Coraggio Consulting
Loudoun County Public Schools, Specialized Programs and Centers Committee Meeting, Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Place: LCPS Administration Building / School Board Room, Ashburn, Virginia
Length: 40m (video)
Official meeting video (Vimeo / LCPS-TV): https://player.vimeo.com/video/1107937967?rel=0

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 2026-10-13. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:00] - Good afternoon. I'd like to call this August 5th meeting of the Special Programs and Centers Committee to order. My name is Dr. Samara Rashid and I am the chair of this committee. We appreciate your presence here today. The purpose of today's meeting is to approve the minutes. We wanna take action on policy 5095.

[00:00:17] And we do have two information items. That's charter school annual technical and support services agreements and review of policy 5410 for charter schools. But before we proceed, we value public input. And as far as I know, I don't think anyone signed up for public comment, am I correct?

[00:00:36] - That's correct. - All right, great, thank you. Thank you, all right. So we'll go ahead and move on to approving the minutes from our last June 3rd meeting. Has everyone had a chance to review the minutes? Are there any corrections or additions?

[00:00:51] If there's no corrections or additions or edits, I entertain a motion to approve the minutes from June 3rd. I think it's behind. to accept the minutes from approve the minutes from June 3rd thank you miss LaBelle and so moved and I second all those in favor say aye aye okay all those opposed say nay and the minutes are approved okay so let's go ahead and begin the reviewing the agenda I kind of did already but again we have one action

[00:01:28] item for policy 5095 participation in the Thomas Jefferson high school for science and technology and two information items charter school annual technical support services agreement and review of policy 5410 for charter schools any adjustments or additions to the agenda so don't raise your hand okay now okay all right so then we'll go ahead and go ahead and move on to our first agenda item which is the action item 4.01 policy 5095 I will I'll go ahead and turn it over I guess mr. Sullivan's not here I'll turn it over to

[00:02:06] miss Katherine Clark for just a brief summary thank you good afternoon thanks for having us we came I think it was in June maybe even in May to talk about the TJ policy 1595 we did put it out for public comment you can see those comments and board docs there were 12 of them mostly about the changes and updates to section C transportation so we are recommending that the specialized Programs and Centers Committee approve proposed changes to policy 1595 and forward it to the full school board for adoption.

[00:02:39] Thank you Ms. Clark. Okay. Any questions before we go ahead and turn it over to a vote. Sobel any questions. If you have any. Thank you. You're welcome.

[00:02:54] I was still thinking I want to know how how do the students get from their home areas to TJ do we do it like a they they go from their schools are we doing like a center thing this year has any of that change the bus and the transportation we have hubs so the students go to the hub and to catch the bus to TJ in the morning and then similar in the afternoon okay it's the same okay thank you thank you miss LaBelle there's no

[00:03:34] other further questions Dr. Rasheed yes ma'am I just want to make sure that you the committee has seen the feedback the public feedback that was posted in board docs I saw it Dr. Ellis I saw it online okay Wolfong had sent it but I want to make sure miss LaBelle you had seen some of the feedback that was presented I'm happy to share with you in general but there were several comments from LCPS parents one comment from leaf one

[00:04:10] comment from MSAC and another from the equity committee most of the comments did focus on lines 17 through 21 around transportation there were concerns about the language being ambiguous and concerns about transportation it not being clear to families if transportation were going to be offered each year which would then cause problems for families for planning in the future so i i believe ms clark correct me if i'm wrong but each each of the comments was about the transportation in lines 18 through 21 that's correct it was all

[00:04:48] focused on those changes to that transportation section and I noticed that in the feedback um there was a I think a one or two maybe even more one or two comments about on 11 lines 17 to 18 to keep it because they they appreciated the vagueness of it or or it was more I guess general so that That was more kind of like stating that transportation would be provided and that's it.

[00:05:17] I think we, correct me if I'm not saying the same thing that you just said, but my understanding from reading the feedback is that they were concerned about the proposed changes because it was no longer clear that transportation would be guaranteed, and that was a concern for families.

[00:05:37] Yes so in line 17 yes you know I wanted to say this before the vote I mean after the vote but I think that the policy feedback in the agenda item reflects the community concerns that the updates completely remove transportation from Loudoun County to TJ.

[00:05:57] I just wanted to make it clear that the updated LCPS policy for TJ does not stop LCPS from providing transportation for current and for current or for future students. So if this vote does come through this committee is not recommending that the full school board vote to eliminate the TJ transportation at this time.

[00:06:19] So the updates proposed by this committee are meant to highlight transportation logistics and costs during review of the annual contract between LCPS and FCPS. I just want to ensure that we put close eyes on it on an annual basis at least.

[00:06:35] So for example, in recent past, LCPS has had to create bell schedules that were less than ideal in order to make sure that all bus routes were covered. Should we again be faced with transportation challenges like that? I just wanna be sure that we pay close attention in efforts to provide the reasonable route coverage for Loudoun's own schools along with TJ students.

[00:06:57] So Loudoun has to review the overall TJ contract with Fairfax each year. So therefore policy 5095 guides this annual process. My intention is to help LCPS to best use our resources so that students can take advantage of every opportunity including to the extent transportation is provided by LCPS to TJ as a policy update update state.

[00:07:17] So this is what this SPC will recommend as part of the vote by the full school board. Of course it does have to go to them. But I just wanted to say that for the record. But any other discussion. Thank you I do have some things I want to talk about what it says is to the extent transportation is provided by LCPS the terms of transportation will be outlined in the contract that we have with Fairfax it doesn't say what the transportation is and I can see why people are then confused

[00:07:56] thinking it depends on what Fairfax says I don't know well traditionally well traditionally Ms. Clark if you can enlighten us traditionally what is the transportation that's provided normally.

[00:08:13] So in our contract with Fairfax County Public Schools they they would not provide the transportation for our students that is all the responsibility of the sending school district so we have to provide that through LCPS if we're going to provide that.

[00:08:30] But that's. And we're talking about the hubs which is what I asked for. Yes. on Hub Stop for all of our program placements I I think we need to say something about that I think that the statement about Fairfax County School Board is confusing to them I think they're looking at that and then they're not seeing a complete statement about what LCPS is providing for them other than oh well we'll provide something and I think we need to clarify that I thought the transportation was like me it could vary based on the number of

[00:09:05] students that go from LCPS to TJ I know that like if we have less enrollment obviously the less the less the amount of buses that would take our students to TJ are they picking up from schools are they picking up at hubs are they taking them from their bus stops I think that's the part that needs to be clarified I mean we could go in there and say take out the part of that Fairfax County School Board and say that that Loudoun County School Board or Loudoun County Public Schools will be providing hub transportation as it has in the past or

[00:09:45] something to that extent and that would clarify and probably settle a couple of minds there do I smell an amendment are you going to second it because there's nobody I think I I move that we add in that we remove the statement about Fairfax County School Board and just have it say that the Ladin County

[00:10:15] School Board will provide transportation as in the hub format that we have used previously or continue to provide transportation in the hub format that we have used previously I'm gonna just defer to Mr. West Council just to see your thoughts on adding that in line I think it's 20 in line 20.

[00:10:47] In the red line copy somewhere we could add. Actually it starts on 19. Yeah it starts on 19 the hub stop term. Just to add for clarity. Thank you Dr. Rashid. That's within this committee's purview to do.

[00:11:04] The consideration for this committee and the board would be that that would be very instructive. But that's certainly within this committee or the board's will to put that specificity. You just wouldn't have flexibility if unforeseen circumstances occur and that kind of approach with the hub stops is no longer feasible.

[00:11:30] I'm correct. So the more specific we are the more. The less control. Yeah. So I see it as it does allow flexibility. Yes. If you don't add hub stops within it right.

[00:11:46] Because then we can't because then what if there's a problem with the hub stop hub stops and what are we going to. Well, what if we just say LCPS will continue to provide transportation as in the past? Does that cover it? But that just negates the entire, how would that, if you could show me how that would read.

[00:12:06] Let's see. To the extent transportation, or we just need to say transportation will be provided by LCPS as provided previously. Yeah, but previously it was, there was no annual.

[00:12:23] So then we don't need, we don't need an edit at all between 17 and 21. No. But then we don't want an annual basis then, Karen. Transportation needs will be reviewed annually. You can put that in there. But that's the same thing as saying from lines 18 to 21.

[00:12:41] That's the same thing that you just said. I think they need to know that the transportation comes through Loudoun County, that they don't have to worry about Fairfax providing any sort of transportation or getting their child to someplace where Fairfax is picking their kids up inside Fairfax County.

[00:13:02] I think that's what the concern is that they are having. It's not really clear to them. From the feedback that I read, which, Dr. Ellis, you can let me know about the feedback that I read, they actually liked the original, what the original phrase showed, which was, let me find them all, which was, Loudoun County Public, LCPS will provide transportation to LCPS students attending TJ.

[00:13:33] That's it. Okay. So I just wanted to make sure, as we discussed in the last meeting in June, I just wanted to – I don't want to go through my whole speech again. I can read the lovely speech again if you want me to. And I thought this was going to be a short meeting.

[00:13:51] Well, I didn't have an amendment. I just – I know we discussed it last time. Well, we need to say that LCPS is providing the transportation. To a certain extent. So it says to the extent transportation is provided by LCPS, comma, the terms of transportation will be outlined.

[00:14:09] Where does it say will be outlined? Oh, it's line 19, red copy. I'm looking at the red copy. Line 19. Okay, if you think that's clear for them, I will rescind my motion.

[00:14:33] I mean, we could say other things. Like we could say to the extent transportation is provided by LCPS, the terms of transportation will be reviewed each year in line with the annual contract renewal with FCPS and then we could say logistics and number of buses may change like we can add all that yeah may change changes in Loudon students enrollment in TJ and LCPS will provide families with as much notice as possible to any changes in transportation logistics that would work okay I just want to I just want to make sure I just wanted to hear any thoughts

[00:15:08] it's from anybody it came out of nowhere so I could kind of send it to you it came out of your mouth but it hasn't been paper yet got it and that's all that matters right that's right

[00:15:20] annually let me send this to you as well my loss are you on teams well I didn't get on teams but

[00:15:55] okay I can just teams where's teams on this it's like it's the purple uh dr. Rashid could you read your absolute sentence again no that's okay I'll just listen yeah sure sure that's so to the extent transportation is provided by LC yes the terms of transportation will be reviewed each year in line with the annual contract renewal with FCPS logistics and number of buses may change with changes in

[00:16:35] loud and students enrollment in TJ and LCPS will provide families with as much notice as possible to any changes in transportation logistics I think that makes sense I I will say for the record I'm not sure it addresses some of the concerns that parents have but I do think it's clear what you're what you're aiming to do and just for a conversation purpose or rather to just make sure everyone's you know worries are alleviated is there is there a timeline for this for this does this have to be voted on today it can this be

[00:17:14] delayed or is there a concern with timeline or deadlines I don't think that there's concern about deadlines and I will you as you know the board will also have a chance to see this as an information item and discuss and have a final vote that's right thinking it's thank you dr. Ellis and then just wanted to ask for any thoughts all right so I will move on in saying I'll entertain a

[00:17:52] a motion to approve to approve is this an amendment did I just make an amendment okay sorry okay I'd like to make a motion to approve the amendment for as stated just now for item 4.01 reveal policy

[00:18:20] 5095 to the red line copy do I have a motion oh I made the motion you have a second I second so it's second what it's always entertaining when we're here together all right so then it has been approved that motion passes okay and this will now move on to the full board okay it's been a while okay it's been a while okay so we

[00:18:56] entertained a motion to amend I mean for the amendment so I'd like to it's been moved and seconded so all in favor say aye aye all those opposed say nay and so that amendment approves do we have to vote for the okay so now I'd like to make a motion to approve policy 5095 as amended do I hear a second okay second great and I was seconded by Miss LaBelle and all those in favor of policy 5095 as

[00:19:33] amended say aye aye all those opposed say nay and that that passes to go to as an information item to the full school board all right thank you so much all right so now we'll turn it over or rather we'll move on to our next agenda item which is 5.01 charter school annual technical and support services agreements I'll turn it over to ms layman thank you dr. thank you you see before you that you have the HCA and MCCS technical agreement and support services agreements these are annual agreements renewed annually our current

[00:20:11] agreements expired June 30th but so the agreements remain in place for 90 days if we are in the process that we're in right now but I'm going to invite division council to speak about some of the changes that are recommended within these four agreements.

[00:20:30] - Thank you Ms. Layman. Generally what you have before you are four agreements. Two for each of the charter schools. They are the support services agreement and then the technology agreement. You'll note that each of them have a header that's at least for the technology agreement that has been redlined to read support agreement.

[00:20:54] Support agreement as opposed to support services agreement. That's a new change this year. I admittedly think it's confusing. So it's within your purview to of course deny that amendment. But specifically there the thought was pursuant to the Virginia code section with respect to charter schools it provides that school boards can enter into support agreements to provide services and so that gets us within the square corners of the plain language but it hasn't presented to be an issue, and it's provided greater clarity to have support services versus technology,

[00:21:31] but that's why you see the first red line as to the titles there. As a general matter, these agreements have all been updated to bring them into compliance with current contract standards, and they were reorganized to harmonize them and bring them into alignment with each other.

[00:21:50] There were distinct nuances that were more semantics than anything, But this way there is they're all treated uniformly with respect to both agreements and with respect to both charter schools. Happy to walk through the first one with you.

[00:22:08] If you're with me to bring that up. So I don't see that they are redlined necessarily for the HCA tech track changes is the red line copy. Am I correct. Correct.

[00:22:25] So the first one that I see on board docs is the HCA technology agreement track changes. And as you'll note here, which is the year is updated to the 25-26. As Ms. Lehman presented earlier, the current iteration allows for up to three months from the expiration date.

[00:22:47] So while the last iteration and the current governing agreement technically expired June 30th, 2025, it does allow for a three-month grace period for the school board to approve these. You'll see there's been an insertion of language that reads for the term the school board invokes its demand for possession under the renewal leases holdover provision.

[00:23:13] That just clarifies that beyond the term that that's another allowance for the term to expire if the school board does invoke its demand for possession based on a holdover provision.

[00:23:34] under section four technology services you'll just see changes after consulting with DDI what's provided for and bringing that current up to date.

[00:23:51] Okay those proposed changes were socialized with Aaron Smith and Justin Donovan. One note from Mr. Smith is that both schools have a lot of computers equipment that's no longer supportable per this contract.

[00:24:06] They're responsible for placing their equipment, so that should happen or come up at some point this year, and we wanted to be transparent about that with this committee and the full board to the extent it's up for consideration.

[00:24:30] And I believe that is really all there is with respect to substantive changes, but I'm happy to entertain any questions with respect to the HCA technology agreement.

[00:24:45] - Thank you, Mr. Allen. open the floor to for discussion members of the committee do you have any questions or comments about this item yes specifically where does it say that they are responsible for replacing their computers as they are no longer when they become no longer supportable what section just bear with me Miss LaBelle

[00:25:14] I believe it's under I'm told that it's section 4 a I I which is on page 2 crossed out at the bottom page 3 of 10 which reads repairs of computer desktops laptops or other computer devices and clean printers and the

[00:25:52] school there is also no obligation to refresh that is replace the computers laptops or other computer devices on a pre-planned schedule yes and then the following sentence which begins there is also no obligation to refit okay I see

[00:26:25] it now thank you. Sabelle did you have a question about this item. Well there's some things I'm not happy about but that's not a question. Discussion. Well did we give them the original computers that's that's a question. How's that. The computers they're using we're giving we're given to them by LCPS yes or no. No they purchased them.

[00:26:59] okay then that that takes away my objection thank you any other questions or discussion for this 5.01 item miss LaBelle okay yes yes dr. Ellis please sorry so the I do want to point out that these contracts expired June 30th however they do extend for I believe mr. Allen correct me if I'm wrong three

[00:27:33] months beyond the expiration date so you may consider suspending the rules to move them to the full board to expedite their approval or renewal rather and given that they do extend three months beyond it's it's not necessary just throwing that out there thank you dr. Ellis so I believe can the chair make that motion to suspend the rules okay I make a motion to suspend the rules and have item 5.01 moved to the full board due to time limitations due to time

[00:28:09] limitations that is my motion to suspend the rules and if you can correct me if I'm wrong do I need a second and we have to have two-thirds of us at least 60% I believe it was do I have a second second so seconded by Miss LaBelle and all those in fit will take a vote all those in favor for moving 5.01 to the full board say aye aye those opposed say nay okay so that passes it goes ahead and moves on to the full board 5.01 all right we'll now move on to the next item yes yes mr. Allen yes dr. she does a point of clarification did this

[00:28:48] committee want to keep the title as technology agreement or it's currently presented the red line I think it's support services contract and I didn't know if what you all are about to pass you just suspended the rules so you haven't adopted this so maybe there's time for discussion before you adopt this support services contract to clarify about the title.

[00:29:15] Do we make an amendment for the okay yeah okay so do I do that before suspense can I go back and go back in time. You're you're fine you I what I think I heard is you suspended the rules to consider this as an action item rather than an information item before you all today. I suspended the rules to make it go to the full board that's what I said. So it's currently on for an information item is that before this committee so I can still go ahead and make a motion to amend the title like I guess correct before you just okay you

[00:29:53] suspended the rules but you haven't done the actual voting to move it to the full board yet okay so it's now before you as an action item okay great great all right so I'd like to make a motion to I make I'd like to make a motion for an amendment to go to but to item 5.01 charter school annual technical and support services agreement so that so I'm going to speak to my amendment but so that the title

[00:30:25] reads support services contract technology in parentheses for technology but support services contract and in parentheses book technology is there any reason why we can't just call it the technology services contract no okay that'd be acceptable miss a little make it simple

[00:30:54] fine yes okay so you made the amendment okay so Miss LaBelle made the amendment so she made a motion for amendment I second that motion and then all those in favor of amending that say aye aye all those and not in favor say nay okay so that title of that agreement has been amended okay so now we vote to send this off to the full board so I'd like to make a motion to send this

[00:31:28] agreement as amended to the full board I like to make a motion I second okay and that was seconded by Ms. LaBelle I'll go ahead and we'll take a vote to send it to the full board say aye aye and those that opposed say nay okay and that that item then goes on as amended to the full board thank you all right so now we can go to the now we can go to the next item and that's 5.02 all right so review a

[00:31:59] policy 5410 and that is charter schools so I will I will send it over to Ms. Lehman to present or miss Mitchell that's fine thank you thank you good afternoon so updates to policy 5410 were done in a collaborative manner to involve multiple departments changes include naming the policy establishment of charter schools to clearly specify the facility being used for charter school and it outlines the school board's role in approving or denying a

[00:32:35] charter application and facilities operations so these substantive changes are found on page six starting with number 36 under facilities that outlines the plan for acquisition of a facility should be used for charter school part G that states how the school board operates with approval or denial of the charter school and then part K which is the facilities operations so those three sections are these substantive changes for this policy along with adding the

[00:33:11] phrase establishment of to the title of the policy thank you Miss Mitchell I'll open the floor for discussion for this policy 5410 miss Abel do you have any questions or would you like to discuss this item any further I'm just kind of looking over it very quickly it doesn't tell us in this how students will be chosen for the charter school correct just the

[00:33:47] establishment of the school. Thank you. No questions.

[00:34:09] So since there's no further comments or questions and that is our last agenda item we will now that will now then go to the full board. Yes. No we got to vote on that first. Well it's an information item today. So this is an information item and it's a policy revision.

[00:34:26] so it'll go through our normal policy review process it'll be posted on the website for public review and then we'll return with the red line version and any any feedback that we've received from our stakeholder groups and the public and then also so you'll see this again as an action item also we did only review one of four documents on the contracts there's a there's a tech services contract for Middleburg and then there's a support services contract

[00:34:59] for each school so if we could go back and just make sure that it's it sounded like the motion was to only move the one contract forward so we just want to make sure that mr. Allen has an opportunity to highlight any significant changes and that you send all four documents together to the full board the four documents of 5410 like on this item no sorry going back to 5.01 oh there are four separate agreement okay yeah so I have to revisit that again okay so what did I

[00:35:33] what did I approve of it going forward because I used it as a whole item 5.01 but I will so perhaps if you did if you did vote to move all four documents forward maybe Mr. Allen can just highlight any changes and make sure you don't have any additional questions thank you Dr. Rasheed And this is more so for clarity of the record as it goes forward.

[00:35:59] So with regard to MCCS's technology support agreement, no additional changes that we haven't already discussed. But with respect to the support services contract, just wanted to confirm that we had a discussion with Don Traynor, who provided his blessing on these items, both support services agreement for MCCS and HCA and the last page of each agreement there's an exhibit that sets forth the rates of services offered by LCPS support services various labor rates

[00:36:36] for facilities building management recycling trash snow removal those auxiliary services they've been updated for the current rates and so at this time you could entertain a motion to suspend the rules to consider these information items as action items along with the HCA technology support services agreement that you all have approved to go to the board.

[00:37:07] Thank you Mr. Allen. Thank you Dr. Ellis. I'd like to make a motion to suspend the rules and send the MCCS technology agreement as amended MCCS support services agreement the HCA tech technology agreement and the HCA support service agreement yeah I'd like to suspend the rules for all four documents for that to move on to the full board due to timeline time limitations and do that's my motion to suspend the rules do I have a second

[00:37:47] second all those in favor to suspend the rules and suspend the rules and send off to the suspend the rules say aye aye aye okay all those opposed say nay okay so the rules have been suspended now I'd like to make a motion to send all four documents do I have to read each one like okay to send all of the four documents mentioned to the full board as an information item as an information item do I have a second second all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed

[00:38:21] that say nay and that all four documents now move forward to the full board as an information item now we will move on to 5.02 and i think we finished that okay and we finished the discussion for that and that's great okay so since there's no discussion and no questions on item 5.02 um i just wanted to say our next meeting is scheduled for september 2nd 3 30. mark your calendars and you know it'd be funny if somebody just now like opened their microphone and said you need to go back to item 5.01 and do something else because three is a charm but no that's okay

[00:39:00] but if there's no further business i entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting i move that we adjourn the meeting and i second all those in favor of adjourning say aye aye all those that say nay that don't want it okay and the meeting has been adjourned thanks for coming out thank you

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