Easton board hears first reading of Policy 2255 as district weighs K–8 partnership with Open Ed

The Easton School District board on Monday reviewed a first reading of Policy 2255 and heard a presentation from Grant Hewitt of Open Ed on a proposed K–8 alternative-learning partnership that would allow families to enroll in a home-based, guided program while remaining public-school students.

Erin, the district superintendent, summarized recent enrollment changes and introduced Hewitt as the Open Ed representative. Hewitt described a multi-step enrollment funnel — roughly 125 interest forms locally, a typical conversion rate of about 60 percent, and a conservative local target of 70–80 students for the first year — and said the district would continue to report enrollments to state authorities under Washington law.

Hewitt said Open Ed will invoice the district monthly and does not require upfront district payments: “If we don't find a kid, you don't pay us anything,” he said, adding later that the program is “100% free for a family.” He explained Open Ed typically issues nine monthly invoices for students who are actively enrolled and that the district would remain responsible for reporting enrollment counts to the state.

Why this matters: the program would bring new students into the district’s reported enrollment totals and produce per-student revenue that the district receives and then pays to the vendor under the contract. Hewitt cautioned that rapid growth changes how districts are administratively treated in some states and said Open Ed is preparing for Department of Education audits and will supply audit documentation and licensed-teacher rosters to the district.

Board members asked about logistics and district workload. Hewitt said the district’s primary FTE impact would be clerical (managing enrollment data) and possibly additional counseling capacity if many students enroll. He confirmed a typical three-year agreement and noted a January 15 cutoff for deciding whether to terminate before the following school year. He also said the vendor usually retains a portion of per-student funding (discussed as roughly 20% in the meeting) and advised districts to treat receipts as one-time funds rather than recurring revenue.

The board did not vote on Policy 2255 at the meeting; the presentation served as the first reading and the board plans to revisit the policy and any contract approval at an upcoming meeting. Hewitt said Open Ed expects to open a formal enrollment window that the district will begin reporting on by mid-July, with a hard close on July 13 to allow time for enrollment verification and planning.

At the close of discussion, board members signaled interest in the partnership but emphasized careful, phased growth and attention to audit and reporting requirements. The district will consider the policy and potential contract at a future meeting before any final approval.

Sources and next steps: The first reading was presented under agenda item 9.1. The board will consider final approval and any contract at a subsequent meeting; the district will continue to receive weekly or monthly funnel reporting if the enrollment flow opens.