Advisory panels press board on testing, nurse staffing and classroom‑camera transparency
Summary
Multiple advisory groups reported concerns about high testing volumes for younger students, technology problems with the Performance Matters platform, and uneven nursing coverage across schools. The ESE advisory passed motions urging public reporting of classroom camera consent counts and broad availability of paper consent forms.
Advisory committees convening at the board workshop reported recurring district‑wide concerns about testing practices, nursing coverage and consent and communication problems with the cameras‑in‑classroom program.
Student and school council leaders described a district first‑quarter student survey with roughly 42,000 responses — about 62% of the high‑school population — and asked the board to sustain student‑led input through planned “student university” college‑readiness sessions. Several area advisory chairs, including North and Central area chairs, told the board that kindergarten and early‑grade parents and teachers say testing windows are too concentrated and that very young children struggle with online test platforms.
Technology and assessment concerns: committee speakers said the Performance Matters platform is “clunky” for the youngest learners and that some parents are requesting more paper‑based options. Teachers and chairs asked for clearer communications about assessment purposes and for training that emphasizes goal‑setting to reduce student anxiety.
Nursing and health services: multiple area chairs reported a district need for a full‑time nurse in every school; staff estimated the additional ongoing cost of filling gaps at about $3,500,000 (staff figure presented at the meeting). Staff said district scheduling and partnerships have provided temporary coverage and that public communications will emphasize how families can apply for services and financial supports.
Cameras in ESE classrooms: the ESE advisory reported two passed motions. One asks the district to post per‑classroom tallies (numbers only) showing how many signed consents have returned for cameras in eligible ESE classrooms, to help parents and new registrants understand activation rates. The second motion asks staff to make a paper parent consent form available on school websites and through ESE advisory channels. Staff said they are concerned about small class sizes revealing identities, and advised that public reporting be limited to counts where disclosure risks are low; ESE chairs proposed aggregated or red/amber/green displays where small counts could identify families.
Other issues reported by advisory groups included access to student services (Hazel Health telemedicine changes), translation and communications needs, Maximo facilities work‑order follow‑through and school marketing and choice accessibility for middle schools.
What’s next: staff said they will continue outreach and post translations and consent forms on district and school websites, coordinate with the ESE office on reporting that protects student confidentiality, and schedule follow‑up sessions on testing communications and nurse staffing.
