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District seeks board backing for Studer continuous-improvement partnership; $82,000 annual cost proposed
Summary
Superintendent presented a proposal to engage Studer Education for a district continuous-improvement partnership beginning March 2025, with an initial one-year cost of $82,000 and expected financial support from Forward Janesville Foundation; board discussion focused on scope, past experience with Studer and evidence of results.
The Janesville School District on Feb. 25 discussed a proposed partnership with Studer Education to structure a district-wide continuous improvement effort that superintendent and staff said would start in March 2025 if authorized. The recommended contract cost was presented as $82,000 for a one-year engagement; district leaders said the Forward Janesville Foundation has expressed willingness to help fund the work.
Superintendent Holtzman described the proposal as a system to create aligned goals, measurement dashboards and short-cycle reviews. He said the district would not change its existing reading, math and attendance goals but would use Studer as a partner to help organize systems and sustain momentum. “We would begin the work, in 2025,” Holtzman said, and added the draft contract “does give a 30 day out” while the district anticipates pursuing a multi-year renewal.
Board members asked about cost, timeline and results from other districts. Holtzman said the one-year fee is $82,000, that March 2025 is the planned start date, and that the district is in talks with Forward Janesville Foundation about public-private support. He also said he had spoken with multiple superintendents using Studer, and that district staff will seek more concrete examples of measurable results from other districts.
Several commissioners recalled a prior Studer relationship more than a decade ago and asked how the model differs now. Holtzman and staff said the current Studer approach has evolved and does not include the earlier leadership evaluation model (LEM) tied to incentives; instead, they described a focus on measurable team standards, staff and operations dashboards, and leadership development. Holtzman said the district would develop draft dashboards and return to the board with a proposed final authorization around August.
Board members expressed two recurring caveats about success: leadership buy-in and board support. One commissioner noted that districts that did not achieve results typically lacked superintendent or board commitment. Commissioners also raised questions about teacher evaluation tools; Holtzman clarified that state-required teacher evaluation systems remain in place and that Studer’s current model does not include the older LEM approach.
No formal vote to authorize the Studer contract was recorded at the meeting; the discussion closed with staff committing to provide additional evidence of outcomes from other districts and to return with a dashboard and authorization request. The district identified an intended funding partner and proposed start date but did not finalize the contract during the Feb. 25 meeting.
