"THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT /THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK ‘enero ain Eri commie pee Freer fh Ueto the State of en York ‘tec @HSEORews {awnhpon neue Room Tors nese ‘hy ew vor 2338 su a8 January 8, 2048 Mrs. Maribel Touré, President Board of Education Hempstead Union Free School District 185 Peninsula Boulevard Hempstead, NY 11550 Dear Mrs Touré: | am writing to share the attached report that was submitted to me for approval by Dr. Jack Bierwirth, the Distinguished Educator | appointed to the Hempstead Schoo! District effective October 2, 2017. Although the results of Dr. Bierwirth’s assessment are serious and of great concer, | was encouraged to read that the school community ‘expressed optimism about the future, and | know you share my commitment to ensuring that any and all actions taken as a result of the recommendations and comprehensive action plan described in the report put the needs of students at the forefront, | hereby approve Dr. Bierwirth’s findings and recommendations and expect the Board to fully comply therewith, beginning with the submission of a response plan no later than February 2, 2018, ‘Thank you for your work on behalf of Hempstead's students, Sincerely, MaryEllen! Commissioner Enclosure ©: Dr. Shimon Waronker, SuperintendentMaryEllen Elia Commissioner Now York State Education Department ‘89 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12234 ‘Commissioner Elia On September 14, 2017, you announced my appointment as Distinguished Educator (DE) to the Hempstead Union Free Schoo! District (HUFSD" or District’), effective October 2, 2017. In my charge to address the District's significant academic and school governance issues, you directed me to be “Engaged with staf from the District's public schools and the New York State Education Department (‘NYSED’) assessing the academic, operational and fiscal health of the District in terms of the District's ability fo support increased student performance and systems improvements, with an emphasis on supporting full ancl effective intervention plans for the school identified as ‘Prioty’ and ‘Focus." You also directed me to develop an action plan as follows: *..n collaboration with the Commissioner and/or her designee(s), and with the District, you should develop by November 17, 2017 an action plan outlining your goals and objectives as the Distinguished Educator and for the District forthe ensuing school year in terms of assisting the District to support increased student performance and systems improvements, with a focus on developing and Implementing fully and effectively, the District's plans for Priority and Focus ‘Schools. Upon approval ofthe plan by the Commissioner, you shall provide a copy of the action plan to the District and review any of the Districts existing approved improvement plans, and any plans submitted for aporoval between August 1, 2017 and October 1, 2018." am hereby submitting my findings and recommendations and action steps. Please be advised that, as used in this report, both the terms ‘recommendations’ and ‘action steps’ are to be considered, pursuant to Section 211-c of Education Law and Section 100.17 of Commissioner's Regulations, ‘recommendations for modifications’ to the District's Comprehensive Education Plan, associated School Comprehensive Improvement Plansand Corrective Action Plans, and such other plans as must be modified to implement these recommendations. As specified in law and regulation, upon my submission of these recommendations for modifications, the Hempstead Board of Education must now either ‘modify the appropriate plans accordingly or provide a written explanation to the ‘Commissioner of its reasons for not adopting such recommendations. | am requesting that by February 2, 2018, the HUFSD Board of Education provide me either written evidence of how these recommendations have been incorporated into existing plans or evidence that the District has received a determination from the Commissioner thatthe District's written explanation for not adopting such recommendations has compelling merit Sincerely, Jack Biewirth, Ed.D. Distinguished Educator NOTE: During the period the draft report was being reviewed by the Commissioner additional facts surfaced and additional events occurred which were relevant to this roport. They did not change the concorns noted in the draft report but did substantially deopen them as well as paint a more complete picture. Accordingly, they wore incorporated into the draft report.DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR ACTION PLAN Distinguished Educator: Jack Bierwirth, Ed.D. District: Hempstead Union Free School District In late 2004, shortly after the graduating class of 2017 entered kindergarten, a team of 40 professionals from the New York State Education Department (‘NYSED’) visited the Hempstead Union Free School District ("HUFSD" or "District’) to assess the District and ‘make recommendations for improvement, Had the issues identified in the 2004 NYSED report been addressed promptly and thoroughly, the educational journey of the students In the class of 2017 might have been very diferent. Further, in 2014, the Office of the New York State Comptroller (‘OSC’) conducted an audit of the District and made recommendations, Had the serious issues identified in the 2014 OSC report been properly addressed, the District's expenditures in 2014-2015 ‘would not have exceeded the taxpayer approved budget by $8.6 milion. To a large degree, the concerns expressed and resulting recommendations in both the aforementioned prior reports are consistent withthe issues the Hempstead community brought to my attention in my role of Distinguished Educator. Accordingly, both reports are referred to in the proceeding action plan to illustrate that many issues facing the District are longstanding and systemic, and that past Corrective Action Plans have been Inadequately implemented, fat all | cannot overstate the extraordinary candor demonstrated by members of the Board of Education, Superintendent, school administrators, educators, staff, parents, students, and ‘community members during the development of this report and plan. Their assessments of the state of affairs in the District were often painful to hear. However, their suggestions for improvement proved helpful and reflected genuine optimism that what should be done ‘could be done. | share the community's optimism and commitment to making immediate and sustainable ‘change that will ensure that current and future Hempstead students receive the ‘educational opportunites they deserve. ‘As requested in the Commissioner's October 2, 2017 charge to me, this report also ‘constitutes an “action plan” outlining the goals and objectives for the district and for the Distinguished Educator, This report addresses 10 areas of concer that are most criticalto the District's ability to support increased student performance and systems: improvements: 41, Governance 2. Budget and Fiscal Operations 3, School Safety and Security 4, Facilties Management 5. High Schoo! Instruction 6. Prek-8 Instruction 7. Special Education 8, English Language Learners ‘9. Nutrition and Food Services 410. Information Technology Infrastructure When relevant tothe identified area of concem, | included findings and recommendations {rom the 2004 NYSED report and the 2014 Office of the State Comptroller Report. Following the recent findings for each area, the Distinguished Educator's recommendations and a plan of action are identified. NYSED and | will provide any guidance and technical assistance needed to assist the District in its efforts to implement the recommendations in this plan of action.AREAS OF CONCERN Governance Budget and Fiscal Operations ‘Schoo! Safety and Security Facilties Management High Schnol Instruction Prek-8 Instruction ‘Special Education English Language Learners Nutrition and Food Services Information Technology Infrastructure, 4 8 13 7 19 a 2 23 24 254. GOVERNANCE 1. FINDINGS Concerns regarding the Board of Education's practices were ator near the top of issues identified by most parents, community members, and HUFSD staff. Stakeholders spoke about deep divisions, long and rancorous Board meetings, an inabilty to colaborate even on ‘commonly shared cancers, a failure to prioritize student needs, an inability to attract and retain administrative talant,a lack of consistency, alack of fllow-thraugh on agreed upon plano, and a lock of traneparency ‘Overall, my assessment and evaluation ofthe District's operations and practices reveals that nance is the single ror to the Distr and ‘education of i hould be of par acorn. A review of recent legal proceedings before the Commissioner clearly illustrates the inordinate amount ofthe District’ attention and resources that have been expended on Boad issues. Since 2014, several appeals andlor applications for removal have been fled with the Commissioner of Education regarding the District, These proceedings include challenges to the District's May 2014, 2015, and 2016 election results; the Board's alleged violations ofthe Open Meetings Law, challenges tothe Board's contracting and procurement practices; and challenges to the Boards removal of one of its members. Most ofthese challenges have been ‘mounted by the Board itself or by various groups of Board memivers, Based on the recordin these appeals, the Commissioner has been compelled to avertum the results of the May 2014 Board of Education election and order thatthe District cooperate fully vith elaction monitors (Decision No. 16,860), and annul the Board's action in removing one of its members (Decision No. 17,283). Indeed, in such decisions, the Commissioner has routinely commented on the pervasive governance issues plaguing the District. For example, ln her recent Decision No, 17,263, she stated Finally, | am compelled to comment on the controversy surrounding respondent board in recent years which continues to plague this district, ‘as evidenced by the recordin this and several other cases involving the district (¢22 2.9. Appeal of Watson, et al, 56 Ed Dept Rep, Decision No. 17,082; Agpeel ofthe Bd, of Educ. of the Hempstead Union Free ‘Schoo! Dist, 65 id, Decision No, 16,878; Apoeal of Tourd, etal. 54 id Recision Na. 16,680). Due to the significant academic and school ‘governance issues the district continues to experience, effective October 6, 2017, | appointed a Distinguished Educator tothe district in accordance with Education Law §211-c. In ight of the above, Lagain istrict and the rovious appeals, {0 take all stops necessa ‘such controvers ‘and thatthe distri nd resources a {focused on the paramount goal of providing successful outcomes for students. To this end, | am directing Dr. Jack Bierwirth, the 4appoint inquished Educ: (emphasis added), ‘During my assessment as well a in the six months prior, many ofthe practices that were of ‘express concern in the 2014 report by the Office of State Comptroller continued to be exhibited by the Hempstead Board of Education. In 2014, OSC noted that the Board exhiited 2 lack of transparency and a failure to adhere to Open Meetings Laws. OSC also expressed ‘Serious gongerne about the Beard’ Improper employment praetices, including an _admonishment for retaining two superintendents a the same time. The Board had appointed ‘administrators, changed administrators, and entered into as well as amended agreements With no documented plan, reason, or clear benefit the District. Ina direct example of a lack of follow-through on prior recommendations, inthe spring of 2017, the Board employed a new superintendent one month before the end of the prior ‘superintendent's contract, resulig inthe District needlessly paying two superintendents ‘simultaneously. In October 2017, the same Board majorly approved the appointment of legal ‘counsel for special investigations retroactive to August 1, an action contrary to the most basic ‘of appropriate business practices and contrary to the expectations delineated by the ‘Comptrole. In late November 2017, the new majorty resulting from the Commissioners aforementioned reversal ofthe Board's action to remove a siting member (Decision No. 17,269) immediately called an emergency meeting, The mesting was broadcast to the community as a discussion ‘meeting, but resolutions dismissing the siting counsel for special investigations and appointing a fim that had been previously employed by the District were hand carried into the ‘meeting and approved, Neither the substance of the action tobe considered nor the rationale ‘were shared with the public in advance, (One week later, at a regulary scheduled Board of Education ‘work" session, adltional resolutions were hand carried into the meeting and approved. These resolutions removed ‘another law firm employed by the District effective immediately and transferred that fms ‘work toa different frm that had previously done work forthe District Both successor fms that had previously worked forthe District charge notably high fees (see Appenstv A) Reverting to these ims’ services during the schoo! year on short notice with pending cases demonstrates questionable priories'and judgement Additionally, shorty after hiring the new superintendent to begin in June 2017, the same Board majority hired four ‘master teachers," approved a consulting contrac of ust under half a milion dollars, and employed a deputy superintendent. n total, these additions represent ‘annual expenditures of roughly $1.5 millon that were notin the budget approved by the taxpayers in May 2017.‘Questions have been raised about the manner of these new appointments given the apparently close connections between the new superintendent, the individuals selected as master teachers, the organization employed for consulting, andthe deputy superintendent. “The master teachers do not have Job descriptions, their roe is unclear to other school staff, and parents, and they are not part of any bargaining unt. Furthermore, there has been no ‘formal reorganization of administrative responsibilities to justify these roles. Whether the responsibility for defning these jobs rests with the Board or the superintendent is less important than the fact that they remain undefined while putting undue strain on the Districts budget. In adltion to the specific sues resulting from the Boara's decisions to date, their actions suggest that they ack a commitment tothe level of traneparency inthe school budget ‘evelopment process mandated in State Education Law. This was ilustrated by the District's planned purchase of new school buses through vaguely worded language in its 2017-18 budget. Before the purchase could accur, SED ciscovered that the District lacked the budget propositions and State approvals required by the property tax levy limit and State ai statutes Due tothe Board's fallure to fellow protocol, he Distrit had made the purchases, would have risked being ineigbe for State aid. In adaiton, the resulting payments would not have been appropriately treated as capital expenditures under the tax levy mit and therefore could have depleted the funds available for instruction. This example raises a red flag that the Board of Education lacks a basic understanding ofthe requirements of lawful and responsible school district Budgeting. While members of the Board of Education made assurances during the Distinguished Educator's assessment that they would put aside dflrences to adcress cial issues such ‘a8 school safety, facities management, and high schoo! instruction ~ all of which Board ‘members indicated they agreed on — those aspirations have not been realized, Infact, litle or ‘no time has been spent on these high-prioy Issues other than answering concems raised by ‘embers ofthe public at Board meetings. When meeting as a qroup, this Board has ‘proven completely unable to moot the eritical challenges facing the District as deta ‘in this report, Itis noteworthy that ths behavior was consistent during the leadership of two diferent Board ‘majorties. Further, tis evident thatthe superintendent has been drawn into the clear divisions “among the current Board majorty and minorty. The overwhelming perception of parents and ‘he sais that the superintendent was allied withthe majority that was in leadership from June until the Commissioner's November decision tha altered the balance of power. tis ‘doubtful whether any leader could have successfully straddled the entrenched civie within the Board, but these poltical iseues complicate the superintendent's capacity to lead the DistIl, GOVERNANCE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN Both the Board of Education and Superintendent would benef from a clear understanding oftheir roles in providing sound leadership in an open and transparent manner. ‘The Board should immediately undergo Open Meetings Law training provided by the New York State Committae on Open Government, Such training should focus on ensuring greater tranepazency and the proper metheds of conducting public meetings in compliance With the law, including but not limited tothe proper use of executive sessions and the ‘confidentiality that attaches to duly convened executive s2ssians. The nat of Feucation should put policies in place to ensure tha all Board members participate inthis traning once annually. “The Board should engage in training provided by an appropriate entity (e.g, the New York State School Boards Association ora similar enty approved by NYSED) covering issues ‘such as schoo! district governance and board and community relations. “The Superintendent should undergo training provided by an appropriate entity (ea, the New York State Council of School Superintendents ora similar entity approved by NYSED) regarding the roles and responsibilities ofa superintendent and bulling and ‘maintaining an appropriate working relationship with a board of education, “The Commissioner should continue to engage BOCES Distict Superintendents from other _areas of the State to provide election monitoring services at the District's annual budget vote and election.2. BUDGET AND FISCAL OPERATIONS FINDINGS ‘The current financial situation in the Distct isa result of chronic mismanagement. According to staff in the District Business Office, there have been 20 cifferent assistant superintendents for business in the past 21 years. Even if every appointee was a competent steward of school funds, this rate of turnover would be demoralizing and destabilizing. More importantly, there litle evidence that the concerns raised by auditors or the Office of the State Comptroller were ‘ven appropriate attention by any previoue Boards of Education or superintendents. There was litle folow through on corrective action plans, resulting in @ continual degradation of Business Office operations. ‘The Comptroller's 2014 report noted concems regarding overspencing on employee compensation and on special education services, Supervisors were nat proving oversight 8 to the accuracy and completeness of timesheets, and each department implemented is own timesheet format, As a reeul, there was an increased risk that employees were being paid for time not worked. In addition, OSC found that special education services, including diagnostic ‘and health support services, wore costing HUFSD more than necessary because the District did not apply for Medicaid reimbursement fr eligible services,” dd not apply for all available ‘State aid, and did not ensure that professional services were obtained inthe most efficent ‘and economical manner* Subsequent tothe 2014 aucit by the Office of the State Complroler, the District exceeded its taxpayer-approved budget by $8.6 milion, In a report by the District's auctor, Nawrocki Sith, fr the school year that ended June 20, 2016, two material wesknesses and one significant deficiency were noted Nave 30, 2015 ‘Material Weaknesses Finding 15-01 Criteria: We considered the preparation of timely, monthly bank reconciations ‘Constion; The Distt did nt perform reconciliations ofits bank accounts for a ‘seven month period. Effect: The lack of monthiy reconciliations increases th risk of misstting cash balances, thereby putting the District in a situation where there may be inadequate cash flow for operations and improper activity that could occur and go undetected * The eticare Catastophic Coverage Mat of 188 mado t posse fo choo its to bin Mestad ‘einbursement formany speci edt sevens het thay provide to Mestaidpble sunt, GED and the New York Sate Gepartnnt Hes jmty established the Seton Supariva Heath Sores Proaram tal choo ‘Goce oben Medes einbuzeoment or daghostiendhoath support serdews provided to eile students wih Invigtalaed Edueston Progra (EPs) an for ease management reve OSC calculated al he Dist cout have boon rlnbred by Medica for upto $42,085 for services proved to tne 6 Medea lib stint who were retroaauing th 20122013 schoo! yea. aRecommendation: We recommend thatthe District implement policies and procedures to ensure bank account reconciations are completed on a timely, ‘monthly basis. Finding 15-02, Criteria: We considered the Distrits actual vs, budgeted expencitures forthe fiscal year. Condition: The Distriets General Fund expencitures exceeded the taxpayer ‘approved budget by $8.6 milion. Effect: The District has depleted its reserves and is now ina situation where it seeks legislative rellef to Borrow funds to be paid in the future to resolve problems of the past ‘Recommendation: We recommend tha the District consider the establishment of {an independent Fiscal Oversight Author, comprised of seasoned business officials and independent consultats, to provide impartial oversight and monitoring of the District's budget and fiscal operations, ‘Response: The Distt is considering the recommendation and wil pursue ‘opportunities for etrengthening fiscal oversight in the upcoming year. janificant Deficiency Finding 15.03, Citra: We considered the District's expenditures for tutoring services during the past fiscal year Condition: The District expends considerably more on tutoring than surrounding ‘school districts and was unable to provide any formal, approved contracts with the entities that provided tutoring servicos. Effect: The District appears to have been overbilled by certain tutoring contractors ‘based on improper biling rates on invoices compared to rate schedules provided by the tutoring companies and excessive hours bill for tutoring services. In ‘addition, there was a lack of monitoring and evidence to determine whether tutoring services wore actually provided. ‘Recommendation; We recommend that the District perform a complete review and ‘evaluation of its tutoring procedures and establish more formal, wten guidelines for the proper planning, evaluation, procurement, administration and monitoring of this area, Additional, we recommend thatthe District consider having a complete forensic investigation performed with respect to expenditures made in recent periods, ‘Response: The District is considering this recommendation and will address the matter internally before seeking outside assistance “The Board did not establish an “Independent Fiscal Oversight Authoiy" as recommencled by the ausitors,‘Aucits by other firms have noted similar serious issues, For example, in April 2016, the internal conrol auditors, Derchangelo CO., LLP, issued a risk assessment with a high proportion of areas identified with a “severe” or "high risk and a “severe” or “high” control isk. (See Appendix 8) In 2017, the District's internal auctor, EFPR Group stated the following regarding employee ‘compensation: “In ordor to gain an undoretanding of processes and intemal contrals, we reviewed reports previously sued by the internal auditor. large part of our testing required Us to examine vendor invoices in order to vert historical transactions. Itwas noted that these invoices were not readily available... uring aur review of the payroll process, it was noted that there was no lag time for payroll disbursements Employees are curently being paid on the last day of the payroll period. Typically, payfollis disbursed one week after the ast day of the payroll period” Serious concerns that pose risks to the District's financial stability have been raised repeatedly across throe aults and remain largely unaddressed. There isa high likelinood thatthe dystunetion of District leadership has led toa) funds being retumed, b) aid the District, ‘was due not fled fer, andlor c) opportunities missed. One auditor's report suggested that roughly $1.0 milion in aid has been missed ‘The District lacks basic operational protocols and procedures in many areas. For example, during the period ofthis assessment, the District was notified about numerous bils that were ‘ix months or more overdue, In addition, the fact that the fund balance for 2016-2017 was considerably above expectations and nat discovered until months after the close of the fiscal year due to poor fiscal monitoring would be a deep concer in any district but was of special Concern ina lstict which had just completed a year with a deep defct also due to poor fiscal planning, ‘The Distt does not have a good current assessment of 2017-2018 spending levels. ‘Signfcant items included in the 2017-2018 budget adopted by the Board and approved by Distt residents have been cut in practice, without public notice or input, These have not ‘been identfied to date, As noted in the governance section, significant new spending items connected directly or indirectly with New American Schools were added tothe budget after Rare adoption and taxpayer approval. What these additions displaced have not been identified to date, [At the same time, the District's budget for the 2017-18 school year contained vaguely worded language adiressing the intent ofthe Board to purchase several schoo! buses. However, the proposed purchases ware net treated as separate capital provisions under the propery tax levy mit law and were never submitted for approval tothe appropriate office at NYSED. Ifthe purchase had occurred, might have been ineligible for State ald, and it would not have been subject tothe capital expenditure exemption allowable under the levy limit. That means that 10the entire cost ofthe bus purchase would have come from the limited funds avaliable for instructional activites. This suggests afalure to understand and comply with State law, regulations, and guidance regarding school budgeting, which could have a detrimental impact in an already constrained environment. Planning activites for grants are months behind the planning forthe general fund and the District consistently misses deadlines to apply for State funds to which itis entitled. The District was allocated a grant of up to $5.4 milion for ‘community schools’ for 2017-2018. That rant could have beon ueed beginning in September 2017, but a plan was not submitted for approval by SED's Offic of Innovation and School Reform in a timely fashion and still has not been submited four months into the school year. The Office has contacted the District over 15 times since August 1, 2017 o prompt the submission of ts plan to no aval (it should be noted thatthe Office has provided technical assistance to District staff at several points anc macs its staff available for consultation at any point upon request ) Contracts for consultants atthe high school through the State's School Improvement Grant were not approved until November, three months after the start ofthe school year. Grant funds are inadequately ted to overall District budget and programs, “To the Dietrict's ere, in response tothe June 2016 recommendation of Nawocki Smith to budget for a forensic auditor in the 2017-2018 budget, the District hired Plante Moran, the highly respected frm which conducted the forensic aut ofthe Detrot Public Schools. However, since tha ime, | have requested updates and documentation regarding the progress ofthis citical forensic aut and, to date, none have been provided, Instead, various Board memibers have objected to my request for such information, arguing that providing such information to the Board that engaged the auditor would essentially lead to the information| becoming publi, thus compromising the integrity of the audit. This needs to be completed in ‘an unpolitcal and untarnished manner so that a) any corruption tat is uncovered can be prosecuted, and) the cloud Ifted can belted from those found to be competent and trustworthy BUDGET AND FISCAL OPERATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN Distrit business operations are severely stressed and significantly outdated in many areas. ‘The Districts paying $400,000 for the services ofthe forensic auditor and, inthe Interest of ts fiscal and governance responsibles, the Board must treat ths audit with the urgency and Importance it requires 1. The Board should require regular reports and updates from the forensic auditor to ensure thatthe audit is proceeding according tothe agreed-o plan and timeline. Once the forensic audit is complete and the results are avallable, any findings must be referred to the appropriata independent governmental officials —.g., NYS Comptroller's Office, NYS Education Department or FBI —to ensure compliance with any findings or corrective actions required 1"‘The HUFSD Business Office, with the assistance ofa team from Nassau BOCES, should develop by the end of January 2018 and implement by the end of March 2018 a plan to bring District business operations fully up to date. ‘Appropriate HUFSD personnel should participate in trainings offered by entities such 9s (Questar Il Stato Aid Planring, NYSED, and the New York State Association of School ‘Business Officials so that appropriate stops are taken to folow State aid and district ‘budgeting statutes, regulations, and guidance, and avoid unnecessary losses of state aid oF tax lavy iccues. ‘The Superintendent and the Business Office must be required to ensure full implementation of all corrective action plan stops previously prescribed to the extent practicable by no later than June 2018. The District must hold the Superintendent and the Business Office accountable if steps that could reasonably be taken are not. For those Corrective actions that could not be implemented by June 2018 date for leitimate reasons, the Superintendent and the Business Office, in consultation withthe Distinguished Educator, must seta firm timeline and process for future implementation “The Distinguished Educator and NYSED wil provide the District with technical assistance and resources and will monitor and evaluate timely and satisfactory completion to ensure compliance, 23. SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY 1. FINDINGS: School safety was the top issue raised by many parents and community members during this astesement, particulary with regards tothe high school. Safety issues are also a factor in other areas of concem covered inthis report, as research suggests that the “qualy of the school climate may be the single most predictive factor in any schoo''s capacity to promate student achievement.” “The Districts plagued by school safety issues that have been abscured by inaccurate data (both past and present), poltics, and efforts to assign blame. Students must have a safe and socure of learn, and the adults ust make this their absolute priority, which has not occurred to date. At a minimum, the Board and District must redirect resources from tigation and n-ighting to developing and sustaining a safe and positive educational environment. Utimately, with cultural anc behavioral shifts a the highest levels, the District's adults wll lso help inthis effort by 'madeling the behavior that their students need to exhibit tobe productive members of 21% century society. Safety and security were also issues in SED's 2004 report which noted gang activity; poor training and deployment of securty staf, and a lack of definition of pupil services roles, responsiiltios, and relationships. At the time, SED indicated significant data management issues with tracking attendance, discipline, and safety, The high school exhibited poor rates of dally and period-by-period attendance, exacerbated by an open campus policy. The reported suspension rate for 2003-04 was high at 12.4 percent. Gang presence and recruitment remains a bona fide concern inthis istrict and many reighboring districts and communities, In September 2017, the presence of the gang MS-13 in ‘communities on Long Island prompted the govemor to deploy a Gang Violence Prevention Uni of the New York State Police to Long Island to work collaboratively with local police ‘agencies and schools to educate communities about the early waming signs of gang presence and recruitment Recent violent incidents in Hempstead schools include physical altercatios that have sometimes resulted in serious injuries and the presence of weapons on school property. Well ‘over 50 fights have taken place in the hiah schoo! since September. Just prior to the November 2017 Board of Education mesting, over 30 qunshots wore recorded in the ‘neighborhood adjacent to the high school, Parents are justifiably concemmed, > shiner, 1, Jones, A, Willams, AD, Taylor,C., Cardenia, H, (2016). The schoo! climate student ‘achievement connect: If we want achievement gains, we need to begin by proving the late, Journal (of School Adminstration Research and Development 1(1), 8-1, "For more information onthe 2004 report, sae Appendix. 13In the past several weeks, the superintendent has spent a significant percentage of his time ‘on-site atthe high school observing the climate and attempting to make proactive changes to improve the situation In adtion, more securty staff have been hired across all District bullings and the office ofthe District Director of Security has been relocated tothe high ‘school. These are steps in the right irection, but it wll take a more systemic change to ‘ensure a truly safe and secure school environment. Il. SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN The Dietct's current security issues are exacerbated by 2) high administrative tumaver, and ») severe overcrowding which i likely to get much worse over the next 7-8 years (overcrowding is further explored inthe Facilties Management section), The District must recognize the effect of school environment on academic achievement and take steps to ‘ensure that HUFSD environments are safe and positive so that students devote their full ‘altenion to their education and parents feel comfortable sending their children to school each ay. 41. The District must fist review and revise Its code of conduct (last updated on 2012-13) and. should develop a new comprehensive School Safety Plan by February 1, 2018, with input {om staf, students, and parents.® The plan should at a minimum: ‘© Include a school climate framework that incorporates effective strategies to promote school climate such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, restorative practoes, trauma-informed care, social emotional learning, among others. ‘© Commit to participating in the School Climate Index Plot inthe 2017-18 school year include a plan to administer the achool climate surveys as a part of the School Climate Index Pitt establish a Community Engagement Team (CET) to analyze the data from the schoo! climate surveys, chronic absentesism reports, and the VADIR/DASA. reports; and determine an action plan to adress any needs identified by the CET.® ‘© Ensure that all students have access to support for their social-emotional well-being ‘© Provide all studants access to extracurricular opportunities so they can volunteer in their schools and thelr communities, participate in community-based internships, and engage in sports and the ats. * Section 2001-3 (Chapter 1, Tie Il, Ate 5) of Education Law requires that every board of eduction in very school dst inthe sate adopt and amend a comprehensive citret-wide school safely plan and Icing level school safety plans regarding ci intervention. emergency response, and management More Information about th requirements for school safety plans Is avaiable at. ‘MlpUvrvu p12 nysed covissslasceqs/200' him! * Approximately 80 csticts are patlipaing in the NYSED Schoo! Climate Indox Plt during the 2097-18 school year with a plan fe fl implementation statewide in the 2018-10 schoo year. The Schoo| Chats Index comprises three major components: 1) administering the US Department of Education's schoo! climate surveys to parents, students, and school personne; 2) reviewing Violent and Disruptive Incident Reports (VADIR) and the Dignity fr All Sutonts Act (DASA) data; an 3) producing ehonic absenteeism reports The results ofthe data from these tree components should be reviewed by Community Engagement Team comprised of parents, stidonts, teacher, school board members, nonsnstuctonal staf, soho! ofl, business community, among others. 4‘© Promote trust, cultural responsiveness, and respect between schools and families, recognizing that student achievement and school improvement are shared responsibilty and extend that trust, cultural responsiveness, and respect among schools and families to include the Hempstead Police Department and allo the partner agencies supporting Distict schools. 2. {tis critical thatthe District take proactive steps to keep students safe rom bullying and harassment. Responsiveness stats wth prevention and, to be successful the District ‘© Develop a school climate mission statement fr the District with input from the Community Engagement Team. Work collaboratively with stakeholders to begin to ‘embed these practice inal araas. ‘© Communicate wth students, staff, and parents about their roles in prevention and intervention and send a unified message against bullying, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. ‘© Take student complaints seriously and ensure that they are addressed quickly and ccompetenty ‘+ Ensure that student dicipine ie administered equitably and is proportionate tothe transgression, Reduce the averuse of punitive and exclusionary responses to student misbehavior. 3, Educators and District staff should be trained in practices proven to improve schoo! safety and climate: ‘¢ Social-emational Learning Practices to help students learn the essential skis that affect every area of their lives, including how to understand and manage emotions and how to establish and maintain posive relationships. Research shows that social- ‘emotional learning has had a significant impact on reducing atrisk behaviors including ‘substance use, emotional distress, arxity, socal withdrawal, and mental heath problems, ‘¢Trauma-tnformed Practices. One out of four children attending school has been ‘exposed to a traumatic event that can affect leaming and/or behavior. Trauma can ‘affect student performance an leaming and cause unpredictable or impulsive ‘behavior, as well as physical and emotional distress. Its citical to develop and create ‘rauma-sensitive schools that help children feel safe so that they can lear, Restorative Practices, Evaluate current school discipline practice, move away from zero-tolerance discoline policies, and encourage the use of practices that encourage healthy elationships between staff and students and seek to resolve confict rather than simply punishing offenders. 4, Other recommendations include the following: ‘© Advocate for investment in and expansion of support staff in schools (school counselors, psychologists, social workers, et.) "The National Child Traumate Stress Network, Child Trauma Took for Educators, October 2008, 161 Integrate schoo! rules, code of conduct, and school cimate into the schoo! curriculum ‘0 thats better understood by students and parents. ‘© Include information onthe Digrity Act Coordinator and safe and healthy school climate in annual staff, student, and parent orientations. ‘© Expand Schoo! Safety Plans to include protocols for school busestiransporters and locations outside of the schoo! building as wel as to inctude before- and after-school programs, {© Continue the process of organizing smaller learning environments within the high fchool 20 teachers, administrators, students, and thar parents are mare elosaly and personally connected, Continue the same process of organizing smaller learning ‘environments inthe mide school ‘© Work more closely wth outside agencies, including the Hempstead Police Department, ‘tomonitor and stay ahead of gang-related activites. ‘© Provide additional training for security personnel (PreK-12) with lear performance expectations with an emphasis on pro-active and postive student contact Provide clear feedback to security staff from the crector of security, schoo! principals, assistant Principals, and deans. '# Require reports at regular Board of Education meetings on steps taken to respond to fights and weapons incidents during the prior month. © Replace dysfunctional and low-qualty security cameras, “The Distinguished Educator and NYSED wil provide guidance and technical assistance and will monitor each step of implementation to ensure every step is completed in a timely and satisfactory manner. 164. FACILITIES MANAGEMENT. FINDINGS ‘The District's capacity for day-to-day faites operations and maintenance is stretched thin, vith inadequate regular maintenance. SED's 2004 report noted that many buildings were deteriorating for lack of maintenance and repairs; safety, heating and ventilation problems existed at many locations; and there was signiticant overerowsding.* These and other ‘previously unaddressed issues are now “coming home to roost.” This is ilustated by the repeated failures of various schoo! heating plants in late Naver 2017 with rhne cancelled in one case and inadequately heated buildings in several other cases, Maintenance plans for heating plants seem to have been cancelled 7-8 years ago, resulting in failures that could have been prevented through proper upkeep. The Distic’s ability to address these ‘maintenance concerns is compounded by the failure to pay some contractors promptly and fully In addtion, while facilities plans have been developed over the years it does not appear that the District has developed and maintained a Comprehensive Long-Range Pian pertaining to ‘educational facilities as required by Commissioner's Regulations 155.1(a). tis also not ‘apparent thatthe district has prepared and updated on an annual basis, a Five-Year Capital Faclities Plan a8 required by Commissioner's Regulations 155.1(a)4). The effect ofthis inattention are best illustrated by the fact Rhodes Elementary School has not been used for 17 years and was condemned a decade ago; itis an eyesore that poses a health and safety risk to the neighbortood. “The Distt submitted Building Condition Surveys in 2018 for occupied buldings in ‘accordance with Education Law 364 1(4) and Commissioner's Regulations 185 4(b)(1). Of note it appears thatthe overall ullaing ratings included inthe Building Condition Surveys indicated that most bullings were in ‘satisfactory’ condition. However, these ratings were assigned without consultation with a cstrict health and safety committge, soit may be suspect, Moreover, itis unclear whether the Distict has been establishing a safety rating for teach occupied schoo! building as required by Commissioner's Regulations 155.4(c)1), and ‘whether these ratings were developed after consultation witha lstit heath and safety committee ‘The Distict’s buildings are already overcrowded, and that issue will only be compounded in the coming years: Demographic projections prepared in June 2016 show that the secondary schools will have to accommodate almost 1,000 more students than at present, There are already dozens of portable classrooms in use across the District's schools. They are 90-40, year old, in bad condition, expensive to maintain, and some pose heaith concerns fr students and staff. In action to not having enough classrooms, there is inadequate space to provide students wth opportunites to explore art, musi, libraryimedia, and technology. * For futher information on the 2004 report, see Append D, wIt should be noted that Prospect School was upgraded through a bond issue following the 2004 report. The situation regarding most ofthe res ofthe Districts facilites remains, however, much as it was in 2004, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN ‘These pressing faciitios issues must be immediately addressed 4, The Board of Education and the District administrators must develop a Comprehensive Long-Range Pian and a Five-Year Capital Faciltes Pian wih the assistance of Nassau [BOCES and the Ditricte architectural and enginearing firm. These plans shavil ha subject to public input and brought to compltion with adoption by the Board no later than Fobruary 2018. 2, ‘The District must request a Facities Assessment be conducted by the New York State ‘School Facilities Association as soon as possible. Within six weeks of the completion of that assessment, the District administrators should prepare an implementation timeline ‘and process for each step recommended by the group. 3. The Dietinguished Educator will monitor and evaluate timely and satisfactory completion of all steps. 185, HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTION 1. FINDINGS: NYSED's 2004 report cited significant concems regarding high schoo! instruction, including:* ‘© Few Regents Diplomas were awarded (the cohort graduation rate for 1999 was 44 percent) and the dropout rate was high (18.8 percent in 2003-04), ‘© Instructional resources for English Language Avts and mathematics were not sufficient to provide all students an opportunity to lear and to demonstrate mastery of State learning ttandarde ‘© There was inadequate coordination and collaboration among general education, special ‘education, and English as a second language administrators and teachers, adversely affecting curriculum development, professional development, and teacher proficiency in curricula, ‘© Teaching assistants were pulled avay from duties in special education, general ‘education, and classes for English Language Learners (ELLs) to substitute teach, and, in some cases, were filing long-term vacances, ‘© Guidance counselors provided limited student serves and class scheduling was inefficient (class sizes ranged from 2 to 38 students) Students! needs and abilities were rt considered in scheduling ‘¢ The mide school and high school programs were operated in isolation, with no building- to-building (nor grade-to-grade atthe middle schoo) aticuation, Unfortunately, many of these concems regarding the District's high school instruction from more than a decade ago still etand, A request for information tothe administration of the high school on the numberof students in grade 12 and their progress towards graduation in June 2018 tock over a month to fui Italy, even the raw numberof students in the senior class. ‘was difcut te pin dawn with reported values ranging widely from $75 to 87S. (The actual figure, which includes fith and sith year students, was 872.) \When a review of each grade 12 student's credit status was completed, almost 900 students ‘were determined to have dropped out since September 2017 (although some may have been “no shows" for much longer)", approximately 250 were determined to currently be ready or on track to graduation by June 208, and many ofthe remainder were determined to have earned very few credits over the past 3% to 6% years. Over the past couple of weeks, plans to help each student sub-group have begun to emerge, but this kind of status review is ‘something that should be commonplace to support students in their educational journey, not te be evaluated only upon an extemal raquest and partculariy notin a schoo! in receivership. * Noto: This is a drop-out rato of 24% (294 of 872 Grade 12 students) Hompstead students, in general, perform well below their potential Far too fow. ‘araduato and of those who do araduate, few do so with the skills and knowledge they ® For more information from the 2004 report, se AppendbeE 10