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Board approves $22,800 contract for S3 Strategies math/science PD after trustees question use of consultants
Summary
Trustees approved a $22,800 contract with S3 Strategies to provide districtwide professional development for middle- and high-school teachers focused on supporting English learners and academic vocabulary; some trustees pushed to use in-house specialists instead and asked administration for transparency about consultant spending.
The Brownsville ISD board on Oct. 1 approved a $22,800 contract with S3 Strategies to deliver professional development targeting middle-school math and high-school science and social studies teachers, with sessions scheduled for the district staff development day on Jan. 6.
Curriculum specialists described two presenters running multiple three-hour sessions and an all-day schedule to allow teachers to rotate through breakout topics such as "Supporting English learners in the classroom" and "Building academic vocabulary through a language-enriched environment." Chief Academic Officer Beatriz Hernandez said the vendor was selected to provide tailored training for bilingual learners to help close achievement gaps.
Several trustees challenged the purchase. "For $7,600 what are we actually getting?" Trustee Carlos Elizondo asked, pressing for contact hours and cost per hour; Curriculum Specialist Jose Caballero replied the sessions include two presenters and multiple three-hour sessions across AM and PM rotations. Trustee Frank Ortiz and others asked whether district specialists could provide equivalent training and asked staff to report total consultant spending to the board. Trustee Denise Garza noted the board had requested consultant items be brought to trustees for transparency.
The motion to approve consultants passed 5-2 (Yeas: Lopez-Valdez, Garcia, Gonzalez, Leal, Garza; Nays: Elizondo, Ortiz). The district said the PD will be paid from bilingual or categorical funds as allowed and that, if effective, similar training could be expanded to elementary grades.
