PHM board approves one‑year pilot of Xello for college‑and‑career tracking

The Penn‑Harris‑Madison Board of School Trustees voted unanimously to approve a one‑year pilot of Xello, a college‑and‑career readiness software platform, to support work‑based learning documentation for high school students.

Assistant Superintendent Yvonne Daigneault (presenting) told the board the pilot responds to new state diploma requirements and the need to track work‑based learning differently. She said the district will pilot Xello for an initial year and, if it meets needs, would move fully from the district’s current platform, Naviance. "We are going to look to pilot Xello for this next year," the presenter said, explaining that the first year primarily covers setup costs and that a four‑year payment schedule is in the contract if the district continues after the pilot.

Board members asked whether the pilot year is a materially reduced fee and whether the district can exit after year one. The presenter said the first year cost is minimal and that the subsequent years' fees are locked in by the contract should the district choose to continue. The pilot scope, she added, is focused on high‑school tracking for work‑based learning and will not be rolled out district wide in year one.

With questions answered, a motion to approve the contract to pilot Xello carried 7‑0. The motion authorizes the district to proceed with the pilot year; future years would follow the contract’s payment schedule only if the district elects to continue.