The Batavia Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve three consultant contracts for the coming school year after an extended discussion about cost, effectiveness and oversight.

The motion before the board was to approve the item listed as 5.7, described in the agenda as "CNI support contracts" for consultants who support BPSU (an internal professional learning/university-style program), literacy rollout and coaching work. Aaron moved the motion and Rob seconded it; the board's roll-call vote recorded four yes votes and three no votes, and the motion passed.

Why it matters: Board members raised questions about the size of the contracts, the overlap between consultants' work and district instructional coaches, how the district documents outcomes and the lack of formal evaluation metrics. The discussion reflects a broader interest by the board in establishing clearer performance data before renewing contracts and in exploring more teacher-led professional-development options.

What the board heard: Administrators provided background on the three consultants under consideration. Tony/Steve/Brad (district staff) and others explained that Michelle Thompson facilitated Illinois Literacy Plan sessions this summer and had already begun work with the district; Angie Sutherland provides coaching and BPSU support (the district budgeted about $76,000 for Sutherland last year); and Denette Myers supported English learner access testing and worked more than 200 hours for the district last year. Staff said Michelle had already led sessions for more than 100 teachers this summer and that consultants are used in part to address capacity limits on district staff.

Board concerns and clarifications included:
- Cost and scope: Board members noted the combined consultant spend was about $155,000 and asked whether the instructional coaches could deliver the same services or whether consultants were duplicating work. Administrators said coaches are focused on curriculum rollout and have heavy caseloads; consultants provide additional capacity and expertise in parallel areas.
- Evaluation and feedback: Several board members asked for documented feedback and measurable outcomes tied to contracts. One board member said the anecdotal feedback she'd heard from teachers was "not glowing" and noted difficulty finding recent classroom experience for some consultants. Staff replied they collect participant feedback for some sessions and would work with the board to design a more formal evaluation process.
- Local hires and experience: Members asked why a long-time Batavia educator now living in Tennessee (Angie Sutherland) appeared on an out-of-state directory; staff said Sutherland is a longtime Batavia educator who relocated for family reasons and remains connected to the district. Staff also noted other district consultants live out of state but travel on-site as needed.
- BPSU role and access: The board discussed BPSU's role as an internal, district-designed two-year professional program that can increase compensation and align professional learning with district priorities; administrators described BPSU as intentionally noncredit and not portable outside the district. Board members debated whether slots should prioritize early-career, non-tenured teachers; administrators said bargaining table decisions and pension rules shaped eligibility and that accelerated tenure in Illinois (now shorter than in past years) changes who is eligible relatively quickly.

Board action: The board approved the consultant contracts (agenda item 5.7). Motion: "Approve item 5.7, CNI support contracts (consultant contracts for BPSU and related supports)." Mover: Aaron; Second: Rob. Vote record (as read): Arlandu: yes; Yerles: yes; Gonzales Thomas: no; Gilbert: yes; Meadows: yes; Slager: no; Spassicki/Swaziki: no. Tally: 4 yes, 3 no. Outcome: approved.

Board follow-up and next steps: Several board members asked staff to develop a formal, board-approved process to document consultant outcomes, collect program feedback and produce performance metrics before future renewals. Administrators agreed to create a recommendation and involve the Professional Learning Advisory Council (PLAC); staff said implementing that process could take a month or longer and proposed a board discussion at the next meeting to define evaluation goals.

What was not decided: The board did not cancel current consultant work; staff emphasized that some work (for example, Michelle Thompson's literacy sessions) was already underway and would be difficult to pause without disrupting institute-day training and rollout plans.

Board members who opposed the contracts cited concerns about redundancy with internal coaching, inadequate formal feedback from teachers and the aggregate cost; supporters cited the consultants' role in addressing capacity constraints and the immediate need to support rollout of the Illinois Literacy Plan and BPSU cohorts.

The board directed staff to return with a recommended evaluation and feedback process to inform future contract renewals.