The Examiner U-46 News FeedU-46 to hike ACE funding with 72 percent jump By Seth Hancock
After some discussion, the Board of Education in School District U-46 unanimously approved of increasing funding from $51,000 to $88,000 to the Alignment Collaborative for Education (ACE) at its Monday, Jan. 24 meeting.
The vote was 6-0, board member Eva Porter was absent.
ACE, comprised of business and government entities with a stated purpose to serve U-46, was founded in 2013, and then Superintendent Jose Torres promised it would be completely funded by fundraising which Superintendent Tony Sanders reiterated in 2016.
That fact is no longer on the table as the board is now trying to get promises that ACE will not seek future increases. ACE officials suggested they make seek more increases in the future when presented on Jan. 10.
Board member Dawn Martin removed the item from the consent agenda. She said she appreciates the work of ACE.
“However, I am struggling with the jump from us covering 23 percent to the 35 percent of their budget,” Martin said. “I understand that the overall dollars are not necessarily a large number in our overall budget… however, I am struggling with the percent jump. I am struggling with what the original intent was and how we were going to fund it.”
Board member Melissa Owens said that moving forward, she wants to see a “more concrete plan in place” and “I don’t want to see us next year another increase.”
Board member Veronica Noland said she was “doubtful” when ACE sought increases a few years ago but was sold after a “wonderful presentation.” She said “it’s a little fuzzy again.”
“I still believe that we are getting great value, even at that cost,” said board member John Devereux.
Board member Kate Thommes said it’s a “great value” and she’s “super excited about the career exploration,” but “we can’t just keep increasing it each year without more of an explanation.”
Sue Kerr, the board’s president, said she sits on the ACE board. She said “this has been a rough year for ACE” due to COVID-19 shutdowns, and “I don’t think they got the donations they were looking for.”
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