District Accountability Committee urges more counselors, technology staffing and targeted interventions
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Summary
The DAC budget subcommittee presented resource priorities stressing the need for more counselors, sustained PLC time, device upkeep and creative staffing approaches as district revenue tightens.
The Academy District 20 District Accountability Committee (DAC) budget subcommittee delivered a report to the Board of Education outlining resource priorities for 2025–26, emphasizing social‑emotional supports, targeted math and literacy interventions, and technology staffing.
DAC co‑chairs Jenny Rogers and Erin Stevens walked the board through recurring themes from feeder‑strand meetings: continue PLC (professional learning community) late starts, educate parents about fees and free/reduced eligibility, and ensure adequate staffing for math/literacy interventions and special education supports. The subcommittee recommended increasing school counselor staffing to move toward American School Counselor Association ratios and assigning behavior paraprofessionals at each site.
Why it matters: Principals told the subcommittee that student behavior and social‑emotional needs have risen since COVID and that staffing shortages (counselors, paraeducators, DTT technology staff) limit their ability to respond. DAC members asked the board to consider more creative staffing models and district‑level support rather than placing all costs on site budgets.
Notable details: The report recommended centralizing some technology funding or otherwise increasing district DTT capacity so individual schools are not left without support when equipment fails. The DAC also flagged deferred facility maintenance and continuing budget constraints tied to lower state funding and fewer grants. Members urged stronger public communication explaining changes in summer school fees tied to loss of ESSER funding.
Board response: Board members thanked the DAC for the work and said the committee’s recommendations would inform budget planning and conversations at upcoming stakeholder and retreat sessions.
Ending: The DAC asked the board to prioritize students’ social‑emotional health and staffing stability as the district faces budget uncertainty.
