Kennedale ISD board selects Open Ed to negotiate a limited virtual instruction program

Trustees approved staff’s recommendation to pursue a limited virtual instruction program with My Tech I Inc. (DBA Open), delegating authority to the superintendent to negotiate and execute a contract under Texas Education Code provisions.

District staff said two proposals responded to the district RFP: Open Ed and K12. The K12 proposal sought to enroll a far larger number of students and, in staff’s assessment, would have required the district to designate a distinct virtual campus and hire additional staff. Staff recommended Open Ed because its proposal better matched the district’s objective of a limited, capped virtual program that would not change the district’s campus designation or overwhelm local operations.

Board members raised questions about accountability, testing and attendance enforcement, and staffing thresholds. Staff said contract negotiations will include explicit enrollment caps, attendance and testing requirements, and short initial contract terms (staff reported the district attorney advised seeking an initial one‑year term with a review after the fall semester). Trustees asked for periodic updates as the program rolls out.

A motion to approve the recommendation and to delegate contract negotiation and execution to the superintendent passed unanimously. No roll‑call tally beyond unanimous consent was recorded in the transcript.