FCBOE Work Session - April
The Fulton County Board of Education met for their monthly work session at 3 p.m. on April 14, 2022.Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney calls on Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef to present Budget Mark-up #2.
Dereef thanks the Board and stakeholders for providing the resources necessary to support Fulton County Schools (FCS) students and create a healthy environment.
Dereef presents key points regarding the FY23 budget proposal, including seeking alternative revenue sources and allocating at least 75% of general funds to schools.
The recommendations suggest rolling back the millage rate by at least 1%.
FCS has created a four-section budget book, including budget summary, compensation, personnel, and budget by organization.
View the presentation below for more information.
Graphic courtesy of Fulton County Schools
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain can find information on funding transportation since it is not in the presentation.
Dereef says he will incorporate transportation in a future presentation.
District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves asks whether CARES funds and extra federal funds are included in the per-pupil funding.
Dereef responds that federal funds are not.
District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren thanks everyone who worked on the presentation and emphasizes the importance of transparency.
Chief Talent Officer Ron Wade presents developments in FCS employee wages over the last year.
Wade notes that FCS employees received a 2% raise, and that the lower starting wage for any FCS employee is $16 per hour.
He emphasizes that FCS is the only Georgia school district that issued a statement about providing employees with a living wage and followed through on its promise.
Wade presents an additional 5% wage increase proposal and goes over the four types of pay schedules.
He notes that FCS is generally very competitive in the teacher market, offering especially high wages for more experienced teachers.
View the FY2023 Budget Presentation above for more details.
Looney stresses that school funding should be a state responsibility, not a local responsibility and says the Board must find a way to resolve this issue.
District 3 Board Member Gail Dean notes that compared to other school districts, FCS has a very low millage rate, which she hopes to maintain in the future.
Dereef says the budget report will be available on the FCS website no later than the morning of April 15.
Chief Information Officer Dr. Emily Bell presents Capital Plan 2022 achievements and Capital Plan 2027.
Bell says the goal of Capital Plan 2027 is to include all students and teachers in using technology.
Bell discusses how the plan will deliver hardware to students, use systems and platforms for information, and provide safe infrastructure and security.
Each of the projects will last five years from 2022 to 2027, and FCS is purchasing computer carts for grades K-2.
View the presentation below for more details.
Graphics courtesy of Fulton County Schools
District 3 Board Member Gail Dean requests clarification regarding the dollar amounts for the projects.
Bell responds that all numbers will be provided in future presentations.
Board Vice President and District 6 Board Member Kimberly Dove complements the Capital Plan 2027 and asks what the pairing of devices will look like.
District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren says she likes the goals of the wifi solutions to current issues.
District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves expresses her support for purchasing more devices for grades K-2.
District 5 Board Member Linda McCain requests that all the information presented be double checked for technology changes.
Bell assures the Board that FCS will regularly monitor advances in technology and adapt accordingly.
Chief Operations Officer Noel Maloof presents renovation projects that are meant to keep buildings up to date and support students.
Maloof discusses multiple school buildings that have plans to go under reconfiguration and replacement.
Maloof presents projects for each of the five upcoming years along with the current replacements still going on, as well as the general projects that will be improved over the next five years.
District 1 Board Member Katha Stuart expresses her excitement for the capital plan and utility advancements and renovations that schools will go under.
District 2 Board Member Katie Reeves believes the current process is jumping ahead to steps that are not needed yet, and there are older buildings that need to be checked for potential flaws.
Looney tells everyone that funds from previous years will be addressed in the future along with the audiovisual questions.
Maloof responds with the flexibility of the capital plan.
Board Vice President and District 6 Board Member Kimberly Dove expresses her excitement for the new LEDs and keycards.
Dean requests clarification on the dates of the capital plan funds.
Maloof says more information will be provided to the board through discussion with the SGA.
Dean mentions her concern with media center projects being pushed to the end of the program.
Maloof responds that projects can be moved around.
District 4 Board Member Franchesca Warren comments on her excitement for the renovations and reconfigurations of the schools.
McCain expresses concern for the amount of elementary schools within the plan and then asks for more information on how schools are decided on which year they are implemented in the plan.
Maloof says that he will have to go back and take a look at that.
Bernath also expresses her concern for how schools fall on the timeline of the plan. She asks for more details to be given to the community on this.
Dean asks if there will be chances to talk in further detail with Maloof.
Looney mentions that the board members may meet with Maloof for more information.
Warren raises a question of how often the community will be given information on the plans.
Maloof responds with information on how the community will continue to be engaged.
Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef presents the cash flow projections for Capital Plan 2022 and 2027.
Looney discusses a developing system for gaining input from schools.
Dean asks if this would include project reserves and anticipations.
Dereef mentions that current numbers account for inflation and other expenses.
Dereef presents the cash flow projections for capital plan 2027 and points out new changes within the information.
Dereef explains the short term borrowing plan, and he mentions how this will be completely paid off.
Dean asks if more information will be given on the costs.
Dereef says that additional information will be contributed to a document.
Reeves agrees with Dean on the outlined budget.
Dereef replies that this information must be given by July 1.
Reeves expresses concern for the largest projects to be outlined specifically regarding the costs.
McCain mentions students within District five who have had noteworthy accomplishments.
Warren gives shoutouts to assistant principals, teachers, bus drivers, students, and schools within her district.
Dean highlights schools, staff, students, and upcoming news within her district.
Reeves expresses excitement for her schools and students and their accomplishments.
Stuart gives updates from her district on her schools.
Looney gives thanks to all the assistant principals across the county. He requests for students to attend milestone assessments and calls on Cliff Jones.
Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones presents schools with awards in AP classes which include Northview.
Tim Dunn presents the Student Device Amnesty Event which will encourage students to return broken or bricked devices.
Dunn presents the Student Device Summer Clean plan as well, in an effort for devices to be cleaned and returned to schools.
McCain asks how many devices will be included in the amnesty period.
Dunn says this information will be provided at a later date.
McCain asks if students will be given a new device if their device is bricked.
Looney explains that the most common reason for a “bricked” device is that it needs replacement or parents are using it. Students with a working device would help them more.
McCain expresses concern for giving students new devices after previous ones have been bricked.
Warren asks if the devices contain trackers to find devices.
Dunn says the devices have technology to find lost materials.
Bernath asks for more clarification.
Dunn mentions that the device must be turned on and connected to the internet.
Looney clarifies that it would be better for the device to be returned than held on to by the student.
Looney calls on Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones.
Jones reads textbook adoption 6.01.
Bernath comments that board members can select a community member to serve on the committee. She gives the item consent.
Jones reads textbook adoption 6.02 which includes to continue to use Choosing the Best curriculum.
Reeves approves the item.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Jones reads textbook adoption 6.03 which brings new CTAE courses to schools.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Looney calls on Chief Academic Officer Cliff Jones.
Jones presents the winner of the Atlanta Falcons Trailblazer award.
Jones presents Chattahoochees quiz bowl which won championship titles.
Dr. Moore is called to the stand to present an opportunity for students to catch up on courses.
Bernath gives consent.
Moore brings IDIC which has no changes.
Bernath gives consent.
Moore brings an item that will remove the 30 minute recess policy and take out the waiver language.
Bernath gives consent.
Moore presents 7.08 which will reflect changes in IHA.
Bernath accepts for more information.
Moore presents item JAA which will provide more information.
Bernath accepts for more information.
Moore brings new language to BBFA and a new timeline.
Reeves asks to leave the item for another month so the community can be given another chance to read it over.
Bernath saves the item for next month.
Maloof presents an electric power easement.
Bernath gives consent.
Young presents item 7.12, which is a contracting report.
Reeves asks for more information to be provided on the cost summaries.
Looney thanks the board for agreeing to change the format.
Bernath leaves the item for regular agenda.
Young presents item 7.13 which will include air-conditioning buses.
Deans asks where the buses will be.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.14 which will purchase fuel for the transportation department.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.15.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.16.
Reeves asks for more clarification.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.17 which will give air conditioner filters.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.18 which is an optional renewal for telecommunications.
Dove requests for more information within the contract.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.19 which gives student devices and support services.
Reeves expresses concern for the item.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.20.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young presents item 7.21.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Young present items 7.22 which will increase the contract amount.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.23 which is a record keeping and management service.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.24 which is a financial update. He explains a delay caused the projects to be removed or pushed off.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.25 which is the monthly capital report. One adjustment is the transition of a project form the reserve to project form.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.26 which is the proposed budget adjustments.
Stuart gives thanks to Looney for considering the money to the employees.
Looney gives thanks to the board members for the suggestions of the payments.
Bernath does not give the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.27 which is banking revolutions.
Bernath does not give the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.28 which is the employee traveling report.
Bernath does not give the item consent.
Dereef presents item 7.29 which is a restatement to the IRS for the superintendents deferred compensation plan restatement. There are no changes.
Reeves asked if the document dictates how much goes in the document.
Bernath gives the item consent.
Bernath gives a review of items that will not be on next week's agenda.
The meeting is adjourned.