Kathleen Jackson

The meeting commenced with the call to order and roll call. Agenda approval involved removing the recognitions portion (rescheduled due to weather) and adding an update on the School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) to superintendent reports. Following a moment of silence for several individuals, the board approved the personnel list and the consent agenda. A segment was dedicated to accepting donations to the McKenna Vento program from Greg Auststerhos and Straight Street. Superintendent reports included the approval of the local gifted plan, a staffing report, an update on the boundary study, and a preview of the 2627 school year budget. The presentation on the five-year local gifted plan detailed services offered across K-12, including Plato classrooms, gifted resource teachers, advanced courses, governor school enrollment, and specialized instruction tiers. Emphasis was placed on using local norms and universal screening for identification, which contributed to high representation among underrepresented populations. The superintendent also highlighted that Roanoke City Public Schools received the trusted learning environment seal from the consortium of school networking.

The session focused primarily on aggressive recruitment practices related to Borrower Defense, specifically discussing the concept of including these practices in the regulatory language. Key points of discussion included defining what constitutes aggressive recruitment, balancing the need for specific examples versus general prohibitions, and referencing existing agreements like the Department of Defense (DOD) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Participants debated the merits of prescriptive language (such as Option 3) versus broader definitions (like Option 4, derived from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau definition of abusive conduct). The committee tentatively agreed on the inclusion of aggressive recruitment as a reason for Borrower Defense to Repayment and planned to revisit the specific language after further review of proposals.

The virtual meeting addressed several critical operational and financial items. The Superintendent reported on the distribution of Remote Learning Packets and emphasized the commitment to a needs-based budget, citing an $8 community value return for every $1 invested in education. Community engagement updates highlighted that the Community Empowerment Center (CEC) has recorded over 1,200 visits since July 2025 and, along with the Lyft Center, was officially designated a Community School. The School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) update confirmed that 100% accreditation status was maintained across all schools, with Lucy Addison Middle School successfully exiting federal monitoring. A major discussion focused on the FY 2026-2027 Budget Development, which begins with a projected $10 million deficit, leading to an anticipated total variance of approximately $16.56 million. Potential cost-cutting measures discussed to address the deficit included eliminating late activity buses, reducing the 3-year-old VPI preschool program, deferring facility maintenance, and not renewing technology leases. The Board also informed the community about an upcoming Virtual Budget Town Hall scheduled for February 5, 2026.

The meeting commenced with an approval of a remote participation request and the agenda, followed by a moment of silence recognizing several community members. Key recognitions included the RCPS Teacher of the Year, the Junior Achievement Student of the Year, commendations for staff leadership in community incident response, and recognition of student artists and fall athletic personnel. Personnel actions involved the approval of a comprehensive personnel list. Under the consent agenda, the Board approved appropriation requests, accepted public gifts (including toys and games for the Hurt Park Winter Holiday Drive), and approved the minutes for the November 11 Regular Meeting and the December 9 Regular Meeting. Citizen participation addressed the selection of kindergarten classroom books. Superintendent updates covered Virginia School Principals Appreciation Week and the unveiling of the Lucy Addison historical marker. Significant financial discussions included an update on the FY 2026-2027 budget, which projects a $3.5 million shortfall due to lower-than-expected Average Daily Membership, and the approval of a $2.18 million True-Up application to the City of Roanoke to address overcrowding at Patrick Henry and William Fleming High Schools via modular classrooms. Updates were also provided on the Solar Panels project, an Outsourcing Report highlighting efficient Food & Nutrition services and insourced Health Services, and the timeline for the comprehensive Boundary Study. Committee reports covered technology and historical marker events. The meeting concluded with a closed session to discuss a sensitive matter.

The TEACH Grants Subcommittee meeting focused on defining the scope and process for recommendations to the main negotiating committee regarding TEACH grant proposals effective July 1, 2020. A key discussion point was confining the scope to forward-looking regulations, excluding issues pertaining to current borrowers, despite initial notice suggesting backward-looking considerations. The committee addressed document management, clarifying the use of multiple versions of redlined regulations and planning to incorporate submitted language later. Significant time was spent discussing the necessity of creating a conceptual timeline outlining notification periods, conversion points, and dispute processes to ensure the final proposal is cohesive, especially concerning documentation deadlines for grant recipients prior to conversion. Discussions also touched upon clarifying regulatory language regarding transfer students and maternity leave concerning the eight-year service obligation clock.