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Board tables Gravity Goldberg ELA professional‑development contract after public concerns over procurement
Summary
After multiple public commenters raised concerns that Gravity Goldberg Consulting was advantaged in the district's ELA RFPs, the board voted to table the recommendation citing a technicality in the RFP and pledged to relaunch the process and return with results.
The ACES on Hudson Board voted on Nov. 6 to table (remove from the agenda) a recommendation to approve an ELA professional development contract with Gravity Goldberg Consulting after public commenters raised procurement and substantive curriculum concerns.
Public concerns: procurement and curriculum alignment
Multiple residents and parents urged the board to pause the decision. Dr. Jetta Donovan Wilson, an educator and parent, asked the district to align professional development to the state's forthcoming evidence‑based literacy expectations. Maria Graceffa and Elizabeth Adanoffe said the RFP process was procedurally flawed: Adanoffe noted two RFP versions carried Gravity Goldberg’s name and argued that created the appearance that the outcome was preordained.
Board response and motion to table
Board leadership acknowledged a technical oversight in the RFP language and recommended relaunching the procurement to ensure transparency and community confidence. The board moved and seconded a motion to table business item 5 (the Gravity Goldberg recommendation); a voice vote recorded “Aye” and the item was removed from the agenda for reissue and re‑review.
Next steps
Administrators said they will recast the RFP, re‑run the review process and return promptly with a recommendation and supporting materials so the board and community can review the finalists and the evaluation criteria. The administration also committed to public outreach and to provide a clear explanation of how proposed PD would or would not align with upcoming state curriculum review processes.
