District outlines school-improvement pipeline and business partnerships; early ROI and budget lines reported
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Summary
Superintendent and principals reported on mentorships and business partnerships (Advisors Excel, Evergy, City of Topeka) supporting a cohort pipeline across several schools, with early improvements in attendance, behavior and graduation indicators. Budget examples: preschool supports $5,000, Ross $11,000, Eisenhower $8,400 and Highland Park $47,356.
Topeka Public Schools presented an update on school-improvement mentorships and business partnerships aimed at supporting schools on improvement through a cohort pipeline and measurable outcomes.
Doctor Gardner described a partnership with Advisors Excel that will enable cohort tracking across Sheldon, Pine Ridge, Ross, Eisenhower and Highland Park, with categories of support including student and family support, student learning, staff support, family engagement and college-career readiness. Gardner said the district has begun measuring return on investment with metrics such as pre/post assessments, completion rates and parent feedback.
The presentation highlighted early, positive signals in culture, attendance and reduced behavior incidents and offered school-level budget examples for pipeline spending: about $5,000 at preschool sites (Sheldon and Pine Ridge), $11,000 projected at Ross, $8,400 at Eisenhower and $47,356 at Highland Park for this year. Gardner credited private partners for philanthropic funding and cited city support for a law-enforcement pathway at TCALC featuring Officer Pamela Reeder and speaker series on topics including human trafficking.
An Evergy representative described workforce-pipeline efforts and professional-development collaborations, and Minority Leadership Academy members recounted leadership growth and a scholarship awarded to a TPS student. Board members asked about cohort design and the graphic used to present the pipeline; staff said the placement on the graphic is illustrative and cohort selection focused on schools with high mobility and high poverty indicators.
Board members thanked partners and noted the district will continue monitoring outcomes as the pipeline enters its first full year of cohort tracking.