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Benton Harbor board approves $416,625 contract for virtual learning platform
Summary
The board approved a 2025–26 contract with an online learning provider to support credit recovery and expand course offerings; trustees pressed staff on test-out policies and assessment validity.
The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education voted Aug. 12 to approve a contract for an online learning platform to provide synchronous and asynchronous instruction for the 2025–26 school year. Superintendent Dr. Simone Griffin said the platform is intended to address staffing shortages, support credit recovery and allow a broader range of electives.
Staff recommended adopting subject.com (presented as the vendor in staff report T1) and reported license pricing that the board recorded in the meeting: $600 per concurrent asynchronous student license (100 licenses) and $4,755 per synchronous teacher-of-record license (75 licenses), for a total staff-entered contract value of $416,625.
Trustees asked detailed questions about whether the system would allow frequent test-outs and early graduations. Vice President Bowens asked, "With this new program, was it directed that we're not allowing children just to test out?" Dr. Griffin replied that she would confirm current operational standards but that staff had indicated test-out options remain and that the district could set any required cut scores and internal policies.
Other trustees described the platform's assessment fidelity as stronger than prior vendors and emphasized safeguards to ensure students demonstrate subject mastery. After discussion the board approved the staff recommendation by roll call.
The board requested staff follow up with details on test-out standards, instructional oversight and how the vendor's assessment and supervision model will be implemented locally.
