Marion County School Board Mismanagement, Part II
Was this an attempt to sneak in the KUT vote on Dec 12th? Or just incompetency? Here are the questions I asked that must be part of the public discussion.
My last post, The Mismanagement of the Marion County School Board, informed you that on Dec. 12, 2023 MCSB meeting, the MCSB members will be approving an ADDITIONAL increase to the Kut Different contract increasing it from 34,000 yrly (2 1/2 years ago) to over $620,000 yrly.
Below you will see my communications with Chairwoman Nancy Thrower, who was very kind and swift in her responses although not many answers. Allison had replied stating she had similar questions, the other members were obtuse on the subject or did not read my email.
Good morning,
I have a few questions about Kut Different.
1 How many students does Kut Different currently work with and what will the increase be with the addition of Lake Weir Middle School.
2. How many new employees did Kut Different hire to accommodate the new work load. What is the new total employee count for Kut Different and their expenses. The last number I could find on public record was the first agreement for 34k, where they had 1 director and 2 mentors, Is that their current staffing.
3. How are the students chosen to be included in the program. Is it by teacher referral? Is it by discipline problems or attendance? Is it solely based on race and sex?
4. Where is the oversight data on how well the program is working. At the public meeting when the only information was a few students who spoke well of it. Is there any substantial data or is it just opinion.
5. Is this matching funds or it the cost fully covered by grant money. If the federal money dries up will this program still be funded locally?
6. Is this program up to all sexes, races or ethnic groups or just for young black men. Is the program for the students voluntary? Is this considered part of a diversion from the normal discipline path?
These are just a few questions that I would like to hear brought up at the public discussion and of course would appreciate any response you can provide me . Thanks for your service and attention to this matter.
Cheryl Chapleau
Dec 9, 2023, 11:47 AM (2 days ago)
Good morning Ms. Chapleau,
Thank you for contacting me with your questions regarding the Kut Different contract.
This contract increase being proposed by our Superintendent will be thoroughly discussed by your School Board at Tuesday night's meeting. You likely are aware that all our meetings are streamed live via You Tube for public convenience and anyone is welcome to attend in person too.
With certainty, I can address a couple of your questions now. Kut Different is not a diversion program in lieu of discipline. As a Board Member, I am committed to upholding the consequences outlined in our Code of Student Conduct which is also Board Policy.
I'm also committed to supporting prevention programs that teach students the skills they need to set goals that will keep them from violating the Code of Student Conduct in the first place. In addition to Kut Different, our Faith based initiatives such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and our Good News Clubs would be some examples of this.
Finally, while Kut Different is geared towards males, it is not race specific. Below is a link to their website. They also have a Facebook page under the same name that is very informative. Jamie Gilmore leads Kut Different.
https://kutdifferent.org/
I recently attended the 4th Annual Kut Different Community Fun Day at Central Christian Church, and I must say it was again a joyful and uplifting event seeing kids being kids, having fun together playing kickball and many other activities with friends, community members and family.
I understand that both Chief Balken and Sheriff Woods help support this program by providing career exploration opportunities. I'm sure if you contacted them, they would have more specifics to share.
Thank you again for your email.
Merry Christmas!
Sincerely,
Nancy
Nancy Thrower, Chairwoman
The Marion County School Board
Ocala, FL
The first financial document and only financial document listed on mcps website. Most of the money went to salaries of 2 mentors and program director.
Chairwoman Nancy Thrower,
Thank you for your quick response and answers to some of my questions on the Kut Different Fourth Amendment to the original agreement. Four Amendments within a 3-year time frame just seemed odd to me. Honestly going from 34k yearly to 628k yearly is mind boggling. I do watch the MCPS meetings on You Tube and think that is a fine communication tool for the public. I commend the school board employees for doing a great job presenting and taping the meeting. One concern I have and one of the reasons for my inquiry about decision making and the public discussion by the board is how exactly and when is the actual facts/data on the issues presented. So, in the interest of brevity here are some questions that I would like to hear an answer to or at least discussed when the Kut Different vote comes up.
1. The original Contractor's Scope of Work identified 3 Marion County Public Schools would be in the program. It states that 30 students will be served each week for 17 weeks. Is that 30 students from each school or a total of 30 students from all three schools? I cannot find a clarification anywhere so perhaps this can be clarified.
2. Going along with my first question above, how many total students will be enrolled into the program if the fourth amendment is approved?
3.How many additional students will be added to Lake Weir Middle School's existing program.
4. Is the entire funding coming from federal dollars or is there any local or state money involved? Will the program continue if the federal money is not available. Will this be included in any future post 2024 budgets, even if local funding is required?
5. What is the additional operational cost to Kut Different from the initial amount of 34 thousand to now over $628,000. What is the staffing for Kut Different now vs. the staffing in 2021? How has the staff salary changed? Is it a reasonable amount? $628,000 during these times is a lot of money. Is this absolutely the best bang for the buck or is it just using up available grant money?
6. The original agreement cited "multiple methods to evaluate impact including surveys, GPA and behavioral data, attendance, and testimonials. The methods and number of students served will be reported back to the School Board's Direction of Mental Health and Wellness. Report dates will be at the end of each quarter". The only data that I have observed was testimonies from students who liked the program. Can you post or bring up the last 2 quarters of data that was presented to the Director of Mental Health as well as the number of students served during those two quarters. It would be good to receive some positive direction for 628k.
I think having a program for Black males 4-8 is certainly good as it would be for any young person. Does the Good News Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes receive any type of funding from the school district at any level? Do the people in those groups get paid by the groups? It is great that Sheriff Billy Woods and the Chief Balken support Kut Different at charity events, that adds money to the Kut Different organization from the private sector which is what grassroot involvement should be. Any public official should back private donors who wish to make the community better. The issue here is that Kut Different is receiving 628 thousand dollars from the MCPS district. How much money from other sources and fundraising does Kut Different get? Is that relevant to the conversation? What other venues do they reach out to young people? Are they paid for all events they attend? Fundraising is a fact of life but not germane to the school funding issue. I do think my questions are not burdensome and need to be addressed at the public meeting. We all want what is best for the students and be good stewards of the public purse. Again, thank you for your response, looking forward to the discussion on the Kut Different issue and please contact me if you have any questions. Best to the school board as they make hard decisions that come up
Cheryl Chapleau
Good morning,
Your questions are not overly burdensome at all. I truly appreciate anyone that's taking a deep interest in our public schools. I appreciate the time you are taking to seek accurate information to share with your group and on social media.
My reference to Fellowship of CA and Good News was in relation to serving different groups of students, not in relation to funding.
More on that as I receive specific information.
Again, Kut Different serves males of all races, just like our decades old partnership with PACE Center for Girls serves young women of all races.
Have a blessed Sunday and as I receive more information, I will share.
Sincerely,
Nancy
This morning Dec 11, 11:18am, I received this…
Good morning,
Please see below update. Board Agenda Item Moved to January 4, 2024
UNISIG funding was just made available from the State to Lake Weir Middle. I understand that Lake Wier Middle School would like to move forward with this contract as soon as possible to support students.
However, I had requested a Work Session in the New Year already for the School Board to receive updates on all of our student support programs. Kut Different will be part of this comprehensive review and update. Any other way is putting the cart before the horse in my opinion.
We are about to begin Winter Break, so a few weeks delay will likely not adversely impact the school.
Thank you for your kind regards in your previous email.
Sincerely,
Nancy
Chairwoman Nancy Thrower,
I appreciate your response to my inquiries about the Kut Different funding increase request. It does seem like having a robust discussion of the large increase proposed is a better course of action than the initial action to have it on the 12/12/2023 agenda. So, the UNISIG funding available is new funding and not a part of the original Covid Relief money? How many students did Lake Weir Middle Schools request to be added to the program. I have researched and looked for the quarterly evaluations of the Kut Different program on the MCPS site but cannot locate. I am sure that this will be part of the workshop dialogue. What percent of students are involved in this program? I still do not comprehend why the item was scheduled for the 12/12/2024 meeting but glad that someone pulled it for discussion, or it would have been approved without any public discussion if I understand the consent agenda works. I am looking forward to the workshop and following this issue to its conclusion. I am sure that Kut Different will make a presentation on their performance and need for this large financial increase at the workshop. The last financial information I could find on the operational finances of Kut Different was in regard to the original 34k funding. Have a great holiday and this rescheduling will give the parties involved a chance to review performance and value of this program. Take care and look forward to following this important issue as the Board moves forward.
Cheryl Chapleau
To be continued….