Sunnyvale superintendent proposes Bay Ed Fund partnership with $580,000 startup grant

Superintendent Crossway told the board the district is negotiating a potential partnership with Bay Ed Fund to support sustained leadership and instructional improvement in Sunnyvale.

“The partnership would provide, for the first year, up to $580,000 in grant funding from Bay Ed Fund,” Crossway said, describing work to support professional learning, stronger instructional systems and family engagement. Crossway said the organization typically measures impact through extended engagements and that the district would see multiple opportunities for board members and the public to engage in listening and planning sessions.

Trustees asked how the board would be involved in the process. Trustee Jesse Watson asked whether the partner would help update the district strategic plan or merely support implementation; Crossway replied the partner is intended as a “thought partner” not a director of district policy and that trustees and staff would be included in community meetings. Trustees also requested a schedule of planned community meetings and proposed deliverables before final approval.

The presentation included other district highlights the superintendent tied to the partnership pitch: the district’s recent adoption of a new ELA curriculum, a pilot math partnership with Fremont Union, an AI task force, and new grants and programming that staff said position the district to make use of startup funding.

The board did not take action on the Bay Ed Fund proposal at the meeting; staff said they would bring additional details and a timeline back to the board for consideration.