Board approves world-language adoption and roughly $5 million in technology and cybersecurity contracts

The Shawnee Mission Board of Education approved a package of curriculum and technology purchases in its action items.

Curriculum: Superintendent Doctor Schumacher outlined Phase 2 of the district’s World Languages adoption. After a pilot and a two-phase budget-aware rollout, staff recommended purchases from CLET World Languages and Vista Higher Learning to complete the adoption and to add consumable workbooks for certain middle-school Spanish sections. Schumacher recommended authorization to purchase instructional resources and supplemental products totaling $514,423.26 to be paid from budgeted textbook funds. The motion passed 7–0.

Technology and cybersecurity: The board then approved three interconnected technology procurements as part of the district’s planned capital expenditures.

• Cisco Security Enterprise Agreements and Palo Alto licenses: The renewal and upgrade of the district’s Cisco security enterprise agreement and additional Palo Alto items were recommended as a five-year agreement to strengthen threat detection, analytics and cloud protections. Superintendent Schumacher presented the estimated total of $2,956,178.76 for non‑E‑Rate qualified items; the board approved the motion 7–0.

• Unite Private Networks wide-area network contract: Staff reported the district’s current WAN contract expires June 2026; after a public RFP with five respondents, the recommendation was to contract with Unite Private Networks for a 10‑year term beginning 07/01/2026 at an estimated $23,050 per month. The staff presentation stated E‑Rate eligibility is anticipated and that roughly 60% of eligible costs would be reimbursed via federal E‑Rate funds, but the precise E‑Rate-eligible dollar figure in the transcript appears mis‑transcribed and was not verified in the meeting record. The motion passed 7–0.

• Network security licenses (CDW‑G): The district recommended purchasing network security software licenses from CDW‑G for an estimated $2,588,423.76 with a 5% contingency and a 60‑month term; staff said an anticipated portion is E‑Rate eligible and that budgeting assumes receiving E‑Rate reimbursement. The board approved the motion 7–0.

Board members asked clarifying questions about E‑Rate eligibility and accounting treatment of expected reimbursements; district staff said they budget in good faith for anticipated E‑Rate reimbursements and that participation in the federal E‑Rate program is a district-level decision. No motions failed; all procurement items passed unanimously.