Student Board Member Interview and Voices Morgan Hill Charter School Public Hearing

The Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Santa Clara County Board of Education (SCCBOE) meeting will start at 5:00pm. Contemporaneous public comments may only be made in person in the San Jose Room of the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE). Community members can follow SCCBOE meetings at home by clinking on this link and scrolling down to the Watch Live heading. If you cannot attend in person, and have a comment that you would like the SCCBOE to consider in its decision making, please email all of us prior to the board meeting at SCCBOEMembers@sccoe.org. The entire agenda and supporting documentation for this coming week's meeting can be found here.

First up on the agenda, the SCCBOE will recognize SCCOE's Employee of the Month, Michelle Fine. Ms. Fine is a Supervisor of Human Resources and has worked for the SCCOE for 25 years! Ms. Fine was chosen for her exceptional leadership skills, collaborative spirit, and positive energy.

Next, the SCCBOE will receive the Student Board Member Report, and then hear Public Comments of Persons Desiring to Address the Board (for non-Agendized items). Participants are given 2 minutes at most to address the Board, and the Board is not permitted to engage on the subject matter because it is not agendized. Next, the Board will hear Reports from SCCOE Bargaining Units (which include its teaching and staff unions, among others).

Then, the Board will consider approving its Consent Action Items. The consent part of an agenda generally includes non-controversial subject matters that can be approved all together if the Board all deems the items non-controversial and chooses not to pull any for discussion. For the SCCBOE, this part of the agenda typically includes minutes from the prior meeting, resolutions recognizing ethnic groups the county serves, specific educational initiatives, outside donations the county has received, disposition of surplus items, Head Start program reports, approval of board policy updates, and employee compensation increases over a certain threshold. This meeting's agenda includes a resolution for Department of Rehabilitation's Transition Partnership Program Contract and requests to accept specific donations. You can read more about all of them under agenda items 6.

The Board will next Interview and Appoint a Student Board Member to the SCCBOE. This is and action item. In accordance with Board Bylaw 9150, the SCCBOE will conduct interviews with student candidates for the Student Board Member position. This process provides an opportunity for students to share their perspectives, experiences, and interests in representing their peers at the county level and for the SCCBOE to choose the best candidate. The term for the Student Board Member would begin immediately and end June 30, 2026.

Michelle Johnson, the Director of the Charter Schools Department, will then kick off a Public Hearing on the Voices College-Bound Language Academy at Morgan Hill Charter School Renewal Petition. This is a discussion item and Voices Morgan Hill's presentation and petition can be fund under agenda item 8A. Voices Morgan Hill was established in 2015, renewed in 2017, and materially revised in 2022 (in order to operate in 3 locations). They were supposed to renew in 2023, but because of COVID, renewal deadlines were changed per state law. The public hearing will go as follows: 10 minute SCCOE staff presentation, 10 minute Voices Morgan Hill presentation, 10 minute Morgan Hill Unified School District opportunity to comment, public comment of one minute each, followed by the ability of Board members to ask clarifying questions.

Then, Dr. Matt Wayne and his time will give an Educational Services Division Update. This is a discussion item and Dr. Wayne's presentation can be found under agenda item 9A. The division includes: Alternative Education (Court and Community Schools), Migrant Education, Special Education, Foster Homeless Youth Department, Opportunity Youth Academy, Early Learning Services, and Walden West. The division directly operates programs for students with disabilities, students who are under court supervision, students who are not attending regular schools, students that 0-5 years old and supports local districts with environmental education, running their foster, homeless, and special education programs and provides education for children of migrant families.

Next, Michelle Johnson will give a Charter Schools Update. This is a discussion item. Her update will be regarding the annual review of teacher credentials at charter schools authorized by the Santa Clara County Board of Education (SCCBOE). Dr. Johnson will provide an overview of the credential status and any identified teacher misassignments at the county authorized charter schools.

Roger Gallizi will then give a Layoff Follow-Up Report. This is a discussion item and his report can be found under agenda item 9C. This report was at the request of Vice President Chon and myself to make sure we understand the categories of those employees noticed, rescinded, or laid off. The presentation Is relatively exhaustive presenting the data several different ways. I recommend you read it yourself to better understand the makeup of the employment actions and how each department was effected.

The Board will next go into Closed Session to start Dr. Toston's Superintendent Evaluation, and to additionally discuss anticipated litigation.

Please note, these are just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 11/5/25 meeting. You can inform yourself about the rest of the agenda at the link provided above. As always, feel free to email me with any questions.