Board approves contract with Public Consulting Group after members press for usage data
Summary
The Birmingham City Schools board approved a contract with Public Consulting Group LLC after discussion about outcomes and a failed attempt to postpone the vote so staff could provide usage and outcome data for an earlier cohort.
The Birmingham City Schools Board of Education on Jan. 14 approved a contract with Public Consulting Group LLC to provide supports for new principals after several board members asked staff for data on prior usage and outcomes and unsuccessfully moved to postpone the vote.
Board Member Billups said he wanted “some other information…from our initial cohort” to better understand “what did that initial group, cohort experience, what was the data like for them, and the usage of the program” before approving a renewal. That request prompted a lengthy discussion about whether the board should table the item so staff could produce utilization and outcome figures.
Superintendent Dr. Sullivan told the board, “Mister President, we we can provide the data,” and described the contract as a resource for mentoring new principals. A staff member also cautioned that delaying the decision would interrupt service: “So the answer is yes, that it does it will cause some lapse in service.”
Board members pressed for concrete measures of return on investment. Board Member Williams asked for “some kind of data on what was the usage, did those that did utilize the resources find it helpful,” and said the board should be able to evaluate outcomes before renewing contracts. Staff representatives said the offering functions as a playbook and mentor resource rather than a time-limited classroom program and agreed to provide utilization figures and cohort outcomes to the board.
Board members then voted on a motion to table the item until a special meeting on Jan. 28; the motion failed. The board subsequently voted to approve the contract under the consent agenda. The motion to approve was moved and seconded on the record and the board president announced that item F under the consent agenda had been approved.
The board directed staff to supply the requested data on prior cohorts and usage rates before the Jan. 28 special called meeting so members can review outcomes and best practices for the contract’s application.
Notes: The contract is described in the meeting as a resource used to support newly hired principals with a “playbook” of management and instructional practices. Staff said seven principals participated in the earlier cohort and that principals typically use the resource over multiple years as part of mentoring.
