The School Board of Palm Beach County voted Tuesday to approve a two-year amendment to the district’s legislative-consulting contract with Rita Solnit, while members argued over an evaluation clause that a board member said had not been completed.

Board Member Gloria Branch objected to language in the proposed amendment that calls for a consultant evaluation “within 30 days of the effective date” and for the consultant to submit a self-appraisal, saying she had received no evaluation and could not approve a renewal without it. “I can't vote on something that specifically says this. And I don't know what she's done, and it's a lot of money,” Branch said.

Superintendent Michael Burke told the board he was not aware that the 30-day evaluation had been carried out under the earlier contract and said the requirement appeared unusual because board members do not normally evaluate district consultants directly. Burke said staff could return with amended language and a recommended evaluation process.

Board debate split over whether to delay approval to rewrite the evaluation language. Branch moved to amend the contract to remove the 30-day evaluation language and the requirement for written evaluations by school-board members; that substitute motion failed on a roll call. The board then voted 6–1 to approve the contract amendment as submitted, with Branch recorded as the sole vote opposed.

Board members and staff described Solnit as an active legislative consultant who provides updates and representation in Tallahassee and Washington. Executive staff and several board members recommended approving the extension to maintain continuity while the superintendent and general counsel work on clarifying evaluation language for future amendments.

The amendment approved covers the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, and is reported in board discussion as a two-year extension at $50,000 per year in the contract paperwork presented at the meeting.

The board directed the superintendent to return with proposed language and an evaluation process for consultant contracts, including alignment with other district consultant agreements, so the issue can be addressed in a subsequent amendment.