[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6426668,"mediaKeyId","5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d","parentId",5900369,"title","Board approves consent agenda, LEP allowable growth request, bond counsel engagement and multiple policy updates","audioSeconds",470,"startMs",2110000,"endMs",2580000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d&start=2110&end=2580","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d/thumbnail_2110000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6426668/Iowa/Board-approves-consent-agenda-LEP-allowable-growth-request-bond-counsel-engagement-and-multiple-policy-updates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426668-c50daeefd4414ab7d2b68e8bd0c28fc5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163026&Signature=C7dtoVN0R6m0jm9ws4lHo3DNnRhZ6MsskXRIOJnR9YopfwsyXPKhcU7BoEd8imrt6FvJ5YsrflibYULm3W57ems5wXKLbK5ggQTvRT-F62lL~cOzkMoIjwFKDUyXqnBJjjtzSxVO0e2voouPakYxj39Q6L7vKgTh8x82wvLm8N1WkcsLL4xq3KBkeYrR20MDRUcUH4xpJc9Glru-TwJRVs4D9f6a-pA2Gg19L1oG6cT1pcEOaTxzwnA5Aw0R4kpUcsFm2cnnJDuLulhDY95IuuFjZhMmjzzuysZPQfqSCIdERLr78fhb34t-~rRMc7znafODcDCx4OCQm5CoRElsfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Burlington Comm School District","date","2025-10-07T00:02:58Z","article","Burlington Community School District officials approved a series of routine and policy items during the board meeting on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, including the consent agenda, a request to the SBRC for additional LEP (formerly LEP, now “EL”) allowable growth, a revised bond counsel engagement letter for a public bond placement, and several policy updates that advanced through first and second readings.

The actions affect district spending authority, legal engagement for a bond placement and updates to board policy. Taken together, the votes give district staff authority to pursue budget adjustments, finalize bond disclosures and continue a scheduled policy-review cycle.

Key votes and motions approved

- Consent agenda (motion to approve payment of previously paid bills and new bills): The board moved to approve the consent agenda, which the presenter listed as including previously paid bills of $635,162.35, unpaid bills totaling $618,997.61, PECAR purchases (BMO Bank) of $86,432.55, and gifts totaling $2,400. The motion passed following one voiced abstention during the roll call.

- SBRC request for LEP allowable growth: The board approved a spending-authority request to the School Budget Review Committee for allowable growth tied to EL (English learner) staffing costs. District staff said last year’s staffing-related cost was just under $195,000 while the funding formula covered about $75,000; the requested allowable growth was $119,475.79. The board moved and seconded the request and the motion passed.

- Bond counsel engagement letter (revised): The board approved a revised engagement letter with bond counsel tied to a change from a planned direct placement to a public bond placement. District counsel outlined revisions that added a disclosure section and adjusted fee language tied to the new placement option. The board approved the revised engagement letter.

- IASB policy primer, second reading: The board approved the IASB (Iowa Association of School Boards) policy primer packet on second reading as presented.

- Board policy updates (first and second readings): The board approved several policy series motions: the 100 series (second reading), the first half of the 200 series (first reading) and the graduation-requirements policy 505.05 (first reading) as presented. The board’s policy committee reported attorney review and committee vetting before presenting the changes to the full board.

- Motions to table and untable: The board briefly tabled the Item on the 2025 Iowa School Performance Profiles due to technology issues, then later moved to untable it and receive the presentation.

All listed motions were taken during the regular meeting and were recorded as passing by voice vote unless the transcript listed a specific abstention. The district did not provide roll-call tallies with named yes/no votes in the public transcript; items were approved by voice vote with motions and seconds recorded in the minutes.

What the votes mean going forward

- Financial authority: The SBRC allowable growth vote gives the district authority to request additional state-recognized spending authority for EL costs; the board must still determine whether to allocate cash reserves to those costs in next year’s budget.

- Bond work: Approving the revised bond counsel engagement letter allows the district to continue legal work and required disclosure preparation associated with a public bond placement.

- Policy review: Approvals on first and second readings advance district policy updates through the routine IASB-driven review process; where the committee made substantive changes those were referred back to the district attorney for review and then returned to the board.

No votes on the record failed. Several items were presented as informational and will receive further review in future sessions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","10/06/25 School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Oct. 6 meeting the Burlington Community School District board approved the consent agenda (including payment of bills), a School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) request for LEP allowable growth, a revised bond counsel engagement letter, and multiple policy updates after first- and second-reading votes.","taxTitle","Burlington Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",56668,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6426657,"District leaders say summer conferences, PLC and Solution Tree work driving classroom changes",427,254000,681000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d&start=254&end=681","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d/thumbnail_254000.jpg","/articles/6426657/Iowa/District-leaders-say-summer-conferences-PLC-and-Solution-Tree-work-driving-classroom-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426657-afeb92a8cac97e2807be77abd3a744d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163027&Signature=mFcgTdeVcmEEGgZsVmr4RLxldIHVqpU~o-ApwYtlS3~qvO3W9zAkeeaqVu3NCwIQ7jP5UhajiSL4Md32PPMNlxKpmZCiJJikvLga7bwy1Nw4gdj8ZGYGHEbjgKTMCgxlkx~MCm9KynJ~0Oy~n89QfzQOKJCxiWK2FhOtZmniketsAbfuODtgRsWAQ6cRWhrqwn04cYfPU4oE0FCWdOJCfZnzeMYIQmdf62h1E~sYBl5DekZHQ0mRM8zTBJxjxhbOweDUsroQecBVKaRoB87CSPKiMI4R~OJjLXXwGpFXmLO9jg4VjmDUSn~FrvZ7oJDeB3H8AvvTKYXGgRVAC5~fAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Administrators and instructional coaches told the Burlington Community School District board on Oct. 6 that summer professional learning and collaborative conferences were providing practical strategies that district staff are using this school year.

The presenters described two main kinds of summer learning: the School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) conference and a set of Solution Tree conferences (PLC at Work, High-Impact Teams, Behavior Solutions and All Means All). Staff said district teams used course takeaways to create shared tools, book studies and building-level road maps.

Why it matters

Administrators said attending conferences together allowed teams to return with shared language, practical classroom tools and coordinated plans for implementation across grade levels. Staff said this common language and cross-building collaboration support instructional continuity from preschool through grade 12.

What administrators reported

- SAI attendance: About 16 district administrators attended SAI in August. Presenters said sessions included legal updates, Iowa Department of Education guidance and best practices for supporting students and staff.
- Solution Tree and PLC work: District teams attended four Solution Tree tracks: Behavior Solutions, All Means All (special education collaboration), PLC at Work and High-Impact Teams. The district purchased multiple copies of Dr. Minahan’s The Behavior Code and the companion book for planned book studies.
- Practical follow-up: Presenters described concrete follow-ups such as student reflection sheets used for office discipline referrals, building “road maps” for PLC implementation (Aldo’s “rep roadmap”), team norms and a focus on tiered behavior supports (tiers 1–3).
- Team time and network effects: Administrators said bringing a team to conferences and doing guided team time allowed high-impact planning (for example, penciling out beginning-of-year plans during the conference). Staff noted stronger cross-building collaboration and a willingness to repeat conference attendance in future years.
- Upcoming events: The district will host Dr. Anthony Muhammad for a countywide Des Moines County Summit Day on Oct. 31; district leaders described that event as an extension of their PLC/solution-tree work.

Attribution and speakers

Corey Johnson led the summary and was joined by building principals and instructional coaches who described how they used conference strategies to develop building habits and PLC practices. Principals who spoke included Monica, Nathan and others who described building-level adoption and next steps.

The board thanked staff for the work and for using staff time to participate in conferences, noting administrators and teachers attended outside their paid time.

What comes next

Staff said they will continue book studies, team follow-ups, and targeted professional learning days tied to PLC work. The district also plans to keep offering spots for staff who request conference attendance and to host the countywide summit on Oct. 31.","Administrators and instructional leaders reported on the district’s summer professional learning activities — School Administrators of Iowa (SAI), Solution Tree/PLC, Behavior Solutions and High-Impact Teams — and described local follow-up including book studies, team time and district road maps for collaborative work.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6426663,"District shows gains on 2025 Iowa School Performance Profiles; absenteeism and career-learning participation cited as drivers",256,3404000,3660000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d&start=3404&end=3660","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d/thumbnail_3404000.jpg","/articles/6426663/Iowa/District-shows-gains-on-2025-Iowa-School-Performance-Profiles-absenteeism-and-career-learning-participation-cited-as-drivers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426663-68dc8b8822cf5185debb6522130cd872/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163027&Signature=EA1h7jTDArwJdb~60n9hiEUc321~VAZLp~EpBJoJYimh2kqN5KaxD-w~h4PZv7Y9L98UXXqiSxWx-9s8gYZeELcKMQCzNH8yFrz5QGlc-eCKy7Qakozhnm7xPimCw5C8nnzu8N7by-BCrypDWY02KjI5Gtp70M5uDXkCYD6a4~UciWsDnPYRQmhQ8ekWu6CEu0b-ubxS3Pg83VQ~3nWPj0fFJHoRr9ElXYyqGj~c8jZd9nU~gSGUWdhA1YEsN9sM-SmePjty83xERLXYHz3-yxF-gymwXW~NFovh97rqx~rZT4MoTF8JXAGIrKnFk47N8EHNDcE-c2WG0qYg3C8QbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff presented the 2025 Iowa School Performance Profiles to the Burlington Community School District board on Oct. 6, 2025, reporting modest overall growth and larger gains in several buildings and indicators.

Curriculum staff said the district’s average growth was 2.3 percentage points, matching the statewide average, and highlighted three buildings that moved up one rating category: Grimes Elementary, Aldo and the high school.

Why it matters

The profile ratings are used statewide to compare building performance on proficiency, growth and other indicators. For Burlington, staff pointed to improvements that district leaders said reflect investments in attendance efforts, English-learner support, and career and technical education.

Details presented

- District average growth: 2.3 percentage points (same as state average).
- Buildings moving up: Grimes (+10 percentage points), high school (+8), Aldo (+4).
- Chronic absenteeism: district rate reduced from 42% to 29%; state change was a 6 percentage-point decrease.
- Work-based learning: increased from 55% to 75% of high school students participating in courses with work-based components.
- College credit: percent of graduates earning at least one college credit rose from 39% to 51%; district staff noted a high share of in-person concurrent-enrollment instruction taught by district instructors.
- English learner (EL) growth: subgroup growth increased from 48% to 72%; the district increased EL staffing from one certified teacher to two and assigned them to more buildings.
- CTE/Pathway examples: EMT enrollment grew to six students this year compared with three in the previous four years combined.

District staff noted that some profile calculations weight different subjects more heavily when schools lack specific tested grades (for example the district’s K–4 elementary configuration places more weight on English and math where science is not tested at those grades). Staff also cautioned that subgroup measures require minimum counts and two years of data to register growth.

Quotes and attribution

“The Iowa School Performance Profiles are a statewide system of evaluating every school building in Iowa based on a variety of factors,” said Corey Johnson, curriculum staff member who gave the presentation.

What comes next

Board members requested availability of deeper data and flagged opportunities for a work session; staff offered to schedule a multi-hour data review for board members who want a deeper dive. District staff said they will continue to monitor attendance, EL supports and CTE pathways as part of improvement planning.

Source materials and where to look

District staff directed board members and the public to schoolperformance.com for full building-level profile data and said the district will make more detailed reports available in follow-up work sessions.","District staff presented the 2025 Iowa School Performance Profiles, reporting district growth in state ratings, notable increases at Grimes, Aldo and the high school, a sharp reduction in chronic absenteeism and higher rates of students in work-based learning and concurrent college credit.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6426650,"Board discusses grading threshold and core diploma during first reading of graduation policy",198,2520000,2718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d&start=2520&end=2718","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5900369-83173e96209d612d8404081a8072150d/thumbnail_2520000.jpg","/articles/6426650/Iowa/Board-discusses-grading-threshold-and-core-diploma-during-first-reading-of-graduation-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426650-54cd20bd62dda2fe08a2164e1b3287c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163027&Signature=jY0qiTLyOtFcFqyh0iuDUo2ds7CD~ms412iNKNgOCdnu4hdPFEacYsD6DGH5WaiPzuFNJn8fjv6xzR0FkVxcUs6pJsAoHcaYOoeAg6CJiRRktWepL5fU6OB~DkmAhrp9cNyF6atMBlAvN~GX6VVj-R7xXeoxjSj9Xk4UNgdYB7fZt4mZQAWXB4MkNrHu26mLx4MVFVWuIelbU35tThD6rFwCRJyX~krjzTotbXmTmg7JFJ5EopkMhnBgxDxOCx1oBr7P9J3cArfkzXM4MvsyMldhHws1B6AQWrvhSGviM3F0TLEOAgHN1SdbszHeZSkZBQmtzFYy0~Hako~SEJjV-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Burlington Community School District board discussed graduation requirements and grading thresholds during a first reading of board policy 505.05 at the Oct. 6 meeting, focusing on whether the district should require a higher minimum grade than the commonly used D‑/60% standard and on differences between the state’s core diploma and the district’s traditional diploma.

Why it matters

Board members said the conversation matters because graduation requirements determine the minimum academic preparation students must meet before earning a diploma and because the district is considering changes to scheduling (trimester vs. semester) that affect continuity of courses such as math.

What was discussed

- Policy change presented: The policy committee proposed a textual change to 505.05 to add the word “semester” in addition to “trimester” so the policy would apply under either schedule. The board approved the first reading as presented.

- Grading threshold debate: One board member expressed concern that allowing a D‑ (the district noted 60% as a commonly used standard) as a passing grade for core diploma courses risks students moving forward without mastery of fundamental skills (multiplication, reading comprehension, basic financial literacy). That member urged higher expectations for students pursuing the core diploma.

- District and state roles: District staff replied that a D‑/60% is a common standard across the state and nation, and that the board can direct the superintendent to research and propose a more rigorous local grading threshold if the board desires. Staff emphasized that the core diploma meets the state’s minimum credit requirements and does not lower the standards inside core content courses: “The class itself. Earning credits in the course. The question is how many credits are required,” staff said in response.

- Scheduling concerns: Board members raised concerns about gaps students can experience under a trimester schedule (for example, finishing a math sequence in February and not taking math again until the following November). Staff said the policy change gives flexibility to use semester scheduling if the district decides it better supports instructional continuity.

Next steps

Staff told the board the district could research grading-threshold options and compare peer districts; the board has the authority to request a superintendent report with options for a more rigorous grading scale. Curriculum staff also described ongoing K–12 collaborative work intended to support smoother transitions between grade levels and to reduce gaps in instruction.

Attribution

The first reading was presented by Lacey Johnson, who said the change adds clarity to the district’s graduation policy to accommodate either trimester or semester schedules. Board members and district staff participated in the subsequent debate; multiple speakers urged further study rather than immediate policy change.

Implementation note

The policy passed first reading; any substantive change to grading thresholds would require a board directive to the superintendent and follow-up reporting to the board.","During the first reading of policy 505.05 the board debated whether the district should require a higher minimum grade than the state-standard D‑/60% for graduation credits and discussed differences between the core diploma and traditional diploma, trimester vs. semester structure, and next steps for superintendent research.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves consent agenda, LEP allowable growth request, bond counsel engagement and multiple policy updates

District leaders say summer conferences, PLC and Solution Tree work driving classroom changes

District shows gains on 2025 Iowa School Performance Profiles; absenteeism and career-learning participation cited as drivers

Board discusses grading threshold and core diploma during first reading of graduation policy