Board Meeting Highlights: January 31, 2024 (Regular)
See the Meeting Agenda for a full listing of items considered and actions taken at this meeting.
7.1 Superintendent Report
Superintendent CJ Cammack reported that last week he chaired the Superintendents’ Symposium. Last week was the Great Kindness Challenge - he thanked the many students and schools who participated. He also noted that the 100th day of school was on Monday. Finally, he shared that last night the District held its State of the District and 60th Anniversary event; he thanked everyone who attended in person, and those who streamed the event - a recording and the slides are available now at fremontunified.org/events. He also thanked State Senator Aisha Wahab, Assemblymember Alex Lee and Fremont Mayor Lily Mei for providing proclamations to mark the occasion, and Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert’s representative attended the Board meeting to share a resolution from the County celebrating this anniversary.
7.2 Student Member Report
Student Member Ananya Balaji reported that high schools are wrapping up ASB elections, and students are busy with course selection. Open House, voter registration drives, and multicultural week celebrations are coming soon.
13.1 Harvey Green Elementary School Showcase
Principal Trisha Johnson, the Student Council President - a current 5th grade student, the PTA President, and two additional students presented the Harvey Green Showcase to highlight the school's accomplishments, areas of focus, unique characteristics, student perspective, and parent/guardian and community perspective.
16.1 Review the District's 2022-23 Audit Report
Education code 41020.3 states that: "By January 31 of each year, the governing body of each local education agency shall review, at a public meeting, the annual audit of the local education agency for the prior year, any audit exception identified in that audit, the recommendation or findings of any management letter issued by the auditor, and any description of correction or plans to correct any exceptions or management letter issue. This review shall be placed on the agenda of the meeting pursuant to Section 35145."
The District's independent auditor, CWDL, has conducted an audit of the district's financial statement and records for the fiscal year 2022-23. The results of the audit and expressed opinion of CWDL are provided in the audit report.
CWDL issued an "Unmodified Opinion" report for the district. An "Unmodified Opinion" means that the financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, and in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework.
This was an informational item.
16.2 Receive the 2023 California School Dashboard Report for the Fremont Unified School District
Director of Assessment & Accountability Elie Wasser provided a presentation about the 2023 California School Dashboard report on State and Local indicators for the Fremont Unified School District.
The California School Dashboard is an online tool designed to help communities across the state access important information about kindergarten through grade twelve schools and districts. The Dashboard provides information about how districts are meeting the needs of California's diverse student population based on a concise set of measures. The 2023 California School Dashboard, which was released on December 15, 2023, reflects a full return of California’s accountability system with the reporting of Status (current year data), Change (the difference from prior year data), and Performance Levels (colors) for most state indicators.
The California School Dashboard reports on both State and Local indicators. These indicators are specifically aligned with eight priority areas spelled out in the state’s funding formula. The same priority areas are also embedded in the Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP) that the Fremont Unified School District prepares each year.
The State Indicators are based on data that is collected consistently across the state from local educational agencies through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) and testing vendors. The State Indicators are:
- Academic Performance
- College/Career Readiness (not reported on the 2022 Dashboard and reporting of this measure resumes with the 2023 Dashboard)
- English Learner Progress
- Chronic Absenteeism
- Graduation Rate
- Suspension Rate
State data is not available for some priority areas identified in the LCFF statute. For these priority areas, the State Board of Education approved the Local Indicators, which are based on information that local educational agencies collect. The Local Indicators are:
- Basic Services
- Implementation of Academic Standards
- Parent Engagement
- School Climate
- Access to a Broad Course of Study
This was an informational item.
16.3 School Resource Officer (SRO) Mid-Year Report
The Fremont Police Department and Fremont Unified School District have had a professional partnership since 1998. A school Resource Officer (SRO) is assigned to each of the six high schools and serves all schools and offices throughout the District. The mission of the SRO unit is to ensure a safe learning environment for students, teachers, and school administrators.
The MOU and Handbook outline parameters for mid-year and year end reporting of data. The School Resource Officer (SRO) Mid-Year Report provides an update on the program developments from August 16, 2023 ( first day of school) through December 22, 2023 (last day before winter break).
This was an information item. Staff recommends that the Board of Education receive the report.
16.4 Overview of Say Something Anonymous Reporting System
Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), the nation's leading school violence prevention organization, launched the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System in 2018 to provide a way for students to submit secure and anonymous safety concerns.
The Sandy Hook Promise Foundation Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) teaches students how to look for warning signs, signals and threats, especially in social media, from individuals who may want to hurt themselves or others and to Say Something to a trusted adult or by using the Anonymous Reporting System (Application, Website or 24/7 Crisis Telephone Line) to get them help. Sandy Hook Promise Foundation will provide support, activities and framework to embed SS-ARS into a new or existing student club and provide ongoing awareness materials.
Staff would like the Board to consider bringing this product to FUSD for the 2024-25 school year. Included with the agenda are several attachments which will provide an overview of the product and how it works, an outline of the features and benefits of the program and a description of the program.
In conversation with District leadership and Union leads, we have strong support for this program. Further, the program will also be supported by the City of Fremont Chief of Police as he and his team have reviewed this program and believe it aligns with and supports the public safety objectives.
Information about SS-ARS (Say Something ARS Brochure, SS-ARS features and benefits, SS-ARS Program Description, SS-ARS Program Overview) were shared, and a representative from the Sandy Hook Promise was available for questions.
At a subsequent meeting, staff plans to submit a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sandy Hook Promise for the “Say Something Anonymous Reporting System,” a program which provides services at no cost to the District.
This was an informational item.
16.6 Revised Classified Substitute Salary Schedule
Classified clerical/technical and paraeducator substitutes are non-represented employees. They are not represented by CSEA and are employed independent of a union.
As such, over the years as other substitute employees who are represented by a union have received incremental increases in salary due to negotiated agreements, this group has not. The last significant increase in salary for the clerical/technical and paraeducator substitutes was approximately 2007. Increasing classified substitute rates, using the same formula used to pay our substitutes who are under SEIU will bring us more closely in line with other similar positions in the public and private sector with similar qualifications. The formula used to pay classified substitutes under a collective bargaining agreement is step 2 minus $1.95, this formula is applied to the draft salary schedule.
The District has seen a decline in classified substitute applications, with the most notable decline in the substitute special education paraeducators group, where traditionally the majority of our permanent paraeducators are recruited and trained. In a more recent recruitment effort of our paraeducators the posting yielded only seven (7) applicants. The most common reason for this decline is the low rate of pay. As a result of the shortage of applicants for paraeducators, the District is contracting with outside agencies who charge us approximately $47 per hour per paraeducator they provide. As we continue to employ fewer of our own paraeducators, the cost to the district will continue to increase. The increase to the classified substitute rate of pay will yield an increase in applications from our substitute pool which will ultimately reduce the amount paid to contracted employees annually.
The Board unanimously approved the revised classified substitute salary schedule.
