WACO — The Waco Independent School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 20 tabled a $63,000 purchase request for McGraw‑Hill instructional reading materials for pre‑K through second grade at JH Hines after trustees raised timing, cost and evidence questions.

The request, described in board materials as a campus‑level purchase of McGraw‑Hill reading program materials, became the subject of extended questioning during discussion of consent agenda item 7.g. Trustee concerns focused on why the purchase was requested in February rather than earlier in the school year, whether the program duplicates district interventions already funded with state compensatory or Title I dollars, and recent coverage questioning the program’s effectiveness for certain learner groups.

Board members asked district staff to confirm the principal’s prior approval to pursue the program when hired, and to identify whether the materials would replace or supplement existing interventions. Dr. Kornblum (district curriculum staff) told trustees the principal had sought permission to use the program when she was hired and that some internal funding changes and timing delayed purchase processing. Trustees also heard that core district curricula and tiered intervention systems are already in place across elementary campuses.

Trustees moved to table the McGraw‑Hill purchase and asked staff to meet with the principal to find an approach that aligns with existing district curriculum and interventions. Board discussion included an explicit recommendation from district curriculum staff to prefer existing district programs if comparable options are available. A voice vote to table the McGraw‑Hill item passed; trustees directed staff to return with a recommendation at the next meeting. Trustees then approved the administration’s recommendation to accept the other purchase requests over $50,000 on the agenda.

The board’s consent agenda was otherwise approved unanimously; one vendor award and an interlocal agreement (see separate article) also passed. Trustee Keith Guillory recused himself from a separate consent item (7.e) as recorded in the minutes.

The board did not adopt the McGraw‑Hill purchase at this meeting; the item will return after staff consult with the principal and report back to the board.