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Kearney R‑I board ratifies professional development plan, career ladder, new positions and technology purchases
Summary
The board approved a package of routine education and operations items — a professional development plan, a career ladder application tied to potential $500,000 state funding, job descriptions for new positions, agreements for Pathful and Amplify, and a Chromebook purchase ratification — mostly by voice vote.
The Kearney R‑I School District Board of Education approved a series of education and operations items during its regular meeting, including the 2026–27 professional development plan, a career ladder plan tied to a $500,000 state application, revamped job descriptions for a grant coordinator and technology roles, software agreements for Pathful (Job Ready 360) and Amplify, and ratification of a Chromebook purchase.
Zach (presenter) asked the board to approve the career ladder plan with minor date and wording updates; he said the district applied for $500,000 from the state that would fund approximately 100 stage‑3 plans and that the state would reimburse 60% of proposed costs. The board approved the plan by voice vote.
The professional development presenter reiterated goals to align PD to the strategic plan and described evaluation via teacher surveys and NWEA/ACT growth measures; the board approved the PD plan for 2026–27.
On curriculum and tools, the board approved agreements with Pathful to adopt Job Ready 360 for career readiness tracking and to integrate MBA tracking into student records, which the presenter said would save district staff time and money compared with spreadsheets. The board also approved an agreement with Amplify for a state‑approved reading assessment linked to Senate Bill 681; the presenter noted the district had been operating on waivers and that state guidance in June could reduce net cost via potential reimbursements.
The board ratified a Chromebook purchase (over $50,000) to lock favorable pricing and noted a smaller unit order than the prior year for high school distribution; staff reported the early purchase would save roughly $50,000. The board also approved updated job descriptions to convert some contracted Heartland Business Systems roles into district employees, which the presenter said would require an upfront buyout but yield savings over four to five years.
Other routine motions approved by voice vote included readoption of the board member personal financial disclosure policy (G275P) effective 07/01/2026, first readings of policies S100P and I125P, and multiple board representative appointments (KSDF liaison, MSBA delegate, Kearney Advanced Enterprise Zone representative).
