Two Concerns on the Plainfield Schools District Purchasing Habits

On my previous post I talked about a salesman' presentation at the last school board meeting, from Scientific Learning.

His presentation was on a recommendation made by the superintendent and it is pertaining a proposed annual purchase of a license to use a computer reading program, Fast ForWord Language. The license is for one school, Washington; the price is $22,560.00 (this price was said included web based professional training).

School board member, Mr. Dorien Hurtt, raised few questions about this purchase, the one that stuck with me is the next one:

Is there an implementation plan for this program that I can look at?

I wish you all could had been there to feel how the energy of the room changed.

There were some answers, but the answer to his question on the implementation plan were quite vague and they didn't answer the question on whether the school had a written implementation plan or not. Later, through ananonymous reader's comment I learned that among the back and forth that was had at the table that night it was suggested that the the Principal of the school, Mr. Jenkins, come to give an oral presentation of the plan at the next meeting. But next meeting is also the meeting when a decision will be made on this item. And here is where I saw, literally saw, the opportunity for at least one improvement:

That the school district moves away from giving "oral presentations" on purchases and actually provides the school board, and the community, with an analysis and a report on how instructional purchases are made, how they are going to be used and how they will be implemented in the classroom.

Mr. Hurtt, the school board member who asked for the implementation plan, is quite right when he asked to see an implementation plan. This would actually move the district a bit forward, what is wrong with that?

So, above is concern numero uno. Two is below:

An anonymous reader point me out to a new whole direction on this instructional purchases thing when a link to the founders of Scientific Learning was sent to me. Along with the link to the founders was another link, this one to BlueTrade, a stock market analyzer company. Alas! I am no longer an "innocent" consumer of instructional products thanks to my anonymous reader.

As it is, one of the co-founders of the company is also on the company's Board of Directors. Dr. Paula A. Tallal also is the Co-Director of Rutgers University Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience. All these credentials are very impressive and who can argue against that? But...

Dr. Tallal also seems to own shares of Scientific Learning Corporation. Nothing wrong with that, after all, she co-founded the company and seems to have developed the programs with the support of Rutgers. (Not sure it will work, but HERE is SLIC's BlueTrader information)

On these times of transparency and given the fact that Plainfield Public Schools and Rutgers University do a LOT of business together, shouldn't there be disclosure statements from all involved on picking, deciding and making recommendations to purchase this, and all other, programs that the district buys?

All disclosure statements can then accompany a written report and analysis on why this program, and all others, are selected.

Due diligence, fiscal responsibility and transparency are well past due here in Plainfield, isn't it time to move the school district forward?

What is your opinion?

For a description of what Fast ForWord is --according to USDOE's "What Works Clearinghouse", the site the district used as per the BOE agenda-- Click HERE.