Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting

1. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Welcome and Introduction Board President, Deb Spenceley Statement of Purpose – To provide the community with information and answer the public’s questions concerning the history, current status, and pending issues regarding district finance.

2. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Presentations Legislative Impact and Our Efforts - Board Vice President, Chip Swan The Past, Present, Future - Board Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Dee Lindsey Key Challenges and Strategic Opportunities - Superintendent, Douglas Bissonette Current Financial Status - Chief Financial Officer, Ron Patera Comments – Teacher, Parent, Student Q&A (via notecards) with the Panel Presenters One on One Q&A and Informal Discussions with Board Members, District Administration, ESD 101 Members, & Committees Closing Comments

3. Why did you come to tonight’s session? • I am concerned about the level of funding at our schools. • I am concerned about how my tax dollars are spent. • I have specific questions about district finances. • I have no concerns, but want to learn more about the district. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

4. Do you have children that attend Elizabeth Schools? • Yes I have children that attend Elizabeth Schools. • Yes I have grandchildren that attend Elizabeth Schools. • No I do not have children or grandchildren who do (or will) attend Elizabeth Schools. • I have children or grandchildren who will attend Elizabeth Schools in the future. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

5. How long have you lived in the Elizabeth School District? • Less than 2 years • Between 2-5 years • Between 6-10 years • More than 10 years [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

6. How involved are you in Elizabeth Schools? • I am extremely involved and volunteer all the time. • I sometimes volunteer. • I am not really involved. • Not at all. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

7. Household value goes up with high quality schools. • Agree • Somewhat agree • Somewhat disagree • Disagree [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

8. Who is the largest employer in Elizabeth? • Walmart • Safeway • Elizabeth School District [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

9. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Legislative Impact and Our Efforts Board Vice President, Chip Swan

10. How many bills (changes to regulation) were introduced in the 2014 legislative session? • 0-40 • 41-80 • 81-100 • 100 or more [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

11. What is the “Negative Factor”? • The percentage that enrollment declines from one year to the next. • That person who is always pointing out problems. • A simple factor in about a 5 page equation that reduces funding to a school district. • The impact of unfunded mandates on the ability of districts to educate students. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

12. Legislative Impact and Our Efforts • The negative factor decreased Elizabeth Schools funding by $3.1 million this year alone.  • Over a 4 year period the negative factor decreased funding to our district by over $10 million.  • This legislative session the legislators said they would make a substantial step in paying back the negative factor. 

13. How much of the $3.1 million lost to our school district will be paid back because of legislation this year? • $300,000 to $600,000 • $1.5 to $1.8 million • $2 million to $2.5 million • $3.1 million [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

14. Legislative Impact and Our Efforts A Resolution in Support of our Colorado Superintendents’ Shared Concerns Regarding the Extremely Inadequate Funding of our Public Schools and the Colorado Association of School Board’s call to Eliminate the Negative Factor THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we will individually and collectively, and in cooperation with other like-minded boards of education, professional associations and citizen organizations, support all efforts to restore the funding, without mandates, as called for by CASB and our state’s Superintendents by engaging and informing our community of fiscal effects of the “negative factor” and ensuring our legislators are aware of the impacts of funding constraints on our ability to provide a fair and high quality education in our district.

15. Legislative Impact and Our Efforts A Resolution Concerning the Growing and Alarming Pace of State Acquiescence to Federal Intrusion into State Educational Priorities and Operations, and State Intrusion into Local Control of Education, Specifically but Not Limited to the Use of Common Core Standards and PARCC Assessments THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we must act to limit unwarranted intrusion by state and federal agencies which encroaches upon the community’s constitutional authority to set educational standards and priorities for our students and which creates unintended consequences that degrade our ability to serve our students; and THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will individually and collectively, and in cooperation with other like-minded boards of education, professional associations and citizen organizations, take action to narrow pathways for state and federal intrusion into our local educational priorities. In addition, we will support legislation that will seek to delay and reexamine the implementation of PARCC assessments. Furthermore, we support adoption of the highest possible academic standards for our state.

16. Legislative Impact and Our Efforts Our kids deserve better!

17. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting The Past, The Present, The Future Board Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Dee Lindsey

19. Should school district finances be more transparent? • Yes • No

20. How does Elizabeth High School compare academically with neighboring schools? • About the same • EHS is inferior • EHS excels [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

21. What should we do with increased funding? • Improve our buildings • Attract and retain quality teachers • Upgrade technology • All of the above [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

22. What is the Elizabeth School District’s rank in state per pupil funding? • Bottom 5% • Top 25% • Top 50% [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

23. What was the percentage of teacher turn-over last year? • Below 5% • Between 10%-15% • Above 20% [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

24. What is the district’s biggest expense? • Transportation • Salaries and Benefits • Buildings and Facilities • Technology [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

25. Approximately how large is the Elizabeth School District annual operating budget? • $10,000,000 • $20,000,000 • $50,000,000 • $80,000,000 [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

26. In your opinion, do you feel the school district is heading in the right direction. • Yes, headed in the right direction. • No, off on the wrong track. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

27. What is your willingness to increase taxes to pay for a bond to address critical infrastructure needs. • Very willing • Somewhat willing • Not willing [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

28. What is your willingness to increase taxes for Mill Levy to attract and retain high quality staff, for safety resources, and to improve technology in our schools. • Very willing • Somewhat willing • Not very willing [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

29. What is your opinion on allowing the district to opt out of burdensome federal regulations, having adequate resources, without accepting money from the Federal Department Of Education • Strongly agree that it is a good idea. • Somewhat agree that it is a good idea. • Disagree, that is a crazy idea. [Default] [MC Any] [MC All]

30. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting The Challenges and Strategic Opportunities Superintendent, Douglas Bissonette

31. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Current Financial Status Chief Financial Officer, Ron Patera

33. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Teacher Perspective Marilyn Travis • 2nd grade teacher • District employee 25 years

34. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Parent Perspective Andrea Hei • RCE PTCO President • Citizen Impact Committee Co- Chair & Founder

35. Elizabeth Schools Town Hall Meeting Student Perspective Gav Houston • EHS Senior • Track and Wrestling • Attending Air Force Academy Fall 2014