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This report is created by Ken Ducote on behalf of the Greater New Orleans Collaborative of Charter Schools 

Note: OPSBrief wishes to recognize and honor Dr. Rose Drill Peterson, retiring Executive Director of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools, after a long and distinguished career in local public schools as a teacher, district administrator, governmental liaison, and Collaborative Director. This OPSBrief covers her final OPSB meetings after over four decades of service. Her talents, dedication, innovation, creativity, and tenacity were exemplary. Enjoy retirement, Rose!
 
The Orleans Parish School Board held a series of three Committee Meetings, two Public Hearings and one Board Business Meeting on Thursday, September 10, 2015 in the Mack Spears Auditorium of the former McDonogh 35 High School, 1331 Kerlerec Street.  
 
The Board Business Meeting was streamed live here and archived here.
 
OPSBrief has summarized the agendas for each event below and provided links to posted agendas and back-up documentation.
 
***This email is created by Ken Ducote on behalf of the Greater New Orleans Collaborative of Charter Schools and is not an official correspondence from the Orleans Parish School Board***
REPORT FROM SEPTEMBER 10 OPSB MEETINGS
  • Capital Projects Monthly Report
    • Received staff report
  • Audubon Charter School - Landscape Improvements (School-Funded)
    • Forwarded to full Board with recommendation to approve
    • School-funded estimate of $ 573,000 plus for enhanced playground at newly renovated school
  • Capital Projects Fund Transfer
    • Biomedical HS to NOCSMHS
    • Board member from NOCSMHS spoke in favor of proposal
    • Needed to enhance opportunity for external funding for school furnishings and equipment
 
  • Finance Action Items
    • Forwarded items to the full Board unless noted otherwise
      • Guiding principles with status report on phased implementation
        • School autonomy
        • Redefine Central Office role
        • Transform the culture around support, equity and transparency
        • Citywide focus
      • Balanced budget
        • Revenues $ 318,118,855
          • Slight increase in State MFP share
          • Increase in MFP funds for Differentiated Funding, mostly for non-public school special needs children served by OPSB
          • Sales and property tax collections have been higher
          • Operating revenues
            • State sources 22%
            • Local Sources 75%
            • Other sources 2%
        • Expenditures $ 316,612,979
          • New O & M and insurance costs for two new buildings recently opened
          • Fringe benefits as percent of salaries 39.81% (up 2.56%)
            • Group insurance* 11.01%
            • Medicare 1.45%
            • Retirement (State Teachers Retirement)* 26.30%
            • Unemployment insurance 0.55%
            • Workers Compensation  0.55%
            • * = not including employee contribution
    • 2014 Deferred Revenue - Part 2
      • This item was withdrawn
    • Capital Projects Fund Transfer
      • Biomedical HS to NOCSMHS
        • CFO explained search for site within Bio-District area
          • Unsuccessful due to availability and/or costs
          • Proposes to widen search area within next 60 days
        • Representatives of NOCSMHS ("Sci High") spoke in favor of redesignation
        • One Board member opposed proposal, suggesting Augustine MS as the site
    • Revenue Anticipation Notes
      • Routine annual item for short-term borrowing of up to $ 50,000,000 as needed for cash flow while waiting to receive property tax revenues after bills go out from the City in December/January
  • Purchasing Action Items
    • Forwarded items to the full Board
      • Public Warehouse Storage of USDA Food Commodities
        • Proposal from Second Harvest Food Bank for $ 148,000
      • Technical Support for Information Technology Department
        • Extend the contract of Ultimate Technical Solutions for $ 178,829
 
  • Policies for First Reading
    • Revision of Policy J907 - Language Minority Students
      • The draft was received for first reading
  • Policies for Second Reading
    • Revised Policy HA - School Board Chartering Authority
      • Forwarded to the full Board with recommendations for amendments on charter Board membership
        • At least one parent of the respective school and  60 % membership from Orleans Parish  
      • Attorney representing those OPSB charters within the Eastbank Collaborative spoke in favor of passage
        • Proposed an amendment with respect to transportation similar to hardship provisions used by BESE for Type 2 charters
        • Commended Superintendent and Administration for involving charters in the discussions
      • Executive Director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools said the policy had a lot of good things about it and is on the right path
        • Supported provisions for autonomy, governance and common enrollment
        • Concerned that it divides schools based upon transportation and neighborhood preference
      • CEO of local Urban League made several suggested changes
        • Wants 67% neighborhood preference to be a maximum cap
        • Wants > 60% of each charter board's membership to reside in Orleans Parish
        • Wants transportation for greater access
      • Principal/CEO of Moton Charter suggested five as the minimum number of charter board members
      • CEO of InspireNOLA made several comments
        • More seats in quality schools and more quality schools are needed
        • More neighborhood preference is needed, not maximum caps on neighborhood attendance
      • Other speakers made other comments
        • Have a parent on each charter board
        • More Orleans Parish members on charter boards
        • Central enrollment for all schools
        • Transportation for access for all schools
    • Revised Policy HB - Charter School Evaluation
      • Forwarded to full Board with recommendation for approval
    • Revised Policy Section D - Fiscal Management
      • This item was deleted
 
 
  • Revised Policy HA - School Board Chartering Authority
    • Board President stated that the development of the new policy was a long process and included many compromises among stakeholders
    • Administration summarized changes from original draft and past policy
    • Attorney representing those OPSB charters within the Eastbank Collaborative spoke in favor of passage
      • Policy represents compromises and give-and-take
      • Commended Superintendent and Administration for involving charters in the discussions
    • Eleven persons spoke in favor of passage
    • One person said many communities were disconnected from their schools
      • Urged more community engagement
    • CEO of Einstein Charter said proposed transportation requirements were costly and would cut into school's ability to fund ELL and special education programs
    • One Board member wanted  to define the 67% neighborhood preference of Section 6.B to be a cap on neighborhood enrollment
  • Revised Policy HB - Charter School Evaluation
    • There were no speakers on this item
  • Revised Policy Section D - Fiscal Management
    • This item was deleted from the agenda
 
  • Public Warehouse Storage of USDA Food Commodities
    • Approved the proposal from Second Harvest Food Bank for $ 148,000
  • Technical Support for Information Technology Department
    • Extended the contract of Ultimate Technical Solutions for $ 178,829
  • Action Items
  • Revised Policy HA - School Board Chartering Authority
    • Received revised policy including approved amendments from Policy Committee
    • A motion was made but failed to get a second to define the 67% neighborhood preference of Section 6.B to be a cap on neighborhood enrollment
    • Heard 11 speakers urge passage of the policy as amended earlier
      • Attorney representing several OPSB charters who are members of the Collaborative spoke in favor of passage
    • Approved the Revised Policy HA as amended in the Policy Committee as a replacement for former Policy A126
  • Revised Policy HB - Charter School Evaluation
    • Approved Revised Policy HB as a replacement for former Policy A127
    • Adopted Resolution 28-15 FY 2016 Consolidated Budget
  • Revised Policy Section D - Fiscal Management
    • Deleted this item from the agenda
  • 2014 Deferred Revenue - Part 2
    • Deleted this item from the agenda
    • Capital Projects Fund Transfer
      • Biomedical HS to NOCSMHS with location to be determined within 60 days
      • Heard four persons, including two students, speak in favor of the proposal
      • Attorney representing plaintiffs in litigation over post-Katrina OPSB layoffs said he had planned to speak against the transfer but chose instead to protest the loss of Allen ES, Fortier HS and McDonogh HS in recent years
      • Adopted Resolution 31-15 Capital Funds Transfer
    • Revenue Anticipation Notes
      • Adopted Resolution 29-15 Revenue Anticipation Notes
      • Routine annual item for short-term borrowing of up to $ 50,000,000 as needed for cash flow while waiting to receive property tax revenues after bills go out from the City in December/January
    • Contingency Contract RE: FEMA Negotiations
      • Adopted Resolution 30-15 Contingency Contract re: FEMA Negotiations
        • Contingency fee contract with Fishman Haygood
        • Negotiations with FEMA to release funds withheld by FEMA purported to be duplicative of amounts recovered from OPSB's property insurers
    • Audubon Charter School - Landscape Improvements (School-Funded)
      • Approved for the charter to implement the project
    • Use of Fund Balance
      • Approved a requirement that any proposed use of the General Fund Fund Balance for FY 2016 must be presented to the Board for its approval
  • Executive Session Items
    • Liquidated Damages re M. Jackson Office Space and McMain Health Clinic projects
      • Deferred this item one month
    • Settlement of three personal injury cases
      • Following Executive Session, approved the settlements recommended by General Counsel
 
This service is made possible by support from the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools and funding from the
Robert Reily Family Trust