Parents and classified staff urge higher para hours; board approves Innergage contract amid pushback

During public participation, several speakers urged the board to prioritize paraeducator working hours, prep time and benefits over marketing expenditures.

Annette Powell, speaking during public comment, described limited prep time for paraprofessionals and asked trustees to "come walk in our shoes" to understand workload and staffing shortages. Gabby (Gabriela) Dunn, a parent and trained reading instructor, said teachers and classified staff spend personal time preparing to teach multisensory programs and asked the district to build paid prep time into contracts. Mary Davis, founder of the Public Education Oversight Project, urged the board to prioritize para pay and to reevaluate promotional spending, noting the district had spent more than a half‑million dollars on promotional videos over five years and urging transparency on priorities.

Shortly after public comment the board discussed and approved a contract with Innergage LLC for work tied to a 'Top Workplace of 2025' recognition and related survey data. Trustees debated whether the purchase would provide actionable data to improve recruitment, whether the district already collects similar information through Gallup polls, and whether previously failed 2‑2 actions should automatically return to the agenda. Administration said the vendor is honoring earlier pricing and that approval will grant the district access to the vendor's survey data. The motion passed 3‑2.

Trustees and public commenters repeatedly contrasted investment in recruitment and staff support with promotional expenditures and asked staff to present fiscal analyses that prioritize classroom support and para wages.

No immediate changes to paraeducator contracted hours were made at the meeting; several trustees suggested the board could study fiscal trade‑offs and revisit staffing and compensation during future budget discussions.