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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 48m

In the past decade between 0 and 10% of college students identify as non-binary.

That is an incredibly useless graph and dataset with a very large variance between years.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

*Caveat: I am not a lawyer. A lawyer would have a better idea of what the statutes pertaining to appeals mean than I do.

Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The PSCS will appeal any denial. They have already threatened litigation.

Deena Bishop and the DEED board during the appeal process are constrained to the following questions:

Did FNSBSD follow the law?
Was the decision supported by the evidence in front of the board?

bsky.app/profile/worm...

Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · Jun 19

Thanks for not suing the school district, I guess?

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The district administration makes a strong argument that this will have detrimental impacts on both the budget and operations of the district.

The PSCS even agrees this will cost money.

This is where lawyers are going to get involved.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

On appeal both the DEED commissioner and DEED board "shall review the local school board's decision to determine whether the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law"

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

A charter can be denied by the school board "based on the anticipated detrimental impact on the District’s budget and/or operations." Also the board "may deny an application that is not submitted sufficiently far in advance". Policy 935.1

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The district proposes instead of opening another charter that we create STREAM focused schools.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

Transportation and hot meals are also unlikely to happen at PSCS.

Really hard to support families with needs if they have to volunteer, get their own rides, and provide their own meals.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

If the charter is approved the district would be in deficit. They could cover this deficit by increasing class sizes for everyone by 2 students

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The district also has concerns about the maintenance budget. It's $25K below the average costs.

This seems like PSCS forgot that custodians exist. Real shades of forgetting about male labor in our schools.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The district questions the lease that PSCS proposes. This lease is $90-180K less than smaller charter school facilities. Those facilities don't include custodial costs which the PSCS proposal assumes will be included in the lease.

FNSB giving this lease as is unlikely.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The district also has concerns about the organization and administration of this charter including what waivers to current regulations and collective bargaining are needed

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

The district points out that the charter cannot circumvent district hiring procedures. They don't get to pick their staff and teachers.

This charter would also put pressure on the current staffing issues the district faces.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

That's it for side by side comparisons. The PSCS presentation is light on details, but colorful.

The district presentation includes more details that I'll go into here.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

PSCS points to the loss in enrollment and charter school wait lists.

The district points out that most of that wait list is current district students. Home school families aren't interested in charters. They also add that this charter would mainly poach west side elementary schools.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

PSCS believes the charter will bring in $3.9 million. The district believe it's $3.7 million.

The big delta is in total costs.

PSCS: -$800K
District: -$2.7 million
Both agree this will not add revenue

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

Here's PSCS proposed admission policy.

The district responds that the admission policy is illegal and the volunteer requirements may not be allowed pending litigation.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

Here PSCS vows to support IEPs and special education.

The district responds that they won't have the staff capacity to support many district students with needs.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

Here's the proposed student to teacher ratios for grade levels.

The district responds that the 4-6 targets for PTR are too high.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

Here's PSCS application presentation

go.boarddocs.com/ak/fbns/Boar...

Here's the districts rebuttal

go.boarddocs.com/ak/fbns/Boar...

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

If the board denies this charter, then the appeals go to DEED commissioner followed by the DEED board

On appeal both "shall review the local school board's decision to determine whether the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law"

Steps for appealing a charter denial by a school board for Alaska.

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

A charter can be denied by the school board "based on the anticipated detrimental impact on the District’s budget and/or operations." Also the board "may deny an application that is not submitted sufficiently far in advance". Policy 935.1

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 1h

I'm going to do a small thread on the Pearl Creek Steam Charter application.

Both the PCSC application and the districts response can be found in the school board meeting agendas for October 6 and 14, respectively.

www.k12northstar.org/school-board...

Meeting & Event Information - Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

www.k12northstar.org

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Reposted by Don

Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · 10h

There needs to be more coverage of this in the news. I have read so many stories bout this on Facebook, first hand stories of the terror of that storm, and very little coverage n media.
www.facebook.com/100000960660...

Screenshot of a Facebook post. Photo is an elderly woman holding a child on her ap on a couch with flood water around them. Both are wearing jackets inside. Text says: This was after our 1st drift.. staying put for awhile. Our 3rd and final drift was terrifying. House moving fast then we started spinning in circles. While we were spinning in circles my oldest daughter was just staring at me while I held onto my younger two. Kipnuk doesn't look like kipnuk anymore, like more than 3/4 of the homes displaced, power poles fallen. It smells like stove oil outside. Contaminated

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Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 14h

If the school board denies PCSC's application then the appeals go to DEED commissioner then the DEED board

On appeal both "shall review the local school board's decision to determine whether the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law"

NAL