Notes from the Board Meeting - 10/14/2025
At the last FMSD Board meeting on 10/14/2025 an item of interest was presented and questioned by Board members:
Agenda Item 5.01 “Receipt of 7-11 District Advisory Committee Report on Findings and Recommendations”
The presentation to the Board and conversations may be seen between 16:39 to 44:31 - https://www.youtube.com/live/qnLYWL8SsyA?si=S79TIP0NTQDsHctd
Asley Ferrerira, Committee Vice Chairman/Secretary, Parent and Community Member shared on page 10 of the PowerPoint presentation to the Board:
“Committee Findings and Recommendations -- Part III
The Committee makes the following general recommendation:
Consolidation of existing Charter Schools to one campus, if feasible.”
Asley Ferrerera, Committee Vice Chairman/Secretary, Parent and Community Member also shared on page 11 of the PowerPoint presentation to the Board:
“Committee Findings and Recommendations -- Part IV
The Committee recommends the following uses are avoided:
Sale of Properties;
Leasing Properties for affordable housing;
Lease to private schools; and
Lease to charter schools.” (emphasis mine)
After the Presentation of the “7-11 District Advisory Committee Report on Findings and Recommendations”, Board members asked the following questions:
Trustee Rodriguez: “On Part III of your committee findings and recommendations, it made the general recommendation ‘the consolidation of all existing Charter Schools to one campus, if feasible.’ Did you guys have a lot, did you have a lot of discussion on that, or was it just someone brought it up and said we might want to move all 3, or whatever number of charter schools that we have, onto one campus.”
Committee Vice Chairman: “Umm. It was brought up in passing. I will say, I was the one who brought it into this recommendation. Umm. However, there were no disagreements with this, and we did discuss it, not extensively. Umm, but it was brought up at all 3 meetings.”
Trustee Cooper: “That was my question about the mentioning of ‘consolidating the Charter Schools onto one location, at one site’, and I think you started to answer that. Have you contacted or have you had any discussions, or communications at all with the Charter Schools to get feedback from them about this ‘idea’ or was this just mentioned and considered.”
*** Superintendent Cruz did NOT let the 7-II Committee Vice Chairman answer this question. Cruz interjected: “… the committee is just looking at recommending to the Board the different ways the facilities could be used.”
I understand what the Superintendent said, but he would not let the Vice Chairman answer the question. Cruz is NOT on the 7-11 District Advisory Committee, and it is NOT his place to answer for the Committee as they are giving their report, findings, and recommendations to the Board (not to the Superintendent).
Committee Vice Chairman: To the Board, “I will state, based on your previous question, Umm, there was discussion in the meetings about the feedback we had received and unofficially the parents and staff and few other people from the community who had input, but it was not Charter School members. It was parents or staff of children that attended our public schools, our non-charter schools, and Umm, it was their desire.”
Trustee Rodriguez: “…and I couldn’t agree more than the one on ‘consolidating our Charter Schools onto one campus’, especially, specifically the one with the initials L.A.”
Trustee Cooper: “…so are we saying we will not allow the existing Charter Schools to get bigger or to lease the properties if that was their choice?”
*** AGAIN, Superintendent Cruz did NOT let the 7-II Committee Vice Chairman answer this question. Cruz interjected: “No, ‘Cause these are just recommendations….”
My point exactly, my questions continually addressed by the Superintendent -- NOT the 7-11 Committee Chairman or Vice-Chairman! This shows the disdain, perceived bias, towards our Charter Schools, Charter School parents, and Charter School children in the Franklin McKinley School District!
This also demonstrates Trustee Rodriguez (who is running for reelection in 2026) is NOT an advocate for FMSD Charter Schools, Charter School parents, and Charter School children to have their choice of location and management of their schools!
- Action Item 9.05 “Superintendent’s Employment Contract”
“It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the new contract for the Superintendent for a new term of three (3) years effective July 1, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2028 in the form presented.”
All four of the Board Members vote YES, and I voted NO!
My reasoning was as follows: It has always been said that “Data drives instruction.” Furthermore, since the Superintendent of any School District, including the FMSD, has the PRIMARY responsibility to ensure our children receive a quality education, AND as a public-school educator for over 22 years, as well as a concerned parent, I CANNOT and WILL NOT approve a contract for our Superintendent (Cruz) of Schools in the Franklin McKinley School District! Look at the data! (The Data is provided on this website WITH citations) The education our children have received in the last 11 years, since Superintendent Cruz has been the Superintendent has only gotten WORSE! Our children’s test scores and learning have continually gone DOWN to where they are NOW, the lowest levels ever! THIS CANNOT CONTINUE!
I recognize, as a veteran public school educator in San Jose, there are so many variables involved which affect a child’s education, but I also recognize that the leader of the FMSD Schools, Superintendent Cruz, has NOT provided leadership to the FMSD schools in changing the direction of our children’s education. I voted NO on his contract extension. It is time for the FMSD School Board of Education to hire a new Superintendent!
Would the Board of ANY business, continue the contract of the CEO of its business, if it lost money for 11 straight years? OF COURSE NOT! Isn’t it our business to provide a QUALITY EDUCATION to our children? It’s time for change!
***Interestingly, Board President Sanchez (30+ years on the Board) and Trustee Rodriguez (16+ years on the Board) and President Sanchez’s son, Trustee Steven Sanchez (3 years on the Board) continue to vote to support Superintendent Cruz, despite Cruz’s supervision of declining educational performance by FMSD children. Why?
