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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming FRISCO ISD agenda and found 8 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Controversial Consultants Approved in Bulk
Buried in a long list of ‘Non-Professional Service Providers’ on the consent agenda are several consultants with concerning names like ‘Mindful Communities Fund’ and ‘Crowning Your Essence Inc.’ These vendors are being approved for professional development, which is often a pipeline for introducing controversial SEL, DEI, and ‘mindfulness’ training to teachers on the taxpayer’s dime.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘Pull Item 14.K from the Consent Agenda. Taxpayers deserve a separate discussion and vote on vendors like ‘Mindful Communities Fund’ before they are paid to provide ideological training to our teachers.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Training Fees
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague Real Property Resolution
The board will vote on a resolution concerning the ‘utilization of district facility and real property.’ The agenda provides no details or attachments, making it impossible to know if this involves selling property, entering a new lease, or other significant financial decisions.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘Item 13.D is completely opaque. Please publish the full text of the resolution and any related documents before the vote so taxpayers can see what is being done with their property.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Student Data Platform Contract on Consent Agenda
The board plans to approve a three-year, $423,975 contract with Xello, a ‘college and career readiness’ software platform, as part of a bundled consent vote. This platform collects student data for career planning, and parents should demand to know what data is collected, who it’s shared with, and what the parental opt-out rights are.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘I demand Consent Item 14.G be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and roll-call vote. Before approving the Xello contract, the board must publicly state what student data is being collected and what the parental opt-out process is.’
💰 Impact: $423,975 over 3 years
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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District Spends $450,000 on ‘Marketing’
A report reveals the district has a $450,000 blanket purchase order with Asher Media Inc. for ‘marketing.’ Taxpayers should question why a public school district needs to spend nearly half a million dollars on marketing and demand to see the specific services being provided.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: This spending was already approved, but it’s not too late for oversight. Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $450,000 marketing PO with Asher Media Inc. reported in Item 15.B, what is the district marketing and what are the specific deliverables for this contract?’
💰 Impact: $450,000
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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District of Innovation Renewal Plan
The district is renewing its ‘District of Innovation’ plan, which allows it to exempt itself from certain state laws. While the district is seeking public feedback, parents need to scrutinize which laws the district wants to bypass, as this can affect teacher certification requirements, class sizes, and the school calendar.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: The vote is in December, but the discussion is now. Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding Item 11, please provide a clear, plain-English summary of every state law Frisco ISD seeks to waive under the new District of Innovation plan and the specific justification for each exemption.’
💰 Impact: Bypassing State Law
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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District Pays $109,000 to Controversial Vendor
A report shows a $109,035 payment to Curriculum Associates, a vendor known for the i-Ready platform which has been criticized for its data collection and integration of SEL concepts. This purchase was for ‘ELL data and assessment resources,’ but the vendor’s history warrants close public scrutiny.
Response
ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS: This spending was already approved, but parents can demand accountability for the future. Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the payment to Curriculum Associates in Item 15.B, what specific student data is being collected by this platform and how is it being used by the district and the vendor?’
💰 Impact: $109,035
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| WATCH (LEVEL 4) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is voting to approve a new list of library books for purchase under Item 13.B. The specific list of titles is in an attachment not included here, requiring manual review to see what materials are being considered for student access.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file ‘Library Material List’ linked in the Official Agenda for Item 13.B (linked above) to see which books are being approved for your child’s library.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Book Content
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✅ Wins for Taxpayers
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Win (LEVEL 6) |
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District Publishes Public Information Request Log
The district includes a detailed log of all Public Information Requests (PIRs) it received in the past month, including the topic of the request and how the district responded. This is a positive step for transparency, allowing taxpayers to see what information is being sought and how the district is complying with state open records laws.
How to Lock It In
AMPLIFY THE WIN: Thank the board for its commitment to transparency by publishing the PIR log in Item 15.D. Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website): ‘Thank you for including the Public Information Request log in the public agenda. This is a great practice that should be continued and adopted by other districts.’
✅ Why It Matters: Enhanced Transparency
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