Pueblo D60 board shifts course on state grant funds, remains opposed to new position
Following a recommendation from Pueblo School District 60 Superintendent Charlotte Macaluso, three school board directors changed their positions Thursday on a previous decision to turn down over $800,000 in state grant funds. However, all three remained opposed to creating a new administrative position, which Macaluso had also lobbied them to reconsider.
Board directors Kathy DeNiro, Anthony Perko and Sol Sandoval reconsidered their votes on Empowering Action for Student Improvement (EASI) grant funds during a Thursday board meeting, paving the way for the district to accept the state funding.
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On May 16, the three directors formed the majority in a 3-2 vote to decline EASI grant funding because it earmarked $300,000 over the course of two years for a middle school director position. Prior to that vote, the board majority expressed concerns about the creation of administrative positions and the middle school director position's salary relative to other employees in the district.
The middle school position would have provided direct support to three Pueblo D60 schools on the Colorado Department of Education's "accountability clock": Pueblo Academy of Arts, Risley International Academy of Innovation and Roncalli STEM Academy. About 80% of the annual $150,000 in grant funds initially earmarked for the middle school director would fund the position's salary, with the rest funding its benefits.
At Thursday's board meeting, Perko made a motion to reconsider the May 16 vote and accept EASI grant funds, given that acceptance of the funds would not mean the board was "contingent, required or mandated" to allocate funds for the middle school director position.
"This is something that I think is as close to a best-case scenario that this board is going to be able to reach," Perko said. "You have got five different people with five different opinions. This is a way where it's purposely crafted with staff and with our superintendent's office to make sure ... that we're not leaving any money on the table."
Tommy Farrell and Barb Clementi were the two board members to vote "yes" on approving the initial EASI grant resolution on May 16 and oppose Perko's amendment on Thursday. However, the amendment passed 3-2 before all five board members approved a final resolution to accept the EASI grant funding.
Pueblo D60 communications director Dalton Sprouse said the board's decision not to fund the middle school director position was an "unfortunate and detrimental" loss for the district that could impact student achievement in middle schools, which are the district's "highest need" schools.
While the board reconsidered the EASI grant funding, a motion was not put forth to reconsider DeNiro, Perko and Sandoval's other May 18 vote to decline federal funding for continuation of the executive director of continuous improvement and innovation position.
Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo D60 board votes to accept state funds but declines new position
