Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Year Partnership topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board Approves $130,000 City Year Partnership After Community Raises Questions About Corps Members' Qualifications
Summary
The Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education approved a $130,000 City Year partnership for the 2025–26 school year. Community members raised concerns about the age and training of City Year corps members and asked how the program would affect student learning and district spending.
The Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education voted to approve a City Year partnership for the 2025–26 school year at a cost of $130,000 during its June 21 meeting.
City Year is an AmeriCorps program that places young adults in schools to support attendance, tutoring and in-class assistance. The board approved the agreement by roll call at the June 21 meeting after the administration recommended the partnership.
The vote followed public comment raising questions about corps members' qualifications and residency-related budget impacts. A community member who identified herself on the agenda as "Miss Trop" told the board she was concerned about the ages of the City Year participants and their preparation to support Parker students in advanced coursework: "My concern is some of them might have not graduated college. Do they have the... enough skills to teach the Parker students advanced math, advanced reading, advanced science?" The question cited the meeting minutes' reference that participants are age 18 to 24.
At the same meeting other residents asked about district costs related to nonresident students and whether fees or verification processes adequately deterred out-of-district enrollment. Those residency and fee questions were discussed separately later in the meeting (see related article).
The board recorded the motion to approve the City Year Partnership Agreement and passed it by roll call. The motion text presented at the meeting was: "Approve the City Year Partnership Agreement for the 2025–26 school year at a cost of $130,000." The transcript does not record a named mover or seconder for the motion. Several board members voted "yes" on the roll call; two board members named in the roll call are Nelson and McNair.
City Year partnerships typically place corps members as full‑time tutors, mentors or classroom partners; the agreement's staffing and supervision details were in the packet submitted to the board. The administration and board said the district will implement the partnership as approved and incorporate program staff into existing supervision and curriculum supports.
For context, City Year corps members often are young adults who serve in schools after a year of AmeriCorps training; the board did not alter program staffing requirements at the meeting. Residents who asked questions asked the board to clarify corps member training, supervision and the program's role in addressing longstanding achievement gaps.
The board approved the City Year agreement as part of its action items. The district will release contract details and program supervision plans to participating schools and families ahead of the 2025–26 school year.
