Follow the Money

Report Details

Who is Adrienne Coleman? 

In her online biography, Adrienne Coleman described herself as a “nationally recognized speaker/researcher,” serving as director of equity and inclusion at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, based in Aurora, Illinois.

Her biography said she is “responsible for assessing potential barriers and developing strategies focused on recruiting and retaining a diverse community as well as implementing IMSA’s equity and excellence plan.”

The biography noted: “Not only has she influenced diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices at IMSA, she has assisted educational institutions, social-service organizations, law enforcement, government and international organizations in moving this work forward for approximately 15 years.”

What K-12 work has Adrienne Coleman done? 

ILLINOIS

DuPage Regional Office of Education

On Feb. 10, 2021, the DuPage Regional Office of Education in Illinois signed a Contractual Service Agreement to pay Adrienne Coleman a fee of $8,500 to speak at five events, called “Candid Conversations Matter,” at its Administrators’ Academy. The school district provided the contract in response to a public records request, followed by a series of contracts by other contractors hired by the district on issues of “diversity, equity and inclusion.”

She spoke on the topic of “Leading for Equity and Excellence in the School Setting.”

The pricing schedule was:

1. $2,000 for a Nov. 30, 2020, seminar
2. $1,500 for a Jan. 8, 2021, talk
3. $1,500 for a March 5, 2021, talk
4. $1,500 for a talk
5. $1,500 for a talk on June 21, 2021