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Fairfax County School Board Meeting — 12/14/2023 (Continued), Thursday, December 14, 2023

Date: Thursday, December 14, 2023
Place: Fairfax County School Board, Virginia
Length: 21m (video)
Official meeting video (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEPoLpi1pDU
Official School Board page (FCPS): https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/leadership/school-board

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-11-02. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:00] miss Cohen I don't I think there's still a bunch of people arguing so I didn't know if I okay our zoom is up so we are we good okay so we are starting again miss Amesh was speaking she's

[00:00:28] currently away from the table so I have miss Cohen is our next speaker hi um I just wanted to speak as a current high school parent here which is I think that many of us when your kid is in high school your assumption is that they're being graded in the same way that the school across the street and the school in Mason District and the school over in Providence

[00:01:01] because at the end of the day our kids are all applying to the same schools right like as the mom of a junior I guess I'm going to say that it's disappointing to know that there are kids trying to get into the same schools with very disparate grading policies and have had them changed multiple times throughout their tenure we were on the um we were one of those families that started elementary school one way and then went to the four point scale in um elementary school and you know I guess my frustration is I I think there was a real

[00:01:40] understanding that that we had been on a hundred point grading scale we had the work session several years ago expressed extreme frustration that we wouldn't all be on I think many of us just said pick one but this is unreasonable and what was happening is that in multiple places and I will say particularly in special ed that our special ed kids were in classes that were using a four-point grading scale why there while their same aged peers were in classes on a hundred point scale this is really about as inequitable as it comes when we talk to this I agree

[00:02:19] that I think there's an opportunity I think that's the point of the working committee is to come back to the board and potentially talk about some thoughts as we move forward my hope is that the work becomes more of the product I hope that's the kind of grading that we're talking about is how to measure knowledge instead of rote memorization and recall you know I that's what I thought when we were talking about grading policy is how do we move forward in into a 20th 22nd

[00:02:50] century world and so you know to me I think this is just codifying what you agreed to which was a hundred point scale so that everybody knows that everybody sees it I'm in fairness slightly disappointed that we let folks have a whole another year that's a whole nother year that our kids are having very disparate grading policies but I understand also that you're you know not trying to blow up the system in your first two and a half seconds here and I understand that completely so I defer that to you which is why I think

[00:03:29] that's what we do we defer how this is implemented in the very capable hands of dr. Reed who's done this a whole lot more times than I ever have so I assume that you know what you're doing so I would like for us to give you a very clear guidance which is what you tell us all the time and so I do I support this wholeheartedly. We need to just have the same thing that is in practice everywhere. And then we get to move together as a system, you guys who are left do, about how we move together once we

[00:04:01] are all starting from the same place. That's why I support it. Ms. Toland, if it's okay. I'm sorry, did you finish? No, no, no, I didn't even start. I just wanted to call the question, so I'm just definitely taking my turn okay um all right so dr reed could this be benefited from a delay where principals are brought on board we start at the following year quarters i guess i mean part of the question in my mind too is like if you're gonna implement this immediately the two quarters

[00:04:40] for kids have already been graded a certain way you're gonna have the next two graded a different way um oh it would be the fall okay okay then that's even better sorry i so in that case okay I think, you know, Melanie did raise valid concerns of it is a little bit strange to adopt something without robust conversation, work session, etc., to evaluate possibilities.

[00:05:06] And while I do think the 100-point grade scale is better than the 4.01, that doesn't mean that the 101 is the ideal one. So I think that that's also a place for further conversation, research-based, you know, thoughtful, to determine what the best plan for FCPS is.

[00:05:24] I want to propose I don't know if this is going to help us or hurt us but if there's any if there's objection let me hear it I'm hoping there isn't any but to I would want to move to amend to just add to the end there to be effective at the start of the following school year and to be subject to further evaluation by the board as deemed necessary point of order a very gentle point of order it would have to be a follow-on motion because the policy would then it would only the policy lives That sentence would live with the policy, which would mean that each year it's saying it's next year.

[00:06:04] So it has to be a follow-on motion. Or I can put a date to be effective August 2024, right? Or, yeah, I think that that would resolve that.

[00:06:30] Okay. Yeah, I see what you're saying. Okay. All right, Christina, apologies.

[00:06:47] I'm going to move to add a follow-on motion. After. After. All right, all right. But then for some people, they're not going to be able to vote on this without that piece, I think. So that's what I want to be clear on, like if the motion passes in lieu of that follow-on, we're going to be in a, I think, problematic place.

[00:07:06] So I guess I'm trying to figure out my options. Would it be possible to move to have the follow-on voted for first? No. No, we need to do the main motion first. Would you like to call the question, Ms. Amesh?

[00:07:27] Ms. Amesh, would you like to call the question? I would like to, I did. Sure, second that. Okay, sure. I'll call the question and I'm going to respectfully name from now that should this not, should the follow on not pass, I'm going to respectfully request that my vote be amended on the previous motion.

[00:07:50] Thank you. Okay, the motion is on the screen. I would like to call for the vote on the motion on the screen. All those without objection, let's end debate. Anyone object to ending debate?

[00:08:09] Okay. All right. So I move to call the question. Is there a second? Yes, okay, the question has been called all those in favor of calling the question. Okay, we have Ms.

[00:08:30] Corbett Sanders, Dr. Anderson, Ms. McLaughlin, Mr. Koufax, Ms. Warkarski, Ms. Tolan, Mr. Frisch, Ms. Karen Keyes-Gumara, Ms. Almeche, Ms. Cohen, and Ms. Rajna Seiswerheiser. All those opposed, Ms. Marron.

[00:08:48] Okay, so the question, that motion passes. Let's, now we will move, yes, we will vote on the motion on the screen. All those in favor of the motion on the screen. Ms. Colbert Sanders, Dr. Anderson, Ms. McLaughlin, Mr. Koufax, Ms. McCarkey, Ms. Tolan, Mr. Frisch, Ms. Keyes-Gamara, Ms. Amache, is your hand up?

[00:09:17] Thank you. Ms. Cohen and Ms. Rocha-Sizer-Hizer, those opposed, Ms. Marin. Okay, that motion passes. Ms. Amache. Okay, I'd like to move to amend the policy, or no, so that the policy is effective August, yeah, it's a follow-on motion.

[00:09:41] That's fine. I'm moving right right. I'm okay. I move. Oh my goodness. All right. I move to have the to direct the superintendent. No, I move to have the aforementioned policy adopted effective the following school year August 2024 and to be subject to further evaluation by the board as deemed necessary. Is there a second seconded by Mr. Frisch with some days. Do you want to speak to that. I want to be very clear. The intent is clear. We've discussed this already. The idea is to have

[00:10:32] a very clear effective date Miss Marin did point to a clear example of where this was a little bit sloppy so this will be clear for everyone and that gives dr. Reed the opportunity to work with principals to train whatever is necessary to get everyone on the same page to be adopting this by that year I think we all know why this matters mr. first would you like to speak to your second very briefly I think it makes sense to say this policy is in effect it aligns with the superintendent's guidance to our schools that it would be in effect for the next school year and all of our policies are always open to discretion of the board at any time so I have no problem with that piece of the

[00:11:12] the motion and I think it would be great if we pass this follow-on motion expeditiously board members I have a lots of lights on and I'm not sure they're all up-to-date Ms. McLaughlin would you like to speak yeah I mean unlike that the trust policy that dr. Anderson cited earlier as an example that was a brand-new policy that required training and implementation and so it needed some

[00:11:49] time to for implement implementing it into our schools this is a sitting and existing policy that was first written in 1986 and it's been revised and updated along the way. All we did was add a new section, Section 5, two sentences long. That's it. So if we pass this follow-on motion, it makes this entire policy then not in effect. As I'm reading

[00:12:24] this, it's saying I move the aforementioned policy. So it makes the entire policy not. Well, then it would need to say, "I move to have Section 5 be effective," so I guess, Mr. Frisch, what I would say is if you want to say without objection of this policy, whatever, be effective August 24.

[00:12:55] My problem with the second phrase is we don't ever talk about whether or not it now has to be subject to further evaluation by the board is deemed necessary I mean at any point in time the board can undertake that work so I guess what I would have concerns about is our teachers and our families do not want a grading scale to be a yo-yo so that would be my my only concern on how this

[00:13:30] language is reading so I guess I would just like a little clarity on that if If it's because we have talked about the merits that there is a whole lot related to grading practices that needs to be in a more comprehensive grading policy, then I'm comfortable with the follow-on motion.

[00:13:50] So if either maker could just clarify that for me, is it that we're just talking about wanting to refine and enhance a grading policy as opposed to you're trying to reopen the debate again on grading scale? Because I think that is a whole other serious ballgame.

[00:14:10] No, I think that that second portion doesn't actually change anything, really. It's a nod to the conversation that's been had of concerns of wanting to look at it and discuss it and whatnot, right? Because this feels a little bit rushed. so it's it's really just meant to acknowledge that line of conversation that occurred okay i will uh watch as a private citizen and uh hope we only get better um in and in terms of collaboration between the board and um the superintendent the division and i will put in my plug to the next

[00:14:50] board that um i fully support this collaboration dr presidio's committee that he's worked with I truly wish we had had that first year's report be in a work session and presented to the board.

[00:15:05] I think we might have found ourselves in a different conversation here tonight. And while I do have the moment, Dr. Reed, I want to thank you again for your continued steady leadership on this issue. I really appreciate the thinking you bring to this. Thank you, Ms. McLaughlin.

[00:15:23] Dr. Anderson, did you have an additional comment? No, I just have a motion to make when it's time. Ms. Corbett Sanders, are you speaking to this motion? Actually, what I'm going to suggest is that the second phrase, and be subject to further evaluation by the board as deemed necessary, is really pertinent to the conversation regarding the other work of the grading working group.

[00:15:51] And so I know that Dr. Anderson had a follow-on motion that she suggested that would capture just that piece. So my suggestion would be to actually stop this follow-on motion after the, put a period after August 2024, and then have the second follow-on motion, which actually requires a, without objection, I would like to hear the second follow-on motion added to it so that we see the full picture rather than this piece part here.

[00:16:30] So I'm going to ask dr. Anderson if the chair allows for her to read what she has. Thank you So I there were no objection to putting a period after 2024 And I've sent the language to the clerk so we are deleting the part that says and so put a period right there and delete that

[00:17:03] The second follow-on motion has been sent to the clerk and it's fairly brief It's to direct the superintendent to share the findings of the grading working group in a work session for further evaluation Okay, so all right, madam clerks you have that. Okay. We will go back to this first follow-on motion then and vote on that

[00:17:40] Okay, so let's vote on the first follow-on all those in favor That's corporate Sanders dr. Anderson mr. Koufax Tolland mr. Frisch Kiesgemarra with some mish those opposed those abstaining Miss Marin miss that low yeah okay so that motion passes let's move on to the

[00:18:19] second follow-on motion the following motion is on the screen I I think we need to be properly seconded we need a second so dr. Anderson has a follow-on motion is there a second for this following motion is Kiesgemarra dr.

[00:18:37] Anderson do you want to speak any further miss Kiesgemarra okay let's vote on this second follow-on motion. All those in favor. Ms. Corbett Sanders, Dr. Anderson, Ms. McLaughlin, Ms. Janet Koufax, Ms. Toland, Mr. Frisch, Ms.

[00:18:52] Kees-Gamara, Ms. Marin, and Ms. Omash. That motion passes. We are moving on to our consent agenda. Our adopted rules of parliamentary procedure, Robert's rule, is provided for a consent agenda listing several items for approval of the board by a single motion. Many items listed have gone through board review and documentation has been provided to all board members in the public in advance.

[00:19:23] Items may be removed from the consent agenda at the request of any board member prior to the meeting. The consent agenda items are on the screen. Is there any objection to approving the consent agenda? Hearing and seeing no objection, the consent agenda is approved. The following are new business agenda items. There will not be a vote on these items this evening, but action is scheduled at a future meeting.

[00:19:55] The new business items are on the screen. We have no board committee reports this evening. Thank you for joining us. Can I just thank you for joining us.

[00:20:20] The next regular meeting will be held on January 11th, 2024. The board will now reconvene its closed session.

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