The Merced City School District has contracted with consultants for over $900,000 in the last year to facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and race-based programming for students

SUMMARY

Since 2025, the Merced City School District in California has spent $913,423 on consultants for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and race-based student programming. These contracts include services to facilitate African American affinity groups and programs specifically for males of color.

CONTRACTS

On December 9, 2025, the district school board previewed a 2026 contract proposal from School Yard Rap (SYR) that was then approved at the board’s January 13, 2026, meeting. According to the documents, the services to be provided include an “African American Affinity Group” for 100 African American students and a Summer “Rap Camp.” Facilitating these programs is set to cost the district $270,000.

At the district’s June 24, 2025, board meeting, members approved a $276,000 contract with the organization to provide programming and “high quality, equitable education.” Services included in the contract includes “school performances,” “educational cultural arts content,” and a “summer camp” for students in 4th through 8th grade.

On February 11, 2025, the school board approved a contract with School Yard Rap for $64,000 to facilitate “assemblies at all four middle school and one elementary school campus (approximately 3,000 students) as well as a community event.”

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OTHER RACE-BASED PROGRAMMING

Also on February 11, 2025, the district approved a 2025-2026 contract with Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc (IYT) for $303,423 for programming for the district’s middle schools.

Read more about IYT in our DividED report.