TULARE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MINUTES The Tulare County Board of Education met on Wednesday December 3, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the County Education Building, Visalia, California. PRESENT Board Members ABSENT Board Member PRESENT Staff Members GUESTS CALL TO ORDER Pledge of Allegiance/ Welcome ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING ELECTION OF PRESIDENT Joe Enea Pat Hillman Celia Maldonado-Arroyo Edward Peterson Chris Reed Scot Townsend Jim Vidak, Ex-Officio Secretary Leonard Hansen Robert Herman, Public Information Officer Olga Cortez, Program Manager, Migrant Education Rick Mitchell, Administrator, SCICON John Caudle, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services Jeanne Nava, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources Ray Chavez, Administrator, Child Care Patty Blaswich, Director, Internal Business Services Marlene Moreno, Administrative Secretary Jill Santivanez, Program Manager, Special Services Kaye van Gilluwe, Administrator, Student Support Services Marilyn Rankin, Assistant Superintendent, Special Services Pansy Ceballos, Assistant Superintendent, Instructional Services Jonathan Janzen, Instructional Consultant Frank Linik, Instructional Consultant Christine Chapman, Administrative Assistant Guests as listed in the register and Francine Enea, Earl Mann, Johnny Amaral, Jon Stemkoski, Gary Reed and John Corkins. County Superintendent Jim Vidak called the annual Organizational Meeting to order and also led the Pledge of Allegiance. Jim Vidak officially administered the Oath of Office to the following Tulare County Board of Education members: Trustee Area 1, Celia Maldonado-Arroyo; Trustee Area 3, Edward Peterson; Trustee Area 5, Joe Enea; and Trustee Area 6, Chris Reed. It was moved by Peterson, seconded by Hillman, to elect Scot Townsend as Board President of the Tulare County Board of Education for 2009. Motion unanimously carried. 1
ELECTION OF VICE PRESIDENT ADOPTION OF 2009 BOARD MEETING DATES It was moved by Peterson, seconded by Joe Enea, to elect Pat Hillman as Board Vice President of the Tulare County Board of Education for 2009. Motion unanimously carried. It was moved by Maldonado-Arroyo, seconded by Peterson, to adopt the following 2009 Tulare County Board of Education meeting dates: January 14 July 8 February 11 August 12 March 11 September 9 April 8 (10:00 a.m.) October 14 May 13 November 4 June 3 December 2 All meetings are held at the Tulare County Office of Education Board Room in Visalia at 3:00 p.m., unless otherwise indicated. ADA ACCOMMODATIONS PUBLIC COMMENTS CONSENT CALENDAR RED RIBBON DONATIONS DONATION TO MAPLE LEARNING COMPLEX DONATION TO Board President Townsend announced that ADA accommodations had been met. Members of the public did not address any matters of jurisdiction. It was moved by Hillman, seconded by Peterson, to approve Consent Calendar Items A-D: A. Approval of Minutes for the regular Board Meeting of November 12, 2008, Encl. No. 1 B. Authorization of Countywide Registration of Credentials, Encl. No. 2 C. Authorization of Countywide Salary Releases, Encl. No. 3 D. Authorization of Countywide Emergency Credential Applications, Encl. No. 4 Marlene Moreno reported that the 2008 Red Ribbon activities generated $2,004.18, which will be donated to the Tulare County Youth Council. It was moved by Maldonado-Arroyo, seconded by Enea to approve the donation. Mr. Vidak complimented Marlene on a tremendous job coordinating Red Ribbon Week. Jill Santivanez was pleased to announce that the Cabrillo Club has donated $1,000 to the students of Maple Learning Complex to be used to buy Christmas presents and to pay for classroom holiday parties. It was moved by Enea, seconded by Hillman to accept the donation. Rick Mitchell requested approval of a donation from the Tulare County Farm 2
SCICON 2008-2009 LOCAL ASSISTANCE ENTITLEMENTS LOW INCIDENCE SPECIALIZED SERVICES GRANT PRESCHOOL LOCAL ENTITLEMENT GRANT 2009-2010 EARLY HEAD START AND HEAD START BUDGET EARLY HEAD START AND HEAD START PROPOSAL SEE ROOFING PROJECT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT EMPLOYER PAID MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS Bureau in the amount of $500 for a gardening program at the new Eagle Point Village. It was moved by Hillman, seconded by Peterson to accept the donation. It was moved by Enea, seconded by Peterson, to approve the 2008-2009 Local Assistance Entitlements in the sum of $13,684,533. Marilyn Rankin explained that the funds are used to educate disabled students ages 5-21. Marilyn Rankin presented the Special Services Low Incidence Specialized Services Grant in the amount of $18,055. The funds are used for training and equipment for students with low incidence disabilities. It was moved by Maldonado-Arroyo, seconded by Enea to approve the funds. Motion unanimously carried. Kaye van Gilluwe asked for acceptance of a Preschool Local Entitlement Grant in the amount of $1,711,333 which is used to support programs for identified preschool students. It was moved by Peterson, seconded by Hillman to accept the funds. Ray Chavez reported that the 2009-2010 Early Head Start and Head Start Budget in the amount of $16,401,860 will provide services to 1,966 children. It was moved by Maldonado-Arroyo, seconded by Peterson, to accept the budget. It was moved by Hillman, seconded by Peterson to approve the 2009-2010 Early Head Start and Head Start Proposal in its entirety. Mr. Chavez explained that every month sections of the proposal are presented to the board and it is now ready to be submitted to meet the December 31, 2008 deadline. John Caudle was on hand to seek authorization to certify the roofing project on the SEE building as complete. It was moved by Hillman, seconded by Peterson to accept the roofing project as complete. Jeanne Nava presented the public disclosure of the collective bargaining agreement for the Tulare County Office of Education Child Care classified employees. The agreement included a 2% COLA combined with health and welfare cost increase representing a 3.25% raise. It was moved by Hillman, seconded by Maldonado-Arroyo to approve the agreement. Motion unanimously carried. It was moved by Peterson, seconded by Enea to adopt the following resolution regarding tax deferred member contributions in the required IRS format for all Tulare County School Districts: WHEREAS, the governing body of the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS has the 3
authority to implement Government Code Section 20691; WHEREAS, the governing body of the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS has a written labor policy or agreement which specifically provides for the normal member contributions to be paid by the employer; WHEREAS, one of the steps in the procedures to implement Section 20691 is the adoption by the governing body of the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS of a Resolution to commence said Employer Paid Member Contributions (EPMC); WHEREAS, the governing body of the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS has identified the following conditions for the purpose of its election to pay EPMC: This benefit shall apply to all classified employees who are members of CalPERS. This benefit shall consist of paying 100 Percent of the normal member contributions as EPMC. The effective date of this Resolution shall be December 1, 2008. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the governing body of the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS elects to pay EPMC, as set forth above. RESOLUTION FOR EMPLOYER PICK-UP Jeanne Nava explained that it is necessary to adopt a resolution which formally authorizes Employer Pick-up Contributions for the Tulare County Superintendent of Schools and all Tulare County School Districts in the required IRS format. It was moved by Maldonado-Arroyo, seconded by Hillman, to adopt the resolution: WHEREAS, the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS have the authority to implement the provisions of section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC); and WHEREAS, the Board of Administration of the Public Employees Retirement System adopted its resolution regarding section 414(h)(2) IRC on September 18, 1985; and WHEREAS, the Internal Revenue Service has stated in December 1985, that the implementation of the provisions of section 414(h)(2) IRC pursuant to the Resolution of the Board of Administration would satisfy the legal requirements of section 414(h)(2) IRC; and WHEREAS, the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS have determined that even though the implementation of the provisions of section 414(h)(2) IRC is not required by law, the tax benefit offered by section 414(h)(2) IRC should be provided to its employees who are members of the Public Employees Retirement System: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: I. That the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS will implement the provisions of section 414(h)(2) Internal Revenue Code by making employee contributions pursuant to California Government Code section 20691 to the Public Employees Retirement System on behalf of its employees who are members of the Public Employees Retirement System. Employee contributions shall mean those contributions to the Public Employees Retirement System which are deducted from the salary of employees and are credited to individual employee s accounts pursuant to California Government Code section 20691. II. That the contributions made by the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS to the Public Employees Retirement System, although designated as employee contributions, are being paid by the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS in lieu of contributions by the employees who are members of the Public Employees Retirement System. III. That employees shall not have the option of choosing to receive the contributed amounts directly instead of having them paid by the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS to the Public Employees Retirement System. IV. That the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS shall pay to the Public Employees Retirement System the contributions designated as employee contributions from the same source of funds as used in paying salary. V. That the amount of the contributions designated as employee contributions and paid by the TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS to the Public Employees Retirement System on behalf of an employee shall be the entire contribution required of the employee by the Public Employees Retirement Law (California Government Code sections 20000 et seq.). VI. That the contributions designated as employee contributions made by TULARE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS to the Public Employees Retirement System shall be treated 4
BUDGET REVISIONS FIRST INTERIM REPORT BUDGET CALENDAR for all purposes, other than taxation, in the same way that member contributions are treated by the Public Employees Retirement System. Patty Blaswich presented the budget revisions showing actual expenditures through October 31, 2008. The County School Service Fund showed an estimated ending fund balance of $34,328,497 which includes prior year carryover and new awards. The Child Development Fund of $1,771,924 reflects an increase from the SISC rebate settlement. A slight decrease in the Charter School Fund was due to the new ADA projections. The State School Building program increased to $4,706,202 with state apportioned funds for several Special Education classroom projects. It was moved by Peterson, seconded by Maldonado-Arroyo to approve the budget revisions. Patty Blaswich explained that twice a year county superintendents are required to certify the ability to meet financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year and for the subsequent two fiscal years. Ms. Blaswich announced that the Tulare County Office of Education has a very healthy budget and anticipates that at year end we will have $32.9 million in the bank. It was moved by Enea, seconded by Hillman to accept the First Interim Report as of 10/31/08. Motion unanimously carried. Patty Blaswich presented the 2009-2010 proposed County School Service Fund proposed budget calendar setting guidelines for the upcoming year. This was an informational item only. 2008 WILLIAMS SETTLEMENT REPORT Jonathan Janzen gave a very informational summary of the Williams Settlement Report for 2008. He explained that during August and September, all decile 1-3 schools in Tulare County were visited by teams from the Tulare County Office of Education to determine if sufficient instructional materials are in place; facilities are in good repair ; and teachers are qualified to teach in their content area. As a result of the Valenzuela Settlement, students who have not passed the high school exit exam by grade 12 have the right to receive intensive instruction for up to two consecutive years. Mr. Janzen commented that the visits are very insightful and the schools have been receptive to the team visits as helpful rather than threatening. Mr. Vidak complimented the staff for the wonderful job putting teams together and the very thorough and informative report on compliance findings. MIGRANT EDUCATION PROGRAM Sheli Silva provided an in-depth report on the Region VIII Migrant Education Program for Tulare and Kings Counties. Ms. Silva explained that there has been a change in direction now that so much of the program is based on accountability. 5
The Portable Assisted Study Sequence (PASS) Program provides courses that students can take if they need to make up a class, earn extra credits, or use to practice skills in a certain subject. Last year, over 200 students enrolled in the program. The Pre-K site based and homebased program provides services to children and their families. Each tutor has approximately 30 students and they also teach the parent to become involved in their child s education. Sheli Silva also mentioned additional programs provided to migrant students including university study trips, the SCICON Leadership academies, and health fairs and dental services. She was proud to announce that 36 students graduated from high school last year within the program. SUPERINTENDENT S REPORT NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING ADJOURNMENT Superintendent Jim Vidak extended condolences to Leonard Hansen on the recent loss of his wife, Margaret. He asked the board members to take a little time to view the art displayed throughout the building. The annual Fall Institute for Board Members and Administrators from school districts throughout the county held on November 24 th turned out to be a very successful event. In conclusion, Mr. Vidak congratulated the new board president and vice president and newly elected board members. He invited the board and audience to attend a reception following the meeting to welcome newly elected and reelected board members. January 14, 2009 Meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m. 6