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Shelby County board debates 7 Mindsets SEL contract, questions on teacher input and rollout
Summary
Board members questioned teacher involvement, parent engagement and implementation details after staff recommended a one-year, $389,000 contract with 7 Mindsets for a districtwide social‑emotional learning curriculum; no formal vote is recorded in the transcript.
The Shelby County Board of Education discussed a recommended one‑year contract with 7 Mindsets Academy LLC to provide a districtwide social‑emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, at a proposed cost of $389,000 and with an option to renew.
The proposal, presented as agenda item 9.8, drew multiple questions from board members about whether teachers helped select the curriculum and how parents and schools would be engaged. Vice Chair Amber Love asked whether teachers had input. Superintendent Dr. Miguel Richmond said teachers “did serve on the RFP committee” and deferred to the district’s chief of student support services, Dr. Broadway, for details. Dr. Broadway confirmed that a counselor served on the RFP committee and said the district also used a culture‑and‑climate survey to shape the scope of work.
Board member Porter asked how many teachers completed the survey; Dr. Richmond deferred to other staff. Dr. Stevenson reported that the TNTP culture and climate survey saw 82 percent teacher participation across staff. Board members also pressed whether parents would be connected to the work; staff said the SEL program includes a parent engagement component and that, if approved, the district would schedule seven family forums for the year beginning with one at the end of September.
Board members raised implementation questions. Porter asked whether the program would add to teachers’ workloads and whether it would be delivered online or via printed materials; staff said the SEL is a full curriculum to be rolled out with professional development, beginning with counselors and staff who impact student behavior and eventually expanding to teachers. Superintendent Richmond said the SEL curriculum was part of his 100‑day plan and that staff would return to brief the board on implementation beyond that timeline. He also agreed to regular board updates: when asked whether updates could be brought every 60 or 90 days, Richmond said yes.
Supporters and staff said the district will include virtual sessions for parents and that the family forum schedule will be shared should the contract be approved. Board members emphasized they wanted data on how existing, school‑level programs have performed; Richmond said the district had not had a comprehensive, district‑wide SEL curriculum in the last two to three years and therefore lacks longitudinal fidelity data to compare outcomes.
The transcript shows extensive discussion and clarification requests but does not record a formal motion or vote on the 7 Mindsets contract. The item was presented as a recommended approval on the agenda.
