Yesterday at the BOE's budget work session, I presented with my colleagues Anthony DeBella and Mark Covington on the OBRC's recommendations to protect science paraeducators and other student-facing positions.
I'm pleased to share that the Board took our recommendations to heart and directed the projected additional $7.1 million in state funding—along with anticipated additional county funding—to restore cuts to media specialists and science and other paraeducator positions, while also expanding support for Multilingual Learners and investing in the Science of Reading.
This outcome shows what's possible when a community speaks and leaders listen. Thank you to the many parents, students, educators, and community members who shared testimony and feedback. Your voices truly made a difference.
Thank you as well to the Board and the Superintendent for taking community input seriously, and to my fellow OBRC colleagues for working together to develop and advance these recommendations.
Together, we are keeping students at the center of our decisions. 🍎
