setting max execution time works in some functions and not in others, codeigniter

Question

Been a long time since I've been here but I'm stumped on this one. Unclear if this is a codeignter thing or not but I have this function that pulls a lot of data and takes longer then 60seconds. In dev it allows me to go over 60 seconds but on prod it's a hard stop at 60 seconds.

I've tried changing the execution time in the php.ini... nothing. ini_set('max_execution_time', '300'); woks on some functions but not on my function... I'm lost here and my work is coming down on me. What is the deal?

Here's the function, that ini_set won't work on. Even here, set to zero still times out at 60seconds on prod:

public function cron_clever_import()
    {   ini_set('max_execution_time', 0);

        $this->load->model('Clever_model', 'clevermodel');
        $this->load->model('Licenses_model', 'licenses');
        $this->load->model('Users_model', 'users');
        $this->load->model('Groups_model', 'groups');
        $this->load->model('Userslicenses_model', 'userLicenses');
        $this->load->library('Clever');

        $adny_group_schools = array();
        $adny_group_distric = array();
        $special_da_emails = array();
                $getChildHierarchy = $this->groups->getChildHierarchy(7699);
                foreach($getChildHierarchy as $child_id) {
                    $adny_group = $this->groups->get($child_id);
                    if($adny_group->group_type == 'S') {
                        array_push($adny_group_schools, $child_id);
                    }
                    if($adny_group->group_type == 'D'){
                        array_push($adny_group_distric, $child_id);
                    }
                }
                $imploded_adny_groups = implode(",",$adny_group_distric);
                $current_da_adny_users = $this->users->getActiveDaAdny($imploded_adny_groups);
                foreach($current_da_adny_users as $current_da_adny_user)
                {
                    array_push($special_da_emails, $current_da_adny_user->email);
                }

      
        foreach($adny_group_schools as $groupID) {
            //arrays for checking our system against clever.  
            $current_active_emails = array();
            $current_clever_emails = array();
            $current_in_system = $this->users->getByGroupID($groupID);
            //fill array with current active users in otis system
            foreach($current_in_system as $current) {
                if($current->is_active == 1 && !in_array($current->email, $special_da_emails)) {
                    array_push($current_active_emails, $current->email);
                }
            }

            //get the entry id and oauth toke to gain access to clever, then grab the data and license info

                $is_in_mapping = $this->clevermodel->getCurrentMapByGroupId($groupID, 7699);
                if (!empty($is_in_mapping)) {

                    $clever_teachers = $this->clever->clever_get_school_users($is_in_mapping->clever_school_key, $is_in_mapping->district_oauthtoken, 'teacher');
                    $clever_staff = $this->clever->clever_get_school_users($is_in_mapping->clever_school_key, $is_in_mapping->district_oauthtoken, 'staff');
                    $teachers_decoded = json_decode($clever_teachers);
                    $staff_decoded = json_decode($clever_staff);
                }
                else {
                    $group_settings = $this->clevermodel->getSchoolSettings($groupID);
                    $oauth_token = $this->clevermodel->grabOauthToken($group_settings->district_oauthtoken_id);
                    //calls for teacher and staff(or school admin)
                    $clever_teachers = $this->clever->clever_get_school_users($group_settings->entry_id, $oauth_token, 'teacher');
                    $clever_staff = $this->clever->clever_get_school_users($group_settings->entry_id, $oauth_token, 'staff');
                    $groupMappingBySchoolId = $this->clevermodel->getCurrentMapBySchoolId($group_settings->entry_id);
                    if($groupMappingBySchoolId->otis_group_id < 1) {
                        $teachers_decoded = array();
                        $staff_decoded = array();
                    }
                    else {
                        $teachers_decoded = json_decode($clever_teachers);
                        $staff_decoded = json_decode($clever_staff);
                    }
                }
           

            //fill data into coherent array I can work with
            foreach ($teachers_decoded->data as $teacher_data) {

                if (is_null($teacher_data->data->email) || in_array($teacher_data->data->email, $special_da_emails)) {
                    //do not add to import users list
                } else {

                    $import_users[$teacher_data->data->id] = array(
                        'first_name' => $teacher_data->data->name->first,
                        'last_name' => $teacher_data->data->name->last,
                        'email' => $teacher_data->data->email,
                        'role_id' => '2'
                    );

                    //push array of clever emails so I can check aginst current in otis
                    array_push($current_clever_emails, $teacher_data->data->email);
                }
            }
            foreach ($staff_decoded->data as $staff_data) {

                if (is_null($staff_data->data->email) || in_array($staff_data->data->email, $special_da_emails)) {
                    //do not add to import users list
                } else {
                    $import_users[$staff_data->data->id] = array(
                        'first_name' => $staff_data->data->name->first,
                        'last_name' => $staff_data->data->name->last,
                        'email' => $staff_data->data->email,
                        'role_id' => '3'
                    );

                    array_push($current_clever_emails, $staff_data->data->email);
                }
            }
            //if user active in our system but not existing in clever, make them inactive in otis
            foreach($current_active_emails as $current_otis) {
                if(!in_array($current_otis, $current_clever_emails)) {
                    $this->users->makeUserInactiveClever($current_otis);
                }

            }


            //do the actual import of users.  If they exist and are not active make them active, if they do not exists add them to group and apply license
            foreach ($import_users as $clever_users) {
                $user_exists = $this->users->getByEmail($clever_users['email']);
                if (!empty($user_exists)) {
                    if ($user_exists->is_active == 0 || $user_exists->is_deleted == 1 || $user_exists->is_locked == 1) {
                        $this->users->updateInactiveCleverUser($user_exists->id);
                    }
                } else {
                    $cleverData = array(
                        'first_name' => $clever_users['first_name'],
                        'last_name' => $clever_users['last_name'],
                        'email' => $clever_users['email'],
                        'role_id' => $clever_users['role_id'],
                        'password' => 'hidden',
                        'confirm_password' => 'hidden',
                        'group_id' => $groupID
                    );
                    $saved = $this->save($cleverData);
                    $new_user = $this->users->getByEmail($clever_users['email']);
                    if (!empty($new_user)) {
                        $current_group_license = $this->licenses->getByGroupIDAndTypeForClever(7699, 'opd');
                        
                        $current_available_licenses = ($current_group_license[0]->license_count - $current_group_license[0]->total_users);
                        if($current_available_licenses > 0)
                        {
                            $add_license = $this->users->addLicenceCleverImport($saved, $current_group_license[0]->id);
                            $this->userLicenses->add(array(
                                'license_id' => $current_group_license[0]->id,
                                'user_id' => $saved,
                                'start_date' => date('Y-m-d H:i:s'),
                                'end_date' => $current_group_license[0]->expiration_date,
                                'expiration_date' => $current_group_license[0]->expiration_date,
                                'is_active' => 1,
                                'create_date' => date('Y-m-d H:i:s')
                            ));
                        }
                    }
                }
            }