Special Education Director Celeste Danner presented the annual non-public agency contract renewals, noting that Oxford Consulting remains the primary vendor, handling roughly 98% of student assessments.

Board Member Marcella Nino questioned the high volume of initial Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)—noting 28 initials and 8 to 10 triennials conducted over the year—and asked if the administration had considered hiring an internal school psychologist. Ms. Danner clarified that the spike was primarily driven by parent requests rather than school-based Student Success Teams (SSTs), with all but four students ultimately qualifying for services. She noted that while they highly value their current contracted psychologist from Oxford Consulting, management had recently discussed the possibility of bringing a full-time school psychologist on board in the future to streamline services as enrollment continues to scale toward 1,200 to 1,500 students.

The Budget Approval was moved to the June 9th meeting to ensure at least one day between the review and approval of the LCAP plan.

Cory Cavanah presented the final Education Protection Account (EPA) expenditure resolution for the 2025–2026 school year, totaling $191,558. In alignment with the school’s historical practice, the Board approved allocating 100% of these unrestricted Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) state aid dollars directly toward teacher salaries.

Mr. Cavanah noted that while this resolution requires a formal board vote and website posting annually for compliance purposes, it represents standard, routine business for the school. He recommended that future iterations of both the preliminary and final EPA resolutions be moved to the Consent Calendar to streamline future agendas.

Cory Cavanah presented the annual report and certification for Proposition 28 funding. The school received approximately $80,000 for the fiscal year to support its ongoing art and music programs.

Compliance & Staffing: Because enrollment exceeds 500 students, state regulations mandate that these funds be directed toward a credentialed teacher. BEST Academy meets this with two full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers providing K–12 art instruction. Mr. Cavanah noted the allocation does not fully cover salaries, requiring general fund encroachment.

Program Growth: James Mays highlighted upcoming arts expansions, including "Arts in the Park" for early elementary, high school clay sculpting courses working toward A–G approval, and a music production program. A portion of the funds will purchase high-spec computers to support the technical needs of the music program.

Cory Cavanah presented a new investment policy to optimize returns on the school’s liquid financial reserves, currently held primarily in the County Treasury.

Strategy & Safety: The policy establishes strict guidelines to protect public funds, focusing on low-risk, highly liquid options like money market accounts and index funds (e.g., the S&P 500) while explicitly prohibiting volatile options like junk bonds. It mandates diversification and reflects a commitment to socially responsible investing by avoiding funds associated with military equipment manufacturing.

Inter-Charter Opportunity: Mr. Cavanah highlighted a low-risk growth opportunity to purchase guaranteed state revenue receivables at a discount from another growing charter school that his office supports. This keeps interest earnings within the charter ecosystem to directly benefit BEST Academy and its students.

Fiscal Health: James Mays noted that yielding returns slightly above the inflation rate preserves the purchasing power of the school's four-to-six-month operating reserves as enrollment continues to scale.