District to consider $150,000 PRISM audit of initiatives; some trustees ask for competitive procurement
Summary
Superintendent and staff presented a DMG PRISM proposal to catalog and evaluate district initiatives for alignment and return on investment. Administration plans to ask the board to vote on the $150,000 contract at the June 17 meeting; some trustees asked for an RFQ and raised concerns about cost and outside consultants.
Rockford Public Schools administrators presented a proposal to hire DMG (PRISM) to inventory and evaluate district initiatives, with a recommended contract price of about $150,000 and a board vote requested at the June 17 meeting.
Why it matters: Administrators said the project would catalog initiatives across the district, quantify time and money spent, and recommend reallocations to align with a forthcoming strategic plan and the priorities of a future superintendent. Trustees questioned why an outside consultant is needed and whether the district should seek competing proposals.
Deputy chief administrators described PRISM as a multi‑month audit and prioritization process aimed at identifying low‑impact, high‑cost activities and freeing resources for higher‑value work. "This opportunity will be a multi month process that we'll use to be able to do that," a presenter said, arguing that an external audit provides an emotionally detached perspective and case studies of substantial returns.
Several trustees pushed back. Board Member Bennett asked whether the consultant would interview staff and how school‑level programs would be evaluated; administrators said PRISM would engage principals and staff to find initiatives not captured in central records. Board Member Pearson asked how the PRISM effort differs from standard financial or compliance audits; administrators said the PRISM work focuses on operational effectiveness and program alignment rather than financial internal controls.
Board Member Stanford and others asked why the district did not issue an RFQ or competitive solicitation for the work. Administrators said DMG had prior relationships with the district on other projects and that staff negotiated the cost down to make the project affordable; they acknowledged that a formal competitive process would be a reasonable expectation in future procurements.
Administration said the PRISM work is intended to yield precise options for reprioritizing programs and budgets before FY27 budget decisions and the arrival of a new superintendent. The administration also promised regular reporting to the planning committee and the full board as findings emerge.
Ending: Administration will place the DMG PRISM proposal on the June 17 board meeting agenda for a vote. Trustees requested clearer procurement documentation and commitments on stakeholder engagement before approval.
