Board conditionally accepts $2.5 million Hendricks Family Foundation literacy pilot

The Beloit School District board voted to accept a contingent offer from the Hendricks Family Foundation to fund a $2.5 million high-intensity literacy pilot at one elementary school, with the explicit condition that a grant agreement be finalized and approved by both the foundation and the board.

Board member Brian Nichols moved the motion "to accept the Hendricks Family Foundation proposal of $2.5 million for a high-intensity literacy pilot program with the condition that an agreement will be finalized and approved by the foundation and the board of education," and Carol Fox seconded.

Board member Amy Levy said she supported moving forward to create a grant agreement but urged that the agreement include clear language about decision-making authority for pilot location, the number of slots per grade, slot assignments, defined outcomes and accountability measures. "I am looking for this grant agreement to include decision-making authority in areas of autonomy... defined outcomes and accountability measures," Levy said, and asked that the district not be financially liable for unmet outcomes and that staff-bonus structures involve bargaining-unit input.

Superintendent Dr. Anderson said administration will work closely with the foundation to develop an agreement that meets both parties' needs and will bring the finalized agreement back to the board for a separate approval vote.

Motion and vote: Brian Nichols moved acceptance; Carol Fox seconded; the motion (as clarified to read "grant agreement") carried in a roll-call vote recorded as unanimous.

Board members said the agreement needs to address parent consent and enrollment processes, administrative and teacher buy-in at the selected building, and specific accountability metrics before the contract returns to the board for final ratification.