September 25, 2018 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Notice of the time and place of the Lincoln Board of Education meeting was e-mailed to an extensive list of local and regional news media.  A mailing list is maintained at the Lincoln Public Schools District Office.  A public notice was published in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR.

 

The Lincoln Board of Education is empowered to act on any item listed on the Agenda at any time during the meeting, irrespective of the time or order listed. Pages listed, or further detail, are available upon request. The Open Meetings Act requires and the intention of the Board is that agenda items be sufficiently descriptive to give the public reasonable notice of the matters to be considered at the meeting. The Lincoln Board of Education releases its agenda well in advance of most meetings and desires that all interested persons are fully informed. Any interested person who has a question or needs clarification about the sufficiency of a descriptive item should contact the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.

Rationale:  The attached minutes are intended to accurately reflect the action of the Board at its previous meetings.

Explanation
The minutes have been prepared for Board approval.

Rationale:  BACKGROUND:

The 2017 Nebraska College and Ready Science Standards, has prompted changes in Lincoln Public Schools science instruction.

EXPLANATION:

On September 8, 2017, the Nebraska State Board of Education approved Nebraska’s College and Career Ready Standards for Science. 

Presenting to highlight these standards:

• James Blake, K-12 Science Curriculum Specialist for Lincoln Public Schools: Overview of 2017 Nebraska College and Career Ready Science Standards.
• LaQuinte Campbell, 6^th Grade science teacher at Dawes Middle School:  Teacher  perspective of how these standards are best implemented in the classroom.
• Dawes Middle School, 6^th grade student, Caleb Stamm, and 7^th grade student, Tom Parker:  Student perspective.

Rationale: 

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

1. Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose. 
2. A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker. At the discretion of the chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time. Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
3. Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment. A "Record of Appearance" card is provided for this purpose.
4. Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
5. In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
6. If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
7. Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials available to the Board but may not use any other form of media.

If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations set forth in this policy or on the agenda or if persons appearing before the Board or who are present at the Board meeting or public hearing become abusive in language or behavior, it shall be the responsibility of the chair to declare that person or persons out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board, require a change in behavior and may require the person or persons to leave the premises of the Board meeting.

Rationale: 

Rationale:  Explanation:

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

On February 13, 2018, the Board adopted a resolution to accept an option enrollment student for the 2018-19 school year.  Applications for enrollment during the 2018-19 school year have been received and are in compliance with the Board resolution of February 13, 2018.      

Explanation
The applications included in this agenda item have been examined by staff and meet one of the criteria set forth by the Board in the resolution of February 13, 2018.  Staff recommends approval of these applications.  

Proposal   
That the Board adopts the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the students who have been assigned student numbers 287218 and 299759 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one or more of the criteria of the Board resolution of February 13, 2018, with regard to such option students;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the aforementioned students be accepted as option students on the condition and with the express understanding that all programs, all classes and all buildings of assignment, except as otherwise required by law, shall at all times and from time to time during attendance at Lincoln Public Schools be determined solely by Lincoln Public Schools.

Rationale:  *The Lincoln Board of Education is empowered to act on any item listed on the Agenda at any time during the meeting, irrespective of the time or order listed. Pages listed, or further detail, are available upon request. The Open Meetings Act requires and the intention of the Board is that agenda items be sufficiently descriptive to give the public reasonable notice of the matters to be considered at the meeting. The Lincoln Board of Education  Board releases its agenda well in advance of most meetings and desires that all interested persons are fully informed. Any interested person who has a question or needs clarification about the sufficiency of a descriptive item should contact the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.

Rationale:  BACKGROUND:

It is the responsibility of the Board to ensure that educational records are kept private and guarantee access to these records by parents. In general, the only person who can authorize publication of educational records is the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s).
EXPLANATION:

Recent advances in technology have made it easier to record conversations, so many individuals do not realize the risk to privacy in such recordings.  Nebraska is a "one-party" consent state—meaning as long as one person knows that they are recording, it is allowed.  However, in a meeting at school at which educational records are being shared, it is important that all parties are aware of any recording, so students’ privacy can be protected and only the information that has been authorized for release can be taken from the meeting.  Policy 1102 establishes recording authorization requirements that better ensure the privacy and confidentiality of student information.

 

Rationale:  BACKGROUND: The Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs is authorized to sign contracts and agreements for the school district.  The workflow process is currently managed through paper documents in folders for signature.  Contracts and agreements at all funding thresholds are routed through the hard copy paper process.  All contracts and agreements are vetted to ensure that the appropriate administrator has approved the activity and budget authority is available for any cost.  Contracts and agreements in excess of $25,000 are approved by the Board of Education.
EXPLANATION:
 

Rationale:  BACKGROUND:

The Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs is authorized to sign contracts and agreements for the school district.  The workflow process is currently managed through paper documents in folders for signature.  Contracts and agreements at all funding thresholds are routed through the hard copy paper process.  All contracts and agreements are vetted to ensure that the appropriate administrator has approved the activity and budget authority is available for any cost.  Contracts and agreements in excess of $25,000 are approved by the Board of Education.
EXPLANATION:
 

Rationale:  BACKGROUND:

According to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-533, the board must hold a public hearing on its parental involvement and engagement policy. After the hearing, the Board must either alter and adopt the revised policy or reaffirm it as written.
EXPLANATION:
 
PROPOSAL:

That the Board discuss the revision of Policy 6443.

 

Rationale:  BACKGROUND:

Each year, following the federal and state legislative sessions, LPS staff determines if any changes need to be made to LPS and ESU Policies to keep them aligned with changes in state and federal law.
EXPLANATION:

The following policy has been added to align LPS policy with new federal and/or state law: LPS Policy 6604 is a new policy reflecting the Nebraska Department of Education’s "Cleanup Bill," which states that each school district must "develop policies to facilitate reading instruction and intervention services to address student reading needs, including, but not limited to dyslexia." Policy 6604 follows the language of the law to meet this requirement.

Rationale:  BACKGROUND:

Each year, following the federal and state legislative sessions, LPS staff determines if any changes need to be made to LPS and ESU Policies to keep them aligned with changes in state and federal law.
EXPLANATION:

The following policies have been revised or added to align LPS policies with new federal or state law: LPS Policy 8250 includes a proposed revision to align with the change in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 13-2203.  The change in law increased the maximum cost the Board can spend per person at the one recognition dinner that is allowed for Board members, employees or volunteers from $25 to $50.

Rationale:  A hearing has been held on whether the Board of Education should approve or modify the preliminary property tax request for Lancaster County School District 001 - Lincoln Public Schools (Attachment One).

Explanation
The 2018-19 budget of Lincoln Public Schools has already been adopted.  According to state law Section 77-1601.02, the preliminary tax request for the district shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the school district holds a hearing and sets the property tax request at a different amount.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2018-19 budget which has already been formally adopted by the Board of Education.  Attachment Two reflects last year’s property tax rates, this year’s initial estimate, and the final property tax rates for 2018-19.

Staff recommends that the following resolution be adopted so that the 2018-19 budget may be funded as adopted.  A simple majority vote is required. That the Board of Education approve the following proposed resolution:

THEREFORE Be it resolved that the Board of Education of Lancaster County School District 001 hereby sets the district’s 2018-19 property tax request at a different amount from that of the 2017-18 fiscal year and that, pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601.02, and other Nebraska laws, does hereby set the 2018-19 Lincoln Public Schools property tax request, including the county’s collection fee and any delinquent tax allowances, as follows:
 

General Fund	$232,346,452.22
Building Fund	0.00
Bond Fund for High School Bonds Authorized in 1999	5,616,256.51
Bond Fund for Bonds Authorized in 2006	17,250,263.46
Bond Fund for Bonds Authorizes in 2014	11,853,182.71
Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund	5,129,274.70
Total Lincoln Public Schools Tax Request	$272,195,429.60

and THEREFORE BE IT further resolved that if updated valuation, budget, or other pertinent information is subsequently received by Lincoln Public Schools or by Lancaster County, Lincoln Public Schools, its administration, and the County shall adjust the property tax request to reflect the updated information pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601 and other Nebraska laws.


 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  October 3 - Chamber Coffee, 8:00 am, Chamber Office
October 8 - Mayor's Roundtable, 5:30 pm, Mayor's Office
October 9 - Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, LPSDO

Rationale: 

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

1. Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose. 
2. A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker. At the discretion of the chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time. Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
3. Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment. A "Record of Appearance" card is provided for this purpose.
4. Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
5. In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
6. If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
7. Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials available to the Board but may not use any other form of media.

If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations set forth in this policy or on the agenda or if persons appearing before the Board or who are present at the Board meeting or public hearing become abusive in language or behavior, it shall be the responsibility of the chair to declare that person or persons out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board, require a change in behavior and may require the person or persons to leave the premises of the Board meeting.

Rationale: 

Explanation
At this point, it is appropriate for the Board to meet in closed session for one of the stated matters and/or any other permissible closed session matters in compliance with the law.

Rationale:  The Lincoln Board of Education is authorized by state statute to hold closed sessions.  Closed sessions may be held when clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual.  Reasons that meet this standard include but are not limited to:  (a) strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining, real estate matters, pending litigation, or litigation which is imminent as evidenced by communication of a claim or threat of litigation to or by the public body; (b) discussion regarding deployment of security personnel or devices; (c) investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct; (d) evaluation of the job performance of a person when necessary to prevent needless injury to the reputation of a person and if such person has not requested a public meeting; and (e) legal advice.