Board Meeting Highlights: September 27, 2023 (Regular)
See the Meeting Agenda for a full listing of items considered and actions taken at this meeting.
2.1 Approval of the Board Agenda
The Board unanimously approved the agenda with staff-requested changes: removal of item 11.2 which will return at a later meeting, and amendments to items 11.9 and 12.4.
7.1 Superintendent Report
Superintendent CJ Cammack and his fellow Executive Cabinet members visited Mission San Jose High School today - it was outstanding to see the student activities, Wellness Center, and many classrooms. He reminded staff and parents/guardians to look for updates this week in ParentSquare.
7.2 Student Member Report
Student Member Ananya Balaji shared updates from schools, including a concern from American High School about a course changing the subject matter credits. Homecomings are happening now - starting last week at Kennedy. PSAT and SAT testing is coming up.
14.1 Horner Middle School Showcase
Principal Cindy Hicks-Rodriguez, joined by Buzz the Hornet, presented the Horner Middle School Showcase with highlights of the school's accomplishments, areas of focus, unique characteristics, student perspective, and parent/guardian and community perspective.
At each meeting between September and May, one school will present to the Board about their school.
16.1 Receive Preliminary California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Results
Director of Assessment and Accountability Elie Wasser and Director of Federal and State Programs Christie Rocha presented the 2022-23 CAASPP and ELPAC Assessment Data Preliminary Data Set.
The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) system of assessments includes the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Summative Assessments and the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) which are administered to FUSD students in grades 3-8 and 11. In addition, CAASPP includes the California Science Test (CAST) for students in grades 5, 8, and one administration in high school. All CAASPP assessments are typically administered during the spring of each school year. The tests are comprehensive end of the year assessments of grade-level learning that measure progress toward college and career readiness.
CAASPP data for the 2022-23 school year are preliminary and subject to change. Final data for the CAASPP, as well as aggregate statewide results, will be released publicly by the California Department of Education (CDE) in December 2023, in conjunction with the California School Dashboard. Fremont Unified School District, as a Local Education Agency (LEA), is permitted to use their own preliminary results for local planning, including public meetings with their local governing board.
There was no action taken, this was an informational item.
16.2 Hold Public Hearing on Instructional Materials and Adopt Resolution 009-2324: Sufficiency of Instructional Materials
California Education Code 60119 requires districts to hold a public hearing by the eighth week of school to make a determination, through a resolution, to ensure that every pupil in each school in the district:
- Is provided with sufficient textbooks and other instructional materials to use in the class, and to take home, in the core areas, foreign language, health and science laboratory equipment for grades 9-12
- Has instructional materials that are aligned to the content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605 in each of the following subjects (listed below), as appropriate, and
- Has instructional materials that are consistent with the content and cycles of the curriculum framework adopted by the State.
For the purposes of the hearing, sufficient textbooks or instructional materials is defined as, “Each pupil, including English Learners, has standards-aligned textbooks or instructional materials, or both, to use in class and to take home.” This requirement does not necessitate two sets of textbooks.
A public notice was published in The Argus on September 15 & September 22, 2023. This notice was also posted in the front office window of the Fremont Unified School District and posted on the District website, all within the mandated 10-day timeframe before the hearing.
The Board held the Public Hearing, and unanimously adopted Resolution 009-2324 that states the Fremont Unified School District, for the 2023-2024 school year, has provided each pupil with sufficient textbooks and/or instructional materials consistent with the styles and content of the curriculum frameworks.
16.6 New Fremont Debate Academy (FDA) for 2023-24
The Fremont Debate Academy (FDA), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since 2015, Fremont Debate Academy has created dozens of free debate and civics programs for students grades 4-8 that run for 8-32 weeks globally. FDA coordinates every aspect of the process and provides support to: staff, parents, volunteers, and students.
FDA would like to partner with Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) to implement a school faculty-run debate program at every school site for the 2023-24 academic year. The partnership will provide FDA’s debate curriculum and instructor training, creating access to debate for all students across the district. The program currently exists as a staff-run, student-run, or parent-run program in 21+ FUSD schools. There are 18 participating elementary schools ranging from 1 to 9 years of operations, 4 Middle School Operations, and 7 years operating in Summer Camp Programs.
At the May 10, 2023 Board meeting, the Board reviewed the proposal and additional information that was provided. Staff also reviewed and explored the proposal with its union partners as this would reflect a fiscal impact for FUSD, and a negotiated stipend amount to pay the teachers who would be willing to do this work; FUDTA has agreed to this proposal. The potential cost of the program is as follows:
- The annual cost is projected as:
- Sub-Total of Stipends = $32,266
- Teacher stipend of $949 per year, per elementary school = $27,521
- Teacher stipend of $949 per year, per middle school = $4,745
- Sub-Total of Program Cost paid to Fremont Debate Academy = $50,000
- Total Cost = $82,266
The Board unanimously approved directing staff to formalize a contract agreement with the Fremont Debate Academy for 2023-24. Staff will bring forth the MOU and final contract agreement at an upcoming Board meeting.
16.7 FUSD School Resource Officer Handbook
The City of Fremont and the Fremont Unified School District have a long history of working collaboratively to provide safe and secure school facilities. Collaborative efforts focus on ensuring that schools are safe for students, staff, and the community. The School Resource Officer (SRO) program has been a cornerstone of the cooperative efforts between the City of Fremont and the Fremont Unified School District to provide safe and secure facilities. In addition to on-site officers at high schools, the Fremont Police Department provides a variety of services to schools and staff, including supervision of sports and athletic activities, response to emergencies, and supervision of special events.
On June 28, 2017, the Board of Education authorized the Superintendent to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Fremont for School Resource Officer Services for seven years, 2017-2024. The SRO program was terminated by the Board in November of 2020 and reinstated with a revised MOU and Handbook in July 2021; the MOU, effective 2021-2023, was further updated to reflect necessary legal language in November 2021.
At its June 14, 2023 Board of Education meeting, the Board requested that staff agendize an informational discussion on the FUSD School Resource Officer Handbook.
This was an informational and discussion item to give trustees the opportunity to provide feedback on changes they would like to see in the Handbook.
