The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education at its Aug. 6 meeting formally accepted the resignation of board director Lauren Nelson, declared a temporary vacancy and set a timetable for applications and interviews to fill the seat until the November 2025 election. The board also approved multiple contract and budget actions, including a contract modification with Instructional Empowerment, a 10‑year intergovernmental agreement for school resource officers with the police department and a $500,000 transfer from general fund contingency to issue an RFP for strategic communications services.

Board members voted unanimously to accept Director Lauren Nelson’s resignation and to adopt Resolution 2026‑02 declaring a temporary vacancy. The board opened an application window for interested candidates, set Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. as the filing deadline, and scheduled public interviews for Aug. 20. The appointee will serve only until the results of the Nov. 4, 2025 coordinated election are certified.

The board approved a contract modification to C‑2020358 with Instructional Empowerment — a continuing external partner for professional development and classroom coaching — increasing the fiscal ceiling and extending the period of performance through June 30, 2026. During discussion staff and the contractor described the investment as continuing the district’s student‑agency instructional model and expanding demonstration classrooms and teacher coaching across additional campuses.

Separately the board approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Colorado Springs Police Department to provide school resource officers (SROs) in middle and high schools. The motion authorized a contract term with annually renewable one‑year options for a potential 10‑year span, and granted the district contracting officer authority to accept annual cost changes tied strictly to city‑approved police pay increases.

The board also approved a transfer of $500,000 from general fund contingency to support issuing a competitive RFP for strategic communications and marketing services. Superintendent Brent Gahl said the RFP is exploratory; any final contract would return to the board for approval.

Other routine organizational business completed at the meeting included election of Director Bankers as board treasurer and the board’s call for nominations for the Nov. 4, 2025 coordinated election. Several committee charges and membership lists were discussed as nonaction items and will return for September action.

Votes at a glance
- Acceptance of resignation of Director Lauren Nelson: Mover: Superintendent Brent Gahl; Second: (recorded). Outcome: approved (roll call: all ayes). See board packet item G‑1.
- Resolution 2026‑02, declaration of board vacancy: Mover: Director Haefeli; Outcome: approved (roll call: all ayes). See board packet item G‑2.
- Election of board treasurer (Director Bankers): Nominated by Director Haefeli; Outcome: approved by voice/roll call.
- Resolution 2026‑01, call for nominations for the Nov. 4, 2025 coordinated election: Mover: Director Haefeli; Outcome: approved.
- Contract modification C‑2020358 (Instructional Empowerment): Mover: Director Bankers; Outcome: approved (roll call: all ayes). See board packet item G‑5.
- Intergovernmental agreement G2026‑0001 for SRO services with CSPD: Mover: Director Jorgensen; Outcome: approved (roll call: all ayes). See board packet item G‑6.
- General fund contingency transfer of $500,000 to support issuance of an RFP for strategic communications services: Mover: Director Carey; Outcome: approved (roll call: all ayes). See board packet item G‑7.

What this means next
The vacancy process gives community members a one‑week window to apply; the board will interview applicants in public on Aug. 20 and expects to select an interim board member before the end of August. Any final contracts flowing from the communications RFP must be presented to the board for approval; the SRO IGA includes an administrative authorization for annual cost adjustments tied to municipal police pay decisions.

Source material: motions and roll‑call votes recorded in the District 11 Aug. 6, 2025 Board of Education meeting transcript.