|
Heads up! We have scanned the upcoming agenda for Zion ESD 6. We found 10 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
|
District Proposes ‘Family Engagement’ Policy
Under ‘Other Business,’ the board lists ‘Student Attendance and Family Engagement’ with no explanation. These terms are often code for tracking ‘chronic absenteeism’ and can be used to justify intrusive home visits or other family interventions without parental consent.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is a major threat to family privacy. Email the Board of Education and demand a full explanation of Item XIII.B before the meeting: ‘What specific programs or policies are being proposed under “Student Attendance and Family Engagement”? We oppose any policy that allows for home visits or student surveillance without explicit, case-by-case parental consent.’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: Family Privacy
|
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
|
District Spends $58K+ on Virtual Teachers
The district is paying ‘Proximity Learning’ over $58,000 to provide virtual teachers for Shiloh and Central schools. This replaces in-person instruction with remote learning, raising questions about academic quality, teacher oversight, and why the district can’t hire qualified, in-person staff.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND ANSWERS: This payment is on the Consent Agenda (Item VI.D.1). Email the Board and demand this item be pulled for a separate vote: ‘Why are we spending over $58,000 on virtual teachers instead of hiring in-person instructors? Parents deserve a public discussion on the academic impact of replacing our kids” teachers with screens.’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: $58,152.00
|
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
|
Board to Vote on Tax Levy, Details Undisclosed
The board is scheduled to vote on the ‘Estimated Tax Levy’ for 2026, but has not published the proposal or the amount of the potential tax increase. This is a major financial decision affecting every taxpayer, and it’s being voted on without public disclosure.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board of Education immediately: ‘Regarding Item X.A, I demand the proposed 2026 Tax Levy documents be published for public review at least 48 hours before any vote. We will not accept a vote on an undisclosed tax increase.’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Tax Increase
|
| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
|
District Spends $14K+ on Controversial Math Program
The district is paying ‘Carnegie Learning’ over $14,000 for its math curriculum and teacher coaching. This program is a form of ‘reform math’ that often de-emphasizes traditional methods like memorizing multiplication tables, which can leave students unprepared for higher-level math.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK FOR PROOF: This payment is on the Consent Agenda (Item VI.D.1). Email the Board: ‘Before approving more spending on Carnegie Learning, please provide independent, non-vendor-funded evidence that this program produces superior math outcomes compared to traditional instruction. What is the plan to ensure our children master foundational math facts?’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: $14,455.27
|
| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
|
Annual Audit and Financial Reports Missing from Agenda
Under ‘New Business,’ the board lists the ‘Annual Audit’ and ‘Annual Financial Report’ for approval, but has not attached the documents. These are the most basic tools for public oversight of district spending, and they are being withheld from the public ahead of the vote.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board of Education: ‘The public cannot provide oversight on Items X.B and X.C without the documents. Postpone the vote on the Annual Audit and Annual Financial Report until the full reports have been made public for review.’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: Reduced Board Oversight
|
| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
|
District Renews $40K Student Data Platform
The district is renewing its contract with ‘LinkIt!’ for $40,798. This is a student assessment and data analytics platform that collects and analyzes student data, raising questions about data privacy and how this information is used.
Recommended Action Plan
OPT-OUT ALERT: Email the Board of Education: ‘Regarding the LinkIt! renewal on the Consent Agenda (Item VI.D.1), who owns the student data collected by this vendor, and with whom is it shared? Please provide the specific parental opt-out form for this data collection before the vote.’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: $40,798.00
|
| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
|
Student Behavior Reports Hidden from Public
The agenda lists ‘Behavior Reports’ under the Superintendent’s Report, but the actual document was not provided. Parents have a right to know what behaviors are being tracked in our schools and how discipline is being handled, especially with the rise of ‘restorative’ practices that can reduce consequences for misconduct.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the official agenda (linked above) and click on Item VIII.A.3 to see if the ‘Behavior Reports’ attachment can be opened. If not, email the Board and demand this report be made public immediately. Parents need to see what’s happening with school discipline.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Discipline Policy
|
| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
|
District Pays $14,750 for Vague ‘Leadership Coaching’
A payment of $14,750 is scheduled for ‘Catalyst for Education’ for ‘Leadership coaching.’ The agenda provides no details on who this vendor is or what kind of ‘coaching’ they are providing to district leaders. This could be anything from standard management training to ideological ‘equity’ or ‘anti-racism’ consulting.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK FIRST: This payment is on the Consent Agenda (Item VI.D.1). Email the Board of Education: ‘Regarding the payment to Catalyst for Education, what specific services are being provided? Please provide a copy of the contract and training materials for public review before this is approved.’ Find board contact information on the district website, linked from the official agenda.
💰 Impact: $14,750.00
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
|
School Spending Confirms SEL ‘Calm Corners’ in Class
The district’s spending report includes purchases for ‘Classroom Calm Corners’ and ‘PBIS’ supplies. ‘Calm-down corners’ are a tool of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) used to manage student emotions, replacing traditional discipline and academic instruction time with psychological techniques.
Recommended Action Plan
MONITOR: This spending confirms SEL is active in our schools. Ask your child’s teacher if they have a ‘calm corner’ and how much class time is dedicated to it. Document what you find and share it with your M4L chapter.
💰 Impact: Classroom Instruction Time
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
|
Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The agenda includes several financial reports under the Consent Agenda (VI.D.2, VI.D.3) and a report on student discipline (VIII.A.3) that are listed by title only, with the attachments either missing or unreadable. These documents could contain important information on district spending and student discipline policies.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the files attached in the Official Agenda (linked above) for items VI.D.2, VI.D.3, and VIII.A.3 to confirm whether they contain sensitive information. If the files are missing or empty, email the Board to demand they be made public before the meeting.
💰 Impact: Lack of Transparency
|
|
|
“We do not co-parent with the government.”
Moms for Liberty is the nation’s largest grassroots organization fighting for parental rights. Through national members and local chapters, our work ensures parents, not the government or radical activists, make the decisions concerning the upbringing and education of their children.
JOIN THE FIGHT
AWARE
|
