Fairfax County Public Schools pays Leadership Academy $49,600 for survey for critical race theory indoctrination and signs four-year deal that could add up to $700,000+
Incidents
- Issues
- Consulting
On Thursday, May 6, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand sent the community a biased, unscientific survey that promotes critical race theory. In new documents released through a FOIA request, Parents Defending Education has learned that Fairfax County Public Schools agreed to pay NYC Leadership Academy $49,600 in an “informal competitive process.”
According to the February 8 purchase order, the school district hired the outside group for the school district’s “Anti-Bias Community Engagement Policy,” including the cost of doing a “survey and policy work.” (View the entire survey to parents here.)
In its FOIA response, Fairfax County Public Schools said: “The cost of the survey and policy work by the NYC Leadership Academy is $49,600 and was procured via an informal competitive process and falls under an Exception to Competitive Procurement as allowed by the Fairfax County Purchasing Resolution which states “Procurement for single or term contracts for goods and services not expected to exceed $200,000 as identified by the Purchasing Agent.” The department is required to solicit at least four (4) written competitive proposals by sending the solicitation to known sources. This is a one-time engagement, and nothing has been paid to date. Purchase order, which reflects the $49,600 is attached for reference.”
In addition, Parents Defending Education has learned that the school districted signed a four-year “Notice of Award” on March 11 with the organization with a “pricing schedule” of 21 items that could add up to a minimum of $702,700 of business and even run into the millions of dollars.
Shockingly, in its response to the FOIA request by Parents Defending Education, FCPS claimed that the March 11 “Notice of Award” is valued at a mere $80,000, even though single line items, such as for a “Customized, Deeper Touch Professional Learning” runs at least $240,000.
Parents Defending Education has learned that, according to online records, FCPS has paid NYC Leadership Academy an additional $48,500. Here is the link to the vendor payments.
Here is a chronology of events.
Disturbingly, in releasing his survey, Brabrand said: “One key strategy to achieve educational equity is to analyze and address the beliefs and policies that inform teaching practices along with what is taught in schools. FCPS will begin by revising the existing Controversial Issues Policy and developing a new Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias Education Curriculum Policy.”
It’s the “Controversial Issues Policy” that is designed to protect students from indoctrination. Read here how Fairfax County is trying to change the “Controversial Issues Policy” so teachers don’t have to be “impartial.”
The survey was filled with leading questions that are clearly designed with one intention: to get more business for the consultant, NYC Leadership Academy, which was involved in creating the survey.
What Whistleblowers Say
Parents and community members expressed concern about the survey, including:
- A whistleblower said the “recent survey about anti-racism anti-bias curriculum policy is poorly designed and set up so answers can be used to support predetermined outcome.” The whistleblower continued: “It starts with faulty assumptions and provides no opportunity to explain an answer. Example: given statement FCPS staff are equipped to teach about race, you are expected to agree or disagree, but there is no way to explain that you may feel that the staff shouldn’t be teaching about race. There is no opportunity to explain the extent of what curriculum or policy should entail – just how much do you agree with their conclusions. Also, a person can take the survey multiple times, which will skew the results. Poorly designed and not actually evidence-based. How much are we paying the consultants?”
- A parent wrote to Parents Defending Education and said: “Fairfax County Public Schools is changing their (currently excellent) controversial issues policy and adding a new anti-bias, anti-racism policy. They promised community engagement. They sent a survey. It’s bull****, with no way to engage in a nuanced manner. They plan to ram this through without community feedback.”
- Another whistleblower said: “The survey questions are extremely biased.”
The survey asked, “To what degree do you agree with the following:”
- The curriculum used in FCPS should teach students how to challenge power and privilege in society.”
- Agree or disagree? “A curriculum and teaching methods focused on being anti-racist and anti-biased would support students’ academic excellence and accelerate learning.”
You can see the details here.
Furthermore, Fairfax County Public Schools has made $48,500 in payments to NYC Leadership Academy in funds spent by the county’s chief equity officer, according to research by Parents Defending Education. The funding is listed as “grants and self supporting fund – grants.”
The funds include $21,000 spent in October 2020 and $27,500 spent in February 2021. Fairfax County Public Schools has refused to answer questions about what services it received in return for those funds, and it has refused to explain what grants provided those funds.
We are investigating and will continue to get you answers.
Payments to Vendor NYC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
| Vendor | Payments |
| NYC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | $48,500.00 |
Payments to Vendor by Department
Year-to-Date July 2020 – March 2021
| Department Name | Fund | Month | Payments |
| Chief Equity Officer | Grants & Self Supporting Fund – Grants | October | $21,000.00 |
| Chief Equity Officer | Grants & Self Supporting Fund – Grants | February | $27,500.00 |
| Payments by Chief Equity Officer | $48,500.00 | ||
| Total Payments Year to Date | $48,500.00 |
Notice of Award
Attachment C was a “Pricing Schedule.” If Fairfax County Public Schools purchased the bare minimum of each item, the total bill would be $702,700.
Overview of Proposed Professional Learning Services and Resources for FCPS
| Program Type | Program Name | Cost | If the least costly item was purchased |
| Direct Coaching | 1. Executive Coaching | One-on-One Coaching Virtual: $6,700 per individual leader Blended: $9,100 per individual leader Small Group Coaching (assumes 5 leaders) Virtual: $12,100 per group Blended: $14,400 per group | $6,700 $12,100 |
| 2. School Leader Coaching | One-on-One Coaching Virtual: $6,800 per individual leader Blended: $9,200 per individual leader Small Group Coaching (assumes 5 leaders) Virtual: $7,400 per group Blended: $9,700 per group | $6,800 $7,400 | |
| Coach Training | 3. Coaching for Equitable Practice | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $21,200 16 to 30 participants: $22,500 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $24,500 16 to 30 participants: $30,200 | $21,200 |
| 4. Deepening Leadership Coaching | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $12,900 16 to 30 participants: $20,700 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $21,700 16 to 30 participants: $26,800 | $12,900 | |
| Leadership Development for School and Division Leaders | 5. Leadership Retreats | In-Person (up to 15 participants): 1-Day Leadership Retreat: $11,600 2-Day Leadership Retreat: $17,000 In-Person (16 to 30 participants): 1-Day Leadership Retreat: $18,100 2-Day Leadership Retreat: $26,200 Virtual (up to 15 participants): 1-Day Leadership Retreat: $12,700 2-Day Leadership Retreat: $23,400 Virtual (16 to 30 participants): 1-Day Leadership Retreat: $15,700 2-Day Leadership Retreat: $26,700 | $11,600 |
| 6. New Principal Institute | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $19,300 16 to 30 participants: $28,600 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $29,300 16 to 30 participants: $33,400 | $19,300 | |
| 7. Foundations of Principal Supervision | In-Person (up to 25 participants): $93,500 (assumes 25 participants) Virtual (up to 25 participants): $88,500 (assumes 25 participants) | $88,500 | |
| 8. Facilitation Training | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $13,400 16 to 30 participants: $21,400 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $21,800 16 to 30 participants: $27,200 | $13,400 | |
| 9. Equity Simulations | One-time license fee for one equity simulation: $2,500 If more than one equity simulation is licensed, buyers receive a 10% discount on the one-time license fees. | $2,500 | |
| 10. Sharpening Your Equity Lens | In-Person Up to 30 participants: $41,200 16 to 30 participants: $44,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $34,100 16 to 30 participants: $42,600 | $34,100 | |
| Culturally Responsive Instructional Leadership LA offers 9 professional learning sessions that focus on key components of culturally responsive instructional leadership: 11. Building School and Family Coalitions | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 12. Creating a Coherent Culturally Responsive School System | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 13. Leading a Culturally Responsive School | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 14. Defining Culturally Responsive Curriculum | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 15. Observing Culturally Responsive Instruction | In-Person (up to 15 participants): $20,200 Virtual (up to 15 participants): $22,600 | $20,200 | |
| 16. Setting Expectations for Student Learning | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 17. Centering the Student – The Culturally Responsive Classroom Experience | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 18. Creating a Plan to Build a Culturally Responsive School | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| 19. Supporting Students with Unfinished Teaching and Learning FCPS can engage LA for an individual session or can group two or more sessions together to create a customized program that meets your specific needs. | In-Person Up to 15 participants: $16,700 16 to 30 participants: $19,000 Virtual Up to 15 participants: $14,500 16 to 30 participants: $16,900 | $14,500 | |
| Customized, Deeper Touch Professional Learning | 20. For a specific school | In-Person/Virtual: $90,000 to 110,000 | $90,000 |
| 21. Districtwide | In-Person/Virtual: $240,000 to $280,000 | $240,000 |
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