The Fort Worth ISD school board approved more than $33.7 million in new spending during its Aug. 27 meeting.

Among the biggest items trustees approved included $10.4 million for fiber internet upgrades and a combined $10.8 million in 2021 bond-related expenditures.

Here’s what trustees approved:

Membership fees to school district association

• What is it? Membership fees for Fort Worth ISD to participate in the Council of the Great City Schools, a national group of the largest urban public school systems.
• What’s the cost? $55,077
• Who’s the vendor? Council of the Great City Schools
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda, a list of items considered routine that can be approved in one vote.

Career and technical education data collection, analysis

• What is it? A program that will collect and analyze Fort Worth ISD’s career and technical education data, which the state requires.
• What’s the cost? $80,937.50
• Who’s the vendor? CEV Multimedia
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Employee absence system

• What is it? A program for district employees to report their absences.
• What’s the cost? $82,119.53
• Who’s the vendor? PowerSchool
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Network server storage

• What is it? Services to support network server storage for Fort Worth ISD’s virtual servers.
• What’s the cost? $87,126.72
• Who’s the vendor? Sequel Data Systems
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Annual subscription fee for school visitor check-in software

• What is it? The annual fee for Raptor, a software that campuses use to scan visitors’ identification cards, cross reference with national and local sex offender registries and print guest badges.
• What’s the cost? $89,100
• Who’s the vendor? Raptor Technologies
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Fire sprinkler inspection services

• What is it? Annual inspection of fire sprinkler systems at schools.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $90,000
• Who’s the vendor? Western States Fire Protection Co.
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Security fencing for I.M. Terrell Academy

• What is it? The district plans to replace existing ornamental fencing with security fencing around I.M. Terrell Academy. The new fencing will allow students and staff to move around the property and between buildings within a secured area.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $98,971.56
• Who’s the vendor? Garland-based Viking Fence Co.
• Where’s the funding coming from? Special revenue
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Fire extinguisher and vent hood inspections

• What is it? Services to inspect fire extinguishers and vent hoods throughout the school district.
• What’s the cost? $99,800
• Who’s the vendor? Texas Fire & Sound
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Texas College Bridge program

• What is it? The Texas College Bridge program is an online prep English and math course for students. 
• What’s the cost? $100,000
• Who’s the vendor? The NROC Project
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Interim assessments for career and technical education classes

• What is it? Annual tests for students enrolled in certain career and technical education courses.
• What’s the cost? $137,785
• Who’s the vendor? YouScience
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Renewal of Teach for America contract

• What is it? An agreement between Fort Worth ISD and Teach for America that places recent college graduates in high-need classrooms.
• What’s the cost? $152,000
• Who’s the vendor? Teach for America
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Software and training for special education staff

• What is it? Materials and licensing for software that special education teachers can use to assemble a curriculum.
• What’s the cost? $162,992.48
• Who’s the vendor? News-2-You
• Where’s the funding coming from? Special revenue
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Allocating additional funds to Workforce-Based High School renovation

• What is it? Trustees added $225,964 to a previously approved architectural contract for the renovation of Workforce-Based High School. The school board previously tabbed $903,858 to the project. The contract is now set at a maximum of $1,129,822.
• What’s the cost? $225,964
• Who’s the vendor? Kline Hardin Architects
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Google Classroom licenses

• What is it? Renewal of a license for Google products.
• What’s the cost? $231,320
• Who’s the vendor? CDW-G
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Resources for English-as-a-second-language teachers 

• What is it? A supplemental resource that provides teachers with additional support to accelerate the learning of English-as-a-second-language students.
• What’s the cost? $234,575
• Who’s the vendor? Curriculum Associates
• Where’s the funding coming from? Special revenue
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Time and attendance software for employees

• What is it? Software for keeping track of nonexempt employees’ hours and attendance.
• What’s the cost? $252,427.98
• Who’s the vendor? Kronos Inc.
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Timekeeping software bridge

• What is it? Additional software to link two timekeeping services in the district.
• What’s the cost? $269,425.30
• Who’s the vendor? Kronos Inc.
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Communications system

• What is it? Software that sends phone calls, text messages, emails and phone app notifications about Fort Worth ISD’s emergency communications, daily attendance and general announcements.
• What’s the cost? $345,500
• Who’s the vendor? Active Internet Technologies, also known as Finalsite
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Student reengagement program

• What is it? Renewal of a program that encourages high school students who dropped out to return to school.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $400,000
• Who’s the vendor? Graduation Alliance
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Property acquisition for replacement campus

• What is it? The district bought a property at 5625 Meadowbrook Drive as part of the planned construction of a new replacement campus for Eastern Hills Elementary.
• What’s the cost? $480,000, plus closing costs and relocation expenses
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Annual contract for instructional solutions and support

• What is it? An agreement between Fort Worth ISD and Education Service Center Region 11 for instruction-related services.
• What’s the cost? $549,809.80
• Who’s the vendor? Education Service Center Region 11
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? 8-0, with trustee Anne Darr abstaining because she works for Education Service Center Region 11; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Pre-K Today agreement

• What is it? A contract between Fort Worth ISD and PreK Today that would see children enrolled in community-based early childhood education providers classified as district students. Child Care Associates manages PreK Today.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $600,000
• Who’s the vendor? PreK Today
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Contract to provide equitable services to private nonprofit schools

• What is it? Under federal law, Fort Worth ISD is required to provide equitable services to private nonprofit schools that serve children from low-income families and who also live within the district’s attendance boundaries.
• What’s the cost? $689,242
• Who’s the vendor? Education Service Center Region 11
• Where’s the funding coming from? Special revenue
• What was the vote? 8-0, with Darr abstaining because she works for Education Service Center Region 11; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Online English language development platform

• What is it? An online resource that provides language support for academic achievement and vocabulary development for bilingual students.
• What’s the cost? $730,530
• Who’s the vendor? Summit K-12
• Where’s the funding coming from? Special revenue
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Alternative shuttle services

• What is it? A shuttle services contract for special education students during the 2024-25 school year.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $845,000
• Who’s the vendor? HopSkipDrive Inc. and EverDriven Technologies
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous; the contract was on the consent agenda.

Additional funds for Wedgwood Middle School renovation design

• What is it? Trustees allocated additional funds to the architectural contract for the planned renovation of Wedgwood Middle School. Previously, the district dedicated $3,610,937 for the contract. Now, it is $4,513,617.
• What’s the cost? $902,735
• Who’s the vendor? WRA Architects
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Northwest Evaluation Association’s Measures of Academic Progress system

• What is it? NWEA’s MAP test system that tracks students’ academic progress throughout the school year.
• What’s the cost? $1,073,638.75
• Who’s the vendor? NWEA
• Where’s the funding coming from? General fund
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Property acquisition for replacement campus

• What is it? The district bought three properties at 5705 Meadowbrook Drive, 701 W. Jessamine St. and 2274 Hemphill St. for the planned replacement campus for Eastern Hills Elementary and renovations at Daggett Montessori.
• What’s the cost? $1,350,000, plus closing costs and relocation expenses
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Student transportation management system

• What is it? A modern student transportation management system that allows the district to create and plan school bus routes, manage field trips and tracking of buses. Parents will have access once the system is fully rolled out in October 2025.
• What’s the cost? $1,447,265 over the next three years
• Who’s the vendor? Transfinder Corp.
• Where’s the funding coming from? TRE
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Leonard Middle School renovations contractor

• What is it? An agreement with a contractor for the Leonard Middle School renovation project.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $1,750,000
• Who’s the vendor? School Specialty
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Jacquet Middle School renovations contractor

• What is it? An agreement with a contractor for the Jacquet Middle School renovation project.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $1,820,000
• Who’s the vendor? School Specialty
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Wedgwood Middle School renovations contractor

• What is it? An agreement with a contractor for the Wedgwood Middle School renovation project.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $2,226,830
• Who’s the vendor? School Specialty
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

New architectural contract for McLean Middle School renovations

• What is it? Trustees ended a previous architectural services contract for McLean Middle School renovations and approved a new agreement.
• What’s the cost? Not to exceed $5,068,125
• Who’s the vendor? Glenn Partners
• Where’s the funding coming from? 2021 bond
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Contract for fiber network upgrades

• What is it? The district is working with its fiber network provider to design a new system that meets its current and future needs. The project will receive a 90% discount from the Federal Communications Commission. The district will ultimately pay for 10% of the project, once its funds are reimbursed from the federal government. 
• What’s the cost? $10,424,634 up front. After reimbursement, the district’s expense will be $775,877 plus annual service costs of $266,586.
• Who’s the vendor? Conterra Ultra Broadband
• Where’s the funding coming from? TRE
• What was the vote? Unanimous

Jacob Sanchez is a senior education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.