City Council - Regular Meeting

S TONIGHT. BUDGET SHORTFALLS LEADING TO DIFFICULT DECISIONS FOR DISTRICTS, FROM STAFF CUTS TO SCHOOL CLOSURES. MY FORT IS CLOSED AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS. I'M LOOKING AT MY CHILDREN HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL MY STUDENTS IN THE MORNING. AND SCHOOL VOUCHERS CREATING DIVISION AMONG PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THIS IS GIVING US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISE COULDN'T AFFORD A CATHOLIC EDUCATION TO RECEIVE THAT GIFT. WE'VE CONTINUED TO, TO TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT VOUCHERS ARE HARMFUL TO, TO ACCESS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AS A WHOLE.

PLUS SAFETY CONCERNS AT SCHOOL CAMPUSES, PROMPTING FEAR AND CONCERNS. IT WAS CRAZY. IT WAS VERY CHAOTIC. I KNOW A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, THEIR THEIR PARENTS WERE LIKE ALSO SUPER WORRIED. CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM. A SPECIAL TOWN HALL DISCUSSION.

WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL TOWN HALL DISCUSSION. CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM. I'M MARISA MENDOZA. RIGHT NOW, SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE SAN ANTONIO AREA ARE GRAPPLING WITH SIGNIFICANT BUDGET SHORTFALLS, FORCING DIFFICULT DECISIONS LIKE CAMPUS CLOSURES AND STAFF REDUCTIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE STATE'S SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM IS ADDING NEW PRESSURE, REDIRECTING SOME PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE FUNDING TIED TO THEM TOWARD PRIVATE AND OTHER CHARTER OPTIONS. OVER THE NEXT HOUR, WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CHALLENGES FACING SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS AND EXPLORE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD RECEIVES A STRONG EDUCATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. TOPICS WE'LL DISCUSS INCLUDE SCHOOL CLOSURES, BUDGET DEFICITS, STAFF CUTS, THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL VOUCHERS ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS WILL ALSO ADDRESS ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES IN SOLUTIONS. AND FINALLY, WE'LL TACKLE SCHOOL SAFETY. LET'S INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR EXPERTS. WE'LL START WITH SAN ANTONIO ISD TRUSTEE ED GARZA. JOHNSON ISD PARENT JAMILA THOMPSON. INGA COTTON WITH THE SCHOOL DISCOVERY NETWORK IN NORTHEAST ISD POLICE CHIEF WALLY MCCAMPBELL. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. WE DID INVITE MULTIPLE OTHER PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE. THEY DECLINED TO COME TONIGHT. NOW, WE'LL TALK TO OUR GUESTS IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. OUR MELISSA VEGA IS STANDING BY AND SHE'S WAITING FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND INPUT. MELISSA, WHAT DO WE HAVE SO FAR?

WE HAVE SOME AMAZING RESOURCES SITTING RIGHT HERE LIVE IN OUR STUDIO. SO PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO ASK. FROM SCHOOL CLOSURES TO BUDGET CUTS AND DEFICITS TO SCHOOL SAFETY AS WELL AND SOLUTIONS, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. JUST GO TO FACEBOOK. YOU CAN FIND US. JUST SEARCH NEWS FOUR SAN ANTONIO. THIS TOWN HALL POST IS PINNED ON OUR PAGE SO YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT RIGHT THERE. I'M LOOKING THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, AND IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, WE WILL GET BACK TO SOME OF THEM, GET THEM ANSWERED FOR YOU. BACK TO YOU.

SOUNDS GOOD MELISSA. THANK YOU. LET'S JUMP INTO OUR FIRST TOPIC, SCHOOL CLOSURES. IT'S A TOUGH DECISION. SEVERAL DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA HAVE HAD TO MAKE. NOW, MOST RECENTLY, JUDSON ISD VOTED TO CLOSE FOUR SCHOOLS AND THAT JUST HAPPENED IN RECENT MONTHS. A FEW YEARS AGO, SAN ANTONIO ISD CLOSED MORE THAN A DOZEN SCHOOLS AND ADDED TWO MORE TO THE CHOPPING BLOCK. THIS YEAR, NORTHEAST ISD CLOSED THREE SCHOOLS IN SOUTHWEST ISD, ONE SCHOOL. NOW LET'S START WITH GARZA ISD SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE. NOW, ISD CITED DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE SCHOOLS TO DECIDE ON WHICH SCHOOLS TO BE CLOSED. NOW, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT FOR THE BOARD TO COME TO THE DECISION OF CLOSING THOSE SCHOOLS?

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. AND THIS FORUM, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION. ANY TIME YOU HAVE TO CLOSE A SCHOOL FOR SAN ANTONIO ISD, IT WAS A DECISION THAT HAD BEEN LONG IN THE MAKING. IN FACT, WHEN I FIRST WAS ELECTED TO THE BOARD IN 2009, 17 YEARS AGO, THE DISTRICT CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR STEP TOWARDS REPURPOSING. IT WASN'T AS DRAMATIC AS WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE CLEAR. SISD AT ITS PEAK WAS CLOSE TO 70 PLUS THOUSAND WITH 100 CAMPUSES. TODAY WE STAND AT 42,000, AND WE WERE BASICALLY THE SAME NUMBER OF CAMPUSES, THE SAME FOOTPRINT.

AND COVID DIDN'T HELP.

COVID DIDN'T HELP. YOU HAVE ALL OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES OF TECHNOLOGY, AND HOMESCHOOLING IS NOW MORE POPULAR, MORE CHOICE. AND SO A LOWER BIRTH RATE. SO WE COULD GO ON AND ON OF ALL THE CHALLENGES IN AN URBAN SETTING, PARTICULARLY OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS WITH FEWER OPTIONS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE RENAISSANCE OF DOWNTOWN. SO YOU PUT ALL OF THAT TOGETHER AND IT WAS THE PERFECT STORM THAT REALLY THE VELOCITY INCREASED IN TERMS OF OUR OUR UNBALANCE OF FACILITIES TO STUDENTS. AND SO THE BOARD TOOK THAT BOLD STEP, WENT THROUGH A VERY EXTENSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS. WE KNEW PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE HAPPY, BUT WE HAD TO FOCUS ON PROGRAMS, THE CLASSROOM AND NOT BUILDINGS. AND EVERY YEAR NOW IT'S PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS. IF WE GAIN AN ENROLLMENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'LL LOOK AT REOPENING. IF WE'RE LOSING STUDENTS, WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT CAMPUSES WOULD BE, THE CAMPUSES THAT WE COULD CLOSE, AND ALSO WHICH CAMPUSES WOULD TAKE THOSE STUDENTS.

AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE UNDER THE GUN OR UNDER FIRE FROM TEA BECAUSE, RIGHT, IF THERE ARE MORE SCHOOLS UNDERPERFORMING, THAT PUTS A BIG RED TARGET ON SA ISD. SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE TRYING TO, AS YOU'VE COINED THE PHRASE OR THE DISTRICT HAS RIGHT SIZED.

WE'RE IN AN ERA WHERE T IS NOT AFRAID TO TAKE OVER SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IN FACT, THEY ARE INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED BASED ON STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS. FACILITIES IS ONE OF THE TRIGGER POINTS. IF A. IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT MANAGING AND USING THEIR FACILITIES AND RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY. THE ACADEMIC PIECE IS IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS. BUT WHEN YOU PUT THOSE TWO ISSUES TOGETHER, IN THE CASE OF CISD, WE HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE. WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC AND NOT LOSE FOCUS. THAT THE. THE OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT ARE, ARE REALLY FOR STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

AND JAMILA, YOU'RE A PARENT AT JUDSON ISD WHERE SCHOOL CLOSURES HAVE AFFECTED YOU RECENTLY IN THE DISTRICT, YOU SAID YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW. BUT, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES THAT ARE NOW GOING TO BE AFFECTED NEXT YEAR.

OH, ABSOLUTELY. AND THERE'S STILL THE UNKNOWN. AS MR. GARZA SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE THERE FOR US. I THINK IT WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE. AND I KNOW HE SAID, YOU HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE. BUT AS FAR AS AS IT WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE AND MAYBE NOT THE RIGHT SCHOOL CHOICE, THE SCHOOLS TOO CLOSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACADEMICS AND WE HAVE A THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSING AREN'T IN AREN'T THE THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE FAILING STATUSES, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT, IT. IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY UNKNOWNS RIGHT NOW WITH.

HOW IS THE SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILIES WHO WERE AFFECTED? I KNOW THAT SAIC TRIED REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FAMILIES HAD WERE ALWAYS IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE DISTRICT ON WHAT SCHOOLS THEY COULD GO TO. OPTIONS. WAS JUDSON THE SAME WAY?

NO, NOT AT ALL. IT'S BEEN THERE'S SO MUCH DYSFUNCTION, UNFORTUNATELY, WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND THE INFIGHTING AND EVERYTHING THAT IT'S IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE'RE LEARNING AS AS WE'RE GOING. SO IT HASN'T BEEN TRANSPARENT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TOLD ONE THING AND THEN IT CHANGES. AND THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION OF A LOT OF PARENTS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND, AND WE STILL THEY STILL DON'T KNOW. AND YOU SAID THAT YOU FELT IT WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE. DID YOU FEEL THAT THE TIMELINE WAS TOO SHORT? OBVIOUSLY. ABSOLUTELY.

WHICH WAS HOW MANY MONTHS WAS THE DISTRICT GIVING PARENTS? WE THEY DECIDED IN FEBRUARY, I BELIEVE, AND FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR FOR THIS COMING UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. AND BEFORE THAT, PARENTS WERE NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT, HEY, WE'RE HAVING THESE ISSUES OF TRYING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET OR.

WELL, WE'VE KNOWN THE BUDGET ISSUES, BUT THERE WAS NO JUST SO AGGRESSIVE. THE ADMINISTRATION LAST YEAR, I THINK THEY WERE OR THEY WERE SPEAKING OF CLOSING THREE SCHOOLS. SO SCHOOL CLOSURES HAS BEEN A TOPIC, BUT NOT IN THE WAY THAT IT WAS DONE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THERE WAS NO LIKE TRANSPARENCY. IT WAS KIND OF IT FEELS OPINION THAT IT WAS DONE. THEY ALREADY KNEW WHAT SCHOOLS THEY WANTED TO CLOSE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WENT WITH.

YEAH. AND I'M SORRY FOR THAT. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. OF COURSE. WHAT ISSUE IMPACTING YOUR SCHOOLS ARE YOU MOST WORRIED ABOUT? BE SURE TO SCAN THE QR CODE TO WEIGH IN. UP NEXT, PLEASE KEEP SENDING US YOUR QUESTIONS SO OUR EXPERTS CAN RESPOND. STAY WITH US FOR YOUR VOICE, YOUR FUTURE CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM TOWN HALL.

WELCOME BACK TO. OUR TOWN HALL. CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM. WE ASKED YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE NEWS FOUR SA FACEBOOK PAGE, AND MELISSA VEGA IS STANDING BY WITH SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. MELISSA.

YEAH. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE HERE. FROM SCHOOL CLOSURES TO BUDGET CUTS TO VOUCHERS AND SCHOOL SAFETY AS WELL. THIS IS A MORE OF A BIG PICTURE QUESTION TO OUR PANEL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT SITUATION WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE CLOSURES, THE CUTS, THE ENROLLMENT SHIFTS, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF THIS CRISIS? LIKE SO MANY THINGS.

I THINK IT'S JUST A NEW WORLD THAT WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY, THE POLITICS, THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS, LIFESTYLE CHANGES OF FAMILIES IN TERMS OF BIRTH RATE, YOU PUT ALL OF THESE DYNAMICS OF THIS TRANSFORMATION OF OUR WORLD AND COMMUNITIES, AND YOU SEE SEE THE RESULT IN OUR CAMPUSES. AND WE CAN EITHER LOOK AT IT TWO WAYS. WE CAN LOOK AT IT IN A NEGATIVE WAY AND COMPLAIN ABOUT NOT HAVING FUNDING AND HAVING TO MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS, OR WE CAN LOOK AT IT AS POSSIBILITIES AND POSSIBILITIES THAT WE CAN REDESIGN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND, AND TAKE THE LESSONS THAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM, FROM SCHOOL CLOSURES AND MAKING BUDGET TOUGH DECISIONS ON THE BUDGET AND CAMPUS SAFETY, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE, ALONG WITH STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS. BUT REALLY LOOK AT HOW CAN WE REDESIGN THE PUBLIC LEARNING ECOSYSTEM? BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE HAVE TO TO LOOK FOR IN THE FUTURE. IT'S NOT JUST THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A TEACHER, OF A SCHOOL OR A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO EDUCATE AND NURTURE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY, OUR CHILDREN. IT IS AN ECOSYSTEM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

INGA, REAL QUICKLY, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF PARENTS BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN EDUCATING THEM ABOUT THE VOUCHER SCHOOL PROGRAM, HELPING THEM FILL OUT THE FORMS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE PEOPLE WANTING? WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION ARE THEY WANTING OR LOOKING FOR FOR THEIR KIDS, DO YOU THINK?

YEAH. WELL, I WANT TO BUILD ON WHAT TRUSTEE GARZA WAS SAYING, THAT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE HAPPENING IN THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY TYPE OF INSTITUTION THAT'S SERVING FAMILIES THAT NOW WE'RE SEEING PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD ONLY TAKEN MONEY FROM PARENTS OR FUNDRAISERS, AND NOW THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE STATE. AND THEN THAT MAKES IT MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES. RIGHT. AND HE ALSO MENTIONED THE INCREASE IN HOMESCHOOLING, RIGHT. AND HOMESCHOOLERS CAN ALSO GET SUPPORT FROM THE STATE. SO AND THEN IN THIS MIX, LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 30 YEARS IN TEXAS, RIGHT? SO THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT ALL THE FAMILIES, ALL THE STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A GREAT EDUCATION, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE IN THE SAME TYPE OF SETTING WHERE THEY WERE GETTING EDUCATED A GENERATION AGO. BUT LIKE JOSE GARZA SAID, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT THE INSTITUTION CONTINUING TO DO THINGS THE WAY THEY HAVE BEEN DOING. IT'S MORE ABOUT BEING CREATIVE, ABOUT FINDING SOLUTIONS AND BEING RESPONSIVE. BECAUSE I THINK THE LIKE WHEN I HEARD IN THE QUESTION THAT THE I THINK THE STRESS THAT FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING, THERE'S SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BE LIKE, LIKE WHAT JOBS SHOULD WE BE PREPARING OUR KIDS FOR? IF AI IS CHANGING JOBS DRAMATICALLY, MAKING SOME JOBS GO AWAY, BUT ALSO CREATING NEW JOBS, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT?

YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. WE WANT TO GET TO THEM AND WE WILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS COMING UP. SO KEEP THEM COMING ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO READ THOSE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU MELISSA. BUDGET CUTS IMPACTING TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL STAFF. WE'LL CRUNCH THE NUMBERS NEXT.

NEARLY EVERY DISTRICT IS FACING. A BUDGET BATTLE, SLASHING MILLIONS TO CLOSE THE GAP ON THEIR BUDGET DEFICIT. BUT AT WHAT COST IS IT TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS? LET'S JUMP RIGHT INTO OUR TOPIC WITH OUR EXPERTS, ED GARZA. WHAT PROGRAMS AND CAMPUSES DO YOU THINK WILL BE HARDEST HIT WITH THESE BUDGET CUTS?

WELL, IT'S REALLY ACROSS THE BOARD. FIRST, WE STARTED WITH CENTRAL OFFICE. WE HAD THIS YEAR $20 MILLION THAT WERE FOCUSED BOTH AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL AND AT CENTRAL OFFICE EQUALLY, AND THE CAMPUSES WERE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS WHERE SCHOOL CLOSURES HAVE COME IN. WE'VE STARTED PRIMARILY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, SO THAT'S BEEN THE HARDEST GRADE LEVELS THAT HAVE BEEN HIT ON SCHOOL CLOSURE. BUT WE'RE NOW SEEING RECENTLY WE HAD THE CONSOLIDATION OF RHODES AND TAFOYA. SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF HIGH SCHOOLS. WE HAVE TODAY 15 HIGH SCHOOLS. BACK WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL DURING THE PEAK PERIOD, WE HAD EIGHT. SO WE'VE INCREASED SCHOOLS NOT GONE THE OTHER WAY. AND SO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE HARDER CONSOLIDATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH VERY SOON IN TERMS OF OF BUDGET CUTS, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO DISTRIBUTE IT EQUALLY AT CAMPUSES. THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE SMALLER ENROLLMENTS ARE HIT THE HARDEST.

YEAH, IT IS. CHIEF WALLY CAMPBELL, NORTHEAST ISD POLICE CHIEF. SCHOOL SAFETY IS A BIG PART OF THE BUDGET NOWADAYS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? HOW MUCH HAS THE BUDGET GROWN FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER AT ANY ISD?

NOT VERY MUCH. IT'S KIND OF YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF CONTINUE DOING WITH WHAT YOU WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE. I MEAN, YES, WE YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S FUNDING FOR SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT, THERE'S DIFFERENT RESOURCES, BUT WITH MOST OF THAT MAJORITY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HIRE STAFF TO PROVIDE THAT SECURITY, THAT'S PAYROLL. AND SO THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS WHERE YOUR COST IS, IS IN, IN SALARIES IN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WAY OF, OF LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING THINGS. YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF STUFF, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE HOUSE BILL 33 AND ALL THE MANDATES REQUIRING.

MAKING SURE THERE'S A POLICE OFFICER OR SOMEONE OF. AN ARMED PERSON AT EVERY, AT EVERY CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT TAKES FUNDING. THAT WAS REALLY NOT PROVIDED TO THE DISTRICTS TO BE ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS BACK IN THE DAY WEREN'T BUILT FOR SAFETY. AND SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO RETROFIT SCHOOLS TO BE SAFE OR BE SAFE FOR, FOR THE TYPE OF VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT IN OUR SCHOOLS TODAY. WHEN YOU SAY YOUR BUDGET HASN'T GROWN THAT MUCH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WELL, I MEAN, YOU STILL HAVE THE BASIC NEEDS, YOU KNOW, AS AS MANDATES COME ALONG, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE STAFF OR YOU HAVE TO INCREASE EQUIPMENT TRAINING. TRAINING COSTS HAVE GONE UP FOR THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OR ANYBODY PROVIDING SECURITY FOR SCHOOLS. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ALL THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT. AND AS YOU DO THE SECURITY UPGRADES, NOW, YOU REQUIRE A MAINTENANCE COST. AND SO NOW YOU HAVE TO REPLACE, YOU KNOW, DOOR CLOSURES, ACCESS CONTROL POINTS, CAMERAS, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF STARTS TO ADD UP OVER A WHILE AFTER A WHILE, YOU KNOW, SO YOUR BUDGET INCREASES A LITTLE BIT TO COVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE A LARGE SCALE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT COST LOOK LIKE? YOU KNOW, AND SO HOW DO YOU BUDGET? I'M GOING TO HAVE TEN CAMERAS GO DOWN THIS YEAR OR 100 CAMERAS. SO YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BE SMARTER AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BUILD A REPLACEMENT PLAN. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REPLACING EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME. YOU DO IT A LITTLE AT A TIME AND IT HELPS OFFSET SOME OF THE COST.

AND JAMILA, AS A PARENT HEARING YOUR TWO SCHOOL OFFICIALS TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S BEING CUT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE BUDGET CUTS? ARE YOU ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THEM? I, I BELIEVE AND I CAN SPEAK FOR MY DISTRICT LIKE OUR OURS IS BEING DONE WITHOUT A CFO, WHICH I THINK IS THE FIRST PROBLEM. YOU NEED THAT. FINANCIAL OFFICER ABSOLUTELY OVERSEE THINGS.

TO OVERSEE. AND SO WE MAY BE CUTTING THE WRONG THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, NOT ABLE. I BELIEVE IN SAFETY. THE SAFETY, YOU KNOW, IS IMPERATIVE. BUT. IT SOUNDS GOOD. BUT, YOU KNOW, SEEING IT AND SEEING IT ARE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. I DO AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE SLOWLY GRADUAL, NOT AS A AS A AS AGGRESSIVE AS WE'VE HAD THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR DISTRICT.

WELL, IN YOUR DISTRICT IN JUDSON ISD, THE DISTRICT HAD ABOUT 536 POSITIONS. THAT'S ABOUT 7% OF SCHOOL STAFF. SO THAT'S A LOT. THAT'S A LOT. AND ISD HAS MADE SOME CUTS AS WELL. SO NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE STAFF CUTS, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THAT'S A LOT ON ISD'S PLATE. HOW DO WE TACKLE OR WHAT DO WE TACKLE FIRST?

WELL, JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUE, JUST TO GIVE CONTEXT, WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD, THERE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT THAT REMOVED ALL OF THE LOCKS ON THE DOORS OF CLASSROOMS BECAUSE THERE WERE INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN A TEACHER AND A STUDENT. AND SO THE FEAR, THE OUTCRY WAS TAKE OFF THE LOCKS. TEACHERS SHOULD NOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH STUDENTS. AND NOW WE FAST FORWARD TO TODAY. THAT SAME SCHOOL IS PUTTING BACK THE LOCKS BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF OUTSIDE OR EVEN INSIDE THREATS THAT THAT MAY OCCUR. SO THAT GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A DISTRICT HAS TO ADAPT TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS. AND IT HAS A COST. SO WHEN YOU PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF PRIORITY, AGAIN, STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS, SUCCESS IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. STUDENT SAFETY IS NUMBER TWO, WHO WE HIRE, HOW WE SPEND OUR BUDGET RESOURCES HAS TO FALL IN LINE WITH THOSE PRIORITIES. AND FOR US, THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST HIRING SOMEONE TO MANAGE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S REALLY SOMEBODY THAT CAN COME IN AND TURN AROUND SCHOOLS OVERNIGHT WITH URGENCY, BUT ALSO HAVE THE VISION AND THE SKILL SETS TO CREATE THAT REDESIGN OF OUR PUBLIC LEARNING ECOSYSTEM AND AND DO SO SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS.

AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO START PLANNING FOR THE BUDGET IN JUNE. IS THAT WHEN THE VOTE IS APPROVED? CORRECT. OUR NEXT BUDGET WILL BE APPROVING AT THE END OF MAY, EARLY JUNE. SO WE HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP THIS MONTH AND THAT MOVES TO THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET.

OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. MORE FROM OUR PANEL. AS OUR CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM CONTINUES.

WELCOME BACK TO OUR TOWN HALL. WE HAVE MUCH MORE TO COVER, BUT WE'RE MOVING THIS DISCUSSION ONLINE. YOU CAN HEAD OVER TO NEWS FOUR SA.COM. RIGHT NOW WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE IMPACT SCHOOL VOUCHERS IS HAVING ON OUR SCHOOLS AND TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS. THANKS FOR JOINING US. WELCOME BACK AND THANKS FOR STAYING FOR OUR TOWN HALL DISCUSSION. CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM. I'M MARISA MENDOZA. WE'RE CLOSELY EXAMINING THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR SCHOOLS AND SOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN ARE WELL EDUCATED AND SET UP FOR SUCCESS. SO FAR, WE'VE DISCUSSED SCHOOL CLOSURES, BUDGET DEFICITS, AND STAFF CUTS. NEXT, WE WILL ADDRESS SCHOOL SAFETY, AND

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT SCHOOL VOUCHERS HAVE ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS. LET'S INTRODUCE OUR EXPERTS ONCE AGAIN. SA ISD TRUSTEE ED GARZA, JUDSON ISD PARENT JAMILA THOMPSON. INGA COTTON WITH THE SCHOOL DISCOVERY NETWORK, AND ANY ISD POLICE CHIEF WALLY CAMPBELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE IT VERY, VERY MUCH. AS A COMMUNITY, WE TRUST THAT WHEN OUR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL AND WALK INTO THEIR CLASSROOM, THEY'RE STEPPING INTO A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN WHILE ABLE TO SHARE EXPERIENCES AND GROW WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES. BUT WITH THE RECENT SHOOTING AT HILL COUNTRY COLLEGE PREP IN BULVERDE AND SEVERAL OTHER SAFETY CONCERNS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO, MANY FAMILIES QUESTION IF SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY AND WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING DONE TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND STAFF. NOW, ON MONDAY, MARCH 30TH, A 15 YEAR OLD STUDENT BROUGHT A REVOLVER FROM A HOME, A GUN THAT BELONGED TO HIS GRANDFATHER AND OPENED FIRE AT A HILL COUNTRY COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL. THAT STUDENT SHOT A TEACHER BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HIMSELF, WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE TEACHER, WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED, WAS RUSHED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL AND STUDENTS WERE PUT ON LOCKDOWN AND LATER TRANSPORTED TO BULVERDE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE THEY WERE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES. THE TEACHER, WHO WAS SHOT HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL LAST MONTH AT LANIER HIGH SCHOOL, A FIGHT INVOLVING SEVERAL STUDENTS PROMPTED A HOLD PROTOCOL IN RESPONSE TO THE INCIDENT. TWO STUDENTS WERE DETAINED FOLLOWING THE FIGHT ON CAMPUS. PRINCIPAL RICK FLORES SAID IN A LETTER TO PARENTS THAT THE SCHOOL IS CALM AND SAFE AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTION IS BEING BEING TAKEN. JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PAST JANUARY AT HARLAN HIGH SCHOOL, AN UNLOADED GUN WAS FOUND ON A STUDENT. JUST MONTHS BEFORE THAT, A FIREARM WAS DISCOVERED BY A STUDENT NEAR A CAMPUS

FENCE. THEN, AT IDEA JUDSON IN JANUARY 2026, REPORTS SURFACED OF A STUDENT WEARING TACTICAL GEAR AND ALLEGEDLY CARRYING A GUN. EVEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUSES HAVE DEALT WITH STUDENTS FOUND WITH FIREARMS. LAST NOVEMBER, A LOADED RIFLE MAGAZINE WAS DISCOVERED IN A BATHROOM AT LADERA ELEMENTARY. AN INVESTIGATION LATER LINKED IT TO A STUDENT. NOW TONIGHT, GROWING CONCERNS OVER SCHOOL SAFETY AS DISTRICTS FACE TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT SECURITY AND PREVENTION PREVENTION. NOW LET'S GET TO OUR EXPERTS. CHIEF WALLY CAMPBELL FROM NORTHEAST ISD. CHIEF, YOU VIEW THAT ANY ISD SCHOOL SAFETY POLICIES, YOU FEEL THAT THEY'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. DO YOU THINK THEY'RE PREVENTATIVE OR REACTIVE?

I WOULD SAY THEY'RE PREVENTATIVE NOW. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE IN THE COUNTRY, WITH SCHOOL VIOLENCE, YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE. YOU CAN'T BE REACTIVE ANY LONGER IN ANY LINE IN SCHOOLS. AND SO I FEEL THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN AT NORTHEAST HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE. YOU KNOW, I BECAME CHIEF IN 2013, AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD A BOND IN 2015 WAS THE FIRST TIME IT EVER ADDRESSED SAFETY IN OUR DISTRICT. AND AT THAT TIME, WE DECIDED LOCKING ALL OF OUR DOORS IN 2015. SO OUR DOORS HAVE BEEN LOCKED. AND SO IT WASN'T SOMETHING NEW WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE NEW MANDATE CAME OUT REQUIRING IT, IT WAS JUST SOME OF THE OTHER MANDATES THAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO TO HARDEN SCHOOLS EVEN MORE THAT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, CAME IN QUESTION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON THE RIGHT STUFF, WHERE I THINK AT NORTHEAST, WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF STUFF YOU'D SEE, BUT A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE DO SAFETY WISE, YOU DON'T IS NOT SEEING VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, NOR DO WE WANT IT TO BE, BECAUSE WHATEVER WE SHOW TO THE PUBLIC, THE KIDS SEE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, TRAGEDY THAT UVALDE WAS AND THE OTHER SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, STILL THE MAJORITY OF THE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS HAPPEN FROM STUDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE'VE ADDRESSED A LOT OF HARDENING OF SCHOOLS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING INSIDE, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T FOCUSED ENOUGH, I FEEL, TO DEAL WITH THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT AND PREVENT OF WHAT HAPPENED. LIKE IN COMAL, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THEY'RE NOT BRINGING GUNS INTO OUR SCHOOLS? YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME.

I KNOW MY KIDS GO TO ANY ISD, SO THEY'RE IN ELEMENTARY AND THEY HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS SEE THEM AROUND. THEY'RE HIGH FIVING THEM. AND ALSO PARENTS ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN WALKING THE CAMPUS. AND I THINK THAT'S A MESSAGE THAT ANY ISD AND A LOT OF THE DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA TRY TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO DO IS BE PART OF SECURITY, HELP OUT WITH OPENING THE DOORS FOR FOR THE FAMILIES.

YOU KNOW, I CAN PUT 20 OFFICERS ON A CAMPUS TO MAKE IT FEEL SAFE, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A GUARANTEE THAT SOMETHING STILL IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. ONE POLICE OFFICER CAN'T HAVE THE EYES OF THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE CAMPUS. IT TAKES ALL OF US. IT TAKES THE STUDENTS, THE STAFF, THE ADMINISTRATION, THE PARENTS, THE POLICE OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT SCHOOL THAT COMMUNITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOR SCHOOL SAFETY. AND I THINK THE BIGGEST WAY THAT HELPS IS BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS FROM THE OFFICERS TO THE STUDENTS TO THE FAMILIES, TO THE ADMINISTRATION. AND WHY DO I SAY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE I FEEL EVERY SHOOTING PROBABLY HAD SOME TYPE OF PREVENTATIVE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE HAD THE INFORMATION THAT SOMETHING MAY BE HAPPENING. AND IF YOU BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE STUDENTS, ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE OVERHEARD SOMETHING, SEEN SOMETHING, EVEN HAD COMMUNICATION WITH THE PERSON THAT MAY INTENDED TO DO SOMETHING, FEELS COMFORTABLE REPORTING THAT WHETHER IT'S TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATOR, A PARENT, I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIPS COME IN FROM STUDENTS AND PARENTS. AND I FEEL BECAUSE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE BUILT WITH OUR COMMUNITY, GIVES THEM COMFORT IN. THE SECOND THING IS THEY SEE US DO SOMETHING ONCE A TIP IS REPORTED TO US. EXACTLY. BECAUSE IF IF THEY REPORT STUFF EVERY DAY AND THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING HAPPENING, WHETHER IT'S THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO QUIT GIVING THEM THE TIPS. SO I THINK BY SHOWING THE REACTION, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S CREDIBLE OR NOT, YOU YOU REACT THE SAME REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU THINK THE SEVERITY OF THE TIP IS.

YOU'RE BEEN ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. WHAT ARE WITHOUT GIVING US YOUR SECRETS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT TO IMPROVE SCHOOL SAFETY WITHIN SA ISD?

WELL, A LOT OF THE SAME AREAS THAT WERE TOUCHED ON IN TERMS OF BEING PROACTIVE, PUTTING IN THE TECHNOLOGIES, PUTTING IN THE MANPOWER, THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH CAMPUS TEACHERS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY. EVEN IF IT'S A TRUANT STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMS TO BE MORE THE DAY TO DAY CONCERN THAT RESIDENTS HAVE AROUND SCHOOLS. AND SO WE TRY TO DEVELOP THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THAT THE EYES AND EARS OF OUR NEIGHBORS CAN ALSO ASSIST IN BEING PROACTIVE IN MAKING OUR SCHOOLS SAFE. BUT AS THE CHIEF INDICATED, YOU CAN PUT IN THE INVESTMENT, PUT IN THE TECHNOLOGY, PUT IN THE MANPOWER AND STILL NOT BE FOOLPROOF. YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS BE READY FOR THE UNKNOWN, AND ESPECIALLY IF THE THREAT IS WITHIN A CAMPUS. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS DEVELOPED A SOLUTION TO. BUT WE DO HAVE TO UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE THAT WILL BECOME MORE READILY AVAILABLE, MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE ADVANCED TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS.

AND JAMILA, AS A PARENT, YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO GO INTO HIGH SCHOOL. ARE YOU USING APPS TO MAYBE SEE WHERE THEY ARE? OH, ABSOLUTELY. ARE YOUR IS THAT JUDSON ENCOURAGING CERTAIN APPS TO COMMUNICATE WITH TEACHERS, BETWEEN PARENTS AND STUDENTS?

WELL, THEY DO ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION WITH THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND OUR OFFICER OFFICER AT JUDSON ISD, OFFICER WALKER, HE'S AWESOME. SO BUT THEY DO AND HE DOES. HE KNOWS THE KIDS. YOU KNOW, HE I THINK HE HAS GREAT RAPPORT WITH THEM. AND AS A PARENT WHO'S AT THE SCHOOL A MAJORITY OF THE DAY, WE HAVE THAT RAPPORT TOO, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A WHOLE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO TO GET THIS RIGHT. AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE OFFICER, AND YOU CAN'T DEPEND ON THAT ONE OFFICER TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON. BUT I WILL SAY FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THE SCHOOL, BEING AT THE SCHOOL, THE KIDS ARE MORE. VOICE RAISING THEIR VOICES. WHEN THEY DO HEAR AND SEE THINGS MORE VOCAL, THEY ARE THEY ARE MORE VOCAL. YES. THANK YOU. WHICH I THINK IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THEY'RE LIKE, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, RIGHT?

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE THAT STUDENT. THE SNITCH. YEAH. AND BUT MORE SO I THINK YOU GET THE STUDENTS ARE, HEY, THAT'S NOT RIGHT. OR THEY SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS OR THEY MIGHT HAVE THIS. AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE REACTION TO ALL. INCIDENCES IS IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, AND VALIDATING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HEY, SOMETHING IS GOING TO BE DONE.

WELL, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME. STARTING THIS FALL, THOUGH, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A SHIFT IN EDUCATION ACROSS TEXAS WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF TEXAS EDUCATION FREEDOM ACCOUNTS GOING INTO EFFECT, MORE THAN 274,000 FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE APPLIED FOR SCHOOL VOUCHERS IN THIS FIRST YEAR, WHICH ALLOWS PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS TO BE USED FOR PRIVATE OR CHARTER SCHOOLS OR HOMESCHOOLING. KEEP IN MIND, THERE ARE 5.5 MILLION STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE STATE REVEALED MORE THAN 274,000 STUDENTS APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAM AND THAT SAN ANTONIO, OUR REGION, HAD THE FOURTH LARGEST CHUNK OF APPLICATIONS. NEARLY 100,000 STUDENTS AWARDED A VOUCHER. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND LOW TO MIDDLE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. THERE ARE MORE THAN 170,000 STUDENTS ON A WAIT LIST. NOW, HERE'S A LOOK AT THE DISTRICT WHERE THE MOST APPLICANTS IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA LIVE. ALMOST 7000 LIVE IN NORTHSIDE ISD, 5400 LIVE IN NORTHEAST ISD, 2200 IN SAN ANTONIO ISD, AND MORE THAN 1800 LIVE IN JUDSON, ALMOST 900 IN EAST CENTRAL. NOW, INGA COTTON IS WITH THE SCHOOL DISCOVERY NETWORK. SHE'S BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY, WORKING TO HELP PARENTS FILL OUT THE FORMS, UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM AND HOW IT WORKS AND IF IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD FIT FOR THEIR FAMILY. NOW, INGA, THERE'S AN ARGUMENT THAT THE VOUCHERS ARE CREATING A MAJOR SHIFT AWAY FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE?

I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT EVERY CHILD BE IN THE SETTING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN THE MOST, AND IF THAT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, PUBLIC SCHOOL OR A DISTRICT CHARTER SCHOOL LIKE SASD OFFERS, OR THE GREAT MAGNET SCHOOLS IN NORTH ASIA, THAT'S GREAT. BUT A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE DISCOVERING THAT THEY WANT AN INNOVATIVE LEARNING MODEL THAT MAYBE THEY CAN'T FIND AT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL. AND SO FOR 30 YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN TURNING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR THAT. BUT FOR THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS PRIVATE SCHOOLS MORE READILY. I JUST WANT TO CORRECT THERE WAS A MISTAKE IN THE THE STATEMENT. SO TFA FUNDS CANNOT BE USED AT CHARTER SCHOOLS. THEY CAN BE ONLY BE USED FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR HOMESCHOOLING. SO CHARTER SCHOOLS RECEIVE FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE, THROUGH SIMILAR FORMULAS TO WHAT THE DISTRICTS EARN.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT. SO NO FUNDS FROM TFA WILL GO TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, ONLY PRIVATE AND HOME SCHOOLING. SO WITH THAT SAID, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE PARENTS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAM ARE THE PARENTS OF THE STUDENTS IN THE RIGHT, THE INNER CITY, THE THE CITY KIDS WHO ARE MOST DISENFRANCHIZED OR ARE THE PARENTS WHO ALREADY HAVE THE KIDS IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE VOUCHER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THERE WAS MASSIVE DEMAND FOR THE PROGRAM IN THE FIRST YEAR. SO THIS IS THE LARGEST LAUNCH OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES. SO TEXAS GOES BIG, RIGHT? $1 BILLION, BUT IT'S LIKELY TO ONLY SERVE YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING LIKE ALMOST 100,000 STUDENTS. SO BECAUSE SO MANY KIDS ARE ON THE WAITING LIST AND SO FEW KIDS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO RECEIVE IT IN THE FIRST YEAR. SO THEY'VE ONLY MADE OFFERS TO THE FIRST TWO PRIORITY LEVELS, RIGHT. SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST PRIORITY LEVEL IS THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE A SPECIAL EDUCATION DIAGNOSIS, RIGHT? THEY HAD TO SUBMIT THEIR IEP AND THEY HAD TO BE EARNING A FAMILY HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF $160,000 OR LESS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. SO THESE ARE LOW TO MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES WHO HAVE THIS SPECIAL EDUCATION DIAGNOSIS. SO ALL OF THOSE FAMILIES RECEIVED AN OFFER. NOW THEY STILL HAVE TO MATCH WITH A PRIVATE SCHOOL. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE PHASE THAT WE'RE IN NOW. SO THIS WEEK, THE OFFERS THAT WENT OUT WERE TO THE LOWER INCOME FAMILIES. SO THESE ARE FAMILIES WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 60,000 OR LESS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, YOU KNOW, WHICH IN SAN ANTONIO THAT DOESN'T GO THAT FAR THESE DAYS. RIGHT? SO THESE FAMILIES REALLY NEED THE HELP AS FAR AS GEOGRAPHICALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY DO REPORT BY DISTRICT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHICH PARTS OF THOSE DISTRICTS THOSE FAMILIES ARE FROM. AND THEY STILL HAVE TO MATCH WITH PRIVATE SCHOOLS FROM THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS WE'VE SPOKEN TO, MOST OF THEM ARE BEING VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT HIRING DECISIONS. WHAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING TO DO IS FILL OPEN SEATS IN CLASSROOMS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE. SO MAYBE THERE'S A CATHOLIC SCHOOL THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, 15 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM. THEY CAN PUT ANOTHER 5 TO 10 KIDS IN THAT CLASSROOM. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR.

AND HELP PARENTS UNDERSTAND THAT PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO THEIR TEACHERS ARE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A STATE CERTIFICATION. THEY DON'T NEED THESE SCHOOLS, DON'T NEED TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA MET THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE TEA SO AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO REJECT STUDENTS, RIGHT.

SO SOME OF THE KEY FACTORS OF. FOR THE TFA PROGRAM, IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE. NOT JUST THE HOMESCHOOL FUNDS, BUT THE THE FULL AMOUNT, IT HAS TO BE AN ACCREDITED PRIVATE SCHOOL. SO ONLY PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT WERE ACCREDITED WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PORTAL THAT'S AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES TO PICK A SCHOOL. SO AND THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT. SO THOSE PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO ADMINISTER THE STAR TEST THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE TO DO. BUT THEY DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME ASSESSMENT SO THEY CAN COMPARE PROGRESS YEAR OVER YEAR. SO SO THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS. UP TILL NOW, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS. AND THAT BASICALLY WAS THE QUALITY CONTROL THAT FAMILIES COULD VOTE WITH THEIR FEET IF THEY WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH THE EDUCATION THEY WERE RECEIVING, THEY COULD WITHDRAW THEIR KIDS AND CHOOSE A DIFFERENT SCHOOL. SO, YOU KNOW, SOME PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THE TFA CAN COVER THE ENTIRE TUITION COSTS. OTHER SCHOOLS, FAMILIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT WITH THEIR OWN FUNDS TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TFA SCHOLARSHIP AND THE ACTUAL TUITION COSTS. SO I THINK THAT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON PARENTS TO BE THAT CONSUMER INFORMED CONSUMER. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION TRIES TO DO, IS BE THAT INFORMATION SOURCE TO HELP FAMILIES SORT AMONG ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

AND THE BIG ARGUMENT ALWAYS IS USING PUBLIC FUNDS, TAXPAYER MONEY TO GO TOWARDS PRIVATE EDUCATION. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? INGA, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF FAMILIES. DO YOU ARE YOU DO YOU FEEL THAT'S FAIR?

SO WE'VE TALKED TO FAMILIES WHO COME THEY COME TO OUR EVENTS LIKE WE'RE HAVING A, YOU KNOW, A GATHERING LIKE AT A DAYCARE OR A PRIVATE SCHOOL. AND THEY LOOK AT ME AND THEY SAY, IS THIS REAL? THIS SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. AND I'M LIKE, NO, THIS IS REAL. LIKE YOU REALLY CAN LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A SCHOOL YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU COULD AFFORD FOR YOUR KIDS. NOW YOU CAN OR MAYBE YOU HAVE. THERE'S SO MANY SIBLINGS AND YOU COULD AFFORD ONE, BUT NOT THE WHOLE FAMILY. NOW YOU CAN BECAUSE SIBLINGS GET IN TOGETHER, RIGHT? IF ONE SIBLING GETS PICKED IN THE LOTTERY, THE WHOLE FAMILY GETS TO GO AND, AND SOME FAMILIES HAVE REALLY WANTED A FAITH BASED EDUCATION FOR THEIR KIDS, AND THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO AFFORD THAT BECAUSE DISTRICTS AND CHARTERS DON'T DO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION DURING THE DAY. SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF A LOT OF HOPE FROM FAMILIES WHO FELT LIKE THEY WERE BLOCKED. THERE ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT CATER TOWARDS KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOCUS ON THOSE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? SO LIKE THE WINSTON SCHOOL IS ONE THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH A LOT, AND FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS AT SCHOOL THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO BEFORE. I WAS I'VE BEEN MESSAGING WITH A FAMILY THAT CAME TO ONE OF OUR EVENTS APPLIED TO WINSTON. THEY GOT THE TEVA. IT CAN BE AS MUCH AS $30,000 PER YEAR. IF THE CHILD HAS SPECIAL NEEDS TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA SERVICES THAT THAT CHILD MIGHT NEED. AND I THINK IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL SEE MORE SCHOOLS, BUT MORE PRIVATE SCHOOLS BEING WILLING TO TAKE KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO TURN AWAY THOSE KIDS, UNLIKE WHAT CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN DO. I THINK THAT WE'LL SEE AN EVOLUTION. WE'LL SEE NEW SCHOOLS BEING FOUNDED, AND WE'VE HAD EVENTS TO HELP TEACHERS LEARN ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SET UP TUTORING BUSINESSES, HOW THEY CAN FORM MICRO SCHOOLS AND BE EDUCATION ENTREPRENEURS.

AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND HOW IT AFFECTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS? I WANT TO SAY YOU'RE GOING TO SAY PRIVATE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER.

WELL, I'M ONLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, NOT AS A SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE, BUT VOUCHERS ARE ANOTHER EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCE. IT'S A CIRCUMSTANCE. WE CAN DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO REACT. HOWEVER, MY BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS WE MUST HAVE THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS FOR THOSE PUBLIC DOLLARS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY GO. LET'S MAKE SURE THE STATE IS HOLDING ALL THOSE SCHOOLS OR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL OR MICRO SCHOOL, A PUBLIC SCHOOL, A PRIVATE. I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL IT IS. THEY SHOULD BE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO IS ACCESSIBILITY. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL OR EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WITHOUT BEING TOLD, NO, YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE. PUBLIC SCHOOLS CANNOT DO THAT. WE ARE MANDATED BY LAW TO ACCEPT ALL STUDENTS. SO AGAIN, IF YOU'RE RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS AS A SCHOOL, AS AN INSTITUTION, YOU MUST ABIDE BY THAT SAME STANDARD. AND IF IF THAT IS HOW THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY EQUAL TO WHAT IS BEING APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHARTER SYSTEM OR ISDS, THEN I'M ALL FOR IT.

WELL, THAT SOUNDS GOOD. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR SCHOOLS. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS? WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING STUDENTS BACK TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AFTER LEAVING FOR PRIVATE CHARTER OR HOME SCHOOLING? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I KNOW WE JUST TALKED, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? WHAT WHAT IS SA ISD TRYING TO DO TO, I GUESS, GET THEM BACK INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, INTO THE SCHOOLS THAT REMAIN OPEN IN AREAS WHERE THEY'RE THRIVING AND THEY'RE GROWING?

SA ISD, ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO BEGAN THAT CONVERSATION ON OFFERING CHOICE SCHOOLS, IN FACT, WHERE THE. SSD IN TEXAS HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHOICE PARTNERSHIP CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. BECAUSE OF THAT AND THE ELEVATION OF OUR TRADITIONAL NON-CHARTER SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WE NOW HAVE OVER CLOSE TO 8000 STUDENTS THAT CHOOSE CISD FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST IN BEXAR COUNTY. AND AGAIN, THIS STARTED TEN YEARS AGO. SO WE ALREADY SAW WHAT WAS COMING IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY PROVIDING MORE CHOICES, BUT PROVIDING A HIGH QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THAT COMES WITH A PRICE, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT DOES COST MORE. AND SO WE HAVE TO ALSO MANAGE THE EQUITY ON THE EQUITY SIDE, LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TREATING OTHER SCHOOLS IN A DISADVANTAGED WAY FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT. SO WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR INNOVATION. WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY FOCUSED ON THE HUMAN VALUE, THE THE FUTURE READY OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENT, THE SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE CREATING WHEN WE CLOSE DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT WON'T REOPEN. THE POSSIBILITY IS WHAT IT SHOULD IT REOPEN AS AS AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO AS A SYMBOL OF THIS NEW LEARNING SYSTEM.

INGA, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW FAMILIES HAVE COME TO YOU SAYING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR BETTER OR MORE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THEIR KIDS. WHAT PROGRAM CHANGES DO YOU THINK SCHOOLS, PRIVATE PUBLIC CHARTER, SHOULD THEY BE MAKING TO KIND OF GET THIS ENROLLMENT GROWTH?

YEAH, I THINK THERE'S THERE'S DIFFERENT CONCERNS AT DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. I THINK FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, THERE'S A MUCH GREATER FOCUS ON LITERACY AND HOW ARE WE TEACHING, READING AND GOING BACK TO CLASSIC STRATEGIES LIKE PHONICS AND HANDWRITING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT HAVING A REALLY STRONG FOUNDATION IN MATH ALLOWS STUDENTS, AS MANY IN CISD AND NORTHEAST DO, BY EIGHTH GRADERS NEED TO BE TAKING ALGEBRA AND TAKING MORE ADVANCED MATH. AND THAT SETS THEM UP FOR STEM CAREERS. AND THEN IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF LIKE, WHAT ARE LIKE THE LARGE EMPLOYERS AND THE LARGE ECONOMIC SECTORS IN OUR ECONOMY TELLING US THAT SCHOOLS NEED TO BE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR RIGHT. SO THEY NEED TO BE A HANDOFF OF WHAT THEY CALL COLLEGE CAREER MILITARY READINESS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS. AND SO, LIKE, THERE'S SOME GREAT BRIGHT SPOTS IN LIKE THE, THE MAGNET SCHOOLS IN NORTHEAST AND THINGS LIKE YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAGNETS IN NORTHEAST. THEY COME TO OUR EVENTS AND, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE DOING CTE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION. SO THEY COME OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL READY TO GO TO WORK. RIGHT. OR KIDS ALREADY HAVE COLLEGE CREDITS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TO EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS, AND THEY GET A HEAD START ON EARNING THEIR COLLEGE DIPLOMA.

AND JAMEELA, I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ALREADY WITH THE KIDS GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL. ARE YOU FINDING THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO BE ARMED AND GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL WITH MORE CERTIFICATIONS, MORE KNOWLEDGE, AND BETTER PREPARED FOR COLLEGE?

ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THE CTE PROGRAMS, THEY'RE THEY'RE GREAT PROGRAMS. DEFINITELY MORE FROM WHEN I GRADUATED. YOU KNOW, I WON'T DATE MYSELF. BUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY ARE GIVEN THE STUDENTS IS, IS PHENOMENAL. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE WITH YOUR ASSOCIATES AND BE PREPARED FOR THAT COLLEGE WORK AND EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, TO GET YOUR BACHELOR'S IS, IS THE, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND TO STUDY, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON A SKILL TO HAVE A SKILL SET WHEN YOU GRADUATE. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING IS SO FAST PACED AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S GO TO SCHOOL, GO TO COLLEGE, GO TO WORK, YOU KNOW.

AND DON'T FORGET TO BE WELL ROUNDED. WELL, YOU HAVE TO DO ALL THOSE. THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT. AND INGA MENTIONED YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. THAT'S ONE OF A VERY POPULAR SCHOOL IN SA ISD. IT'S SO POPULAR, POPULAR THAT IT'S BECOME A BOYS, RIGHT? YOUNG MEN'S, YOUNG MEN'S. RIGHT. HOW ARE YOU? HOW IS SISD ADDRESSING ACCOMMODATING MORE FAMILIES TO BECOME PART OF THAT SCHOOL AND THAT FAMILY.

THE YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, RIGHT NOW IT'S ALMOST GOING TO OPEN A $50 MILLION REDO OF THE CAMPUS. AND I MENTIONED IT EARLIER THAT WHEN I RAN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, THEY HAD JUST CLOSED. THEN HAUSMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL. I WASN'T VERY HAPPY TODAY IN ITS PLACE, AFTER A SCHOOL CLOSURE, IS ONE OF THE TOP SCHOOLS IN THE NATION THAT HAS A WAITING LIST, THAT IS AN A-RATED CAMPUS. AND THAT'S, I THINK, A MESSAGE THAT I'VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY, THAT JUST BECAUSE ONE DOOR CLOSES LITERALLY DOESN'T MEAN THE NEW DOOR THAT OPENS CAN'T BE BETTER. AND IN THIS CASE, YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP HAS A WAIT LIST. WE HAVE ADVANCED LEARNING ACADEMY THAT HAS A WAITLIST OF EVEN IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT, WE DO HAVE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAYS OF REPLICATING FASTER BECAUSE THERE IS A HIGH DEMAND FOR THESE SPECIALIZED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT PARENTS WANT.

FOR SURE. SOME BRIGHT SPOTS THERE. ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. OUR EXPERTS HAVE GIVEN GREAT INSIGHT. NOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. MELISSA VEGA JOINS US AGAIN WITH SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS. MELISSA, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? YEAH. THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR JOINING IN ON THE CONVERSATION. LET'S GET TO SOME OF THOSE VIEWER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. IN FACT, BETH, AUDRINA ASKED, WHAT ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOING TO CHANGE PARENTS VIEWS ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH CURRICULUM AND COMMUNICATION? HE SAYS THAT HE FEELS THAT PEOPLE CHOOSE THE PRIVATE SCHOOL ROUTE DUE TO STRUCTURE AND TEACHER STUDENT RATIO.

WELL, FROM THE STUDENT TEACHER RATIO, THAT AGAIN IS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THE COST IS. WE'D ALL LOVE TO HAVE SMALL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR SMALL RATIOS OF TEACHER TO STUDENT. BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD IT UNLESS WE GET MORE FUNDING. SO THAT'S THAT'S A BALANCE AND ONE THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY STRUGGLE WITH. IN TERMS OF CURRICULUM. THE STATE IS HAS A CURRICULUM THAT WE MUST FOLLOW AND THE BASIC FORM. BUT THEN SCHOOLS HAVE AUTONOMY AND HOW THEY ROLL OUT CURRICULUM, ACADEMIC THEMES, GENDER, SCHOOLS, MONTESSORI SCHOOLS. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OF INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CURRICULUM. AND SO THE DISTRICTS ARE RESPONDING TO AUTONOMY, THE DEMAND FOR AUTONOMY AND THE DEMAND FOR SPECIALIZATION WHILE STILL MEETING THE STATE TEAKS AND OTHER STANDARDS THAT BY LAW, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. DO YOU WHAT.

ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT, INGA? DO YOU?

YEAH. LIKE SASD HAS SHOWN TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP IN OFFERING INNOVATIVE SCHOOL MODELS. I THINK THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A MATTER OF PERSUADING STUDENTS TO CHOOSE ONE FORM OF SCHOOL, WHETHER IT'S TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL OR CHARTER OR PRIVATE. IT'S REALLY WHERE THOSE STUDENTS WILL BE THE MOST SATISFIED. AND FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY. AND I THINK SCHOOL SAFETY AFFECTS PARENTS DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE THEY CHOOSE TO ENROLL THEIR STUDENTS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A FAMILY MIGHT CHOOSE JUST LIKE A CAMPUS, LIKE A HOMESCHOOL CO-OP OR A MICRO SCHOOL THAT HAS SUCH A SMALL COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY. AND IT GOES TO THAT, THAT VIGILANCE AND KNOWING, REALIZING IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, COMFORT THAT STUDENT, YOU KNOW, PREVENT THE VIOLENCE FROM HAPPENING. RIGHT. AND I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES MAY BE CONCERNED. IS IT POSSIBLE TO SECURE A VERY LARGE CAMPUS? MAYBE THEY JUST RATHER HAVE THEIR STUDENT IN A VERY SMALL SETTING WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.

YEAH. AND SANDRA REYES ASKED, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE RECEIVING THE FUNDS AND THE VOUCHERS, SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF THEY ARE BEING HELD TO THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE HELD TO. AND SHE SAYS WHAT'S FAIR IS FAIR. AND THAT'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTION THAT YOU ANSWERED EARLIER. JUST REITERATE, AGAIN, PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. CAN WE GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE LIST AGAIN?

YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. SO SO IN TEXAS, THE FAMILY CAN CHOOSE ARE WE APPLYING FOR A PRIVATE SCHOOL OR HOME SCHOOL? RIGHT. SO IF IT'S HOMESCHOOL, THERE'S A SET OF TYPES OF THINGS THEY PURCHASES THEY CAN MAKE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL. BUT IF THEY WANT THE FULL $10,000 OR MORE, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM AN ACCREDITED PRIVATE SCHOOL. SO THERE'S, THERE'S MULTIPLE ACCREDITATION BODIES IN TEXAS. AND IN ADDITION TO BEING ACCREDITED, THE PRIVATE SCHOOL ALSO HAS TO AGREE TO ADMINISTER A STANDARDIZED TEST EVERY YEAR. IT COULD BE THE STAR TEST OR IT COULD BE A DIFFERENT TEST. BUT AND THAT DATA IS GOING TO BE REPORTED, RIGHT? SO LIKE THE T A AND THE COMPTROLLER ARE COLLECTING THIS DATA, THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE IT WITH THE LEGISLATURE. THE LEGISLATURE WILL MEET AGAIN IN 2027. AND THEY'LL LOOK AT FACTORS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT 170,000 STUDENTS ON THE WAITING LIST. DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE PROGRAM SHOULD GROW? RIGHT? THEY'LL LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THE MONEY BEING SPENT? WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT MUCH DATA YET ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE STUDENTS WILL STILL BE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF USING THE FUNDS IN THE PROGRAM. BUT OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE DATA LIKE, IS THIS CREATING IMPROVEMENT OVERALL IN THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PRIVATE EDUCATION AND HOME SCHOOLING AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT SETTINGS? ARE WE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE?

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS RIGHT, TEACHERS ARE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD AS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC. PRIVATE DOES NOT HAVE TO HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS FROM THE STATE. AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEARED. AND WHAT WERE YOU?

IT'S NOT ONLY ON THE ON THE TEACHER SIDE IN TERMS OF QUALIFICATIONS, BUT IF IF THE STATE ALLOWS PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO SELECT STANDARDIZED TESTS THAT BEST FITS THAT MODEL, PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO SELECT A STANDARD. THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING IS, LET'S BE EQUAL IN HOW WE'RE GOING TO, OR AT LEAST APPLY THE SAME STANDARDS AND RULES OF ACCOUNTABILITY AS THIS HAS ROLLED OUT. I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE STATE IS GOING TO BE CALLED UPON TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE ALLOWING THIS TO TO PARENTS TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY AND TO PAY FOR IT WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, LET'S MAKE SURE THE ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS ARE APPLES TO APPLES.

YEAH. AND HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION. HOW DO PARENTS EVALUATE WHETHER A SCHOOL IS TRULY SAFE? THAT'S PROBABLY A TOUGH ONE TO ANSWER.

WELL, I THINK I THINK FOR ME, IT'S WHATEVER THE PARENT FEELS SAFE. YOU KNOW, 1ST MAY BE THE LOCKED DOORS, 1ST MAY BE THE SECURED ENTRY VESTIBULE, THE CHECK IN PROCESS, THE THE BADGING, THE VISITOR BADGING, YOU KNOW, SEEING AN OFFICER VISIBLE EVERY TIME THEY'RE UP AT UP AT THAT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, BUT I JUST THINK EACH PARENT HAS THEIR OWN SAFE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY FEEL SAFE. YOU KNOW, MY ME IS THAT WHEN I WAS A PARENT AND MY KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL, ASK THE CHILD, ASK THE ASK YOUR YOUR CHILD, DO THEY FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL? AND IF THEY DON'T ASK THEM WHY, AND THEN BRING IT UP WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MISSING SO WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER. BECAUSE IF A STUDENT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LEARN OR NOT COME TO SCHOOL.

WELL, I THINK IF THE STUDENTS NOT IN SCHOOL YET GO ON A SCHOOL TOUR, THAT'S, THAT'S WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT IN OUR GROUP. AND A SCHOOL TOUR IS A GREAT WAY TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE BEST SENSE YOU CAN EVEN BEFORE YOU ENROLL YOUR CHILD. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE KIDS. I KNOW THAT MY GIRLS, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR DRILLS, THEY TALK ABOUT FIRE DRILL, TORNADO DRILL, AND NOW SCHOOL SHOOTING DRILL. SO THAT REALLY HITS.

I WAS GOING TO SAY IN SIZED DOCTOR AQUINO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB COMING IN, ELEVATING THE STUDENT VOICE. AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT HE DID THAT WAS ON THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH HE EXPANDED. I DO THE SAME MONTHLY. I MEET WITH THE LEADERS ACROSS THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT PRINCIPALS NOW, HOW VERY ACTIVE STUDENT VOICE COMMITTEES. SO THE STUDENT VOICE HAS BEEN ELEVATED SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS SCHOOL SAFETY, TO ADDRESS SCHOOL ACADEMICS. BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL. AND I KNOW NORTHEAST HAS HAD A STUDENT VOICE FOR MANY YEARS NOW, RIGHT?

YEAH. WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS LAST QUESTION REALLY QUICKLY, AND WE'LL GET SOME FINAL THOUGHTS AS WELL. BUT IF YOU COULD IMPLEMENT ONE POLICY CHANGE TOMORROW, IF YOU HAD A MAGIC WAND, COULD IMPLEMENT ONE POLICY CHANGE TOMORROW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

OH, FOR ME, IT'S ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO I SAY ADEQUATE, NOT NECESSARILY SAYING WE NEED MORE OR WE MUST HAVE MORE. IT'S THE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDING TO SUPPORT IF WE WANT IF THE PARENTS WANT A SMALLER TEACHER TO STUDENT RATIO, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT COSTS MORE. IF THEY WANT MORE SECURITY AND THE STATE MANDATES AN OFFICER AT EVERY SCHOOL THAT COSTS MORE. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE THE FUNDING TO MATCH THE DEMANDS THAT ARE NOW BEING PLACED IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD, IN A IN A ENVIRONMENT OF CHOICE, AND IN AN ENVIRONMENT DEMANDING STUDENT ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AS WELL AS SAFETY.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT. INGA, ANY THOUGHTS ON IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND IF YOU HAD ALL YOUR THE FAMILIES, FAMILIES YOU SPOKE TO, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'RE WANTING?

I THINK, I THINK I WANT, I WANT FAMILIES TO KNOW HOW MUCH CHOICE AND HOW MUCH POWER THAT THEY DO HAVE, BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THEY, THEY START TO EXPLORE AND THEN THEY GET OVERWHELMED BY HOW MANY CHOICES THERE ARE. NOW THEY GET. THEY GET CONFUSED BY IT. AND, BUT THE MORE THEY KNOW, THE MORE THEY CAN FIND. THEY, THEY KNOW THEIR OWN CHILDREN THE BEST. THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE THAT'S OUT THERE AND FIND THAT GOOD MATCH. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE COME TO A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, FAMILY COMES TO US. YOUR CHILD HAS ALREADY BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR A FEW YEARS AND MAYBE THEIR DYSLEXIA WAS MISSED. OR MAYBE THE CHILD WAS BULLIED. AND THEN THEY NEED TO CHANGE SETTINGS. AND YOU JUST EVERY PARENT IS DOING THE BEST WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE, WHETHER IT'S THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR OWN KID, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. WE WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT THE WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE NORTHEAST HAS OPEN ENROLLMENT NOW, RIGHT? SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT TO CHOOSE NORTHEAST. SASD HAS BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS, AND WE WANT FAMILIES TO KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE OPTIONS.

YES. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR VIEWER QUESTIONS. AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE OUT THERE WHO WEIGHED IN ON THIS. AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN STILL COMMENT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. MARISA, BACK TO YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. BEFORE WE GO, WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME FINAL THOUGHTS ON FROM EVERYONE ON HOW YOU FEEL THINGS COULD MOVE BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE FUTURE. AND LET'S START WITH YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND I THINK IT IS EVER CHANGING WORLD THAT EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND WHETHER YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN SCHOOL OR NOT OR IF THEY GRADUATED, WHATEVER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE, FOCUS ON HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. EVERY STUDENT NEEDS A MENTOR. EVERY STUDENT NEEDS A ROLE MODEL THAT THEY CAN TRUST. AND FOR SAN ANTONIO, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH ALL OF THIS, THESE EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES, TO BE THE LEADER IN EDUCATION AND TO USE THESE CHALLENGES FOR POSSIBILITIES. IN THE SAN ANTONIO ISD, WE'RE FOCUSED ON HUMAN CENTERED LEARNING. WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE, MAKING OUR STUDENTS FUTURE READY. AND WE LOOK AT THIS NEW POSSIBILITY WITHOUT BORDERS, WITHOUT BOUNDARIES, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL BOUNDARIES OR DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, WE'RE IN A NEW WORLD. WE CAN'T. WE MUST BE RESILIENT. WE MUST ADAPT AND STAY FOCUSED ON THE OUTCOME OF DEVELOPING STUDENTS THAT ARE READY TO BE THE STUDENTS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. THANK YOU.

JAMEELA, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

AS A PARENT? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND INVOLVEMENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, HEARING THE CONCERNS AND ACTUALLY ACTING UPON THEM AND NOT BEING SO AGGRESSIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WE'RE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, AND WE AND YOUR KIDS ARE STILL ADJUSTING. YOU HAVE KIDS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH PUBERTY AND ALL THAT STUFF. AND IT'S A LOT. AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, FOR US, I DON'T THINK IT'S THEY'VE SAT BACK AND SAID, HOW ARE THE STUDENTS? HOW ARE YOU REALLY FEELING ABOUT THIS? YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT TO KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO SCHOOL AND I'M GOING TO A NEW SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN GO WITH MY FRIENDS. THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH KIDS. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AT THIS TIME IN THEIR LIFE, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, THE ADULTS ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND NOT THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE PICTURE, YOU KNOW, SO I WISH THEY WOULD JUST TAKE TIME, BACKTRACK, RESET, AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND GET BACK TO WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT, WHICH IS OUR, OUR CHILDREN, RIGHT?

KIDS ARE RESILIENT, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION CONSIDERATION EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. INGA YOUR THOUGHTS.

YEAH. WELL, WE HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, JADE REPORTING EXPERIENCE OF OF, YOU KNOW, PARENTS AND STUDENTS. THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEIR, TO THEM IF THEIR SCHOOL IS CLOSING. TEACHERS NOT SURE ABOUT THEIR JOBS. AND, BUT I WANT TO REFLECT BACK ON SOMETHING THAT GARZA SAID ABOUT THAT SOMETIMES THAT WHEN THERE'S THIS DISRUPTION IN THE SHORT RUN, IT LOOKS DEVASTATING, BUT IT CAN CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR INNOVATION AND SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE. AND I THINK SIMILARLY, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO ACCESS PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO BEFORE. AND IT CAN BE SCARY, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE REALLY EXCITING. AND I THINK THAT WE'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT ARE REALLY EXCITED TO WELCOME NEW FAMILIES AND TO HAVE A MORE DIVERSE STUDENT BODY ECONOMICALLY AND GEOGRAPHICALLY. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO, LIKE, END MY PART OF THIS ON A NOTE OF OPTIMISM THAT THAT LIKE, THE WORLD IS CHANGING REALLY FAST AND IT'S SCARY. I HAVE TEENAGERS AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PREPARE THEM FOR THEIR CAREERS, BUT I THINK THE MORE THAT WE LISTEN AND TALK AND HELP EACH OTHER AND BRAINSTORM AND TRY TO ACT WITH GOODWILL TOWARDS EVEN PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS OR WORKING IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS, THAT WE CAN SOLVE THIS AND THAT THE SAN ANTONIO SPIRIT WILL BRING US TOGETHER AND FIND SOLUTIONS.

ABSOLUTELY, CHIEF.

AND SO I'M GOING TO TIE IT IN WITH THE THE SAFETY MINDSET, WHETHER YOU'RE A PUBLIC PRIVATE CHARTER OR IN THE EDUCATION AND MAKING THE KIDS SAFE. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I KNOW WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY HARDENING OUR SCHOOLS TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT, YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF EVERYTHING GOING ON, MENTAL HEALTH IS A IS A BIG ISSUE IN THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND, AND ALL THE STAFF INSIDE. AND, AND LIKE I SAID, WE SPENT WHETHER IT'S THROUGH LEGISLATION T OR WHATEVER, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSED ON IN THE LAST THREE YEARS IS HARDENING THE SCHOOLS WITH LITTLE EFFORT AND TO ADDRESS TRYING TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW WE HELP SOLVE ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN OUR CLASSROOMS DEALING WITH MENTAL STRESS IN HEALTH EVERY SINGLE DAY AND GIVING US OPTIONS OR OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY THE STUDENT, BUT THE FAMILY, BECAUSE IT STARTS AT HOME. AND, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED A MENTAL HEALTH TEAM IN THE IN OUR DEPARTMENT ABOUT 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO TO MAKE CONTACT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FAMILY, TELL THEM WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT IS OUT THERE AT NO COST, YOU KNOW, AND UNTIL YOU ENGAGE THEM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE DOING A DISSERVICE IN EDUCATION IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH.

AGREED. YEAH. THOSE ARE ALL VERY GOOD THOUGHTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THE MORE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU CAN ACT ON. ABSOLUTELY.

HERE'S ONE LAST LOOK AT OUR POLL QUESTION. WHAT ISSUE IMPACTING OUR SCHOOLS ARE YOU MOST WORRIED ABOUT? AND IT LOOKS LIKE 67% ARE MOST OR 47% ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY, WITH 23% STAFF CUTS, 18% CLOSURES AND 12% ON VOUCHERS. SO 47%. IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SCHOOL SAFETY. SO WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT. WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO WORK WITH THE BUDGET. RIGHT, CHIEF. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED. THE POLL IS STILL UP ON NEWS FOUR SA.COM. BE SURE TO ALSO WEIGH IN, AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK OUR EXPERTS FOR TAKING PART TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. SINCLAIR. SAN ANTONIO IS HERE FOR YOU. WE'LL CONTINUE TELLING STORIES AND DISCUSSING TOPICS THAT IMPACT YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY. AGAIN, THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR OUR SPECIAL TOWN HALL CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM. FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE GREAT SCHOOL CLOSURE. AND IF YOU MISSED ANY PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, IT'LL BE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND ON OUR WEBSITES IN ITS ENTIRETY. JOIN US NEXT FOR FOX AT NINE AND NEWS FOUR, SAN ANTONIO AT TEN. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.