Councilor O'Brien: Joint committee on education

Four goals of the joint committee:

1. increase communication
2. capital and technology needs of schools
3. review operational needs of schools
4. identify additional opportunities to work together

Cites progress in capital work: completed, underway, the four year capital plan, and the 10 year plan

NOTE: the F&O committee will vote the Statements of Interest at our meeting on Monday!

The City Council has to authorize and oversee capital projects for the schools (aka: THE WPS DOES NOT BUILD SCHOOLS!)

Technology needs

"Need to have a clear target for where we want to be above foundation"

"recognizing that we won't get there all in one year"

"some have talked about 2, some have talked about 3, it'd be nice to go higher than that...have a clear goal"

"that would be matched with a list of the additional services and programs they can expect" in return for more money

"so they understand what they're buying"

"we want to establish what that benchmark should be before budget"

need parents to "be advocates for that conversation"

monthly meetings of the joint committee: invite people to attend: next meeting is Monday at Nelson Place at 6:30 pm