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This report is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools
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The Orleans Parish School Board held its regular monthly Business Meeting on Tuesday, October 15th, in the Auditorium of McDonogh 35 High School. The agenda and back-up materials can be read here. OPSBrief has summarized the activities of the meeting below. The OPSB will also hold a Superintendent Search Planning Meeting with Hazard, Young, Attea & Asscociates (HYA) on Thursday, October 17th, at 6 p.m. in Room 4050 of the Timbers Office Building, 3520 General De Gaulle Drive.
***This email is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools and is not an official correspondence from the Orleans Parish School Board***
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REPORT FROM OCTOBER 15 BUSINESS MEETING
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Presentations
Recognized award winners
- 2013 Principal of the Year
- Michelle Douglas, Hynes Charter School
- 2013 Teachers of the Year
- Elementary: Mary Mehrtens, Hynes Charter School
- Middle: Thomas Wright, Jr., Hynes Charter School
Superintendent's Agenda
Received and discussed reports from Administration without taking action
- Charter Strategy Update
- Current report provides background data for developing strategies
- 90% of local public school students now attend charter schools
- Parish-wide October 1 count (unaudited) = 47,485 MFP students
- Shortage of seats available projected by completion of Master Plan
- Will require continual use of bridge and to-be-mothballed schools to handle excess
- Shortage also of PK space - PK students usually not in MFP and official MFP enrollment
- New schools designed to handle PK but many charters not offering PK if not funded
- Shortages of seats in some OneApp catchment areas while surpluses in others
- OPSB has fewer options for providing seats for expansion than RSD
- Some RSD charters have empty space now because grades being phased in or enrollments low
- RSD controls 80% of the school buildings in Orleans but has only 67% of Orleans' students
- Deferred Revenue Update
- Approximately $ 37.3 million in revenue above projections accumulated since 2010-2013
- OPSB seeks guidance on how to use or distribute to schools - sees conflicts in relevant State laws
- Board Member Nolan Marshall suggested appropriate use would be escrow to avoid need for Revenue Anticipation Notes
- Additional $ 7.8 million available to distribute to schools to correct an earlier accounting error
- June Un-Audited Financial Statements
- $ 13.2 million extra in property taxes realized due to higher assessed values and millage roll-forward
- $ 17.3 million extra in sales taxes realized, much of which probably came from hosting 2013 Super Bowl
- Current fiscal year revenues not expected to be that high
- Revenue Allocation Study
- Lake Forest Elementary Charter School - National Blue Ribbon Award
- School recognized for its high achievement - school also serves high percentage of disadvantaged students
Received reports from Committee Chairpersons without taking any action
- Accountability Committee
- Property Committee
- Legal and Legislative Committee
- Policy Committee
- Budget and Finance Committee
Action Items
Discussed recommendations from the Administration and took action as indicated
- Property management services for Timbers Property
- RFP can be viewed here
- Ratification of first contract extension from March 1, 2012, through September 30, 2013
- Three month extension to December 31, 2013, while RFP process makes revised selection
- Approved by 5-1 vote: Security National Properties - $ 361,407 renewal and $ 57,064 extension
- Transfer or sale of Fleur de Lis SIte to NORA or City of N.O.
- Approved sale or transfer at appraised value or for needed property of equal value
- Suspension of alcohol prohibition for two Warren Easton Charter alumni and parent events
- Revenue anticipation notes
- Approved Resolution 28-13 - not to exceed $ 50,000,000 for short-term cash flow needs
- Routine annual action due to not receiving property taxes until after first of calendar year
- Capital Projects Budget amendment
- Renewal of demographic services contract
- Approved by 5-1 vote
- GCR - option accepted for two-year extension of present contract - $ 150,000 over two years
- Unused contract balance remains from first three-year contract
- Renewal of PM/CM services contract (Jacobs/CSRS) for three years
- Did not approve Administration's recommendation
- Approved substitute motion to extend Jacobs/CSRS contract for 90 days and issue RFP for the services
- Consideration of appeal of trial court's decision on lawsuit with City OIG
- Cancelled planned Executive Session
- Approved by 4-2 vote filing the appeal
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This service is made possible by a Community IMPACT 2012 Grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation and funding from the
Robert Reily Family Trust and the Smith/Cooper Foundation
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