Huntley School District 158 Documents Show Purchase of Read 180

Special Ed Mom Sara Deifucci started this story at the Huntley School District Board meeting on November 5th.

She asked this intriguing question:

“Has the district already purchased anything that parents aren’t aware of? Have you already purchased Read 180 licenses?”

Superintendent John Burkey replied,

“No.”

“If I FOI it, (will I find something)?” Deifucci continued.

“Do your FOIA (short for Freedom of Information request),” he said.

I don’t know whether she followed through, but I filed one that night.

Here is the summarized contents of the reply (click to enlarge any image):

D158 Read 180 FOI Reply Summary

  • Intervention Treatment Proposal for Heineman Middle School for Read 180 and System 44 Materials Purchase
  • Request to Purchase Form to Scholastic Inc. in the amount of $57,295.20
  • Purchase Order #58187 to Scholastic in the amount of $57,295.20 for 180 licenses, Teacher and Classroom Materials
  • Scholastic Invoice #2833847 in the amount of $5,760.00
  • Scholastic Invoice #2833071 in the amount of $51,168.22
  • Check #065672 payable to Scholastic Inc. in the amount of $57,233.62

D158 Read 180 60 Licenses for Heineman for Below Avg

It appears from the backup material from Heineman that Scholastic made an offer for 30 Read 180 licenses and 30 System 44 licenses for $57,295.20 and someone was able to convince the vendor to allow District 158 to buy 60 licenses for Read 180 and none of System 44 for the same price.

The heading does not indicate the Read 180 license will be used for special ed kids. As you can see, it says,

“Intervention Treatment Proposal for Heineman Middle School – 60 Below Proficient Students”

The date on the request to purchase form signed by Chief Academnic Officer Mary M. Olson is 8-28-9.   D158 Read 180 10-14-9 OK to pay in fullOn the purchase order, she writes, on 10-14-9, “OK to pay in full.”

On 8-31, Scholastic apparently received a $5,760 bill for what appears to be four Read 180 licenses.

D158 Read 180 9-2-9 Bill for 51,168.62

Next in the FOI reply package was a bill for $51,168, apparently for Marlowe Middle School, according to the check stub. It identifies the $5,760 purchase and the $51,168 as coming from “ADA Block Curriculum materials.”

I note one line for $998 seems to be for college prep. At least that’s what “COLLE PP” seems to indicate.

So, what’s it all mean?

I asked District 47’s Community Relations Officer Lorie Woods for a reaction and here’s what she sent:

“The question was in reference to the use of ARRA or IDEA funds to purchase Read 180 licenses, materials, etc. The purchases for which you have copies of Purchase Orders, Invoices, etc. were for the pilot program at Heineman Middle School.  Those items were paid for through the ADA (Average Daily Attendance) Grant.”


Comments

Huntley School District 158 Documents Show Purchase of Read 180 — 2 Comments

  1. I am shocked and appalled by the adminsitration’s honesty. It makes it much more challenging to compose vague open ended non-accusations phrased as rhetorical questions with back handed insults and insinuations.

  2. The parents in question have an agenda. They are asking if the district has purchased something that the parents are not aware of? I am sure the board purchases many things that the general population and taxpayers are not “aware of.” However, what she should have asked is– Have you purchased something that “I do not approve of.” This parent wants all the monies from grants for special education students to go to HER student. She does not want to share the funds. The Read 180 expenditures will help more than her child. They will help many children. She wants the money to go to only her child and the few that she represents.

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