Chandler Unified board approves proposed budget, digital resources and superintendent search RFQ; several consent items pass narrowly

Chandler — The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board on Wednesday approved the district's proposed expenditure budget for fiscal year 2025–26 for publication and took a series of other votes, including authorization to issue a request for quotes (RFQ) to hire an executive search firm for the superintendent position.

The actions were taken during the board's June 25 regular meeting. The board voted on multiple consent-agenda items, debated changes to a contract with Southwest Behavioral Health Services and considered a motion to remove one supplemental digital resource from the district's approved list. Several items passed or failed by narrow margins.

The votes matter because they set the district's fiscal direction for the coming year, determine external vendor relationships used by students and staff, and launch a formal search process for a new superintendent ahead of the incumbent's planned 2026 departure.

Key votes and outcomes

- Proposed 2025–26 expenditure budget for publication: Approved. The budget as presented will be published and a public hearing scheduled for July to adopt the final budget. Budget staff warned that the state legislature had not finalized its budget and that some line items (including a proposed $75 million supplemental appropriation to replace a prior funding source) were not included in the published forms; Mrs. Barry said, "We do need a budget by the June. That's very important to continue, the fiscal responsibilities of the state going into next fiscal year." The board voted to publish the proposed budget and will hold the required public hearings in July.

- Consent agenda (general): The board approved the consent agenda with two items pulled for separate discussion (6.06 and 6.09). The remaining consent items passed as presented.

- Item 6.06 ' Contract with Southwest Behavioral Health Services (SBH): After discussion and an attempt to amend contract language, the board voted to continue with the contract as presented in the meeting materials; the amendment proposed by a board member was not adopted. Final vote: motion to continue contract as presented passed 3'to'2. (Board discussed possible revisions and directed staff and legal counsel to return alternative language if needed; a separate motion earlier to temporarily continue the current IGA until revised language was prepared was considered during debate.)

- Item 6.09 ' 2025'26 digital resources: Member Heap moved to remove the supplemental resource "Flocabulary by Nearpod, a Renaissance company" from the approved list; after two rounds of votes the board ultimately approved the digital-resources list as originally presented (including Flocabulary). Final board vote on the motion to approve the original list: 3'to'2 in favor.

- Item 7.01 ' Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) membership: The board approved payment of $14,930 for ASBA membership services and professional-development access. Board discussion included whether to use a la carte ASBA services instead of full membership; the district will track board usage of ASBA services and revisit the value next year. Final tally recorded as a majority approval with one abstention.

- Item 7.03 ' Revision of the FY2023'24 food service annual financial report: Approved. Staff said the revision was an accounting correction to report meals served for the full year rather than only 180 days; no monetary changes resulted.

- Item 7.04 ' First Things First grant agreement with Chandler Care Center (FY2025'26): Approved unanimously. The board approved acceptance of $250,000 in First Things First funding to support Chandler Care Center family resource programs; the funds are administered through an IGA with the district.

- Item 7.05 ' Superintendent search RFQ: The board voted unanimously to proceed with issuing a formal RFQ to solicit competitive quotes from executive-search firms; staff will present a proposed RFQ and timeline at a special meeting for board review before posting.

What the board said and next steps

Board members and staff debated the SBH contract language and the supplemental digital-resource request at length; staff and legal counsel advised that proposed changes may require additional review and that any revised IGA would need to be routed for legal review and approved in a future meeting. Mrs. Barry said the published proposed budget is a statutory step required to allow the district to present a public hearing and later adopt a final budget.

The board scheduled a public hearing on the proposed budget and will return in July to adopt the final expenditure budget. The superintendent search RFQ will be available for board review at a special meeting before it is posted publicly, and returned proposals will be reviewed by the board for candidate interviews and final selection.

Votes at a glance (selected items)

- Consent agenda (as amended to pull 6.06 and 6.09): approved (unanimous for the items left on the consent agenda). - Item 6.06 (SBH contract): passed (3 yes, 2 no). - Item 6.09 (digital resources): final approval of original list passed (3 yes, 2 no). - Item 7.01 (ASBA membership dues): approved (majority; one abstention recorded). - Item 7.02 (Proposed 2025'26 budget for publication): approved (majority; board will hold required public hearing before final adoption). - Item 7.03 (Food service annual financial report revision): approved (unanimous). - Item 7.04 (First Things First Chandler Care Center grant): approved (unanimous). - Item 7.05 (Superintendent search RFQ): approved (unanimous).

Ending

Board members and staff said they would return in July for a public hearing on the budget and additional votes on any revised agreements. The RFQ timeline and draft will be presented to the board in a special meeting before posting; the board intends to use an external search firm to help guide the superintendent recruitment process.