School Board Meeting – The School Board will meet in-person tonight at 6 pm at Martin Luther King, Jr. MS. You can watch the livestream of the meeting in English or Spanish. I'll be introducing my proposed budget for next school year. I'd like to thank the School Board for identifying several priorities in advance of this budget season. Based on the Board’s guidance, I've crafted an FY24 budget proposal that focuses on five major investments:
Compensation – Raising pay for the fifth year in a row for teachers and support staff in recognition of the extraordinary work they do every day on behalf of our students
Student Wellness – Adding social workers, counselors, crisis support staff, and new investments in athletics to nourish our students’ mental and physical health, increase their attendance, and improve their academic performance
English Learner Support – Adding teachers, coaches, and training to support our fastest growing population: students who speak English as their second or even third language
Saving Positions Funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) – Moving critical positions (e.g., bus drivers, custodians, nurses) from the ARP to our Operating Budget so we can retain them once federal funding expires in the summer of 2024
Other Board Priorities and Division Obligations – Setting aside funds for other Board priorities, such as a deputy clerk, more Governor’s School seats, school renamings, and teacher retention; and for division obligations, such as rising utility costs
