GALLUP-MCKINLEY CITY SCHOOLS board approves Graduation Alliance as virtual public school provider

The GALLUP-MCKINLEY CITY SCHOOLS Board voted to approve Graduation Alliance, in partnership with OpenEd, as the district’s virtual public school provider and authorized staff to enter contract negotiations following a committee review of five responsive proposals.

The decision came after procurement staff described the committee’s evaluation and members asked for written assurances on student data, background checks, teacher-to-staff ratios, connectivity and contract terms. Procurement Director Chrysler told the board the selected team “directly answered all of the committee’s concerns specifically around issues that we had dealt with in the past” and that the vendor “accepted all of our requirements.”

Board member Priscilla Benally pressed for documentation and safeguards after problems with a previous provider, asking for the scoring sheets used in the RFP evaluation and whether guarantees about student data and program tailoring would be written into the contract. Chrysler said the proposal process included an “acknowledgment and an acceptance form” the vendor must sign and that the committee received written responses to clarifying questions. He also said the district can require additional contract terms during negotiation.

Chrysler told the board the contract will include a termination-for-convenience clause allowing the district to cancel the agreement with 30 days’ notice. He also said the maximum contract term can be up to 10 years but that the first term for implementation is being established as two years and that renewal is annual. Chrysler added that if negotiations with the top-ranked vendor fail, the district can open negotiations with the next highest-ranked offer. He noted certain proposal materials remain confidential under New Mexico procurement law while negotiations proceed.

Procurement staff said Graduation Alliance currently holds contracts with other New Mexico school districts and with the New Mexico Public Education Department and has operated in New Mexico since 2020. Chrysler said the company was originally founded in Salt Lake City and that a representative the district expects to meet with is based in Boston. The firm’s participation in the state program Engage New Mexico was noted as evidence of prior New Mexico work.

Board members asked about several operational details the district expects to address in negotiation and subsequent oversight: teacher and advisor qualifications and ratios, criminal-background checks to meet New Mexico Public Education requirements, technology and connectivity supports (including hotspot solutions), athletic eligibility coordination, a single district point of contact, and an annual presentation or report from the vendor. Chrysler said Graduation Alliance committed to meeting the district’s ratio and staffing requirements, background checks, and to collaborating on technology and connectivity needs.

On the motion to approve the vendor selection, the roll-call vote recorded yes votes from Kevin Mitchell, Priscilla Benally, Michael Schauff and Chris Mortensen; a second was noted by Kevin Mitchell. The board then directed staff to proceed to negotiations and to involve the board as appropriate during that process. The meeting closed with a motion to adjourn.

Next steps identified during the meeting include contract negotiations with Graduation Alliance/OpenEd, the possibility of moving to the next-ranked proposer if negotiations stall, and scheduling vendor briefings and annual reporting as part of contract oversight.