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Yakima School District board meeting, Sep 15, 2026

1 h 34 min · 0 public speakers

Chronic absenteeism ▶ 8:11Reading and test scores ▶ 28:06

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 1 h 34 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Yakima School Board approves one-year paraeducator agreement and food purchases 1:27:32

  • The Yakima School Board heard staff reports on the district's attendance goal, summer school programs and the Gear Up program. 8:11
  • The superintendent reported that the district completed the sale of over $94 million in bonds, generating over $100 million for projects that include rebuilding Hoover and Garfield Elementary Schools. 1:09:45
  • The board approved a purchase of milk and dairy products from Springbrook Farms for the '26-'27 school year. 1:23:55
  • The board approved a one-year collective bargaining agreement with the Yakima Paraeducator Association with an estimated cost of $886,746.76. 1:29:39
Item by item (13)
  1. Opening and roll call 0:36
    • Ryan Beckett opened the meeting and led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a land acknowledgment in English and Spanish. 0:48
    • Ryan Beckett said Spanish interpretation services were offered and that there would be two opportunities for public comment. 4:48
    • During the roll call, a staff member said the board president was excused. 6:03
  2. Recognition of state school nurse honor 6:26
    • A speaker recognized a district employee named the 2026 School Nurse of the Year for the state of Washington. 6:26
  3. Attendance goal report 8:11
    • The executive director of student services reported that the regular attendance rate rose from 65.2 in 2024 to 66.8 for 2025⁠-⁠26, and that daily average attendance held at 88%. 8:38
    • The executive director said the school year started at 93% attendance and that 8 out of 20 students met the goal last year, up from a baseline of 5 out of 20. 8:38
    • A school principal described a soccer-themed attendance competition among grade-level teams at Adams. 23:00
  4. Summer school programs report 28:06
    • The executive director of teaching and learning described the DiscoverWorks summer program and said post-test math results at or above grade level rose to 50.6 from a combined 27.8. 28:18
    • The executive director said summer programs allowed the district to graduate an additional 16 students who were credit deficient. 28:18
    • Martha Rice asked how DiscoverWorks aligned with the district's curriculum, and a speaker said it was more of a complement. 44:32
  5. Gear Up program report 49:15
    • The Gear Up site coordinator said the program served 463 cohort students through tutoring and took students on 31 field trips. 49:24
    • Martha Rice asked whether the program risked losing funding, and the coordinator said the federal grants are written for 7 years and this year's budget was fully approved. ~1:01:09
  6. Board member updates 1:03:40
    • Ryan Beckett said the deadline for the board self-assessment was extended to the 23rd of September. 1:03:40
    • Martha Rice said the WASDA General Assembly would take up 74 items on Saturday and asked board members to return their selection tools by Friday. 1:04:41
    • Martha Rice said they would ask that a position on mayoral control be removed from the consent agenda for discussion. 1:06:09
  7. Superintendent's update 1:09:38
    • The superintendent said the district completed the sale of over $94 million in bonds, which generated over $100 million to rebuild and furnish Hoover and Garfield Elementary Schools and for other upgrades. 1:09:45
    • The superintendent invited board members to a mini pitch unveiling at Ridgeview and to a funding learning session on October 6th at the Davis High School Performing Arts Center. 1:11:51
    • The superintendent said the funding session is free to the community. 1:13:50
  8. Bond construction update 1:17:24
    • A district staff member said Garco Construction was selected to build both schools after a bidding process and was the lowest bid at the time. 1:18:24
    • A staff member said the company is based out of Spokane and has employees who live locally. 1:20:53
    • A staff member said the Adams parking lot and LC courtyard were done and work had begun on the LC track. 1:21:20
  9. Public comment and consent agenda 1:22:34
    • A staff member said no one had signed up to comment on agenda items. ~1:22:47
    • The consent agenda included the minutes, warrants for August of 2026 and personnel actions. 1:22:48
    • The motion to approve the consent agenda carried. 1:23:40
  10. Milk and dairy products purchase 1:23:55
    • A district staff member said the purchase of milk and dairy products came to the board because the expense was expected to exceed $500,000. 1:23:55
    • Martha Rice moved to approve the purchase of milk and dairy products from Springbrook Farms for the '26-'27 school year. 1:25:41
    • The motion carried. ~1:26:45
  11. Food and paper products purchase 1:26:52
    • Martha Rice moved that the board approve spending up to $1 million for food and paper products from US Foods for the 26⁠-⁠27 school year. 1:27:43
    • A staff member said the purchase covers protein and produce products as well as paper trays and boats used for serving. 1:28:16
    • The motion carried. ~1:28:48
  12. Paraeducator collective bargaining agreement 1:28:52
    • A presenter said contract negotiations with the Yakima Paraeducator Association produced a 1-year collective bargaining agreement for 2026⁠-⁠2027 with an estimated cost of $886,746.76. 1:29:39
    • Martha Rice asked that the motion note the agreement is for the '26-'27 school year. 1:31:46
    • The motion to approve the agreement carried. 1:31:59
  13. Public comment and policy governance ratings 1:32:17
    • A staff member said no one had signed up for the second public comment period. ~1:32:25
    • Martha Rice moved to approve the ratings for policies 1000.4.0, Global Governance Management Connection, and 1000.4.1, Unity of Control. 1:33:18
    • The motion carried. ~1:33:44

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “Yakima School District Board Meeting September 15th, 2026”