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Students and parents criticize online courses as Raytown board renews Edgenuity contract and approves several curriculum purchases
Summary
Public commenters told the board that moving low-enrollment AP and elective courses online would reduce quality and access; the board approved an $85,510 Edgenuity renewal and multiple curriculum and technology contracts including a $601,000 K–5 science adoption and a $65,013.33 annual web-filtering service.
Several parents and students urged the Raytown Quality School District board on May 12 to preserve upper-level electives and avoid moving small AP and fine-arts classes to online or combined Zoom sections.
Student Athena Hoffman told the board she had poor experiences with online programs during remote learning and warned that combining low-enrollment AP or arts classes via Zoom or third-party platforms would reduce course quality and lead to lost credits. "There's a national teacher shortage, yes, but now in our district, it seems there's a shortage for quality education among AP classes," she said, criticizing prior use of platforms including Edgenuity, CommonLit and Elevate.
Parent Erica Siccardi said smaller upper-level electives give students a sense of belonging and that "AP biology is not being offered at RHS next year because there weren't enough students," urging the board to find ways to keep those offerings available even when enrollment is below the district's 15-student threshold.
District staff defended the board's contract with Edgenuity as a necessary option for families who select full- or part-time virtual instruction and for credit recovery and summer programming. A district staff member explained: "Our partnership with Edgenuity allows us to do a couple of things. First of all, provide a state-certified option for families that choose to pursue part or full time virtual instruction," and said counselors and teachers keep ongoing contact with students using the platform.
Despite public concerns, the board approved a renewal of the Edgenuity contract for $85,510. At the same meeting the board approved several other purchases and renewals: a $22,000 add-on to the student information system for focused communications; the NWEA benchmark assessment renewal; a six-year K'5 science curriculum contract for approximately $601,000; a six-year high-school physical science purchase (McGraw Hill) at about $123,368.18; a three-year web/content-filtering service (Linewize) at roughly $65,013.33 per year; and a three-year Ford Next Generation Learning contract totaling $250,000, with $125,000 due in 2025'26. Motions in the meeting were recorded as passed; the transcript shows "Motion passes" without a recorded roll-call tally.
Board members asked staff to provide additional detail on usage and student counts for online vendors; one board member requested the district provide the number of students presently using Edgenuity, which staff said they would gather and share.
The meeting also included other routine business: committee assignments, donations announced in the consent agenda, and recognition of students and retirees. The board adjourned at approximately 8:44 p.m.
Next steps: staff will follow up with requested usage data for Edgenuity and related platforms and present requested information to the board.
