Board renews science material-kit service agreement with Kennewick district for upcoming year

The Prosser School District board approved a service agreement with Kennewick School District to refurbish and supply science material kits used in the district’s adopted elementary science curriculum.

Staff explained the district currently borrows most kits from Kennewick because Kennewick warehouses and refurbishes the materials; Prosser pays to rent the kits and to have them refilled. A staff member told the board the recurring cost is about $7,000–$8,000 per kit round. With three rounds, staff estimated the district’s annual expense at approximately $22,000.

Staff said the district does not own most kits because of storage constraints and upfront purchase cost; owning kits would require a substantial capital outlay. The district currently stores one kit locally where Kennewick could not accommodate a fourth unit, and it coordinates pickups and returns through a warehouse system. Staff noted occasional late fees (about $60 per kit) when a kit is not returned on time and replacement charges when items are missing or broken.

Board members asked whether the district could refurbish kits internally. Staff said refurbishing would require first purchasing kits and creating storage and refurbishment capacity; given current funding and storage constraints, renting and refurbishing through Kennewick remains the practical option.

The board approved the service agreement by voice vote. Staff said they hope to review elementary science curriculum adoption in the future, but current funding and priorities make immediate replacement impractical.