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District renewals of EverWay, Kami and other digital curriculum tools show higher costs and broader licensing
Summary
Staff reviewed multiple curricular and digital-licensing renewals — including EverWay (Texthelp/OrbitNote), Kami, OverDrive, IXL, Pear Assessment and Vista Higher Learning — and said vendor buyouts, expanded licensing counts and removal of volume discounts produced price increases.
District staff briefed the instruction meeting on July 28 about a series of curricular and digital-licensing renewals that together increased district costs because of vendor buyouts, expanded licensing to cover all students and shifting pricing models.
Dr. Hutchinson described EverWay (formerly Texthelp) as the district overlay tool used on websites and learning-management systems for read/write and translation functions and for many IEP and Section 504 accommodations. He said the vendor was purchased last year, the district had been grandfathered under a lower license rate and that the new contract reflects both an increased per-license cost and an expanded license count — from about 15,500 to 17,886 students — producing a noticeable cost uplift. He also noted OrbitNote functionality under that contract used for math calculations for IEP students.
Staff described Kami as the district’s digital document and annotation tool, purchased during COVID to create and distribute virtual copies of lessons. The district reported more than one million virtual copies in the last year and staff estimated a paper-cost equivalent savings of about $130,000. Despite savings, staff said Kami’s renewal also carried a price increase.
Other renewals covered included OverDrive (ebooks and audiobooks and e‑magazines), IXL (practice platform consolidated by the curriculum department for middle schools), Pear Assessment (assessment platform, formerly Edulastic, expanded from middle schools to 6–12 math courses) and Vista Higher Learning (multi‑year contracts for Spanish online and heritage learners). Dr. Janeway said many vendors removed volume discounts and increased per-student pricing, which explains most of the cost growth.
No motions or board approvals were recorded in the instruction meeting excerpt; staff presented the renewals for information and for inclusion on upcoming consent agendas where applicable.
