Two community speakers at the Aug. 13 Pomona Unified School District board meeting asked the district to provide clearer information about recent nonprofit contracts for tutoring and mentoring, citing amounts and a lack of public performance data.
Mireya Escobar, who identified herself as a representative and president of the district’s DAC (District Advisory Council), pointed to agenda item 7.22 — listed at $426,240 — and said the agenda description did not include a cost per student or the number of students to be served. She told trustees: "This money belongs to our students, and they are the ones who must benefit from it. We want this money to stay here in their schools and to be used for better salaries for teachers hiring qualified staff and counseling for students." Escobar also said the district has invested more than $8,000,000 in tutoring and mentoring across contractors and that parents had reported tutors lacked credentials to serve AP-level courses.
Later in the meeting, Claudia Cano, speaking as a concerned former parent, alleged conflicts of interest and questioned reappointments and contract approvals; she asked the board for time to present additional concerns and documentation.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and noted oversight steps. Board member Dr. Pearlman told the public that Superintendent Fuentes is preparing a report on the efficacy and impact of the district’s nonprofit provider contracts and that staff post such reports to the district website. Dr. Perlman (another trustee) emphasized the board’s interest in being specific about contract terms before approval.
No formal contract changes or votes on the specific contracts were taken at the meeting. Trustees encouraged members of the public to attend upcoming sessions, including a scheduled special-education presentation and posted staff reports, to review program outcomes and measures used for approving contractors.
Speakers requesting more transparency said they wanted cost-per-student figures, staff credentials, evaluation protocols, and assurances against duplication of services.