Board: School year to go on as planned

CLOVIS — The Clovis Municipal Schools 2020-21 school year, with classes beginning Aug. 17 and ending May 27, will go on as planned. At least that’s the plan.

The lack of a change was made official at a Wednesday evening CMS Board of Education meeting, where a revised calendar died on the floor because board members declined to make a motion.

The proposed new calendar, which would have moved the school year to Aug. 10-June 4, followed a New Mexico Department of Education suggestion to add 10 extended learning days. That was intended to help students catch up from the 10 days of instruction missed in late March as an initial COVID-19 pandemic response.

CMS Superintendent Renee Russ noted that giving local school boards the choice on implementing those 10 days was a rare measure of local control during the pandemic, which led to CMS and other districts adopting learn-at-home models beginning in April.

After presenting the calendar that added those 10 days, Russ and her administrative cabinet didn’t tell the board to vote no. They did, however, hone in on its unpalatable consequences, particularly financial.

“The 10 extra days, if covered by the state, would be between $160 million and $180 million (statewide),” Russ said. “There is, at best, $70 million set aside to address that. We feel very strong concern this strong urging to add extended learning across the state will be underfunded, and districts will be in a position to have to answer that funding gap.”

Russ estimated CMS would have to answer to the tune of at least $1.7 million.

Deputy Superintendent of Finance Shawna Russell echoed concerns from Russ the district could face a battle of what priority to fund and that there were still too many unknowns about the pandemic.

“My fear is if they don’t drop (the state equalization guarantee) enough and we continue to shut the state down among the COVID restrictions, in January we’ll see an even greater decrease,” Russell said. “We expect to use our cash balance just to fund regular schooling, and we’re concerned we’d have to use a larger portion of our cash balance just to fund (extended learning).”

Mitzi Estes, deputy superintendent of academic services and leadership, said the district was on board with extended learning and K-5 Plus opportunities from the state and submitted an application in February weeks before COVID-19 was a concern. One week after the district withdrew its application, the NMPED canceled both endeavors.

The department’s recommendation to again offer extended learning, Estes said, creates an on-again, off-again scenario that threatens employee and community buy-in.

“We know there’s not enough money to fund every student and every district in New Mexico,” Estes said. “I don’t think any of us would doubt we need that extra time with our students, but not in the conditions we’re in now.”

Joe Strickland, deputy superintendent of employee services, noted teachers and staff had already pulled off remarkable feats since March and said the 10 extra days would be, “adding another level of stress to people who are intensely focused on helping kids out.”

The messages were clearly heard, with Cindy Osburn addressing concerns the district already faces reduced funding with families declining to enroll students into a hybrid model blending online and in-person instruction. She called the extra 10 days one more unreasonable demand.

“The emotions are starting to become charged with anger,” Osburn said. “I hope as a board, we are going to let them know we are going to do all we have the possibility of doing (on behalf of school staff).”

Board Secretary Shawn Hamilton said the board would be negligent approving the new calendar, while Vice President Paul Cordova noted he’s married to an educator and they need time to recuperate.

“They’re working from the first day of school to the last day of school,” Cordova said. “They need that time to spend with their families, recharge their batteries. I don’t think putting 10 more days on the plate is a good idea.”

After it was clear nobody was going to put up a motion, President Kyle Snider said the proposal was dead and moved to adjournment.

Prior to the meeting, Russ had told The News if the calendar was not approved, the district would communicate to NMPED about alternative methods to provide targeted support for students in need without adding the extended learning days.

In other business before the board:

• The meeting began with swearing in of new board officers. The board had previously approved officer slates following elections, but changed the practice based on administration recommendations to correlate the office terms with fiscal years.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. July 28, tentatively at the CMS administrative building.