Tulsa board meeting, Sep 8, 2026
53 min · 0 public speakers
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We have no link to this meeting's video that opens at a second, so nothing here can jump to a moment. Video length 53 min.
- Who spoke · first speaks at
- Calvin MonizVice PRESIDENT
- John CroisantBoard member
- Kyra CarbyBoard member
- Susan LamkinPRESIDENT
What happened
What happened at this meeting
Tulsa school board hears options for finding at least $12 million in savings
- The board approved the minutes, the consent agenda and the 2026-2027 sinking fund estimate of needs and requirements.
- District staff gave an update on a resolution the board adopted July 27 that asked for recommendations by October 19 that would identify at least $12 million in financial savings.
- A staff member said options under consideration include closing and consolidating small schools, increasing class size and freezing salaries for all employees.
- A staff member said no recommendations were being made that night and that recommendations would come to the board September 21.
Item by item (8)
- Opening and agenda
- Susan Lamkin acknowledged the Native American nations on whose land the district stands and said a quorum was present.
- A district staff member said there were no changes to the agenda.
- A speaker described the work of support staff and asked the district to continue bargaining in good faith.
- Approval of minutes
- The board considered the minutes of the August 17th, 2026 regular meeting.
- Susan Lamkin announced that the minutes passed.
- Consent agenda
- Susan Lamkin said board questions and district responses are posted on the district webpage.
- Susan Lamkin announced that the consent agenda passed.
- Sinking fund estimate of needs
- The item asked the board to approve the 2026-2027 sinking fund estimate of needs and requirements to retire bonded indebtedness.
- Susan Lamkin said there were no speakers for public comment on the action agenda.
- Susan Lamkin announced that the action item was approved.
- Budget savings staff report
- A presenter said the district reduced spending on contracts by over $5 million from fiscal year '24 to fiscal year '26 and had a net reduction of close to 100 positions at district office.
- The presenter said the cost per pupil is about $2,000 higher at small schools than at the largest schools.
- A staff member listed options under consideration, including closing and consolidating small schools, increasing class size, freezing salaries and increasing the student walking radius.
- Community engagement timeline
- A presenter said the district set up 7 opportunities for community members to engage before October 19th, along with an online survey starting the next day.
- A staff member said superintendent and cabinet recommendations would come to the board September 21st for consideration in October.
- Board member reports
- Calvin Moniz asked what percentage of the $89.1 million in general fund salary would be considered administration expense, and a staff member said the district would get that amount.
- John Croisant said the board has heard that classrooms need air conditioning where it has broken and that the district has been moving students and getting portable units.
- Kyra Carby thanked staff and families for their patience with air conditioning problems in older buildings.
- Walking radius clarification
- Susan Lamkin said there were no speakers under citizens' comments.
- A staff member clarified that the walking radius is 1.5 miles for elementary students and 2.0 miles for secondary students.
Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.
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