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Central Unified board approves one-year Ripple Effects contract to expand elementary counseling resources
Summary
The Central Unified School District board approved a one-year contract with Ripple Effects to provide tier-2 social-emotional lessons for elementary intervention counselors. Trustees and public speakers pressed staff for data, evaluation plans and sole-source documentation before the 7-0 vote.
The Central Unified School District Board of Trustees on Aug. 12 approved a one-year contract with Ripple Effects, a tier-2 social-emotional learning resource, to provide lesson plans and training for elementary intervention counselors.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lopez told the board Ripple Effects "is a tier 2 resource that we intend to use with our intervention counselors" and said the program purchase would be paid from the district's implementation grant funds. The administration recommended board approval after pilot data and requested trainings were reviewed.
The board and public questioned how the district will measure student outcomes and whether the contract was sole-sourced. Trustee Kurfand asked whether the program would be implemented at all sites; Dr. Lopez answered that the purchase provides a resource at elementary schools that secondary-level platforms already supply. Trustee Sellers asked how the program’s effectiveness would be measured; Dr. Lopez said campus "BATE" (Bay team) meetings collect caseload progress and that students are exited from services when appropriate. Dr. Lopez described planned training: "As soon as this is approved we are going to set up training to access that 8-week lesson plans so our intervention counselors know how to use them for circles or discussions with kids around those topics."
Trustee Chavez requested stronger documentation explaining a sole-source decision even when the purchase does not exceed competitive-bid thresholds; Dr. Lopez said staff researched other platforms and found differences in flexibility and tiering but acknowledged the board’s interest in documenting the rationale for future procurement review. Trustees and members of the public also urged concrete outcome measures tied to discipline, attendance and reimbursement rates that could sustain counselor positions.
Public commenter Laura Bolton, identifying herself as a union representative, said the data should take individual student differences into account and recommended caution about classroom rollout and who delivers lessons.
After discussion and public comment, Trustee Carrillo moved to approve the contract; Trustee Kirk seconded. The motion carried, 7-0.
Administration will return implementation details and data-collection plans to the board in future reports so trustees can assess whether the program reduces referrals or suspensions, increases attendance, or yields billable services, as discussed during the meeting.
