##VIDEO ID:8P29dSckaPY##  YEAH. FOR THE RECORD.  MY NAME IS AARON MURPHY, AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES . TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2020 FOR THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV. BACKSLASH CITY DASH CONSOLE DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON AFFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS CHANNEL 964 . WRITTEN COMMENTS CAN BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DOT S.W. F C AT BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING AND INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN IN SHEET AS YOU WALK INTO THE CHAMBER AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL THE STAFF LIAISON ON MEGHAN CAVANAUGH WHICH IS M E G H A AND DOT K HAVE A AND A G H AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.  SO TODAY'S HEARING IS ON MANY DOCKETS.  WE HAVE SEVERAL DOCKETS IN THE STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY COMMITTEE WHICH I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR ALL TODAY SO WE CAN GET YOU THE MONEY BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHAT THIS FUNDING IS FOR. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. SO I WILL READ THROUGH SO PLEASE BE PATIENT. DOCKET 0907A MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SUSTAINABLE BILITY AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF TRULY EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.  THE GRANT WILL FUND AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROMOTE OR STIMULATE BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN CHILDHOOD PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY.  THIS DOCKET WAS SPONSORED BY THE MAYOR AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUNE 5TH 2024 DOCKET 1106A MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT TO 150 $65,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HUMAN SERVICES CONNECT, LEARN AND EXPLORE INITIATIVE AWARDED BY BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HUMAN SERVICES. THIS GRANT WILL FUND YOUTH SPORTS AND SWIM ACTIVITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DOCKET 1109.  MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $22,500 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE CHILD'S CARE LICENSING SUPPORT GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED WAY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. THE GRANT WILL FUND STIPENDS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE FAMILY CHILD CARE LICENSING SUPPORT TRAINING AND HAVE OPENED IN THEIR BUSINESSES. THIS DOCKET WAS SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JULY 10TH 2024. DOCKET 117 TO MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT TO $100,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE SENIOR SAVE PROGRAM GRANT AWARDED BY THE BOSTON CHARITABLE TRUST FUND TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE HEARING SYSTEM REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE SENIOR CITIZEN HOMEOWNERS IN BOSTON IN DOCKET 1176 WAS A MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $11,600 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE ESCROW MITIGATION ACTIVITIES AWARDED TO THE CITY OF BOSTON TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON CENTER FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THE GRANT WILL FUND A PAID CONTRACTORS FOR MITIGATION ACTIVITIES. THESE DOCKETS WERE SPONSORED BY THE MAYOR AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST SEVEN, 2024. DOCKET 1276 MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF 2,232,000 $152,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL FBI FIVE TITLE THREE DASH SEA NUTRITION SERVICES PROGRAM AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PASSED THROUGH THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STRONG COMMISSION. THE GRANT WILL FUND NUTRITION SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULT ADULTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND DOCKET 1278A MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF 1,736,000 $520,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE STATE FBI 25 COUNCIL ON AGING FORMULA ALLOCATION AWARDED BY THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STRONG COMMISSION. THE GRANT WILL FUND SOCIAL AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR 115,768 OLDER ADULTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AT $15 PER PERSON ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS DATA.  FOR UMASS BOSTON DONAHUE INSTITUTE AND DOCKET 1279 MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $1,038,243 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL FBI 25 TITLE THREE B SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PASSED THROUGH THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION. THIS GRANT WILL FUND HOME BASED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. DOCKET 1280 MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $530,999 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL FBI 25 TITLE THREE FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PASSED THROUGH THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION AND THIS GRANT WILL GIVE CAREGIVER SERVICES FOR ALL OLDER ADULTS IN OUR CITY TARGET 1 TO 8 ONE MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $461,143 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL FBI 25 TITLE THREE A ADMINISTRATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PASSED TO THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE AGE DRAWN COMMISSION. THE GRANT WILL FUND COSTS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS TITLE THREE PROGRAMS TARGET 1283 MESSAGE AND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $177,271 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL FBI 25 TITLE THREE AND BONDSMAN PROGRAM AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PASSED THROUGH THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIR TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION. IN THIS GRANT WILL FUND PROTECTION PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE LONG TERM SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. DOCKET 128 FOR MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $84,058 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE FEDERAL FBI 25 TITLE THREE D DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PASSED THROUGH THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION. THIS GRANT WILL FUND SERVICES THAT ASSIST OLDER ADULTS IN BOSTON TO PREVENT ILLNESS AND MANAGE CHRONIC CONDITIONS. THESE DOCKETS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON AUGUST 28, 2020 FOR SO I THINK WE READ THEM ALL.  THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. SO WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY AN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCIL OF FLYNN AND COUNCILOR BREADON. WE HAVE READ ALL THE DOCKETS.  THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM EACH OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL BE ADMINISTERING THESE GRANTS TO SPEAK ON THE GOOD WORK AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE GRANTS. AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM WERE SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNTS NOW AND YOU CAN DEFINITELY JOIN PUSH A CHEER UP . THANK YOU. SORRY I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU THAT EARLIER.  SOME OF THESE ARE A COUPLE OF HUNDREDTH YOU KNOW THOUSAND DOLLARS AND SOME ARE $1,000,000. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR FROM YOU TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS MONEY IS GOING FOR AND HOW THIS WILL BE SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS AND THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. BUT FIRST I WILL LET MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR OPENING STATEMENTS. COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS IMPORTANT COMMITTEE. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU ARE DOING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND GOOD AFTERNOON.  EVERYONE'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. I'M EXCITED TO REVIEW THESE GRANTS AND FIND OUT WHAT HOW YOU WANT TO PUT IT TO GOOD WORK, GOOD USE AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU.  SO YOU CAN DECIDE WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST TO SPEAK ON THE GRANTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE. YOU HAVE A LOT I CAN GO LAST. OH OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU SAID LET'S GO FIRST IF THAT'S FINE. CHIEF MASSOUD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST PLEASE? SO I DEFINITELY WILL KICK US OFF AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILOR MURPHY AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL . IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENT TODAY. MY NAME IS JOSE MARCEAU AND I'M THE CHIEF HUMAN SERVICES. I'M HERE TO TESTIFY ON THE $165,000 GRANT FROM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON.  THIS FUNDING IS A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION FROM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON THAT EARMARKED FUNDS FOR THE MAYOR'S CONNECT LEARN EXPLORE COMMITMENT TO YOUTH CONNECT LEARN EXPLORER AIMS TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE IN FINDING THEIR PASSIONS ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF SWIMMING, SPORTS, BIKING AND GROWING FOOD.  SPECIFICALLY, THESE FUNDS ARE INTENDED TO SUPPORT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE HUMAN SERVICES CABINET AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACHIEVE TWO OF THE MAYOR'S GOALS TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN TO SWIM AND TO LOWER BARRIERS TO SPORTS PARTICIPATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE . WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF PARTNERING WITH BPC ON THESE TWO WORTHY INITIATIVES THIS FALL WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BUILT PARTNERSHIPS WITH FOR SCHOOLS TO OUR SWIM SAFE PROGRAM. WE ARE PROVIDING GRANTS TO FOUR SCHOOLS FOR THEIR STUDENTS CAN RECEIVE LESSONS DURING EITHER DURING THE SCHOOL DAY OR AFTER SCHOOL. THE HURLEY SCHOOL AND HERNANDEZ SCHOOL WILL OFFER SWIM LESSONS DURING THEIR AFTERSCHOOL SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THE JOSIAH QUINCY SCHOOL WILL OFFER LESSONS TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN GRADE TWO FROM GRADES 2 TO 5 AND BRIDGE BOSTON CHARTER SCHOOL WILL CONTINUE OFFER LESSONS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY FOR THE K-2 AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS. WE ARE ALSO IN DISCUSSION WITH THE OTHER SCHOOL TO SEE IF WE CAN FORGE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THEIR SCHOOL AND THE NEARBY KROC CENTER ON THE SPORTS SIDE OF THE HOUSE. I AM EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE LAUNCHED LET'S PLAY BOSTON TODAY AN INITIATIVE THAT CAPTURES ALL THE GREAT WORK THE CITY IS DOING TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH SPORTS ECOSYSTEM. BPC ATHLETICS ARE A GREAT PARTNER TO US AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THEIR EFFORTS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO YOUTH SPORTS FOR BP'S STUDENTS . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COULD I ASK YOU ON DOCKET 1176 IT IS GOING TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH B.C. BY APP.  COULD YOU JUST TOUCH ON THAT ONE? THIS ONE IS THE 111,600. IT'S A SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT BUT THE GRANT WILL FUND TO PAY CONTRACTORS FOR MITIGATION ACTIVITIES.  YES. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT RECEIVING FUNDS FOR THAT. IT'S EVERY FISCAL YEAR THAT AMOUNT WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET TO THAT ACCOUNT TO SEPARATE ACCOUNT FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES FOR THE OFFICE. I THINK I THINK SCHEDULED FOR UP TO THREE YEARS. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, KRISTA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO NOW? SURE.  THANK YOU. SO I HAVE A DOCKET 0907 WHICH IS ACTUALLY ALSO CONNECTED TO THE MAYOR'S CONNECT ALERT EXPLORER PROGRAM. WE APPLIED LAST YEAR TO THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS AS PART OF THEIR CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SUSTAINABLE AWARDS PROGRAM. AND WE CAME IN SECOND. AND SO THE $50,000 THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN US IS TO EXPAND SPORTS PROGRAMING ALIGNED WITH THE MAYOR'S SPORTS INITIATIVE BUT REALLY TARGETING 3 TO 6 YEAR OLDS. SO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE BEGIN TO DO MOVEMENT AND PLAY IN THAT SPACE.  AND WE'VE STARTED WITH SOME PICKUP SOCCER FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN DURING THE SUMMER AT THREE SITES WE PILOTED SOMETHING AND SO THAT WILL EXPAND AS WE MOVE INTO THE FALL IN NEXT YEAR. AND WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING WITH CHIEF MARCEAU'S TEAM AROUND POTENTIALLY BASKETBALL AS WELL AS SOCCER SO THAT THAT'S WHAT THOSE FUNDS ARE FOR. AND THEN THE DID YOU WANT ME TO DO DOCKET 1109 AS WELL? SO DOCKET 1109 AS YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE THE CHILD CARE ENTREPRENEURSHIP FUND WHICH IS REALLY FOCUSED ON HELPING FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS WHO WANT TO START A BUSINESS TO GO THROUGH THE LICENSING PROCESS.  AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE FUNDS FROM THE UNITED WAY ALLOWS US TO DO IS TO LEVERAGE THE CITY INVESTMENT THROUGH THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACTOR WHO'S DOING THE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND THE MENTORING. AND THEN WHEN THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING PROGRAM THEY'VE OPENED THEIR BUSINESS SO THEY ACTUALLY GOT THEIR LICENSE. THEN THEY WILL RECEIVE A STIPEND FROM US IN THE EVENT AND THEN THE AMOUNT OF $1,000 EACH THAT THEY CAN USE TOWARDS SUPPLIES AND GOODS FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT THEY'RE OPENING. THANK YOU.  SO JUST GO THROUGH THEM THROUGH THE MOM. SURE.  SO DOCKET 1276 IS FOR OUR TITLE THREE SEED NUTRITION PROGRAM.  SO THIS IS A PIECE OF THE NUTRITION FUNDING BILL WILL HAVE TWO OTHER PIECES THAT WILL COME THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE TOGETHER.  THESE ARE COMBINED WITH OTHER EXTERNAL PIECES THAT FLOW INTO THE ELDER NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR FOR THE CITY AND SO IT FUNDS CONGREGATE MEAL SITES ACROSS THE CITY. SO WE HAVE ABOUT 40 SITES ACROSS THE CITY WHERE AN OLDER PERSON CAN GO AND EAT FOR A $2 SUGGESTED DONATION.  AND THEN IT ALSO IS FUNDS A PIECE OF THE CITYWIDE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS. AND THESE ARE FULLY PASSED THROUGH DOLLARS FOR US SO WE PUT THEM OUT TO BID AND WE HAVE VENDORS WHO WORK WITH US ON THIS PROGRAM.  THE DOCKET 1278 IS OUR FORMULA GRANT FOR BEING THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COUNCIL ON AGING. SO WE GET $15 PER ELDER PER YEAR THROUGH THE STATE BUDGET FOR TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO IT ACTUALLY THIS COUNCIL ON AGING GRANT ACTUALLY FUNDS A NUMBER OF OUR STAFF DOWNSTAIRS. WE USE IT TO FUND PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES, OUR HOUSING AND OUR BENEFITS AND ADVOCACY STAFF, SOME OF OUR EVENTS AND PROGRAMS TEAM.  IT ALSO FUNDS OUR SENIORITY MAGAZINE WHICH WE GET OUT THERE INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO LOTS OF DIFFERENT PIECES THAT THIS IMPORTANT FUNDING IS THIS IMPORTANT FUNDING IS IS PROVIDING FOR US.  DOCKET 1279 IS OUR TITLE THREE BE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM . SO THIS IS OUR MOST FLEXIBLE TITLE THREE WHICH IS THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT IS OUR MOST FLEXIBLE POT OF MONEY AND WE FUND 18 COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH THIS MONEY TO DO A WHOLE HOST OF DIFFERENT THINGS SOME HOUSING STABILITY WORK, A LOT OF PROGRAMING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR FOLKS, SOME REAL SOCIAL CONNECTION WORK TRYING TO BREAK DOWN SOCIAL ISOLATION AND CREATE A CREATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS AND OLDER PEOPLE. SO LOTS OF IMPORTANT WORK GOING ON WITH THAT MONEY. WE ALSO KEEP A SMALL BIT OF THAT MONEY IN HOUSE TO FUND SOME OF OUR ADVOCACY AND BENEFITS TEAM AND THE WORK THAT WE DO TO DISTRIBUTE TAXI COUPONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON.  DOCKET 1280 IS OUR TITLE THREE FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM.  SO THIS THIS PROGRAM IS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO SUPPORT CAREGIVERS WHO ARE CARING FOR WHO ARE CARING FOR PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 60 IN THE CITY OR CAREGIVERS WHO ARE OVER THE AGE OF 60 WHO ARE CARING FOR GRANDCHILDREN OR OTHER KINSHIP CARE, KINSHIP RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN.  AGAIN, THIS IS MONEY THAT WE PUT FULLY OUT TO BID EVERY YEAR AND FOR WHAT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  DOCKET 1281 IS OUR TITLE THREE A SO THIS IS OUR ADMINISTRATION GRANT WE HAVE A TEAM DOWNSTAIRS WHO WORKS WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS THAT WE GIVE MONEY TO AND KEEPS US I GUESS AUDIT READY BECAUSE THIS THIS MONEY SINCE IT'S FEDERAL DOLLARS WE GO THROUGH AUDITS ON THEM SO WE DO A LOT OF CHECKING OF INVOICES AND BACKUP AND ALL OF THAT AND THAT FUNDS OUR WORK IN THAT AREA AND ALSO OUR PROGRAMMATIC MONITORING WORK SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT AND THAT OUR THE PEOPLE THAT WE FUND ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND WITH WHAT THEY'VE AGREED TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR OLDER RESIDENTS.  DOCKET 1283 IS THAT OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM. SO THIS IS A PROGRAM AGAIN THAT WE PUT FULLY OUT TO BID AND HAVE A COMMUNITY PARTNER THAT RUNS THE PROGRAM FOR US BUT IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH OUR LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES IN THE CITIES OR OUR NURSING AND REHAB CENTERS, OUR ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAMS IN OUR REST HOMES AND THERE ARE TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WHO GO IN TO ACCESS ON BEDS IN THOSE RESIDENCES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN THE RESIDENTS OR THEIR CAREGIVERS WHO NEED TO KIND OF NAVIGATE ISSUES WITH THE FACILITY AND AND WITH THE STAFF.  AND THEN DOCKET 1284 IS OUR TITLE THREE D DISEASE PREVENTION HEALTH PROMOTION.  I ALWAYS WISH WE HAD MORE MONEY FOR FOR THIS PROGRAM BUT THESE ARE EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHY AGING PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AGAIN, THIS THIS MONEY GOES FULLY OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS . I THINK WE FROM FOUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH THESE FUNDS AND THEY'RE RUNNING PROGRAMS LIKE HEALTHY IDEAS WHICH IS A EVIDENCE BASED DEPRESSION PROGRAM.  THEY'RE RUNNING BINGO SIZE AND CHRONIC DISEASE SELF MANAGEMENT AND LOTS OF OTHER PROGRAMS TO,  YOU KNOW, BET EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. KAREN RIVERSIDE. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON HOME CENTER OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AND I'M HERE FOR DOCKET 1172 BOSTON CHARITABLE TRUST GRANTS FOR OUR SENIORS SAFE PROGRAM. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A BIG DESCRIPTION OR A HIGH LEVEL DESCRIPTION OF THE SENIORS SAFE PROGRAM. IT'S A PROGRAM TO REALLY HELP ELIGIBLE SENIORS TO REPLACE THEIR FAILING OR INSUFFICIENT HEATING SYSTEMS WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY SYSTEMS AND THIS IS MANAGED BY US THE HOME CENTER WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A GRANT OF $8,000 AGAIN TO REPLACE THAT FAILING FURNACE TO A MORE ENERGY SAVING EQUIPMENT.  AND WITH THIS THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN LAUNCHED SINCE 202,015 AND WE HAVE SERVED ABOUT 481 SENIORS THAT HAD HEATING SYSTEMS REPLACED. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS $100,000 THAT WE'RE FROM THE BOSTON CHARITABLE TRUST FUND WILL BE USED TO FOR GAP FUNDING FOR UP TO 1500 DOLLARS FOR HEATING REPLACEMENT COST ABOUT THE PROGRAM'S CAP OF 8000 AND ANY HEATING REPLACEMENT THAT EXCEEDS 9500 WILL BE OFFERED THROUGH OUR OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE 0% INTEREST ON THE FRONT LOAD IF THERE IS ANY REMAINING BALANCE. SO THIS FUNDING IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR SENIORS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A HEATING DURING THIS WINTER.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR SHARING OUR COUNCILOR . BRAEDEN DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR KIND OF AN EASY TO UNDERSTAND? I HAD A QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER SHEA UNDER 1 TO 7 EIGHT THE THING THAT CAME TO MIND IS THINKING ABOUT THE CENSUS WE DO WE GET A GOOD ACCURATE COUNT IN THE 2020 CENSUS OF ELDERS AND AND WE UNDERCOUNTED A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT WE GOT A GOOD KIND OF ELDERS.  YEAH I MEAN I'M NOT SURE THAT THE 2020 CENSUS WAS THE BEST EVER THERE'S NEVER THE BEST EVER. UNFORTUNATELY THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS BASED ON STATUTE STATE STATUTE THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE A NUMBER OUR AMOUNT WILL BE MULTIPLIED BY UNTIL 2032 WHEN WE HAVE THE 2030 CENSUS NUMBERS. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE STUCK WITH. BUT WE WERE LUCKY THIS YEAR THAT THE STATE ACTUALLY GAVE US A $1 INCREASE SO WE WENT FROM $14 PER ELDER PER YEAR TO $15 PER ELDER PER YEAR.  SO WE HAVE WE WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE IN OUR AMOUNT THIS YEAR SO WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS THE SHINE PROGRAM AND THIS MAY BE SLIGHTLY OFF ON A BIT OF A TANGENT HERE BUT I UNDERSTAND IN THE STATE BUDGET THAT THERE WAS $1,000,000 EARMARKED FOR THE SHINE PROGRAM THAT THE THAT THE GOVERNOR VETOED. I DON'T KNOW DID WE GET IT PUT BACK IN OR ARE DO YOU FUND THE SHIPS THOSE FUND THE SHINE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THERE. SURE, YEAH.  I THINK I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSING MESSAGING AROUND THAT SO THEY DID SO SHINE IS THEY DIDN'T THEY DID.  THE GOVERNOR VETOED $1,000,000 IN THE ACCOUNT THE SHINE IS IN BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT IT WAS NOT THE SHINE DOLLARS SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE SHINE FUNDING IS COMPLETE. WE DO NOT FUND SHINE THE SHINE CAM FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDS AND A LITTLE BIT TO THE STATE AND IT'S THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH FUNDING FOR SHINE I FOR THAT THE MEDICARE COUNSELING THAT SHINE DOES THE ETHOS ETHOS AS THE COORDINATOR OF SHINE HERE IN THE CITY FOR THIS FOR BOSTON BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR ADVOCACY AND BENEFITS TEAM IS FULLY TRAINED IN SHINE SO THEY GO THROUGH THE 50 HOUR SHINE CERTIFICATE PORTION TRAINING. THEY DO MONTHLY UPDATES WITH THE MEDICARE INFORMATION AND THEY THEY DO MEDICARE COUNSELING AS PART OF THEIR JOB. SO WE WROTE IT INTO THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION AND GAVE THEM A BUMP IN PAY WHEN WE ADDED IT TO THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION.  SO SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE WE HAVE A WHOLE TEAM DOWNSTAIRS THAT DOES THAT WORK AND WE'LL HAVE 15 OPEN ENROLLMENT EVENTS COMING UP STARTING OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS OCTOBER 15TH. SO GOOD AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE WAS ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM OF HOW DO YOU HOW DOES THE IS A ROUTINE VISITS OR DO HOW DO YOU REQUEST AN OMBUDSPERSON TO BE INVOLVED WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBER OR WHATEVER? SURE I'LL I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THIS AND THEN MAYBE MY TEAM HAS A BETTER ANSWER BUT I THE WAY THE PROGRAM WORKS IS ETHOS HAS A COORDINATOR FOR THE PROGRAM AND THEN THEY HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE DIFFERENT TO THE DIFFERENT LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES AND SO THE RESIDENTS AT THE LONG TERM CARE FACILITY SHOULD KNOW WHO THEIR VOLUNTEER IS AND THEIR VOLUNTEER GOES IN ON A REGULAR BASIS.  ANYTHING ELSE ON A MONTHLY MONTHLY THEY GO IN THEY GO IN MONTHLY AND DO THEY GO TO RESIDENTS ROOMS AND THEY GO AROUND TO THE DIFFERENT RESIDENTS ROOMS AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.  VERY GOOD. AND WE CAN GET YOU IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM. IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY NEAT PROGRAM AND THEY PLAY A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE AND I KNOW THEY'RE BACK LIKE THEY HAD TROUBLE DURING THE PANDEMIC BUT THEY'RE KIND OF BACK IN FULL FORCE IN THE IN THE LONG TERM CARE FACILITY. SO IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WE CAN GET YOU ANSWERS FOR THOSE. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THEN WITH REGARD TO THE SWIM PROGRAM OF AND I KNOW AND THE PROGRAM FOR THE CHILDHOOD OBESITY UM THOSE GO TO YOUR YOUR THEIR SHOP SO THEY LIVE THEY'RE YOURS THEY DO YES YEAH SO 3 TO 6 YEAR OLDS PICKUP SOCCER HOW MANY PROGRAMS LIKE I DON'T $50,000 PROBABLY DOESN'T GO VERY FAR BUT WHAT WHAT SORT OF NUMBERS OF KIDS WERE PARTICIPATING THIS SUMMER? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, CHRISTINE. SO THE THREE THAT WE RAN THIS SUMMER ONE WAS IN DORCHESTER, ONE WAS IN ROXBURY, ONE WAS IN THE SOUTH END. IT WAS 100 CHILDREN THIS SUMMER . SO WE'RE HOPING TO TAKE SORT OF THAT PILOT AND DO IT AGAIN THIS FALL WITH TWO NEW PROVIDERS AND SEE HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO TOUCH THAT WAY. MM I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FOLKS FIND AT NELSON BRIGHTON THIS PAST SUMMER WAS WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T THINK KIDS WERE GOING TO DORCHESTER FOR SOCCER AND STUFF AROUND THE CORNER IN THE SUMMER TIME. I THINK THERE WAS VERY LITTLE IN TERMS OF CHILD PROGRAMING AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON THIS SUMMER. SO YEAH, THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY BUT WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF LITTLE LITTLE KIDS AT THE MOMENT. WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE ALTON BRIGHTON MAIN STREET BECAUSE THEY WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO DO IT IN AUSTIN BRIGHTON AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A LOCAL ORGANIZATION TO BE THE HOST SO WE'RE IN CONTINUED CONVERSATION WITH THEM WITH ALTON BRIGHTON MINISTRIES. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MANAGER THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THESE ARE IMPORTANT GRANTS, YOU KNOW, KIDS SWIMMING AND SENIORS GETTING THEIR SERVICES AND HOUSING GRANTS FOR HEATING IN THE WINTER IS COMING. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.  THERE'S NO NEED UNLESS YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY OR TO CHERYL OKAY, SO THAT BEING SAID, DOCKET 1106 THE HEARING ON DOCKET 1106117201160907110912761278 IN 1284 IS ADJOURNED.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE WILL GET YOU YOUR MONEY. OH PUBLIC TESTIMONY DO YOU WANT TO SIGN UP NOW, MR PROVENZANO?  YOU CAN GO RIGHT TO THE MICROPHONE.  OH, IF THAT'S OKAY. WELL, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU.  PLEASE GO RIGHT TO THE MICROPHONE AND BEEN TO THE LATE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR OF ONLY BECAUSE I GOT HERE LATE, APOLOGIZED FOR YOU AND THE COUNSELORS AND MY FRIEND UP IN THE BACK THERE ON DOCKET 1176 WILL DO MY WAY. I DIDN'T WHERE I WASN'T HERE. COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT THAT MORNING TO ME ? I HAVE I HAVE A SITUATION AT THE P C Y F AND THEY WANT TO GET IT SQUARED AWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  I'VE TESTIFIED IN THE IN THE PAST AND WITH ALL THE ENERGY I COULD TO TO PUBLICIZE HOW WELL I FEEL ABOUT THE CYF AND THE CURLEY RECREATION CENTER SINCE I WAS A KID I'VE BEEN GOING THERE WITH EVERY KIND OF ACTIVITY GOING ON.  IT KEPT A LOT OF US OFF THE STREET FOR YEARS AND IN A LOT OF GOOD STUFF CAME OUT OF IT. SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THIS DOCKET IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN IT TO ME AND AND THEN I'LL JUST TAKE IT. CHIEF, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN IS IT FOR PERSONAL MEMBER MITIGATION SUPPORT OR IS IT FOR THE CITY AND B CYF IF NEEDED MITIGATION IT'S ACTUALLY FOR THE CLAUSE AT IN THE CURRENTLY TO GET THE BEACH YEAH SO THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY BEING SPENT FOR THE PLOVERS MEMBER THE BIRDS ON THE BEACH OH THE ALSO OH YES SPECIFIC TO THE MITIGATION I KNOW WHAT CONGRESSMAN LYNCH SAID SOME FEDERAL MONEY ALSO AND NICK COLLINS GOT SOME STATE MONEY AND DAVID BEAL SO THIS WOULD BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE PLOVERS RIGHT NOT BEING OPEN.  THANK YOU. WE CAN SPEAK OFFLINE ABOUT THE OTHER ONE BECAUSE THE QUESTION YES AROUND IF INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNED WELL IN SUPPORT OF THAT WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE HAD THEM THERE FOR I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS WE AS MEMBERS BLOCKED OFF A SECTION LONG BEFORE THE PEOPLE CAME IN THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW. YEAH.  AND BLOCKED OFF AN AREA SO THE BIRDS HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH US WE'VE FED THEM AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF SO IT'S ALL IT'S ALL GOOD BELIEVE ME GOOD RELATIONS AND I'M TALKING ABOUT 2030 IS THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THEM UP IN THE RIGHT HAND CORNER AND THEY'RE PART OF OUR FAMILY.  YEAH BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY'VE EVICTED THE HUMANS AND THEY'VE TAKEN OVER MOST OF THE LAND BUT JUST TO A CERTAIN DEGREE BUT WE'VE DEALT WITH IT AND IT'S FINE. YEAH. SO IF THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS FOR THEN I'M GOOD. I'D LIKE TO TALK TO OH YEAH DEFINITELY COUNCILOR IF I COULD AFTERWARDS IF YOU DON'T MIND.  I DON'T MIND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APOLOGIZE AGAIN FOR BEING LATE AND I TOOK AN EXTRA 5 MINUTES ON YOU GUYS SO WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALL.  AND AS YOU KNOW, WE WILL REACH OUT IF WE HAVE ANY INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS.  BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR THINKING OF YOU --------- ##VIDEO ID:2jSrRBcenF8##  FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA AT LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. TODAY IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAM AT BOSTON DOT GOV SLASH CITY COUNCIL ATTACHED TV AND BROADCAST ON SYDNEY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIVE CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL.  EDUCATION LOSS AND LACK OF AND WILL WE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS . PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.  INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON. SHANE PAC SHANE TO PAT BOSCO FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 06451. ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE NEED THAT ALL YOUNGEST CHILDREN IN THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM ARE RECEIVING THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.  THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS AARON MURPHY, LIZ BREEDEN AND BEN WEBER AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL FOUR, 2024.  TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF REVIVAL COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY WHO IS THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR LIZ GRAYDON WHO IS A CO-SPONSOR.  HOWSOEVER WE GET THE THEN COUNCILOR ED FLYNN AND COUNCILOR WEBER WHO IS ALSO A SPONSOR. WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR ROSIE LOUIJEUNE.  BEFORE WE BEGIN I'D LIKE TO JUST ASKED FOLKS TO PLEASE SILENCE OUR PHONES AND DEVICES THAT SERVE THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE. IT IS MY PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN BOSTON HAS THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. STARTING WITH THE YOUNGEST LEARNERS IN THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K. TODAY'S HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE WHETHER WE ARE ADEQUATELY DELIVERING ON THAT PROMISE FOR CHILDREN REQUIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.  WE KNOW EARLY INTERVENTION CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD'S EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES FEEL SUPPORTED AND THAT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE EQUIPPED TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF EVERY STUDENT FROM THE START. I LOOK FORWARD TO A TESTIMONY INSIDE THE CHAIR TODAY AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO GUARANTEE EQUITY AND ACCESS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. I LIKE NOW TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PANELISTS THE COMMITTEE INVITED AND THEN I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE LEAD SPONSOR, ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS AND OUR COLLEAGUES TO PROVIDE OPENING REMARKS AT THE SIDE OF THE COMMITTEE INVITED.  MARY SKIPPER, WHO IS A SUPERINTENDENT OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS CASSIO CHIEF OF SPECIALIZED SERVICES BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. JARED DIAZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND KRISTEN MCSWAIN, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.  I'D LIKE TO HAND THE FLOOR OVER NOW TO A LEAD SPONSOR AND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS FOR OPENING REMARKS. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE A FOURTH THANK YOU CHAIR AND AS THE CHAIR SAID, THIS WAS FILED BACK IN APRIL. I'M GLAD WE'RE HERE. I WILL TOUCH ON A FEW THINGS BEFORE WE MOVE ON BUT I WILL DO MY OPENING STATEMENT.  SO AS A FORMER EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR AND SPECIAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR OVER TWO DECADES AND AS A PARENT I HAVE YOUNG ADULTS NOW OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE MADE THEIR WAY IN SOME YEARS THROUGH THE SYSTEM. I'VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE PROFOUND IMPORTANCE AND POSITIVE IMPACT OF PROVIDING UNIVERSAL PRE-K FOR OUR CHILDREN.  FOR MANY FAMILIES IN BOSTON, THIS CAN BE TRULY BE LIFE CHANGING AND WE KNOW THAT AS AK1K2 TEACHER FOR MANY YEARS THERE WAS A STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE CHILDREN WHO HAD ALREADY SPENT A FEW YEARS IN A PRESCHOOL, A QUALITY SETTING OR THOSE WHO IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL AND RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT CHILDREN WHO ENTER KINDERGARTEN WITHOUT THE PRIOR EARLY LEARNING OR PLAYGROUP EXPERIENCE OFTEN LAG BEHIND THEIR PEERS ACADEMICALLY.  THEY MAY LACK CRITICAL SOCIAL SKILLS, STRUGGLE WITH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND FIND IT CHALLENGING TO MANAGE THEIR EMOTIONS WITHIN A STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT. THESE GAPS CAN LEAD TO AND WE KNOW DO LEAD TO HIGHER RISKS OF ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES AND WE SEE IT IN THE DATA WHEN LESS THAN 30% OF OUR THIRD GRADERS ARE READING ON GRADE LEVEL. IT'S STARTING FROM THOSE YEARS BEFORE AND FURTHERMORE IN THAT CONTEXT OF THIS DISCUSSION TODAY WHICH I HOPE IS GOING TO BE ABOUT THE SPECIAL ED SERVICES THAT WE HAVE FEDERALLY REQUIRED TO DELIVER NOT A SLIDE SHOW ABOUT THE WONDERFUL WORK THE UNIVERSAL IS DOING WHICH WE KNOW I MEAN I FEEL LIKE I'LL I'LL SPEAK JULIE IF JULIA MAKING YOU WAS HERE SHE WOULD BE REMINDING US THAT WE DON'T WANT HEARINGS WITH BEEPS WHERE HALF OF THE PANELISTS SHOW UP AND THEN WE HAVE SLIDESHOWS ABOUT TELLING US THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. I SHOULDN'T SAY I WISH BUT I MEAN THE JOB OF A CITY COUNSELOR IS NOT JUST TO GO TO RIBBON CUTTINGS AND YOU KNOW, CLAP AND CHEER WHEN GOOD ARE HAPPENING EVEN THOUGH THAT IS AN EXCITING PART OF THE JOB. OUR JOB IS THE HARD WORK OF WHEN WE SEE THINGS AREN'T WORKING HOW DO WE USE OUR POWER HERE AND THE HEARING IS ONE WAY SO THIS HEARING I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING BUT I HOPE THAT THE PANELISTS WHO WERE HERE LIKE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT ARE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT IT'S NOT JUST I'M ASKING ITS FAMILIES PROVIDERS OF THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAM ARE ASKING. SO WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES THAT MANY PARENTS,  TEACHERS AND PROVIDERS FACE. MANY CHILDREN ENTER YUP'IK IF THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN EARLY INTERVENTION WITH AN IDENTIFIED SPECIAL NEED BUT WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COVID THEY'RE BEING IDENTIFIED AFTER IN THE SERVICES AND THE YOU KNOW THE STRUCTURE THAT IS IN A BPA SETTING IS NOT IN A CARE SETTING. SO I'VE BEEN GETTING MANY CALLS AND MANY CONCERNS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR I FILED THIS BACK IN APRIL FROM YOU KNOW, ADVOCATES WHO ARE TRYING TO WORK ALONGSIDE PARENTS TEACHERS SAYING IN THE PRE-K SETTING THAT THEY FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO COMPLAIN, THEY'RE HAPPY THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE STUDENTS IN THE SEATS BUT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED ONCE THEY ENTER SCHOOL AND THAT THE SERVICES AND YOU KNOW, THE DEADLINES THAT WE HAVE FEDERALLY REQUIRED TO MEET ARE NOT BEING MET. AND DURING THE BUDGETS SEASON KATE SAYLE DID MENTION THAT YOU KNOW, THE BANDWIDTH IS JUST NOT THERE AND THERE ARE CHILDREN WE'RE IDENTIFYING BECAUSE IF WE NEED TO TRANSFER THEM TO A SCHOOL THEY'RE TOLD WELL THERE'S NOT A SEAT, YOU HAVE TO WAIT. THE IEPS ARE WRITTEN PROPERLY,  THE SERVICES AREN'T BEING DELIVERED SO THAT'S WHY YOU KNOW, I FILED THIS HEARING AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS CONVERSATION TODAY EVEN THOUGH AND I'M NOT SURE WHY MAYBE WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SHARE YOU COULD EXPLAIN WHY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE CHIEF OF SPECIAL ED IS NOT HERE TO DISCUSS THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FOR YOU AND IF IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS DISCUSSION ISN'T GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF , YOU KNOW, THE HEARING ORDER, THEN I GUESS WE COULD RESCHEDULE OR KEEP IT IN COMMITTEE TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE. BUT THANK YOU JIM.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR MURPHY WOMAN TO OUR SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR CONCENTRATED YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WANT TO KEEP MY COMMENTS VERY BRIEF. I JUST REALLY WANT TO GET A GOOD HANDLE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR UNIVERSAL PRE-K AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR SPECIAL STUDENTS AND YOU KNOW WHAT SORT OF STRUCTURES WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEN WHAT RESOURCES DO WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM AND THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES SO THAT THEY DON'T THAT THEY GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED UM IN COMPLIANCE WITH ADA REGULATIONS.  SO I THINK EARLY AS COUNCILMAN MURPHY'S ALREADY MENTIONED EARLY EDUCATION IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUNG ONES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS I DID WORK AT PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND FOR 16 YEARS AND THEY'RE IN THEIR EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM AND IT WAS JUST AMAZING THOSE THOSE CRITICAL YEARS OF DEVELOPING SKILLS THAT WHEN THEY REACH FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD THEY'RE ABLE TO TRANSITION INTO A KINDERGARTEN FIRST GRADE PROGRAM AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF A LOT OF THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND READINESS SKILLS UNDER THEIR BELT SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY PARTICIPATE AND LEARN WELL IN THEIR NEW CLASSROOMS AS THEY GET OLDER. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUNG WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION THIS MORNING AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND WHAT DEFICITS WE MIGHT NEED TO ADDRESS GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR BREADON AND NOW TO OUR THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR COUNSELOR WEBER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO COUNSELOR MURPHY AND COUNSELOR BRAYTON FOR BRINGING THIS AND HAVING ME ON AS A CO-SPONSOR. AND I, I WENT THROUGH THE EARLY INTERVENTION PROCESS AS A PARENT 15 YEARS AGO. YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S GOING ON AND AND SORT OF TAKE SOME ACTION AND PROVIDE SERVICES BUT ALSO HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO KNOW WHETHER YOU KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH A TWO YEAR OLD CHILD AND WHAT SERVICES THEY THEY REALLY NEED.  YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, BOSTON PEACE HAS BEEN LEADING THE WAY ON ON AN EARLY EDUCATION. BUT YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IN EARLY YEARS MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IDENTIFIED LATER THAN NON MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS FOR SPECIAL ED SERVICES WHICH I THINK IS A MAJOR ISSUE ESPECIALLY WE'VE GOT OVER 30% OF STUDENTS ARE ENGLISH ENGLISH LEARNERS AND I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED TO LEARN HOW WE CAN IDENTIFY SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS IN AN EQUITABLE WAY REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD'S NATIVE LANGUAGE. I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING THE HEARING AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.  GREAT. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR WEBER AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO OFFER MY OTHER COLLEAGUES TO MAKE OPENING REMARKS IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED WITH A PRESENTATION AND OPEN REMARKS FROM OUR FIRST PANEL. COUNSELOR ERIKA PAPANDREOU, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD HERE TODAY TO THE CHAMBER. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE AS PANELIST. I REALLY WANTED TO BE AT THIS HEARING BECAUSE IT IS A TOPIC THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MY DISTRICT. I IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL I WAS ABLE TO MEET A SET OF PARENTS FROM THE GEORGETOWN PART OF HYDE PARK AND THEY HAD A TWO YEAR THEY HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD SON AND THEY WERE VERY CURIOUS WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES THE CITY HAS IN REGARDS TO YOU BECAME FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT DO WE HAVE?  SO HERE I AM I WANT TO LEARN MORE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PARENTS OUT THERE THAT NEED THAT THAT NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEIR CHILD CAN RECEIVE. HOW IS IT THAT WE AS A CITY CAN DO BETTER? UM AS COUNSELOR WEBER MENTIONED WE ARE LEADING THE WAY IN THIS IN THE NATION. I THINK THAT I'M PROUD OF THAT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM PART OF ALSO THE CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE SO TO LEARN MORE.  THANK YOU COUNSELOR ED FLYNN YOU HAVE A THOUGHT.  THANK THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. MR CHAIR, BEFORE I BEGIN SO THE SUPERINTENDENT IS NOT TESTIFYING TODAY, IS THAT CORRECT? I BELIEVE THE TWO PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, THE TWO PANELISTS THAT WE HAVE AT SCHOOL WHO SHOWED UP BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS INVITED AT A SPECIAL SPECIAL ED IS NOT DO WE KNOW WHAT THE REASON IS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT IS NOT NOT PRESENT?  I DON'T BUT I AM CERTAINLY PREPARED TO SPEAK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS THE BOSTON PUBLIC DIRECTOR FORMALLY AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON THE SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K. OKAY. OKAY. SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WILL FOCUS MORE TOWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENT SO I WON'T OFFER A OPENING STATEMENT.  THANK YOU COUNSELOR. I'D LIKE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE AT THIS TIME THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR FITZGERALD . COUNSELOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHIEF. NOT JUST HERE FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT HEARING ABOUT SERVICES PROVIDED APOLOGIZE FOR MY TARDINESS SO I WON'T WASTE ANYONE ELSE TIME THAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. YOU'RE RIGHT ON TIME. THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR OUR PANEL TODAY WE HAVE THE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND FOR THE PANELISTS FOR THE PANELISTS PRESENTATION TODAY I'D LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOU TO JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THEN PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE OPENING REMARKS AT YOUR DISCRETION.  THANK YOU SO AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US AGAIN, MY NAME IS TIARA DIAS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT AND FORMERLY THE BOSTON UNIVERSAL PRE-K DIRECTOR. I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO KRISTIN TO INTRODUCE HERSELF AND I'M KRISTIN MCSWAIN AND I SERVE AS A SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE MAYOR FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ALSO I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES IS HELPING TO CO GOVERN UNIVERSAL PRE-K.  AWESOME AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US AND TO THE MAYOR FOR HER COMMITMENT AND MAKING THIS A FAMILY FRIENDLY CITY.  SO JUST TO GET US STARTED, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAS A LONG STANDING HISTORY GOING BACK TO MENINO, MAYOR WALSH MADE THE INVESTMENT IN 2019 THE FUNDING INVESTMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH UNIVERSAL PRE-K. TWO BIG GOALS WAS TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES HAD A VARIETY OF SETTINGS TO CHOOSE FROM. BUT MOST IMPORTANT, AS YOU INDICATED, THEY HAD A VARIETY OF SETTINGS THAT MET THEIR NEEDS. AND SO THINKING ABOUT WRAPAROUND THINKING ABOUT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, QUALIFIED STAFF AS WELL AS THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED INSIDE AND OUT OF THE PROGRAM. SO THAT WAS THE MAIN GOAL. THE SECOND WAS AROUND COHESION AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE'RE SHARING INFORMATION SO THAT WE'RE MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS. THIS SLIDE HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE USE DATA TO INFORM THE DIRECTION OF OUR WORK GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE WE COHESIVELY UNDERSTAND WHO WE SERVE. SO TO BE CLEAR WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH 13,000 STUDENTS THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS RATHER ACROSS BOSTON.  WE SERVE ABOUT 22% OF THOSE THREE YEAR OLDS AND A LITTLE BIT OVER HALF OF THE FOUR YEAR OLDS THROUGH OUR UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAM.  SO THAT IS JUST STARTING US 30 FOOT LENS OF WHERE WE'RE STARTING WHICH IS 50% OF OUR FOUR YEAR OLDS ARE SERVED THROUGH UNIVERSAL PRE-K.  IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN IT'S A FREE PROGRAM SIX AND A HALF HOURS WE RUN ACROSS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS, FAMILY CHILDCARE AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THE PRIORITIES TO BE FUNDED UNDER UNIVERSAL PRE-K START WITH FOUR QUALITY INDICATORS THAT RUN ACROSS ALL SETTINGS. SO LICENSING AND ACCREDITATION IS CRITICAL. IT'S LIKE OUR ENSURING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY IS BEING MET ACROSS EACH ONE OF THOSE SETTINGS. THE CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED FOR BOSTON AND SO IT'S THINKING ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE WHO WE WHAT THEY NEED AND HELPING THEM MAKE A CONNECTION TO THEIR COMMUNITY.  EACH UNIT STARTS WITH COMMUNITY. THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING TO MENTION IS THAT THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES AND SOMETHING HAVING A FAMILY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO SERVES AS PART OF OUR GROUP AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE DECISIONS WE MAKE BUT ALSO REALLY THE PROGRAM CAPACITY AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT CHILDREN ARE HAVING IN THE CLASSROOM. SO THOSE ARE THE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES TO UNIVERSAL PRE-K TO BECOME UNIVERSAL PRE-K FUNDED. A COUPLE OF THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN.  ONE IS THAT YOU NEED TO BE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND YOU NEED TO SERVE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THOSE QUALITY INDICATORS ARE IMPORTANT. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE AS BIDS ARE RELEASED EACH YEAR THAT PROVIDERS ARE NOT JUST MEETING THOSE TWO FOUNDATIONAL CRITERIA BUT CERTAINLY AROUND THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THOSE ADDITIONAL SERVICES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. NOT EVERY PROVIDER IS GOING TO START THERE. SO WE DO HAVE AN ON RAMP THANKFULLY THROUGH THE CITY OF BOSTON TO HELP PROVIDERS BUILD OUT BANDWIDTH AND CAPACITY SO WHETHER IT'S ATTAINING THEIR DEGREES OR GETTING THEIR LICENSING THAT'S WHAT THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD HAS BEEN SUPPORTING US WITH AND EACH YEAR AS YOU CAN SEE WE CONTINUE TO GROW. SO JUST TO DRILL DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF SEATS ACROSS UNIVERSAL PRE-K AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP THERE THAT WE SERVED ABOUT 4700 STUDENTS LAST YEAR ACROSS OUR EDUCATION SETTINGS WITH 95% OF THOSE SEATS FULL AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 200 SEATS WITH THE GOAL. SO I THINK IT TAKES US TO ABOUT 4924 SEATS ACROSS BOSTON AND I REALLY WANTED TO DRILL DOWN HERE ON THE POINT AROUND THE DIVERSITY OF OUR PROVIDERS THAT ARE SELECTED. TAKE A SECOND TO REALLY THANK THEM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. IT REQUIRED THEM TO INVEST IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP OF BRIDGE OF TRUST WITH US. AND SO WHETHER IT WAS SELECTING FAMILY COUNCILS OR SITTING ON OUR ADVISORY JUST TO REASSURE YOU THAT THE COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS FAMILY COUNCIL THEY SIT ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH US AND THEY MAKE DECISIONS . THEY INFORM THE PRIORITIES OF OUR WORK TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION THAT THEY SUGGEST THEY'RE PART OF THE REASON WHY WE WERE SO QUICKLY ABLE TO MOVE TOWARDS ADDING FAMILY CHILD CARE SO SHUTTLE TO OUR PROVIDERS I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN TO THEIR PROGRAMS HAPPY WOULD BE PRIVILEGED IN ORDER TO TAKE YOU TO VISIT SOME DO WANT TO DRILL DOWN ON YOUR POINT TODAY SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON THE POPULATION OF THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE. SO RECONNECTING TO THE DATA ABOUT 36% OF OUR FAMILIES SELF-IDENTIFY AS BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS AND IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN 30% IN VP'S WE HAVE 34% WHO SELF-IDENTIFY AS LATIN NECKS AND OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS AND 38 AND VP'S WE HAVE 29% OF OUR FAMILIES WHO SELF-IDENTIFY AS WHITE AND OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND 20% AND BEPS A LITTLE OVER 12% SELF-IDENTIFY AS ASIAN IN OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND 7% IN VP'S. AND THEN WE HAVE 18% WHO IDENTIFY AS OTHER A MULTIRACIAL IN OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AS WELL AS 5% AND BEPS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE BENEFIT FROM OUR MULTI-LAYERED WELL LEARNERS WE HAVE 48% OF OUR STUDENTS IN COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS THE FIRST COMMON LANGUAGE THE THREE COMMON LANGUAGES AND OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS ARE SPANISH, HAITIAN, CREOLE AND VIETNAMESE. FOR BPP'S 37% OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND THE MOST COMMON LANGUAGE IS SPANISH, HAITIAN, CREOLE AND PORTUGUESE.  AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR STUDENTS WITH IEPS WE KNOW THAT ABOUT 6% OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE SERVED IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS. SO IT'S AROUND 70 CHILDREN IN BEPS IT'S A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER SO IT'S ABOUT 27% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH IEPS ARE SERVED IN BEPS AND SO TO DRILL DOWN ON THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE WHICH WAS THE QUESTION AROUND HOW STUDENTS RECEIVE SERVICES AND SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS.  THIS GRAPH HERE HIGHLIGHTS THE SERVICES THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE WHETHER THEY ARE U-PICK OR NOT. SO ACROSS THE SETTINGS I ALSO WANT TO NOTE A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS THAT STUDENTS ARE IDENTIFIED IN OUR PROGRAMS IN TWO WAYS ONE IS WHEN THEY APPLY THEY CAN THE FAMILY MAY INDICATE THAT THE CHILD HAS AN IEP OR THAT THEY HAVE A CONCERN IN WHICH IF THEY INDICATE THAT AN APPLICATION THEY'RE FLAGGED IMMEDIATELY.  OFTENTIMES MORE COMMONLY CHILDREN ARE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THAT COULD BE FROM THE PROVIDER. IT COULD BE FROM THE COACH THAT'S WORKING IN THE CLASSROOM. IT COULD BE FROM THE FAMILY. AND SO THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS WHAT THOSE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS LOOK LIKE STARTING WITH THE ASSESSMENT. SO WITHIN 45 DAYS OF JOINING A UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAM WE OFFER WHAT IS CALLED AGES AND STAGES. NOW THIS IS OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE IN A UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAM. WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT WITH A'S CUE SCREENINGS INCLUDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT LOOKS AT THE RISK AND NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN WITHIN THE FIRST 45 DAYS. SO THE GOAL IS TO TRY AND CATCH ANY CONCERNS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE SECOND WOULD BE CHILD FINE THAT IS OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND AGAIN IT'S TO IDENTIFY ANY RISK OR NEEDS THAT CHILDREN HAVE AND IN THE TIME THAT THEY'RE WITH US NOW IF A PROGRAM SHARES A CONCERN ABOUT THE CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT, THE SUPPORTS LOOK DIFFERENT. SO IN OUR CENTER BASED PROGRAM IF THERE IS A CONCERN WE HAVE A YOUTH CAME SPECIAL SERVICES TEAM AND SO WE PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES IN THE CLASSROOM AS IT RELATES TO BEHAVIOR SPEECH IN ADULT.  SO AGAIN IF A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM HAS A CONCERN OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM WILL PROVIDE THE SPEECH THE OLD T AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THE PROGRAM IF THE CHILD IS IN A FAMILY CHILD CARE PROGRAM WE ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS AND THEY PROVIDE THE DIRECT SERVICES ONCE WE MOVE INTO EVALUATIONS ALL OF THE EVALUATIONS ARE PROVIDED BY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SPECIAL SERVICES AND JUST TO DRILL DOWN ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, THIS IS WHERE THE RESULTS WILL INDICATE WHETHER THE CHILD HAS A DISABILITY IF THEY NEED SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONS AND WHETHER THE THE THE PLACEMENT IS APPROPRIATE.  SO THIS TOUCHES A LITTLE BIT ON THAT IDEA OF LIKE THE CHILD IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN A FAMILY CHILD CARE OR COMMUNITY BASE SOMETIMES IT'S AT THE EVALUATION THAT THEN YOU MAY NEED TO TRANSITION THE CHILD TO A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT AND I JUST I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IDEALLY WE WANT TO HAVE THE CHILD RECEIVE THE SERVICES IN THEIR PROGRAM.  WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MINIMIZING TRANSITIONS.  BUT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR THE IDEA OF PROVIDING SERVICES OUTSIDE OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL IS FAIRLY NEW AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK ACROSS THE CITY AND THE STATE TO DO THAT REALLY WELL ADDRESSING THE LEGALITIES TO IT BUT ALSO MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUS ON THE ACCESS BUT THE QUALITY. AND SO WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SERVE CHILDREN IN THAT PROGRAM WHILE ALSO MINIMIZING THE TRANSITIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS SMOOTH?  CURRENTLY WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE BEHAVIOR THE SPEECH IN THE OLD IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS. AND SO IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL SERVICES NEEDED OUTSIDE OF THAT THEY'RE TYPICALLY SERVICED AND BEEPS.  SO I THINK THE LAST THING I WILL SAY AND AGAIN I DON'T WANT TO DRILL DOWN ON ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE CREATED BUT AGAIN IT'S A GROWING SYSTEM WE HAVE MANAGED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AT THE 1500 SEATS WE'VE MOVED TO A SHARED ENROLLMENT PLATFORM. SO I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GATHERING DATA WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT IN A MUCH MORE DEEPER AND CLEANER WAY ACROSS THESE DIFFERENT SETTINGS. WE HAVE A CONNECTOR SYSTEM SO ENSURING THAT WHEN THE CHILD STARTS IN THE COMMUNITY BASED THERE THEN ABLE TO CONNECT INTO BEEPS AND THEN THOSE SPECIALIZED SERVICES.  SO IN ADDITION TO RELATED SERVICES I ALSO JUST WANT TO DRILL DOWN THAT WE FOCUS ON HEALTH VISION, NUTRITION, HOMELESSNESS THOSE ARE ALL SERVICES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ENSURED ARE PROVIDED SO THAT IS IT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. I'D LIKE NOW TO INVITE THE LEAD SPONSOR AND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS TO BEGIN WITH A ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR MY PANEL FOR THE PANEL I SHOULD SAY AND THEN I WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL AND I'LL GO LAST. I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO LIMIT THEIR TIME OF INITIAL QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES FROM OUR PANELISTS TO 7 MINUTES PER COUNCILOR INCLUDING PANELISTS RESPONSES WITH THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY IF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR OUR FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. MEAN AS WE KNOW BUT I'LL JUST STATED THAT FEDERAL LAWS MANDATE THAT WE PROVIDE ED SERVICES TO STUDENTS AND IF A PARENT REQUESTS I KNOW DPS HAS HAD LOTS LOTS OF CONCERNING DECADES OF NOT PROVIDING SPECIALIST SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED NOT JUST OUR UNIVERSAL PRE-K. I'M FOCUSING TODAY ON THE NUMEROUS NUMBER OF CALLS I'M GETTING FROM PARENTS AND SPECIAL ED WORKERS AND BEEPS WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP THESE STUDENTS AND SO I MEAN WE ARE FEDERALLY REQUIRED NOT JUST YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GENERAL SERVICES LIKE SPEECH AND O.T. BUT DIRECT SERVICES AND IF A PARENT REQUESTS BY WRITING A LETTER DOESN'T NEED ANY OTHER REASON, WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW WITHIN 30 DAYS TO COMPLETE A FULL TESTING ON A CHILD WITHIN 45 DAYS THE TEAM NEEDS TO DEVELOP AN IP THAT WOULD THEN NEED TO START AS SOON AS THE PARENTS SIGN IT.  SO WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO WE'RE TRYING TO KIND OF PIECE TOGETHER AND SEE AND I'M HEARING IGNORING REQUEST FROM THE PARENTS TO HAVE THE FULL TESTING AND THEN ONCE IDENTIFIED WE THEN NEED TO KNOW AND THAT WAS PART OF THE CONVERSATION I WANTED SPECIAL ED TO BE HERE AND ALSO THE SUPERINTENDENT WHEN DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OPENING UP OUR SEATS AND BEEPS AND WE'RE MOVING THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING AN IEP AND NOW BEING THE SPECIAL ED STUDENT WHO WOULD BE GUARANTEED A SEAT AS YOU KNOW. BUT I'LL JUST STATED THAT OUR K ONE IN CASE ZERO SEATS AND BEEPS ARE ALWAYS UNDER ENROLLED BECAUSE THE SCHOOL YEAR ANY TIME A CHILD TURNS THREE I'LL SAY FORTUNATE JUST BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU'RE ALREADY RECEIVING SERVICES BUT IF YOU'RE A PARENT WHOSE CHILD IS ALREADY INVOLVED IN EARLY INTERVENTION IT MEANS YOU'RE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A DISABILITY AND THE DAY YOU TURN THREE YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO ENROLL YOU AND PROVIDE YOU WITH THE SERVICES THAT ARE WRITTEN ON YOUR IEP AND THE TEAM HAS TO FOLLOW THROUGH. THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING THESE SOUGHT AFTER WONDERFUL AMAZING UNIVERSAL PRE-K SEATS BUT THAT ARE STRUGGLING AND ARE CLEARLY NEEDING MORE THAN SPEECH AND O.T. THEY NEED A FULL IEP. THEY NEED BE GRID SERVICES, THEY NEED TIME, YOU KNOW AND THEY NEED IT IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND THE FAMILIES ARE CONCERNED AND THE PROVIDERS ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE NOT EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT BREAKING FEDERAL LAW AND THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN A CLASSROOM REMOVED FROM THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K SETTING THAT CAN NOT PROVIDE THEM THE FULL SERVICES AND ARE PLACED IN AK0K1 SEAT AT A SCHOOL HOPEFULLY CLOSE TO THEIR HOME.  YEAH YEAH I CAN START IF THAT'S OKAY BUT YES JUST START TO AGREE THAT ANY STUDENT WITH AN IEP WE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND MUST PROVIDE THOSE. BUT WHAT I WAS SAYING IF YOU'RE WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO DO THE TESTING TO WRITE THE ABSOLUTELY WHAT I'M HEARING FROM IS FAMILIES WHO TAKE THE SEAT AND AS I KNEW AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER MANY TIMES THAT'S THE FIRST SETTING WHERE PARENTS REALIZE OH MY CHILD IS DELAYED . I DIDN'T KNOW MAYBE WE SHOULD TRY THE TESTING. MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE IF THEY NEED SUPPORT. SO TO CONCERNS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K IS ONE TESTING ISN'T HAPPENING WITHIN THE 30 DAYS FULL TESTING ISN'T HAPPENING WITH THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST AND EVERYTHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT WENT THROUGH THE SPECIAL ED TEAM IN A B SCHOOL BUT THEY ARE BOSTON STUDENTS WHOSE FAMILIES ARE SAME AND TEACHERS OR WHOEVER AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO ANYONE CAN WRITE THE LETTER YOU ARE FEDERALLY REQUIRED BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN PUSHBACK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT OH LET'S JUST GIVE IT TIME COUNCIL WEBER BROUGHT UP A POINT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR YEARS AS AN ESL TEACHER STUDENTS WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE OH, LET'S JUST WAIT UNTIL THEY LEARN MORE ENGLISH. MAYBE THEY'RE REALLY NOT DELAYED AND THEN WHAT DO WE FIND OUT IF THEY DO LEARN MORE ENGLISH? THEY'RE THEY'VE BEEN DELAYED FOR THREE YEARS AND THEY'VE LOST THOSE VALUABLE THAT VALUABLE TIME TO GET THE SERVICES THAT IN MANY TIMES STUDIES SHOW ONCE YOU MISSED THAT WINDOW AND THAT WINDOW CLOSES YOU ARE MUCH FURTHER BEHIND. YEAH. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO NOT JUST ADDRESS THE FAMILIES WHO DO TAKE A YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE A BACKSEAT IF YOU HAVE AN IEP YOU WILL BE GIVEN AK0. YEAH. SO MOST OF THE STUDENTS IN UNIVERSAL PRE-K ARE IDENTIFIED AFTER THEY GET THERE BECAUSE IF MY CHILD IS ON AN IEP THEY ARE GUARANTEED A C EXACTLY ZERO. SO YEAH YEAH JUST BE CLEAR THAT IT'S ONCE THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT B IN THE SAME THING HAPPENS IT'S NOT THIS HEARING ABOUT STUDENTS WHO ARE IN CHARTER SCHOOLS, STUDENTS WHO ARE IN PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS KIND OF LOOKING AT THOSE STUDENTS AS LESS THAN OR DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CASELOAD OF SPECIAL ED SERVICES WHO HAVE TO PROVIDE THE TESTING TO IDENTIFY OUR KIDS SO WE CAN PROPERLY SERVICE THEM. YES. AND FOR STUDENTS WITH A PS AGAIN WE FLAG THEM UPON APPLICATION AND TRY TO IDENTIFY UPON ENROLLMENT WHAT IS THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. SO THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS PLACE A CHILD WITH AN IEP IN A COMMUNITY BASED SETTING THAT THEY THEN NEED TO TRANSITION INTO BPF AND SO THAT'S WHY THIS ENROLLMENT PLATFORM HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHY THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US AND OUR SITTING IN DPS HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT.  OUR CHALLENGE IS WHEN WE ARE IDENTIFYING CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND SO BPC DOES FILL OUT BUT WE ARE 95% FULL BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE HAVE INCREASED 111 TOTAL INCLUSION SEATS FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR BUT THE BPA SEATS WERE FULL. OUR CHALLENGE HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE IDENTIFYING CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THEN PLACING THEM IN THE END THE BPC SCHOOLS YOU'RE CORRECT IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED FULL SETTINGS WE ONLY PROVIDE THE SPEECH AND THE O.T. AND THE BEHAVIOR HELP BUT BEYOND THAT WE'RE WORKING TO SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES. THINKING ABOUT ITINERANT TEACHERS, NORTHAMPTON HAS A WONDERFUL MODEL TO WHICH THEY PAY FOR TEACHERS TO COME INTO THE CLASSROOM AND PROVIDE THE IEP MINUTES AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS SO IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING ED AND BEEPS, WE WANT TO ADDRESS IT IN OUR UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAMS. THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT I AGREE THAT LIKE YES, YOU DON'T WANT TO WAIT TOO LONG FOR LANGUAGE TESTING THAT YES, COVID HAS IMPACTED CHILDREN'S ABILITIES TO INTERACT SOCIALLY BUT THERE ARE ALSO THIS IS WHERE OUR CURRICULUM AND SUPPORTS COME IN AND NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO WAIT. IT'S WHY WE OFFER THE SCREENINGS WITHIN 14 WAIT. ABSOLUTELY WE WILL. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMES IN AND FINDS US ABSOLUTE WITH OUR ESL WHEN WE DIDN'T DO THAT PROPERLY FOR DECADES. SO BUT WHEN WE SAY THAT OUR SPEECH SEATS FILL UP I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THEY CANNOT FILL UP IF A STUDENT LIVES IN BOSTON AND THEY ARE ON AN IEP WE HAVE TO FIND A SEAT FOR THEM. THE UNION CAN FIGHT WITH THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND FIGHT ABOUT CLASS SIZE. I KNOW THE CLASS SIZES 20 TO UP TO THIRD GRADE THEN IT GOES TO 25 BUT YOU HAVE TO HIRE ANOTHER TEACHER AND YOU HAVE TO OPEN MORE CLASSROOMS. WE CAN'T JUST SAY AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING WE'RE BEING THAT THESE FAMILIES ARE BEING TOLD WELL THERE IS NO ROOM BUT THAT CAN'T BE AN ANSWER FOR STUDENTS, CORRECT? OUR CURRENT NEED THE SERVICES WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM AND NOT MAKING THE PARENTS DROP THEM OFF OR DRIVE THEM OR MOVE THEM AROUND THAT THEY CAN BE ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL SETTING THAT WILL PROVIDE IT DURING THE DAY FOR THEM. CORRECT.  AND JUST HANDED OVER TO CHRISTINE. BUT JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION THE CLASSROOMS ARE 15 FOR THE INCLUSION CLASSROOMS AND SO THERE'S EITHER THE SIX AND NINE OR THE TEN AND FIVE BUT ABSOLUTELY STUDENTS WITH IEPS WE ARE FEDERALLY REQUIRED TO SERVE THEM IN BPC IF POSSIBLE. WE LIKE TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS.  I THINK COUNSELOR THE THING THAT I WOULD ADD TO TARA'S ANSWER AND THEN I KNOW SHE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THIS IS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS WHO DO PRESENT EITHER WITH SOME KIND OF DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY OR ACTUALLY IN NEED OF MORE SIGNIFICANT SPECIALIZED SPACE SAID DURING THE BUDGET HEARINGS.  THAT'S WHY SHE WAS ON THE PANEL TO SPEAK TO THAT DIRECTLY. SO THIS PAST YEAR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE ADDED ADDITIONAL K ZERO SLOTS TO K ONE CLASSROOMS FOR INCLUSION. SO THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF K0 OC ONE INCLUSION SEATS THIS YEAR IT IS 1111 SEATS. THEY ARE NOT ALL FULL SO WE DID OUR PROJECTIONS TO INCLUDE THAT IN ADDITIONAL INCREASE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SPECIAL NEED.  WE ARE MEETING ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH A TEAM OF PEOPLE ACROSS BP'S THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BOTH OUR MCS DELIVERY SYSTEM AND IN OUR CLASSROOMS. SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF OUR CLASSROOMS FULL ARE WE NEED TO MAKE ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND REALLY TRACKING THAT IN REAL TIME IN A WAY THAT WE HAVE NOT IN THE PAST SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL CHANGES. WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND I HOPE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE JUST STARTED THE YEAR SO I'M HOPE YOU'RE NOT SEEING THAT NOW IS THAT THERE I HEARD THIS MEETING JUST HAPPENED LAST WEEK THAT DID NOT GO WELL AND THERE'S NOT A PLACEMENT FOR A CHILD WHO STRUGGLING SO WE SHOULD WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUAL INSTANCE OFFLINE AND TR AND I CAN HELP FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THAT. BUT ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE DID HAVE AT THE END OF THE YEAR LAST ROOM WAS WE DID RUN OUT OF CLASSROOM SPACE AND THERE WAS NOWHERE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS AND WE CHANGED A LOT OF DIFFERENT WE WE LOOKED ALL OVER BPC FOR A CLASSROOM SPACE AND THERE WASN'T ANY SO A PIECE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO PROACTIVELY IS REALLY THINK ABOUT WHEN WE ARE EXPANDING OUR K0K1 CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT ARE WE INCLUDING ENOUGH CLASSROOMS TO BE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEEDS OF STUDENTS WE'RE SEEING SO BOTH IN OUR INCLUSION CLASSROOMS BUT ALSO IN OUR ABA AND CENTER BASED CLASSROOMS SO THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL ONES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE FINDING THIS YEAR WITH THE CHANGE IN OUR IEP WHICH AS YOU KNOW THE STATE CHANGED THEIR IEP IS THAT STUDENTS ARE GETTING ASSIGNED IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO THE TRADITIONAL PROJECTIONS THAT WE USE TO THINK ABOUT OUR CLASSROOMS HAVE NOT ACTUALLY MET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING. SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT WE'RE PAYING SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO THAT DATA ON A REGULAR BASIS . AND AS I SAID THAT THAT EFFORT AT BP IS BEING LED BY BOTH TARA AND CASSANDRA WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD AT BP BOTH FROM A SPECIAL ED AND FROM AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE.  SO I KNOW THAT TARA CAN THINK ABOUT CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL AS JUST THE YUP'IK PIECE RIGHT NOW AND I KNOW OTHERS WANT TO SPEAK TOO BUT THIS IS TO ME A VERY POSITIVE THING THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING CHILDREN I KNOW THAT CPS IS SAYING WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, WE DON'T HAVE SPACE. WE HAVE TO FIND IT BECAUSE THESE ARE KIDS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN HOME WITH MOM OR GRANDMA NOT IN A WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, PRE-K SETTING BEING IDENTIFIED.  SO THE FACT THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING THEM AT THREE AND FOUR AND NOT AT FIVE WHEN K-2 IS THEIR FIRST SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AND THEN THEY'RE OVER IDENTIFIED WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHICH IS ANOTHER ISSUE GOT TO HAVE A DIFFERENT HEARING ON.  SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I'M ADVOCATING THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S ONLY GOING TO HELP OUR CHILDREN AND WE KNOW THAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE SPECIAL ED ARE OVERWHELMING EARLY ESL BLACK AND BROWN KIDS SO WE HAVE TO DO BETTER FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS ACROSS THE SYSTEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNSELOR MURPHY COUNSELOR BRUTON IF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  I THINK ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES IS JUST BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHEN YOU DON'T WANT THEM TURNING UP ON YOUR DOORSTEP AT THREE YEARS OLD IN TERMS OF THEIR THEY SHOULD BE HAVING IF THEY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS THEY SHOULD BE HAVE AN EARLY INTERVENTION BEFORE THAT. BUT WE HAVE A PRETTY DYNAMIC SITUATION IN BOSTON RIGHT NOW WITH A LOT OF NEW NEWCOMERS AND HOW DO WE HOW DO WE IDENTIFY STUDENTS AND THEN HOW DO WE ESTABLISH SORT OF YOU TALKED ABOUT TRADITIONAL PROJECTIONS LIKE IDENTIFYING STUDENTS AND THEN ANTICIPATING HOW MANY HOW MANY UPPERCASE SPACES YOU NEED AND THEN HOW MANY SPACES YOU NEED IN A CLASSROOM SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE FULL MENU OF SERVICES THAT THEY MAY NEED . YES. SO JUST BRIEFLY, THE WAYS THAT WE IDENTIFY WILL BE FOR ONE IF IT IS INDICATED UPON APPLICATION OR ENROLLMENT IF THE STUDENT HAS AN IEP IMMEDIATELY FLAGGED. SO THAT'S THE FIRST WAY WE LEARN. THE SECOND WOULD BE THROUGH THE ASKEW SCREENINGS.  SO THAT'S WHEN WE LOOK AT RISK AND NEEDS WITHIN THE FIRST 45 DAYS. BUT TYPICALLY HOW WE'RE IDENTIFYING IS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO IF A STUDENT HAS EARLY INTERVENTION IEPS WE'RE GOING TO CATCH THEM UPON THE APPLICATION.  IT'S REALLY THE THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE'RE TENDING TO.  COUNSELOR MURPHY'S POINT IS AGAIN FINDING THE APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT FOR THAT CHILD AFTER THE EVALUATION AND THEN JUST BACK TO THE POINT ABOUT CHILDREN WHO WHOSE ENGLISH IS NOT THERE THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE AND DO WE HAVE CLASSROOM STAFF AVAILABLE LIKE IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH THEN IT'S A CHALLENGE UNLESS YOU HAVE BILINGUAL EVALUATORS TO ESTABLISH WHERE YOU KNOW A LOT OF IT CAN BE DONE BY OBSERVATION. I KNOW THAT BUT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY OF DOING A FULL ASSESSMENT HOW WE ARE EQUIPPED TO HAVE BILINGUAL EVALUATORS TO SCREEN OUR CHILDREN AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET IDENTIFIED EARLY.  YES. AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE WORK, THE EVALUATION THAT'S DONE THROUGH BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT PRIOR TO THE EVALUATION IS ALSO RECOGNIZING ACCESS QUALITY ACCESS TO CURRICULUM AND EXPERIENCES TO CONNECT. AND SO STARTING WITH WHEN 25% OF OUR POPULATION SPEAKS ANOTHER LANGUAGE, EVERYTHING SHOULD BE TRANSLATED THEIR FAMILY HANDBOOKS TO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OPEN HOUSE MATERIALS,  EVERYTHING SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE FAMILIES LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.  IN ADDITION TO THAT IS LOOKING AT THE CURRICULUM AND SO NOT JUST SAYING OH WELL HERE'S A BOOK IN SPANISH BUT LIKE HOW IS THAT RELEVANT RIGHT TO THE CHILD'S LIFE AND THEIR EXPERIENCES? AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK INTERNALLY TO WRITE THE CURRICULUM BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, THE EVALUATIONS ARE DONE THROUGH BEEPS. OKAY.  SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT QUESTION NO, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOU PICK TR AND I TEND TO BE TALKING ABOUT BEEPS AND THE MCS DELIVERY SYSTEMS SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRECISE IN OUR ANSWERS. THE ALL OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED SETTING ARE PROVIDED BY BPP'S STAFF PEOPLE SO THAT INCLUDES THE EVALUATIONS, THE SCREENING AND ANY SERVICES THAT ARE DELIVERED. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE BILINGUAL SERVICES THROUGH STAFF, THEY'RE OFFERED HIM IN THE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE. THERE ARE LANGUAGES THAT WE DON'T HAVE STAFF WHO SPEAK AND IN THAT CASE THERE'S A TRANSLATOR. IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT AS IDEAL AS SOMEONE WHO'S EVALUATING ACTUALLY BEING THE PERSON WHO SPEAKS THAT OTHER LANGUAGE AND SO THOSE ARE THE LIMITATIONS. THANK YOU.  AND THEN TO THE OTHER ISSUE ABOUT STUDENTS THAT ARE MAYBE IN IN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HOW MANY HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOUR STAFF HAVE TO EVALUATE EVERY EVERY YEAR BOTH IN IN WITHIN BEEPS AND THEN OUTSIDE AS WELL? YES.  SO I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE EVALUATE IS HIGHER THAN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE WITH IEPS. I WOULD HAVE TO CONFIRM THE ACTUAL NUMBER BUT CERTAINLY THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT WE MAY HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PROVIDER OR A FAMILY MAY SAY HEY, WE'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS BUT THE RESULT OF THE IEPS ARE CERTAINLY LOWER AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY'RE LIKE 6% IN THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM AND ABOUT 27% IN BEEPS.  DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES. SO 66% OF THE STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY PROGRAM ARE WITH IEP . WITH IEP, RIGHT. BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY SO MANY MORE STUDENTS THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR A PROVIDER OR A FAMILY MAY SAY HEY, WE HAVE THIS CONCERNS.  CAN YOU COME IN AND OBSERVE? CAN WE HAVE A CHILD FINE AS A WAY TO MOVE THE CHILD TOWARDS THE EVALUATION AND WHAT DO YOU SEE IS THE GREATEST BARRIER TO IDENTIFYING STUDENTS EARLY IF THEY NEED SPECIAL HOW I WOULD SAY WHAT HAS BEEN MOST HELPFUL IS HAVING CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS WHO HAVE STUDENTS AS INFANTS AND TODDLERS. AND SO COUNSELOR WEBER TALKED ABOUT TWO YEAR OLDS UNIVERSAL PRE-K STARTS AT THREE AND SO WHILE A CHILD MAY NOT RECEIVE EARLY INTERVENTION, CERTAINLY THOSE EXPERIENCES THAT THE CHILD IS HAVING IN THE TODDLER CLASSROOM ARE CRITICAL. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON A MULTI-AGE CURRICULUM AND PART OF IT IS UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND SO HAVING ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM, TO THE FAMILY AND TO THEIR NEEDS EARLY ON IS WHAT'S MOST HELPFUL. I CAN THINK OF A LOT OF CHALLENGES BUT I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT'S JUST INTENSIFYING AND THEN IN TERMS OF THESE YOU MENTIONED FAMILY SUPPORTS AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES LIKE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM . HOW DO YOU DO IN TERMS OF FAMILY SUPPORT TO DO LIKE EDUCATES, EDUCATE PARENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT AND HOW ARE THINGS TO WATCH FOR AND AND THEN ALSO CARRYING CARRYING HOME LIKE THE PROGRAM IF IT ONLY HAPPENS IN SCHOOL AND THAT'S NOT THAT USEFUL THE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CARRY FORWARD THE PROGRAM YEAH AND THE INTERVENTIONS AT HOME AS WELL IN THE FAMILY SETTING HOW HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS EACH PROGRAM HAS A FAMILY TO FAMILY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE ELECT OR THEY ELECT RATHER TO JOIN US IN OUR WORK. SO WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COST MODEL OR THE EXPANSION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, THOSE FAMILIES ARE SITTING WITH US MAKING THESE DECISIONS. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.  THE SECOND THING IS THAT WE PARTNER WITH FOLKS LIKE BOSTON MEDICAL STRIVE, THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS TO PROVIDE THOSE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS.  BUT WE ALSO HAVE PARENT WORKSHOPS. WE HAVE PARENT OPEN HOUSES, WE HAVE TONS OF SPACE, WE HAVE PARENT NEWSLETTERS, MULTIPLE SPACES FOR FAMILIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND STUDENTS DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS BUT ALSO PUT THOSE IN PRACTICE SO WE HAVE THINGS LIKE HOME LINKS WHERE THEY CAN LINK TO OUR CURRICULUM AT HOME AND BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PREPARE THEM FOR SCHOOL READINESS. OKAY GOOD. YEAH. THANK YOU MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, CHAIR JUST WANT TO START WITH A FOLLOW UP TO THE QUESTION ASKED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY ON TIMELINES AND YOU KNOW SO WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FOR US TO DO AN EVALUATION AFTER A REQUEST AND ARE WE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? YEAH, I MEAN TO YOUR POINT AND AS CHRISTINE MENTIONED WE CERTAINLY RAN INTO A CHALLENGE WITH SEATS BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND BHP'S BUT 30 DAYS IS WHEN THE STUDENT SHOULD BE SEEN AND THEN CERTAINLY WITHIN THE 90 DAYS PLACED INTO A SETTING FOR SERVICES. NOW AGAIN THE CHILD IS TYPICALLY ALREADY IN A PROGRAM AND A NEW PEAK PROGRAM. SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE CHILD NEEDS TO TRANSITION FROM THE FAMILY CHILDCARE OR FROM THE COMMUNITY BASE INTO BIPS AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS A LOT MORE CHALLENGING ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. I DO JUST ALSO WANT TO PREFACE THAT WITH SAYING THIS WAS BEFORE DPS CONVERTED OVER TO THE INCLUSION CLASSROOMS.  WE NOW HAVE EXPANDED THE INCLUSION SEATS AND SO THE HOPE IS THAT THE PLACEMENT IS A LOT EASIER. ONE LAST THING AND THEN I'LL HAND IT TO KRISTEN IS IT THE RIGHT SEAT? RIGHT. SO WE HAVE INCLUSION, WE HAVE CENTRAL BASE AND WE HAVE AVA AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVERY WEEK JUST LOOKING AT HOW THOSE SEATS ARE FILLED KEEPING TRACK THOSE ONE OFF CASES WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS AND WE WANT TO USE THOSE AS CASE STUDIES TO GET BETTER AT THIS.  BUT THE GOAL IS TO ADDRESS IN PLACE IMMEDIATELY IT WAS A CHALLENGE LAST YEAR. OKAY I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD IS THAT WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THE SUMMER IDENTIFYING THE AREAS WHERE THINGS HAVE BROKEN DOWN,  WHETHER THAT'S THE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE RIGHT KINDS OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS. SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER WE'VE SPENT TIME TRYING TO MITIGATE THOSE CHALLENGES. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL ONES THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE IT BUT ALL OF US ARE REALLY LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS ARE IN THE SEAT THAT IS THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM AND PROVIDES THEM WITH THE SERVICES IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT. PART OF WHAT TARA'S TEAM DID LAST YEAR WAS PAY FOR AN ADDITIONAL PERSON IN THE CLASSROOM TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE STUDENT IN A NEW SETTING THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MOVE. WE DID THINGS LIKE HOSTING YOU KNOW YOU PEAK AND COMMUNITY PLAYGROUPS WHERE WE PUSHED IN SOMEONE FROM A THERAPEUTIC MODEL THAT'S NOT IDEAL. YOU WANT TO BE TO DO IT INDIVIDUALLY BUT IN THE INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE NOT WE'VE TRIED TO DO THOSE OVER THE PAST YEAR IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE GETTING WHAT WE COULD PROVIDE.  WE ALSO KNOW FROM EEI THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING THERE'S A STAFFING SHORTAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE AND CERTIFIED TO WORK IN THOSE SETTINGS.  SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MITIGATE ON OUR SIDE TO ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS. AND SO I'M I THINK THE THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS THAT IN GENERAL THERE'S AN ISSUE WHERE A SPEECH IMPAIRMENT OR A CAN CAN BE ERRONEOUSLY CLASSIFIED AS AS A AS JUST NORMAL OR TYPICAL MULTI LANGUAGE LEARNING OR YOU KNOW DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNING PROCESSES.  SO YOU KNOW I THINK YOU MENTIONED WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO EVALUATIONS IN FOLKS NATIVE LANGUAGES SO BUT DO YOU THINK THAT IS THAT HAPPENING IN BOSTON THAT THAT'S SOMEBODY WHO'S JUST YOU KNOW BEING DISCOUNTED AS HAVING AN ISSUE BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE AT HOME?  ARE YOU ASKING IF IT'S POSSIBLE? WELL, I MEAN OF COURSE IT'S POSSIBLE BUT I WOULD THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY ANSWER. YES. YEAH. SO I YOU JUST WALK ME THROUGH WHEN SOMEBODY IS IF SOMEBODY SPEAKS YOU KNOW ANOTHER LANGUAGE SPANISH CHINESE YOU NEFERTITI WHAT'S THAT WHAT DO WE DO THEN?  WELL THE PROCESS IS THE SAME.  SO IN IN OUR SCHOOLS WE HAVE BILINGUAL SCHOOLS AS WELL AS SUPPORTS FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN THE COMMUNITY BASED SETTING. WE ALSO HAVE BILINGUAL CLASSROOMS AND SUPPORTS FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND SO TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WE DO HAVE OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF WHO VISIT THOSE CLASSROOMS WHO HAVE THE LANGUAGE CAPACITY OF THE BILINGUAL CENTER THAT THEY'RE ATTENDING. YEAH, I ALSO I JUST I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THE POINT AROUND THAT WE DO HAVE A DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM CMS AND THEN OUR WORK AROUND TRANS ADOPTION CURRICULUM AND SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THE FACT THAT MANY OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE NOT HAD THESE SOCIAL EXPERIENCES. YOU KNOW, YES, COVID WAS A THING AND SO SOMETIMES ENSURING THAT THE CURRICULUM IS AVAILABLE AND MULTIPLE LANGUAGES HAVING THAT EXPOSURE AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES THOSE ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE A SUPPORT TO OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.  SO I THINK IT'S THE PRONG OF THOSE THINGS AND BUT THE EVALUATORS ARE THOSE THE TEACHERS ARE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SPECIALIZE IN THEM. THE RELATED SERVICES START FROM THE BOTTOM OKAY AND SPECIALIZE IT AND SO WHAT LANGUAGES CAN WE DO EVALUATIONS AND YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE I WOULD NEED TO CHECK BUT I BELIEVE IT'S THE EIGHT COMMON LANGUAGES THAT WE HAVE FOR BEEPS.  BUT I WOULD WANT TO JUST CONFIRM BECAUSE MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THEY WOULD ALSO BE TRANSLATION AVAILABLE FOR BEYOND THOSE EIGHT LANGUAGES. OKAY. AND I GUESS HOW DOES THE MOVE TOWARD INCLUSION OF MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS IN ENGLISH SPEAKING CLASSROOMS IMPACT THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL NEEDS?  HOW DOES IT IMPACT AND MAKES US STRONGER?  RIGHT WELL THAT WHAT YOU MEAN LIKE YEAH, I MEAN YEAH BUT AS WE WERE TALKING IN THE IN THE SPRING ABOUT THIS MOVE YOU KNOW I'VE HEARD ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND SOME WERE FROM ADVOCATES FOR MULTI LANGUAGE LEARNERS SAYING THIS WAS NOT A GOOD THING FOR THEM SO I GUESS YOU KNOW WHAT'S YOUR YEAH YEAH I MEAN AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO KRISTIN BUT WHAT ARE WE TALK ABOUT A LOT IN OUR DEPARTMENT IS WHEN WE ENSURE ACCESS FOR OUR BLACK AND OUR LATIN ACTS AND OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIALIZED SERVICES WE ENSURE ACCESS FOR EVERYONE. SO WHETHER IT'S DESIGN AND CURRICULUM OR THINKING ABOUT THE COST MODEL OR HOW WE OPEN THIS BOTTLE, YOU START BY ENSURING ACCESS FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AND THEN EVERY STUDENT THEN HAS ACCESS.  AND SO THAT IS THE POINT THAT WE'RE STARTING WHETHER IT IS LIKE I SAID ABOUT CURRICULUM OR A COST MODEL. SO I SEE IT AS A STRENGTH AND A BENEFIT AND WHERE WE SHOULD REALLY COUNT GROUND OURSELVES AS WE'RE BUILDING OUT THIS MODEL. BUT I'LL LET YOU SEE IT. YES. SO WE DO HAVE FAIRLY NEW WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH BYU AND DINAH CASTRO AND IT IS LOOKING AT THE WAYS THAT WE COACH AND TRAIN TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY TO TEACH CHILDREN IN SPANISH. NOW WHILE THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS FOCUSED ON TEACHING CHILDREN IN SPANISH AGAIN, IT'S REALLY GOING TO BENEFIT US ALL WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ACCESS FOR OUR DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS.  BUT IT IS A TWO YEAR PROGRAM WHERE EDUCATORS RECEIVE CREDENTIALS AS WELL AS COACHING AND SUPPORTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM TO BETTER STRENGTHEN PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE AROUND TEACHING STUDENTS IN SPANISH. BUT THOSE ARE JUST THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'RE TAKING THE INFORMATION TO INFORM EVERYTHING FROM COACHING TO CURRICULUM TO INSTRUCTION BUT I GUESS JUST ONE LAST QUESTION CHAIR I WE JUST FROM FROM THE OUTSIDE JUST THE IDEA OF OF OF A KID WHO NEEDS SPECIAL SERVICES WHO'S LEARNING ENGLISH IS NOW EMBRACING IT WITH THIS NEW MODEL IS NOW IN A CLASSROOM THAT WITH PEOPLE WHO SPEAK YOU KNOW WHO FLUENT IN ENGLISH AND IS THAT IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND IS THAT A BARRIER TO LEARNING YEAH I MEAN THINK IT'S A BENEFIT IN THE SENSE THAT WE NOW NEED TO THINK OF THE WAYS TO ENSURE ACCESS AND SO THE COACH THAT'S WORKING DIRECTLY IN THAT CLASSROOM WOULD SAY TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT LANGUAGE KRISTIN SPEAKS AND WHAT DOES SHE NEED. HOW IS HER FAMILY'S LOOPED IN TO THIS CONVERSATION?  DID WE CONDUCT THE ACE Q SCREENINGS? HERE IS THE UNITS THAT'S COMING UP. ARE WE GOING TO THINK ABOUT CORE BOARD BOOKS AND VOCABULARY WORDS AND HOME LINKS AND EXPERIENCES THAT WILL HELP THAT CHRISTINE JUST MAKE CONNECTION IN THE CLASSROOM BUT ALSO AT HOME AND?  THEN AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DEVELOPING ONGOING CURRICULUM BECAUSE WE WRITE OUR CURRICULUM INTERNALLY, WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE WE NEED TO PRODUCE IN JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE BE IT AIDE HELPED US TRANS ADAPT AND CREATE CURRICULUM IN VIETNAMESE IT IS NOW USED IN OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HELP THINK ABOUT A CHILD THAT MAY BE IN AN ALL ENGLISH SPOKEN CLASSROOM BUT WANTS TO ACCESS WE WANT TO ENSURE THEY ACCESS THE CURRICULUM IN VIETNAMESE. AND SO THOSE ARE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT WE USE TO SUPPORT THOSE SPECIFIC STUDENTS . I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. THANKS. THANKS, CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO GET A FLOOR NOW TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNSELOR ERIKA PIPPEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR FOR BEING HERE AND PROVIDING US WITH THIS INFORMATION. I WILL LIKE TO START WITH KNOWING HOW DOES YOUR PART HOW DOES YOUR PARTNERSHIP BUILDING BEGIN WITH WITH LOCAL DAYCARE PROVIDERS?  I'M THINKING FOR EXAMPLE LIKE ON WASHINGTON STREET IN ROSLYN. NO, WE JUST HAD HER A FEW MONTHS AGO A RIBBON CUTTING FOR A NEW DAYCARE.  HOW IS IT THAT THE CITY ESTABLISHES A RELATIONSHIP TO THAT THAT ESTABLISHMENT HAS NEW UK SEATS?  SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE INTERACT WITH CHILD CARE PROVIDERS IN THE CITY. SO THE FIRST CONTACT IS GENERALLY WITH MY OFFICE IN JUST LEARNING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM IF THEY ARE FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS OR IF THEY ARE CENTER BASED PROVIDERS. SO SO THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE RELATIONSHIP IN TERMS OF BECOMING A YUP'IK PROVIDER THAT IS AN RFP THAT IS ISSUED BECAUSE ALL OF OUR UK PROVIDERS ARE ACTUALLY THE VENDORS SO IT'S A VENDING RELATIONSHIP. SOME OF THEM ARE BUSINESSES, SOME OF THEM ARE NONPROFITS AND SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE CREATE THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND AS TARA SAID, IT'S ALL ABOUT EITHER BEING ABLE TO MEET OUR CRITERIA OR OR DEMONSTRATING A WILLINGNESS TO CREATE OR MEET OUR CRITERIA. AND SO THE SORT OF THE THE BASELINE IS YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO HIRE A A BACHELOR'S LEVEL TEACHER. THEY HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND IN COACHING AND THEY HAVE TO AGREE TO ALLOW US TO BRING IN ALL OF THE ASSETS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY. IF YOU NEED A MLR COACH, IF YOU NEED SPECIAL EDUCATION OBSERVATIONS AND EVALUATIONS, IF YOU NEED SERVICES DELIVERED, YOU HAVE TO AGREE TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE PIECES HAPPEN IN YOUR PROGRAM. YOU ALSO HAVE TO AGREE TO GET NESSIE ACCREDITED WHICH IS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN. IT'S THE ACCREDITATION MECHANISM THAT IS MOST SEEN IN THE FIELD AND THEN IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL AND YOU'RE NOT EEC LICENSED, YOU ALSO HAVE TO GET EASY LICENSED. SO THOSE ARE THE BEGINNING THINGS THAT PEOPLE AGREE TO AS WELL AS USING OUR CURRICULUM AND THEN IF YOU NEED A YEAR OR TWO TO RAMP UP ON THOSE THINGS WE FUND YOU FOR A YEAR WITHOUT CHILDREN IN THE SEATS AND THEN AFTER THAT YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN SEATS AND SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THE BASIC ARRANGEMENT OF HOW THEY BECOME PART OF THE UK NETWORK. BUT IT'S REALLY AN OPT IN SITUATION MORE THAN ANYTHING.  AND SO I FIGURE OH YOU GOT SOMETHING FAST THAT'S GOOD.  THANK YOU. AND THEN IF MORE CENTERS ARE WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, APPLY FOR THE RFP AND COMPLY WITH YOUR WHAT NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS HOW THERE'S A FUNDING WORK WHERE IS THAT COMING OUT OF THE VEEP'S BUDGET OUT OF THE STATE BUDGET WHERE'S THAT COMING FROM? YEAH, WE INITIALLY STARTED THROUGH A TRUST AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS BEING A PART OF THE BEPS.  SO WHEN UNIVERSAL PRE-K WAS STARTED IT WAS A TRUST AND THEN IT WOULD BECOME A PART OF THE GENERAL FUNDS WE ARE NOW PART OF THE BEPS BUDGET WHICH IS AGAIN AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE WORKING COHESIVELY AND THAT COVERS EVERYTHING THAT CHRISTINE MENTIONED, RIGHT? YES, EXACTLY. SO WE FUND PER CLASSROOM WHICH I THINK ALSO IMPORTANT. SO WHETHER THE CHILD IS ENROLLED OR NOT, WE'RE FUNDING PER CLASSROOM TO ENSURE THAT THOSE QUALITY ENHANCEMENTS ARE STILL MET.  YEAH, YEAH. SO IN ADDITION TO THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K FUNDING WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD UNDER A CBP GRANT IT HAS TO STRAND'S THE FIRST STRAND IS TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THREE YEAR OLD SEATS AND THE SECOND IS WHAT I TALKED ABOUT AROUND THINKING ABOUT EDUCATION SERVICES AND KEEPING CHILDREN IN THEIR COMMUNITY BASED SETTINGS.  AND SO WE'RE LEARNING FROM OTHER CITIES AROUND HOW WE CAN EXPAND UNIVERSAL PRE-K AND KEEP CHILDREN IN THEIR LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ITINERANT TEACHER IDEA BUT THAT IS THE GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES BEYOND SPEECH AND BEHAVIOR HEALTH AND I'M GOING TO PUT MY DAD HAD ON FOR A SECOND LET'S SAY I HAVE A CHILD THAT IS IN THE UK SYSTEM AND WE DID IS IN NEED OF SPEECH OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.  WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN WHERE MY CHILD IS GOING FOR THE UK SERVICES AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER WHERE THEY GO FOR THEIR APPOINTMENTS AND WHAT KIND OF COMMUNICATION IS THERE WITH THE PARENT TO UNDERSTAND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD AND ALSO IS THE SCHOOL CENTER COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR PEDIATRICIAN SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT THE CHILD IS GOING THROUGH? I JUST I LIKE TO SEE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN HEALTH CENTER SCHOOL AND PARENT SO THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHERE THE CHILD IS SO THAT BY THE TIME THEY'RE OUT OF THE UK AND GOING INTO KINDERGARTEN GOING TO BEPS THERE'S APPROPRIATE FOLLOW UP. YEAH, YEAH.  AND I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS IN AN AREA THIS IS AN AREA I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US STRENGTHEN AS WELL. AND SO YOU KNOW WE HAVE COMMUNITY HUBS AND BEPS AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT VISION, HEALTH, NUTRITION,  WHETHER CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING THOSE SERVICES. BUT THERE ISN'T THAT DIRECT CONNECTION I THINK TO THE PEDIATRICIAN THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.  THE ONE THING WE ARE DOING IS WE ALSO RECEIVE SUPPORT THROUGH CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL WHO WANTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE TWO THINGS. ONE IS HOW ARE WE CONNECTING WITH FAMILIES AND THEN SCHOOL READINESS LIKE WHAT ARE THE INDICATORS OF SCHOOL READINESS? AND SO I SEE A SPACE THERE TO EXPAND THAT WORK.  OKAY YEAH DEFINITELY. YEAH. KRISTEN WE CAN ADD TO THAT. NO, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE AGES AND STAGES QUESTIONNAIRE WHICH IS DONE BY ALL OF THE RIGHT CLASSROOMS IS THIS IS ACTUALLY A TOOL DESIGNED FOR PARENTS AND IT'S A TOOL THAT AS YOU WALK THROUGH IT IT IT HAS LIKE MULTIPLE TESTS AND EACH TEST IS FOR A SPECIFIC AGE GROUP SO IT'S LIKE EIGHT AND EIGHT MONTHS, TEN MONTHS LIKE THERE'S A DIFFERENT ONE AND EACH ONE IS CALIBRATED TO WHAT A CHILD DEVELOPMENTALLY SHOULD DO AT THAT STAGE. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE WALKING PARENTS THROUGH IT IT BEGINS TO HELP PARENTS SEE WHERE THEIR CHILD IS PERFORMING AS WOULD BE EXPECTED AND MAYBE WHERE THEY'RE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT NOT EVERY CHILD DEVELOPS AT THE RATE IN THE SAME SPACES. SO IT'S ALSO A MONITORING TOOL. YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS LATER, SIX MONTHS LATER SO THAT YOU ACTUALLY KNOW IT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE BEGINNING TO DO WITH YOUNG PEOPLE BEING SUCCESSFUL RIGHT.  AND SO THAT'S ALSO THE RESULTS OF THOSE ARE SHARED WITH PARENTS THEIR WALK THROUGH SO THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING I THINK A PIECE OF THIS WORK IS ALSO IN HELPING PARENTS FEEL LIKE IT'S OKAY TO ACCEPT E-SERVICES, IT'S OKAY TO ACCEPT SPEECH AND LANGUAGE BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS AND SO TERRY'S TEAM AND ALSO THE EDUCATORS AND OUR CHILD BASED SETTINGS HAVE SKILLS ON HOW TO DO THAT. SO CAN I JUST PROVIDE ONE FINAL COMMENT NOT A QUESTION JUST A COMMENT THROUGH JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THEN I ONE THING THAT I'LL JUST ADD IS THAT ONE THING I'M ALSO AWARE OF IS THAT I THINK YOU TOUCHED UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT KIRSTEN AT THE END IS A DIFFERENT CULTURAL GROUPS HAVE DIFFERENT THE STANDING OF WHAT A CHILD MAY NEED WORKING THROUGH WORKING WITH THE LAB AT BMC JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR EXAMPLE I MUST SPEAK FROM MY OWN PERSONAL TRAINING LIKE A DOMINICAN FAMILY MAY NOT THINK OH THEY HAVE NEEDS, THEY'RE JUST DELAYED AND THEN THAT PREVENTS THE CHILD FROM GETTING THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. SO ALSO HAVING A CULTURAL COMPETENCY THEY'RE FROM A DIFFERENT CULTURES I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE FOR BOSTON SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HAVE IN PLACE. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO ALSO PUT SOME MORE EFFORT INTO IT. YEAH. CAN I JUST ALSO NOTE WE HIRE FAMILY PARTNERS AS PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX TO HELP US REALLY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIES SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THAT CONNECTION. SO BETWEEN OUR ENROLLMENT TEAM AND OUR FAMILY PARTNERS THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS IN A WAY THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WITH US. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SORRY FOR ALL MY TIME. THANK YOU.  BUT THEN COUNSELOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE. I WAS AT A MEETING LAST WEEK JOSIAH QUINCY SCHOOL DISCUSSING THE SHELTERED ENGLISH IMMERSION PROGRAM AND PARENTS WERE ASKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ILLNESS THIS SPECIFIC PROGRAM, WHAT IMPACT IT HAS ON CHINESE STUDENTS AND I AND SO SOME OF THE PARENTS ASKED ME OR REFERENCED THAT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY IN CHINATOWN IS NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM WITHOUT EDUCATORS IN THEIR CLASSROOM WHO ARE ABLE TO OFFER NATIVE LANGUAGE SUPPORT.  THIS IS HURTING STUDENTS. WHAT SPECIAL SPECIAL NEEDS THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SHELTERED ENGLISH IMMERSION PROGRAM WHICH I WHICH I SUPPORT MR STRONG SUPPORTER OF THAT.  SO I TO MAKE SURE THAT MY CONSTITUENTS THAT THEIR PARENTS SPEAK CANTONESE AND THEIR CHILDREN THE YOUNG CHILDREN ARE SPEAKING CANTONESE AND LEARNING ENGLISH AS WELL.  I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. WHAT WHAT DO YOU WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT THIS AS IT RELATES TO CHINESE FAMILIES?  I MEAN THAT'S UNFORTUNATE TO HEAR. I I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SPACE TO COME TO US TO DIRECTLY AND SHARE THAT FEEDBACK ESPECIALLY AS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.  IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THAT PIECE OF SECOND ALIGNMENT HAPPENS AND QUINCY TO SAY QUINCY IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE CONNECTED TO AND TRANSITION TO AND SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT AND I THINK IT STARTS WITH BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND WHAT'S NOT AVAILABLE AND WE SHOULD HAVE OUR CURRICULUM TRENDS ADAPTED AND AVAILABLE THERE. WE SHOULD BE BUILDING THAT WITH OUR FAMILIES IF WE'RE NOT. I KNOW THAT BOSTON CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER IS A FEW BLOCKS AWAY. THEY'VE TRANS ADAPTED THEIR CURRICULUM THAT'S AVAILABLE AND SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING BEACONS WITH THE QUINCY AND DOING THAT WORK TOGETHER IF NECESSARY.  BUT THAT WOULD BE WHERE I WOULD START IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS AND HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH SOME PROVIDERS IN THAT AREA TO SUPPORT FOR FOR THE PROGRAM FOR THE UP K PROGRAM FOR CHINESE STUDENTS THAT SPEAK CANTONESE IN THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL B.C AND C RIGHT ON TYLER STREET AND OBVIOUSLY JOSIAH QUINCY SCHOOL YEAH WE'RE ALSO IS THERE A PROGRAM FOR THESE THESE FAMILIES SO WITHIN THAT AREA WE HAVE WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS AND WE DO HAVE THE YMCA WING WHICH IS RIGHT IN THAT AREA BUT IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY A DUAL DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM. YEAH.  THE REASON I ASK IS THE CHINESE COMMUNITY NOW BECAUSE OF HOW EXPENSIVE CHINATOWN IS THEY THEY HAVE MOVED OUTSIDE OF CHINATOWN MANY OF THEM MANY OF THEM ARE LIVING IN THE ROXBURY AREA, MANY OF THEM LIVING NEAR THE SYMPHONY HALL AREA IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY . HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THOSE CHINESE FAMILIES? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT MY CONSTITUENTS BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALSO BENEFITING FROM THESE EXCELLENT PROGRAMS.  I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THOSE CHINESE FAMILIES.  SO I THINK THAT A LOT OF THOSE CHINESE FAMILIES ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BOSTON CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER BECAUSE IT OPEN TO ANY FAMILY IN THE CITY. AND I KNOW FROM HAVING BEEN TO THE CONVERSATIONS AT THE JOSIAH QUINCY I WAS I WAS THERE AS WELL IS IS THAT IS A HUB FOR FAMILIES AND A PLACE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO WANT TO GO WHICH IS WHY THE QUINCY IS WORKING ON THEIR APPLICATION TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SUPPORTED CHINESE LANGUAGE CONVERSATION IN IN SCHOOL. BUT WE'RE NOT LIMITING THE STUDENTS BASED ON A RADIUS OUTSIDE OF CHINATOWN AT ALL NOT IN U.P., NOT IN NEW OC WIDE ANY STUDENT IN YOU MUST JUST BE A BOSTON RESIDENT. I KNOW WE ARE DOING THAT OUTSIDE OF K WHICH IS A CONCERN FOR ME RIGHT? AS I MENTIONED A LOT OF CHINESE FAMILIES ARE LIVING OUTSIDE OF CHINATOWN. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN ENGLISH IN CANTONESE SPEAKING PROGRAMS SO THE CHINESE FAMILIES THAT ARE ABOUT A MILE AWAY LIVING IN ROXBURY ARE LIVING IN THE SYMPHONY HALL AREA. HOW ARE THEY GETTING TO JOSIAH OR BESSIE? NC YEAH, SO IN THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS WE DO NOT PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION AS PART OF THE UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAM. CERTAINLY IF THE CHILD IS IN BYPASS THE TRANSPORTATION IS PROVIDED BUT THERE'S NO TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED IN THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS OR FAMILY CHILD CARE.  HAVE WE DONE ANY STUDIES AT ALL ON HOW THESE FAMILIES ARE MAKING THAT TRIP TO INTO CHINATOWN FROM THEIR HOME NOW?  BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK INTO. I THINK ACROSS THE BOARD IS HOW DO FAMILIES ARE FAMILIES CHOOSING PROGRAMS CLOSER TO WHERE THEY LIVE, THEIR COMMUTE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK?  I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW.  YEAH, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME . I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW THEY'RE GETTING THERE, WHAT CHALLENGES THEY HAVE AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION, WHAT IMPACT IT IS HAVING ON THE OTHER CHILDREN IN THEIR FAMILY IF THE MOTHER OR THE FATHER HAS TO TAKE THE CHILD BY MBTA, THEN HOW DID THE OTHER CHILDREN IN THAT FAMILY GET TO SCHOOL WHILE THE PARENT IS OUT? HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT ANY OF THOSE ISSUES? I THINK WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES. HAVE WE DONE A STUDY ON THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WE HAVE NOT. SO IT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO EXPLORE FAMILIES.  ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO FIND IS THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN SELECT A NEXT DELIVERY SITE ANYWHERE IN THE CITY THAT PEOPLE TYPICALLY SELECT ONE THAT IS CONVENIENT FOR THEM THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE FOR THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE PROGRAM. SO WE WILL DEFINITELY TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. OKAY. I JUST IN THE FINALLY I DID WANT TO ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT THE SHELTERED ENGLISH IMMERSION PROGRAM CITYWIDE.  THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM.  I HAVE GREAT FAITH IN THAT PROGRAM. I WANT TO MAKE SURE MY CONSTITUENTS THAT SPEAK CANTONESE SO MANDARIN HAVE THE SAME EQUAL ACCESS AS OTHER STUDENTS AND I HOPE WE'RE NOT I HOPE WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHINESE STUDENTS IN THAT IN THEIR IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE CANTONESE, MANDARIN AND ENGLISH. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT WATERED DOWN.  I WANT TO ALSO SEE CHINESE FOR FAMILIES OUTSIDE OF ONE MILE OF CHINATOWN BE ABLE TO GO TO JOSIAH QUINCY TO GET A DECENT EDUCATION AS WELL.  THANK YOU MR CHU THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU PANEL FOR BEING HERE.  GREAT QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES. SOME OF THESE MAY BE SEMI REPETITIVE IF YOU WILL, BUT MAYBE IT'S JUST MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND TO CLARIFY ON THEM AS WELL.  BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THIS RIGHT. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME AGAIN HOW THIS THE UK SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FEEDS INTO THE INCLUSION MODEL AS YOU WENT TO BBC I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S SEPARATE BUT WE HAVE TEACHERS GIVING THE IEPS OR DOING THE TEST TO SEE IF KIDS NEED TO BE PUT ON AN IEP AND THEN IF THEY DO WE ARE REQUIRED TO PUT THEM IN SO THEN THEY THEY AT THREE AND FOUR THEY ARE THEN ENTERED INTO A BPA SCHOOL FOR SAY IF THEY'RE AT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB DORCHESTER GIVE ONE OF THEM A TEST. OKAY? YES. YOU NEED TO BE PUT ON AN IEP THEN THEY BECOME A BPA STUDENT AUTOMATICALLY.  LEIGH IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY I MEAN IF IT'S SPEECH JUST TO CLARIFY IF IT'S SPEECH OR TO YOUR BEHAVIOR HELP WE WANT TO KEEP THE CHILD IN THEIR PROGRAM IDEALLY. SO IF THEY'RE AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND THOSE SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS THAT THEY STAY THERE. BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING GREATER THAN THAT AS A SERVICE PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE PLACED INTO A SCHOOL.  YES, THEY GOT YOU TO THAT. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY ASSUMING THEIR PARENTS CONSENT TO WHAT'S IN THE IEP SO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A PROCESS THAT IS ABOUT EVALUATION. IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING A PLAN TO THE PARENT.  THERE'S CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH. SO I JUST WANT TO NOT MINIMIZE THAT PIECE OF IT AND THERE IS NO WAY AND I DON'T HAVE ANY I'VE HAD NO STORY BEEN TOLD TO ME ABOUT THIS OCCURRING THIS WAY BUT I'M JUST KIND OF ME THINKING HOW I THINK IS THERE ANYONE THAT PEOPLE ABUSES IN ANY WAY TO MAKE SURE THEIR KID GETS IN THE BEEPS LIKE OH IF I GET MY KID ON A B BAG AUTOMATIC SEAT AT AT MAYBE A POTENTIAL CERTAIN SCHOOL THAT HAS THEIR SERVICE THAT'S.  HAS THERE BEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I HAVE NO HISTORY OF IT BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S BEEN NO I MEAN I WOULD SAY WHAT WE DO HAVE IS UNIVERSAL PRE-K IS A CONNECTOR SYSTEM SO WE PRIORITIZE ANY FAMILY IN THAT PROGRAM TO AUTOMATICALLY CONNECT TO BEEPERS K-2 SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL MINIMIZE IF THERE WAS ANY FAMILY.  YEAH, FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU.  ENSURING ACCESS IS HUGE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS AROUND DOING THAT. HAS THERE EVER BEEN DIFFICULTY? I THINK THIS IS SORT OF THE CONCEPT PARENTS POINT IN GETTING PARENTS OR KIDS TO ACCEPT THAT ACCESS BECAUSE I KNOW IN SOME CULTURES IT COULD JUST BE SAY NO HE DOESN'T NEED AN IEP, HE'S JUST NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH. RIGHT OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND HOW MUCH OF THAT DO YOU RUN INTO THAT MIGHT, YOU KNOW, SET SET CHILDREN BACK THAT WE KNOW NEED IT. THEY NEED SERVICES BUT THEY WILL NOT GET THEM DOING IT. SO I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR PARENTS WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT THEIR CHILD LEARNS DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS AND SOMETIMES THAT'S EASILY OVERCOME AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES MORE WORK. THERE ARE RESOURCES FOR THE STATE THAT WHERE THEY HAVE OTHER FAMILIES WHO HAVE A CHILD ON AN IEP THAT WILL SPEAK WITH FAMILIES, THEY WILL SPEAK WITH FAMILIES WHO ARE FROM A SIMILAR CULTURAL BACKGROUND. WE CAN CONNECT THEM TO THAT SERVICE. WE CAN ALSO WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WITHIN DPS WHO WILL SPEAK TO OTHER PARENTS ARE SPED PACK IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR PARENTS WHO ARE MAYBE GOING THROUGH THE ACCEPTANCE PROCESS FOR THE FACT THAT THEIR CHILD IS JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. I THINK THOSE THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS FAMILIES FOR WHOM IT IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY CAN SAY NO RIGHT?  RIGHT. THAT'S THAT'S I MEAN SO IT'S LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN THEN YOU YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HAVING A TOUGH TIME CONVINCING THE PARENTS LIKE THIS IS WHAT YOUR KID NEEDS AND IF THEY DON'T THEN IT'S NOT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.  I WILL SAY IT'S NOT IT'S NOT FREQUENT THAT PARENTS SAY ABSOLUTELY NOT. IT'S PART OF A CONVERSATION. BUT I DO THINK YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE ACCESS THE CONTENT AND ACCESS THEIR POTENTIAL. AND SO THERE ARE FOLKS IN PLACE TO CONTINUE WORKING TO THAT UNTIL IT HAPPENS. AND I WILL JUST ALSO SAY SOME OF THAT COMES FROM JUST THE CONNECTION WE'RE MAKING TO FAMILIES FAIRLY EARLY TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS. I THINK COUNSELOR MURPHY SAID IT BEST IT'S GOOD THING WHEN WE IDENTIFY CHILDREN EARLY AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE SERVICES AND SUPPORT AND SO JUST AVOIDING MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR CHILD NEEDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT. SO GETTING TO THEM AS EARLY AS INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND INTRODUCING THEM TO THESE SUPPORTS EARLY I THINK IS SUPER HELPFUL.  IS IT A STANDARDIZED TEST THAT IS FOR AN IEP LIKE WHAT IS THE WHAT IS IT MORE JUST A COLLABORATION OF THINGS THAT DETERMINE IF A CHILD NEEDS I SHOULD KNOW THIS MY WIFE'S A SPECIAL AND TEACHER. YEAH IT'S DON'T DON'T GET INTO HOW MUCH I LISTEN AT HOME BUT BUT IS RIGHT IS THERE SOME IS THERE ANY STANDARDIZED TESTING AROUND THAT PROCESS YEAH I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT CERTAINLY DEPENDS ON THE IDENTIFIED WHAT'S IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE OBSERVATION AND THE TEST IS BEEN SPECIFIC TO THAT. SO SPEECH CONCERN SPECIFIC TO THAT. OTIS SPECIFIC TO THAT BUT I WOULD RATHER HAVE AN EXPERT HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE TESTS ARE. BUT I MAY ADD A SO THERE'S DIFFERENT VERSIONS. THERE'S SOME HAVE STANDARDIZED, SOME DON'T AND IF IN IF A CHILD HAS ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE IS THAT STANDARDIZED TEST VALID OR IS IT CONSIDERED KNOW I MEAN HOW LIKE UNDER THE TERMS OF THE LAW YEAH SO I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE CULTURAL EFFICACY OF THE KINDS OF TESTS WE USE. ARE THEY PERFECT?  NO. HAVE THEY GOTTEN BETTER? YES. SO WHEN TARA WAS TALKING ABOUT TRANSLATIONS SHE ALSO USED THE WORD TRANS ADOPTION.  SO WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THESE TESTS ARE TRANS ADAPTED WHICH MEANS THEY'RE SET IN A CULTURAL CONTEXT NOT JUST TRANSLATED RIGHT? SO THE WORK THAT THE AID IS DOING WITH THEIR CURRICULUM ISN'T JUST SAYING WELL WE HAVE AN APPLE AND HERE'S WHAT THE WORD APPLE IS IN VIETNAMESE IT IS TAKING A FRUIT THAT IS CULTURALLY RELEVANT IN VIETNAM AND TRANSLATING THAT WORD. SO IT'S IT'S ABOUT THAT PIECE.  ARE SOME OF THE TESTS BETTER THAN OTHERS? SURE. GOTCHA.  NO. YEAH. I JUST WANTED IF THERE WAS A VALID VALIDATION CONCERN A LEGAL VALIDATION CONCERN IF IT'S ENGLISH AS THE SECOND LANGUAGE AND YOU TAKE IT DOESN'T HOLD UP RIGHT YOU TAKE A STANDARDIZED TEST AND IT'S SORT OF LIKE WELL OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T DO AS WELL. HOW COULD YOU SAY RIGHT VALID OR NOT RIGHT TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE WE ARE MITIGATING FOR THOSE THINGS. GREAT. THANK YOU. YOU SAID YOU WRITE THE CURRICULUM INTERNALLY, RIGHT. WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES AROUND THAT AND WHO SETS THAT CRITERIA OR YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF WHO SETS THE BAR ON THAT OF WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO MEET WHILE WRITING THAT?  YEAH, YEAH. A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THE CURRICULUM ONE IT'S P TWO THROUGH SECOND IT'S A COMMUNITY DRIVEN APPROACH AND SO IT'S NOT JUST WRITTEN BY EPS INTERNALLY BUT INCLUDES OUR FAMILIES, IT INCLUDES OUR PROVIDERS, TEACHERS ETC. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S ALIGNED TO THE MASS STANDARDS AS WELL. AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE WAY THAT WE'RE WRITING IT IS IN ALIGNMENT TO THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE EXPERIENCES THAT THE CHILD IS HAVING ARE COMMUNITY AT THREE YEARS OLD IS THEN CONNECTED TO THE EXPERIENCES OF HAVING AROUND COMMUNITY IN THE SECOND AND THEN CURRENTLY IN THIS NEXT YEAR OUR CURRICULUM THEN GOES THROUGH OUR REVIEW AND SO WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT VENDOR WHO IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OUR CURRICULUM TO ENSURE NOT JUST THE CULTURAL RELEVANCE BUT THE ALIGNMENT TO THE STANDARDS AND THE ALIGNMENT TO SECOND AND THEN IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO TO DC FOR THE CURATOR REVIEW. THANK YOU BECAUSE THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION IF THERE'S AN AND LASTLY I KNOW WE'RE WE'RE UP HERE BUT I ALSO HEARD SAID THAT WE'RE HAVING ISSUES FINDING SPACE TO HOLD THESE THINGS RIGHT AND TO A DEGREE BUT I ALSO WAS JUST THINKING LIKE WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT WERE THINKING ABOUT COMBINING CLOSING BECAUSE THERE'S THEY'RE HALF FULL SO IS IT THAT THERE'S REALLY TROUBLE FINDING SPACE WHEN WE HAVE A SCHOOL THAT'S HALF FULL? IS THERE ANY WAY TO KIND OF COMBINE THOSE TWO ISSUES? AND SO WE'VE DONE WHAT WE CAN TO TAKE THAT WITH THE SCHOOLS AS THEY CURRENTLY ARE, RIGHT? SO WE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF OUR K-1 CLASSES THAT WERE CHANGED IN TWO INCLUSION CLASSROOMS AND HAVE K0 AND K ONE INCLUSION STUDENTS AS WELL AS K ONE GEN Z STUDENTS. SO WE EXPANDED OUR ACCESS FOR EARLY LEARNERS THAT WAY THIS YEAR TO GENERATE MORE SEATS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE AND THIS IS THE WORK THAT I REFERENCED THAT TARA IS HOPING TO LEAD IS WORKING WITH OUR CAPITAL PLANNING OFFICE AS WE FREE UP MORE BUILDINGS OR AS WE'RE RECONFIGURING BUILDINGS. ONE IS THE SPACE THAT WE NEED FOR A THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAMS AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS INFLUX OF EARLY LEARNERS WHO THEN ACTUALLY WE WANT TO KEEP AS THEY BECOME KINDERGARTNERS FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF OUR CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS AND SOME OF IT COULD JUST BE SOMETHING LIKE TOILET.  I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE TALKED ABOUT TOILETS IN THE LAST YEAR BUT A PART OF IT IS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SPACE IS DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE TO SAY YEAH, YES THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHAIR AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS.  THANK YOU COUNSELOR.  APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO TO OUR SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR FOR MY COLLEAGUES.  DIRECTOR MCSWAIN YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU MENTIONED I MEAN I REALLY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF DATA IS YOUR OFFICE TRACKING REGARDING THE OUTCOMES OF CHILDREN RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND THEN ARE THERE SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE YOU SEE THE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THAT IN SO IN TERMS OF DATA OUTCOMES, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRACKING IS DID KIDS GET SCREENED? DID THEY GET PUT ON AN IEP AND ARE WE MEETING THAT IEP BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF OUR YOUNGER LEARNERS THAT THEN TRANSITIONS THEM FULLY INTO THE SPECIAL ED SPACE WHERE THEY'RE REALLY TRACKING DID YOU WERE YOU SUCCESSFUL AS AN INDIVIDUAL CHILD MEETING YOUR IEP GOALS? THAT TENDS TO LEAD TO ANOTHER SET OF IEP GOALS BECAUSE IT'S MANY THERE THERE ARE.  SO MY SON FOR EXAMPLE STARTED AN IEP WHEN HE WAS THREE FOR SPEECH AND BY THE TIME HE WAS IN FIRST GRADE HE WAS DONE.  BUT THAT TRANSITIONS YOU OUT OF THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD SPACE AND INTO FIRST GRADE. SO A LOT OF KIDS WERE NOT NECESSARILY EXPECTING TO SEE COMING GETTING ON AN IEP AND COMING OFF OF AN IEP BEFORE THEY TRANSITION UP INTO SOME OLDER GRADES. IT DOES HAPPEN BUT GENERALLY NOT BY THE TIME YOU REACH KINDERGARTEN IT'S IT'S GENERALLY A LITTLE BIT LATER. SO WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PROGRESS ACADEMICALLY AS WE WOULD LOOK AT EVERYBODY ELSE'S PROGRESS ACADEMICALLY AND WHEN WHAT DO YOU SEE THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS GETTING OUT OF THAT IF IT'S NOT UP? I THINK WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME BACK TO WITH THAT ANSWER BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION. OKAY.  THANK YOU. AND WRITER, I THINK YOU WERE TALKING AT AN EARLIER POINT ABOUT NONPROFITS AND BUSINESSES BEING YOU KNOW, WORKING AS PROVIDERS AND YOU DO WORK WITH BOTH.  IS THERE CAN YOU HAVE DATA ON THE SPLIT BETWEEN NONPROFIT PROVIDERS AND PRIVATE BUSINESS PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDED SO ALL 11 OF THE FAMILY CHILD CARE ARE ACTUALLY SMALL BUSINESSES. THEY ARE INCORPORATED THAT WAY WE CAN GET YOU GET YOU THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE CHILD CARE CENTERS AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NONPROFITS BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.  OKAY. AND THEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RFP, WHAT'S THE DEMAND THERE? I MEAN HOW MANY HOW MANY APPLICATIONS ARE COMING IN?  I THINK CERTAINLY SINCE THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE. SO SHOUT OUT TO THEM FOR THEIR MARKETING AND SUPPORT.  WE BROUGHT ON I BELIEVE THE YEAR BEFORE LAST TEN PROVIDERS. I THINK THERE WERE LIKE 12 APPLICANTS IN THAT YEAR.  OH YEAH. INITIALLY HAD BROUGHT ON ACTUALLY THAT WAS THE SAME YEAR AS FAMILY CHILD CARE. SO IN ADDITION TO THE 12 FAMILY CHILD CARE WE ALSO BROUGHT ON TEN COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST YEARS WE'VE HAD AND PROVIDERS INTERESTED IN UNIVERSAL PRE-K. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND DR. DIAZ, YOU JUST WANT MY FINAL QUESTION HERE BEFORE WE MOVE ON. CAN YOU AGAIN I KNOW YOU SPOKE ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM PARENTS ABOUT THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES PROVIDED IN PRE-K AND THEN HOW WE'RE TAKING THAT FEEDBACK AND IMPLEMENTING IT.  DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF OF ANYTHING WE'VE TAKEN SPECIFICALLY FROM PARENTS AND FAMILIES? YEAH. I MEAN I THINK THE IDEA OF STAYING WITHIN THEIR EDUCATION SETTING BEYOND THE SPEECH AND BEHAVIOR HEALTH IS ONE OF THE BIGGER ONES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON IN BRINGING THAT MESSAGE RIGHT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SAYING WE NEED AT LEAST X AMOUNT OF I-10 . OUR TEACHERS HERE ARE THE SERVICES THAT WE BELIEVE COULD BE PROVIDED.  THE JUST TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN WE HAVE BIWEEKLY CHECK INS WITH SCHOOL LEADERS I'M SORRY THE SUPERINTENDENT IN HER TEAM JUST TO MAKE THEM CLEAR ON THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, WE MEET INTERNALLY CAPITAL PLANNING TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND.  YOU KNOW, PANDA LIKE WE'RE ALL SPECIAL SERVICES. WE'RE ALL TOGETHER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT WORK. SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE. I'M JUST TRYING TO DRILL DOWN ON THOSE ITINERANT TEACHERS AND BEING ABLE TO PLACE KEEP STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS BEYOND THOSE THREE SERVICES. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO PROCEED WITH A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES . ONCE I ONCE AGAIN I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE ORIGINAL SPONSORS TO BEGIN AND THEN PROCEED IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. A FEW THINGS THAT I HEARD I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON AND JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS CONVERSATION WAS NEVER INTENDED TO JUST TALK ABOUT STUDENTS WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SPEECH THERAPY ,SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW CAN BE PROVIDED THAT IT'S THE MORE SEVERE NEEDS. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT'S NOT JUST SOMEONE WHO LEARNS DIFFERENT AND NO PARENTS THAT I'VE EVER KNOWN WAS RELUCTANT TO SIGN ON TO SERVICES BECAUSE THEY YOU KNOW, THEIR CHILD NEEDS AN OBVIOUS LIKE A STUTTERING OR CAN'T GET A FEW LETTERS RIGHT SPEECH THERAPY. SO I MEAN IN ALL TEACHERS AND DPS ARE TRAINED AND PREPARED TO OFFER A TIER ONE TIER TWO TIER THREE TEACHING WHICH IS WHAT CATCHES THAT UMBRELLA OF DIFFERENT LEARNING. THE IDEA THAT WE PHOTOCOPY YOU KNOW, WORKSHEETS NOW WHEN WE ONLY TEACH ONE WAY HAS BEEN GONE FOR DECADES THANKFULLY IN EDUCATION AND AND IT MAKES THE TEACHER'S JOB HARDER BUT OBVIOUSLY IS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO DO AND I THINK THEY DO A GREAT JOB AT THAT. SO THIS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENCES THAT WE ALL NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR CLASSROOMS ARE SET UP SO DIFFERENT LEARNERS ARE PROVIDED WITH THAT.  ALSO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TEAM AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE MANY PEOPLE FORGET THAT THE PARENTS ARE A PART OF THAT TEAM. THEY ARE THEY ARE PART OF THAT TEAM. IT'S NOT THE TEAM WORKING WITH THE PARENT THEY ARE I WOULD SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE TEAM NEXT TO THE STUDENT BUT WHEN COUNCILOR PEPEN MENTIONED ABOUT LIKE COMMUNITY CENTERS OF PEDIATRICIANS OFTENTIMES PARENTS AND IT'S WHY IS SPECIAL ED JESSE HAS BEEN LOOKING AT IT CLOSELY IGNORES PARENTS CONCERNS AND SPECIAL ED COORDINATORS ARE TOLD TO TELL PARENTS YOU CAN'T WRITE YOUR OWN LETTER. LET THE TEACHER DECIDE.  LET THE SPECIAL ED TEAM DECIDE. LET'S HAVE A FEW MEETINGS WHERE THEN PEDIATRICIANS THANKFULLY IF THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE A DOCTOR OR A PEDIATRICIAN WHO WILL HELP THEM AND ADVOCATES FOR THEM AND WRITES THAT LETTER THEY ARE ALSO WONDERFUL ADVOCATES. I KNOW I'VE WORKED WITH MANY AND ANYONE ANYONE CAN BE A PARENTS ADVOCATE. I'VE BEEN ASKED I KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS PUSHED BACK AND ASKED ME NOT TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR PARENTS BUT PARENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME DIRECTLY ASKING ME CAN YOU HELP ME ADVOCATE?  MY CHILD IS FAILING. MY CHILD IS NOT GETTING SERVICES DELIVERED AND THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION. WE KNOW THE DATA SHOWS THAT DPS HAS NOT BEEN DELIVERING ON THEIR SPECIAL ED SERVICES. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT UBEC IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM. I MEAN MY MY YOUNGEST IS 25 NOW SO I STRUGGLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE MY CHILD WENT AT THREE AND FOUR AND KNEW AS A EARLY CHILD AS A TEACHER THAT THE MOST AMAZING THING IS WHEN YOUR CHILD HAS A WONDERFUL DAYCARE PRESCHOOL SETTING. SO SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE PROVIDING IT AND THE STUDENTS THAT THEY CATCH THAT HAVE A FEW LEARNING DIFFERENCES THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IS IMPORTANT. BUT WHEN COUNSELOR FITZGERALD ASKS THE QUESTION IF YOU ARE IDENTIFIED AND THEN WE DO HOPEFULLY WITHIN 45 DAYS RIGHT IN IEP DO YOU BECOME A STUDENT? WELL, FEDERALLY YES. WE HAVE TO SAY YOU ARE WE HAVE TO CHECK A BOX THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THEN BELIEVES WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. BUT THE REASON I WROTE THIS HEARING ORDER IS BECAUSE I HEARD FROM MANY FAMILIES WHO SAID WE FINALLY GOT THE TESTING DONE. WE NEEDED AN ADVOCATE THERE. WE FINALLY HAVE THE SERVICES WE HOPE ARE GOING TO HELP MY CHILD BUT NOW THEY'RE SAYING THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SAYING THEY'RE A BPA STUDENT, WE'RE NOT PROVIDING THEM TO SEE AND THEN EVEN SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO LIKE PLUG THE HOLE OF THE SINKING SHIP AND THAT WE'RE LIKE HIRING SOMEONE NEW OR ADDING A TEACHER MAYBE TO FILL THE GAP CONCERNS ME ALSO BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY TIMES IT'S PRESENTED TO THESE FAMILIES LIKE WE'RE DOING THEM A FAVOR.  OH YEAH. NO DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME . THAT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT A STUDENT IN THE TIME THAT WE COULDN'T TRANSITION THEM TO HAS HAD SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. IT IS IT IS NOT WHAT IS NECESSARY AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T CONTINUE TO TRY AND GET THE STUDENT TO BE APS BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT PART OF WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO WHEN THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE IS MITIGATE IT BOTH FOR THE STUDENT BUT ALSO THE OTHER TEACHERS AND TEACHERS. ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE AND THE PROGRAM WAS REACHED OUT ALSO SAYING WE'RE STRUGGLING LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO PULL AND THEN WE'RE PULLING FROM ANOTHER NEED . BUT MY POINT IS THAT IT'S WITH THE $1.7 BILLION BUDGET LIKE IT'S NOT THAT WE SHOULD FIND SOMEONE TO HELP LIKE WE NEED TO HIRE SOMEONE WE NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE NOT PROVIDING ESL SERVICES. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE NOT PROVIDING SPECIAL ED SERVICES FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHILE AT ANY GRADE LEVEL. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT AND THEN ALSO JUST THAT POINT THAT COUNSELOR PEP AND BROUGHT UP LIKE SHOUT OUT TO THE PEDIATRICIANS WHO KNOW THAT DPS IS A SYSTEM THAT IS REALLY HARD TO NAVIGATE FOR PARENTS AND THAT THEY STEP UP AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM SO THAT AND ALSO IT'S NEW WE'RE LEARNING BUT IT'S NOT NEW THAT WE HAVE YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE, FOUR YEAR OLD AND PARENTS TRY TO GO DIRECTLY BECAUSE IN THE PAST IF IT WASN'T A PKC THEY WERE AT THE TABLE. THEY WERE A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. THEY WERE ALREADY IN A SETTING . TRUE. THERE'S AMAZING, YOU KNOW, PRESCHOOL SETTINGS.  YOU'RE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM NOW WITH OUR REPS BUT THEY WERE ALREADY PROVIDING FOR DECADES NOW PRESCHOOL OPPORTUNITY IS AND ALREADY THE ADVOCATES IF IT WAS TO ABCD OR OTHER PROGRAMS TRYING TO HELP THESE CHILDREN GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED SO BEFORE THEY WOULD TRY I GUESS TO CALL SPECIAL ED DIRECTLY AND IT WAS HARDER. SO HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT NOW THAT WE'RE CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO ONE BIGGER NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WERE OFFERING THE TEST AND AND THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT AS A BURDEN? MM HMM. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO STAFF ACCORDINGLY BECAUSE IT IS THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT ADMINISTER THE IEP TEST.  IT IS THE OTHER SPECIAL ED TEACHERS WHO DO GET ASSIGNED AT ALL WHAT T STUDENTS DON'T LIKE AND THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE JEWISH DAY SCHOOL, THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. THEY DO HAVE TO TEST THESE CHILDREN AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE AUTOMATICALLY PLACED INTO A B SETTING IF IDENTIFIED AND THAT THE TESTING IS IN SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE SO PAINFUL OR THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO GEAR UP WITH ADVOCATES LIKE ADVOCATES AGREE BUT I WOULD SAY WE SHOULDN'T NEED THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES THE SAME TESTING RIGHT 48 HOURS PRIOR ALL THE TESTING RESULTS NEED TO BE DELIVERED TO PARENTS. THE NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO TELL YOU THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IT NEVER HAPPENS TO FAMILIES WHO ALWAYS COME WITH AN ADVOCATE, RIGHT? IT ONLY HAPPENS TO FAMILIES THEY KNOW DON'T KNOW THEY'RE RIGHT. SO FOR ME MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LIFTING UP THOSE VOICES APPRECIATION FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID. I COULD JUST SAY WHAT YOU SAID BUT JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT AROUND THE I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE COACHING AND THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND SO TO YOUR POINT THANK GOODNESS WE'RE AWAY FROM WORKSHEETS THE LEARNING TRANSFER THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN BEEPS K ONE TEACHER AND A COMMUNITY BASED TEACHER IN A FAMILY CHILDCARE THOSE ARE THE SPACES THAT WE TRY AND CREATE AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE.  THREE HAPPENED THIS SUMMER AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WHERE WE THINK ABOUT THE BEST WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS TOGETHER AS WE DID TO YOUR POINT AROUND THE SEATS THERE,  WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN THIS THIS LAST YEAR. SO THE INCREASE AND INCLUSION SEATS, THE INTENT WAS TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR AND MY HOPE IS THAT THE THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU HEARD WAS FROM LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE MUCH BETTER FEEDBACK FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR THE LAST THING THAT I KEEP THINKING ABOUT IS ELIMINATING SILOS AND THAT WAS THE GOAL OF THIS WORK WAS TO KEEP BEEPS FROM WORKING, NOT PLAYING NICELY IN THE SANDBOX WITH FAMILY CHILD CARE YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND I MEAN THAT IN THE NICEST WAY BUT LIKE WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT WE ARE ELIMINATING SILOS? AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST WAYS IS WE HAVE A YUP'IK RELATED SERVICES AND BEHAVIOR HEALTH MANAGER. THEY SIT IN BEEPS AND THEY SIT IN THE SPECIALIZED SERVICES DEPARTMENT BUT THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH ME AND SO WE ENSURE THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY TO TALK DIRECTLY ABOUT SERVICES BEING DELIVERED TO YOU BECAUSE STUDENTS SO SHE IS ACTUALLY THE TWO OF THEM ARE EMPLOYED UNDER ME AND THEY SIT UNDER MY DEPARTMENT SO I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THEM.  IT'S OUR YUP'IK RELATED SERVICES MANAGER AND YOU BECAME BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGER. SO WHILE THEY ARE SIT UNDER THE TWO DEPARTMENTS OR RATHER THE SPECIALIZED SERVICES THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH ME AND SO PART OF WHAT THEY ARE IS MY BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS AND BPC AND HELPING US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THESE PROGRAMS COULD COLLABORATE. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE TEACHERS IT'S ENSURING THAT THE SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED IN BPC AND HOW DO WE COLLABORATE ACROSS THOSE SETTINGS AND WE'VE GOTTEN BETTER. THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE FOR THREE YEARS NOW AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK TRYING TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND PLAY KINDLY IN THE SANDBOX.  YEAH. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE JUST LASTLY I WOULD SAY I MEAN WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT.  WE KNOW WE HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING IT RIGHT AT ALL GRADE LEVELS NOT JUST OUR YOUNGEST THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS AND I WOULD NEVER WANT MY CHILD TO BE A CASE STUDY TO SAY MAYBE WE SHOULD DO IT BETTER.  YOU DON'T GET THREE BACK YOU NEVER ARE FOUR AGAIN IF YOU'RE FIVE AND YOU NEVER GOT THE PROPER SERVICES AND THEN YOU'RE THROWN INTO FIRST GRADE YOU'RE GOING TO BE THAT CHILD THAT CONTINUOUSLY GETS PASSED ON AND IS CONTINUOUSLY STRUGGLING TO LEARN HOW TO READ AND ALL OF THE OTHER SKILLS THAT THEY LOST. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT. THERE'S NO EXCUSE. THERE IS NO FINANCIAL EXCUSE,  THERE'S NO EXCUSE. THERE'S SPACE AND I ALWAYS WORRY THAT IT'S JUST THERE'S NO POLITICAL WILL WE HAVE THE MONEY, WE HAVE ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WE HAVE EVERYONE WORKING UNDER EVERYONE ELSE SO WE HAVE THE ARMY READY TO GO. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT NEVER GETS TO THE POINT WHERE WE FIX IT, WHERE WE MAKE IT A PLACE WHERE BEEPS IS ACTUALLY A SHINING STAR AND AN EXAMPLE.  THAT'S WHY WE SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON PASSING STUDENTS OUT IF FAMILIES CAN AND IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO PROVE THAT BEEPS CAN NOT DELIVER THE SERVICES MY CHILD NEEDS.  THEY NEED TO BE PLACED IN AN OUTSIDE SETTING AND THEY GET PLACED TO THE CAMERA WHEN WE BUS THEM THERE OR THEY GET PLACED OUTSIDE SERVICES THAT CAN BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT HERE I THINK WE AGREE WITH YOU COUNSELOR, WHICH IS WHY WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING AND WE'VE TRIED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE WAYS THAT WE'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS THEM AND WHAT WE ARE HOPING IS THAT BY LOOKING AT THE DATA IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CLASSROOMS THAT ARE FULL AND WHERE THEY'RE GETTING FULL. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN EXCESS OF INCLUSION SEATS, CENTER BASED SEATS AND ABA SEATS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR KIDS WHO WERE NOT THREE BY SEPTEMBER 1ST ARE GOING TO TURN THREE AND THEY NEED TO GO AND THEY NEED TO GO TO A CLASS AND SO THAT'S A PIECE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'VE DONE IS EXPAND THE NUMBER OF K0 SEATS FOR KIDS THAT WERE THREE BY SEPTEMBER 1ST. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY AND ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED ARE WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE WHAT WE NEED THEM TO BE AND IN THE SAME TIME WE'RE BEGINNING TO DO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH COUNCILOR FITZGERALD WHICH IS THINK ABOUT HOW OUR CAPITAL PLANNING EFFORTS ALLOW US TO BE GROWING THAT K0 K1K2 SPACES OVER THE COMING YEARS AS WE THINK ABOUT THE FOOTPRINT THAT NEEDS TO BEST SERVE OUR DISTRICT AND TO COUNCILOR WEBBER'S POINT, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT MAKING SURE ENOUGH OF THOSE SPACES ARE BILINGUAL SPACES SO THAT OUR LEARNERS WHO DO HAVE SPECIALIZED NEEDS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED BOTH IN THEIR HOME LANGUAGE AS WELL AS IN ENGLISH? AND ONE LAST THING IS WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A HUNDRED STUDENTS HERE COMING OUT OF PRE-K. IT'S A SMALL NUMBER AND EVERY TEACHER CAN FILE A CLASS SIZE GRIEVANCE AND THERE ALWAYS CAN BE MORE THAN A LARGER NUMBER OF STUDENTS. THEY PAY YOU A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS EXTRA OR THEY GIVE YOU A PARENT TO SUPPORT. YEP. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY HAVE MET YOUR LIMIT, YOU KNOW AT THE LINDEN AND WEST ROXBURY OR A PARENT'S HOPING THAT THEIR CHILD GETS PLACED YOU KNOW AT THE MATHER IN DORCHESTER. OH BUT THAT KID TO CLASS IS FULL. IT'S NEVER FULL. YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD ANOTHER STUDENT AS LONG AS WE'RE PROVIDING WHAT'S WRITTEN CLEARLY IN THE CONTRACT TO SUPPLEMENT THE NEED FOR THE TEACHER. SO WE SHOULD NEVER LEAVE A CHILD WITHOUT THE SERVICES IN PLACE AS A FORM OF PPE. THANK YOU TO THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY HOWSOEVER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.  JUST A FEW MORE QUESTIONS SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE THE EXPANSION OF PRE-K YOU KNOW, COME FROM 29 SITES OR 56 SITES AND SO WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO EVERYONE WHO NEEDS IT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?  MY VISION ARE YOU WANT TO SEE THIS? I MEAN I THINK IDEALLY WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE I JUST WANT ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR JANEY FOR REALLY BEGINNING THAT EXPANSION FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND THEN MAYOR WU FOR MAKING THAT INVESTMENT. AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE ARE REACHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN ACCESS PROBLEM FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS AND WE KNOW THAT FOR A THREE YEAR OLD TO THE SPACE THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND.  AND SO I THINK CONSIDERING HOW DO WE EXPAND IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS TO REACH THREE YEAR OLDS AS WELL AS IN FAMILY CHILD CARE SO THERE IS TRULY NO WRONG DOOR AND I THINK USING THIS DATA THROUGH OUR SHARED ENROLLMENT PLATFORM WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE SPECIALIZED SERVICES IN PLACE ACROSS THOSE SETTINGS. OKAY, THAT'S IT. I MEAN WE'VE YET TO MEET THE NEED HOW MANY SITES, MANY CLASSROOMS TO IS THIS? WELL, YEAH, WE LOVE RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT THERE'S 13,003 AND FOUR YEAR OLDS IN BOSTON UK IS CURRENTLY SERVING A LITTLE OVER 50% OF THOSE FOUR YEAR OLDS AND ONLY 22% OF THE THREE YEAR OLD. SO I GUESS IT'S A MATTER OF HOW MANY OF OUR CURRENT PROVIDERS WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND BUT ALSO NEW PROVIDERS THAT ARE READY TO COME ON BOARD. YOU KNOW TYPICALLY CLASSROOMS ARE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 SO CHILDREN EACH.  SO I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD JUST ADD TO TARA'S ANSWER IS THAT WE HAVE TO FINISH UP A FILL ESOPHAGEAL CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BEGUN. BUT AS I INDICATED NOT YET FINISHED AND THAT IS HOW DO WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THREE YEAR OLDS SHOULD BE RIGHT AS WE'RE DOING OUR CAPITAL PLANNING FOR BEPS? DO WE ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE GENERAL ADD THREE YEAR OLDS IN SCHOOLS OR NOT?  SO IS OUR STRATEGY FOR SERVING THREE YEAR OLDS ONLY DOING IT IN THE COMMUNITY BASED SPACE OR DO WE WANT TO EXPAND THE WAY WE SERVE THEM IN BEPS AND THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT PIECES TO THAT CONVERSATION. THERE ARE SOME PARENTS WHO DON'T WANT THEIR STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL. THEY WANT THEM IN A COMMUNITY BASED SETTING.  THEY WANT TO HAVE THOSE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS. I CAN DROP THEM OFF EARLIER.  I CAN PICK THEM UP LATER. RIGHT? RIGHT NOW WE ARE REALLY LIMITED AND BEPS FOR THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT'S LICENSED FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS. SO THAT'S A PIECE OF THE EQUATION. SO THERE'S THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IN ORDER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. AND SO THAT'S THE PARCEL WE'RE ON IN ORDER TO DO IT IN A MANNER THAT IS THOUGHTFUL AND NOT JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO SERVE THE SAME NUMBER OF THREE YEAR OLDS THAT WE SERVE AS FOUR YEAR OLDS. LET'S JUST GO OUT AND FIND A BUNCH OF SEATS OR LET'S JUST CREATE A BUNCH OF CLASSROOMS. WE ACTUALLY WANT TO HAVE THE DELIBERATE CONVERSATION AND TO DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PROVIDERS AS WELL AS OUR FAMILIES SO THAT WE'RE THINKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE EXTERNALITIES. OKAY. AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPACE ISSUES AND FINDING THE SPACE BUT WHAT ABOUT STAFFING? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH IF WHAT'S WHAT ISSUES ARE THERE WITH RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION?  AND I GUESS IF YOU COULD APPRECIATE TEACHER IS NOT ON THE SAME FOOTING AS A AS LIKE A FIRST GRADE TEACHER, ARE THEY BEING PAID DIFFERENTLY IF THEY'RE PAID THE SAME? OKAY IN OUR MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM YEAH WE START THEM ABOUT 60 K FOR A BACHELOR'S DEGREE TEACHER AND SO IT'S COME AS IT'S ALIGNED WITH WHAT A TEACHER WOULD RECEIVE IN STARTING AT BPA BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THE UNION. THEY'RE NO KIDS. DO THEY GET PENSION BENEFITS? THEY GET BENEFITS FROM THEIR PROVIDER BUT NOT THROUGH DB YES, WELL I GUESS SO JUST DO DO WE HAVE ENOUGH IF WE WANT FOUND THE SPACE DO WE HAVE PEOPLE TO STAFF THEM? SO HOW'S THAT GOING? SO I THINK YOU'RE ASKING A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT QUESTIONS SO LET ME LET ME TRY AND EASE THEM APART. SO THERE'S THERE'S IF WE DO THE LONG TERM FACILITIES PLAN LET'S LET'S FOR EXAMPLE DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE MORE CLASSROOMS FOR A THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS IN LET'S JUST SO THOSE FOLKS WOULD BE HIRED THE SAME AS ANY OTHER BPO TEACHER THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEY WOULD BE IN THE SAME PAY AND BENEFITS SYSTEM IN THEM AND AND WHILE THERE IS ALWAYS A NEED FOR TEACHERS RIGHT NOW I THINK WE'RE SEEING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RECRUIT THEM AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE INVESTED AS A CITY A GOOD AMOUNT OF OUR ARPA MONEY IN PAYING FOR CREDENTIALS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS AND ONE OF THE CREDENTIALS THAT WE HAVE PAID FOR IS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. SO BY 2026 WE WILL GRADUATE 175 PEOPLE FROM UMASS BOSTON WITH THEIR BACHELOR'S IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. THEY CAN GO WORK FOR BPC OR THEY CAN WORK IN ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY BASED SETTINGS. WE CAN HOLD THAT FOR A MOMENT. SO THEN THE NEXT PIECE IS IN THAT NEXT DELIVERY SPACE THEIR CREDENTIAL FOR EDC IS DIFFERENT THAN IT IS FOR VP. THE CREDENTIAL ITSELF IS DIFFERENT THEIR PAY SCALE IS BASED ON WHOEVER THEY WORK FOR WHAT WE REQUIRE FROM THE CITY SIDE IS IF IT IS A CLASSROOM THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS TO BE PART OF UPGRADE THAT THEY MUST PAY THEM THE SALARY THAT TIARA INDICATED.  BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS IN A CENTER I HAVE SOME TEACHERS WHO ARE MAKING 60,000 AND A TEACHER RIGHT NEXT DOOR WHO'S MAKING 30 AND NEITHER OF THEM ARE IN THE BEAT. YOU BENEFIT RETIREMENT ANY OF THOSE SYSTEMS THAT HELPFUL? YEAH NO I JUST I KNOW FROM SPEAKING TO PRE-K PROVIDERS THAT RETENTION IS A REAL ISSUE THOUGH. RIGHT. AND IT IS A IT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE TAKE THEM ON THE CITY SIDE TO WORK AT PBS AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON ON THE ON THE COMMUNITY BASED SIDE IS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT AN INCREASE IN WAGES BOTH THROUGH YUP'IK AND THROUGH THE WORK THAT MY OFFICE DID AROUND SUSTAINABILITY OF A HIGHER WAGE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STATE ON IT IN TERMS OF C THREE GRANTS AND THERE'S A TON WORK STILL TO BE DONE IN THAT SPACE. OKAY YEAH I JUST I WAS THINKING MORE OF JUST WELL I COULD I COULD CONTINUE DOING THIS I'VE DONE THIS FOR A COUPLE YEARS. I COULD TAKE THIS JOB AT THE LYNDA AND TEACHING FIRST GRADE AND THEN YOU KNOW I'M IN A LOT OF PEOPLE DO DO THAT. YEAH. OKAY. AND IS THERE ANY HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT? SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THEY HAVE A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM EDA TO BE WORKING WITH MASS HIRE TO RECRUIT NEW PEOPLE INTO CHILD CARE SO THAT IF PEOPLE ARE LEAVING DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT COME IN, FILL IN BEHIND THEM? AND THAT'S THE PIECE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. OKAY. THERE'S A MUCH LONGER ANSWER. YEAH, BUT SO THE ANSWER IS NOT JUST IN BRINGING THOSE PEOPLE IN WE CAN'T JUST BRING THEM INTO THE YOU KNOW, THE NORMAL THE SAME BOAT THAT EVERYONE ALL THE OTHER TEACHERS ARE IN BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THEM KNOW,  YOU KNOW OKAY, THERE ARE THERE ARE 600 FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND OVER 150 CENTERS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL OF THEM ARE LICENSED IN A DIFFERENT SPACE.  OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER COUNSELOR BREELAND, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. AND BY I'M JUST GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF THIS LAST QUESTION YOU SAID THE 600 FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND IN IN BOSTON WHAT IMPACT DOES THE U. PRE-K PROGRAM HAVE ON THE FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS SORT OF UM YEAH I MEAN I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS FAIRLY CHILD CARE SERVES MULTI-AGE FOR INFANTS TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOL UNIVERSAL AND UNIVERSAL PRE-K IN THE FIRST YEAR LAST YEAR BROUGHT ON OUR FIRST GROUP OF FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE SIMILAR TO CENTER BASED PROVIDERS WHO ARE ALREADY THERE ARE FAIRLY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS WHO STILL NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS AND SO IF YOU VISIT THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD WEBSITE YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS A PATHWAY FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS INCLUDING FUNDING AND INCENTIVES TO MOVE THEM TOWARDS UNIVERSAL PRE-K.  BUT I DO JUST ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE SUPPORTS THAT WE OFFER ARE CITYWIDE. AND SO WHEN WE SAY THAT IS SOMETHING AVAILABLE AS FAR AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IT'S AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE ACROSS THE CITY AND OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND BRING ON MORE FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS IN THE FUTURE. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD ADD? I THINK THE THING THAT I WOULD ADD IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE IS A SYSTEM THAT MEETS PARENTS AND FAMILIES WHEREVER THEY ENTER. THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO CHOOSE FAMILY CHILD CARE PARTICULARLY FOR THEIR INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND SO BY ADDING THE PCP TO FAMILY CHILD CARE WE ARE HOPING TO FOR SOME OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE THEN THEY HAVE THE SAME TRANSITION INTO BIPS. SO THAT'S THE MODEL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. THEY ALSO TEND TO BE THE SPACES THAT ARE MOST FLEXIBLE AND PARENTAL NEEDS. THERE ARE ACTUALLY A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL SERVICE NEEDS FOR SERVICE THROUGH FAMILY CHILD CARE AND THEY ALSO ARE ABLE TO BETTER REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. AND SO WE'RE DOING A BOTH IN STRATEGY WHICH IS SUPPORTING THOSE FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND SUPPORTING THE AMP IN BRINGING THEM INTO UK. THE OTHER THING IS THE GREAT START WEBSITE DESIGNED TO HELP FAMILIES BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE. THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW PARENTS VIRTUALLY. YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF FAMILY CHILD CARE. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.  AND SO WHEN YOU GO TO OUR GREAT STARTS LANDING PAGE AND ACTUALLY WALKS YOU THROUGH WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN A CHILD CARE CENTER AND FAMILY CHILD CARE SO THAT AS PARENTS ARE MAKING CHOICES THEY ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT ALL OF THEIR OPTIONS ARE. MM HMM.  WE HAVE NOT SEEN FAMILY CHILDCARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE OF U-PICK WE HAVE SEEN FAMILY CHILD CARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS FOR LOTS OF OTHER REASONS AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF REASONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS IN TERMS OF LANDLORDS WHO YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT THEM TO BE OPERATING IN TERMS OF THEIR FISCAL SOLVENCY MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS. SO HOW DO WE ACTUALLY SUPPORT THEM AS SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE SUCCESSFUL? YEAH, YEAH. AND ESPECIALLY IN THE IN THE SPACE OF MULTICULTURAL CORRECT AND FLEXIBLE TIME THAT FAMILY CHILDCARE CAN TAKE IT SEVEN AND PICK THEM UP AT DIFFERENT HOURS AND A LOT OF THEM ARE SINGLE OPERATORS AS WELL SO THEY'RE LIMITED TO SIX CHILDREN AND YEAH THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS ABOUT JUST DEAF EDUCATION OUR YOUNG LIKE DO WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT SORT OF CATER TO AN INFANT TODDLER INFANT TODDLER AND THEN YOU CASE STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING BECAUSE I KNOW LOTS OF I IMAGINE WITH OUR SO MANY NEWCOMERS THAT THERE ARE WE NEED TO BE SCREENING VERY CAREFULLY FOR HEARING LOSS AND MAKING SURE THAT AND THEN ALSO GETTING ARE WE USING ENSURING THAT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE THOSE THOSE LITTLE ONES ARE HAVING ACCESS TO A AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AND AND PARENTS AS WELL LIKE I KNOW THE IDEAL MODEL IS SORT OF AN INFANT TODDLER PROGRAM WHERE PARENTS AND CHILDREN ARE LEARNING THE LANGUAGE AND SIGN LANGUAGE BASIC SIGN LANGUAGE TOGETHER.  WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THAT? YEAH SO WE DO HAVE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PROGRAM AND BPA BUT NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS AND JUST TO ALLOW AGAIN ANOTHER FEEDBACK AND TO GATHER INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL AND THEN JUST THINK THROUGH WHERE THAT NEED POTENTIALLY WOULD BE BUT WE HAVE IT IN DPS BUT NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY BASE YOU THINK OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GETTING SCREENED SO THEY'RE YOU.  YES THAT PART HEARING LOSS UM I AM ACTUALLY NOT AWARE OF ANY INFANT AND TODDLER SPACES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO OFF TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND I THINK I THINK THE HARASSMENT THE HARASSMENT WHEN IT WAS IN ALSTON DID HAVE A YELP DID HAVE A AN INFANT TODDLER PROGRAM BUT I THINK THERE I DON'T KNOW THE TRANSITIONED OVER TO CHARLESTON I I DON'T KNOW WHAT AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IN TERMS OF SPECIALIST SERVICES IS IN TERMS OF UM TEACHERS THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED FOR CHILDREN THAT HAVE A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND THEY ARE THEY ALSO PART OF THE THE PROGRAM TO HELP SUPPORT STUDENTS I KNOW I KNOW FROM WORKING AT PERKINS THAT THEY HAD PERIPATETIC TEACHERS WHO I THINK HAD CONTRACTS BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR TEACHERS WENT TO WORK FOR BEEPERS SO THAT EARLY INTERVENTION STAGE WHERE YOU'RE WORKING ON TEACHING CHILDREN WITH VISION IMPAIRMENT YEAH ANOTHER AREA WHERE THE SERVICES ARE IN UPS WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO BE EXPANDED IN COMMUNITY BASED AND WE DO THE SCREENINGS INITIALLY AS PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE WORK AND COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM BUT NO CURRENT PROVIDER THAT PROVIDES THOSE SERVICES AND SUPPORT. OKAY SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR.  AND JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.  DO YOU HAVE ANY OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I'VE BEEN TOLD BY FEDERAL STAFF THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS AND OUR AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING US TODAY . I ALSO WANT TO THANK SEPTEMBER CENTRAL STAFF.  WELL, SO YEAH SO I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND OTHER ATTENDEES AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S HEARING AND THE HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0651 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU