Youth Policy Institute Charter Schools (YPICS)

Minutes

YPICS Regular Board Meeting

Date and Time

Monday February 5, 2024 at 6:00 PM

Location

10660 White Oak Avenue, Suite B101

Granada Hills, CA 91344


 

The meeting will be held at YPI Charter Schools Learning and Support Center.

 

The Public may also access the live stream of the meeting at any of the four (4) YPICS locations or via the Zoom link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84197301782 

 

Presentations from the Public can only be made at one of the four YPICS locations listed.

YPI Charter Schools

Learning and Support Center

10660 White Oak Avenue, Suite B101

Granada Hills, CA 91344

 

Bert Corona Charter School

9400 Remick Avenue Pacoima, CA 91331

 

Bert Corona Charter High School

12513 Gain Street Pacoima, CA 91331

 

Monseñor Oscar Romero Charter School

2670 W. 11th Street Los Angeles, CA 90006

Trustees Present

C. Lopez (remote), D. Cho (remote), M. Green (remote), M. Keipp (remote), W. Njboke (remote)

Trustees Absent

S. Mendoza

Guests Present

E. LaVan (remote), F. Zepeda (remote), I. Castillo (remote), Janelle Ruley, YMC (remote), K. Favela-Barreras (remote), K. Myers (remote), N. Garcia (remote), R. Bradford (remote), R. Duenas (remote), V. Nutt (remote), Y. King-Berg (remote), Y. Zubia (remote)

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

M. Keipp called a meeting of the board of trustees of Youth Policy Institute Charter Schools (YPICS) to order on Monday Feb 5, 2024 at 6:10 PM.

B.

Record Attendance and Guests

C.

Additions/Corrections to Agenda

C. Lopez made a motion to 1. Approve the virtual meeting by virtue of the governor declaring a state of emergency for Los Angeles County 2. Correct the agenda action item B. 22-23 December financials to "23-24 December Financials".
M. Green seconded the motion.

Government Code Section 54953:

(e) 

(1)  The legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing without complying with the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) if the legislative body complies with the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subdivision in either of the following circumstances:

(A)  The legislative body holds a meeting during a proclaimed state of emergency for the purpose of determining, by majority vote, whether as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees.  (Governor Newsome declared a state of emergency due to the floods for LA County on Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 1:30 pm.  The emergency order can be found herehttps://bit.ly/3vWDUag.

(B)  The legislative body holds a meeting during a proclaimed state of emergency and has determined, by majority vote, pursuant to subparagraph (A), that, as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees.

(2)  A legislative body that holds a meeting pursuant to this subdivision shall do all of the following:

(A)  In each instance in which notice of the time of the teleconferenced meeting is otherwise given or the agenda for the meeting is otherwise posted, the legislative body shall also give notice of the means by which members of the public may access the meeting and offer public comment. The agenda shall identify and include an opportunity for all persons to attend via a call-in option or an internet-based service option.

(B)  In the event of a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting to members of the public using the call-in option or internet-based service option, or in the event of a disruption within the local agency’s control that prevents members of the public from offering public comments using the call-in option or internet-based service option, the legislative body shall take no further action on items appearing on the meeting agenda until public access to the meeting via the call-in option or internet-based service option is restored. Actions taken on agenda items during a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting may be challenged pursuant to Section 54960.1.

(C)  The legislative body shall not require public comments to be submitted in advance of the meeting and must provide an opportunity for the public to address the legislative body and offer comment in real time.

(D)  Notwithstanding Section 54953.3, an individual desiring to provide public comment through the use of an internet website, or other online platform, not under the control of the local legislative body, that requires registration to log in to a teleconference may be required to register as required by the third-party internet website or online platform to participate.

(E) 

(i)  A legislative body that provides a timed public comment period for each agenda item shall not close the public comment period for the agenda item, or the opportunity to register, pursuant to subparagraph (D), to provide public comment until that timed public comment period has elapsed.

(ii)  A legislative body that does not provide a timed public comment period, but takes public comment separately on each agenda item, shall allow a reasonable amount of time per agenda item to allow public members the opportunity to provide public comment, including time for members of the public to register pursuant to subparagraph (D), or otherwise be recognized for the purpose of providing public comment.

(iii)  A legislative body that provides a timed general public comment period that does not correspond to a specific agenda item shall not close the public comment period or the opportunity to register, pursuant to subparagraph (D), until the timed general public comment period has elapsed.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Keipp
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent
C. Lopez
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
M. Green
Aye

D.

Revised June 26, 2023 Board Minutes

D. Cho made a motion to approve the revised June 26, 2023 minutes.
W. Njboke seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Green
Aye
M. Keipp
Aye
C. Lopez
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent

E.

Approval of December 11, 2023 Regular Board Meeting Minutes

C. Lopez made a motion to approve the minutes from YPICS Regular Board Meeting on 12-11-23.
W. Njboke seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Keipp
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent
W. Njboke
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
C. Lopez
Aye
M. Green
Aye

II. Communications

A.

Presentations from the Public

There we no comments or presentations from the Public.

III. Items Scheduled for Information

A.

Board Committee Reports

Board Vice Chair Cesar Lopez, Academic Committee Chair, reported that the academic committee met before the board meeting and noted progress in various areas. I am incredibly pleased with the achievement growth scores on the latest local assessments for school-wide ELs and SWDs for both middle and high schools. The committee discussed challenges and opportunities for growth. As YPICS continues to focus on engagement, It is recommended that schools research the root causes of chronic absenteeism and find ways to track it.

 

Board Treasurer Michael Green, Fiscal Committee Chair, reported that the Finance Committee is scheduled for a February 12th meeting. There is nothing to report today. Irina will provide all updates later during the financial update portion of today's meeting. 
 

Board Member Dean Cho, Technology Committee Chair, reported the next tech meeting would be held at the end of February, and he will have an update then.

 

B.

School Committee/ Council Reports

No school committee or council reports were provided at the meeting.

C.

Bert Corona Executive Administrator's Report

The executive administrator's report provided to the Board of Trustees was the annual plan to improve student achievement. 

D.

Monseñor Oscar Romero Charter School Executive Administrator's Report

The executive administrator's report provided to the Board of Trustees was the annual plan to improve student achievement. 

E.

Bert Corona Charter High School/ YPICS COO's Report

The executive administrator's report provided to the Board of Trustees was the annual plan to improve student achievement. 

F.

YPICS Director of Special Education's Report

The Director of Special Education provided his report to the Board of Trustees.

COMPLIANCE Enrollment of students with disabilities. The following displays the enrollment of students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as of February 5, 2024. - See Board Agenda.
 

COMPLIANCE MONITORING 
None of the three YPICS schools will participate in the District Validation Review this school year. I anticipate at least one school will be selected next year. Compliance monitoring is conducted by the Director of Special Education and school site leads. 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
My Professional Learning Network (MyPLN) is developed to offer district and charter school employees access to a myriad of training opportunities on various topics. The sessions include in-person, virtual, and blended learning professional development. All special education staff are encouraged to browse the site regularly for upcoming professional development opportunities. Welligent login credentials are required to access the platform.

Charter Operated Programs - Training Hub 
The Charter Operated Programs (COP) offers various training opportunities throughout the school year. Training options include Woodcock-Johnson IV Assessment Tools, Psych Case Review, Behavior Management Strategies, Oral Interpretation at IEPs, Welligent 101, Psychological First Aid, Attendance Best Practices, Expulsion Basics, and Supporting students experiencing loss and grief.

RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE Increased Funding for IDEA: President Biden's proposed 2024 budget prioritizes special education, proposing an additional $2.1 billion over the fiscal year 2023 enacted levels for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B grants to states and preschool programs. This brings the total request to $16.8 billion, supporting special education and related services. 
 

G.

YPICS Senior Director of Community Schools Partnerships' ELOP Report

The Senior Director of Community Schools Partnerships provided her report to the Board of Trustees.

Family and Community Engagement 

  • Coordinators of Community Schools will work closely with the Operations team to review current parent workshops/services calendar and identify ways to increase resources. 
  • Planning to share back YouthTruth and academic data during data walk meetings. 
  • Continue improving cross-collaboration to address family and community needs.

Collaborative Leadership and Practices for Educators and Administrators

  • Conducted data walk session with YPICS Leadership Team members - reviewed YouthTruth data and developed action plans for data findings. 
  • Conducted collaborative planning meeting between Ops and Community School team
  • Working closely with COA to improve SAC structures
  • Implementing MTSS meetings and conducting SSPT mock meetings. Expanded Learning Time and Opportunities.

Expanded Learning Programs: 

  • Winter Programs were offered at BCCS 
  • All school sites continue to implement after-school programs. 
  • ELO-P programs continue to be offered at both middle school sites. We have opened the application for any new submissions for next semester. 
  •  Sites have started planning for Spring Break and Summer Programs.

H.

YPICS Chief Accountability Officer's Report

The Chief Accountability Officer provided her report to the Board of Trustees.

State Accountability: System of Support “Differentiated Assistance” California’s accountability and continuous improvement system is based on a 3-tiered system of eligibility for assistance. It is intended to support school districts in building their capacity to improve student outcomes through the LCAP process, which includes deciding how resources provided are applied to meet the needs of student groups. 

 

  • Level 1 “All Schools” 
  • Level 2 “Differentiated Assistance” supported by COEs and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE)
  • Level 3 “Intensive Intervention” for persistent performance issues 

 

Charter school criteria for 2023 is having two years of one of the following: 

  • Student group performance in two or more LCFF priority areas or
  • Performance on local indicators in two or more priority areas or 
  • A combination of student group performance in one state priority area and local indicator performance in a different priority area is needed. 

 

The YPICS middle schools were notified before the Winter Break of their identification for “Differentiated Assistance.” As described above, the schools’ eligibility for DA was based on the 2023 Dashboard for the following student groups: Hispanic or Latino, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged, English Learners, and Students with Disabilities. 

 

As part of the State Accountability (DA), the middle schools will have support from the Los Angeles County Office of Education to delve into a root cause analysis of the data outcomes focused on the identified student groups. The collaboration with the COE will also come with access to LACOE resources (professional development, planning) to increase the schools’ capacity to raise student achievement. The first engagement with LACOE will occur on Tuesday, February 6th, for the LACOE Differentiated Assistance Symposium.

Federal Accountability: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Assistance Following the State Accountability Model, the CDE is required to identify schools for ESSA Assistance. Based on the 2022 and the 2023 Dashboards, schools may be identified for one of two levels of federal improvement assistance: CSI or ATSI. Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI): Eligibility and exit are determined for the following categories: Low graduation rate and or
Not less than the lowest-performing 5% of Title I-funded schools. 

Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) applies to Title I and non-Title I schools. Schools are eligible if they have one or more student groups for two years that meet the “Low Performing” criteria (described in CSI) based on the CA School Dashboard. Student groups used for ATSI: Race/ethnicity, Homeless, English Learners, Foster Youth, Students with Disabilities, and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged. 

Based on 2023 Dashboard data, Bert Corona has exited ATSI to CSI Low Performing; Bert Corona High School and Monseñor Oscar Romero have entered CSI Low Performing.

I.

YPICS Executive Director's Report

The Executive Director provided her report to the Board of Trustees.

State:

Excerpt from Overview of the Governor’s Proposal for the 2024-25 State Budget and K-12 Education; From School Services of California Posted January 10, 2024 

When you expect a budget gap of $68 billion, a budget gap of $37.9 billion feels like a good day. While there is no debating the magnitude of unrealized revenues from 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom today framed the current budget situation as the state returning to a more normal economic environment from recent years of explosive growth. This is a key difference from the expectations set last fall by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) Fiscal Outlook and the tone set today by Governor Newsom. The good news for education is that there are no mid-year cuts, deferrals, or program rollbacks. The bad news for education is a shrinking Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) due to heavy declining enrollment and a meager cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). California is better prepared to weather the proverbial storm due to the significant rainy day deposits made during the good years that allow the state to address this budget gap. In addition to reserve withdrawals (including the Proposition 98 Rainy Day Fund), the Governor proposes reductions, internal borrowing, funding delays, funding shifts, and non-Proposition 98 deferrals. It remains to be seen whether one-time funds successfully create a bridge to increased future revenues or if they eventually run dry and merely delay cuts to align actual spending to revenues.

LAUSD:
All three schools are scheduled for the Annual Oversight Visit this month.  You are invited to join us on any of the three dates listed below:

  • BCCHS-Wednesday, February 21, 2024
  • BCCS-Friday, February 23, 2024
  • MORCS-Friday, March 8, 2024

     

J.

Form 700 Filers

All Board member were reminded to submit their Form 700 electronically before the deadline.

K.

Annual Brown Act Training Presentation (6:45 P.M.)

Janelle Ruley, Esq presented the annual Brown Act Training to the Board and staff present.

L.

Mid Year LCAP Review

The YPICS mid-year LCAP reports were provided to the Board of Trustees.

M.

Williams Settlement Quarterly Report on Uniform Complaints covering Quarter 2 [October 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023

The Williams Settlement Quarterly Report on uniform complaints for the 2nd quarter contained zero complaints for YPI Charter Schools.

N.

2023 SARC Final Reports for BCCS, BCCHS, and MORCS

The SARC final reports presented included the updated CDE website data that was made available after 02/01/2024.

O.

Tentative FY24-25 Dates Board Meetings

The Board of Trustees were given the dates to review and will be brought back to the Board as an action item. 

IV. Consent Agenda Items

A.

Background

B.

Consent Items

C. Lopez made a motion to approve the consent agenda.
W. Njboke seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Keipp
Aye
C. Lopez
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye
M. Green
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent

V. Items Scheduled For Action

A.

Updated Academic Excellence Plans for BCCS, BCCHS, and MORCS

C. Lopez made a motion to approve the updated Academic Excellence plans for Bert Corona Charter School, Monseñor Oscar Romero Charter School and Bert Corona Charter School.
M. Green seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
C. Lopez
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye
M. Green
Aye
M. Keipp
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent

B.

FY22-23 YPICS December Financials and Check Registers

C. Lopez made a motion to approve the December 2023 YPICS financials and check registers as submitted.
M. Green seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
C. Lopez
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent
M. Keipp
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
M. Green
Aye

C.

Receive and File June 30, 2023 Audit

C. Lopez made a motion to approve the June 30, 2023 audit with the changes noted.
D. Cho seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Green
Aye
C. Lopez
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent
M. Keipp
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye

D.

Arts, Music and Instructional Materials Block Grant Plan

C. Lopez made a motion to approve the Arts, Music and Instructional Materials Block Grant plan.
D. Cho seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Green
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye
M. Keipp
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent
C. Lopez
Aye
D. Cho
Aye

E.

Updated Bert Corona Charter School Safety Plan

W. Njboke made a motion to approve the updated School Safety Plan for Bert Corona Charter School.
M. Green seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
M. Green
Aye
D. Cho
Aye
S. Mendoza
Absent
M. Keipp
Aye
C. Lopez
Aye
W. Njboke
Aye

VI. Announcements

A.

Closing Announcements

The next regular board meeting will be held at the Learning and Support Center on Monday, March 11, 2024.

VII. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 7:51 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Y. Zubia