Board presses for clarity as ABC transitions to Cincinnati Public School Foundation; two community board appointments approved

The Cincinnati Public Schools board on Aug. 4 conducted an extended, substantive discussion about the planned transition of ABC (Activities Beyond the Classroom) into the Cincinnati Public School Foundation and sought clearer language and guardrails in the foundation memorandum of understanding. Board liaison Wilma Crossett and Superintendent Tammy Murphy updated the board on the foundation’s work: rebranding, an initial fundraising campaign with a soft launch this fall and a planned hard launch in December or January 2026, and vetting of community representatives. Crossett said the foundation must remain fiscally independent to retain 501(c)(3) status and that the foundation’s board “has the right to approve the community member recommended by CPS’s Board of Education. Such approval not to be unreasonably withheld.” Several board members sought more precision in the MOU and asked the administration and foundation to clarify practical questions: whether foundation activities replace district vendors, how ongoing vendor contracts (including fine-arts programming) will be handled during the transition, the scope and timeline for the foundation’s fundraising, administrative fees the district will fund in the near term, and reporting/audit expectations. Board member Mapp pressed for specifics about vendor work that ABC previously performed, saying: “I also have some concerns around if we’re going to continue to pay for fine arts programming under a previous contract, what does that look like?” Superintendent Murphy and Assistant Treasurer Mike Guston confirmed the contract is a continuing multi-year service contract that remains in the district budget for the coming year at reduced dollars, and they said it will come up for competitive procurement when the contract expires. Board members also discussed administrative expense assumptions in the MOU. Mapp asked whether the district’s payments would rise over time; Murphy confirmed administrative support included an inflation factor and noted a first-year figure cited in board discussion: $1,100,000 with an annual increase to $1,200,000 in the following year described at the meeting as an inflation adjustment. After discussion, the board approved a resolution appointing two recommended community representatives to the foundation’s board. The board appointed Leslie Mooney and Christopher Mattress as APS community representatives and voting members of the Cincinnati Public School Foundation board. Treasurer Wagner recorded a unanimous vote approving the appointments: Mister Craig—yes; Mister Crossett—yes; Mister Lindy—yes; Miss Mapp—yes; Vice President Bolton—yes; President Moffitt—yes. Board members said they will continue the foundation conversation at future meetings and suggested targeted agenda items (branding, donor reporting, vendor vs. foundation roles, sustainability and equity in grant distribution) so the public and board can see clearly how the foundation will coordinate with district priorities. The board asked administration to return at the next meeting with clarified MOU language and specific, written answers about the vendor contracts, the planned fundraising campaign, reporting cadence and how donor-restricted gifts will be implemented in practice.