A consultant from Momentum Education Group presented an initial report to the Emporia Board of Education on Jan. 14, describing weaknesses and near-term steps to improve the district's business services operations.

Dr. Kellen Adams summarized the engagement's methodology (on-site interviews, focus groups and document review) and said the team produced a report with five recurring themes: communication and role clarity; process and workflow unpredictability; capacity and workload management; systems and tools alignment; and organizational structure and alignment. He said the business department is not overstaffed nor grossly understaffed for the district's size, but that knowledge concentration and reliance on workarounds increase operational risk.

Adams urged an approach he summed up as "tough on processes, gentle on people," and recommended a three-tranche action plan (0-6 months, 6-18 months, 18+ months) focusing on quick wins, role-specific access and training, and longer-term governance alignment. He recommended that the board set guardrails and that administration execute implementation.

Board members asked how workarounds should be addressed (process changes, vendor accountability or training) and whether the district could demonstrate some immediate actions to maintain trust. Adams suggested finding low-hanging fruit to show progress quickly while pacing larger changes to avoid damaging relationships or overburdening staff. The consultant said the report included transcribed interviews and appendices with supporting documentation and recommended that the district communicate an initial 30/60/90-day action list to stakeholders.

No formal action was required; board members asked administration to return periodic updates on implementation progress and metrics.