District staff and trustees spent more than an hour debating the district’s planned Parent University and how it overlaps with the Back-to-School Rally and other community events.
Sylvia Alvarez, who identified herself as the district family and community engagement coordinator, reviewed Parent University’s history and past funding sources, saying the last full Parent University was held in February 2019 and that past events used foundation donations and community volunteers. Alvarez said recent planned items included shirts (about $2,200) and imprinting ($651), and that the athletic department and local businesses had offered donations. She said some planned purchases were initially submitted for Title I funding and later deemed not allowable under Title I rules.
Board members repeatedly raised logistical concerns. Trustees asked why Parent University and the back-to-school rally were scheduled on the same day as the Cross Church event and a city music festival, which trustees said could reduce attendance. Trustees also questioned mixed or inconsistent flyer locations (Central High School was listed on some materials while others listed Carrie Gosh or Todd Park) and asked for clearer registration and preregistration numbers; staff said pre-registration data would be followed up and provided.
Trustees pushed staff to explain funding sources. The meeting record shows the superintendent’s team anticipated Title I would cover a portion of parent-engagement costs and that Title II is the proposed funding source for principal leadership coaches. Trustee Rodriguez asked for clarification about a $9,000 Title I allocation mentioned in the meeting and was told the remainder of Parent University costs would come from the district’s operations fund. One trustee noted that operations funds typically pay for utilities, maintenance and other district expenses and questioned using operations funds for an event with a $15,024.43 speaker fee that staff had proposed.
Translation and access were central topics. Trustees and staff discussed hiring bilingual translators or using translation devices; trustees said many bilingual staff would be on summer break on the planned date and that paid translators or rented devices would add cost. Alvarez and staff said they were exploring vendor-supplied translation devices and that one volunteer translator (Mr. Bryant) had offered to provide translation that day.
Trustees identified gaps in planning and governance. Several trustees said Parent University planning lacked clear parent leadership representation and urged greater coordination with community stakeholders who traditionally run or support back-to-school activities. Trustees asked the senior leadership team to clarify decision authority: staff said the Parent University committee makes recommendations to the senior leadership team (the superintendent and two senior leaders).
The board set a special meeting for July 14 to finalize a personnel report and to consider two policies on second reading; trustees said they also expected follow-up information on Parent University preregistration numbers, exact budget allocations, the transportation plan and final location confirmation. No formal motion to cancel Parent University was made at the meeting.