200
process for our LA. Has been modified to ensure that

01:16:38.210 --> 01:16:41.001
as many passages as possible are chosen for a cross

01:16:41.001 --> 01:16:43.761
curricular content knowledge. So you think if a

01:16:43.761 --> 01:16:46.040
student expectation in Science or Social Studies in

01:16:46.040 --> 01:16:50.410
that grade or earlier has um, has covered that knowledge

01:16:50.410 --> 01:16:54.050
base. We want to try to ensure passages are aligned

01:16:54.050 --> 01:16:56.820
with that cross curricular content. This is extraordinarily

01:16:56.820 --> 01:17:00.300
important as a literacy practice. Uh, and we want to

01:17:00.300 --> 01:17:03.211
make sure that that's reflected in the design of

01:17:03.211 --> 01:17:06.900
STAAR test. Second key, changing writing is being added

01:17:07.211 --> 01:17:11.031
um, throughout the RLA. Exam. So grades 3 and

01:17:11.031 --> 01:17:13.671
up. Um, so you have short constructed response. These

01:17:13.671 --> 01:17:16.830
are typically phrases or sentences. And then extended

01:17:16.830 --> 01:17:19.211
constructed response. Which might be a paragraph saying

01:17:19.221 --> 01:17:23.221
Third grade or a short essay in Eighth grade. Um,

01:17:23.231 --> 01:17:25.941
and uh, which is important because Reading and Writing

01:17:25.941 --> 01:17:28.951
are definitely related. Um, and but the Writing passage

01:17:28.961 --> 01:17:33.130
or the writing assignments on STAAR are also based upon

01:17:33.130 --> 01:17:35.610
Reading. So the student will read a passage and then

01:17:35.610 --> 01:17:38.120
they will be asked to write in response to that. What

01:17:38.120 --> 01:17:40.390
we see in very strong classroom instructional settings.

01:17:40.390 --> 01:17:42.941
We want to make sure that the assessment reflects that

01:17:42.951 --> 01:17:46.251
strong instructional practice. Third thing is we know

01:17:46.251 --> 01:17:50.130
the bane of a great classroom is the dreaded multiple

01:17:50.130 --> 01:17:52.340
choice worksheet. We want to see fewer and fewer multiple

01:17:52.340 --> 01:17:55.441
choice worksheets um, instructionally. Um, and so we are

01:17:55.441 --> 01:17:57.070
attempting to have fewer and fewer multiple choice

01:17:57.070 --> 01:18:01.171
questions on the STAAR test. To reflect that um, uh strong

01:18:01.171 --> 01:18:05.011
instructional practice. So um, the Law requires that

01:18:05.011 --> 01:18:08.761
no more than 75% of the questions can be multiple choice,

01:18:08.761 --> 01:18:10.681
on any given STAAR test. And we're actually trying to

01:18:10.681 --> 01:18:13.941
get as few multiple choice questions as possible. Um,

01:18:13.951 --> 01:18:17.971
a fairly complex set of changes. But that will again

01:18:17.971 --> 01:18:20.560
reflect what we want to see happen instructionally.

01:18:20.900 --> 01:18:24.021
Fourth, we know that in classrooms all over Texas

01:18:24.021 --> 01:18:26.261
with the diversity of learners that we have. There

01:18:26.261 --> 01:18:28.790
are instructional accommodations that are offered in

01:18:28.790 --> 01:18:31.521
our classrooms. You think for example, a student with

01:18:31.531 --> 01:18:35.511
um, dyslexia might be getting accommodations where

01:18:35.521 --> 01:18:38.451
Math content is read aloud to that student. So you

01:18:38.451 --> 01:18:40.941
want to make sure that the assessment has those same

01:18:40.941 --> 01:18:44.001
kinds of accommodations. And that they are universally

01:18:44.011 --> 01:18:46.050
equitably available to our students. So you don't want

01:18:46.050 --> 01:18:49.001
to depend on just the proctor in the room. You want

01:18:49.001 --> 01:18:52.400
to make sure that every student that um, uh sits for

01:18:52.400 --> 01:18:54.681
the exam has access to those. So those are universally

01:18:54.681 --> 01:18:58.411
available embedded in the assessment. And this is uh,

01:18:58.421 --> 01:19:01.031
number five. All part of a shift to online assessments.

01:19:01.031 --> 01:19:04.431
Which in future years will allow us to get scores back

01:19:04.441 --> 01:19:09.521
more quickly, to uh, teachers and parents. So um, uh

01:19:09.531 --> 01:19:12.600
which is which is a great long term change. I say future

01:19:12.600 --> 01:19:14.290
years because I'm gonna come back to that point. So

01:19:14.300 --> 01:19:17.340
a couple of things have, have come up in recent months

01:19:17.340 --> 01:19:21.320
that I think are worthy um to review. This is not new

01:19:21.320 --> 01:19:24.461
information. But I get asked this question so frequently,

01:19:24.461 --> 01:19:27.070
and I assume you get asked the same question with some

01:19:27.070 --> 01:19:30.431
frequency. So uh, want to try to explain it. The

01:19:30.441 --> 01:19:33.911
the change in the redesign of the STAAR test. I would

01:19:33.921 --> 01:19:36.931
say that the feedback that I have gotten from Teachers

01:19:36.931 --> 01:19:39.251
from Principals from Superintendent from students themselves

01:19:39.251 --> 01:19:41.370
have been remarkably positive. People think these are

01:19:41.370 --> 01:19:44.721
very good changes to make to the design of the test.

01:19:44.731 --> 01:19:49.150
But they are different. Uh, and a very common question

01:19:49.150 --> 01:19:51.640
is, well this, these look like great questions, but

01:19:51.640 --> 01:19:55.171
this is clearly harder. And so, um, scores are gonna

01:19:55.171 --> 01:19:59.991
go down. So that is not true. Uh, and uh, and everybody

01:19:59.991 --> 01:20:02.340
thinks that it's true and it certainly feels true.

01:20:02.340 --> 01:20:04.461
It's just not actually true. And so I wanted to explain

01:20:04.461 --> 01:20:08.021
why, um, we say that it's not true. And has to do

01:20:08.021 --> 01:20:11.731
with field testing. So, and in the process of equating.

01:20:11.741 --> 01:20:15.441
So if you think any given year student sits down for

01:20:15.451 --> 01:20:18.090
STAAR test and I don't know, 4th grade Math. And maybe

01:20:18.090 --> 01:20:21.231
there's 40 questions on the test. So five of those

01:20:21.231 --> 01:20:24.600
questions are actually not the STAAR test. The student

01:20:24.600 --> 01:20:27.201
doesn't know which of five questions we're talking

01:20:27.201 --> 01:20:29.201
about. The teacher doesn't know. Only the test

01:20:29.201 --> 01:20:32.941
designers know. Those are questions that are being tested

01:20:32.951 --> 01:20:37.021
for a future test. Um, and so you can see how students

01:20:37.021 --> 01:20:40.241
respond to it. And so say 10% of kids answer the question

01:20:40.241 --> 01:20:42.600
right. You can tell that's a very, very hard question.

01:20:42.610 --> 01:20:45.620
90% of kids answer the question right. That's a very

01:20:45.630 --> 01:20:48.751
that's an easy question and anything in between. So

01:20:48.761 --> 01:20:52.751
um, we use that to then compile, um and

01:20:52.751 --> 01:20:54.911
review all of the different items that are out. We

01:20:54.911 --> 01:20:59.531
also do, um, analysis for bias. So let's say one particular

01:20:59.531 --> 01:21:02.521
group of students seems to perform abnormally high

01:21:02.521 --> 01:21:05.281
or low on a given question relative to other students.

01:21:05.281 --> 01:21:07.370
If that if that shows up, we might throw that question

01:21:07.370 --> 01:21:12.090
out. So, um we, gather statistics on all of these

01:21:12.100 --> 01:21:15.951
uh, future possible STAAR test items every year. We

01:21:15.951 --> 01:21:17.761
also make sure that we're covering the entirety of

01:21:17.761 --> 01:21:21.451
your (inaudible). So um, the breadth of the student expectations

01:21:21.461 --> 01:21:25.751
all have to be field tested. And then um, in preparation

01:21:25.761 --> 01:21:29.570
for building next year's test, we put that together.

01:21:29.570 --> 01:21:32.110
So on this image here, you can think of this bowl of

01:21:32.110 --> 01:21:35.340
marbles, as it were. So a big marble might be a hard question.

01:21:35.340 --> 01:21:37.650
A small marble might be an easy question, and

01:21:37.650 --> 01:21:40.281
everything in between. The different colors or different

01:21:40.290 --> 01:21:44.201
student expectations and the (inaudible). And so when, when

01:21:44.201 --> 01:21:48.560
a test is designed, the overall difficulty of

01:21:48.560 --> 01:21:52.320
the test has to match in year two versus year one.

01:21:52.330 --> 01:21:55.340
We and, we can discern that by looking at the

01:21:55.340 --> 01:21:57.661
percentage of kids that answer questions right or wrong

01:21:57.671 --> 01:22:00.320
on these field test items. So that if you think about

01:22:00.320 --> 01:22:04.001
the weight of this bowl of marbles, um, the weight

01:22:04.011 --> 01:22:06.161
in year two has to be the same as the weight in

01:22:06.161 --> 01:22:08.981
year one. This is the equating process. Now when,

01:22:08.991 --> 01:22:10.951
when folks are building tests locally, nobody ever

01:22:10.951 --> 01:22:13.820
does this. It's very intense. It's labor

01:22:13.820 --> 01:22:16.120
intense, time intense is expensive. But we need to

01:22:16.120 --> 01:22:20.491
do this to make sure that STAAR is a consistent measurement

01:22:20.501 --> 01:22:23.880
of grade level, mastery of the Texas Essential

01:22:23.880 --> 01:22:26.600
Knowledge and Skills. And so this happens, this equating

01:22:26.600 --> 01:22:29.390
process happens every year. And so what that means,

01:22:29.390 --> 01:22:31.721
is you can have an individual item among the assessment

01:22:31.721 --> 01:22:35.090
that looks much harder in year two than in year one.

01:22:35.100 --> 01:22:39.011
But the, the totality of the test is meant to be balanced.

01:22:39.011 --> 01:22:41.880
So meets grade level in year two is the same as meets

01:22:41.880 --> 01:22:45.451
grade level in year one. Um, so we get asked this question

01:22:45.451 --> 01:22:49.011
a lot. We, we um, it's also important to emphasize

01:22:49.011 --> 01:22:52.390
that Teachers actually do really design the STAAR test.

01:22:52.390 --> 01:22:55.820
So we have, you can see six different specific Teacher

01:22:55.820 --> 01:23:00.001
Review Committees that are formed. We use current practicing

01:23:00.001 --> 01:23:03.050
Teachers in that grade and subject. We actually ask

01:23:03.050 --> 01:23:06.320
for districts all over the State to volunteer Teachers

01:23:06.320 --> 01:23:09.531
to do this. Uh, what we find for Teachers that participate

01:23:09.531 --> 01:23:12.110
in this, is they find it to be an immensely valuable

01:23:12.110 --> 01:23:14.531
professional development, um, experience. They come

01:23:14.531 --> 01:23:17.221
back and they understand the rigor expectations of

01:23:17.221 --> 01:23:20.080
the, of the, of the State (inaudible) better than everybody

01:23:20.080 --> 01:23:21.850
in the State once they go through this. So we get a

01:23:21.850 --> 01:23:23.721
lot of positive feedback from the Teachers that participate

01:23:23.721 --> 01:23:26.320
in this process. But they're editing items, they're writing

01:23:26.320 --> 01:23:28.630
items. They're selecting passages, they're editing passages,

01:23:28.630 --> 01:23:31.191
the whole nine. So this is what the process actually

01:23:31.191 --> 01:23:34.110
looks like to build the assessment. Um, each of the

01:23:34.110 --> 01:23:38.771
light blue steps in this process are um, where Texas

01:23:38.771 --> 01:23:41.880
classroom Teachers are driving the train. And then the

01:23:41.890 --> 01:23:44.400
the other steps are just other steps in the assessment

01:23:44.400 --> 01:23:47.461
development process. So none of that is new information,

01:23:47.461 --> 01:23:49.421
but I do want to make sure I share with you one

01:23:49.421 --> 01:23:52.130
piece of information that will be new for this year.

01:23:52.130 --> 01:23:55.890
It's a one year only issue. Um, because of the

01:23:55.890 --> 01:24:00.211
changes in the 338 Test, we will go through a standard

01:24:00.211 --> 01:24:03.130
setting process again this year. The last time that

01:24:03.130 --> 01:24:06.021
we did this was in Mathematics in 2015, as a result

01:24:06.021 --> 01:24:08.201
of the significant changes that this Board made to

01:24:08.201 --> 01:24:12.830
the Math (inaudible). Um, and uh, and but we only did it in 2015

01:24:12.830 --> 01:24:14.961
in Math. And then the time that we did it before that,

01:24:14.961 --> 01:24:17.741
was when the STAAR test came into existence initially,

01:24:17.741 --> 01:24:21.630
which was 2011-2012. So the standard setting process

01:24:21.640 --> 01:24:25.310
you bring together a bunch of Educators. And they review

01:24:25.461 --> 01:24:28.691
both before kids take the test, and after kids take

01:24:28.691 --> 01:24:34.221
the test. To discern the kinds of responses and

01:24:34.221 --> 01:24:36.251
level of response is that kids are given. And they have

01:24:36.251 --> 01:24:40.070
to they are ultimately making the decision. If you

01:24:40.070 --> 01:24:43.201
get 24 questions right, that meets grade level.

01:24:43.201 --> 01:24:47.040
They are sort of making that decision. Um, and so we

01:24:47.040 --> 01:24:49.461
do equating every given year. And then we

01:24:49.461 --> 01:24:51.880
do standard setting only when there's a significant

01:24:51.880 --> 01:24:54.461
change in test design, and that is happening this year.

01:24:54.921 --> 01:24:58.620
So um, and uh, and that happen in no

01:24:58.620 --> 01:25:01.080
small part because of the additional writing components.

01:25:01.080 --> 01:25:04.461
That are added in the RLA Exam. Because last year

01:25:04.461 --> 01:25:06.511
in 3rd grade, there weren't writing questions on the

01:25:06.511 --> 01:25:10.340
test. Um, so those are kind of a new dimension of information

01:25:10.340 --> 01:25:13.300
being asked about um, for our students. A new

01:25:13.300 --> 01:25:17.820
subset of the (inaudible) being assessed. So um, so this

01:25:17.820 --> 01:25:21.830
is happening this year. It's a one year only deal. The

01:25:21.830 --> 01:25:25.201
last time that we went through standard setting, we

01:25:25.211 --> 01:25:27.991
that year, I don't know if you'll recall this in 2015.

01:25:27.991 --> 01:25:31.711
But that year, uh, parents and Educators did not get

01:25:31.711 --> 01:25:35.701
their STAAR scores back in Math until October. Um, uh

01:25:35.711 --> 01:25:38.540
and it's because of the standard setting process. Um,

01:25:38.550 --> 01:25:42.310
and, so this chart shows you the timeline for when

01:25:42.310 --> 01:25:44.681
standard setting has to happen. Its that gray chunk

01:25:44.691 --> 01:25:48.090
on this. So we will be able to give raw scores back

01:25:48.100 --> 01:25:50.810
in late May, early June like we normally do. And when

01:25:50.810 --> 01:25:53.860
I, when I say raw scores, I mean every individual

01:25:53.860 --> 01:25:57.991
item will be graded. And everyone will have all of the

01:25:57.991 --> 01:26:00.251
responses. So they'll see the how the kid answered

01:26:00.251 --> 01:26:02.880
a writing assignment and what the grade was on that

01:26:02.880 --> 01:26:04.951
writing assignment. So they'll get all that back late

01:26:04.951 --> 01:26:06.870
May, early June just like they normally would. Actually

01:26:06.870 --> 01:26:09.281
slightly faster than they normally do. But because

01:26:09.281 --> 01:26:12.421
the standard setting, we will not be able to say uh,

01:26:12.431 --> 01:26:14.201
this student performed. That it does not meet grade

01:26:14.201 --> 01:26:17.340
level or this uh, student performed at approaches grade

01:26:17.340 --> 01:26:19.890
level or a meets grade level or a master's grade level,

01:26:19.900 --> 01:26:24.370
until mid August. Um, that is a one year problem. Uh,

01:26:24.380 --> 01:26:26.721
and of course, it's a lot faster than it was in 2015.

01:26:26.731 --> 01:26:29.481
Because it was October in 2015, so August is faster

01:26:29.481 --> 01:26:33.840
than that. But it is a change in the

01:26:33.840 --> 01:26:36.031
what is expected and what normally happens. This is

01:26:36.031 --> 01:26:39.741
not um, this only applies to 338. Does not apply to EOCs.

01:26:40.221 --> 01:26:43.181
Um, EOCs will be returned on a normal timeline.

01:26:43.191 --> 01:26:47.171
Um, but it is a change. And so, I've been discussing the

01:26:47.171 --> 01:26:49.281
implications of this change with Superintendents around

01:26:49.281 --> 01:26:52.620
the State over the last couple of months. Um and, you

01:26:52.620 --> 01:26:55.570
may or may not get questions on this. Um, I can tell

01:26:55.570 --> 01:26:57.441
you as a Dad, I'm gonna be bummed about this. Because

01:26:57.441 --> 01:26:59.711
I want to see my kids score as soon as I can.

01:26:59.711 --> 01:27:02.560
And this year I won't get my kids score back until

01:27:02.800 --> 01:27:05.550
until mid August. And that'll be the same for um, for

01:27:05.550 --> 01:27:08.300
all of our parents, unfortunately. This is a one year

01:27:08.300 --> 01:27:12.130
problem. Um, so next year we should actually get scores

01:27:12.130 --> 01:27:15.231
back sooner, because of the switched online testing.

01:27:15.241 --> 01:27:17.830
But it's somewhat unavoidable because of the standard

01:27:17.830 --> 01:27:19.411
setting process. So I wanted to make sure that y'all

01:27:19.411 --> 01:27:22.310
knew that this was happening. Um, and we're aware

01:27:22.310 --> 01:27:26.360
of this. The we similarly get a lot of questions about

01:27:26.360 --> 01:27:29.040
the shift to online assessment. Um, so I thought I would

01:27:29.040 --> 01:27:33.031
share some data with you on that. Uh, Board Member Cortez

01:27:33.031 --> 01:27:35.550
of course it's a presentation for me, so there's charts

01:27:35.550 --> 01:27:41.080
and graphs. Um, so um, the the switch to online assessment

01:27:41.080 --> 01:27:44.961
has largely happened in Texas already. So 82% of kids

01:27:44.961 --> 01:27:48.241
took the test online in the Spring. Um, you can see

01:27:48.241 --> 01:27:50.130
it was relatively equivalent whether we're talking

01:27:50.130 --> 01:27:52.090
Elementary kids, Middle School kids or High School

01:27:52.090 --> 01:27:54.630
kids. Those are the bars on the right. So 77%

01:27:54.630 --> 01:27:57.320
of Elementary School students were already testing

01:27:57.320 --> 01:28:00.560
online, 85% testing online in Middle School and 84%

01:28:00.570 --> 01:28:05.001
in High School. Um uh, so we have largely made

01:28:05.011 --> 01:28:09.661
the logistical shifts and the academic preparation

01:28:09.661 --> 01:28:13.941
shifts needed to do this. Um as a State, but it hasn't

01:28:13.941 --> 01:28:16.370
happened everywhere, so there are still some districts

01:28:16.370 --> 01:28:20.630
that um, are feeling nervous about this switch. Um and

01:28:20.630 --> 01:28:23.971
we are working to try to provide supports um, as much

01:28:23.971 --> 01:28:26.251
as possible. One of the supports that we have offered

01:28:26.261 --> 01:28:30.340
is, there is a version of the online assessment platform

01:28:30.531 --> 01:28:32.840
that school districts have access to. Where they can

01:28:32.840 --> 01:28:37.031
load their own items in. And uh, and so you think they

01:28:37.031 --> 01:28:39.350
might have a common six week assessment that they do

01:28:39.350 --> 01:28:42.161
at the end of every six week. Um, if they want to

01:28:42.161 --> 01:28:45.130
they can convert that assessment into the online testing

01:28:45.130 --> 01:28:47.781
platform. And then the kids will take a assessment that

01:28:47.781 --> 01:28:50.820
is planned that the Teachers find valuable. Uh and,

01:28:50.820 --> 01:28:52.850
it will already be in the online format. So

01:28:52.850 --> 01:28:56.590
when a student then comes, to time to test on STAAR in

01:28:56.590 --> 01:28:58.701
the Spring, it won't be the first time that the student

01:28:58.701 --> 01:29:02.011
has has taken an online assessment. And I'm a big fan

01:29:02.011 --> 01:29:05.911
of useful assessments. I'm a big adversary to useless

01:29:05.911 --> 01:29:08.360
assessments. So we don't want School Districts

01:29:08.360 --> 01:29:12.380
to say shut down the school in early

01:29:12.380 --> 01:29:14.411
April, and do a practice test for everybody. We think

01:29:14.411 --> 01:29:16.550
that's a huge waste of time. People should not be doing

01:29:16.550 --> 01:29:19.751
that. But assessments are part of normal instruction

01:29:19.751 --> 01:29:22.181
activities. So if the School District has a

01:29:22.191 --> 01:29:24.481
local assessment that they find value, and then they

01:29:24.481 --> 01:29:27.261
can potentially convert that. And then, you're sort

01:29:27.261 --> 01:29:29.161
of killing two birds with one stone as it were. You

01:29:29.161 --> 01:29:31.671
have a useful assessment that you're going

01:29:31.671 --> 01:29:33.281
to administer to the students. And the students have

01:29:33.281 --> 01:29:36.800
a practice opportunity in an online environment. So

01:29:37.161 --> 01:29:40.310
we have posted as much information as possible about

01:29:40.320 --> 01:29:42.241
the STAAR redesign on our website. So I don't know if

01:29:42.241 --> 01:29:44.790
y'all have checked this stuff out. But you know, Google

01:29:44.790 --> 01:29:48.031
to STAAR redesigners web page with. There's a, you can

01:29:48.031 --> 01:29:50.461
take practice tests. Which again, we discourage for students.

01:29:50.461 --> 01:29:52.711
But it's not a bad idea for adults to take this. So

01:29:52.711 --> 01:29:55.161
they know what their students are up against. There's

01:29:55.171 --> 01:29:58.570
example uh, question types for every new item type that

01:29:58.570 --> 01:30:00.921
shows up on the test. There are scoring guides for how

01:30:00.921 --> 01:30:03.501
do we grade writing? How do we make sure it's fair?

01:30:03.501 --> 01:30:06.590
There's examples of strong Writing responses and weak

01:30:06.590 --> 01:30:10.001
Writing responses. So that people um uh, know exactly

01:30:10.001 --> 01:30:11.991
how the assessment works. The blueprints are posted

01:30:11.991 --> 01:30:17.140
online. Um uh, instruction for how to to do accommodations

01:30:17.140 --> 01:30:19.441
for paper administration. There's a bunch of frequently

01:30:19.441 --> 01:30:24.550
asked questions. We also produced uh, an online webinar

01:30:24.560 --> 01:30:27.751
It's about an hour, hour and 15 minutes long. So if

01:30:27.751 --> 01:30:29.850
somebody wants to understand everything about the STAAR

01:30:29.850 --> 01:30:33.110
redesign, they can watch that in their jammies. Um

01:30:33.120 --> 01:30:36.880
uh, you know, at night if they want to. Um, we put

01:30:36.890 --> 01:30:39.931
we actually put together an online class. So if you

01:30:39.931 --> 01:30:44.451
really want to like learn about the online are the new STAAR

01:30:44.451 --> 01:30:46.671
redesigned, you can take that online class. It's free,

01:30:46.671 --> 01:30:49.380
it's on our website. So we've been we've been trying

01:30:49.380 --> 01:30:51.400
to get as many resources as possible. We don't want

01:30:51.400 --> 01:30:53.751
this to sneak up on anybody. We want everybody to be

01:30:53.761 --> 01:30:56.150
um, comfortable with the changing. And most of the feedback

01:30:56.150 --> 01:30:58.600
that I've gotten is, is very positive. People think

01:30:58.600 --> 01:31:01.181
these are good changes to the assessment. But it is

01:31:01.181 --> 01:31:04.650
still change. And um, if the people that you work with

01:31:04.650 --> 01:31:07.120
or any like the people that I work with change is not

01:31:07.120 --> 01:31:09.550
something that you know comes natively to the human

01:31:09.550 --> 01:31:14.590
species. We uh, so we're trying to get as much information

01:31:14.590 --> 01:31:18.181
as possible out. So um uh, this slide just has a few

01:31:18.181 --> 01:31:20.650
key takeaways related to start redesign. We will share

01:31:20.650 --> 01:31:25.050
this with you, uh today's presentation. But again, um

01:31:25.060 --> 01:31:27.560
I want to give you an update on just some stuff. That

01:31:27.560 --> 01:31:29.560
is happening related to the STAAR redesign. That goes

01:31:29.560 --> 01:31:33.971
into effect this Spring. Time is short but on that, there

01:31:33.971 --> 01:31:36.761
might be a few questions. Maybe do one or two questions

01:31:36.761 --> 01:31:38.711
just on that. One question that I've seen surface quite

01:31:38.711 --> 01:31:41.050
a bit is 3rd graders, typing out the non-multiple

01:31:41.050 --> 01:31:43.441
choice questions. What is that going to look like?

01:31:43.451 --> 01:31:46.681
And also you talk about being able to get the results

01:31:46.681 --> 01:31:49.830
back sooner. Is the non-multiple choice answers? How

01:31:49.830 --> 01:31:51.790
does that fit into getting that sooner? Yeah, great.

01:31:51.800 --> 01:31:54.580
Both of those are great questions. So um, as y'all

01:31:54.580 --> 01:31:58.560
may know this. It is in fact, a student expectation

01:31:58.560 --> 01:32:00.610
adopted by the State Board of Education. That 3rd

01:32:00.610 --> 01:32:03.590
graders can type. Um, it's in your technology (inaudible).

01:32:03.600 --> 01:32:07.590
Um, so this is something that is supposed to be happening.

01:32:07.590 --> 01:32:09.590
It's supposed to been happening for years in Texas.

01:32:09.600 --> 01:32:14.431
Um, cursive also is in your standards in 3rd grade.

01:32:14.431 --> 01:32:17.251
It's supposed to be happening. And um, I have seen it happen.

01:32:17.251 --> 01:32:19.721
I don't see it happen with the consistency that

01:32:19.721 --> 01:32:26.040
I'd like. Um uh, the uh, so students should theoretically

01:32:26.040 --> 01:32:29.201
they're legally required to get some degree of typing

01:32:29.201 --> 01:32:31.400
preparation. We already have students that have taken

01:32:31.400 --> 01:32:34.890
the online assessment um, and typed in responses. So

01:32:34.900 --> 01:32:38.921
um, it's like anything else. A student who is

01:32:38.931 --> 01:32:41.981
well prepared to answer a Mathematics question. Can

01:32:41.981 --> 01:32:43.580
answer the Mathematics question. The student who has

01:32:43.580 --> 01:32:45.810
not been getting a lot of instruction in that area,

01:32:45.820 --> 01:32:50.001
um it's more difficult. Um uh, in terms of getting the

01:32:50.001 --> 01:32:53.971
responses back in late May, early June. Everyone

01:32:53.971 --> 01:32:56.661
will get the actual responses the kids typed in. So

01:32:56.671 --> 01:33:00.171
you will have all of the raw responses. You will see

01:33:00.171 --> 01:33:02.751
exactly how the student responded to an item. You'll

01:33:02.751 --> 01:33:04.971
see exactly how it scored and that comes back very,

01:33:04.971 --> 01:33:07.521
very quickly, with this switch to the online testing

01:33:07.521 --> 01:33:10.130
environments. That's a huge improvement.

01:33:10.130 --> 01:33:12.941
Cause that is not currently the case, for any of the

01:33:12.941 --> 01:33:15.340
constructed response items. That have been on STAAR for

01:33:15.340 --> 01:33:18.600
the last several years. Um, but it will be the case

01:33:18.600 --> 01:33:22.550
now, with our, with the logistic work we have done

01:33:22.550 --> 01:33:27.880
to support the redesign. Any other quick questions? Miss Hardy? One comment and one question.

01:33:27.880 --> 01:33:33.300
Only after your microphone gets turned on.

01:33:33.300 --> 01:33:39.900
He's trying to harass me, I can tell. Um. He's not trying, he's doing it.

01:33:39.900 --> 01:33:45.981
The comment is or the request is, when they check

01:33:45.991 --> 01:33:49.671
when they ask Teachers to serve on those test Writing

01:33:49.681 --> 01:33:53.650
item. And I totally agree with what you said, about that

01:33:53.650 --> 01:33:56.890
is one of the best staff developments you can do. I

01:33:56.890 --> 01:34:01.290
would request that they refrain from using AP Teachers,

01:34:01.671 --> 01:34:05.011
for doing that. I've served on those. Don't nominate

01:34:05.011 --> 01:34:10.070
AP teachers? Right. Is that what you're saying? Right. Because what happens is, they think

01:34:10.070 --> 01:34:13.121
about how their students would perform on that. It's

01:34:13.121 --> 01:34:17.161
hard for them to think about how the average kid performs.

01:34:17.161 --> 01:34:21.951
And we're not doing this test to the AP students, we are doing it to the average kid.

01:34:21.951 --> 01:34:28.121
Monica that uh, our procedures that we use. Um, to

01:34:28.130 --> 01:34:31.061
um, to bring together the Teacher Committees. That I

01:34:31.061 --> 01:34:33.840
think, we will make sure that, if that's not already

01:34:33.840 --> 01:34:36.011
in our selection process that we incorporate that.

01:34:36.020 --> 01:34:39.061
Yes sir, we can talk to the team who's responsible

01:34:39.061 --> 01:34:42.300
for that. But there is um, I do know that there are

01:34:42.300 --> 01:34:45.210
several criteria that we look for. To ensure that the

01:34:45.210 --> 01:34:48.531
Educators on the committees, are representative of the

01:34:48.531 --> 01:34:51.340
demographics. All of the different demographics of

01:34:51.340 --> 01:34:54.270
students across the State. We want to make sure we

01:34:54.270 --> 01:34:56.380
have a diverse set of Teachers, that are used to teaching

01:34:56.380 --> 01:34:59.250
a diverse set of kids. When because. That's what I want.

01:34:59.250 --> 01:35:01.380
I don't want kids, who are Teachers who are just used

01:35:01.380 --> 01:35:03.940
to teaching AP. Yeah, absolutely. They think differently.

01:35:03.940 --> 01:35:06.201
I've been on the Committees. I know that. Okay, the

01:35:06.201 --> 01:35:10.451
other thing is, how are the uh, written responses

01:35:10.451 --> 01:35:13.541
going to be graded? Uh, so that's a great question. So,

01:35:13.541 --> 01:35:16.911
there are highly structured rubrics. Uh, you think of

01:35:16.911 --> 01:35:19.840
how a Teacher would set up a guide for how to grade

01:35:19.851 --> 01:35:21.851
assignments. So these are highly structured. We battle

01:35:21.851 --> 01:35:24.541
test them. They go through this, you know, gauntlet

01:35:24.541 --> 01:35:29.000
of approval process. Um and, then we actually

01:35:29.011 --> 01:35:32.070
we do trial evaluations of that. So we have a bunch

01:35:32.070 --> 01:35:34.871
of um, uh part of our field testing, we have a bunch

01:35:34.871 --> 01:35:37.761
of sample student responses, and we run through this.

01:35:38.041 --> 01:35:42.511
Um then, so you have to figure out the

01:35:42.520 --> 01:35:44.840
rubric and then the training that is necessary for

01:35:44.840 --> 01:35:48.411
anybody that is chosen to be a evaluator, a grader,

01:35:48.411 --> 01:35:51.980
as it were. Um, we deliberately attempt to hire Texas

01:35:51.980 --> 01:35:56.020
Teachers to be evaluators. Um, it is hard to do that

01:35:56.031 --> 01:35:58.300
with perfection, because Texas Teachers are otherwise

01:35:58.300 --> 01:36:01.621
busy in the month of May. Um, so we don't, it's

01:36:01.621 --> 01:36:04.460
not solely Texas teachers, it is generally Educators.

01:36:04.460 --> 01:36:07.761
So it's a lot of retired teachers. Um, that

01:36:07.770 --> 01:36:10.750
end up serving in our evaluator pool. They all have

01:36:10.750 --> 01:36:13.241
to go through a training process. The training process

01:36:13.241 --> 01:36:16.761
is pretty intense. And they have to pass the training

01:36:16.761 --> 01:36:18.561
process. So they actually they have to grade a bunch

01:36:18.561 --> 01:36:21.201
of samples that are not, these are not the actual STAAR

01:36:21.201 --> 01:36:25.041
tests. These are sort of uh ,sample STAAR test items. And

01:36:25.041 --> 01:36:28.721
they have to have um, they basically have to norm and

01:36:28.730 --> 01:36:30.991
and pass our interrater reliability standards. If they

01:36:30.991 --> 01:36:33.900
don't they get kicked off basically. They don't, they

01:36:33.900 --> 01:36:37.500
don't get selected as an evaluator. Um, and so then

01:36:37.500 --> 01:36:41.820
every constructive response item um, has or at least

01:36:41.820 --> 01:36:44.170
extended constructive response there are two different humans.

01:36:44.181 --> 01:36:48.170
Um, that do that evaluation. They have to have

01:36:48.170 --> 01:36:50.570
the same score. And if they don't have the same score, a

01:36:50.570 --> 01:36:53.550
third human is chosen for back scoring, and that becomes

01:36:53.550 --> 01:36:57.621
the tiebreaker. Um, and then we're constantly.

01:36:57.630 --> 01:37:00.061
All of this is done in a platform that we manage. So

01:37:00.061 --> 01:37:03.081
you can imagine even as people are grading during the

01:37:03.081 --> 01:37:06.130
month of May in real time. If an individual evaluator

01:37:06.130 --> 01:37:10.011
falls out of calibration, then we, they don't get to

01:37:10.011 --> 01:37:12.791
grade anymore. They just stopped to removed. Very tight

01:37:12.791 --> 01:37:14.831
management control process to ensure there's interrater

01:37:14.831 --> 01:37:17.570
reliability for multiple evaluators on all of

01:37:17.570 --> 01:37:20.371
the all the open ended items. Thank you. That's what

01:37:20.371 --> 01:37:23.570
I was looking to hear for the interrater reliability.

01:37:23.581 --> 01:37:25.880
It's very important. Thank you. Time is short, so I'm just

01:37:25.880 --> 01:37:27.730
gonna do one more question on this topic. I got Mr.

01:37:27.730 --> 01:37:31.371
Hickman in the sky.

01:37:31.371 --> 01:37:35.241
Uh, it's a different topic. I don't know if it's. A quick

01:37:35.241 --> 01:37:37.130
one on something else. Yeah, we're gonna go just on

01:37:37.130 --> 01:37:38.991
the STAAR test for this one. Is there one more question

01:37:38.991 --> 01:37:44.101
Miss Perez-Diaz? Thank you, Chairman. So quickly, I just wanna acknowledge

01:37:44.101 --> 01:37:47.340
Staff. Thank you Staff for working. Um, so Jake um, and

01:37:47.340 --> 01:37:51.281
Media and Media Relations and Comms Team. For speaking

01:37:51.281 --> 01:37:54.960
with Univision, to share this information with the Spanish language

01:37:54.960 --> 01:37:58.311
market. So um, just shout out them. Really quickly, um.

01:37:58.320 --> 01:38:02.081
How is the change in testing Commissioner, gonna affect

01:38:02.081 --> 01:38:05.491
accommodations for students who need them, if at all?

01:38:05.951 --> 01:38:10.331
The so the online testing system actually has a vastly

01:38:10.331 --> 01:38:12.650
more robust set of accommodations that are typically

01:38:12.650 --> 01:38:15.000
available on the paper administration. So it's a

01:38:15.000 --> 01:38:17.831
a significant improvement generally speaking in accommodations.

01:38:17.840 --> 01:38:24.471
Um, there is a a very small percentage, it's worth talking

01:38:24.471 --> 01:38:27.400
about this for just a second. There is a group of students

01:38:27.411 --> 01:38:30.931
uh, typically between half a percent and 1.5% of students

01:38:30.931 --> 01:38:33.750
that have extraordinary cognitive challenges. They

01:38:33.750 --> 01:38:36.331
don't actually take the STAAR test. They take an alternative

01:38:36.340 --> 01:38:38.451
assessment, and that's still paper and pencil. That

01:38:38.451 --> 01:38:42.770
test is not being redesigned. Um uh, but the students

01:38:42.770 --> 01:38:46.630
who take the STAAR test. Um uh, there's a very

01:38:46.630 --> 01:38:49.940
small percentage of those students who may need accommodations

01:38:49.951 --> 01:38:53.000
that are not available in the online version. And if

01:38:53.000 --> 01:38:54.900
that's the case there's a process that they go through.

01:38:54.900 --> 01:38:56.800
And then they can get those accommodations potentially,

01:38:56.800 --> 01:39:00.351
in paper pencil or otherwise. Next

01:39:00.351 --> 01:39:02.331
topic.

01:39:02.331 --> 01:39:07.090
We've got a whole 'nother topic and then we got questions

01:39:07.090 --> 01:39:10.130
at the end for the Members. Is it real quick? Yes. Okay.

01:39:10.141 --> 01:39:13.581
You mentioned language inequity and bias in STAAR

01:39:13.581 --> 01:39:16.050
testing. Is anything done, being done to address that

01:39:16.050 --> 01:39:19.520
now during the redesign? Sure, yeah. So that um, so

01:39:19.520 --> 01:39:22.371
there's a, it's a very robust process to ensure

01:39:22.371 --> 01:39:25.440
that there's no bias inherent in the questions. And

01:39:25.440 --> 01:39:30.380
the process is there's really two key um, quality control

01:39:30.380 --> 01:39:35.161
systems built in place. One is the Teacher Review

01:39:35.161 --> 01:39:37.781
Committees that come together. That sign off on every

01:39:37.781 --> 01:39:40.590
item before it can go to field testing,. They have to

01:39:40.590 --> 01:39:44.590
answer essentially unanimously or pretty close to unanimously

01:39:44.590 --> 01:39:50.061
uh, five questions. And one of the questions is um, this

01:39:50.061 --> 01:39:52.420
question is free from bias. We basically ask all

01:39:52.420 --> 01:39:56.041
the Teachers to specifically do an evaluation of

01:39:56.041 --> 01:39:58.811
items. As to whether or not they think a particular

01:39:58.811 --> 01:40:00.871
group of students maybe advantaged. Because of background,

01:40:00.871 --> 01:40:04.161
knowledge or whatever else. Um, and if they don't agree,

01:40:04.161 --> 01:40:06.360
then that question never shows up on the STAAR test.

01:40:06.690 --> 01:40:10.000
The second thing that happens is, just in case they

01:40:10.011 --> 01:40:12.730
missed something. We do quantitative analysis during

01:40:12.730 --> 01:40:16.320
field testing. And so if a particular group of students

01:40:16.331 --> 01:40:19.710
outperforms or underperforms, what would

01:40:19.710 --> 01:40:24.161
be sort of the normal range. Then that item ends up

01:40:24.161 --> 01:40:27.041
getting thrown out. Um, so it's it's both a qualitative

01:40:27.041 --> 01:40:29.420
review, with the collective judgment of diverse group

01:40:29.431 --> 01:40:31.960
of current classroom teachers. And a quantitative review

01:40:31.960 --> 01:40:35.951
during field testing. Thank you. Okay so the next

01:40:35.951 --> 01:40:38.201
thing I wanted to give y'all uh an update on. Different

01:40:38.201 --> 01:40:41.011
completely different topic is the School Safety. So

01:40:41.020 --> 01:40:44.650
um, as I think you know, Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor

01:40:44.661 --> 01:40:48.710
Patrick, Speaker Phelan. Announced about three weeks

01:40:48.710 --> 01:40:53.150
ago, $400 million of new funding available to schools.

01:40:53.150 --> 01:40:56.851
To help them improve their safety posture at the school

01:40:56.851 --> 01:41:01.121
level. Um, we followed up with that, with an announcement.

01:41:01.121 --> 01:41:03.360
And this was based upon something the Governor had

01:41:03.360 --> 01:41:07.150
asked us to do over the Summer. With a um, a change

01:41:07.161 --> 01:41:10.931
in our proposed rules or change a new proposed rule.

01:41:10.940 --> 01:41:14.621
Related to minimum facility standards and minimum operational

01:41:14.621 --> 01:41:18.820
standards. Uh, to ensure that, what we know to be effective

01:41:18.820 --> 01:41:21.951
practices in keeping kids safe on school are actually

01:41:21.951 --> 01:41:25.610
being implemented. And so there is a new proposed rule

01:41:25.610 --> 01:41:27.960
out there. And of course it becomes, we go through the

01:41:27.960 --> 01:41:29.971
rulemaking process, we get comments on it before it

01:41:29.980 --> 01:41:34.161
becomes a final rule. Um, that requires all schools

01:41:34.161 --> 01:41:36.601
in the State, all facilities in the State. To meet certain

01:41:36.601 --> 01:41:39.130
minimum safety standards. And this is whether you are

01:41:39.130 --> 01:41:42.641
leasing the facility, whether it is 100 years old or

01:41:42.641 --> 01:41:45.241
whether it's brand spanking new. This has to be applied

01:41:45.250 --> 01:41:49.181
um, universally to all instructional facilities. Um, and

01:41:49.181 --> 01:41:53.400
these include standards related to the construction

01:41:53.400 --> 01:41:57.811
of doors and the exterior physical plant. Um uh, includes

01:41:57.811 --> 01:42:01.270
operational procedures in terms of how you are managing

01:42:01.270 --> 01:42:04.721
visitors and how you are ensuring the exterior of the

01:42:04.721 --> 01:42:09.781
facility remains secure. All designed to ensure that

01:42:09.791 --> 01:42:11.781
the only people that are inside of school building

01:42:11.781 --> 01:42:13.511
are those that are allowed to be inside of a school

01:42:13.511 --> 01:42:16.931
building. Um, this is a very important set

01:42:16.940 --> 01:42:21.440
of standards. Many of our schools already actually

01:42:21.440 --> 01:42:25.291
meet these standards, but not all of them. And so uh,

01:42:25.300 --> 01:42:28.951
we are applying a, we're proposing to apply a set of

01:42:28.951 --> 01:42:30.871
universal standards that would apply equally to all

01:42:30.871 --> 01:42:33.411
public schools in the State of Texas. And then there's

01:42:33.411 --> 01:42:36.250
$400 million in funding basically to pay for that.

01:42:36.471 --> 01:42:40.550
Um and so we've uh, we'll have a grant that allows school

01:42:40.550 --> 01:42:43.110
districts to draw down the funds. There are some school

01:42:43.121 --> 01:42:46.800
systems that their current physical plant is already

01:42:46.811 --> 01:42:49.190
meets the standards. They will still receive this money

01:42:49.190 --> 01:42:51.391
and they'll be able to apply it to additional enhancements,

01:42:51.391 --> 01:42:53.831
as they see fit. But the first thing you have to spend

01:42:53.831 --> 01:42:56.980
the money on is meeting the minimum safety standards.

01:42:56.980 --> 01:43:01.020
So, there's also operational procedures. Again,

01:43:01.020 --> 01:43:03.661
these weekly door sweeps that have to happen. You need

01:43:03.661 --> 01:43:05.471
to make sure that the doors, if you think the doors

01:43:05.471 --> 01:43:07.710
are closed, you need to verify that the doors are closed

01:43:07.721 --> 01:43:11.150
pretty consistently. We have been also um, with our

01:43:11.150 --> 01:43:14.050
partners at the Texas School Safety Center. Conducting

01:43:14.061 --> 01:43:17.190
third party audits as it were, to ensure that these

01:43:17.201 --> 01:43:22.320
um, these processes are being um, followed.

01:43:22.331 --> 01:43:25.920
Which certainly as a Dad um, makes me feel a lot better.

01:43:26.170 --> 01:43:30.690
So the uh, and this is we think this generally having

01:43:30.690 --> 01:43:33.701
a positive effect. We have mostly positive feedback

01:43:33.701 --> 01:43:36.471
from our Administrators on this. It's just, it is going

01:43:36.471 --> 01:43:39.130
to be take work for them to do this. Um, some of

01:43:39.130 --> 01:43:42.270
this is about making sure glass meets minimum standards

01:43:42.270 --> 01:43:46.170
for uh, anti-break ability as it were. I think that's

01:43:46.170 --> 01:43:50.311
the technical term. But the um, some of this has

01:43:50.311 --> 01:43:53.650
to do with uh, physical bear to get into the school.

01:43:53.650 --> 01:43:56.181
Which you think of as the fencing and walls. The sort

01:43:56.181 --> 01:43:58.770
of things. Um, communications, infrastructure, making

01:43:58.770 --> 01:44:00.791
sure that walkie-talkies can work in the building.

01:44:00.800 --> 01:44:04.320
These um, these kinds of things. So it will take some

01:44:04.320 --> 01:44:06.520
time for some of our facilities to get up to speed.

01:44:06.520 --> 01:44:08.900
We expect the districts to move on this, this school

01:44:08.900 --> 01:44:13.371
year. Um uh, and so that's what's in the proposed

01:44:13.371 --> 01:44:21.710
rule. The grant um again, uh was announced by um, our

01:44:21.721 --> 01:44:24.750
Legislative leaders and the Governor. Um, we have structured

01:44:24.750 --> 01:44:27.831
the grant so that there is a funding floor for our

01:44:27.831 --> 01:44:30.561
small and rural school systems. So every single school

01:44:30.561 --> 01:44:33.101
system in the State gets a minimum, at least a minimum

01:44:33.101 --> 01:44:36.931
of $200,000. Even if you only have 50 kids. Um, we

01:44:36.931 --> 01:44:39.960
want to make sure that there is a um, uh, resource

01:44:39.960 --> 01:44:43.351
access for all of our schools. Um, for these funds.

01:44:43.630 --> 01:44:46.681
Um, there was in addition to the fairly large grant

01:44:46.681 --> 01:44:49.150
of $400 million grant. There's another smaller grant

01:44:49.150 --> 01:44:52.210
for silent panic alert technology. I've seen this.

01:44:52.210 --> 01:44:54.800
I was in actually, I was out in El Paso not too long. Saw

01:44:54.800 --> 01:44:58.380
this um, use where the teachers had a little buttons

01:44:58.391 --> 01:45:02.020
um, as part of their um lava leaders. I don't know

01:45:02.020 --> 01:45:05.121
what they're called. So, but um, so these are, these

01:45:05.121 --> 01:45:08.791
are useful. Um, security best practices. And they're

01:45:08.791 --> 01:45:13.141
now required and they are funded. Uh, so um, so this

01:45:13.141 --> 01:45:16.101
is all happening on the safety front. Um as we move

01:45:16.101 --> 01:45:19.210
to ensure that we are providing supports as a State.

01:45:19.221 --> 01:45:23.101
Um, as many, there are many former School Board Members

01:45:23.101 --> 01:45:25.690
that are on this um, on this Board. You know that local

01:45:25.690 --> 01:45:28.110
School Boards prioritize keeping kids safe. This is

01:45:28.121 --> 01:45:30.181
what we do. But we want to make sure that we're providing

01:45:30.190 --> 01:45:33.730
sufficient supports um, Statewide um, to help in this

01:45:33.730 --> 01:45:38.130
effort. So that was my second key topic. Um, Mr. Chair.

01:45:39.561 --> 01:45:43.000
I'm gonna do because we have just about 10 or 15 minutes

01:45:43.000 --> 01:45:45.460
left. I'm gonna give the six retiring Board Members

01:45:45.460 --> 01:45:49.721
an opportunity to ask a question. To any farewell parting

01:45:49.721 --> 01:45:52.460
words or use that time wherever you may choose. So

01:45:52.471 --> 01:45:54.750
let's go around the room for the six retiring Members.

01:45:54.750 --> 01:45:59.681
In the short time that we have, Dr. Johnson?

01:45:59.681 --> 01:46:02.951
Microphone please.

01:46:02.951 --> 01:46:06.480
(inaudible)

01:46:06.480 --> 01:46:09.701
It's been my pleasure to serve. And I wish you will

01:46:09.701 --> 01:46:14.940
and everything that you do. Uh in Matthew, Jesus said,

01:46:14.951 --> 01:46:19.201
gave the great commission go and make disciples. I

01:46:19.201 --> 01:46:22.831
think in Texas, the great Education Commission should

01:46:22.840 --> 01:46:27.210
be go and make good citizens and lifelong learners.

01:46:27.221 --> 01:46:31.190
So that would be my wish for Texas, not for you, but

01:46:31.190 --> 01:46:35.121
for you to lead the group. Absolutely. Well, and uh continued

01:46:35.121 --> 01:46:38.230
prayers for wisdom. He who seeks wisdom, shall be granted

01:46:38.230 --> 01:46:41.431
abundantly. And I can use all the prayer I can get on

01:46:41.431 --> 01:46:43.610
that one.

01:46:43.610 --> 01:46:46.971
Miss Melton-Malone? I also don't have a question, but

01:46:46.971 --> 01:46:50.031
I just want to thank you for your leadership. And it's

01:46:50.031 --> 01:46:53.630
been a pleasure serving with you. And uh, I just as

01:46:53.641 --> 01:46:58.020
Dr. Johnson said, I wish you the best. And just keep

01:46:58.020 --> 01:47:01.380
being that fearless leader that leads all of our Educators.

01:47:01.380 --> 01:47:04.181
And this Board on, to making sure the kids in Texas

01:47:04.181 --> 01:47:07.230
have the best education we can get. And keeping them

01:47:07.230 --> 01:47:12.201
safe. And just letting our schools be the best in the

01:47:12.201 --> 01:47:14.610
whole world. Thank you, thank you ma'am. It's been an

01:47:14.610 --> 01:47:17.531
honor of working with both of you.

01:47:17.531 --> 01:47:21.101
I think we got next, Mr. Allen? Commissioner, and when

01:47:21.101 --> 01:47:23.371
I was looking at your report. It said that these dollars

01:47:23.371 --> 01:47:26.241
will be available for the 22-23 school year. Which

01:47:26.241 --> 01:47:28.520
is what. The current school year, yes sir. Is money already

01:47:28.520 --> 01:47:31.190
loaded in the School District's budget or the application

01:47:31.190 --> 01:47:34.750
is now available? We we published the formula. So every

01:47:34.761 --> 01:47:36.440
School District knows how much money they were, they're

01:47:36.440 --> 01:47:39.101
going to get. There are grant process. So, we would

01:47:39.101 --> 01:47:41.101
expect districts to get there, what is referred to as

01:47:41.101 --> 01:47:43.371
a (inaudible) notice the grant award probably sometime

01:47:43.371 --> 01:47:47.781
in January. But the funds are available and they will

01:47:47.781 --> 01:47:50.951
flow this this year for sure. I also like to say, ditto

01:47:50.951 --> 01:47:54.050
to the comments that my other Board Members made. Well, thank

01:47:54.050 --> 01:47:58.201
you. It's been an honor serving with you, sir.

01:47:58.201 --> 01:48:04.041
No, no. She's not leaving. Oh, I'm sorry. You trying to keep me off the Board.

01:48:04.041 --> 01:48:14.880
Go straight to the principal's office. My mistake. Let's

01:48:14.880 --> 01:48:20.061
go to Mr. Cortez. Oh, that's too funny. Uh, so Commissioner

01:48:20.061 --> 01:48:22.561
I've enjoyed serving on the Board. I've served

01:48:22.561 --> 01:48:26.610
with two Mikes. Michael Williams and Mike Morath.

01:48:26.610 --> 01:48:31.221
And my experience with you, has been very pleasant.

01:48:31.230 --> 01:48:34.291
I can say, I think you, you're one of these types of

01:48:34.291 --> 01:48:38.460
individuals who comes with a lot of information. You've

01:48:38.460 --> 01:48:41.811
never been afraid to get into a room of Educators.

01:48:41.820 --> 01:48:48.311
Uh and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about

01:48:48.311 --> 01:48:51.690
your leadership. And your willingness to engage and

01:48:51.690 --> 01:48:56.311
sit in a room, uh with all of our instructional leaders

01:48:56.311 --> 01:49:00.340
in school districts. And um, I think for me

01:49:00.340 --> 01:49:03.261
my biggest takeaway is gonna be your leadership during

01:49:03.261 --> 01:49:08.721
the pandemic. Um, I don't think any district felt left

01:49:08.730 --> 01:49:13.101
alone by the Texas Education Agency. And that's in large

01:49:13.101 --> 01:49:16.420
part with the work that you did. And so, on behalf of

01:49:16.420 --> 01:49:18.291
the districts that I've represented for the last 10

01:49:18.291 --> 01:49:21.570
years. Thank you.

01:49:21.570 --> 01:49:24.360
Thank you, sir for the very kind words. The last 24

01:49:24.360 --> 01:49:28.320
months has been no picnic, for sure. But it has been

01:49:28.331 --> 01:49:32.190
an absolute honor working with you. Um uh, for the entirety

01:49:32.190 --> 01:49:39.380
of my tenure. Miss Perez? Um, recently we learned that

01:49:39.391 --> 01:49:43.411
Benavidez ISD, which is near San Antonio. Opened

01:49:43.411 --> 01:49:49.811
four charter facilities in the El Paso area in multiple

01:49:49.811 --> 01:49:53.590
districts. And I'm wondering, these facilities

01:49:53.601 --> 01:49:57.601
are um, Kindergarten and 1st grade only. And this is

01:49:57.601 --> 01:50:00.531
the first time that I've, that I'm aware. That

01:50:00.531 --> 01:50:05.241
we have a School District about 800 miles away, 900

01:50:05.241 --> 01:50:09.761
miles away. Opening a public school, a charter school

01:50:09.770 --> 01:50:13.911
in a different district hundreds of miles away. And

01:50:13.911 --> 01:50:18.090
I'm wondering the grant process from TEA. And the

01:50:18.090 --> 01:50:20.791
approval process for that. Considering that it's a

01:50:20.791 --> 01:50:25.190
language facility and in El Paso, does pretty well with

01:50:25.190 --> 01:50:28.670
our with our emerging bilingual students. And so why

01:50:28.670 --> 01:50:33.581
was Benavidez granted this? Uh, so I actually wasn't.

01:50:33.590 --> 01:50:37.181
I'm not sure I know that this was happening. Um, I do

01:50:37.181 --> 01:50:40.121
know that this is not the first time that a School

01:50:40.121 --> 01:50:42.520
District has operated a facility outside of their geographic

01:50:42.520 --> 01:50:45.181
area. I'm aware of a couple of districts in West Texas

01:50:45.181 --> 01:50:48.121
that do this. This is not uncommon for residential facilities.

01:50:48.121 --> 01:50:52.221
It's not uncommon for um, a certain specialty,  um school

01:50:52.230 --> 01:50:56.511
areas. But, I would have to get back to you. Cause

01:50:56.511 --> 01:50:58.561
I'm not actually sure there is an approval process

01:50:58.561 --> 01:51:02.050
from TEA for this. I think this is just any School District

01:51:02.050 --> 01:51:04.601
can do this. Um, if there's a grant or something that

01:51:04.601 --> 01:51:06.940
we've done on this, I need to find out and get back.

01:51:07.590 --> 01:51:10.420
So you probably know more about this than I do. Yeah

01:51:10.420 --> 01:51:14.061
I can, I can't send some light on this particular one.

01:51:14.061 --> 01:51:17.900
But, the education code authorizes any School District

01:51:17.900 --> 01:51:21.480
to operate outside their geographic boundaries. Um,

01:51:21.480 --> 01:51:25.340
and the education code also authorizes them to create

01:51:25.340 --> 01:51:29.531
campus charter. So I don't know if this particular

01:51:29.531 --> 01:51:32.340
one you're talking about is a campus charter? Operated

01:51:32.340 --> 01:51:35.101
by the School District or if they saw an open enrollment

01:51:35.101 --> 01:51:37.650
charter. The only thing that comes to mind that where

01:51:37.650 --> 01:51:40.781
our oversight would be a relevance. Is if there is 1882

01:51:40.781 --> 01:51:43.831
funding irrelevant. Um, and that may or may not apply

01:51:43.831 --> 01:51:47.130
to Benavidez. Because it um, for smaller School Districts

01:51:47.130 --> 01:51:50.661
1882 is not really relevant to it. Um, but there's

01:51:50.661 --> 01:51:54.041
a rule process where if you're doing

01:51:54.041 --> 01:51:59.141
a subsea in district charter. Um, you can access

01:51:59.150 --> 01:52:02.570
1882 benefits um, if you meet certain criteria. So

01:52:02.581 --> 01:52:04.701
it's possible that we have to evaluate it for that,

01:52:04.701 --> 01:52:07.480
but it strikes me as unlikely for Benavidez. It strikes

01:52:07.480 --> 01:52:10.141
me as unlikely as well, because it's only for Kindergarten

01:52:10.141 --> 01:52:12.871
and 1st grade. It seems like an 1882, would have

01:52:12.871 --> 01:52:18.250
been triggered by um, perhaps a need for um, improvement.

01:52:18.250 --> 01:52:22.210
Although Kindergarten and 1st grade or not tested grades. So I

01:52:22.221 --> 01:52:25.520
believe for example that Austin ISD has some 1882

01:52:26.000 --> 01:52:29.420
Pre-K and K partnerships, um like that. So it's

01:52:29.420 --> 01:52:33.491
not it's not unheard of. And so when you get back to

01:52:33.491 --> 01:52:35.511
me with more information, can you give me a list of

01:52:35.511 --> 01:52:39.141
all of them? Uh, when you say all of them, do you

01:52:39.141 --> 01:52:43.210
mean all 1882's or all? No, all of the public

01:52:43.210 --> 01:52:47.621
ISD's that have encroached other ISD's,

01:52:47.630 --> 01:52:52.081
with this charter pseudo charter. I'll have to figure out,

01:52:52.081 --> 01:52:55.791
if that's something that we even know. This particular

01:52:55.791 --> 01:52:59.281
one did receive a grant from TEA to do this. So you

01:52:59.281 --> 01:53:02.351
would you, would have some information. At least

01:53:02.351 --> 01:53:08.380
on this one you would. Okay, got it. Well, I will get back to you.

01:53:08.380 --> 01:53:10.980
Alright. Commissioner, again in know times short. So I

01:53:10.980 --> 01:53:13.610
thank everyone for working with us and being able to

01:53:13.610 --> 01:53:16.031
have time. You being here on Friday to get that information

01:53:16.031 --> 01:53:20.250
to us. Uh yeah. Mr. Hickman? Do you have a quick question?

01:53:25.800 --> 01:53:32.451
Yes sir. Um, I just saw a story um, in the paper

01:53:32.451 --> 01:53:35.210
about HISD enrollment decreasing, and funding

01:53:35.210 --> 01:53:39.980
is decreasing. Um, has hold harmless expired? Investor

01:53:39.980 --> 01:53:42.851
funds been distributed? Or we kind of back to normal?

01:53:42.860 --> 01:53:45.090
And if that's not a quick one, happy to take it offline.

01:53:45.110 --> 01:53:49.721
So (inaudible) funds have been distributed based effectively.

01:53:49.721 --> 01:53:51.570
Whether or not School Districts are drawn down all

01:53:51.570 --> 01:53:55.000
their funds, as it depends on sort of spending rates.

01:53:55.011 --> 01:54:03.690
Uh, and they, I think they expire in 2025. Um, I'm

01:54:03.701 --> 01:54:07.601
trying to remember. Um, Houston ISD received north

01:54:07.601 --> 01:54:10.750
of pretty close to a billion dollars of esser funds,

01:54:10.750 --> 01:54:12.690
on a one time basis. So I can't imagine they have spent

01:54:12.701 --> 01:54:17.800
all of that yet. Um uh, so that's

01:54:17.900 --> 01:54:24.130
fund side. The um, the first question there was due

01:54:24.130 --> 01:54:26.230
to attendance anomalies that happened throughout the

01:54:26.230 --> 01:54:28.730
pandemic. We offered a variety of different hold harmless

01:54:28.730 --> 01:54:32.041
is to adjust ADA. To ensure that there wasn't um,

01:54:32.050 --> 01:54:37.221
any kind of funding loss due to sort of

01:54:37.221 --> 01:54:39.940
attendance declines. Which we we saw for 24 months

01:54:39.940 --> 01:54:44.230
basically. But we are done. That is that has happened

01:54:44.241 --> 01:54:47.661
Um, and we haven't had any reason to think that there's

01:54:47.661 --> 01:54:50.940
a need for a new hold harmless at all this year.

01:54:50.940 --> 01:54:54.241
And there attendance rates are getting back to normal.

01:54:54.250 --> 01:54:57.451
Um, that doesn't mean now, enrollment declines were not

01:54:57.451 --> 01:55:00.581
necessarily held harmless. Um, even in the last calendar

01:55:00.581 --> 01:55:04.500
year or last of the last school year. So um, the way

01:55:04.500 --> 01:55:06.811
the School Finance System works, is you you get funded

01:55:06.811 --> 01:55:08.800
based on how many kids you have. So if you

01:55:08.800 --> 01:55:12.150
start seeing a reduced student count, then your

01:55:12.150 --> 01:55:15.971
budget gets adjusted accordingly.

01:55:15.971 --> 01:55:19.110
Okay, great, thank you. Okay, again, thank you. We

01:55:19.110 --> 01:55:21.411
will stand at ease for just a few minutes as we reset

01:55:21.411 --> 01:55:31.650
the room.

01:55:31.650 --> 01:55:37.360
Everybody back to their seats. Now it's my turn.

01:55:37.360 --> 01:55:47.831
Almost.

01:55:47.831 --> 01:55:50.670
All right. We have the next item of business is public

01:55:50.670 --> 01:55:54.000
testimony. I do believe we have one testifier, who had

01:55:54.000 --> 01:55:56.871
registered to speak at this point in time. I'll remind

01:55:56.871 --> 01:55:59.701
Members that this is for any item that wasn't previously

01:55:59.701 --> 01:56:03.011
on our agenda. But because of that, not being on the

01:56:03.011 --> 01:56:05.641
agenda, were not posted for any specific discussion.

01:56:05.641 --> 01:56:08.371
We take the testimony, but we cannot engage in dialogue

01:56:08.371 --> 01:56:11.170
with the testifier. So that being said, I'll ask Staff

01:56:11.170 --> 01:56:19.351
to call the testifier. Augustine Villareal. Right here.

01:56:19.351 --> 01:56:21.630
Thank you.

01:56:21.630 --> 01:56:26.750
Hello, Hello. My name is Augustine Villareal. I'm here to

01:56:26.750 --> 01:56:29.400
advocate for my little Brother and disability people. And

01:56:29.400 --> 01:56:32.141
I'm with the E4Texas program at the University

01:56:32.141 --> 01:56:35.761
of Texas at Austin. I will be testifying today in support

01:56:35.761 --> 01:56:38.960
of SB 18, which would improve training for Teachers,

01:56:38.960 --> 01:56:42.291
who instruct Special Education students in Primary

01:56:42.300 --> 01:56:47.311
and Secondary schools. This bill, this bill would increase

01:56:47.311 --> 01:56:50.781
training, evidence based and structural practices. And

01:56:50.781 --> 01:56:54.550
this is very important to ensure that Special Education

01:56:54.561 --> 01:56:58.241
students are treated equally. Special Education students

01:56:58.250 --> 01:57:01.340
deserve a fair shot of learning, going to college and

01:57:01.340 --> 01:57:05.201
getting jobs. And this is the bill. This is what

01:57:05.210 --> 01:57:09.291
what this bill would help accomplishment. From 2010

01:57:09.291 --> 01:57:11.860
to 2020, the number of students who receive Special Education

01:57:11.860 --> 01:57:15.081
services under IDEA increased by one million people.

01:57:15.081 --> 01:57:20.141
But in 2019, only 18% of people with intellectual disabilities

01:57:20.141 --> 01:57:25.241
were in enrolled in regular classes. Eighteen, 18% is too

01:57:25.241 --> 01:57:29.471
low. Regular classes are what kids need to learn skills

01:57:29.471 --> 01:57:33.371
that would help this. That will help them go to college

01:57:33.371 --> 01:57:37.081
and get jobs. These students need more help. When I

01:57:37.081 --> 01:57:40.261
was a kid, I had delay when they said I couldn't talk.

01:57:40.270 --> 01:57:42.581
They said I couldn't walk and they were trying to put

01:57:42.581 --> 01:57:45.210
me in life skills, but I proved them wrong. How my Mom

01:57:45.210 --> 01:57:48.420
fought for me to be, to be successful and to stay regular

01:57:48.420 --> 01:57:51.110
classes. Doctors and Teachers said I couldn't go to

01:57:51.110 --> 01:57:53.031
college, but they were wrong. I'm in college right

01:57:53.031 --> 01:57:57.871
now at the UT. Many people told me

01:57:57.880 --> 01:58:00.380
I was never gonna do any in my life. But I had

01:58:00.380 --> 01:58:04.190
to take the step to succeed anyway. My Mom had a little

01:58:04.190 --> 01:58:07.641
Brother had autism. And make me so sad to see teachers

01:58:07.641 --> 01:58:11.150
treating him in the same way that I was treated. And

01:58:11.150 --> 01:58:13.311
Teachers are trying to put him in second life skills

01:58:13.311 --> 01:58:16.460
classes. And I won't let, and I think that's, I don't

01:58:16.460 --> 01:58:18.980
think that's fair. I don't think that's not good for

01:58:18.980 --> 01:58:22.840
everyone to have that experience. I came here

01:58:22.840 --> 01:58:26.181
today to advocate for my little Brother. I want

01:58:26.181 --> 01:58:29.451
him to have the same opportunity like that I had.

01:58:29.451 --> 01:58:33.621
I would be able to have when I took regular classes. When

01:58:33.630 --> 01:58:37.581
I was, I wanted his school days to be happy and fulfilling.

01:58:37.590 --> 01:58:40.261
Not getting proper instruction, regular classes, make

01:58:40.261 --> 01:58:43.761
him more likely that Special Education students would

01:58:43.770 --> 01:58:48.130
will be (inaudible) and bullied. I was bullied

01:58:48.141 --> 01:58:52.081
when I was going to school. And I want that to happen

01:58:52.090 --> 01:58:55.320
to my little Brother. He deserves to be educated in

01:58:55.320 --> 01:58:58.431
regular classes. I hope, I hope that you choose to

01:58:58.431 --> 01:59:01.891
protect his educational rights. My experience has taught

01:59:01.891 --> 01:59:05.090
me that the current system makes it too easy to place

01:59:05.090 --> 01:59:09.281
disabled students in life skills. Where they don't

01:59:09.291 --> 01:59:12.141
learn enough skills to make their own adult choices.

01:59:12.141 --> 01:59:15.721
Teachers need to be trained in in the most effective

01:59:15.730 --> 01:59:19.940
teaching techniques. Most Special Education students

01:59:19.940 --> 01:59:23.380
need to be in regular classes with combinations. Regular

01:59:23.380 --> 01:59:28.101
classes, make help make me be ready for life,

01:59:28.110 --> 01:59:30.840
and college. Having the instructions will give me more

01:59:30.840 --> 01:59:36.020
opportunities when I look for a job. Having the stability

01:59:36.020 --> 01:59:39.931
of a job. I will help also help me have healthy

01:59:39.931 --> 01:59:42.940
relationships and even get married someday. Everyone

01:59:42.940 --> 01:59:45.980
in our school system should work together to ensure

01:59:45.980 --> 01:59:49.250
that students are able to have the independent lives

01:59:49.261 --> 01:59:51.940
that they deserve. Thank you for your time and for

01:59:51.940 --> 01:59:54.070
considering my testimony.

01:59:54.070 --> 01:59:57.909
Thank you for being, yes, sir. We echo that. Thank

01:59:57.909 --> 02:00:00.030
you for being here today. I think you find support

02:00:00.030 --> 02:00:02.989
with the State Board of Education on what you're

02:00:02.989 --> 02:00:05.640
advocating for. In fact, we have some of our members

02:00:05.640 --> 02:00:08.730
who do this for a living and support our Special Education

02:00:08.730 --> 02:00:13.379
students. So thank you very much for being here.

02:00:13.379 --> 02:00:16.149
Okay, members. The next business in order is the approval

02:00:16.149 --> 02:00:18.609
of the consent agenda. The consent agenda begins on

02:00:18.609 --> 02:00:21.719
page 26. Please take a moment to review the items on

02:00:21.719 --> 02:00:28.170
the consent agenda. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Maynard? Item number 9 has been removed,

02:00:28.170 --> 02:00:30.950
is that correct?

02:00:30.950 --> 02:00:34.609
The resolution on the transfer of funds? Yes, we need

02:00:34.609 --> 02:00:42.130
to make sure we remove item number 9.

02:00:42.130 --> 02:00:48.100
Mr. Chairman? Mr. Hickman? Is number 1, the distribution?

02:00:50.910 --> 02:01:06.229
Yes. I would like to remove number 1. Okay.

02:01:06.229 --> 02:01:09.320
Any others?

02:01:09.320 --> 02:01:12.179
All right, members. We have removed item number 1,

02:01:12.190 --> 02:01:14.619
the first one and item number 9 the last one from

02:01:14.619 --> 02:01:18.509
the consent agenda. Is there any objection to approving

02:01:18.509 --> 02:01:23.350
items number 2-8?

02:01:23.350 --> 02:01:29.630
Hearing none. Those items are adopted.

02:01:29.630 --> 02:01:32.720
And we will take the other two in order. So number

02:01:32.720 --> 02:01:34.800
1, decision on the percentage distribution of the

02:01:34.800 --> 02:01:39.619
Permanent School Fund for physical years, 24 and 25.

02:01:42.250 --> 02:01:44.539
Mr. Hickman, did you have a question on that one or

02:01:44.550 --> 02:01:49.020
a comment? Uh, just a comment Mr. Chair. This is uh,

02:01:49.029 --> 02:01:51.029
for me, one of the most important things we do. If

02:01:51.029 --> 02:01:55.729
I remember from memory, we're distributing 3.32% of

02:01:56.369 --> 02:01:59.759
an amount of $1.5 billion. I just wanted to call attention

02:01:59.759 --> 02:02:02.220
to that, and for us to vote on it. Uh and not

02:02:02.220 --> 02:02:05.060
have it passed through the consent agenda. That's not

02:02:05.060 --> 02:02:17.009
even noticed.

02:02:17.009 --> 02:02:20.910
Okay. Any other comments on this one?

02:02:20.910 --> 02:02:22.829
Mr. Hickman, thank you for bringing that up. I've got

02:02:22.829 --> 02:02:24.479
the motion here. So let me just go ahead and read it.

02:02:24.479 --> 02:02:26.729
It's recommended the State Board of Education approve

02:02:26.729 --> 02:02:31.530
percentage distribution of 3.32% from the Permanent

02:02:31.530 --> 02:02:35.199
School Funded available School Fund for the 2024-2025

02:02:35.199 --> 02:02:37.919
State Physical Biennium. Which would produce an estimated

02:02:37.919 --> 02:02:44.570
annual distribution of $1.551 billion. Second. Okay. Is there

02:02:44.579 --> 02:02:48.900
any objection to approving the motion?

02:02:48.900 --> 02:02:52.470
Hearing none, the motion carries. And I'm gonna call

02:02:52.470 --> 02:02:55.320
on Mr. Maynard for item number 9 on the consent.

02:02:59.180 --> 02:03:04.169
Members were we're about to do something rather

02:03:04.169 --> 02:03:07.900
historic here, and so we pulled it off. It was originally

02:03:07.900 --> 02:03:11.840
put on the consent agenda. As you know, we've

02:03:11.840 --> 02:03:15.250
been going through the process of creating the Permanent

02:03:15.250 --> 02:03:21.560
School Fund, Incorporation. And now what this does is that uh,

02:03:21.570 --> 02:03:24.229
the big thing that it does, is that it actually reunites

02:03:24.820 --> 02:03:29.109
the fund. Remember that in the early 2000s that um,

02:03:29.120 --> 02:03:31.289
the Legislature authorized the School Land Board to

02:03:31.289 --> 02:03:39.160
retain earnings to create a portfolio in real assets.

02:03:39.169 --> 02:03:42.060
Uh, there was an unintended consequence to that and

02:03:42.060 --> 02:03:45.289
that is essentially at that point is that no more

02:03:45.289 --> 02:03:47.949
funds came to the State Board of Education for investment.

02:03:48.519 --> 02:03:50.600
The other consequence of that is just because of the

02:03:50.600 --> 02:03:54.030
nature of those investments. We wound up with a $4 billion

02:03:54.030 --> 02:04:02.190
cash drag as we called it. This is that we had about $4 billion that was not fully, fully invested. But

02:04:02.190 --> 02:04:07.590
just in the Treasury pool. Um, and so the big thing

02:04:07.590 --> 02:04:10.329
that this does, is that it reunites all of the

02:04:10.329 --> 02:04:12.870
assets. The investment assets of the Permanent School

02:04:12.870 --> 02:04:18.670
Fund under the uh, under the umbrella of the

02:04:18.670 --> 02:04:22.250
Permanent School Fund Corporation. Which by the way,

02:04:22.250 --> 02:04:26.250
is that this is the most significant change. Uh, in

02:04:26.250 --> 02:04:29.899
the governance of the Permanent School Fund since uh,

02:04:29.909 --> 02:04:33.680
the 1876 Constitution put it under the State

02:04:33.680 --> 02:04:36.730
Board of Education. And we had to get that one in Georgina.

02:04:37.279 --> 02:04:42.509
And uh but, you know, so that technically it is still

02:04:42.509 --> 02:04:44.279
under the leadership of the State Board of

02:04:44.279 --> 02:04:46.269
Education. Because the State Board of Education has

02:04:46.269 --> 02:04:50.949
the majority of the seats on the Corporation. And

02:04:50.949 --> 02:04:54.459
so with that, and just so you understand this is that.

02:04:54.469 --> 02:04:58.740
Uh, the transfer of funds has been negotiated with

02:04:58.740 --> 02:05:02.380
all the parties. Uh, that they're involved with

02:05:02.389 --> 02:05:05.449
the Texas Education Agency, with the School Land Board

02:05:05.449 --> 02:05:08.690
and everybody involved. And then, so we there is

02:05:08.690 --> 02:05:13.070
a resolution. And so uh, with the approval of this resolution

02:05:13.070 --> 02:05:18.630
then, is that as of January 1st of 2023, the all

02:05:18.630 --> 02:05:21.610
of the assets of the Permanent School Fund are transferred

02:05:21.610 --> 02:05:26.889
to the Corporate uh, to the Corporation. Ours, and School

02:05:26.889 --> 02:05:31.990
Land Boards. So, Mr. Chairman. Uh, I move then that the State

02:05:31.990 --> 02:05:35.219
Board of Education, approve the date to transfer the

02:05:35.219 --> 02:05:37.880
management of the Permanent School Fund to the Texas

02:05:37.880 --> 02:05:40.959
Permanent School Fund Corporation has contemplated

02:05:40.959 --> 02:05:46.320
in Senate Bill 1232. Second.

02:05:46.320 --> 02:05:49.409
Is there any objection?

02:05:49.409 --> 02:05:52.570
Hearing none. The motion carries. So, Mr. Chairman, I

02:05:52.579 --> 02:05:58.050
believe that you have a copy of a resolution?

02:05:58.050 --> 02:06:14.940
We do.

02:06:14.940 --> 02:06:17.259
Clarification of what we're doing here, is signing the

02:06:17.259 --> 02:06:42.490
transfer of $50 billion to the Permanent School Fund Corporation. We signing the transfer of $50 billion to PSF Corporation. What's the date today?

02:06:42.490 --> 02:06:47.259
(inaudible)

02:06:47.259 --> 02:06:49.820
I was about to ask how it feels to sign a $50

02:06:49.820 --> 02:07:02.019
billion check? Ladies and gentleman, it is done.

02:07:02.019 --> 02:07:04.690
I kept Mr. Maynard busy lately. Because again, I have

02:07:04.699 --> 02:07:06.849
congratulations and thanks coming to him. For again

02:07:06.849 --> 02:07:09.389
all that work that leads these things

02:07:09.389 --> 02:07:12.839
do not just happened um, by themselves. So I thank you Mr.

02:07:12.839 --> 02:07:16.810
Maynard again for, for working all that. Okay, we are

02:07:16.810 --> 02:07:20.940
now on item number 3. Which is the Legislative recommendations

02:07:20.940 --> 02:07:24.250
for the 88th Texas Legislature. And I'm gonna call on

02:07:24.250 --> 02:07:29.389
Ms. Little to begin this item.

02:07:29.389 --> 02:07:32.449
Thank you Mr. Chair. The Committee of the Full Board

02:07:32.449 --> 02:07:35.440
adopted eight separate recommendations for the 88th

02:07:35.440 --> 02:07:39.190
Texas Legislator in five, Legislature, in five categories.

02:07:39.199 --> 02:07:42.230
In the interest of time, may I present them as a single

02:07:42.230 --> 02:07:46.019
motion? So Members, if there is any objection to handling

02:07:46.019 --> 02:07:49.199
the Legislative recommendations as a single motion,

02:07:49.209 --> 02:07:52.250
I would like to know that? Um, if you wish to offer

02:07:52.250 --> 02:07:54.529
an amendment, please let me know that now? And we will

02:07:54.529 --> 02:07:58.339
handle them separately. I have an amendment, Mr. Chairman.

02:08:01.420 --> 02:08:04.420
So.

02:08:04.420 --> 02:08:08.040
Okay.

02:08:08.040 --> 02:08:11.459
Okay, um.

02:08:11.459 --> 02:08:14.019
Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full Board recommends

02:08:14.019 --> 02:08:16.209
that the State Board of Education make the following

02:08:16.209 --> 02:08:20.630
recommendations to the 88th Texas Legislature. Under

02:08:20.630 --> 02:08:24.870
the header charterel, Charter approval process. Grant

02:08:24.880 --> 02:08:29.790
SBOE veto authority over expansions.

02:08:29.790 --> 02:08:33.199
Members you have, Members, you've heard this motion.

02:08:33.199 --> 02:08:35.290
Again, what we're doing now is taking each of the eight

02:08:35.300 --> 02:08:38.920
individually. So this is the first one. You've heard

02:08:38.920 --> 02:08:41.820
the motion. The motion is to uh, grant State Board of

02:08:41.820 --> 02:08:44.800
Education veto authority over Charter expanses. Is

02:08:44.800 --> 02:08:49.959
there any debate on this item?

02:08:49.959 --> 02:08:53.550
Okay, I would ask all those in favor show by raising

02:08:53.550 --> 02:08:59.999
your hand.

02:08:59.999 --> 02:09:06.910
Thirteen, thirteen. I think we had Mr. Allen. Fourteen, is it

02:09:06.910 --> 02:09:11.089
fourteen. (inaudible). Yeah, I voted.

02:09:11.089 --> 02:09:18.770
14 in favor and 0 opposed. And the motion carries.

02:09:18.770 --> 02:09:21.270
Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full Board recommends

02:09:21.270 --> 02:09:23.430
that the State Board of Education make the following

02:09:23.430 --> 02:09:28.030
recommendation to the 88th Texas, um Legislature. Under

02:09:28.030 --> 02:09:31.300
the header Charter regulation. Charter schools in the

02:09:31.300 --> 02:09:34.040
State of Texas would follow the same rules as ISDs.

02:09:34.040 --> 02:09:38.869
Members any debate on this item? We're ready

02:09:38.869 --> 02:09:43.010
to vote? Ask all those in favor to show by raising

02:09:43.010 --> 02:09:50.499
your hand.

02:09:50.499 --> 02:09:54.209
14. All right, lower your hands, please. All those opposed

02:09:54.219 --> 02:09:57.820
by the same sign. There's 14 in favor and 0 opposed.

02:09:57.829 --> 02:10:02.780
And the motion is adopted. Ms. Little? Mr. Chair, the

02:10:02.780 --> 02:10:04.920
Committee of the Full Board recommends that the State

02:10:04.920 --> 02:10:07.320
Board of Education make the following recommendation

02:10:07.320 --> 02:10:11.199
to the 88th Texas Legislature. Under the header Instructional

02:10:11.199 --> 02:10:15.609
Materials. Textbooks, all LEAs would use SBO

02:10:15.619 --> 02:10:19.820
approved textbooks, approved by the SBOE or seek

02:10:19.820 --> 02:10:24.949
a TEA waiver. Combine SBOE approval process with

02:10:24.949 --> 02:10:28.629
the Texas Resource Review with SBOE approval

02:10:28.629 --> 02:10:32.780
of Rubric. Aligning structural materials to cover 100%

02:10:32.790 --> 02:10:36.660
of the TEKS standards. Members any discussion on this

02:10:36.660 --> 02:10:40.170
item? Ask all those in favor of the motion to show by

02:10:40.170 --> 02:10:49.020
raising your hand? Thirteen.

02:10:49.020 --> 02:10:51.070
Lower your hands please. All those opposed by the same

02:10:51.070 --> 02:10:55.339
sign? There's 13 in favor and 1 opposed. And the motion

02:10:55.339 --> 02:10:58.719
carries. Ms. Little? Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full

02:10:58.719 --> 02:11:00.969
Board recommends that the State Board of Education

02:11:00.969 --> 02:11:03.680
make the following recommendation to the 88th Texas

02:11:03.680 --> 02:11:07.729
Legislature. Under the header SBOE Member Benefits/

02:11:07.739 --> 02:11:12.400
Staff Support. Provide SBOE Member benefits

02:11:12.400 --> 02:11:17.329
and Staff support. Any debate on this item, Members? Ready

02:11:17.329 --> 02:11:20.609
to vote? All those in favor show by raising your hand?

02:11:26.430 --> 02:11:28.109
Lower your hands, please. All those opposed by the same

02:11:28.109 --> 02:11:30.839
sign? There are 14 in favor and 0 opposed. And the

02:11:30.839 --> 02:11:33.469
motion carries.

02:11:33.469 --> 02:11:36.209
Ms. Little? Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full Board

02:11:36.209 --> 02:11:38.520
recommends that the State Board of Education make the

02:11:38.530 --> 02:11:41.729
following recommendations to the 88th Texas Legislature.

02:11:41.739 --> 02:11:46.199
Under the header Funding and PSF Appropriations. That

02:11:46.199 --> 02:11:49.839
the Texas Board of Education, Texas State Board of Education

02:11:49.849 --> 02:11:53.050
calls on the Texas Legislature to reject all attempts

02:11:53.050 --> 02:11:56.379
to divert public dollars away from public schools. In

02:11:56.379 --> 02:11:59.589
the form of vouchers, education savings account

02:11:59.599 --> 02:12:04.320
taxpayer savings grants, tuition tax credits, a business

02:12:04.320 --> 02:12:07.420
franchise tax credit, or an insurance premium tax

02:12:07.420 --> 02:12:10.229
credit. Or any other mechanisms that have the effect

02:12:10.229 --> 02:12:14.209
of reducing funding to public schools. All right Members, any

02:12:14.209 --> 02:12:19.010
debate on this item? Yes. Yes, Mr. Chair. Ms. Perez-Diaz and Mr. Hickman?

02:12:19.560 --> 02:12:21.070
Mr. Chair, I was just going to ask if we can get a

02:12:21.070 --> 02:12:26.390
roll call on this vote. Thank you. Mr. Hickman?

02:12:26.390 --> 02:12:31.729
Yes, Mr. Chair. Is this discussion? Okay, thank you. I would

02:12:31.729 --> 02:12:34.699
like to improve our track record on Legislative priorities.

02:12:34.709 --> 02:12:39.459
Uh that was one learning, I think we had a fairly dismal

02:12:39.459 --> 02:12:43.109
track record last Session. Uh, and what we see in my

02:12:43.109 --> 02:12:45.599
mind, we should focus on items where there's a bipartisan

02:12:45.599 --> 02:12:49.810
consensus, uh and avoid political issues. Only eight

02:12:49.810 --> 02:12:54.479
Members voted in favor of this item in our Committee.

02:12:54.690 --> 02:12:57.640
This is highly political. Half of the Senators and

02:12:57.640 --> 02:12:59.770
Reps are working on a Parent Choice Bill across the

02:12:59.770 --> 02:13:03.829
street, and there will be a battle. In my meetings, I

02:13:03.829 --> 02:13:07.249
started yesterday. I was focusing on textbooks, Charter

02:13:07.249 --> 02:13:11.780
oversight CCMR. Really focusing on low hanging fruit

02:13:11.780 --> 02:13:15.229
we can all agree on. Uh, so for those reasons I'm voting

02:13:15.229 --> 02:13:18.579
against this item.

02:13:18.579 --> 02:13:22.920
Members any other debate on this item?

02:13:22.920 --> 02:13:27.040
All right, we ready to vote. Ask all those in favor

02:13:27.040 --> 02:13:30.280
of the motion show by raising your hand. Roll call. I'm sorry

02:13:30.290 --> 02:13:33.020
Roll call vote.

02:13:33.020 --> 02:13:40.690
Ms. Perez? Will you explain the yes or nos? So the yes is in favor of the motion.

02:13:40.690 --> 02:13:43.449
You want me to read the motion?  No sir. Okay. So a yes

02:13:43.449 --> 02:13:49.040
vote is to be in favor of the motion. Ms. Perez? No.

02:13:49.040 --> 02:13:53.790
Wait, wait. (inaudible) To be in.

02:13:53.790 --> 02:13:58.349
So the motion is to

02:13:58.349 --> 02:14:02.070
the Legislative priority would be that the Texas

02:14:02.070 --> 02:14:04.479
State Board of Education calls on the Legislature to

02:14:04.479 --> 02:14:08.349
reject all attempts at and then it gives the list.

02:14:08.359 --> 02:14:11.829
So if you would ask the Legislature to reject it, you

02:14:11.829 --> 02:14:16.760
would support the motion. Well yes. Had to get you there.

02:14:16.760 --> 02:14:22.150
Okay. We're gonna start over Ms. Perez? Yes. Mr. Cortez?

02:14:23.180 --> 02:14:25.410
Ms. Perez, yes? Yes.

02:14:25.410 --> 02:14:27.999
Mr. Allen? Yes.

02:14:27.999 --> 02:14:36.379
Dr. Bell-Metereau? Yes. Mr. Hickman? No. Dr. Robinson? Yes.

02:14:36.379 --> 02:14:44.359
Dr. Young? Yes. Mr. Maynard No. Ms. Hardy? Abstain.

02:14:44.359 --> 02:14:52.570
Mrs. Little? Yes. Ms. Davis?

02:14:52.570 --> 02:15:05.430
Yes. Mrs. Melton-Malone? Yes. Dr. Johnson? Yes. Doctor, no sorry.

02:15:05.430 --> 02:15:14.940
Eleven in favor. And. And uh, two against. They're 11

02:15:14.940 --> 02:15:19.410
in favor 2 against and 1 abstaining. So the motion

02:15:19.410 --> 02:15:22.760
carries. Ms. Little, we got another one?

02:15:22.760 --> 02:15:26.129
Yes. We did. Uh, Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full Board

02:15:26.129 --> 02:15:28.339
recommends that the State Board of Education make the

02:15:28.339 --> 02:15:31.609
following recommendation to the 88th Texas Legislature.

02:15:31.619 --> 02:15:36.449
Under the heading Funding and PSF Appropriations. Raise

02:15:36.449 --> 02:15:39.099
the floor of the minimum salary schedule by a minimum

02:15:39.109 --> 02:15:45.349
of 50% and fully funded.

02:15:45.349 --> 02:15:51.260
Okay. Members any discussion on this item?

02:15:51.260 --> 02:15:54.070
We're ready to vote.

02:15:54.070 --> 02:16:03.449
All those in favor show by raising your hand?

02:16:03.449 --> 02:16:05.869
Fourteen. Lower your hands. And all those opposed by the same

02:16:05.869 --> 02:16:08.959
sign. There are 14 in favor and 0 opposed and the

02:16:08.959 --> 02:16:14.479
motion is adopted. Okay, that should conclude that item.

02:16:15.949 --> 02:16:18.540
The next item Members, is item number 4. Which is

02:16:18.540 --> 02:16:21.790
proposed revision to 19 TAC Chapter 113. Texas

02:16:21.790 --> 02:16:23.640
Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies.

02:16:23.640 --> 02:16:27.079
Sub Chapter A Elementary. Sub Chapter B Middle School.

02:16:27.079 --> 02:16:30.339
and Sub Chapter C High School. This is sub, second

02:16:30.339 --> 02:16:32.989
reading and final adoption that's on your agenda on page

02:16:32.999 --> 02:16:36.070
I-9. Um, we're gonna go ahead and get to the

02:16:36.070 --> 02:16:40.790
motion first.

02:16:40.790 --> 02:16:43.280
Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full Board recommends

02:16:43.280 --> 02:16:46.129
that the State Board of Education approve for second

02:16:46.129 --> 02:16:49.410
reading and final adoption, proposed revisions to

02:16:49.410 --> 02:16:53.239
19 TAC Chapter 113 Texas Essential Knowledge and

02:16:53.239 --> 02:16:56.869
Skills for Social Studies. Sub Chapter A Elementary.

02:16:56.869 --> 02:17:00.439
Sub Chapter B Middle School. Sub Chapter C High School.

02:17:01.230 --> 02:17:03.659
Okay, Members. This, we had a lot of discussion about

02:17:03.659 --> 02:17:09.230
this. Um, based on the tenor of the discussion that we

02:17:09.230 --> 02:17:11.280
had the other day. That it doesn't look like we are

02:17:11.280 --> 02:17:15.169
heading towards a proclamation 2025 for Social Studies.

02:17:15.179 --> 02:17:19.579
It leads us to the decision of when the Social Studies

02:17:19.579 --> 02:17:24.310
Standards would be implemented in classrooms. That

02:17:24.310 --> 02:17:27.480
could happen in the 23-24 school year. It could be

02:17:27.480 --> 02:17:31.329
in the 24-25 school year or the 25-26 school year.

02:17:31.589 --> 02:17:34.730
We initially had in our, in our documents, that it would

02:17:34.730 --> 02:17:38.899
be the 25-26 school year. If publishers needed time

02:17:38.899 --> 02:17:42.070
for the proclamation or to develop instruction materials.

02:17:42.079 --> 02:17:44.820
Based on what we discussed the other day and the feedback

02:17:44.820 --> 02:17:48.149
we got from the publishers. That it doesn't seem

02:17:48.149 --> 02:17:50.760
like they need that time. Since most of the minor changes

02:17:50.760 --> 02:17:54.240
that we have made to the Social Studies Standards is

02:17:54.240 --> 02:17:57.060
not gonna require them to develop new instruction material.

02:17:58.369 --> 02:18:02.470
The other side of the spectrum is to, a choice to, implement

02:18:02.480 --> 02:18:05.609
in the 23-24 school year. Which is just about a half

02:18:05.609 --> 02:18:08.619
year away. There's still changes that we have made

02:18:08.619 --> 02:18:11.639
that would require professional development. In my mind,

02:18:11.639 --> 02:18:16.399
that seems, seems soon, seems quick to have this implemented

02:18:16.399 --> 02:18:20.829
in the 23-24 school year. And again the 25-26, I

02:18:20.829 --> 02:18:24.820
don't think we need that time. Um, so that leads us

02:18:24.820 --> 02:18:28.869
to a possible scenario where we um, make these effective

02:18:28.879 --> 02:18:33.310
and implemented in the 24-25 school year.

02:18:33.320 --> 02:18:37.260
So I have asked Staff, to put that together for what that

02:18:37.260 --> 02:18:39.889
would look like. And I'm gonna let them present on that.

02:18:41.070 --> 02:18:47.050
Thank you, Chairman. So we have uh, a handout that we're

02:18:47.050 --> 02:18:49.849
distributing. So that you can see exactly what it is

02:18:49.849 --> 02:18:52.990
that we're talking about. Essentially, if you'd like

02:18:52.990 --> 02:18:56.710
to change the implementation date. We would need for

02:18:56.710 --> 02:19:02.540
you to amend the implementation language in each section

02:19:02.550 --> 02:19:05.780
of Chapter 113 for each grade level in High School

02:19:05.780 --> 02:19:08.750
course. You can see those numbers listed up at the

02:19:08.750 --> 02:19:12.500
top. So that would be a simple change from, for example

02:19:12.500 --> 02:19:21.010
from 2025-26 to 2024-25. In addition, we have shown language

02:19:21.010 --> 02:19:25.470
that would be stricken by Amendment. If the decision

02:19:25.480 --> 02:19:28.899
is that you are not going to be specifically issuing

02:19:28.899 --> 02:19:31.849
a proclamation to call for instructional materials.

02:19:31.859 --> 02:19:35.310
So, your standard practice for many years now has been

02:19:35.320 --> 02:19:38.470
and to include this language to indicate that you would

02:19:38.470 --> 02:19:41.599
not require School Districts to implement. If there's

02:19:41.599 --> 02:19:44.810
the determination that funding has not been made available

02:19:44.820 --> 02:19:48.649
for new instructional materials to align to the revised

02:19:48.659 --> 02:19:52.139
standards. Um, what we believe we understood from the

02:19:52.139 --> 02:19:56.240
discussion the other day. Is that the nature of these

02:19:56.240 --> 02:20:00.570
changes doesn't necessarily warrant a full proclamation.

02:20:00.570 --> 02:20:04.439
Instead, publishers can choose to use the update and

02:20:04.439 --> 02:20:08.950
substitution process. To provide any supplements to

02:20:08.950 --> 02:20:12.820
the existing instructional materials. So, if it is

02:20:12.829 --> 02:20:16.849
the desire of the Board to make um, either of these

02:20:16.859 --> 02:20:19.919
changes and we've provided you with the language for

02:20:19.919 --> 02:20:23.349
a possible amendment.

02:20:23.349 --> 02:20:26.829
Members questions on, before we really get debate questions

02:20:26.829 --> 02:20:30.639
on what we're doing here? Mr. Cortez?

02:20:30.639 --> 02:20:33.869
What would be the fiscal impact for schools, if there's

02:20:33.869 --> 02:20:36.040
just supplements, right? I mean, there's it's gonna

02:20:36.040 --> 02:20:41.260
be a cost, right? Um, so we think it's likely to

02:20:41.270 --> 02:20:45.149
vary Mr. Cortez. We have some publishers who've indicated

02:20:45.159 --> 02:20:48.359
that the language that has been added to the Standards

02:20:48.359 --> 02:20:51.290
is already covered in their materials. Um, there are

02:20:51.290 --> 02:20:54.570
other publishers who have indicated that they with

02:20:54.570 --> 02:20:57.510
some adjustments, they could provide that coverage.

02:20:57.520 --> 02:21:02.579
And so um, with instructional materials um, for example

02:21:02.579 --> 02:21:05.740
that are digital. Where publishers have the opportunity

02:21:05.740 --> 02:21:08.500
to make those updates. They make those updates, they

02:21:08.500 --> 02:21:10.659
send them out to the district and there's no cost to

02:21:10.659 --> 02:21:14.129
the district. For that additional material that's being

02:21:14.129 --> 02:21:18.740
provided. Um, so I think it really just depends on what

02:21:18.740 --> 02:21:21.599
a district has chosen to use. And the extent to which

02:21:21.599 --> 02:21:25.829
they feel the new Standards are covered in those materials.

02:21:25.839 --> 02:21:30.810
At what point in the future, just given all the conversation

02:21:30.810 --> 02:21:35.700
that took place this year on this topic. Would funding

02:21:35.710 --> 02:21:43.689
have been available for this? So, the. In the 26? The current adoption

02:21:43.689 --> 02:21:47.579
cycle does have Social Studies listed for proclamation

02:21:47.579 --> 02:21:52.119
2025. So it would have been our expectation, that there

02:21:52.119 --> 02:21:54.560
would have been the funding that districts received

02:21:54.560 --> 02:21:59.280
and in there IMA. For that year would have likely

02:21:59.280 --> 02:22:04.570
been what they would use for um, proclamation 25. Yeah, I guess.

02:22:04.579 --> 02:22:07.520
So, all that just to say Mr. Chair. Thank you by the way.

02:22:07.530 --> 02:22:11.000
Is for me, if there's gonna be any expense. Then it

02:22:11.000 --> 02:22:13.980
should be in that year, where these dollars should be

02:22:13.980 --> 02:22:19.939
available. Because as we know there's never enough uh,

02:22:19.950 --> 02:22:22.639
instructional materials allotment dollars. Even with

02:22:22.649 --> 02:22:26.520
the money that we just issued today. There's never

02:22:26.520 --> 02:22:29.599
enough. And I am correct, correct me if I'm wrong. But also

02:22:29.599 --> 02:22:32.579
through this, this process. That now it's all at the

02:22:32.579 --> 02:22:35.250
discretion of the appropriators. We make the distribution

02:22:35.250 --> 02:22:38.990
the appropriators, appropriate that. But theoretically,

02:22:38.990 --> 02:22:42.050
that money in Prop 25 is still there. It's not just for

02:22:42.050 --> 02:22:44.220
instruction materials, it's the technology and instruction

02:22:44.220 --> 02:22:46.429
materials. So whatever needs to have, that money is

02:22:46.429 --> 02:22:49.570
still there. Whether there's a full proclamation theoretically,

02:22:49.950 --> 02:22:51.960
at the discretion of the appropriators. So the money

02:22:51.960 --> 02:22:54.710
is still there. Not only to buy supplemental, even if

02:22:54.720 --> 02:22:57.450
the same as if it would have been a full revision with

02:22:57.450 --> 02:23:00.879
a full proclamation. Um, but again that's at the discretion

02:23:00.879 --> 02:23:04.320
of the appropriators. Is that correct? Okay. I had a hand

02:23:04.320 --> 02:23:08.639
over. Ms. Hardy? How do we vote, if we support

02:23:08.639 --> 02:23:13.359
what Monica said? We will, you would vote to adopt.

02:23:13.369 --> 02:23:17.290
This is an amendment to the motion. So, we can there's

02:23:17.290 --> 02:23:19.560
kind of broken in two sections. We can do this together,

02:23:19.560 --> 02:23:21.950
if we so choose or do they need to be separated? So,

02:23:21.950 --> 02:23:25.030
what you were handed out, is the amendment to the main

02:23:25.030 --> 02:23:28.210
motion. So you would support the amendment to do the

02:23:28.210 --> 02:23:30.939
things that were presented. Okay. You vote in favor.

02:23:32.450 --> 02:23:36.149
Other questions?

02:23:36.149 --> 02:23:40.790
So, Chairman? Um, Shelly just identified a typo in the

02:23:40.790 --> 02:23:45.280
handout. Where it says at the very top 113.08, that

02:23:45.280 --> 02:23:50.960
should have actually been 113.18. So, if you choose

02:23:50.960 --> 02:23:54.669
to if someone chooses to offer this motion, if you

02:23:54.669 --> 02:23:58.859
could just read that is 113.18. How about this? Is

02:23:58.859 --> 02:24:01.980
there any objection to amending the motion to change

02:24:01.980 --> 02:24:08.000
113.08 to 113.18? (inaudible) Okay. Okay, so we

02:24:08.000 --> 02:24:11.689
don't have that yet. Okay.

02:24:11.689 --> 02:24:13.710
Yeah, let's go. Ms. Little, let's go ahead and make the motion

02:24:13.720 --> 02:24:18.000
the amendment. Mr. Chair, I move that we amend the motion

02:24:18.010 --> 02:24:25.220
to amend Sub-section A in sections 113.11, 113.12,

02:24:25.220 --> 02:24:38.510
113.13, 113.14, 113.15, 113.16, 113.18, 113.19,

02:24:38.510 --> 02:24:52.040
113.20, 113.31, 113.41, 113.42, 113.43 and 113.44.

02:24:52.040 --> 02:24:55.639
To read as follows, implementation. The provisions

02:24:55.639 --> 02:24:58.409
of this section shall be implemented by School Districts

02:24:58.409 --> 02:25:03.760
beginning with the 24-25 school year. Second.

02:25:03.760 --> 02:25:05.710
Do we, have we a motion to second. All right. Do we

02:25:05.710 --> 02:25:08.189
have further discussion on the item now? Dr. Bell-Metereau?

02:25:09.139 --> 02:25:11.280
What? (inaudible)

02:25:11.280 --> 02:25:16.159
There was a correction in the omission of a 1, in 113.14. Yes. I think she read it correctly.

02:25:19.560 --> 02:25:22.899
Then go ahead and note that it's deleting. I have to read all of it?

02:25:22.899 --> 02:25:26.939
Just know that it's deleting. It's deleting. (inaudible) And I would also

02:25:26.939 --> 02:25:35.939
note that we have deleted number 1, 2 and 3.

02:25:35.939 --> 02:25:39.189
Okay. Any further questions on the amendment to the

02:25:39.189 --> 02:25:42.149
main motion?

02:25:42.149 --> 02:25:45.710
All right. Is there any objection?

02:25:45.710 --> 02:25:53.119
Yeah, I. Okay, you object? I do. Okay. So at that (inaudible), at that point in time

02:25:53.119 --> 02:25:55.629
then this, and this is just on the amendment. So then

02:25:55.629 --> 02:26:00.419
we will now vote on the amendment. So I would ask all those

02:26:00.429 --> 02:26:03.470
in favor of the amendment show by raising your hand?

02:26:08.939 --> 02:26:13.139
Eleven. Lower your hands, please. Twelve. Okay, lower your hands,

02:26:13.139 --> 02:26:16.450
please. All those opposed by the same sign. It's 12

02:26:16.450 --> 02:26:18.800
in favor and 2 opposed. And the amendment to the

02:26:18.800 --> 02:26:22.450
main motion carries. Now we're back at the main motion.

02:26:23.720 --> 02:26:27.960
Any further discussion on the main motion, as amended?

02:26:28.599 --> 02:26:31.770
We're ready to vote.

02:26:31.770 --> 02:26:35.349
All right, I would ask all those in favor to raise your

02:26:35.349 --> 02:26:43.950
hand? Eleven.

02:26:43.950 --> 02:26:45.810
Lower your hands, please. All those opposed by the same

02:26:45.810 --> 02:26:48.260
sign?

02:26:48.260 --> 02:26:53.429
We got 11 in favor and 2 opposed. So there is a majority

02:26:53.429 --> 02:26:55.460
in

02:26:55.460 --> 02:27:01.129
limited favor (inaudible).

02:27:01.129 --> 02:27:04.020
So there is a majority in favor and the recommendation

02:27:04.030 --> 02:27:10.359
as amended is adopted.

02:27:10.359 --> 02:27:13.079
Okay, moves us to item number 5. Which is the update

02:27:13.079 --> 02:27:16.230
on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, TEKS Review.

02:27:16.240 --> 02:27:23.079
Agenda exhibit I-98. Ms. Little? Mr. Chair, the Committee

02:27:23.079 --> 02:27:25.119
of the Full Board recommends that the State Board of

02:27:25.119 --> 02:27:28.460
Education approve the TEKS review and revision process

02:27:28.470 --> 02:27:33.639
for our Career and Technology Education. Do I have to read?

02:27:33.649 --> 02:27:37.460
And attachment A.

02:27:37.460 --> 02:27:40.419
Staff, you have a presentation on this also, right?

02:27:40.429 --> 02:27:44.339
Or notation? Yes, sir. So on Wednesday, um when Monica

02:27:44.339 --> 02:27:49.079
walked through the CTE TEKS Review process with you.

02:27:49.089 --> 02:27:52.540
Um, we talked about the fact that we would identify

02:27:52.550 --> 02:27:55.669
um, Members for an advisory board for each TEKS Review.

02:27:55.679 --> 02:27:59.750
Um and Mr. Maynard, asked us to bring back some language

02:27:59.760 --> 02:28:03.010
that would allow Board Members to identify those Members.

02:28:03.020 --> 02:28:05.950
And so the document that Jessica is handing out to

02:28:05.950 --> 02:28:09.470
you right now. Um, has some of that language that we

02:28:09.470 --> 02:28:14.560
would recommend to you.

02:28:14.560 --> 02:28:19.030
She's also passing out to you a blue folder to some

02:28:19.030 --> 02:28:23.790
of you, are lucky to receive a blue folder with applications.

02:28:23.800 --> 02:28:26.899
If you recall, Monica mentioned that there's a small

02:28:26.899 --> 02:28:30.800
number of CTE courses that we'd like to get started

02:28:30.800 --> 02:28:35.189
with um, early next year. Um, so we had been reaching

02:28:35.189 --> 02:28:38.839
out to some people. Um, and we've got a few not very

02:28:38.839 --> 02:28:41.919
many but we've got a few applications. Um, we especially

02:28:41.919 --> 02:28:44.760
wanted to make sure that outgoing Board Members had

02:28:44.760 --> 02:28:48.540
an opportunity um, to weigh in on who they might want

02:28:48.550 --> 02:28:51.869
on that small group. We're just anticipating to very

02:28:51.869 --> 02:28:54.200
small work groups to look at. I think a total of five

02:28:54.210 --> 02:28:57.629
courses. It's like a Willy Wonka golden ticket that

02:28:57.629 --> 02:29:02.790
we get or?

02:29:02.790 --> 02:29:05.629
If you not receive a blue folder, it's simply because we don't

02:29:05.629 --> 02:29:09.050
have any applicants from your district. Yet. Yet, correct.

02:29:21.669 --> 02:29:26.189
Mr. Chair? Mr. Hickman? Can I ask a question of Shelly?

02:29:26.200 --> 02:29:30.740
You may. Shelly, did you ask us to find applicants? Or are these

02:29:30.740 --> 02:29:34.740
people that you've found some other way. Um, so our CTE

02:29:34.740 --> 02:29:39.679
Team has reached out to mostly supervised,

02:29:39.689 --> 02:29:42.960
CTE supervisors across the State. People who have a

02:29:42.960 --> 02:29:46.280
general knowledge that would. So the courses are um,

02:29:46.290 --> 02:29:49.790
Career Preparation and Entrepreneurship. So we've reached

02:29:49.790 --> 02:29:53.020
out to some some individuals. So there are names of

02:29:53.030 --> 02:29:58.500
people who are interested. Um, that we um, mentioned this

02:29:58.500 --> 02:30:01.010
to in the light, in the event that you were to go

02:30:01.010 --> 02:30:03.980
ahead and proceed with this. But certainly, if you know

02:30:03.980 --> 02:30:06.929
of some people um, in fact that was the last thing I

02:30:06.929 --> 02:30:09.220
was gonna say, we would appreciate your assistance

02:30:09.230 --> 02:30:15.000
in recruiting um, some individuals to apply. Yeah, that's

02:30:15.010 --> 02:30:17.320
that's what I was getting at is if there are certain

02:30:17.320 --> 02:30:20.200
courses you're looking for. If I don't know, if SBOE

02:30:20.200 --> 02:30:25.629
Support could email us, kind of?

02:30:25.629 --> 02:30:29.210
Yes, sir. We'll prepare some language and share

02:30:29.210 --> 02:30:31.510
that with Yolanda, so that she can get it up to you.

02:30:34.480 --> 02:30:39.270
Taking a long breath or he's frozen? I think he's frozen.

02:30:39.679 --> 02:30:41.700
I think he got his comment out there. We'll see if

02:30:41.700 --> 02:30:46.320
he pops back in here. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Maynard? Uh,

02:30:46.320 --> 02:30:49.429
so the Staff has essentially given us, kind of what

02:30:49.429 --> 02:30:52.169
this what this process would look like.

02:30:52.179 --> 02:30:57.010
But I don't. What is the, does this require

02:30:57.010 --> 02:30:58.919
an amendment to our motion? I don't think it does,

02:30:58.929 --> 02:31:04.450
does it? Only if you wanted to add the underlined language.

02:31:05.189 --> 02:31:09.439
So where it says um, what you had asked was. Because

02:31:09.439 --> 02:31:12.460
what we said was we would give you names of individuals,

02:31:12.460 --> 02:31:14.859
and you raised the point that you might have individuals

02:31:14.859 --> 02:31:18.460
that you want to identify. So the language that is

02:31:18.470 --> 02:31:22.159
in bold underline, is language that you could add to

02:31:22.159 --> 02:31:25.730
the process to make sure that that is that aspect is

02:31:25.730 --> 02:31:29.800
documented. Okay. Would you like to make that amendment

02:31:29.810 --> 02:31:34.689
to the motion, Mr. Maynard? I would. Go ahead. If we can, uh.

02:31:34.700 --> 02:31:37.280
Mr. Chairman, I moved to amend the motion by, well

02:31:37.290 --> 02:31:39.750
we don't have a main motion yet. Have we made the main motion? Yeah.

02:31:39.760 --> 02:31:44.990
Yes, she read the main motion. Okay. So uh, in the process that has been

02:31:44.990 --> 02:31:48.669
submitted by Staff to under, under bullet number two.

02:31:49.490 --> 02:31:54.300
In the uh, believe it's the third sentence after

02:31:54.300 --> 02:31:58.839
the word SBOE Members, may insert the words identify

02:31:58.839 --> 02:32:02.909
individuals to serve on the Advisory Board. And

02:32:02.909 --> 02:32:10.129
further to amend it by, in the last sentence following

02:32:10.129 --> 02:32:13.439
the word is the words is not denied. Insert the words

02:32:13.439 --> 02:32:17.510
by SBOE Members. All right,

02:32:17.510 --> 02:32:20.460
do we have a second? Second. Any further discussion on this

02:32:20.460 --> 02:32:23.829
item? This is just for the amendments, just for the

02:32:23.829 --> 02:32:26.020
amendment.

02:32:26.020 --> 02:32:29.550
Is there any objection? Hearing none. The amendment

02:32:29.550 --> 02:32:32.179
carries. So now were back to any discussion on the main

02:32:32.179 --> 02:32:35.260
item. Dr. Bell-Metereau?

02:32:35.260 --> 02:32:41.909
I just have a question. Um, given what happened with

02:32:41.919 --> 02:32:44.859
all of the work that the Social Studies Development

02:32:44.859 --> 02:32:50.000
Group did. That was just tossed out. How are we supposed

02:32:50.000 --> 02:32:56.220
to recruit people for any of these committees? I don't

02:32:56.220 --> 02:32:58.879
think this is particularly controversial, but it could

02:32:58.879 --> 02:33:04.470
become so. How do we, how do we frame this for people?

02:33:04.480 --> 02:33:07.460
Think you frame it as recruiting people who are interested

02:33:07.470 --> 02:33:10.970
in the topics are in the subjects. Um, that we are working

02:33:10.970 --> 02:33:13.710
through. Through that, you know, is that we talked about

02:33:13.710 --> 02:33:15.710
in the CTE. It's gonna be kind of a rolling

02:33:15.710 --> 02:33:18.540
basis, where we look at certain courses at a time. And

02:33:18.540 --> 02:33:20.429
you talked to your School Districts, your Superintendents.

02:33:20.429 --> 02:33:22.970
And I think on top of that, not only that, but people

02:33:22.970 --> 02:33:26.240
in the field, to participate. And that their work

02:33:26.240 --> 02:33:30.409
may or may not be used. As this Board has always done,

02:33:30.409 --> 02:33:32.859
they've taken feedback from work groups. And

02:33:32.869 --> 02:33:35.810
and it's been handled in different ways. And that's

02:33:35.810 --> 02:33:39.439
been a part of our process for a long time.

02:33:39.439 --> 02:33:42.839
Dr. Bell-Metereau, if I could we always explain to the work

02:33:42.839 --> 02:33:46.220
groups, that their task is to make recommendations

02:33:46.230 --> 02:33:48.980
to this Board. But this board ultimately makes the

02:33:48.980 --> 02:33:55.879
final decision. Thank you. Any other questions, discussion

02:33:55.889 --> 02:34:01.560
on the motion? We're ready to vote? All right. I would ask all

02:34:01.560 --> 02:34:09.970
those in favor to show by raising your hand?

02:34:09.970 --> 02:34:12.620
Twelve. Okay. Lower your hands. All those opposed by the

02:34:12.620 --> 02:34:15.870
same sign. There's 12 in favor and 0 opposed and

02:34:15.870 --> 02:34:20.109
the motion carries. And the recommendation is adopted.

02:34:20.890 --> 02:34:25.019
Ms. Little?

02:34:25.019 --> 02:34:27.669
Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Full Board moves at the

02:34:27.669 --> 02:34:31.220
State Board of Education.

02:34:31.220 --> 02:34:33.780
I want, the Committee of the Full Board requests that

02:34:33.780 --> 02:34:37.379
the State Board of Education, request that TEA Staff

02:34:37.379 --> 02:34:40.059
develop TEKS for an Occupational Safety and

02:34:40.059 --> 02:34:44.850
Health Administration Course.

02:34:44.850 --> 02:34:47.390
Okay. Members, you remember the discussion on this

02:34:47.390 --> 02:34:51.859
one. Any further discussion on this item?

02:34:51.859 --> 02:34:55.570
Ready to vote? All those in favor show by raising

02:34:55.570 --> 02:35:04.459
your hand?

02:35:04.459 --> 02:35:06.189
Lower your hands. All those opposed by the same sign.

02:35:06.189 --> 02:35:10.649
There's 14 in favor and 0 opposed and the recommendation

02:35:10.660 --> 02:35:13.910
is adopted.

02:35:13.910 --> 02:35:18.410
All right, I believe that moves us on to the Committee

02:35:18.410 --> 02:35:23.300
on Instruction. Ms. Melton-Malone? Thank you Mr. Chair. This is item number 6,

02:35:23.300 --> 02:35:27.330
and go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, the Committee

02:35:27.330 --> 02:35:30.249
on Instruction, recommends that the State Board of Education

02:35:30.260 --> 02:35:33.249
approve for second reading and final adoption. The

02:35:33.249 --> 02:35:37.229
proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, curriculum

02:35:37.229 --> 02:35:40.990
requirements. Sub-chapter C, other provisions, innovative

02:35:40.990 --> 02:35:44.330
courses and programs. And make an affirmative finding

02:35:44.330 --> 02:35:46.749
that immediate adoption of the proposed amendment

02:35:46.749 --> 02:35:50.999
to 19 TAC Chapter 74, curriculum requirements.

02:35:50.999 --> 02:35:56.539
Sub-chapter C, other provisions 74.27, innovative courses

02:35:56.539 --> 02:35:59.660
and programs. Is necessary and shall have an effective

02:35:59.669 --> 02:36:02.890
date of 20 days after filing with the Texas Register.

02:36:03.850 --> 02:36:05.899
Members, you've heard the motion. Is there further debate

02:36:05.899 --> 02:36:08.350
on this item?

02:36:08.350 --> 02:36:10.910
Ask all those were ready to vote. Ask all those in

02:36:10.910 --> 02:36:16.450
favor to say aye. Aye. Two-thirds. Okay, this is two-thirds. Let's do the

02:36:16.450 --> 02:36:18.620
hand count. All those in favor show by raising your

02:36:18.620 --> 02:36:24.660
hands? Fourteen.

02:36:24.660 --> 02:36:26.350
Lower your hands. All those opposed by the same sign.

02:36:26.350 --> 02:36:29.220
There's 14 in favor and 0 opposed. So there is two-thirds

02:36:29.220 --> 02:36:33.120
in favor and the recommendation is adopted. Item number

02:36:33.120 --> 02:36:35.939
seven. Ms. Melton-Malone? Thank you, Mr. Chair. The

02:36:35.939 --> 02:36:38.010
Committee on Instruction, recommends that the State

02:36:38.010 --> 02:36:40.769
Board of Education, approve for first reading and

02:36:40.769 --> 02:36:44.269
filing authorization. Propose new 19 TAC Chapter

02:36:44.269 --> 02:36:48.140
of 111 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics

02:36:48.140 --> 02:36:51.589
Sub-chapter D. Other High School mathematics courses,

02:36:51.600 --> 02:36:57.399
111.56 Advanced Placement AP, Pre-Calculus one credit.

02:36:59.289 --> 02:37:01.479
Members, you heard the motion. Is there further debate?

02:37:03.809 --> 02:37:08.200
Yeah, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Hickman? I would just say, I hope

02:37:08.200 --> 02:37:10.280
we vote in favor. My daughter has signed up to take

02:37:10.280 --> 02:37:13.229
this next year. I don't know what Mr. Maynard said, that

02:37:13.240 --> 02:37:16.700
she'll be a charter member of that class. So I hope

02:37:16.700 --> 02:37:19.010
we passed this one. Mr. Hickman, can you ask her what

02:37:19.010 --> 02:37:23.359
her vote would be? She's in favor. She picked her own

02:37:23.359 --> 02:37:26.850
classes. Okay.

02:37:26.850 --> 02:37:29.510
All right, are we ready to vote? All those in favor say

02:37:29.510 --> 02:37:34.539
aye. Aye. All those opposed say no. All right, there is a majority

02:37:34.550 --> 02:37:38.289
in favor and the recommendation is adopted. Item number

02:37:38.289 --> 02:37:41.220
eight. Mrs. Melton-Malone? All right, the Committee on

02:37:41.220 --> 02:37:43.850
Instruction recommends that the State Board of Education,

02:37:43.850 --> 02:37:46.620
approve for first reading and filing authorization.

02:37:46.629 --> 02:37:51.669
The proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas

02:37:51.669 --> 02:37:54.359
Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development

02:37:54.359 --> 02:37:58.010
and Career and Technical Education. Sub-chapter A, Middle

02:37:58.010 --> 02:38:00.740
School.

02:38:00.740 --> 02:38:03.859
Okay. Members, you've heard the motion. Is there any

02:38:03.859 --> 02:38:10.660
further discussion on this item? Mr. Maynard? So, if

02:38:10.669 --> 02:38:13.970
uh, if I can kind of clarify this to understand. This

02:38:13.970 --> 02:38:16.990
is that so, so the effect of this motion was being

02:38:16.990 --> 02:38:21.160
proposed in first reading. Is the elimination of

02:38:21.160 --> 02:38:27.700
(inaudible) exploration. And the, in the elimination of College

02:38:27.700 --> 02:38:30.470
and Career Prep and substituting it with a single

02:38:30.470 --> 02:38:33.399
course. Is that, is that the effect of this motion?

02:38:33.410 --> 02:38:37.680
So just to clarify, the names of the courses are Investigating

02:38:37.680 --> 02:38:40.890
Careers and College and Career Readiness. Okay. Those

02:38:40.890 --> 02:38:43.789
are the two courses that would be, are proposed for

02:38:43.789 --> 02:38:47.459
repeal. They've essentially been combined and you can

02:38:47.459 --> 02:38:50.439
see the Essential Knowledge and Skills from those courses,

02:38:50.450 --> 02:38:55.200
included in this new course. So, so if I am to understand

02:38:55.200 --> 02:38:57.990
this then. Is that so at say for instance, at 7th

02:38:57.990 --> 02:39:03.109
Grade. If uh a, the school district has been offering

02:39:03.109 --> 02:39:07.070
the Exploration Class or Investigation, that I think

02:39:07.070 --> 02:39:10.439
is what you're calling it. We used to call Career Exploration.

02:39:10.450 --> 02:39:13.979
So, forgive me if I used the old term. Old habits, die

02:39:13.979 --> 02:39:17.419
hard. And then, they offer the College and

02:39:17.419 --> 02:39:20.160
Career Readiness at 8th Grade. So, now that they

02:39:20.160 --> 02:39:25.919
would be offering the same course twice.

02:39:25.919 --> 02:39:30.229
They could. So part of what we discussed with the Committee

02:39:30.229 --> 02:39:35.039
is ensuring that there are two PEIMA course codes. So

02:39:35.039 --> 02:39:37.919
that a student could take the course, more than once.

02:39:37.930 --> 02:39:41.689
So well, I'll be very interested just to hear what

02:39:41.689 --> 02:39:44.430
the what, the feedback from the field on that is. Uh.

02:39:44.439 --> 02:39:49.899
Just, if I can ask, is what was the

02:39:49.910 --> 02:39:52.760
public testimony and what was some of the feedback

02:39:52.760 --> 02:39:56.030
on that? I know that Mark Brashear was there. So I

02:39:56.030 --> 02:40:02.450
just. So the testimony um, referenced the fact that the

02:40:02.450 --> 02:40:06.410
Investigating Careers Course, is one that students can

02:40:06.410 --> 02:40:10.100
take up to four times. Uh, we provided the Committee

02:40:10.100 --> 02:40:13.899
with the enrollment data. So we have about 50,000 students

02:40:13.899 --> 02:40:17.629
who took that course last year for the first time.

02:40:17.640 --> 02:40:20.910
About 8,000, who took it the second time. And then you

02:40:20.910 --> 02:40:24.229
see a drop off where it is 2,000 or fewer at the

02:40:24.229 --> 02:40:28.320
last two times. Um, there was also testimony requesting

02:40:28.320 --> 02:40:31.390
that the Board um, make this a course for High School

02:40:31.390 --> 02:40:34.680
credit. So that it could earn weighted funding. Um, we

02:40:34.680 --> 02:40:37.309
did follow up with the Committee to indicate that this

02:40:37.309 --> 02:40:41.260
is um, it was written as a Middle School level course.

02:40:41.269 --> 02:40:44.149
Um, and not really one that would be appropriate to

02:40:44.149 --> 02:40:46.499
include in programs of study at the High School level

02:40:46.499 --> 02:40:49.089
for weighted funding.

02:40:49.089 --> 02:40:51.089
And I think at this point it's first reading.

02:40:51.089 --> 02:40:54.300
And so well, this does kind of put

02:40:54.300 --> 02:40:56.609
it in play. And give us the opportunity to put it

02:40:56.609 --> 02:40:59.760
out there for comment. But I do have some concerns.

02:40:59.769 --> 02:41:03.640
So, all right, thanks.

02:41:03.640 --> 02:41:09.729
Members, any other discussion on this item?

02:41:09.729 --> 02:41:12.510
You ready to vote?

02:41:12.510 --> 02:41:15.169
All right, I would ask all those in favor of the motion

02:41:15.169 --> 02:41:21.689
say aye. Aye. All those opposed say no. All right, there

02:41:21.689 --> 02:41:25.120
is a majority in favor and the recommendation is adopted.

02:41:25.680 --> 02:41:28.859
Item number nine. Ms. Melton-Malone? Right. The Committee

02:41:28.859 --> 02:41:31.620
on Instruction recommends that the State Board of Education

02:41:31.620 --> 02:41:35.850
approve the list of Elementary Agricultural, Agriculture

02:41:35.859 --> 02:41:39.390
Education programs available for use by School Districts

02:41:39.390 --> 02:41:42.550
and Charter schools.

02:41:42.550 --> 02:41:44.919
Members, you've heard the motion. Any questions or debate

02:41:44.919 --> 02:41:49.169
on this item?

02:41:49.169 --> 02:41:51.890
Ready to vote?

02:41:51.890 --> 02:41:55.600
Ask all those in favor to say aye. Aye. All those opposed say

02:41:55.600 --> 02:41:59.189
no. There is a majority in favor and the recommendation

02:41:59.200 --> 02:42:04.260
is adopted. Ms. Melton-Malone, item number 10. Thank you,

02:42:04.269 --> 02:42:07.220
Mr. Chair. The Committee on Instruction recommends

02:42:07.220 --> 02:42:09.780
that the State Board of Education, deny the petition

02:42:09.780 --> 02:42:13.689
to amend the rule concerning Fine Arts courses eligible

02:42:13.689 --> 02:42:17.260
for Graduation requirements. Because oral interpretation

02:42:17.269 --> 02:42:21.479
1, 2 and 3 are not aligned with Fine Arts courses.

02:42:22.839 --> 02:42:24.209
Members, you've heard the motion. Do you want to speak

02:42:24.209 --> 02:42:27.169
to that one a little bit? Ms. Melton-Malone?

02:42:27.169 --> 02:42:32.249
There were a group of people that wanted to have this

02:42:32.260 --> 02:42:37.280
uh, oral interpretation 1, 2 and 3 included as a um,

02:42:38.689 --> 02:42:42.809
in the Fine Arts classroom to get credit for it. But

02:42:42.820 --> 02:42:47.439
uh after looking into it, the courses don't align themselves

02:42:47.439 --> 02:42:51.149
with the Fine Arts courses that are in place now. So

02:42:51.149 --> 02:42:54.809
we as a Committee, felt like the best thing to do was

02:42:54.809 --> 02:42:58.729
to vote to deny that at this point in time. And possibly

02:42:58.729 --> 02:43:02.930
when you go back and look at the Fine Arts, uh, again

02:43:02.939 --> 02:43:05.689
that maybe you could take a look at it again. And if

02:43:05.689 --> 02:43:08.289
you think it it lines up, then you can put it in

02:43:08.289 --> 02:43:11.309
there then. But right now, as it stands, it doesn't

02:43:11.309 --> 02:43:15.820
line up with those Fine Arts classes.

02:43:15.820 --> 02:43:18.160
Members, any other questions or discussion on this

02:43:18.160 --> 02:43:22.410
item?

02:43:22.410 --> 02:43:25.439
Ready to vote?

02:43:25.439 --> 02:43:29.320
I ask all those in favor of the motion say aye. Aye. All those

02:43:29.320 --> 02:43:33.300
opposed say no. There is a majority in favor and the

02:43:33.300 --> 02:43:39.430
recommendation is adopted. Thank you, Ms. Melton-Malone. Thank you.

02:43:39.430 --> 02:43:42.269
All right. Mr. Maynard. I believe on the Committee on

02:43:42.269 --> 02:43:44.309
School Finance and Permanent School Fund. There's no

02:43:44.309 --> 02:43:46.830
recommendations to be made. Do you have any, we talked

02:43:46.830 --> 02:43:48.999
about a few items earlier. Any other comments you want

02:43:48.999 --> 02:43:52.300
to make about the Committee? Yeah, there is. I think

02:43:52.300 --> 02:43:56.660
that Members, I think it's it's important to to be

02:43:56.660 --> 02:44:00.149
aware that, uh, you know, we've had lots of discussions

02:44:00.149 --> 02:44:04.609
about the Bond Guarantee program. Uh, and the capacity.

02:44:05.600 --> 02:44:10.439
Uh, you may or may not know that in 2009, the United

02:44:10.439 --> 02:44:13.330
States Department of Treasury put the Bond Guarantee Program

02:44:13.330 --> 02:44:16.410
under the the Arbitrage regulations. Which

02:44:16.410 --> 02:44:19.439
is inappropriate. Because that would be

02:44:19.439 --> 02:44:22.189
appropriate if the Permanent School Fund was issuing

02:44:22.189 --> 02:44:25.129
bonds. Uh, the State Board of Education doesn't issue

02:44:25.129 --> 02:44:29.140
bonds. We guarantee bonds. And we have been in the

02:44:29.140 --> 02:44:32.399
process of Negotiation with Department of Treasury

02:44:32.399 --> 02:44:37.140
since about 2019, and have really not made much progress.

02:44:37.140 --> 02:44:43.470
And so, uh we have uh, Lloyd Doggett, uh Congressman

02:44:43.470 --> 02:44:46.890
Lloyd Doggett. Along with Congressman uh, Harrington.

02:44:47.499 --> 02:44:50.930
Uh, that's a Democrat and Republican. Have co-

02:44:50.930 --> 02:44:58.050
sponsored House Resolution 9044. And uh, that essentially

02:44:58.059 --> 02:45:01.839
uh, you know, rectifies this issue. This is an

02:45:01.839 --> 02:45:04.930
important issue. Uh, November the 8th, there were

02:45:04.930 --> 02:45:08.519
about $12 billion in bonds, that were approved by voters.

02:45:08.530 --> 02:45:12.039
We don't have the capacity to guarantee them, at this

02:45:12.039 --> 02:45:15.459
point. We do have there is some

02:45:15.459 --> 02:45:17.519
method where we can we can free up a little bit of

02:45:17.519 --> 02:45:20.539
capacity, but at this time we don't do that.

02:45:20.539 --> 02:45:23.240
So I will tell you, I mean, this is a this should

02:45:23.240 --> 02:45:26.330
be a no brainer. Uh, in terms of Legislation. There's

02:45:26.330 --> 02:45:29.749
no fiscal note attached to it. Um and this is this

02:45:29.749 --> 02:45:32.470
is not a, you know, this is not a partisan issue. This

02:45:32.470 --> 02:45:34.510
is this is something that we're trying to clean up.

02:45:34.519 --> 02:45:38.530
Something that the Treasury did back in back in '09.

02:45:38.530 --> 02:45:41.430
And they don't seem to be willing to to address it.

02:45:41.820 --> 02:45:45.280
So uh, you know. Thank you for Congressman Arrington.

02:45:45.280 --> 02:45:47.499
Thank you for Congressman Doggett for taking

02:45:47.499 --> 02:45:51.999
this thing on. Uh if you, any people that you know, that

02:45:52.010 --> 02:45:54.930
are part of our Congressional Delegation. If you can

02:45:54.930 --> 02:45:59.160
encourage them. To make sure that whatever Legislation

02:45:59.160 --> 02:46:01.620
comes out of lame duck, this lame duck session. Is

02:46:01.620 --> 02:46:05.330
that, that this gets attached to it. Because that's kind

02:46:05.330 --> 02:46:07.550
of how things operate in Congress these days. We don't

02:46:07.550 --> 02:46:10.470
pass individual bills, we pass these big omnibus bills,

02:46:10.470 --> 02:46:15.129
you know. So uh, that is really, really important.

02:46:15.140 --> 02:46:18.229
In terms of the continuance of the bond guarantee program.

02:46:18.229 --> 02:46:19.939
And this is something we've been working on for a long

02:46:19.939 --> 02:46:22.709
time. And it's just kind of, about to come to a head.

02:46:22.720 --> 02:46:25.629
And uh, we have to really thread the needle here to

02:46:25.629 --> 02:46:29.439
make sure that we get this passed, and get this

02:46:29.439 --> 02:46:33.149
rectified. So that's uh, the big thing right now on

02:46:33.149 --> 02:46:36.959
our horizon. Thank you for explaining that Mr. Maynard.

02:46:36.970 --> 02:46:41.229
Member, do you have any questions on that topic? Dr. Bell-Metereau?

02:46:41.229 --> 02:46:50.030
That's house resolution 1944? 9044, 9044. 9044. Okay.

02:46:50.039 --> 02:46:54.680
Okay, I'm glad I checked.

02:46:54.680 --> 02:46:59.350
Any other questions from Members? Thank you, Mr. Maynard. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Hickman?

02:47:00.269 --> 02:47:03.169
I don't know if that's something Mr. Maynard can email

02:47:03.169 --> 02:47:07.519
us? Or SBOE Support can send out? Yes can do that. Yes

02:47:07.519 --> 02:47:12.580
we can. We certainly can.

02:47:12.580 --> 02:47:19.320
Dr. Robinson, you ready? Yes sir, I am. We are on item number 11. Go Ahead. Mr. Chair,

02:47:19.320 --> 02:47:21.709
the Committee on School Initiatives recommends that

02:47:21.709 --> 02:47:24.499
the State Board of Education, take no action on the

02:47:24.499 --> 02:47:29.410
proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 229, Accountability

02:47:29.410 --> 02:47:34.899
System for Educator Preparation programs.

02:47:34.899 --> 02:47:39.089
Members, any questions on this item? Further debate?

02:47:40.200 --> 02:47:44.839
Ready to vote? All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those

02:47:44.839 --> 02:47:47.830
opposed say no. There is a majority in favor and the

02:47:47.830 --> 02:47:53.800
recommendation is adopted. Go on to item number 12, Dr. Robinson? Mr.

02:47:53.800 --> 02:47:56.109
Chair, the Committee on School Initiatives, recommends

02:47:56.109 --> 02:47:58.740
that the State Board of Education take no action on

02:47:58.740 --> 02:48:03.979
proposed revisions in 19 TAC Chapter 241, Certification

02:48:03.979 --> 02:48:06.589
as Principal.

02:48:06.589 --> 02:48:08.720
You've heard the motion any further questions or debate

02:48:08.720 --> 02:48:11.379
on this item?

02:48:11.379 --> 02:48:16.830
Ready to vote? All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those

02:48:16.830 --> 02:48:19.800
opposed say no. There is a majority in favor and the

02:48:19.800 --> 02:48:22.979
recommendation is adopted. Is that the end of yours Dr.

02:48:22.979 --> 02:48:25.519
Robinson? Did you have any other topics? Anything you

02:48:25.519 --> 02:48:27.870
wanna discuss in Committee of School Initiatives? Okay.

02:48:28.859 --> 02:48:31.169
All right. I believe that's the end of our agenda, correct?

02:48:32.180 --> 02:48:35.919
So Members, it's been a been a busy week. It's been

02:48:35.919 --> 02:48:39.080
an important week and like I said before a bittersweet

02:48:39.089 --> 02:48:43.519
week. Uh for this Texas State Board of Education. This

02:48:43.519 --> 02:48:46.689
is a time when we normally take a few minutes to share

02:48:46.689 --> 02:48:48.539
anything that's going on in our personal lives, our

02:48:48.539 --> 02:48:52.050
professional lives. Um, what I am going to do is I'll

02:48:52.050 --> 02:48:54.820
go around the room and call on the non-retiring Board

02:48:54.820 --> 02:48:58.430
Members first. And then we will finish with the retiring

02:48:58.430 --> 02:49:00.850
Board Members. So since it has been determined Miss

02:49:00.850 --> 02:49:03.240
Perez-Diaz, that you're not leaving the Board. Would you

02:49:03.240 --> 02:49:06.760
like to go first with anything? I appreciate that Chair.

02:49:06.769 --> 02:49:10.030
Um, so on a personal note, I just want to share with

02:49:10.030 --> 02:49:15.459
everybody. Um, I am gonna be leaving for Canada on December

02:49:15.459 --> 02:49:20.700
7th. As part of an eight member U.S. delegation. To

02:49:20.700 --> 02:49:24.640
study Canada's government. Um, it was a really cool

02:49:24.640 --> 02:49:27.910
opportunity that I was invited to be a part of. And

02:49:27.910 --> 02:49:32.070
so um, I had the option of choosing which um, policy

02:49:32.080 --> 02:49:34.899
sort of focuses I wanted to. And so obviously education

02:49:34.899 --> 02:49:38.149
is one. Um, health care is going to be another. And then

02:49:38.149 --> 02:49:40.970
workforce development. So I'm very excited to be a

02:49:40.970 --> 02:49:45.910
part of this really small delegation of elected officials

02:49:45.910 --> 02:49:48.570
from across the Country. Um, I'll be the only one from

02:49:48.570 --> 02:49:53.979
Texas going. Um, so I'm looking forward to it. How long you gonna be up there? I will

02:49:53.979 --> 02:49:56.430
be up there for about a week and a half. So I

02:49:56.430 --> 02:49:59.859
started in Ottawa, travel to Montreal and then we'll

02:49:59.870 --> 02:50:03.510
end our trip in Halifax. Wow, that's great. So I'm really excited about

02:50:03.510 --> 02:50:06.479
it. Be interested in January hearing how that went. Yeah,

02:50:06.490 --> 02:50:10.709
thank you. And then as a personal note, so I mentioned

02:50:10.709 --> 02:50:14.530
yesterday you know, having served now a decade on this

02:50:14.530 --> 02:50:18.990
Board. Um It's I've seen a lot of Members come and

02:50:18.990 --> 02:50:23.080
go. And it's always hard to say bye. But this particular

02:50:23.080 --> 02:50:28.680
cycle um, is incredibly emotional for me. Um, partly because

02:50:28.689 --> 02:50:33.999
um two people who have been my mentors on this Board.

02:50:34.539 --> 02:50:38.789
And brothers flank me. And so it's gonna be really hard

02:50:38.789 --> 02:50:42.339
to say goodbye to them. So I'll start um, I just want to

02:50:42.339 --> 02:50:44.539
go through each one of them. Because every Member that's

02:50:44.539 --> 02:50:47.109
leaving this session, this cycle is um, it's hard to

02:50:47.109 --> 02:50:51.039
say goodbye to. Um Jay, my very first interaction with

02:50:51.039 --> 02:50:53.800
you was right after you won your election. I gave you

02:50:53.800 --> 02:50:58.379
a call and you were incredibly kind. Um and we didn't

02:50:58.379 --> 02:51:02.859
even know each other. I was very pregnant with my

02:51:02.859 --> 02:51:07.780
son. And you sent me a gift for our new

02:51:07.780 --> 02:51:13.970
baby. Um, and that was just a small sample of the kind

02:51:13.970 --> 02:51:19.450
of heart of gold that you have. You are, you are truly

02:51:19.450 --> 02:51:22.899
a Statesman. And you're gonna be incredibly missed. And

02:51:22.899 --> 02:51:26.220
you didn't deserve, you didn't deserve to be knocked

02:51:26.220 --> 02:51:30.820
off this Board. Because the Texas children need people

02:51:30.820 --> 02:51:34.200
like you on this Board. Thank you for your service.

02:51:34.209 --> 02:51:37.530
Um

02:51:37.530 --> 02:51:43.490
uh, so Gina. I remember our first interaction with you.

02:51:43.499 --> 02:51:46.760
Um before you were ever on the Board. Ruben and I were

02:51:46.760 --> 02:51:50.439
working on Mexican-American studies. And you came ready,

02:51:50.439 --> 02:51:54.010
guns blazing to yell at this board. And Ruben and I

02:51:54.010 --> 02:51:56.300
had to talk you off the ledge. And I don't know that

02:51:56.300 --> 02:52:02.629
it worked. It didn't work. Um and then it was sort

02:52:02.629 --> 02:52:06.039
of serendipitous two years later. See you um, come onto

02:52:06.039 --> 02:52:08.689
this Board, and help us finalize the work that we've

02:52:08.689 --> 02:52:12.910
started. So um, that's just a small sampling of the

02:52:12.910 --> 02:52:18.129
force that you've brought to this Board. You uh, you're

02:52:18.129 --> 02:52:21.539
powerful voice is full of passion. Because you (inaudible)

02:52:21.539 --> 02:52:27.080
our kids. Um, you'll also be missed. Um, I don't know

02:52:27.080 --> 02:52:30.629
that I've ever served with anybody as vivacious. So

02:52:31.760 --> 02:52:38.209
it's been, it's been real. Um, Sue we rolled

02:52:38.209 --> 02:52:40.919
onto this Board. I think, you know, now that you and

02:52:40.919 --> 02:52:46.320
Reuben are cycling off. Tom we're the last one standing,

02:52:46.330 --> 02:52:52.320
from our cohort. Survivors. I know. Um, Sue you've always, you know

02:52:52.320 --> 02:52:56.979
I know people always spoken about your, your quiet

02:52:56.990 --> 02:53:03.350
power. Um, that couldn't be more true, but I also

02:53:03.350 --> 02:53:07.709
know you as a, as a really kind person. Who um, puts

02:53:07.709 --> 02:53:11.450
family before anything else. You put kids before anything

02:53:11.450 --> 02:53:14.660
else. And

02:53:14.660 --> 02:53:19.260
it's, you're also one of those voices that we need

02:53:19.260 --> 02:53:24.640
on the Board. And you didn't deserve um, to transition

02:53:24.640 --> 02:53:27.580
off yet. You weren't done. You're not done. We'll see

02:53:27.580 --> 02:53:34.839
you. Um, she'll be sorely missed too. Um Matt. Uh,

02:53:35.550 --> 02:53:41.479
I like our you've always been really, really um thoughtful.

02:53:41.479 --> 02:53:44.999
In the decisions that you make your very collaborative.

02:53:45.010 --> 02:53:49.430
Um, and that we haven't always seen eye to eye on things.

02:53:49.439 --> 02:53:52.700
You're a listener and you care. And everything that

02:53:52.700 --> 02:53:58.180
you do is centered on the right things. You've taken

02:53:58.180 --> 02:54:01.870
very, very difficult positions on this Board, considering

02:54:01.870 --> 02:54:04.700
more bipart, because considering our partisan body.

02:54:05.470 --> 02:54:11.089
Um, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for you.

02:54:11.990 --> 02:54:17.760
Um and you're not just a colleague, you're a

02:54:17.769 --> 02:54:20.709
friend and a brother. And I hope we stay in contact.

02:54:20.720 --> 02:54:23.680
Because, you know, and I've had the privilege of getting

02:54:23.680 --> 02:54:26.870
to meet your beautiful family. And um, in particular

02:54:26.870 --> 02:54:33.939
you're Julia, she's amazing. Um Lawrence, you have been.

02:54:33.950 --> 02:54:37.640
I'm still not a politician. I'm trying my best. All

02:54:37.640 --> 02:54:41.260
these years, sitting next to you, you've taught me a lot.

02:54:41.269 --> 02:54:45.950
Um, and it's true, any time you speak, anytime you speak

02:54:45.950 --> 02:54:49.070
it's profound. Um, I remember my first year on this

02:54:49.070 --> 02:54:53.080
Board. I was talking with Miss Mavis, um, Mavis Knight.

02:54:53.089 --> 02:54:56.859
Who's also a tremendous Board Member. Mavis pulled

02:54:56.859 --> 02:54:58.640
me aside one time and she was like, you're sitting

02:54:58.640 --> 02:55:02.050
next to one of the best. She's just like, listen to everything

02:55:02.050 --> 02:55:05.229
he says, because he knows what he's talking about. He

02:55:05.229 --> 02:55:07.910
won't often speak, but when he does people listen to

02:55:07.910 --> 02:55:12.470
him. And you'll do good to learn from him. And she couldn't

02:55:12.470 --> 02:55:18.530
have been more correct in her words. Um, and you've

02:55:18.530 --> 02:55:21.970
always been a person and on top of, you know, the mentorship

02:55:21.970 --> 02:55:23.979
you've shared on this Board. You're also just very

02:55:23.979 --> 02:55:28.539
caring. And um, you've been kind to my family. Um you're

02:55:28.539 --> 02:55:30.990
also a brother and a friend. And come visit us in San

02:55:30.990 --> 02:55:32.780
Antonio. We'll take you to the Riverwalk or wherever

02:55:32.780 --> 02:55:38.390
you want to go. Um and Reuben, I already kind of um

02:55:38.399 --> 02:55:43.479
broke down earlier with you. But, I don't know that

02:55:43.479 --> 02:55:46.809
I can speak anymore. Because I'll probably cry a lot.

02:55:46.820 --> 02:55:51.129
Um, I know I'm not losing a brother, but I know that

02:55:52.070 --> 02:55:56.320
to not have you on my side, literally. Um, it's gonna

02:55:56.320 --> 02:55:59.859
be a transition for me. Because you've always been there.

02:55:59.870 --> 02:56:02.539
You've been there when we're at these Board meetings.

02:56:02.539 --> 02:56:05.510
And you know, it's hilarious because I'm the one on

02:56:05.510 --> 02:56:08.209
this Board that everybody would text. When they're like,

02:56:08.220 --> 02:56:11.160
wrangle him in. What's he talking about? Where is he

02:56:11.160 --> 02:56:17.220
going? And I was very unsuccessful at that job. But

02:56:17.220 --> 02:56:20.780
I also, I also know that you, um, that you do everything

02:56:20.780 --> 02:56:23.899
that you do with passion and a love for the kids

02:56:23.899 --> 02:56:30.990
in Texas, in particular District 2. Um, and uh, I just

02:56:30.999 --> 02:56:34.010
you know, I know we'll see you lots. I know we're gonna

02:56:34.019 --> 02:56:38.609
see you tons. Um, and I'll miss, I'll miss you

02:56:38.609 --> 02:56:42.740
but I'm gonna miss these board members a lot. It's

02:56:42.740 --> 02:56:45.059
hitting me really hard and I knew I was gonna cry.

02:56:45.070 --> 02:56:50.720
Um, but I hope that we don't stop seeing you all. Um,

02:56:50.729 --> 02:56:54.640
because y'all are very much loved. Thank you. Well

02:56:54.640 --> 02:56:57.320
said Ms. Perez-Diaz. Dr. Bell-Metereau, do you have anything?

02:56:59.200 --> 02:57:04.530
Yeah, I do. Um, on a personal note, our granddaughter

02:57:04.539 --> 02:57:10.019
who just turned one year old. Started walking and used

02:57:10.019 --> 02:57:16.129
a potty for the first time. And can say for "cuh" cat and

02:57:16.140 --> 02:57:22.499
"duh" for dog. Now I will, I am so grateful to Marissa for

02:57:22.510 --> 02:57:26.769
being an even better crier than I am. It made me oddly

02:57:26.780 --> 02:57:30.979
not tearful. But I do want to say something to each

02:57:30.979 --> 02:57:33.499
of the people who are leaving. Because even though I

02:57:33.499 --> 02:57:36.890
haven't known them as long as you have, I have developed

02:57:36.899 --> 02:57:41.030
affection for them.

02:57:41.030 --> 02:57:45.280
I'm gonna start with Sue because uh, we have in common

02:57:45.289 --> 02:57:51.379
our passion for uh, students with Special Needs. And

02:57:52.249 --> 02:57:55.859
I'm gonna take the occasion to say Sue, I need your home

02:57:55.859 --> 02:57:59.680
address. Because I want to send you a book called "Autism

02:57:59.680 --> 02:58:03.330
and Film and Television." The author is very close to

02:58:03.330 --> 02:58:11.350
me. Um so, um, and I sense that passion and everything

02:58:11.350 --> 02:58:20.379
you do. Jay. Jay, actually really hurt my feelings once. I'm

02:58:20.390 --> 02:58:24.749
I'm serious. I'm serious he did. And I know he's a

02:58:24.749 --> 02:58:28.450
good Christian man. I know he's very sweet. But he

02:58:28.450 --> 02:58:31.169
told me I couldn't ride in his van, because I didn't

02:58:31.169 --> 02:58:33.899
vote right?

02:58:33.899 --> 02:58:38.800
And I was thrown back to when I was in

02:58:38.800 --> 02:58:42.620
3rd Grade and moved to a strange school. Where nobody

02:58:42.620 --> 02:58:46.169
would talk to me. And nobody would include me in their

02:58:46.169 --> 02:58:49.519
games. And that only lasted until I was in 6th Grade.

02:58:49.530 --> 02:58:53.129
So it really was like, I was suddenly very triggered.

02:58:53.140 --> 02:58:58.950
But, once he started letting me ride in his van again.

02:58:58.950 --> 02:59:02.970
I thought it's all forgiven. But you know where he

02:59:02.970 --> 02:59:10.649
makes me sit, all the way in the back.

02:59:10.649 --> 02:59:15.720
No, I actually did sit once beside him. So, uh anyway

02:59:15.729 --> 02:59:23.640
I'll miss you a lot. I showed you where the vending machines were. I forgot that act of kindness.

02:59:23.640 --> 02:59:28.450
That makes it all okay. All okay.

02:59:28.450 --> 02:59:31.999
Gina,

02:59:31.999 --> 02:59:36.450
I've always been afraid of you,

02:59:36.450 --> 02:59:43.769
and I still am. So I don't even know what to say,

02:59:43.780 --> 02:59:48.530
except I consider myself a really good researcher.

02:59:48.680 --> 02:59:49.240
I've done it.

02:59:49.240 --> 02:59:52.429
Charter schools and everyone should listen to what

02:59:52.429 --> 02:59:56.110
she has to say about Charter schools. And I'm so proud

02:59:56.110 --> 03:00:00.310
of us as a group, for getting together and defending

03:00:00.310 --> 03:00:07.939
our own. Against the incredible, just brutal actions

03:00:07.939 --> 03:00:11.729
that took away two of our good Members. Just because

03:00:11.729 --> 03:00:15.900
they voted against a few Charter schools. That's not

03:00:15.900 --> 03:00:22.639
right. So Georgina. I'm gonna miss you also, because

03:00:22.649 --> 03:00:25.349
when I don't know how to vote. I usually just look

03:00:25.349 --> 03:00:29.999
over at Georgina.

03:00:29.999 --> 03:00:33.940
You're welcome.

03:00:33.940 --> 03:00:38.370
Okay, Ruben.

03:00:38.370 --> 03:00:42.700
I'm scared of you too. Not quite as scared as I am

03:00:42.700 --> 03:00:46.480
of Georgina. But you've given me the most sensible

03:00:46.480 --> 03:00:51.830
advice, when you told me to just shut up and give

03:00:51.830 --> 03:00:54.179
in.

03:00:54.179 --> 03:00:56.509
And the other thing he told me, which I thought was

03:00:56.509 --> 03:00:59.759
amazing. I was talking about getting hungry really

03:00:59.759 --> 03:01:03.410
often. We were having a breakfast and, and Ruben said

03:01:03.420 --> 03:01:06.929
Rebecca, everybody hates you. Nobody wants to hear

03:01:06.929 --> 03:01:12.089
skinny people talk about their eating habits.

03:01:12.089 --> 03:01:15.559
I can't say, (inaudible)

03:01:15.559 --> 03:01:18.550
I did not say that. I just said I'd like to eat

03:01:18.559 --> 03:01:25.300
often. Okay, we'll talk about it later. Uh, uh, Lawrence.

03:01:25.490 --> 03:01:30.869
Um, now here I may get kind of weepy. Because Lawrence

03:01:30.869 --> 03:01:36.309
actually reminds me of how much he has to go through,

03:01:36.319 --> 03:01:42.699
by not being a part of a majority religion. And I know

03:01:42.709 --> 03:01:47.959
how hard it is to fast. And I experienced it for two

03:01:47.959 --> 03:01:51.720
years when I was in Africa, because everybody fasted.

03:01:52.390 --> 03:02:00.189
And um, he has never worn his religion on his sleeve.

03:02:00.189 --> 03:02:07.469
He has never said anything unkind to anyone, about any

03:02:07.480 --> 03:02:28.589
issue and his kindness and his strength.

03:02:28.589 --> 03:02:33.029
You're a model. You're a model to us all. You're a

03:02:33.029 --> 03:02:36.629
model to us all.

03:02:36.629 --> 03:02:39.360
Now,

03:02:39.360 --> 03:02:46.189
Matt, Matt. I think he may be even more of an environmental

03:02:46.189 --> 03:02:49.010
supporter than I am. But he's not a big loud mouth

03:02:49.010 --> 03:02:53.249
and obnoxious about it. So I want to thank him for

03:02:53.249 --> 03:02:56.760
really caring about the environment and loving it and

03:02:56.760 --> 03:03:00.510
acting on it. And I'm really gonna miss his presence,

03:03:00.510 --> 03:03:04.330
as someone who's just kind of on the even-keel. And

03:03:04.339 --> 03:03:09.170
also all kinds of other things. Plus he's a Doctor.

03:03:13.100 --> 03:03:17.679
and I always wanted to be a Doctor. So thank you. I

03:03:17.689 --> 03:03:19.640
think we're posting to talk about our weight issues,

03:03:19.640 --> 03:03:23.040
but I'll let that one slide a little bit. Dr. Young?

03:03:26.040 --> 03:03:29.290
Oh, I forgot about Mr. Hickman in the sky. Mr. Hickman, you

03:03:29.290 --> 03:03:36.309
still around? I am. Am I up. You're up. Uh, thank you. I'll

03:03:36.309 --> 03:03:39.469
start with the brochure from last night, do that order.

03:03:39.480 --> 03:03:42.689
Lawrence, my neighbor from Houston. Uh, I've enjoyed

03:03:42.689 --> 03:03:45.520
our conversations. Wish you well in your future endeavors.

03:03:45.529 --> 03:03:48.240
If it's possible we need you back as the emcee for

03:03:48.240 --> 03:03:51.339
the party in two years. Um, you don't speak a whole

03:03:51.339 --> 03:03:54.290
lot in the circle, but I really enjoy getting to hear

03:03:54.300 --> 03:03:57.850
hear when you do speak. And in personal, personal conversations.

03:03:57.860 --> 03:04:00.830
Uh Ruben, I've enjoyed getting to know you. And talk

03:04:00.830 --> 03:04:04.219
about our families and kids. And serve on the Committee

03:04:04.219 --> 03:04:07.939
on School Initiatives together. Um Jay, you're a gentleman

03:04:07.939 --> 03:04:10.780
and a scholar and a gentle soul. Thank you for your

03:04:10.780 --> 03:04:13.879
service. Thank you for your work for Texas kids. And

03:04:13.889 --> 03:04:17.030
thank you most of all for your friendship. I hope you

03:04:17.030 --> 03:04:22.110
find a veteran navigator for your Van. Um Sue, um Sue

03:04:22.110 --> 03:04:26.499
you, I've enjoyed speaking with you. And you know, on

03:04:26.499 --> 03:04:30.840
education and just on everything else. One of my favorite

03:04:30.840 --> 03:04:35.050
interactions with Sue, I like to talk a lot and others

03:04:35.050 --> 03:04:37.100
on the Board like to talk a lot. And she said, well

03:04:37.110 --> 03:04:39.900
y'all just stay there and keep talking and we'll go

03:04:39.900 --> 03:04:43.780
somewhere else and get the work done. So she's, she's

03:04:43.780 --> 03:04:47.360
quiet, normally quiet in the circle. But I love when

03:04:47.369 --> 03:04:51.360
uh, when Sue talks as well. Um Matt, I've enjoyed sitting

03:04:51.360 --> 03:04:54.790
by you. Getting to know you, get to meet your family.

03:04:54.800 --> 03:04:58.850
Um, your principled and you do what's right for Texas

03:04:58.850 --> 03:05:02.420
kids. So thank you, thank you for your service. And

03:05:02.420 --> 03:05:05.129
Gina, sorry to the others. But when you're one of my

03:05:05.129 --> 03:05:09.090
favorites. Uh, I was told I inherited you from Donna.

03:05:09.100 --> 03:05:12.139
I miss sitting by you and solving all of the Texas

03:05:12.139 --> 03:05:15.650
Education problems. Uh, talking about everyone else's

03:05:15.650 --> 03:05:19.150
antics. Um, those were my favorite meetings and I will

03:05:19.150 --> 03:05:23.259
miss our window caucus. Well as it was, while we had

03:05:23.259 --> 03:05:26.110
it. So that's all for me, Mr. Chairman, thank you. And

03:05:26.119 --> 03:05:29.499
apologies I can't be there in person.

03:05:29.499 --> 03:05:33.100
Dr. Young? I don't know that I could have said anything

03:05:33.100 --> 03:05:36.840
better, than what Member Hickman and, and the previous

03:05:36.840 --> 03:05:39.809
Members have said. Other than Ruben here's cheers to

03:05:39.809 --> 03:05:46.199
tequila. Um, anytime. Um, Jay. Thanks for letting me ride

03:05:46.199 --> 03:05:49.610
shotgun. It was, it's always been fun and I appreciate,

03:05:49.619 --> 03:05:52.960
appreciate that with you. Sue, we'll continue to cheer

03:05:52.960 --> 03:05:55.319
on our, our Special Needs Children. Because that's what

03:05:55.319 --> 03:06:01.610
we do. Absolutely. Matt, I love um, how conversations

03:06:01.610 --> 03:06:05.059
at dinner go completely sideways when you start telling

03:06:05.059 --> 03:06:12.460
urology jokes. So we might just call you on speaker

03:06:12.460 --> 03:06:15.579
and have you um, you know, jump in with us. So we

03:06:15.579 --> 03:06:19.550
can turn that conversation around very quickly. I had

03:06:19.550 --> 03:06:24.309
no idea what a phenomenal speaker, speaker you are.

03:06:24.319 --> 03:06:29.790
Until um, Donna and um Barbara, we're leaving the Board.

03:06:29.790 --> 03:06:33.400
And I got to attend um, that reception and you lead

03:06:33.400 --> 03:06:35.629
it. And when you were done, I walked up to you and

03:06:35.629 --> 03:06:38.720
told you how impressed I was because I had no idea

03:06:38.730 --> 03:06:42.619
he had that many words to say. And they were amazing!

03:06:42.629 --> 03:06:46.290
And so thank you so much for, because when you, you

03:06:46.290 --> 03:06:50.439
speak people listen. Um, and, and it's always um, it's

03:06:50.439 --> 03:06:53.710
great to hear what you say. And, and you're even-keeledness

03:06:53.710 --> 03:06:58.499
and when you do it. Gina, thanks for letting me

03:06:58.509 --> 03:07:03.639
grab your butt. Um, in the car. Thank you for always

03:07:03.650 --> 03:07:09.490
accepting my, my hugs. Um, and you are by no doubt

03:07:09.499 --> 03:07:13.170
a sister from another mister. Um you, you will be missed

03:07:13.170 --> 03:07:17.179
tremendously. I have enjoyed laughing with you. I have

03:07:17.179 --> 03:07:20.249
enjoyed our dinners together and I have enjoyed working

03:07:20.249 --> 03:07:24.059
on the things that make Texas better schools. So thank

03:07:24.059 --> 03:07:27.249
you for all of you, all that you do. I love you.

03:07:29.340 --> 03:07:31.920
And I'm leaving for the Galapagos in a week with my

03:07:31.920 --> 03:07:38.879
Mother. So on a personal note, yes. So wish us luck. Mr. Maynard?

03:07:40.090 --> 03:07:43.499
Mr. Chairman, I just few personal notes.

03:07:43.509 --> 03:07:47.069
Uh well, first of all, you know that this is our only

03:07:47.069 --> 03:07:50.019
opportunity to wish everybody Happy Thanksgiving and

03:07:50.019 --> 03:07:53.679
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Because the next

03:07:53.679 --> 03:07:58.290
time we will reconvene will be next year. And so uh,

03:07:58.300 --> 03:08:01.990
just on a note. That of course, you know, all of

03:08:01.990 --> 03:08:05.689
you are. You know, we have a ceremonial swearing in

03:08:05.699 --> 03:08:08.590
at the end of January, but all of you will be sworn

03:08:08.590 --> 03:08:11.699
in somewhere. I've always chosen to do mine at a

03:08:11.699 --> 03:08:14.300
school. And I've generally done back on on this

03:08:14.300 --> 03:08:17.259
side of the District. I'm gonna be swearing in this

03:08:17.259 --> 03:08:21.170
year in Brenham. And so with at the High School auditorium.

03:08:21.170 --> 03:08:23.970
And inviting all the, all the Seniors who are taking

03:08:23.970 --> 03:08:25.460
government. They've probably never seen a swearing

03:08:25.460 --> 03:08:28.580
in before. And so, they can you can see that process.

03:08:28.580 --> 03:08:30.470
And so, that's something that I've kind of, kind of

03:08:30.470 --> 03:08:34.070
done. And so uh, we're gonna be doing that in Brenham,

03:08:34.070 --> 03:08:39.799
Texas this year. Bringing ice cream? Mmm? Any Blue Bell? Um, we haven't gotten that far,

03:08:39.799 --> 03:08:42.070
but you know, actually I've got a connection there.

03:08:42.070 --> 03:08:45.519
Actually, the uh when I first ran in 2012, one of the

03:08:45.519 --> 03:08:48.119
first endorsements I got was from the Blue Bell PAC.

03:08:48.129 --> 03:09:00.759
You know, it was a sweet deal, so. It's been a rocky road since then. Oh, don't you start.

03:09:00.759 --> 03:09:05.570
So um, yeah party members, you know, I you know, hope

03:09:05.570 --> 03:09:08.369
you miss the dad jokes. I don't know, but I think I've

03:09:08.369 --> 03:09:11.259
said all that there is to say. But to each one of you.

03:09:11.269 --> 03:09:14.379
Georgina come back is, is that uh. You know, my son will

03:09:14.379 --> 03:09:18.169
teach you how to make soap. Yeah. You know we uh, we

03:09:18.169 --> 03:09:20.869
we've been we've been sort of the supply line to Gina

03:09:20.869 --> 03:09:24.889
for goat milk soap. And uh it's really good, you

03:09:24.889 --> 03:09:29.930
know. And and uh, Ruben and Georgina like that. So I

03:09:29.930 --> 03:09:31.899
I guess one of the things I've got in common with you,

03:09:31.909 --> 03:09:34.389
a little bit. Is is that I've spent a lot more time

03:09:34.389 --> 03:09:36.970
in Mexico recently, you know. And I have a young man

03:09:36.970 --> 03:09:41.149
that, you know, that I get and so I've become a lot

03:09:41.149 --> 03:09:44.700
more appreciative of that of that culture. Spent

03:09:44.700 --> 03:09:47.850
a lot more time there, that sort of thing. And so um,

03:09:47.860 --> 03:09:55.180
and uh (speaking Spanish). Uh so

03:09:55.180 --> 03:09:58.320
we're working on that. Uh, Lawrence look

03:09:58.320 --> 03:10:00.600
forward to working with you. You know, we're our

03:10:00.600 --> 03:10:03.820
work together is not done. Um, you know, that uh

03:10:03.830 --> 03:10:06.539
we've got we've got a big date. The Capital, for

03:10:06.539 --> 03:10:09.680
the College of Agriculture Prairie View A&M in February.

03:10:09.680 --> 03:10:12.720
That we're working on. I've been working with Prairie View

03:10:12.720 --> 03:10:16.240
A&M for about 17 years or so. Uh, that's kinda one

03:10:16.240 --> 03:10:17.749
of those things that most people don't know about me.

03:10:17.759 --> 03:10:22.980
But I do that and so uh, you know. Matt uh, drive thru your part

03:10:22.980 --> 03:10:25.379
of the country, uh pretty often actually. You know,

03:10:25.379 --> 03:10:28.509
and I buy have all my cars over there. And over there at

03:10:28.519 --> 03:10:31.519
McRae. Yeah, so we'll have to get together

03:10:31.519 --> 03:10:35.399
sometime. And so when we get over there and uh. Sue, we

03:10:35.399 --> 03:10:39.279
worked together for several years on the Committee

03:10:39.279 --> 03:10:42.690
on Instruction. And uh, I really, really appreciate that.

03:10:42.690 --> 03:10:45.190
I appreciate your heart. And you know, we won't be far.

03:10:45.190 --> 03:10:47.060
And the other thing that Sue and I have in common, is we

03:10:47.060 --> 03:10:50.019
were both involved in Music Ministry. I spent about 17

03:10:50.019 --> 03:10:53.549
years in Music Ministry, as uh, Minister of Music

03:10:53.549 --> 03:10:55.889
in churches and that sort of thing. And so that's one

03:10:55.889 --> 03:10:58.369
thing we, we never did do a duet together. Maybe we should

03:10:58.369 --> 03:11:02.960
have like that. And so yeah. And Jay, you know, we're

03:11:02.960 --> 03:11:06.440
really both Panhandle guys. You know, this is that

03:11:06.450 --> 03:11:10.330
uh. Of course that when I think about Pampa, Pampa, Texas.

03:11:10.330 --> 03:11:13.210
Is that when I was a teacher at Plainview, we used

03:11:13.210 --> 03:11:17.509
to uh play Pampa, you know, occasionally. And

03:11:17.519 --> 03:11:21.450
the most partisan game announcer I ever heard uh, was

03:11:21.450 --> 03:11:23.799
in Pampa, Texas. You just wanted to walk across the

03:11:23.799 --> 03:11:26.039
field into the press box and choke that guy, you know.

03:11:26.049 --> 03:11:30.110
And so, but yeah, but a lot of good people from, from

03:11:30.110 --> 03:11:33.399
Pampa. And so uh, you know, thank you for

03:11:33.399 --> 03:11:36.490
your service. And this is that, you know, we kind

03:11:36.490 --> 03:11:38.379
of understand each other, when we talk about

03:11:38.379 --> 03:11:41.480
the Panhandle. And uh, I do go back up there for

03:11:41.490 --> 03:11:45.249
Cal Farley's Boys Ranch Alumni Association stuff. And

03:11:45.249 --> 03:11:48.100
so, we'll have to get together at some point. But thank

03:11:48.100 --> 03:11:51.169
you all of you for your service. Jay you aren't

03:11:51.169 --> 03:11:55.909
a football announcer, are you okay? No. Okay. All right Dean Hardy?

03:11:56.779 --> 03:12:02.269
Um, I will spare going through all the accolades for

03:12:02.269 --> 03:12:05.889
everybody again. Because I would ditto everything that

03:12:05.889 --> 03:12:10.649
you said. And I will miss all of you. I have on

03:12:10.649 --> 03:12:13.889
a personal note, I'm leaving for Williamsburg in a

03:12:13.889 --> 03:12:18.840
couple of weeks. And spend a week in the Christmas spirit

03:12:18.850 --> 03:12:24.970
there, so. Great, sounds fun. Happy New Year, Merry Christmas and Happy

03:12:24.970 --> 03:12:29.509
Thanksgiving. Ms. Davis?

03:12:29.509 --> 03:12:33.730
Alrighty. Um Sue, it was an honor serving with you

03:12:33.730 --> 03:12:37.330
on the Committee on Instruction. And um, and working

03:12:37.330 --> 03:12:40.169
with you to make sure that students with Special Needs

03:12:40.169 --> 03:12:42.970
have every opportunity to excel. And I've learned so

03:12:42.970 --> 03:12:46.340
much from you, um watching you. And it's just been

03:12:46.340 --> 03:12:49.519
an honor to fight with you, um for our students. And

03:12:49.519 --> 03:12:53.169
Jay, always believe you're like the Father that every

03:12:53.169 --> 03:12:57.090
little girl wishes they had. And it's been just so nice

03:12:57.090 --> 03:13:00.930
to meet you and and get to know you. And it's just

03:13:00.930 --> 03:13:02.690
been an honor, I've never been kicked out the van.

03:13:02.690 --> 03:13:07.460
So thanks.

03:13:07.460 --> 03:13:12.940
And I've talked to Matt. Lawrence, you're like, my

03:13:13.490 --> 03:13:16.580
I don't wanna say my Father, like an uncle here. And whenever

03:13:16.580 --> 03:13:19.759
I don't feel safe, whenever I don't feel safe. You've

03:13:19.769 --> 03:13:22.499
you've always made me feel safe. And I don't, I don't

03:13:22.499 --> 03:13:26.509
always feel safe here. And so I just thank you for

03:13:26.519 --> 03:13:29.919
always, just giving me advice. Like we've known each

03:13:29.919 --> 03:13:33.810
other forever. And just always seeing about me.

03:13:33.820 --> 03:13:36.980
Um, and making sure I'll make bad decisions in my horrible

03:13:36.980 --> 03:13:41.039
love life. So thank you so much for, for always being

03:13:41.039 --> 03:13:45.840
there. And Ruben, it's been great serving with you

03:13:45.850 --> 03:13:48.889
on a Committee on School Initiatives right beside each

03:13:48.889 --> 03:13:52.539
other. You know, I'm gonna miss you terribly. Um, we

03:13:52.539 --> 03:13:56.119
got a lot accomplished in that Committee, when it comes

03:13:56.119 --> 03:13:59.590
to Charters as a whole. And it's been an honor to serve

03:13:59.600 --> 03:14:03.279
with you. And I go back to Matt since you came back.

03:14:03.279 --> 03:14:06.029
Matt, I really do think you're a hero, I do. I have

03:14:06.029 --> 03:14:09.720
so much respect for you. Because it's never been about

03:14:09.730 --> 03:14:11.769
necessarily party lines with you. It's just what's

03:14:11.769 --> 03:14:14.970
best for kids. And I will say, um, I know your daughter

03:14:14.970 --> 03:14:16.840
holds you to a high standard. But that's because you

03:14:16.840 --> 03:14:21.289
did an amazing job raising her. And I've, you've really

03:14:21.289 --> 03:14:24.960
changed my outlook when it comes to politics and partisan

03:14:24.960 --> 03:14:27.149
things. Because I know there are people out there, that

03:14:27.149 --> 03:14:28.830
just want to do the right thing because you're one

03:14:28.830 --> 03:14:31.869
of them. And it's just been an honor to get

03:14:31.869 --> 03:14:37.930
to know someone like you. And boy, oh boy Georgina. For

03:14:37.930 --> 03:14:40.149
those of y'all who don't know, Georgina was actually

03:14:40.149 --> 03:14:44.960
my Instructor. So the memory is so vivid. I remember

03:14:44.970 --> 03:14:49.549
2016, I was a Teacher and I started teaching because

03:14:49.549 --> 03:14:51.919
I always wanted to help children. That was my thing,

03:14:51.919 --> 03:14:54.999
I just wanted to help children. And I got an email

03:14:54.999 --> 03:14:58.299
that popped up, and it said if you wanna create systematic

03:14:58.299 --> 03:15:00.590
change for children, you need to apply to the Texas

03:15:00.600 --> 03:15:04.289
Education Policy Institute. And I read all about it

03:15:04.289 --> 03:15:06.049
and I was like man, this is amazing. They'll

03:15:06.049 --> 03:15:11.240
never accept me. And I applied to it and I got accepted.

03:15:11.249 --> 03:15:14.230
And I'll never forget the first meeting. She was

03:15:14.230 --> 03:15:17.019
like, okay Legislate, Legislative session is coming

03:15:17.019 --> 03:15:19.560
up. You need to read all of these Bills. It was about

03:15:19.680 --> 03:15:22.529
100 and something of them. And you need to do um, little

03:15:22.529 --> 03:15:25.769
mini summaries. And one of my classmates was like,

03:15:25.779 --> 03:15:27.720
so do we get like two weeks to do this? She was

03:15:27.720 --> 03:15:32.360
like no I need this tomorrow. So, but that's the way

03:15:32.360 --> 03:15:35.340
I learned to read policy, and understand policy, and

03:15:35.340 --> 03:15:39.669
how to make change in policy that benefits kids. And

03:15:39.680 --> 03:15:43.879
part of that fellowship, we took a trip to D.C. And

03:15:43.889 --> 03:15:47.350
I was the only Teacher in a fellowship. It was mostly

03:15:47.360 --> 03:15:52.509
Director's, Assistant Superintendents, and me. And I told

03:15:52.509 --> 03:15:55.649
Georgina, I feel like I didn't deserve to be here. And

03:15:55.649 --> 03:15:58.779
she told me, Teachers are the most important people

03:15:58.779 --> 03:16:03.049
in that School District and never say that. And then

03:16:03.049 --> 03:16:06.379
she took me to the African-American Museum. It was

03:16:06.379 --> 03:16:09.850
probably a year old at the time. And we spent the whole

03:16:09.850 --> 03:16:12.970
year. And she's like look where you came from. Don't

03:16:12.970 --> 03:16:15.769
you realize how powerful you are? And that was the

03:16:15.779 --> 03:16:19.399
first time I ever thought that I could have power.

03:16:19.409 --> 03:16:23.279
And it just changed me. And I asked her, I said well

03:16:23.289 --> 03:16:25.860
this was just an amazing experience. You know, let's

03:16:25.869 --> 03:16:28.139
incorporate some of this in our African-American Studies

03:16:28.139 --> 03:16:30.419
class we have in Texas. She said we don't have one.

03:16:31.330 --> 03:16:34.299
And that minute I went back home to Dallas and started

03:16:34.299 --> 03:16:37.899
working on the African-American Studies course. So

03:16:38.600 --> 03:16:43.049
Georgina, you changed my life, you have changed my life.

03:16:43.619 --> 03:16:46.610
You made me realize the power that I had, because I

03:16:46.610 --> 03:16:50.539
was a Teacher. And you made me realize how powerful

03:16:50.549 --> 03:16:54.609
all Teachers are, in that classroom influencing kids

03:16:54.620 --> 03:16:59.670
every single day. And I try to empower other Teachers.

03:16:59.670 --> 03:17:02.650
So now we have Teachers, we sit around, we talk about

03:17:02.650 --> 03:17:04.529
how we're gonna go to the Capitol and what we're gonna

03:17:04.529 --> 03:17:09.390
do. But that all came from your inspiration. And now

03:17:09.390 --> 03:17:12.779
they're Teapot Fellows, at least 20 some Teapot Fellows

03:17:12.779 --> 03:17:18.529
that came. You know, we're serving in all levels of Education.

03:17:19.269 --> 03:17:22.839
Uh, Darlene Braw actually was just named Alief ISD

03:17:22.839 --> 03:17:27.309
Trustee, President of the Board. And all of

03:17:27.309 --> 03:17:29.440
that is because of your influence. I just really want

03:17:29.440 --> 03:17:34.069
you to know, how much you've done really for kids, for

03:17:34.069 --> 03:17:36.720
Teachers, for everybody around the State of Texas.

03:17:37.720 --> 03:17:39.730
It will be a void like Donna said, it will be a

03:17:39.730 --> 03:17:44.359
void that will never be filled. And I'm, I'm thankful

03:17:44.370 --> 03:17:49.430
I am thankful that God brought you into my life. And

03:17:49.430 --> 03:17:52.930
not just the last thing.

03:17:52.930 --> 03:17:58.769
When my Aunt died for my first swearing in. My Mom couldn't

03:17:58.769 --> 03:18:02.809
be here, and it tore me up. Some of y'all didn't realize

03:18:02.809 --> 03:18:05.170
I was running outside every five minutes just crying

03:18:05.170 --> 03:18:07.509
and bawling.

03:18:07.509 --> 03:18:09.440
And I didn't know Georgina had been talking to her

03:18:09.440 --> 03:18:13.680
the entire time and letting her know I was okay. And

03:18:13.680 --> 03:18:17.109
letting me know she was okay. And after the swearing in,

03:18:17.109 --> 03:18:21.470
and she said your Mom is so proud. And so thank you

03:18:21.470 --> 03:18:24.859
for being a part of her life to in, in our life.

03:18:24.870 --> 03:18:27.839
And you'll always be a part of our lives, you know, I

03:18:27.849 --> 03:18:33.259
love you so much. And I, I'm always gonna be around and

03:18:33.259 --> 03:18:38.690
I know you're always gonna be around too.

03:18:38.690 --> 03:18:40.950
Ms. Little?

03:18:40.950 --> 03:18:44.400
Well, first I'd like to start by thanking each of you.

03:18:44.410 --> 03:18:48.980
For your leadership and for all the courage that you've

03:18:48.980 --> 03:18:53.400
had. In providing for the 5.5 million students that

03:18:53.400 --> 03:18:56.069
we have in this State. I mean that is our responsibility

03:18:56.069 --> 03:18:59.160
and there's nothing more important than that. And I

03:18:59.160 --> 03:19:02.279
think it's been said what each one of you have contributed.

03:19:02.289 --> 03:19:05.569
Um, and I would second all of that and just thank you

03:19:05.569 --> 03:19:08.420
deeply from the bottom of my heart. I would like to

03:19:08.420 --> 03:19:10.690
mention a couple of things about each one of you. that

03:19:10.690 --> 03:19:15.890
I am personally going to miss. Miss Gina, I'm really

03:19:15.890 --> 03:19:19.499
going to miss your constructive advice forming. You

03:19:19.499 --> 03:19:22.980
are very good at making sure that my image was projected

03:19:22.980 --> 03:19:26.670
properly, and I thank you for that. Ruben, I'm gonna

03:19:26.670 --> 03:19:29.480
miss your thoughtful questions. You always had the

03:19:29.480 --> 03:19:32.980
longest and the best questions. So uh, we will miss

03:19:32.980 --> 03:19:36.839
that for sure. And um Lawrence, I'm gonna miss your

03:19:36.839 --> 03:19:40.319
wisdom. You were, I think you, you should be a wise

03:19:40.319 --> 03:19:43.499
man. You just as people have said, you don't talk very

03:19:43.499 --> 03:19:48.140
often, but when you do, you have um great information.

03:19:48.150 --> 03:19:50.720
And my husband who just met you for the first time

03:19:50.720 --> 03:19:52.749
last night kept saying the whole night. Lawrence is

03:19:52.749 --> 03:19:55.759
a good guy. He's just a great guy, I really like him.

03:19:55.769 --> 03:20:01.710
So, um, I thank you for that. And Matt, you are my

03:20:01.710 --> 03:20:06.200
Alum buddy. We came in together and um I'm gonna miss

03:20:06.200 --> 03:20:09.180
our happy hours together. We'll have to have one maybe

03:20:09.180 --> 03:20:13.460
in zoom happy hour or something from now on. But I

03:20:13.470 --> 03:20:16.499
appreciate the conversations that we had and we'll

03:20:16.499 --> 03:20:20.999
miss those.  And um Sue, I'm wondering who's gonna lead

03:20:20.999 --> 03:20:24.309
us in "Happy Birthday" now? You're gonna have to come

03:20:24.309 --> 03:20:27.309
back or maybe on zoom because we don't have that ability. I

03:20:27.309 --> 03:20:29.849
know I don't have that ability. So somebody else is

03:20:29.849 --> 03:20:33.720
gonna have to fill that void. And Jay, I've loved sitting

03:20:33.720 --> 03:20:36.740
by you. Cause we were just kind of roll over and talk

03:20:36.740 --> 03:20:40.420
and, and um I really miss that. And of course it's been

03:20:40.420 --> 03:20:43.490
said many times about your show first service. And I

03:20:43.490 --> 03:20:47.109
was the benefit of some of that. And I'm just gonna

03:20:47.109 --> 03:20:51.249
miss your courage, your sweetness and um the quiet

03:20:51.249 --> 03:20:54.490
comments that we shared. So I wish all of you the best.

03:20:54.490 --> 03:20:58.160
And would ask each of you to please, please please, keep

03:20:58.160 --> 03:21:01.950
doing something for Education in this State. Thank

03:21:01.950 --> 03:21:03.999
you.

03:21:03.999 --> 03:21:09.319
And I just I can't even begin to add on to the

03:21:09.329 --> 03:21:12.069
incredible words that have been spoken already. But

03:21:12.069 --> 03:21:18.410
I want to say Jay, and Sue, and Matt,

03:21:18.410 --> 03:21:21.009
Lawrence,

03:21:21.009 --> 03:21:25.859
and Ruben, and Gina. I'm a better person, because I've had you

03:21:25.859 --> 03:21:29.410
in our and my life. And I've been blessed, to be able

03:21:29.410 --> 03:21:33.309
to call you friends.

03:21:33.309 --> 03:21:36.380
And let each retiring Member, say anything they'd like

03:21:36.380 --> 03:21:44.359
to say. I'll start with Dr. Johnson.

03:21:44.359 --> 03:21:50.799
Well I hate to be remembered for being a driver. But

03:21:50.809 --> 03:21:55.309
uh, you know everybody has their part to play. So it

03:21:55.309 --> 03:21:59.370
was my pleasure. Actually I enjoyed it. And since that

03:21:59.380 --> 03:22:02.839
came up.

03:22:02.839 --> 03:22:08.450
I have this I leave for Pat. This is my magnetic sign

03:22:08.450 --> 03:22:11.589
that I held on the side of my car. That said State

03:22:11.589 --> 03:22:17.579
Board of Education Taxi, BR 549. So Pat, this is for you.

03:22:17.579 --> 03:22:22.390
So Pat has the driving responsibility from now on.

03:22:22.749 --> 03:22:25.940
Uh, first of all I also want to thank my District. I

03:22:25.940 --> 03:22:30.009
want to thank the people that allowed me the honor

03:22:30.009 --> 03:22:35.809
and privilege of representing them. Uh, it's 88 counties and

03:22:35.809 --> 03:22:40.410
234 Districts. And you guys keep that in mind please,

03:22:40.410 --> 03:22:43.539
when you're doing things. Uh a lot of us aren't from

03:22:43.539 --> 03:22:46.960
Houston. A lot of us aren't from Dallas. Uh, you know,

03:22:46.960 --> 03:22:50.829
234 districts in my area. We have a whole different

03:22:50.829 --> 03:22:54.140
outlook on Educational needs. So please keep that in

03:22:54.140 --> 03:22:56.759
mind. Uh, when you're looking at things. So I want to

03:22:56.759 --> 03:23:00.329
thank my District. I wanna thank you guys. I have really

03:23:00.339 --> 03:23:04.349
felt a friendship and kindness from all of you. And

03:23:04.349 --> 03:23:06.900
I just, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the

03:23:06.900 --> 03:23:11.299
way you accepted me immediately. Pat has been my mentor.

03:23:11.299 --> 03:23:13.539
I've got three sisters and they don't treat me nearly

03:23:13.539 --> 03:23:17.460
as well as Pat does. So I really appreciate you, Pat.

03:23:17.470 --> 03:23:21.480
Thank you so much. I want to thank, I want to thank

03:23:21.480 --> 03:23:25.549
all the agencies and the lobbyists that gave me some

03:23:25.549 --> 03:23:29.309
knowledge. I mean I know they're hired guns, but they

03:23:29.319 --> 03:23:32.269
know a lot of things that the history of things. And

03:23:32.279 --> 03:23:35.349
I learned a lot from a lot of you, who are still

03:23:35.349 --> 03:23:38.900
here. I see anyhow, thank you for the information that

03:23:38.900 --> 03:23:42.529
you shared and kind of accelerated my learning curve.

03:23:42.539 --> 03:23:49.440
Uh, I really appreciate that. Uh I wanna also say Happy

03:23:49.440 --> 03:23:53.029
Thanksgiving, Happy Christmas, Happy New Year. Uh, anyhow.

03:23:53.039 --> 03:23:57.440
I'm sorry that we won't be here together again. To encourage

03:23:57.440 --> 03:24:01.650
each other for the holidays. Uh and like I said a while

03:24:01.650 --> 03:24:06.160
ago to the Commissioner. Uh I think it's important

03:24:06.160 --> 03:24:10.339
that we do look for an Educational great Commission,

03:24:10.339 --> 03:24:16.190
that we try to make good citizens and lifelong

03:24:16.190 --> 03:24:19.809
learners of the students of Texas. So I think that

03:24:19.819 --> 03:24:22.370
if you make a good citizen and lifelong learner, we

03:24:22.370 --> 03:24:26.400
have accomplished our goal. So always keep that in

03:24:26.400 --> 03:24:31.430
the forefront of your mind. Uh um, one more thing. I

03:24:31.430 --> 03:24:35.549
started collecting these ties about 30 years ago. And

03:24:35.559 --> 03:24:40.019
a lot of them are Save the Children ties. And uh, I'm

03:24:40.019 --> 03:24:44.690
gonna leave one for your Fearless Leader, because I've

03:24:44.690 --> 03:24:48.009
got several of them. This is a Save the Children tie.

03:24:48.019 --> 03:24:52.849
And uh, I really want to compliment the job that Dr.

03:24:52.849 --> 03:24:57.789
Ellis has done. I think that he was a good glue for

03:24:57.789 --> 03:25:03.539
this group. A great and easy to keep us working together.

03:25:03.549 --> 03:25:07.109
Keeps us focused and uh, and I consider him a great

03:25:07.109 --> 03:25:10.539
friend. I've collected ties, but I tell you something

03:25:10.539 --> 03:25:13.740
else, I may have told some of you, I collect friends.

03:25:13.740 --> 03:25:16.930
And you guys are my new friends and I don't let you

03:25:16.930 --> 03:25:19.589
go. So I'm a bug you, you may get a text from

03:25:19.589 --> 03:25:23.839
me. You, you may get an email. Uh, but anyhow I want

03:25:23.839 --> 03:25:26.920
to keep him with you. Because you guys are my friends,

03:25:26.920 --> 03:25:29.779
and you're part of my friend collection. So it's been

03:25:29.779 --> 03:25:34.829
my honor to know you and, and to serve with you.

03:25:34.829 --> 03:25:38.420
I'm honored.

03:25:38.420 --> 03:25:43.309
Sue, that's a nice looking scarf you got there. It's a (inaudible)

03:25:53.339 --> 03:26:00.210
It is detachable. I'll undo it. Now, Shelly

03:26:00.210 --> 03:26:02.890
might say something. She may claim it, but that would

03:26:02.890 --> 03:26:06.890
be fine. That I just want to say what an honor and

03:26:06.890 --> 03:26:09.230
a privilege it's been to serve with each one of you.

03:26:09.230 --> 03:26:12.660
And to the Board Members that were previously on, when

03:26:12.660 --> 03:26:16.859
I came on to serve with them as well. Um, the one

03:26:16.859 --> 03:26:20.430
thing that I wanted to be sure of whenever I came on

03:26:20.430 --> 03:26:24.819
the Board, is that we always kept children first. And

03:26:24.819 --> 03:26:28.630
I think that's exactly what we've done. We need to

03:26:28.630 --> 03:26:32.069
always remember that, as long as we keep those kids

03:26:32.069 --> 03:26:36.569
first, everything's gonna be okay. And I had a Pastor

03:26:36.569 --> 03:26:39.950
friend of mine say, Ruben referred to, the fact that

03:26:39.950 --> 03:26:42.749
we didn't always agree on things. And I had a Pastor

03:26:42.749 --> 03:26:46.559
friend of mine say, you know, it's okay, we can agree

03:26:46.559 --> 03:26:50.039
to be disagreeable. But when we walked through those

03:26:50.039 --> 03:26:53.559
doors were of one body and one mind, and that's the

03:26:53.559 --> 03:26:57.109
children. And as long as well keep that at the forefront,

03:26:57.120 --> 03:27:00.039
everything is going to be in good shape. And I have

03:27:00.039 --> 03:27:05.170
to agree with Jay, that uh, y'all are now my friend

03:27:05.170 --> 03:27:08.559
family. Because I consider each and every one of you

03:27:08.559 --> 03:27:11.779
friends. And I may do like he may do, we just text

03:27:11.779 --> 03:27:15.599
back and forth or quick phone calls and emails and

03:27:15.599 --> 03:27:18.870
things like that. Because truly I am a better person

03:27:18.870 --> 03:27:21.809
for having had each one of you in my life. And I

03:27:21.809 --> 03:27:26.490
appreciate that so very much. And uh, I most some

03:27:26.490 --> 03:27:29.870
of you know, I don't have any siblings, biological

03:27:29.870 --> 03:27:33.700
siblings. But I do have a lot of siblings been there

03:27:33.700 --> 03:27:36.999
sitting right here. And so I just appreciate each and

03:27:36.999 --> 03:27:40.279
every one of you so much. And last night Monty asked

03:27:40.279 --> 03:27:44.049
me the question, what's next? He said, he's noticed

03:27:44.049 --> 03:27:47.240
that every time I get to a point in my life and

03:27:47.240 --> 03:27:50.930
that something ends, something else will come along.

03:27:51.809 --> 03:27:54.359
And so he asked last night, he said, what's next? And

03:27:54.359 --> 03:27:57.769
I said, well I don't know. I'm still waiting for God

03:27:57.769 --> 03:28:00.349
to tell me. And I know he has a plan for me.

03:28:00.349 --> 03:28:03.039
And Jeremiah says, for I know the plans I have for

03:28:03.039 --> 03:28:07.269
you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans

03:28:07.269 --> 03:28:11.089
to give you a hope and a future. And I know that

03:28:11.089 --> 03:28:14.109
God's gonna lead me in a direction. And when you, when

03:28:14.109 --> 03:28:16.150
you worked with kids for as long as I've worked with

03:28:16.150 --> 03:28:18.859
kids and kept them at the forefront. You can't just

03:28:18.859 --> 03:28:22.630
go cold turkey and not do anything for kids. So, um

03:28:22.640 --> 03:28:25.839
I want to continue working for the kids in Texas. And

03:28:25.839 --> 03:28:28.309
I want to make sure, as I said before that they have

03:28:28.309 --> 03:28:31.670
the best Education in the world, because they deserve

03:28:31.670 --> 03:28:35.670
it. They're worth the fight. And I just want to again

03:28:35.670 --> 03:28:39.059
thank each and every one of you for your friendship.

03:28:39.069 --> 03:28:45.789
For your willingness to work together to uh, talk things

03:28:45.789 --> 03:28:49.190
through, talk things out. Maybe when we did disagree.

03:28:49.190 --> 03:28:52.559
To be able to sit down with you and say, okay, let

03:28:52.559 --> 03:28:55.049
me hear what you have to say. And then you say, let

03:28:55.049 --> 03:28:57.990
me hear what you have to say. And I thank you for

03:28:57.990 --> 03:29:04.440
that. You all are are big, big part of my family. And

03:29:04.440 --> 03:29:13.180
my heart and I thank you each and everyone.

03:29:13.180 --> 03:29:15.230
Matt?

03:29:15.230 --> 03:29:19.789
Well, I don't know. Um, yeah, I'm gonna try to say

03:29:19.789 --> 03:29:22.740
to hold it together too. But this, this has been a

03:29:22.749 --> 03:29:26.029
really great experience, really great experience. And

03:29:26.039 --> 03:29:28.509
and I've gotten to know some of you better than others.

03:29:28.519 --> 03:29:34.200
But I know that all 15 of us have the children, as

03:29:34.200 --> 03:29:37.160
far as what's best for them. And the Teachers and public

03:29:37.160 --> 03:29:42.700
education um, is the main thing. And uh, I can't remember

03:29:42.700 --> 03:29:44.809
who said it. One of, y'all over here said that you

03:29:44.809 --> 03:29:47.589
were, you were afraid of Georgina. And, and I still

03:29:47.589 --> 03:29:51.650
am too. I'm still afraid of her. But there's

03:29:51.650 --> 03:29:56.680
probably a few people though that probably. Well, Georgina

03:29:56.680 --> 03:30:01.720
and Keven have been my mentors. And I would say

03:30:01.720 --> 03:30:05.569
so especially Keven. I mean, I really we also come from

03:30:05.569 --> 03:30:09.980
similar backgrounds. And so I, he's just been, I think

03:30:09.980 --> 03:30:13.490
he's been a great Chair. And he's really, you know, sometimes

03:30:13.490 --> 03:30:17.039
he lets, you know. One thing else I have in common with

03:30:17.049 --> 03:30:21.329
Keven is, is he has had the challenge of trying to rein

03:30:21.329 --> 03:30:26.509
in Ruben, just like I have on CSI. But

03:30:26.519 --> 03:30:29.920
you've been good. And that you know you don't cut

03:30:29.930 --> 03:30:33.670
people off too quickly. And so that that gives everybody

03:30:33.670 --> 03:30:39.779
a chance to get their say. And uh, you know, I've developed.

03:30:39.789 --> 03:30:43.999
I got to know Marissa um, probably when we're doing

03:30:43.999 --> 03:30:48.180
that Health TEKS. I got to know her and worked with

03:30:48.180 --> 03:30:54.089
her some. And it was very, very good experience. And um,

03:30:55.390 --> 03:30:59.230
and don't take this wrong. Uh, Rebecca but and this is

03:30:59.230 --> 03:31:02.829
a compliment. But you do, you do remind me of my mother.

03:31:02.839 --> 03:31:08.039
And that's a good thing though. And she's, she's a very

03:31:08.049 --> 03:31:13.630
um she's a Progressive Democrat. And she's a strong

03:31:13.630 --> 03:31:16.920
Environmentalist. And I kind of am too, even though

03:31:16.920 --> 03:31:22.049
I am you know Republican. But and and I've been and

03:31:22.049 --> 03:31:26.460
I as far as I each I, you know, I've made you

03:31:26.460 --> 03:31:29.190
the Vice Chair of the CSI. And, and that was

03:31:29.200 --> 03:31:32.480
maybe a small thing. But, but I really think that you've

03:31:32.480 --> 03:31:37.559
got a bright future. As far as whether it's an education

03:31:37.559 --> 03:31:40.210
and that intersect between education and politics.

03:31:40.210 --> 03:31:45.799
So I hope you stay in there. And Lawrence, you know.

03:31:45.809 --> 03:31:50.519
Lawrence has a lot of, a lot of good advice. And

03:31:50.519 --> 03:31:55.259
I've really um, really have the greatest respect. Respect

03:31:55.259 --> 03:31:57.960
for you. And Audrey, I know you're gonna do a good job

03:31:57.960 --> 03:32:01.279
of taking Georgina's place. That's your job, okay.

03:32:01.289 --> 03:32:04.460
You've got those, those shoes to fill. And and I know

03:32:04.460 --> 03:32:06.640
you'll do good. And you know, there's been a lot of

03:32:06.640 --> 03:32:09.210
talk about how the Board's gonna change next year. But

03:32:09.490 --> 03:32:13.539
I'm not worried, because I know that the nine of you

03:32:13.549 --> 03:32:17.870
that are coming back. Um, that the six new people are

03:32:17.870 --> 03:32:21.049
gonna look at you and they're gonna quickly

03:32:21.049 --> 03:32:25.999
see. That there, there's a lot of wisdom, and

03:32:26.009 --> 03:32:29.779
appropriate priorities. And so even if some of them

03:32:29.789 --> 03:32:33.460
are wanting to go off reservation. I think that, I think

03:32:33.460 --> 03:32:36.940
the Board's gonna be in good hands next year. And

03:32:36.940 --> 03:32:41.249
I'm not gonna go away completely. And and if I you know,

03:32:41.249 --> 03:32:45.569
we're all stay in contact. Um and if things seem to

03:32:45.569 --> 03:32:48.420
go, there's some some people getting off kilter, I

03:32:48.420 --> 03:32:51.599
might come and testify. You know get my three minutes

03:32:51.599 --> 03:32:53.700
you know. And I'll time that ahead time. So you don't

03:32:53.700 --> 03:32:57.279
have to ding me out anymore. But it's just

03:32:57.279 --> 03:33:01.059
been a great experience. And I think I need to get since

03:33:01.059 --> 03:33:04.410
Keven and Will live in the Houston area. Keven

03:33:04.410 --> 03:33:06.509
already took me out fishing once. I need to get ya'll

03:33:06.509 --> 03:33:10.450
all down to Galveston and go fishing. But so anyway

03:33:10.460 --> 03:33:17.170
thanks a lot. Thank you for those words Matt. (inaudible)

03:33:17.170 --> 03:33:21.200
Lawrence? Again, I want to say thank you to everyone

03:33:21.210 --> 03:33:25.529
that has spoken and for the kind words. And um, I certainly

03:33:25.529 --> 03:33:29.269
want to not leave, without looking at it from an 18

03:33:29.269 --> 03:33:32.569
year experience. There've been so many people in the seats.

03:33:33.089 --> 03:33:37.339
And I really don't see Ruben or Georgina as fighters.

03:33:37.349 --> 03:33:42.200
If you had sat here with Mary Helen Berlanga.

03:33:42.200 --> 03:33:47.390
What they do is just smile, that smile. And so I learned

03:33:47.390 --> 03:33:50.499
from Mary Helen. I see her as a school was named after

03:33:50.499 --> 03:33:54.519
her. As a person that really fought very hard. Long before

03:33:54.519 --> 03:33:58.160
they got here, for the inclusion of Hispanics in the

03:33:58.160 --> 03:34:01.339
curriculum. And so I was sitting there with History,

03:34:01.350 --> 03:34:05.660
on this Board. And with Joe Bernal, and Tysie Miller,

03:34:05.669 --> 03:34:08.870
and David Bradley. People had served 26 years and I

03:34:08.870 --> 03:34:12.729
was here for a day or so. And so when I look

03:34:12.729 --> 03:34:15.759
at that, I realized that when I'm looking at you

03:34:15.759 --> 03:34:19.680
I'm looking at the continuous work of those who started

03:34:19.680 --> 03:34:22.220
years ago. And so I do know the Board is in good

03:34:22.220 --> 03:34:25.160
hands. Because children will always be in the center

03:34:25.160 --> 03:34:28.060
of the conversation. So thank you for that. The one

03:34:28.060 --> 03:34:30.209
thing that I know is a constant is that the Staff at

03:34:30.209 --> 03:34:34.879
the TEA has been simply amazing. When one leave

03:34:34.879 --> 03:34:37.410
you always say, gosh, how can we get along without

03:34:37.410 --> 03:34:40.779
Rene? How can we get along without this other person?

03:34:40.790 --> 03:34:43.990
And the next person that steps in that seat is just

03:34:43.990 --> 03:34:48.819
as efficient or just as wonderful. Monica, and

03:34:48.830 --> 03:34:51.759
all those individuals who have when they take your

03:34:51.759 --> 03:34:54.250
phone call, they make you think you really are important.

03:34:54.259 --> 03:34:56.790
You know, get right back to you. So I want to thank

03:34:56.799 --> 03:35:00.140
all of the current Staff and all of the past Staff

03:35:00.140 --> 03:35:02.720
Members. That have served in the capacity to make sure

03:35:02.720 --> 03:35:05.549
that I could do what I need to do. But I got

03:35:05.549 --> 03:35:08.259
to save my VIP, even though she's a little

03:35:08.259 --> 03:35:12.259
something. Lenny, make sure that Mr. Allen is well taken

03:35:12.270 --> 03:35:15.209
care of. Even though whenever she sends me something and

03:35:15.209 --> 03:35:18.450
go straight to my junk mail. I don't know what that means. I have

03:35:18.450 --> 03:35:20.910
to go in my junk mail, to make sure I can speak

03:35:20.910 --> 03:35:23.009
with Lenny, because she has taken care of me. I don't

03:35:23.009 --> 03:35:25.549
know if Rene or whoever told her take care of Mr. Allen,

03:35:25.549 --> 03:35:28.410
he's slipping. See and Miss Dix, they take good care

03:35:28.410 --> 03:35:31.629
of me. So the Staff at TEA has been amazing to me.

03:35:31.640 --> 03:35:34.859
The Members that sit around this, this seat, you are

03:35:34.870 --> 03:35:38.589
my inspiration. I am cheering for you. And whatever

03:35:38.589 --> 03:35:41.919
the discourse is, make sure that the children are all

03:35:41.919 --> 03:35:46.959
right. Keep the children first and it'll be okay.

03:35:46.959 --> 03:35:51.049
Thank you, Lawrence. Ruben?

03:35:51.049 --> 03:35:53.290
You know, I thought I had said everything I was gonna

03:35:53.290 --> 03:35:59.580
say over there. And then Sue spoke and.

03:35:59.580 --> 03:36:04.220
In 2013, a friend of mine, uh, retired Superintendent,

03:36:04.220 --> 03:36:06.640
he was Superintendent the time. Give me a little book

03:36:06.640 --> 03:36:09.080
called the Godwink. Know if any of you have ever read

03:36:09.080 --> 03:36:12.069
it. And it's about these little things that happen

03:36:12.069 --> 03:36:14.850
in your life, where you get these messages, right? And

03:36:14.850 --> 03:36:22.509
you know that God is with you, right? Uh, Sue referenced

03:36:22.520 --> 03:36:27.500
Jeremiah 29:11. And so I just, I felt this need to

03:36:27.500 --> 03:36:32.799
share this because, uh, that Scripture has been something

03:36:32.799 --> 03:36:37.259
that just pops into my life at the most appropriate

03:36:37.259 --> 03:36:41.779
time when I feel I need guidance from above, right.

03:36:41.779 --> 03:36:46.540
When I'm veering or something chaotic is happening,

03:36:46.540 --> 03:36:51.600
and I need direction. Uh,

03:36:51.600 --> 03:36:54.830
I originally didn't want to run for this seat. Because

03:36:54.830 --> 03:36:57.950
it's hard, you know, you've run for School Board. It's

03:36:57.950 --> 03:37:01.109
difficult to run for an office. Imagine running across

03:37:01.109 --> 03:37:09.109
17 counties. And in that run back in 2012, I came across

03:37:09.109 --> 03:37:12.529
this lady, her name is Millie. And she invited me into

03:37:12.529 --> 03:37:16.799
her home. Um, and when we walked in, the first thing

03:37:16.799 --> 03:37:20.129
she asked is, do you mind if we open in prayer? And

03:37:20.129 --> 03:37:23.640
I said, sure. And she hands me a Bible. And she said,

03:37:23.640 --> 03:37:25.080
I want you to close your eyes and I want you to

03:37:25.080 --> 03:37:27.649
open the bible and just put your finger down. Whatever

03:37:27.660 --> 03:37:29.959
verse scripture it lands on, that's what we're gonna

03:37:29.959 --> 03:37:31.959
pray.

03:37:31.959 --> 03:37:36.759
It landed on Jeremiah 29:11. That was the very first

03:37:36.759 --> 03:37:45.959
time that I felt, I mean the presence of God

03:37:45.959 --> 03:37:49.129
and whatever it is that I was doing. And I was running

03:37:49.129 --> 03:37:51.890
for this office.

03:37:51.890 --> 03:37:53.990
I made it into a run off, but I was the low

03:37:53.990 --> 03:37:57.919
man in the, in the runoff in that scenario. And uh

03:37:57.930 --> 03:38:01.930
it was the redistricting year, as you remember we had

03:38:01.930 --> 03:38:06.029
an odd Summer election. Those of you that were running

03:38:06.029 --> 03:38:08.870
you remember we had a Summer election. I had rented

03:38:08.870 --> 03:38:12.209
a condo on South Padre Island for the Summer. And I

03:38:12.209 --> 03:38:16.240
woke up, my kids were asleep. And I remember I had been

03:38:16.240 --> 03:38:20.060
on the road for weeks. And I had a meeting in Corpus

03:38:20.060 --> 03:38:22.660
Christi at 9am. I had to be in San Antonio at

03:38:22.669 --> 03:38:25.129
2pm. I had to be in Bay City, Texas at 8pm.

03:38:25.140 --> 03:38:29.040
Uh, and I was just tired. I said, I don't not

03:38:29.040 --> 03:38:33.459
gonna go and stay in a hotel in Matagorda County.

03:38:33.470 --> 03:38:36.509
I'm driving back to Padre Island. And that morning as

03:38:36.509 --> 03:38:39.430
I left South Padre Island, my wife, my kids were asleep.

03:38:39.439 --> 03:38:42.089
And as I'm driving there's this, once you pass the

03:38:42.089 --> 03:38:44.729
checkpoint, there's this big Stripes, this trucker

03:38:44.729 --> 03:38:47.750
Stripes. Where everybody stops and uh, if you've ever

03:38:47.750 --> 03:38:49.870
walked into a Stripes store, the first thing you're

03:38:49.870 --> 03:38:53.970
gonna hear is "Welcome to Stripes. Thank you for coming."

03:38:54.270 --> 03:38:57.859
Remember as I parked, all I could think was, why am

03:38:57.859 --> 03:39:00.240
I here?

03:39:00.240 --> 03:39:03.540
I should be at home, already lost. I mean I'm 16 points

03:39:03.540 --> 03:39:07.779
away from the lady ahead of me. I'm gonna lose this

03:39:07.779 --> 03:39:11.459
run off. I just kept just arguing with God, as I was

03:39:11.459 --> 03:39:14.839
sitting in the parking lot of the gas station. And as

03:39:14.839 --> 03:39:18.160
I get off to get a cup of coffee. I walk up

03:39:18.169 --> 03:39:20.879
the lady from the register says " Welcome to Stripes."

03:39:20.890 --> 03:39:24.709
And I just, you know, I was just a foul mood. And

03:39:24.709 --> 03:39:26.540
I walked up to get a cup of coffee. I kept my

03:39:26.540 --> 03:39:30.140
head down. And as the line moves up, this is a very

03:39:30.140 --> 03:39:34.899
busy gas station. Uh, I look up and the lady in front

03:39:34.899 --> 03:39:37.259
of me has a T-shirt on. And in the back of

03:39:37.259 --> 03:39:40.580
her T-shirt says, for I know the plans I have for

03:39:40.580 --> 03:39:44.060
you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not

03:39:44.060 --> 03:39:46.629
to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.

03:39:47.149 --> 03:39:50.390
I just remember breaking down in tears in the gas station.

03:39:50.910 --> 03:39:55.069
Getting my cup of coffee, going and paying. I walked outside

03:39:55.069 --> 03:39:58.799
I said, God I'm never gonna complain about anything

03:39:58.810 --> 03:40:03.839
anymore. I'm here. I don't know why, but I'm here.

03:40:04.410 --> 03:40:08.189
I'm gonna be a cheerful giver. Went on to win that race.

03:40:08.200 --> 03:40:12.830
and that Scripture has popped up so many times. You

03:40:12.830 --> 03:40:17.040
all know, I didn't, I chose not to seek reelection,

03:40:17.049 --> 03:40:22.339
for this office. And there's at the time that it, that

03:40:22.339 --> 03:40:25.089
I made that decision, it was because that scripture

03:40:25.100 --> 03:40:29.870
entered my life at some point. I still don't know the

03:40:29.870 --> 03:40:35.779
why. But hearing you talk just reaffirms the fact that

03:40:35.779 --> 03:40:42.029
I made the right choice. Uh because uh, this Godwink

03:40:42.040 --> 03:40:46.580
for me is a very serious thing. It happens. And, and

03:40:46.580 --> 03:40:49.540
I feel it. And so when you were speaking, I felt this

03:40:49.540 --> 03:40:54.100
sense of peace. Because this whole time I've been feeling

03:40:54.100 --> 03:40:58.520
a little emotional about, you know, I'm going. But

03:40:58.520 --> 03:41:01.580
I'm, I'm leaving today with a sense of peace because

03:41:01.580 --> 03:41:06.279
of what you just said. I've enjoyed thoroughly my time

03:41:06.279 --> 03:41:09.709
with all of you, even my disagreements. Because we do

03:41:09.709 --> 03:41:14.229
it for the children of the State of Texas. And I'm

03:41:14.240 --> 03:41:18.490
grateful for every interaction that I've had with all

03:41:18.490 --> 03:41:23.899
of you. I'm grateful for our Staff, who have a very

03:41:23.899 --> 03:41:27.709
difficult task of dealing with 15 personalities. Uh,

03:41:27.709 --> 03:41:30.910
and sometimes we're not in agreement. And things change

03:41:30.910 --> 03:41:34.910
from one second to the next. And the Staff at the

03:41:34.910 --> 03:41:39.729
Texas Education Agency's is world class. And so I've

03:41:39.729 --> 03:41:44.790
enjoyed my time here. Uh, it's been a love and a joy.

03:41:44.790 --> 03:41:47.549
Just like the kids that we had from Lovejoy this morning.

03:41:47.560 --> 03:41:51.299
And thank you for every experience that I've had with

03:41:51.299 --> 03:41:54.200
all of you. I leave here with a full heart. Knowing

03:41:54.200 --> 03:41:56.250
that when you guys come back in January, you guys are

03:41:56.250 --> 03:41:58.279
gonna pick up right where you left off. And you're gonna

03:41:58.279 --> 03:42:01.479
do amazing things for students. I know there's gonna

03:42:01.479 --> 03:42:04.330
be disagreements. I know the Media is gonna write negative

03:42:04.330 --> 03:42:06.790
things, sometimes they're gonna write positive things.

03:42:06.790 --> 03:42:09.720
But I know that you guys are gonna do your very best

03:42:09.720 --> 03:42:14.189
for the kids of the State. And I'm glad to know every

03:42:14.189 --> 03:42:17.879
one of you.

03:42:17.879 --> 03:42:22.109
Thank you and Gina. I maybe naive, but I'm not afraid

03:42:22.109 --> 03:42:27.520
of you.

03:42:27.520 --> 03:42:33.859
It's not a may, it's a shall. So, um, I've had the

03:42:33.859 --> 03:42:38.890
opportunity all, all week to say kind things to, to

03:42:38.899 --> 03:42:41.419
the people in this circle. And if I skipped you, well

03:42:41.419 --> 03:42:45.189
I'll send you a letter. Um, because I want to talk to

03:42:45.189 --> 03:42:52.580
Shelly and Monica.

03:42:52.580 --> 03:42:56.459
There was a lot of talk about what we did for Spanish

03:42:56.459 --> 03:43:01.459
Language Arts. And I guess because I sit here and you

03:43:01.459 --> 03:43:05.240
sit there, maybe it was somehow attributed to my work.

03:43:05.250 --> 03:43:09.060
But the truth is, and for you all who don't know. Shelly

03:43:09.060 --> 03:43:12.229
and Monica are also from El Paso. Well, it shouldn't

03:43:12.229 --> 03:43:15.109
be a surprise, really. The best people come out of

03:43:15.120 --> 03:43:23.220
West Texas. But,

03:43:23.220 --> 03:43:28.870
it was um, very difficult. A ridiculous amount of work.

03:43:28.879 --> 03:43:34.439
Um, that's something that we very much needed. Because

03:43:36.169 --> 03:43:39.259
looking at the students that we serve. If we don't change

03:43:39.259 --> 03:43:42.319
the way we teach them, the outcomes will never change,

03:43:42.330 --> 03:43:46.390
for that demographic. And as much as we disagreed and

03:43:46.390 --> 03:43:50.020
Monica can tell you it was a lot.

03:43:50.020 --> 03:43:53.799
At the end, we all agreed that what we were doing was

03:43:53.810 --> 03:43:59.319
um a work of heart. Um difficult getting there, but

03:43:59.319 --> 03:44:02.899
a long time coming. And so while I thank all of you

03:44:02.899 --> 03:44:06.029
for thinking that I had some phenomenal role in that.

03:44:06.040 --> 03:44:10.620
The truth is it was, it was Monica and Shelly who did

03:44:10.629 --> 03:44:15.759
the incredible heavy lifting. Um and since then there

03:44:15.759 --> 03:44:18.879
have been comments about how great it is um, that Texas

03:44:18.879 --> 03:44:25.799
has this material. And um, um not only uh, that Texas

03:44:25.799 --> 03:44:29.100
has a great uh, dual language program now. But that

03:44:29.100 --> 03:44:32.509
it is modeled in other states as well. And that is

03:44:32.509 --> 03:44:38.339
definitely um, thanks to the both of you. When we started

03:44:38.350 --> 03:44:41.080
Ethnic Studies. I don't I think we talked about this

03:44:41.080 --> 03:44:44.729
a lot, but one name that's never mentioned is Sue.

03:44:44.740 --> 03:44:48.220
She was the person who championed that in the Committee

03:44:48.229 --> 03:44:51.819
of Instruction. And had it not been for Sue, taking it

03:44:51.819 --> 03:44:54.589
under her wing saying this is absolutely what we're

03:44:54.589 --> 03:44:56.890
gonna do. I don't even know that we could have gotten

03:44:56.890 --> 03:45:01.069
it back on Donna's agenda. And then when we did that,

03:45:01.080 --> 03:45:06.750
we sent again Shelly and Monica a mountain of content.

03:45:06.759 --> 03:45:09.319
That they had to dwindle down to get it all into one

03:45:09.319 --> 03:45:14.040
year. And um, work with so many personalities, and so

03:45:14.040 --> 03:45:19.529
many special interests. Because it was um, overwhelmingly

03:45:19.529 --> 03:45:21.810
something that we were excited about. So we gave you

03:45:21.810 --> 03:45:25.930
way too much. Um and I think perhaps maybe Shelly and

03:45:25.930 --> 03:45:29.600
Monica were excited to to see what, what we could possibly

03:45:29.600 --> 03:45:37.290
do with that. Um and they shared the same belief or

03:45:37.290 --> 03:45:41.729
vision with me that,

03:45:41.729 --> 03:45:46.500
when you open the door for these children, please open

03:45:46.500 --> 03:45:52.819
the door for all of them. Not just some. And as difficult

03:45:52.819 --> 03:45:56.540
as I have made your jobs, and I'm fully aware of that

03:45:56.540 --> 03:46:02.540
difficulty. Um, I thank you for tolerating it so long.

03:46:02.549 --> 03:46:07.270
For days and days and weekends and um, a ridiculous

03:46:07.270 --> 03:46:12.819
number of emails and phone calls. And um, truly it has

03:46:12.819 --> 03:46:17.589
been um,

03:46:17.589 --> 03:46:23.910
a privilege to work with both of you. Thank you.

03:46:23.910 --> 03:46:26.319
Just a perfect way to finish that, with the important

03:46:26.319 --> 03:46:29.680
work that we all appreciate so much from the great

03:46:29.680 --> 03:46:32.890
Staff that we have. Members, I think it's gonna be pretty

03:46:32.890 --> 03:46:37.890
hard for any future Board, to surpass the what, what

03:46:37.890 --> 03:46:42.589
the Texas State Board of Education 2021-22 Board.

03:46:42.600 --> 03:46:45.640
Um has accomplished and done and become. And so I want

03:46:45.640 --> 03:46:48.520
to tell you how proud I am to be, be a part

03:46:48.520 --> 03:46:53.270
of that. Um I wish everyone Happy Thanksgiving, Happy

03:46:53.270 --> 03:46:57.000
Holidays, Merry Christmas. And uh, we'll see some of

03:46:57.000 --> 03:47:01.220
you back at our meetings in January. And the rest of

03:47:01.220 --> 03:47:05.720
you, we will see you around soon. Godspeed. Thank you.