Board to refine proposal for statewide listening tour; committee asks for detailed budget and logistics

The finance committee discussed a proposal for a statewide listening tour that would bring board members to regional meetings to solicit input from educators, parents and local stakeholders. Estimates varied: an early draft contained a $150,000 figure that included an external facilitator, meals and broad travel assumptions; a pared‑down estimate reduced the figure to about $35,000 by removing facilitator and meal costs.

Board members asked staff to produce a concise plan for the May meeting that clarifies the number and location of events, expected board attendance (and the cost implications if seven members attend each event), whether to hire an external facilitator, and the meeting cadence so sessions can inform fall legislative priorities. The committee voted unanimously to revisit the proposal in May with those details.