August 21, 2025 School Board Meeting
All Board Members present; Turner virtual
Board Actions & Announcements
The meeting opened with approval of the consent agenda 4-0, including new school appointments.
Upcoming meetings include the Policy Subcommittee (Aug 27) and Committee of the Whole and Board Meeting on Sept 4.
Superintendent & Board Updates
Superintendent Dr. Durán reaffirmed APS’s commitment to safe, inclusive learning environments.
APS responded to the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX inquiry, maintaining support for current transgender policies pending Supreme Court review of Title IX issues.
Dr. Durán: Reaffirmed core values to provide safe learning evironments for every students. APS responded to US DOE that they disagree with assertion that they are violating Title IX. SCOTUS will review Title iX issue soon and in meantime APS will uphold current transgender policies.
Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton emphasized APS’s dedication to protecting all students' well-being and defended transgender policy.
Video presented about teacher recruitment and training ahead of new school year.
Discussion about APS’ Grow Your Own program which hires recent APS graduates to work as instructional assistants at APS.
Discussion about cell phones policies at high schools. Dr. Durán confirmed away for the day and that all high schools will have cell phone pouches for storage and that the Wakefield policy pilot was very successful.
Public Comment APE Note: Normally we do not include the names of speakers, but we have added the names of individuals running for public office or recent School Board Members for transparency. All of the following comments are quotes or paraphrases of public comment.
APS graduate and father of 3 APS students. Thanks SB for transgender policies and rejecting Trump Admin illegal and harmful demands.
Speaker who supports the transgender nondiscrimination policy.
Speaker whose daughter viewed a naked male registered sex offender in locker room said she no longer goes to swimming lessons. Cox deemed competent to stand trial and will represent himself and be able to question victims. Protect safety and dignity of children and protect safe, private spaces.
APS Teacher grateful to be in a district that builds culture of acceptance.
Speaker about neurodiversity. Parent of kids with dyslexia and ADHD.
Speaker about women athletes and support of Title IX based on biological sex.
APS Parent of nonbinary student thanks APS for defense of transgender policy
Vell Rives (APS parent and School Board Candidate) – disagree with locker room policy; must protect rights of girls. Amend policy to provide biological girls with an exclusive space they are entitled to.
Teacher thanks SB for transgender support.
President of Equality Arlington – support current aps policy
Teacher supports policy and ensure equitable bathroom access for transgender students. Arguments to keep bathroom segregated being used today.
Monique Bryant (APS parent and School Board Candidate) – Title IX protections are promises not political tools. Father grew up in segregated Arlington. Today we see efforts to attack transgender families. APS school board standing up for Arlington values and morals.
Winsome Earl Sears (Candidate for Governor, current Lt. Gov) – There are two sexes – boys and girls and they deserve their own bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams. APS in violation of Title IX. Will not allow political correctness to trample over education.
Former school board member, Diaz-Torres, speaking in strong support of transgender policy. School Boards have authority to make policies right for their own communities – respect, inclusion, kindness.
APS Parent – support transgender policy
Speaker – support transgender policy
Speaker – support transgender policy
Speaker – support transgender policy
Speaker supports transgender policy
APS Teacher – need smaller classroom
Speaker – supports transgender policy
Speaker – support transgender policy
Speaker – support transgender policy
Speaker – support transgender policy
Speaker – trans student alumni – thanks SB and support transgender policy
Speaker – trans policy supporter
Audit Reports & Operational Reviews
The Board reviewed results from the 2024–25 audit cycle. The Board approved four audits: HR, payroll, overtime, and Information Services.
Key findings included:
Need for improved SOPs and internal controls.
HR Audit – Multiple recommendations to improve customer service and internal control environment
Biggest dissatisfaction was with dealing with benefits but signs of improvement
Overtime audits revealed overtime overpayments and lack of uniform guidelines.
Overtime Audit Report
Loss of accountability for overtime records
NO documented SOPs
Overtime overpayments in 2022-2024
No uniform overtime assignment guidelines
Questions From Board Members:
Tapia-Hadley: Question about Overtime - All overtime need to be approved by supervisors; remedies to make sure no overuse
Budget oversight gaps
Information Services – concentrated on hardware, advertisement, recruitment for internship program
hardware– apples and dells
Repair costs – macs, misc equipment
Third party recycles Dell computers
Apple buyback program
No centralized location for inventory; school stored equipment in unsecured areas; access to storage inadequate (not stamped do not duplicate); inconsistent billing practices for equipment repairs
Other deficiencies mentioned but not in detail
Questions from Board Members:
Kadera: Noted Audit Committee meetings are open to the public
Turner: Questions on IS audit – thank Alice for work and Mary for work as audit chair. Development of SOPs is a real theme and need to proactively address that issue
Clark: Is there a mechanism to measure costs of apple v. dell? How did we pick one over the other? There doesn’t seem to be a clear answer. Apple does have a buy-back program.
Tapia-Hadley: purchasing for new school year? Are we pausing to get a handle on the inventory? Answer: Andy Hawkins – Asst. Supt – we know how many devices we have and what we need. Just need reconciliation of who has what. We are purchasing on overall need – which we know. Internships – summer time help for devices; many are students and back at school
Kadera: are we choosing right devices? This has been longstanding convo among board? Considerations – best support learning and cost (not just cost of device; but also infrastructure of supporting devices). Apple commitment renews every 3 years
Zercher Sutton: question about centralized space.
Summary of Key Finding
Loss of accountability
Benefits division significant deficiencies – implemented a new division, a “Fresh Start”
Sept 2025 – HR dual training – FMLA and I-9 and E-verify and regulatory requirements
Customer service training
Recruitment and onboarding training
Modernizing HR systems
Turnaround from 10 days to 3 days
Employee relations and leadership development – on EAP matters
HR will launch seminars on leaderships
Audit treated as blueprint (not checklist)
Finance Audit presented by Andy Hawkins
PCards, iExpense and SAF
update and communicate SOPs and PIPs for employee reimbursement
Goal – set standards for reimbursement – must use Specified system
Consider preapproval of expenses – Kadera asks how practical that is. Answer: Some schools do that already and will pilot it at others
Clark – what was reimbursement rate? (teachers sought v actual reimbursed)
Need flexibility for teachers in specialized roles, e.g., culinary arts need to buy fresh food
Questions on overall audit report
Clark: Have we completed audit report for external risk
Next audit committee meeting in September
Clarl: SOPs – sounds like we are triaging SOPs
Durán – we were waiting for new STARS system to implemented
Zecher Sutton: What are new rating levels
Failing, Satisfactory, etc, etc, Excellent
What areas are required to have external audits? Financial statements audited
Independent auditors for financials
Boundary Review & Capacity Planning presentation by Cathy Lin, Director Facilities and Operations
APS staff presented findings on elementary and middle school capacity.
Several Elementary schools (Discovery, Jamestown, Nottingham, Tuckahoe) are underutilized from a design and program capacity standpoint, while others (Cardinal, Glebe, Taylor) may absorb enrollment shifts.
Relevant metrics are whether a school is 15% underutilized from a design and program capacity.
There was confusion at the meeting about the meaning of design v. program capacity. It seems designs capacity is based on occupancy and space limitations. Program capacity is based on the appropriate number of students based on the relevant program (i.e., a preschool or SPED classroom will require fewer students than a regular classroom).
Williamsburg Middle School is only middle school that is undercapacity.
No Elementary or Middle Schools were overcapacity.
Boundary Review Guiding Questions
Capacity utilization thresholds – a neighborhood schools has been at least 15% over or under building design capacity for the past 2 year and
Enrollment projections show that this trend is likely to continue
Can current neighborhood ES and MS boundaries be adjust to better align with projected enrollment needs while minimizing disruption to school communities?
What improvements are needed for boundary review process?
Design Capacity Utilization – static
Program capacity – take into account renovations, etc?
The following Neighborhood ES meet the undercapacity criteria
Discovery, Jamestown, Nottingham, Randolph, tuckahoe
4 are at least 15% below their design and program capacity – discovery Jamestown, Nottingham, tuckahoe
Need to see how to balance enrollment – need between 395 – 436 students from other neighborhood ES to bring them to a 95% utilization rates.
The 3 ES that would be impacted are Cardinal, Glebe and Taylor because they are contiguous with Discovery, Jamestown, Nottingham & Tuckahoe
No ES were overcapacity based on criteria
16 planning units that are adjacent to the school boundaries of discovery, Jamestown, Nottingham and tuckahoe most of these students do not receive bus service to their current neighborhood school.
2 of the 15 planning units are in the same unit as their neighborhood school
Middle School
Williamsburg MS is undercapacity based on design and program capacity
Key finding: do not recommend ES and MS boundaries at this time. Implementing changes would conflict with proximity considerations
Staff recommends – review current capacity policy
Establish clear guidelines for special education and prek placement at neighborhood ES
Review alignment and feeder patterns at all school level
Recommend policy and PIP on option programs on how their locations are determined, how they are established, why they exist, program capacity, etc.
Dr Durán: No one wants boundary changes, but need to make sure space being utilized and cost efficiencies
Questions:
Clark: design v program capacity?
Drew Prek class – program capacity lower than design capacity. It can fit more kids but not appropriate for pre-kindergarten
Montessori classrooms have different set up
SPED and PK have different capacity thresholds than what the physical room is designed for
Program capacity more realistic view on what is appropriate capacity
Clark – what is 10 year projected trend?
How is projection different from enrollment?
We are heavily influenced by fed govt and immigration
Discovery built because over-enrollment
Zecher Sutton: questions about recommendations
Turner: What is program capacity of Drew?
84% program capacity
Glebe – how can program capacity be larger than design capacity?
Program capacity – indicates it has more seats
Design capacity – have rooms designed to be classrooms that they have reconfigured to use as staff support. Would need to reconfigure as classroom
Kadera: supports not doing boundary changes at the moment
Agrees about policies for option schools and their locations. Easier to consider this when not in middle of a heated boundary changes
Zecher Sutton: option school discussion is bigger picture and shouldn’t be included in boundary context
Final recommendation around school consolidation – discussion about retirement of school facility and school consolidation slated for later this year
Kadera: need to have clear understanding of retiring vs consolidating school
Need to have discussion about location of option schools
Zecher Sutton: consensus that there is agreement to accept recommendation to not tackle boundaries this fall
Board agreed not to pursue boundary changes this fall, citing community impact and the need for clearer policies on option schools, such as where they should be located in the district.
Final Actions
The board authorized legal counsel action in closed session with a 5–0 vote (no detail given on the action).
