William S. Hart Union High School District governing board members are scheduled Wednesday night to discuss and adopt the $4.9 million Educator Effectiveness Block Grant Expenditure Plan, presented at the Nov. 17 meeting.
According to the public agenda for the board, the 2020-21 state budget includes one-time funds to support the professional development of certificated teachers, administrators and paraprofessional educators.
However, to receive the funds, the school district develops, adopts and presents a plan that delineates how the funds will be spent at a public meeting.
“At a subsequent board meeting, on or before Dec. 31, 2021, adopt a detailed expenditure plan, including but not limited to specific purchases made and the number of teachers, administrators, or paraprofessional educators that will receive professional development,” the agenda item reads.
The district’s allocation and expenditure plan for the block grant funds totals $4.9 million over five years.
In addition to the development funds, the board is also set to reintroduce “Of Mice and Men” to be included in the Hart district’s approved reading list, with required conditions.
“In the hands of a trained teacher, the book serves as an enlightening medium to discuss the important yet sensitive nature of race in America,” the agenda item reads. “The subject matter, the quality of literature, and the unique genre makes this book valuable in the 9th-grade classroom.”
In November, the Hart district reintroduced “Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee to be included in the reading lists after going through a review process.
The task force completed its work in May, and the new literature selection and approval process was shared with the board at the June 9 meeting.
“A district task force of teachers, teacher-librarians, students and parents worked through last school year to review, discuss and make recommendations for updating the Hart district selection and approval process for instructional materials,” the agenda item reads.
Additionally, the board is scheduled to consider approving a $149,000 grant from the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation Scholarships to college-bound graduates in 2022.
The board members will also discuss a redistricting of trustee zones to better reflect updated population numbers. School districts are required to review and, if necessary, adjust their trustee area maps to ensure population balance across the trustee areas, according to the agenda.
The governing board’s regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and be held at the district’s administrative office, located at 21380 Centre Pointe Parkway. The meeting will be livestreamed for those who do not wish to comply with the live meeting mask requirement at youtu.be/QnI3VQ0IGnE.
