AAPS deputy superintendent of operations Robert Allen (left) and Washtenaw Intermediate School District transportation director Tom Moore addressed the board's questions regarding transportation. (Photo by the writer.)

At the meeting, the board passed the necessary set of resolutions to qualify for the restoration of $1.6 million of support from the state, as board members criticized the state’s process as “hoops” they needed to jump through.

Budget constraints came up in most of the topics on which the board took action, as well as during two informational updates – one on the bus service, and one on the results of an insurance audit undertaken by the district. Multiple speakers who addressed the board urged trustees to take political action and to lead the community in legislative advocacy and state-level reform.

Transportation service changes were again a major point of discussion at the Oct. 12 meeting. Board members questioned the success of the district’s bus service consolidation with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. Four parents spoke at public commentary about safety concerns resulting from loss of bus service, especially with the winter weather approaching.

At last Wednesday’s meeting, the board also voted to purchase additional algebra textbooks, approved the printing of the Rec & Ed catalogue, and renewed a contract for therapeutic services needed for special education students.

Response to State-Level Actions

In every part of the meeting, references were made to the ongoing reductions in state funding facing the district, as well as to several new state laws. Some laws were recently enacted and more are currently under consideration, which constrain and restructure public education while broadening and supporting the growth of charter schools across the state.

State-level actions and associated district and community responses discussed at this meeting included: financial best practices incentives, pending charter-school legislation, political reform, legislative advocacy, and planning for the 2012-13 budget.

Response to State: Financial Best Practices

AAPS deputy superintendent of operations Robert Allen reported that the district qualifies for a one-time state funding incentive for meeting four out of five “financial best practices” as defined by the state: (1) AAPS named as the holder of employee medical benefit plans; (2) development and implementation of a service consolidation plan; (3) procurement of bids on non-instructional services such as food service; and (4) creation of a link from the district’s website to a dashboard of statistics.

Because the district has met these requirements, Allen explained, $100 per pupil of the foundation allowance previously cut by the state will be refunded to AAPS. That works out to a return of $1.6 million to AAPS. He also noted that this $1.6 million is not included in the budget, and that it should be paid to the district within a month of applying to the state.

Multiple trustees expressed mixed feelings about the additional funding.

Trustee Andy Thomas asserted that while he will obviously endorse the resolutions necessary to certify the district’s compliance with the state-defined best practices, he found it “demeaning” that the district is being made to do so. “This is not about best practices – this is about control,” he said. After reducing per-pupil funding by $500, Thomas argued, “the attitude of the state is that we don’t deserve the money back unless we jump through hoops.”

Trustee Christine Stead agreed, pointing out that the district is also not only meeting, but exceeding, the fifth “best practice” – to pay 80% of medical insurance premiums, while passing on 20% of the premium cost to employees. Stead argued that AAPS is doing even better than that, if the intention of the practice is to keep health care costs in check. In the district’s current contract with teachers, she pointed out, the district’s contribution to health care premiums is capped at just over $12,000 per teacher, less than 80% of the cost.

Stead said she also wanted to call attention to the question of what to do with the additional funding, and suggested the best course of action would be to save the money and apply it to next year’s deficit, which is projected to be $14 million.

Allen said AAPS “has completed all the hoops,” but argued that what the district really needs is a “solution to the structural deficit … At the end of the day,” he said, “we are not being funded adequately.”

Stead agreed, calling on taxpayers to demand a restoration of the local levy authority that was lost when the state changed the K-12 school funding mechanism under Proposal A. She argued that the state has also “violated the trust of taxpayers” by slashing 20j funding, a provision of Proposal A that “held harmless” those districts who would lose funding under the then-new system. Funding through 20j was eliminated in 2009.

Finally, saying she wanted to add some context, board president Deb Mexicotte stated, “The state is bringing pretty much every tool [it] has to bear against public education …We’re going to get $1.6 million back for doing things were already doing, or doing better …We have to remember how much was taken away.”

Mexicotte explained that there was enough money in the state-managed School Aid Fund last year to raise the per-pupil allowance of every student in Michigan by $200, but instead $500 was cut. Therefore, she concluded, it’s hard to feel grateful for getting a tiny bit back.

In addition to the funding cuts, Mexicotte asserted that the additional constraints being placed on how schools conduct their business, the rise in charter schools, and the proliferation of education laws that are not student-focused are leading to a “downward spiral to breaking public education in this state.”

Mexicotte asked Stead to read aloud the three resolutions needed to receive the funding, which she did. The first declared AAPS the policyholder on employees’ medical benefit plans; the second certified that the district had participated in service consolidation; and the third confirmed that AAPS had met at least four of the five requirements to qualify for this one-time state funding of $100 per pupil.

Outcome: Trustees unanimously supported the three resolutions required for AAPS to receive the $1.6 million in best practices funding from the state.

Response to State: Public Commentary on Charter School Legislation

Steve Norton, AAPS parent and executive director of Michigan Parents for Schools (MIPFS), shared his concerns during public commentary regarding a package of bills currently under consideration by the Michigan state legislature regarding charter schools [SB 618, 619, 620, 621 and 624]. Called the “parent empowerment package,” Norton argued that this set of bills would do the opposite of that. He said the legislation encourages the creation of small education enclaves throughout the state, and encourages everyone to walk away from the problems of public schools instead of trying to fix them. He described the goals of the bills as: removing the cap on the number of charter schools and cyberschools in Michigan, and allowing public schools to vote to turn themselves into charter schools.

Norton also highlighted unsuccessful efforts by MIPFS to get amendments to the legislation passed that would have required all charter schools to be run by non-profit organizations. As the bills now stand, he argued, they “provide less of an educational opportunity than a business opportunity, allowing private profit [to be] made at public expense.” Norton encouraged the board to be leaders in engaging the community about the significance of this package of bills for the education of the vast majority of children in our state.

Response to State: AAEA President – Political Reform

In his regular report to the board, teachers’ union president Brit Satchwell expressed his frustration with the state, and encouraged people feeling the effects of budget cuts throughout the district to direct their outrage to Lansing. He warned against members of the local community who distract the discussion by “raising red herrings” and continuously claiming a lack of transparency on the part of AAPS. Their actual problem, Satchwell said, is that they simply do not agree with policies that support education.

“Less is not more,” Satchwell emphasized. He expressed frustration with people who claim the district’s budget must “be fat somewhere,” and who claim that the budget woes are due to poor management on the part of the district. Applauding the “heroic efforts made in the buildings” by teachers and administrators, Satchwell urged everyone to “take the fight upstream.”

He pleaded with the board to become the “tip of the spear” in the fight, and implored the community to follow them. “The people who brought this disaster to your kitchen table have to go,” he urged the community, “The financial difficulties we are facing are not forces of nature – the solutions are not here.”

Response to State: Countywide Legislative Advocacy Task Force

During the “items from the board” section at the end of the meeting, the board engaged in a brief brainstorm about approaches that could be used to bring together school districts and municipalities across the county to advocate as a group at the state level.

Referencing Satchwell’s call for the board to “be the tip of the spear in combating what is happening to us,” trustee Susan Baskett noted that the mayor of Saline recently engaged her in a discussion about how the recent elimination of the Michigan Business Tax would affect schools and cities alike. “We are all trying to keep up with what’s happening with the legislation,” Baskett said, “but it’s all happening so quickly.”

AAPS superintendent Patricia Green agreed, saying that the issue is coming up and is a topic for the entire county. She noted that in Pennsylvania, where she worked previously, a consortium of regionally-affiliated school board representatives met to address legislation that affected them all, and asked if that was taking place in this area.

Mexicotte noted that the Michigan Association of Schools (MASB) regularly holds a breakfast with legislators, but that perhaps convening a countywide task force would be a better approach.

Stead added that AAPS has had some difficulty in the past working with legislators as a group. While crafting recommendations for how education legislation might be reformed, she reminded her board colleagues, AAPS had approached legislators for their input. “Each legislator asked for a private, ad-hoc group just for them … They hadn’t come together, and they were partisan in their approach.”

Baskett argued, “No one entity should have to do this alone – it’s affecting all of us across school and city boundaries.” She added thanks to Skyline teacher Pat Jenkins for inviting her to help out with an activity with her Communication, Media, and Public Policy (CMPP) magnet students.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot said she loved the suggestion of a countywide task force, “We should be the tail wagging the dog, taking the lead.” However, Lightfoot warned, “the nice, sweet kind of approach isn’t going to work.” She argued that the district will need to enlist different sets of allies at different times, since some of the work that needs to be done is partisan in nature. Finally, referencing the CMPP students Baskett had mentioned earlier, Lightfoot said she would “love to find ways to enlist students in our public policy fight.”

Response to State: Budget Planning for 2012-13

Stead noted in her regular report as committee chair that the planning committee had discussed the upcoming 2012-13 budget at its recent meeting, in the context of state-level cuts.  She said that the district will be engaging the community as early as possible in making decisions about the anticipated $14 million in cuts that AAPS will be facing. She noted that AAPS will hold a community forum this fall to review what has been cut already over the past five years and to start engaging the public.

“We will be planning our budget in late winter and early spring so that we can make decisions earlier this year,” Stead said, pointing out that AAPS has lost just over $50 million in the past five years alone. “We will want to get people’s best thinking.”

Stead also noted that AAPS staff had brought to the planning committee a “handful of ideas” on revenue enhancement, but that the committee had asked for more due diligence to be done before continuing to pursue them. “We are looking at every opportunity for incremental revenue,” Stead said, “but not always at the cost of integrity and other things.”

Transportation

Concerns about transportation continued to dominate public commentary, as they had at the September board meeting. At the Oct 12 meeting, Allen gave an update on changes to the district’s transportation service since outsourcing busing to the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD). Then, Allen – along with AAPS director of communications Liz Margolis, WISD business manager Brian Marcel, and WISD transportation director Tom Moore – answered trustees’ questions regarding transportation.

Transportation: Public Commentary

Four parents addressed the board with safety concerns related to the their children’s current lack of bus service. They enumerated the following safety concerns: proximity of walking path to major roads; worry about whether paths will be cleared during winter months, road construction blocking designated safe walking routes; and the effect of the approaching bad weather of the winter months on students’ walks of over a mile while carrying 20 to 25-pound backpacks.

One parent noted that her family did not own a car, and another noted that while they could drive their daughter to school in the morning, they were unable to pick her up after school since they would be at work. They pleaded with the board to restore bus service in their neighborhoods, and noted that it’s common for families to see an empty bus passing by their house that previously stopped but now does not.

A parent from Pine Lake community argued that her co-op complex is 1.7 miles from Slauson, her child’s school, and that her complaints to WISD transportation director Tom Moore have not yielded results. “If you Google 2680 [Adrienne Dr, the Pine Lake Clubhouse address], it’s 1.7 miles,” she pointed out, and requested that the district recalculate the distance. Finally, she argued that the changes to transportation have disproportionately impacted minorities.

Transportation: Bus Service Update

Allen reviewed that 2010-11 was the first year that AAPS contracted for bus service with the WISD, and that the goal was to save $1.5 million. After the audit report in November, Allen said, the district will be able to compare 2009-10 with 2010-11 to see what the actual savings were. The projected savings for 2011-12 are $1 million, he said, after the board allocated an additional $300,000 to address implementation of common bus stops at the high school level.

Allen reviewed adjustments made the original 2011-12 bus schedule due to feedback from the community, including the addition of four new runs and 39 new stops. He also said that late or overcrowded buses have been greatly reduced, and said that some adjustments are still being made in the outer quadrant of the district. Finally, Allen noted that an official count of ridership would be performed by the WISD and submitted to the state.

Transportation: Discussion – Summary Report Overdue

The board asked about numerous specific problems regarding transportation this year, but focused on one overarching issue – the lack of a summary report, which was supposed to have analyzed the program data from the first year of the district’s contract with the WISD before AAPS renewed for a second year.

WISD business manager Brian Marcel responded that the WISD spent its staff time preparing for this year rather that writing a report about last year. He offered the rationale: “If we don’t get complaints, that’s a good thing. Last year, we had almost no complaints.” Multiple board members said they would still like to see a complete report from the 2010-11 school year, including the length of time students were on buses, the number of late buses, and customer satisfaction measures, among other metrics.

Transportation: Discussion – Quality of Customer Service

Board members asked about how adjustments have been made to routes and stops. Allen assured trustees that the WISD has been consistent in implementing the new board policy, and in following up with families who still have questions.

The board questioned the level of office staff that the WISD has available to resolve concerns, whether the WISD had logged all complaints and their resolutions, and whether the WISD transportation department phone number was even operational.

Moore answered that the WISD has ten phones answering transportation calls, and that they are logging calls as well as e-mails received. He acknowledged that the WISD received 1,400 calls on one day early in the school year, which maxed out the system, but that they have since increased the capacity for receiving calls. Moore noted that the number of calls has dropped off dramatically, saying that he might get two messages a day now.

Allen confirmed that families with concerns should contact the WISD first, and that the WISD phone number is operational. Moore promised that everyone who leaves a message will get a call back. Marcel said he does not want a recurrence of the high volume of calls, and said he thinks the district’s plan to set its budget earlier will help, because the community will have more notice of any changes to next year’s bus service.

Green added that she has met with the superintendent of the WISD to share concerns and raise the issue of contract renewal in the future. As a result of that meeting, Green said, AAPS and WISD staff met to review what happened and why the phone banks were overloaded, and talked about how services had to improve.

Trustee Irene Patalan applauded the community for sharing the sacrifice involved in changing the transportation system this year. She added that, though “the board would love to go back to the way things were,” change is a “way of life.”

Transportation: Discussion – Overcrowding

Baskett asked how overcrowding is being handled on buses, and what legal obligations the district has to students regarding bus seating.

Allen reviewed state transportation law, which says that school buses can be filled three-to-a-seat. He noted that AAPS has asked the WISD to fill buses three-to-a-seat for elementary school students for a maximum of 65 or 71 students, depending on the type of bus. For middle and high school students, Allen continued, the district aims for two-to-a seat, meaning a full bus is either 44 or 48 students.

Baskett asked for clarification about how parents or students can get another bus, if taking a head count at the bus stop indicates that the bus will be overcrowded.

Moore answered that there are not enough drivers to have substitute drivers available to immediately react to an overcrowding situation. He encouraged parents or students experiencing chronic overcrowding to contact his department, but assured the board that “on a day-to-day basis, [buses] are not overcrowded.”

Baskett asked about staffing levels and turnover.

Moore acknowledged that the WISD has experienced more that 40% turnover in transportation staff this year, while industry standard turnover is less than 10%. He stated, “School bus driving is unique and not for everyone … We have the freight that talks back.” Moore explained that many drivers have left for jobs with Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), the University of Michigan (UM) or Federal Express, paying the same or better “without the talking back.” He closed by saying that the WISD is currently accepting applications for new drivers.

Transportation: Discussion – Safety

Thomas asked what is being done to address safety issues on walk routes to schools, and noted that it will take coordinating with other governmental entities that are facing their own budget problems. “Who is the advocate on behalf of the students … of the district in dealing with the city, county, and state?” he asked.

Multiple staff members and board members weighed in on a response to Thomas.

Green stated that she had met with Steve Powers, the new city administrator to talk about how the city and AAPS could work together on this issue as winter approaches, and Moore said the WISD has been assured by local departments of public works that walk routes would be maintained and cleared.

Margolis added that she is working closely with the Ann Arbor Police Department officer who coordinates crossing guards to be sure they are placed as effectively as possible. She said that the recently passed law fining drivers $100 for not yielding at pedestrian crosswalks should help the situation.

Allen said he is collecting information from parents proactively about areas of concern, and pointed out that AAPS sits on a Transportation Safety Committee (TSC) along with the police and fire departments, and other entities.

Mexicotte, who sits on the TSC as a representative from the board, confirmed that “all the players are at the table” at the TSC, and that “knowing that these challenging are only going to get more challenging, the committee is getting ready to better help parents get used to these changes.”

Transportation: Discussion – AATA

Baskett said she is concerned about how AAPS bus service will look moving forward, and noted that the AATA is adding some service on the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti corridor. She then suggested that the district should try to influence the AATA’s master planning process, so that use of the AATA might be an option for AAPS families who can afford it.

Transportation: Discussion – Staff Time

Lightfoot noted, with the many issues AAPS staff have to tackle, it seems like they are still doing a lot of the work related to busing, even though the district is contracting with the WISD to provide this service.

Allen responded that, initially, AAPS wanted to be sure that the WISD had the proper guidance. Saying he no longer planned to be involved on a daily basis, Allen said he now believes “the understanding is there.”

Transportation: Discussion – Special Education Reimbursement

Mexicotte questioned why ridership is reported to the state, since providing transportation is not a state mandate. Marcel answered that it is because of state support of special education services, including transportation. In order to receive state reimbursement of 70% of the transportation costs for special education students, Marcel explained, the WISD must report the ratio of regular riders to special education riders in order to determine the percentage of transportation department office and supervisory staff that can be reimbursed.

Other Actions

In addition to two second briefing items, the board agreed to vote on a first briefing item at this meeting – the purchase of new algebra textbooks.

Other Actions: Algebra Textbooks

Assistant superintendent for secondary education Joyce Hunter explained the need for additional algebra textbooks. In a memo to the board which she referenced at the meeting, Hunter reviewed that last year, the decision was made to provide all 8th graders with an opportunity to take algebra. This decision was made, she said, “in order to increase the number of students enrolled in higher-level math courses and to increase the number of African-American and Latino students in AC and AP courses in accordance with the Strategic Plan.”

[See this previous Chronicle coverage: "Schools: Achievement Gap or Equity Gap" for more on how the decision to offer Algebra to all 8th grade students evolved.]

Hunter explained that in order to align the new 8th grade algebra course with high school expectations (which will allow 8th graders to earn high school credit for the course) the district will need to purchase additional copies of the Holt textbook being used in 9th grade algebra classes.

The board asked how the books will be distributed, why a request to purchase these books was not made in the spring, and how students and teachers are currently functioning in 8th grade algebra without these books.

Hunter clarified that each student will be lent a book to take home, and each teacher will have a class set for use in the classroom. She also took responsibility for not ordering the books last March, when the courses were set, saying that in consideration of the budget constraints, she had decided to have teachers make course packs and use supplemental materials, but noted that system was less than ideal.

Stead suggested it would be helpful for students to vote on this item immediately, instead of waiting until after a second briefing, noting “It’s nice to be able to do something at this level that directly impacts student learning.”

Outcome: The board voted unanimously to approve the immediate purchase of 507 Algebra textbooks at a total cost of $32,537.

Other Actions: Second Briefing Items

There was little discussion on the two second briefing items considered at this meeting – the printing of the Rec & Ed catalog, and the contracting of therapeutic services for special education students. Both items were reviewed at more length during the Sept. 14 board meeting. ["AAPS Families Challenged by Busing Changes"]

Regarding the special education contracts, assistant superintendent for student intervention and support services Elaine Brown stated that Green has asked her to bring competitive bids for the needed services earlier in the year next year for board review. Brown also noted that competitive bidding had been a part of her recommendation to contract with Pediatric Therapy Associates this year, and that PTA had provided the lowest bids.

Outcome: As part of the Oct. 12 consent agenda, the board unanimously approved the printing of the Rec & Ed catalog, as well as the contracting of therapeutic services needed for special education students. The consent agenda also included minutes and gift offers, which Mexicotte said were much appreciated.

Other Actions: MASB Voting Delegates

Mexicotte explained that each year, the board sends a number of voting delegates, usually two, to the annual conference of the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB). She noted that the conference will be held near Traverse City, MI this year, and asked for volunteers to represent Ann Arbor. Lightfoot and Baskett volunteered, and Thomas noted that he believed Glenn Nelson, who was absent from the Oct 12 meeting, was also interested.

Mexicotte said the board could nominate up to six delegates, and suggested certifying the three delegates nominated.

Outcome: Lightfoot, Nelson, and Baskett were certified as AAPS delegates to the MASB conference, and board secretary Amy Osinski was directed to register the delegates for the conference by Oct 14.

Update on Insurance Audit

AAPS assistant superintendent for human resources and legal services Dave Comsa reported to the board that the district’s auditors had recommended performing benefits eligibility audits, which AAPS then did. He explained that all audited employees were told that no action would be taken against them if they were honest in claiming dependents from that point forward.

Employees cooperated, Comsa said, and because of their voluntary cooperation, the district will recoup $766,000 by no longer covering ineligible dependents. Following the audit, Comsa said, AAPS enacted additional safeguards against being able to claim ineligible dependents, including requiring documentation such as birth certificates or marriage licenses.

The board expressed pleasure that the audit has yielded cost savings, as had been hoped, and that the district has taken steps to protect against such a problem recurring.

First Briefing: Policy Updates

At the beginning of her planning committee report, Stead thanked Green for presenting an action plan to use as a tracking tool during policy review. Later in the meeting, Stead presented a first briefing of updates to a set of board policies her committee had reviewed: Policy 5150 (Student Attendance), Policy 5200 (Progress Reporting), Policy 5400 (Safety, Injuries, and Emergencies), Policy 5500 (Smoke-Free Environment) and Policy 5600 (Medication).

Of those reviewed, Stead said, changes were suggested to two policies – Student Attendance and Smoke-Free Environment.

The suggested changes to the student attendance policy were to bring attendance procedures for elementary, middle, and high school students under one policy.

If approved by the board, the smoke-free environment policy would be amended to include the school grounds in the policy, thus bringing an “outdoor” element to what had been an indoor policy. The board questioned what this would mean to smoking by adults at outdoor sporting events, and to tailgating on Pioneer grounds on UM football Saturdays. Stead confirmed that all smoking on AAPS grounds would be prohibited, and that UM police would be responsible for policing Pioneer’s parking lot on UM game days.

Though the other three policies reviewed by the committee were not seen as needing updates, Stead said the planning committee did suggest some changes to their administrative regulations, rules regarding the implementation of the policies, on which the board advises but does not vote.

Regarding the progress report policy, Stead suggested adding a line about how parents have the responsibility to stay informed about student progress. Lightfoot suggested putting in language about requiring additional oversight of students whose progress triggers concern. Stead was amenable to having her committee look at the regulations again to see how such an idea could be incorporated.

Stead also reported that small wording changes were suggested in the regulations of policies 5400 (Safety, Injuries, and Emergencies) and 5600 (Medication) to reflect current practice.

Outcome: The board will review these recommendations at second briefing at its next regular meeting.

Achievement Gap

During the catch-all, “items from the board” section at the end of the Oct. 12 meeting, Stead commended the local chapter of Links, Inc. for holding a “well-facilitated, solutions-focused” meeting on the achievement gap. [In a phone call with The Chronicle, Baskett explained that Links, Inc. is an exclusive, international civic group for African-American women, and noted that the recent meeting of the organization's local chapter was an invitation-only study of the achievement gap facing AAPS.]

Stead asserted that working with Links is exactly the kind of community engagement AAPS has been hoping for, and that “if any one person could have solved this problem, it would have been solved a long time ago.” Baskett also thanked the leadership of Links, Inc., expressing appreciation that “the community is really getting involved with us.”

Lightfoot questioned the timeline for implementation of the district’s achievement gap elimination plan. Mexicotte suggested the appropriate process would be for the performance committee to make a recommendation for the plan to be formally reported to the board. Then, the executive committee of the board “can see where to slot it.”

In his regular report to the board, Bryan Johnson, chair of the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), also addressed the achievement gap. He noted that the BPSSG had recently hosted their kickoff meeting, and that the theme of their work for 2011-2015 will be “building the achievement bridge.” He explained that the BPSSG has formed committees around three goals – increasing parent involvement, reinforcing a culture of achievement among students, and working with AAPS to create an environment in which all students can succeed. The BPSSG executive committee, Johnson said, will also be working with community organizations on a program addressing academics, character, and citizenship.

Saying she was looking forward to working with the BPSSG, Mexicotte noted that she attended their kickoff event, and that it was a “roomful of energy, new ideas, and new partnerships.” She said the past leadership of the BPSSG has always been a great partner, and that the new leadership was energizing as well.

In her superintendent’s report, Green also thanked the BPSSG for inviting her to their kickoff event, and praised the group for embarking on a multi-year process to help eliminate the achievement gap.

Suspension and Expulsion

The board engaged in a brief off-agenda discussion on suspension and expulsion data, disagreeing about whether the topic was part of the recent planning committee meeting and if it should have been part of Stead’s report to the board.

Baskett said she had requested data on 2010-11 suspension and expulsion data last February, and that she should not have to wait to get it until February 2012 – when a study session on the issue has been scheduled. Lightfoot agreed, saying, “I think we, as trustees, should not have to wait until February – those numbers should have been made available to us.”

Mexicotte said the executive committee had asked AAPS administrators when they would have a good grasp on not only the numbers of students suspended or expelled, but how the district would be moving forward in dealing with these situations. While the board may receive raw data soon, Mexicotte said, “the idea was to give the administration some time to frame the numbers, understand them better, and bring a plan to that meeting.”

Additional Public Commentary

During public commentary, AAPS parent and board of education candidate Ahmar Iqbal, commended Green on her first 100 days as AAPS superintendent, and addressed the board on the issue of class size. He noted that when he went to the capsule and curriculum nights for his two children, he was troubled by the class sizes they are experiencing. Iqbal pointed out that the “overloading” of high school classes has prevented his daughter from transferring to another class and noted that his children are not experiencing class sizes at the targets set by the 2011-12 budget.

Iqbal also argued that he believes families will choose to leave AAPS because of the lack of available course offerings due to larger class sizes, and suggested the following solutions: hold additional teacher training sessions on how to deal with larger class sizes; require principals or other administrators to teach classes to reduce class size; and create a community task force with parents to explore options.

Board Committee Reports

The school board has two standing committees. The planning committee consists of: Christine Stead (chair), Susan Baskett, and Irene Patalan; the performance committee consists of: Glenn Nelson (chair), Simone Lightfoot, and Andy Thomas. Board president Deb Mexicotte sits on neither committee.

At its recent retreat on Oct. 14, the board suggested that the issue of committee restructuring be brought to the next regular meeting on Oct. 26. The board is considering meeting as a “committee of the whole,” instead of using two, separate committees.

The planning committee’s report is included in the section above on early budget planning in light of state-level funding cuts.

Performance Committee

In Nelson’s absence, Thomas spoke about the recent activities of the performance committee.

Thomas reported that the performance committee met with an Arab-American parent support group, who were requesting formal recognition so that they would then be able to link to their group website from the AAPS main website.

Noting that this parent group has been instrumental in addressing curriculum issues within AAPS, to bring knowledge and sensitivity to cultural concerns of Arab-American students, Thomas thanked them for their insight, and said he thought the committee discussion had been very positive.

Finally, Thomas noted the performance committee had discussed concerns about whether counselors are used as effectively as possible, particularly in terms of preparing students about how to apply and pay for college. He said that AAPS is not always in line with best practices regarding guidance counseling, and said he expects a plan of action to come of the board in the near future to be sure counselors are used to best to meet the needs of today’s students.

Board Associations

At each meeting, the board invites reports from six associations: the Youth Senate, the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee on Special Education (AAPAC), the Parent-Teacher-Organization Council (PTOC), the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), and the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA).

At the Oct. 12 meeting, the Youth Senate, AAPAC, PTOC, BPSSG, and AAEA addressed the board. Mexicotte noted that she had recently met with the AAAA about equity work and how the board might work with them to be better partners. She added that she was disappointed that they did not report to the board at this meeting.

BPSSG and AAEA reports are included above in the summaries of board discussion on the achievement gap and the board’s response to state-level funding cuts.

Association Reports: Youth Senate

Rachel Blakemore from Community High School addressed the board on behalf of the Youth Senate. She reported on concerns regarding progressively limited course offerings at Pioneer and Huron, and expressed that many students are deeply troubled by the rumors circulating around that Humanities may not be offered in the future.

The remainder of the Senate report focused on busing. Blakemore reported that many of the drivers are inexperienced, and uninformed. She also noted that because of fewer shuttles between high schools, students’ academic and athletic opportunities are more limited. Finally, Blakemore pointed out that the lack of [AATA] bus passes has also limited student opportunities, as shuttles and normal school buses “are not adequate.”

Association Reports: AAPAC

Melany Raubolt addressed the board on behalf of the AAPAC. She thanked Green for addressing concerns regarding transportation of special education students, and reported that many glitches seem to have been resolved. She also thanked Brown for speaking to the AAPAC about improvements in the process of developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for special needs students, and noted that the AAPAC looks forward to learning about how students can develop a personal curriculum if needed.

Raubolt said she is looking forward to peer-to-peer mentoring expanding throughout the district, which reinforce that “children with special needs are children first, not disabilities first.” Three schools, she noted, are slated to participate in Disability Awareness Workshops (DAW) in November.

Ann Arbor is a large district, Raubolt said, whose children would be better served if AAPS offered a young adult program to special education students. She argued that parents should be able to visit all young adult programs to choose which is best for their students, and that all programs need to be flexible enough to meet students’ needs, including toileting needs. “Our students can lead productive lives,” Raubolt asserted.

Association Reports: PTOC

Martine Perreault reported for the PTOC, thanking Green for giving the keynote address at the group’s recent launch party as well as answering questions from the audience.

She also thanked the six candidates from the board of education for attending the launch party, and answering questions formally, as well as informally during a dessert buffet.

Finally, Perreault thanked the PTO officers who attended as well. She noted that the PTOC has had contact with every PTO and PTSO in the district at this point in the year, up from a membership of only 10% of the PT(S)Os four years ago, and that the PTOC continues to “build strength through unity.”

Upcoming PTOC events, Perreault concluded, will include treasurer training and a fundraising forum.

Superintendent’s Report

Green praised the district’s 63 national merit semifinalists, the Community High jazz program, the Huron drumline, the Skyline library, and multiple other specific schools, students, and teachers for recent achievements. She also reported on the recent visit of a group of students from Ann Arbor’s sister city of Hikone, Japan.

Finally, Green thanked the PTOC for the opportunity not just to speak, but also to “mix and mingle, to be a person and not just a superintendent.”

Additional Items from the Board

Baskett apologized to the Ann Arbor Tech community for the board retreat being scheduled on the same day as their open house to dedicate the school’s new name. She also invited everyone to the annual NAACP freedom fund dinner, to be held on Nov. 5 at the Sheraton. If they’re unable to attend, Baskett urged her colleagues and all listeners to consider sponsoring a student to attend for $35.

Mexicotte noted that she is a panelist on a forum taking a critical look at student performance on Oct. 22 from 9-11:30 at the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) student union. She added that this forum is one of a series EMU sponsors every year.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice-president Susan Baskett, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Simone Lightfoot and Christine Stead.

Absent: Trustee Glenn Nelson

Next regular meeting: Oct. 26, 2011, 7:00 p.m., at the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave.

The $183 million budget went through many iterations since originally proposed in April, before the board approved it on Wednesday evening on a 5-2 vote. Trustees Simone Lightfoot and Christine Stead dissented.

Details on the board deliberations that led to the split vote on the budget will be included in The Chronicle’s forthcoming meeting report, along with the other board business transacted that evening.

This brief highlights the key elements of the approved budget.

Instructional Staff Reductions and Associated Impacts

The new budget will decrease the number of teaching positions by 62.3, which will save the district $5.6 million, but cause an increase of class sizes of approximately two to three students per classroom across the district. Class size targets will be 23-25 students in grades K-2, 26-30 students in grades 3-5, and an average of 30 students in grades 6-12.

The original budget proposal brought to the board in April suggested cuts to 70 teaching positions, but at a study session on the budget held last week, administrators suggested adding back 7.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. The rationale for adding those positions was primarily to address some “uncomfortably high” class sizes and multi-grade classes in early grades, according to Lee-Ann Dickinson-Kelley, AAPS interim deputy superintendent of instruction.

Assistant superintendent of secondary schools, Joyce Hunter, explained at Wednesday’s meeting that the reduction of approximately 48 secondary level FTEs will impact the number of course offerings.  For example, she said, classes with lower enrollment, such as higher-level world languages, will be offered at a single location instead of at each high school. Trustees suggested making use of distance learning technology, instead of shuttling, to ensure that all students are able to take advantage of these consolidated classes.

Dickinson-Kelley reminded the board that “staffing is an enormously complex process,” and that class enrollment can change dramatically over the summer.

Other cuts to instructional services included a reduction of seven administrative and central office FTEs, for additional savings of $600,000.

Transportation Service Reductions

The budget passed this week will significantly modify bus service offered by the district, for a total savings in transportation costs of $1.3 million.  The largest change will come in high school busing: Instead of being picked up at traditional bus stops, high school students will be picked up at a fewer number of centralized pick-up points throughout the district.

Most of these common pick-up sites will be elementary schools, which are concentrated primarily in the center of the AAPS district area.  A small number of common pick-up sites might be added in areas of the district where there are concentrated numbers of high school students who live too far out to walk to the nearest elementary school pick-up site.

Liz Margolis, AAPS director of communications, said Wednesday that routes would be set by the end of July, and that families will be notified of the transportation service changes as soon as possible.

The approved budget also eliminates 7th hour busing at the high schools, eliminates after-school shuttles at the middle schools, and requires consistent implementation of board policy on distances between bus stops.

Other cuts to operations include the elimination of 3.75 FTEs in information technology, human resources and support positions, and a reduction of maintenance costs, legal fees, and gas costs, for an additional savings of $660,000.

Changes in Revenue

District interim superintendent Robert Allen reported at Wednesday’s meeting that AAPS had attracted only 130 additional students through Schools of Choice (SOC) instead of the targeted number of 170. That lowered revenue by $300,000.  However, Allen noted that enrollment numbers could still increase, and pointed out that during the last two weeks of August last year, over 160 students joined the district.

Allen also pointed out that the budget had been adjusted to include a one-time disbursement of $2.4 million in aid from the state to the district to offset the state-mandated increase in employer retirement contributions.

Parking fees will also bring the district an additional $100,000 in revenue this coming year – fans choosing to park at Pioneer High School to attend University of Michigan football games will be charged $40 instead of $35.

Decreases in Wages and Benefits

Savings in wages and benefits totaling $2.6 million were part of the budget as originally proposed, and saw no amendments during the budget deliberation process on Wednesday.  Those savings include negotiated freezes in teacher pay, savings in health care costs, and reductions in supplemental pay for after-school activities.

District-Wide Reductions

All AAPS departments were instructed to cut 7% of their budgets without entirely eliminating any program, for a total savings of $500,000.

Two former students spoke during public commentary at Wednesday’s meeting to ask the board to maintain funding of  the district’s creative writing program, as well as to continue the support it offers to the literary arts programs of the Neutral Zone, a local teen center.

Allen confirmed at Wednesday’s meeting that while the district will continue to support a number of initiatives through the superintendent’s account or other discretionary budgets, the support will be at a lower level.

There was no discussion on other remaining district-wide savings measures totaling nearly $1.4 million, which include reducing noon-hour supervision and substitute costs, and lowering building and athletics budgets.

Fund Balance

Though board policy requires AAPS to maintain a fund balance equal to at least 15% of its operating budget, again next year the district is projecting a fund balance below that target .

The projected beginning balance of the district’s fund equity next year is $19.6 million.  The initial budget proposal called for using $1.73 million in fund equity during the next school year to supplement revenue.  However, the budget as eventually approved is projected to use only $810,000 in fund equity, keeping it just above $19 million, or 10.4% of the budget, at the end of the 2011-12 fiscal year.

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AAPS interim superintendent Robert Allen and board chair Deb Mexicotte. (Photo by the writer.)

School districts across Michigan are facing an ongoing structural deficit in state funding, along with significant anticipated cuts in reimbursement for special education services, and increases in mandated payments into the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS).

Since the AAPS board last met on May 25, Michigan legislators passed a budget for the upcoming state fiscal year, which begins in October 2011 – though it still awaits Gov. Rick Snyder’s signature. The budget includes a one-time provision to offset the increase in school districts’ MPSERS payments, as well as one-time grants to districts that meet at least four out of five “best practice” guidelines, as defined by the state.

For AAPS, this means the district could receive as much as $4 million more in state funding than anticipated when its 2011-12 budget was proposed – a $2.4 million retirement offset, and a possible $1.6 million in best practice grant funding. In light of these changes, AAPS trustees met Friday, June 3 to review possible amendments to the budget proposal they will be considering Wednesday. No binding decisions were made at the study session, and there was no consensus among trustees about how much to defer to recommendations brought by the administration.

Changes to transportation services and class sizes generated the most discussion. The proposed budget includes a reduction of 70 teaching positions, which would raise class sizes at all grade levels by two or three students per classroom. Administration has proposed bringing back 7.7 of those 70 positions, though trustees discussed whether the district should add back even more.

The board also discussed the possibility of proposing additional local millages. Revenues could be used to refresh technology districtwide and build more classrooms, allowing AAPS to offer all-day kindergarten at all elementary schools. Ballot language for any proposed millages would need to be completed by the end of August to be voted on this fall.

Two four-year terms for board of education trustees will also be on the Nov. 8 ballot, for seats currently held by trustees Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas.

AAPS Fund Balance and Possible Future Budget Cuts

AAPS interim superintendent Robert Allen opened the June 3 discussion by reviewing the district’s fund equity needs, and suggesting that trustees should first determine how much they want to retain in fund equity before deciding how to allocate any remaining funds. He noted that board policy is to maintain a fund balance of 15% of the district’s operating expenditures, but that if the budget passes in its current form, the fund balance at the end of the 2011-12 school year will be $18 million, which is under 10% of the projected expenditures of $182 million.

Allen also noted that the district needs to maintain a fund balance of at least $17 million to maintain its cash flow during the eight weeks of summer when it does not receive money from the state. Otherwise, AAPS would need to borrow money to meet payroll during those weeks, incurring the additional interest costs.

Finally, Allen noted that he has requested clarification from the state regarding its intentions behind the best practice grant criteria as currently worded, and cautioned trustees against relying on that funding. He also reported that the district had filled only 130 of the 170 spaces it had offered through Schools of Choice (SOC), which translates into a loss of $300,000 in expected revenue.

Most trustees felt it imperative that the district maintain a fund balance above the minimal level required to meet summer cash flow requirements. Trustees made many references to the state budget as passed by the Michigan legislature, noting that it is a departure from precedents established by the passage of Proposal A in 1994, since money from the School Aid Fund (SAF) was moved out of that fund to pay for other things.

“Any projections related to the [SAF] are now moot,” trustee Christine Stead asserted. “We no longer know how school will be funded … This [budget] sets us up for two more years of crisis.”

Trustee Irene Patalan asserted that “the community appreciates that we don’t gamble … We need more reserves.” She reminded other board members that last year they had to spend $11 million of fund equity mid-year when the state suddenly decreased funding, and noted that the scenario could repeat.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot concurred – maintaining a high fund equity balance has kept AAPS from having to make even deeper cuts made by other districts in Michigan, she said. “I am feeling the most fiscally conservative I’ve ever felt. To even have money … I don’t want to spend a dime.”

Trustee Glenn Nelson agreed that future budget projections need to take the state’s general fund into account, along with the SAF, “since they are essentially merged.” However, he took a somewhat different position than the other trustees, arguing that the state has made large cuts in funding this year in order to protect itself from having to make cuts in FY 2012-13, which is an election year for state legislators.

Nelson invoked the Biblical story of Joseph’s “seven good years and seven bad years,” and argued that while “we celebrate the wisdom of setting aside during the good years, the bad years are not the time to add to the reserve.” Suggesting that the state could not be counted upon to resolve the funding crisis being experienced by public education, board president Deb Mexicotte quipped, “Joseph did have a guarantee from God.”

Possible Budget Amendments

The board’s discussion on budget amendments centered on six main possibilities: (1) increasing walk zones; (2) cutting noon-hour transportation; (3) creating common pick-up points; (4) eliminating high school busing; (5) lowering class sizes by hiring more instructional staff; and (6) decreasing noon-hour supervision costs.

Possible Budget Amendments: Walk Zones

There are two types of walk zones: “school walk zones,” which refer to a radius around schools, outside of which busing is offered; and “bus stop walk zones,” which refer to the distance that students need to walk to reach a bus stop. Trustees discussed the potential savings that could be gleaned from increasing each type of walk zone, as well as the effects that such changes would have on students and families.

The school walk zones are currently set at 1.5 miles for all AAPS schools – elementary, middle, and high school students are currently not offered bus service if they live within 1.5 miles of their home school. Interim superintendent Robert Allen suggested that increasing the school walk zone for all grades to 2 miles could save $800,000.

In addition, Allen said that enforcing existing board policy to be sure that bus stop walk zones are properly spaced could save another $500,000. Current policy states that no student should have to walk more than 0.5 miles to reach a bus stop, but it has not been enforced.

Board members were universally supportive of having their existing policy enforced regarding the spacing of bus stop walk zones. There was less consensus regarding the expansion of school walk zones.

Multiple trustees commented that they’ve received many e-mails suggesting that increasing the school walk zones would be a good way to aid in the fight against childhood obesity, as well as a good way to save money. Most people around the table noted that parents are quite supportive of increasing school walk zones until it is their first grader walking an hour, in the dark, in a snowsuit. Liz Margolis, AAPS director of communications, confirmed that increasing walk zones would disproportionately affect elementary students – 50% of those students would be affected.

Andy Thomas suggested possibly increasing walk zones for only middle and high school students.

Christine Stead said on the surface she liked the idea of increasing walk zones  very much, but suggested there might be safety issues with increasing some of the zones, such as problems caused by lack of sidewalks on busy roads. Allen explained that the policy makes exceptions for safety issues, such as being sure students do not have to cross busy roads.

The board made numerous requests that additional data regarding student use of AAPS bus service be brought to the next meeting, including the exact number and location of households with students who ride the bus. Administrative staff explained that it is a challenge to determine exactly which students are riding the buses, as ridership is very fluid, changing on a day-to-day basis as affected by weather, sports seasons, and numerous personal factors.

Possible Budget Amendments: Noon-Hour Transportation

Allen reported that AAPS could save $400,000 by not offering transportation home to morning kindergarteners. Some considerations, he noted, were that parents or caregivers needed to be available anyway to care for the child in the afternoon, and that parents have an option of having their children stay all day if there is no way to get them home.

Margolis added that most of the 228  kindergarten families (18% of all kindergarteners) that would be affected by the change would have other means of getting their children home, according to a recent survey undertaken by the district. She added as an example that one of the elementary schools has only one student who rides the bus home at mid-day, but that requires a whole bus.

Glenn Nelson expressed apprehension at possibly losing kindergarten students due to lack of busing, because once they are gone, they might not return to the district.

Possible Budget Amendments: Common Pick-Up Points

Another suggested amendment, Allen said, was to add high school busing back into the budget, but create common pick-up points for high schoolers at their neighborhood elementary schools. Using common pick-up points instead of traditional bus stops would save $600,000, he said, explaining that AAPS would have the flexibility to name the pick-up sites.

Margolis added that a few bus runs could be added to focal points along the outside ring of the district for students who live too far out to walk to elementary schools.

Most board members expressed a general interest in using common pick-up points, but again, the board requested that a visual aid – showing the possible locations of common pick-up points – be brought to the next meeting.

Possible Budget Amendments: High School Busing

The elimination of high school busing would save the district $1.3 million, and is currently a part of the proposed budget.

Many board members expressed that the appeal of changing service for high school students was that they had been with the district a while, and that families with high schoolers would be more motivated than those with younger students to find a way to stay in AAPS.

Mexicotte also explained that she had anticipated “backfilling” in areas where the community indicated there was a problem created by eliminating busing, such as places without AATA service. Margolis responded that AAPS could not backfill by offering bus service to only some high school students.

Mexicotte said she did not mean to backfill with buses, but that the district could use cabs or organize carpools. She also suggested that older students could drive younger ones in their neighborhoods.

Margolis clarified that state law prohibits AAPS from offering non-equitable services within grade levels. For example, the district could offer common pick-up sites to all high school students, but could not send buses only to a few neighborhoods.

There was some debate among trustees as to how much to defer to AAPS administration regarding the choice of suggested transportation budget reductions.

On one hand, Nelson and Patalan suggested greater deference to the administration would be appropriate. “I want you and your people to do your work,” Nelson said to Allen, “and tell me in your professional opinion what to do.” Patalan added that, though she likes to totally understand everything, she believes that central administration has put a ton of thought into the suggested cuts, and she is happy to defer to them. At one point, she asked, smiling, “What am I supposed to be doing here – you want my opinion?”

On the other hand, Thomas suggested that the administration had not provided the board with enough data to make a good decision. He argued that there was not time to implement major changes in transportation services in time for next fall. He noted that the board could not say exactly who would be affected by eliminating high school busing, and whether they would be able to find alternate transportation. Thomas asserted that the board should leave transportation services entirely in place for 2011-12 while they “take a year and figure out how to do it right.”

Trustee Susan Baskett agreed, saying, “I will not commit to anything until I see maps.”

Stead and Mexicotte expressed concern that not eliminating high school busing would be risky. “If we shoot for $1.2 million [in savings], we’ll get $1 million,” said Mexicotte. “I want to try to get the largest savings possible.” Stead argued that the board needed to be prepared for another mid-year funding reduction from the state, even with only the summer months to plan for a big shift in services.

Lightfoot and Stead questioned whether consolidating transportation services with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) had saved the district the money it was promised to save. Stead also asked if WISD had any recommendations for AAPS. Allen answered that, other than enforcing the bus stop walk zones, the WISD was considering adding another garage site to cut down on “deadhead miles,” or miles that buses are driven without any students on them.

The only public commentary at the study session was offered on the issue of transportation by Martine Perreault, a representative from the Parent-Teacher-Organization Council (PTOC). She urged the board to consider that the district could lose students in higher numbers than it will gain money by cutting high school busing. She noted that there are numerous private and charter schools in the area, and that these students might choose to attend other schools “that are happy to run a bus to them.”

Possible Budget Amendments: Instructional Staff and Class Sizes

The proposed budget includes a reduction of 70 teaching positions, or FTEs (full-time equivalents), which would raise class sizes at all grade levels by two or three students per classroom. At the June 3 study session, interim deputy superintendent of instruction Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley proposed adding back 7.7 positions: (1) 6.5 FTEs to address some “uncomfortable” class sizes and split classes at the elementary level created by the proposed reductions; (2) an 0.2 FTE to deliver Reading Apprenticeship (RA) programs in a common way across all middle schools; and (3) 1 FTE for a liaison position at Scarlett Middle School to work with the Mitchell Elementary-Scarlett-University of Michigan partnership.

Dickinson-Kelley acknowledged that adding staff positions is a longer-term commitment than making budget adjustments in transportation. But she argued that raising class sizes to the degree originally suggested in the proposal will make it hard to deliver the curriculum in some cases.

She also explained that some FTEs, such as math support positions in each of the middle schools, could be saved by selectively applying special education funding, and grants from the AAPS Educational Foundation.

Baskett, Lightfoot, and Patalan supported Dickinson-Kelley’s amendment to add 7.7 FTEs back into the budget, though some concern was expressed about funding the Scarlett liaison position. Dickinson-Kelley explained that she was only requesting such funding for one year, after which the duties of the position would be absorbed by other administrators.

Nelson argued that the board can add back in a significantly larger number of FTEs by using the new money expected from the state, as well as maintaining a lower fund equity balance. He suggested adding back at least 20 FTEs, spread over all grades, but being especially conscious of maintaining low class sizes in grades K-2. “The scale of the cuts is too large, in view of the harm we’re doing to students,” he said.

Thomas calculated the numbers differently, and suggested instead that AAPS could afford to hire closer to 12-14 additional teachers. Stead supported that idea, saying she’d rather lower class sizes and cut more in transportation.

Mexicotte noted that Nelson’s suggestion would amount to lessening the class size increase by roughly one student per classroom. She questioned whether the difference of one student per room was worth the cost, rather than saving the money in fund equity.

Thomas then suggested adding back additional FTEs in a more concentrated way rather than across the board, to keep a set of classes at significantly lower levels, such as K-2 or middle school classes.

Allen suggested adding teaching aides instead of teachers to help with the increase in class size.

Mexicotte supported Dickinson-Kelley’s original recommendation of adding back in 7.7 FTEs, but both she and Lightfoot said they would consider adding back more teaching staff if they would be used in a targeted way that would make a real difference, as suggested by Thomas.

There was some discussion of whether it would be fair to hire any new teachers at all, knowing they may all be laid off next year. Mexicotte summed up board sentiment by saying, “This is the ‘crossing that bridge when you come to it’ piece.”

Possible Budget Amendments: Noon-hour Supervision

Trustees questioned the wisdom of the proposed $200,000 of cuts to noon-hour supervision. Dickinson-Kelley explained that the cuts are not actual positions, but represent an accounting shift from district to building management of noon-hour supervision costs. Stead confirmed that the ratio of supervisors to students on the playground will remain 1 to 35.

Nelson expressed concern that principals not be given too much latitude in terms of managing their own budgets without oversight. Joyce Hunter, assistant superintendent for secondary education, said she has been monitoring building-level budgets, and that most of the building-level savings has come from consolidating high-level classes. For example, the highest level world language classes may only be offered at one location instead of in multiple high schools.

Patalan thanked the administrators for participating in the study session, and for being so conscientious in their decision-making and budget recommendations.

All-Day Kindergarten

Another piece of the state budget passed by the legislature was the state’s intention to phase out full funding for kindergarten students, so that beginning in FY 2012-13, districts would receive only half of the per-pupil foundation allowance for half-day kindergarten students.

At the June 3 study session, Mexicotte picked up on a reference made by Nelson at the previous board meeting, and suggested that the board should begin discussing what the district would need to do in order to be able to offer all-day kindergarten at all elementary schools.

Baskett asserted that offering all-day kindergarten was important, saying that “more hours with everyone has a better return,” and that she paid for it for her son when it had not been a standard option. Mexicotte suggested that the board should approach the question of whether or not to offer all-day kindergarten from a philosophical standpoint as well as being driven by a state mandate. It’s a “both/and” proposition, she said.

AAPS offers all-day kindergarten at a handful of elementary schools, and Dickinson-Kelley acknowledged that the district does not currently have the building capacity for all students to be in kindergarten for a full day.

Technology and Construction Millages

Mexicotte said the board should give more consideration to increasing revenue, and asked trustees to weigh in on whether or not AAPS should consider proposing a new millage to voters this November. She suggested that prospective thinking about all-day kindergarten, which would require construction of new classrooms at some buildings, could be bundled with a bond to fund an update of the district’s technology.

Mexicotte also recommended that AAPS consider working with the new superintendent of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) on another enhancement millage to “backfill around our [decreasing] special education funding.” Though state law currently prohibits individual school districts from enacting a millage to cover operational expenses, ISDs are allowed to request such a levy from voters countywide, with funds then distributed proportionally to member districts. Individual districts are only allowed to request a tax increase from their residents to fund capital improvements.

Stead responded favorably to the idea of a construction and technology bond, but cautioned that the district should be very thoughtful about what it asks for so that any millage approved will last for as long as possible. Lightfoot agreed, saying the board should “ask for enough to get the job done,” and that if the community votes down the requested amounts, the board can ask again for less.

Nelson, too, asserted, “The excellence of this district is in jeopardy if we don’t look at revenue enhancement.” He noted that the state budget includes huge tax breaks, and provides for “amazingly lower public services in response.” All a millage would do, he said, is transfer a small fraction of the state tax breaks back into education.

Stead also asserted that the defunding of education in this state budget provides an opportunity to reinvigorate the push for legislative reform that has gained momentum this year. “We need to negotiate hard … We need local level authority [for operational expenses],” she said.

Thomas said he would support a technology bond, and that “people in this community understand the importance of technology.” He also reminded the board of a recent discussion they had while debating the purchase of a new assessment tool for the district in which the cost of the product license was dwarfed by the cost it would take to purchase the technology to use it. Thomas was less confident about the need for new construction to facilitate all-day kindergarten, asking, “What would we really need, and how much would it cost?”

Lightfoot and Baskett each also questioned whether construction and technology millages should be bundled. Baskett suggested that the technology was “a no-brainer,” but that she was not certain the community would support all-day kindergarten for everyone. She also noted that the incoming superintendent, Patricia Green, was going to be “hit with everything at once.”

Patalan said that, while she supports countywide consolidation efforts, she would be “delighted” to ask only AAPS voters (not the whole WISD district)  for something. “I think our neighbors, our friends, our colleagues are really friends of education. Our community would enjoy the conversation.”

Mexicotte said she would direct the board’s executive committee to look into scheduling further board discussion of possible millages.

Allen reminded the board that planning a budget is only making a “best guess,” and that the process requires continual adjustment throughout the year.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Susan Baskett, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Simone Lightfoot, Christine Stead, and Glenn Nelson.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 7 p.m., at the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

AAPS trustee Susan Baskett and deputy superintendent for operations Robert Allen listen to the transportation consolidation proposal. (Photos by the writer.)

Brian Marcel, assistant superintendent of business services for WISD, walked board members through the proposal, and went through an extensive list of questions and answers about the plan. A few bus drivers from AAPS, as well as some from Lincoln Consolidated Schools, attended the meeting – one of them, Richard Miller, spoke during public commentary.

The only other business conducted at the meeting was to approve a set of minutes, and to schedule an executive session before the next regular meeting on Wednesday, June 9.

Transportation Consolidation Plan Overview

As discussed in some detail at the April 28, 2010 board meeting, the consolidation plan being considered would merge transportation services from at least five Washtenaw County school districts into one entity, managed by the WISD. In addition to AAPS, other districts that are considering joining the consortium are Lincoln Consolidated, Whitmore Lake, Willow Run, and Ypsilanti. [.pdf of FAQ on the consolidation design]

At Friday’s meeting, Brian Marcel shared with the AAPS board the final report of the WISD transportation consolidation administrative design team. Marcel briefed the board on issues that had come up during a meeting held with local bargaining units representing bus drivers and monitors. He also reported to the board on the Ypsilanti school board meeting when the transportation consolidation proposal was discussed.

Also present on Friday to answer questions were: Jim Regan, of Transportation Strategies, one of the consultants hired by the WISD to manage the consolidation effort; AAPS director of transportation, Brad Mellor; AAPS superintendent, Todd Roberts; AAPS deputy superintendent for operations, Robert Allen; and AAPS assistant director of compensation/benefits administration, Shonta Langford-Green.

Elements of the Transportation Consolidation Plan

The major elements of the plan that were presented and discussed on Friday included: wages and benefits; working conditions; organizational structure; oversight; district layoffs and WISD hiring; future restructuring of routes; bus ownership and use; and communication.

Wages and Benefits

Marcel began his presentation by showing a side-by-side comparison of wages and health insurance premium costs for transportation staff under four models: the current AAPS system, the proposed WISD plan, the rejected tentative agreement, or TA, (between AAPS and the transportation union), and privatization.

The current AAPS wage range – for both general and special education drivers – is $12.82 to $17.47 per hour. Under AAPS, monitors (bus aides) earn from $9.66 to $13.49 per hour, and mechanics make from $15.65 to $20.87 per hour. AAPS transportation workers are covered under a Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO health insurance plan. The AAPS share of the health care premium is a function of how many hours each employee works per week – insurance costs for a family plan range from $423.03 to $846.07 per month.

The wage range for general education drivers under the WISD plan is $13 to $16 per hour, with $.50 per hour more paid to drivers on special education routes. In addition, a premium of $.25 per year of service (YOS) in a local district will be added to the hourly wage. Bus monitors under WISD would make from $10-$13 per hour, and mechanics would make a flat rate of $21 per hour. WISD transportation employees would be offered a Priority Health HMO, with a family plan costing from $167.80 to $335.60 per month. If employees received coverage through a spouse, they could choose to opt-out of health insurance and receive additional payment.

Neither the rejected TA nor the privatization numbers were discussed in detail at the meeting. Trustee Susan Baskett did note that wages would be higher under privatization. Allen pointed out that although wages would be higher, employees would have no pension. Marcel noted that, in addition, co-pays are higher under the Aetna plan offered under privatization.

Trustee Andy Thomas asked how wage ranges were set, and Marcel answered that they were benchmarked against local and national public and private sector wages. Thomas asked how many drivers were currently at the top of the pay scale, saying “I’m just trying to get a feel for how many drivers’ salaries will decrease.” With input from Mellor, as well as some of the bus drivers in the room, Thomas determined that if current AAPS drivers’ average wage is $17 per hour, and their average YOS 7.5, the average loss in wages under the WISD system would be $1.50 to $2 per hour – over a 10% decrease.

Board president Deb Mexicotte pointed out that some drivers would make more money than they do now, and trustee Simone Lightfoot reiterated Thomas’ question, “How many drivers are at the top of the pay scale versus the bottom?” Allen said he could bring the specific numbers to the board’s second briefing on the issue. Board secretary Glenn Nelson requested a grid with the row showing YOS, and the column showing the hourly rate. Board treasurer Christine Stead requested that the proposed wages also be included on the grid.

Next, Marcel presented a list of recommended salaries drafted by the administration design team for central administration staff, ranging from $115,000 for the transportation director to $35,000 for the field trip coordinators. He noted, however, that though the recommended salaries are based on the benchmarking described above, some of them may need to be adjusted to fit within the existing WISD administrative structure.

When questioned further by Baskett and board vice president Irene Patalan, Marcel gave two examples of proposed salaries that might need adjustment to fit into WISD norms. First, he explained, the director could not make $115,000 because the WISD does not have salaries that high; Marcel estimated a salary range of $100,000 to $110,000 to be more likely. Secondly, given the large number of employees managed by the supervisor/trainers, WISD would likely set their salaries about $10,000 higher than the design team recommended – closer to $60,000 instead of $49,150.

Stead requested that a chart be created for the second briefing on Wednesday, which would compare, side by side, the design team’s salary recommendations and the salaries as they would be set by the WISD’s pay scale.

WISD is proposing to grant each employee five sick days and one personal day, along with paid holidays to be determined by the time driver positions are posted. Baskett requested an additional chart be created for the second briefing, comparing sick days and paid holidays given employees under the AAPS and WISD structures. She also asked about the “attendance incentive” noted in Marcel’s report. Marcel explained that the WISD plan would pay cash bonuses to employees with few absences.

Working Conditions

Marcel noted that the WISD plan does not guarantee a certain number of hours of work per driver per day. AAPS currently has a minimum of four hours. In addition, AAPS pays drivers the same rate for down time between routes, while the WISD plan sets driving hours and waiting time at different rates.

Lightfoot commented that it seems “inefficient” to not be able to schedule drivers in at least four-hour blocks. She asked if there were many two- or three-hour routes. Regan answered that the goal is to “operate buses at target capacity against the clock,” noting that the guidelines require students not to spend more than one or 1.5 hours on a bus. He said that it does not make sense to hire a driver below a certain number of hours per day, and judged that the “market reality” indicates about 5 hours as the minimum number of hours a driver should work – a 2.5-hour run in the morning and a 2.5-hour run in the afternoon.

Jim Regan describes a part of the proposed transportation consolidation plan. Regan is with Transportation Strategies, one of the consultants hired by the WISD to manage the effort.

Mellor added that some people might be looking for part-time work, and might want a single, shorter run. He stressed that the current AAPS system would not allow a driver to work less than four hours per day, and that this new plan affords more staffing flexibility.

Stead asked Roberts if AAPS had the option of altering school start times next year, and Roberts said no – next year, general education routes and times will be the same.

Marcel added that driving experience will be part of the consideration of route assignment. More experience working with kids or parents, he said, could lead to being assigned a “tougher route.”

Nelson confirmed that drivers under the WISD plan would not be private sector employees. Marcel confirmed that, no, they would be WISD employees, and still be part of the state public schools retirement system. He added that drivers could choose to unionize, but which union they’d choose would depend on which districts join the consolidation, since districts have contracts with different unions.

Organizational Structure

Marcel described the organizational structure of the proposed plan, totaling 30-32 people for a 5-district consortium. The central administration team would include a director, assistant directors of three departments – operations, business services, and central dispatch – and their staffs. Marcel noted that the business services staff would be organized under WISD human resources, rather than with the other transportation services staff, which may realize some cost savings. He also pointed out that supervisor/trainers, though common to AAPS, are rare in other districts. The administration team, he said, believes that training is important to ensure the safety of children, and includes four supervisor/trainers in its operations department.

Allen and Regan added that selecting the WISD option could create opportunities in the future to downsize AAPS central office staff, since the workload for each person in human resources would decrease if all transportation services were handled outside the district.

Oversight

Marcel explained that the WISD will use a different infrastructure/tracking system from the software currently used by AAPS – one that better integrates with WISD’s accounting system.

Stead responded in defense of the software used by AAPS, saying that a lot of her clients used it as well. She noted that, while recognizing the transition as a “serious shift,” AAPS would be watching to be sure the infrastructure chosen by WISD accommodates drivers and manages drivers well.

Stead later asked if the WISD had a survey tool that could be used to assess community satisfaction, and noted that AAPS will want “to monitor how things are going” with other metrics as well, including costs and length of time kids are on the buses. Nelson concurred, saying that hiring good drivers is the way to achieve satisfaction, and that even while under budget pressure, the board still wants to ensure an excellent educational experience all around.

Regan said parent surveys could be sent twice a year, and that ongoing management reporting would be provided: “You can tell us what you want in the report, and how often you want it – monthly or quarterly.”

District Layoffs and WISD Hiring

Baskett and Thomas asked about a timeline for laying off current district employees if AAPS decides to join the WISD effort, and if they would be eligible for unemployment. Thomas also asked whether employees who were laid off, but eventually hired by WISD, would need to COBRA their health insurance over the two months of summer.

Langford-Green explained that 10-month employees are not eligible for unemployment over the summer, since they are generally assured of returning in the fall. This year, she said, it would be different, so workers could apply for unemployment. Marcel added that AAPS would not want to lay off all its drivers in June, since some would be needed over the summer.

As for health insurance, Mexicotte suggested that the district could time the layoffs to bridge the two-month gap, but Langford-Green pointed out that that would not be necessary, since the district has already paid for health insurance for all transportation workers through August. Allen added that each participating district honors the pay out of retained sick/personal days differently, depending on the collective bargaining agreement in play.

Nelson asked what the “drop dead” date was for districts to sign on to the WISD consolidation, and when drivers could apply for jobs. Marcel said that five of the administrative positions are already posted, with a closing date of June 8.  But he acknowledged that “people are applying knowing it might not happen.” The driver positions would be posted once the administration team was in place, he said – likely by the end of June. Current employees of the consolidating districts will have priority in hiring before candidates are sought outside the county.

Lightfoot asked if driver seniority would be a factor in hiring. Marcel answered that seniority would not be considered in hiring or routing, but reiterated the slight increase in wages it would mean, and asserted, “I have no reason not to want to hire your people.” Regan added that, though seniority per se is not taken into account in hiring, experience with specific schools could be. For example, he said, if a driver has run a specific route for a specific school, the intent would be to “keep the stability of the system” by hiring that driver for that route.

Thomas questioned the hiring criteria as they relate to wages, arguing that there was an incentive to hire less experienced people. “If someone was really looking to game the system,” he stated, “WISD could reduce costs by hiring drivers with the least seniority.”

Regan responded, “That’s not the intent,” to which Thomas replied, “Could you say, ‘That’s not going to happen.’” Marcel offered, “I’m not going to intentionally drive down cost at the expense of having more experienced people.” Mellor added that from a training standpoint, it would not be feasible not to hire experienced drivers.

Baskett asked about drug testing and background checks to be done on drivers, and who would cover those costs. Mellor said that AAPS already does quarterly drug tests, and Marcel said the WISD system would pay for them (not the drivers). Marcel also explained that full background checks would only be done on drivers who had not previously worked for a participating district. Current drivers would be screened only with the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT).

Regarding future hiring, Lightfoot asked if the WISD would hire drivers only from the substitute pool, and whether the sub pool would be filled with drivers who were good enough to be hired, but for whom there were not enough positions.

Marcel said the WISD would keep names of qualified drivers on file who were not chosen initially, and Regan noted that people who have had experience on the district’s routes and in the WISD system would be logical fits, if positions open up in the future.

Saying it reminded her of other sub pool issues the district has had in the past, Patalan asserted that, though it seems logical that the sub pool would be made aware of any opening, she would like to be sure that the “door would stay open for other people to apply.” Nelson agreed, using teachers as an example: “Quite often the best teachers the next fall are not the ones subbing now.”

Lightfoot asked what happened if districts join the consortium late, and who would cover the new routes. Mellor said WISD would need to hire to fill out the routes, and add staff to the necessary capacity.

Future Restructuring of Routes

Patalan noted that she appreciated not having to put together new general education routes in the next 60 days. Baskett asked when parameters for establishing routes in the future would be decided. For example, she said, she questioned whether 75 minutes was too high a maximum student ride time, arguing, “At that point, you might as well take AATA or walk.”

Regan said that by mid-year, perhaps January, the WISD would convene planning meetings for the following year with participating districts. Roberts added that routing would be “the big decision left” at that point, and AAPS would need to consider how far it wants to go to reduce costs. He noted that the AAPS currently has a 1.5 mile walk zone, and currently keeps kids on buses for no more than 45 minutes. As an example of the decision-making that would need to be done in January, Roberts wondered, “Do we want to increase our ride time to 50 minutes? What would it save?”

There was some discussion of how it would work to have different districts set different standards. Baskett noted that if some districts modified the standards to decrease walk zones or ride times, the overall savings would be reduced for all participating districts. Allen agreed and noted that because of the interplay of factors described, routing decisions directly become budget decisions.

Nelson stated his understanding was that if a district wanted to change routes in a way that increased costs, that the district would pay the difference. Marcel confirmed this as correct, calling that difference the “fully-burdened rate” that would be billed to each district. Lightfoot asked how such cost allocation would be ensured, and if language guaranteeing it would be included in the resolution.

Marcel confirmed that the “efficiency section of the routing guidelines” contains this binding language, and would be attached to the resolution. Regan added, “You are both the stakeholder and the customer. You have the front end, and the back end, with WISD in the middle.”

Thomas noted that decreasing future routes would cut miles, hours, and therefore drivers needed. Mellor responded that the district re-routes every summer, saying routes are close but not identical from year to year, and that increases in efficiency are usually covered by attrition from year to year rather than the need to lay off drivers. Nelson noted that special education routes are “being redesigned as we speak,” and that there may be cases in which some general education routes could change too if huge efficiencies would be possible.

Allen added that the district is still in conversation with AATA possibly to provide bus passes for high school students. AAPS needs to staff for providing service to high schoolers, even though they don’t always choose to ride the bus, Allen pointed out. He asserted, “The budget situation won’t improve in the next few years – we need to keep looking for savings.”

Bus Ownership, Use

Regan explained that the Michigan Department of Education would prefer that the buses themselves remain the financial responsibility of each participating district.  Therefore, the plan will be for each district to sell its bus fleet to WISD for $1 for use in servicing the routes of its own district. If a district decides to stop participating in the consortium, Regan said, the WISD would sell the same buses back for $1.

He added that there is a line item in the WISD budget to track amortization, but that individual districts would pay for any future buses needed for their routes.

Nelson asked how much of the 2004 bond fund was left for buses, and if it could be used for other improvements if AAPS enters into the WISD arrangement. Allen confirmed that there was $1 million slated for buses that could be used for other non-operating expenses, but Lightfoot questioned whether it would be wise to spend the money in case it doesn’t work out.

Lightfoot also asked whether buses would be shared among district routes. In general, Mellor said, no – general education route buses are designated. However, during inspections, or in the case of an emergency, sharing between districts already happens, and that “flexibility” would continue under the WISD plan.

In addition, special education buses would be purchased by the WISD and shared among all participating districts.

Communication

Lightfoot asked how the public would know who to call with specific questions, such as “Why is our bus late?” Nelson continued that line of questioning, adding, “I would contrast a ‘late bus’ call with a call about two students getting in a fight  – those would demand calling different places.”

Mellor answered that all calls would be logged first at central dispatch, and then student discipline issues would have to come back to the district. Roberts added that this is similar to what happens now in AAPS, saying that if a student gets left at a stop, the call comes to central administration, but if a kid comes off the bus and says someone hit him on the bus, that call goes directly to the building principal.

Regan offered another pitch, “It’s not like someone is bringing in an outside system. Most of the sub processes, systems, and routines are already what you are doing.” The only time, Regan said, that WISD processes would be different from what AAPS is already doing would be if a better practice was found outside the system.

In response to Lightfoot’s concern, Marcel also offered help from WISD, saying the WISD has a communications person who could help “craft” communication with the public.

Baskett asked if there was a plan for communicating regardless of how the board moves forward, and noted the condensed timeline. Usually, she said, there would be more time between a first and second briefing.  The second briefing of the transportation consolidation plan will come before the Board on Wednesday, June 9.  After the second briefing, the board will vote.

Amy Osinski, secretary to the board, said she would post the full report presented at this meeting on the board’s website.

Patalan, who had taken over the chairing the meeting when Mexicotte had to leave mid-way through the meeting, thanked the trustees for their questions, saying, “Change is something we want to do as well as we can.”

Bus drivers from AAPS and Lincoln Consolidated Schools attended the June 4 AAPS board meeting, held at the district's Balas administration building on South State Street.

Public Commentary on Proposed WISD Consolidation

Richard Miller, a bus driver for AAPS, spoke out against the plan. Though he called his attempts likely “futile,” Miller argued against the consolidation, saying it has already taken a toll on the drivers’ morale. Citing the praise and thanks drivers have received over the years as “insincere,” Miller called the consolidation process “cold water thrown in the faces” of current drivers.

Minutes Approval & Executive Session

On a consent agenda moved by Andy Thomas, and seconded by Glenn Nelson, the board unanimously approved passage of meeting minutes of the May 26 regular meeting. Stead then moved to schedule an executive session on Wednesday, June 9 at 5:30 p.m., for the purpose of negotiating and attorney-client privilege. The executive session scheduling was seconded by Thomas and was also passed unanimously. There were no items for agenda planning, items from the board, association or committee reports at the meeting.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte (for the first half), vice president Irene Patalan, secretary Glenn Nelson, treasurer Christine Stead, and trustees Susan Baskett, Simone Lightfoot, and Andy Thomas. Also present as a non-voting member was Todd Roberts, superintendent of AAPS.

Next regular meeting: June 9, 2010, 7 p.m., at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 4th floor board room, 343 S. Fifth Ave.