Edina Public Schools Packet Summary — 2026-08-10
Regular Meeting — August 10, 2026
Edina Public Schools is scheduled to consider a mix of financial, technology, governance, policy, and strategic-planning items at its August regular meeting. Major items include a proposed six-year enterprise software contract, adoption of 2026-2027 Board and superintendent goals, action on six district policies, and discussions about construction, Strategic Plan progress, and School Board compensation.
Key Items on the Agenda
Enterprise Resource Planning Software Contract
As part of the consent agenda, administration recommends awarding a contract to Skyward, Inc. for the Qmlativ School Business Suite, a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system supporting district finance and human resources operations.
The district received proposals from PowerSchool, Region 1, and Skyward. Administration determined that Skyward was the advantageous proposal based on district specifications covering security, internal controls, integrations, reporting, and other requirements.
- The proposed Skyward arrangement totals $808,912 over six years, including software and hosting.
- $362,164 is identified for one-time implementation, data migration, and training costs.
- License fees would remain flat for the first four years.
- Administration estimates the transition would save the district approximately $189,929 compared with its current provider.
- Implementation would begin after execution of the agreement, with a target go-live between October 1, 2027 and April 1, 2028.
- Administration recommends authorizing the Executive Director of Finance & Operations to execute the necessary contract documents with Skyward and the related cloud-hosting agreement with ISCorp.
The proposal includes finance, human resources, payroll, employee access, applicant tracking, asset and benefit management, time tracking, APIs, data migration, training, and cloud hosting. The packet also includes extensive vendor information addressing cybersecurity, authentication, audit logging, data ownership, integrations, backup and disaster recovery, implementation, and support.
2026-2027 School Board Goals
The Governance Committee is bringing proposed 2026-2027 School Board Goals for action. The goals were developed from Board discussions and work at the June retreat and are intended to support both Board governance practices and the district Strategic Plan.
Four areas of focus are identified:
- Strategic Plan review: Engage stakeholders in assessing the district's 2020-2030 Strategic Plan, evaluating progress and identifying potential refinements.
- Financial stewardship and future bond planning: Maintain a balanced budget and strong fund balance while developing a framework for a potential future bond referendum.
- Technology and artificial intelligence: Work with district leadership on the role, opportunities, risks, and appropriate guardrails for technology and AI, while continuing work on existing district areas of emphasis.
- Board governance: Strengthen professional development, Board reflection, self-evaluation, and onboarding of new Board members.
The proposed measures include quarterly Board work sessions on technology and AI, at least three Board retreats, a Strategic Plan assessment report, development of a potential bond framework and timeline, and completion of the annual Board self-evaluation by June 2027.
Staff recommends approval of the goals.
2026-2027 Superintendent Goals
The Board is also scheduled to act on the superintendent's 2026-2027 goals. The packet describes them as the result of a collaborative process between the School Board and superintendent and says they are designed to translate the district's long-term vision into measurable leadership priorities.
Among the proposed work is a review and refinement of the 2020-2030 Strategic Plan. The superintendent would collaborate with the Board to launch an inclusive review process by October 2026, facilitate assessment sessions with stakeholders, and present a report to the Board by June 2027 summarizing progress, feedback, and suggested refinements.
Staff recommends approval of the 2026-2027 Superintendent Goals.
Major Financial Items
Several July financial items appear on the consent agenda.
- Check register: Staff recommends approval of $7,077,458.94 in July disbursements. That includes $6,823,829.27 from the General Fund, $175,876.93 from Community Service, $76,327.74 from Building-Construction, and $1,425.00 from Debt Service.
- Electronic fund transfers: Staff recommends authorization of $12,987,853.89 in July electronic transfers.
- Gifts and bequests: Staff recommends accepting $109,645.75 in gifts and bequests received by the district during July.
- Investment report: An informational report provides details on district cash and investments as of July 31, 2026. No Board action is recommended on that report.
Policy and Governance Items
Six Policies Return for Action
The Board is scheduled to consider modifications to six policies that were presented for discussion at the July 13 regular meeting:
- Policy 208 — Development, Adoption, and Implementation of Policies
- Policy 503 — Student Attendance
- Policy 520 — Student Surveys
- Policy 601 — Educational Competencies, Academic Standards, and Instructional Curriculum
- Policy 616 — School District System Accountability
- Policy 626 — Independent Provider Activity Programs
The Policy Committee recommends approval of the suggested modifications.
Board Meeting Calendar Amendment
The consent agenda includes an amended 2026-2027 School Board meeting calendar. The change moves the required organizational meeting to January 11, 2027 at 4:30 p.m.
Staff recommends approval of the amended calendar.
Board Compensation Analysis
The Board is scheduled to discuss its current compensation structure using an analysis of School Board compensation across Minnesota. The packet says the comparison examines the state's top 50 districts and looks at compensation structures for both regular Board members and officers.
No action is recommended at this stage. The intended discussion is whether Edina's current compensation remains appropriate and whether revisions should be considered for future Board members.
District Operations and Strategic Plan
Summer Construction Update
Administration will provide an informational update on summer 2026 construction and deferred-maintenance work. The packet notes that the size and age of district facilities create significant annual maintenance needs.
Over the past eight to ten years, Edina Public Schools has invested an average of approximately $16.7 million per year in deferred-maintenance improvements using long-term facilities maintenance revenue. The presentation is intended to update the Board and community on the scope and progress of projects underway during summer 2026; no action is recommended.
Strategic Plan — Strategy C Review
The Board will discuss a recent stakeholder review of Strategy C: Foster Positive Learning Environments and Whole Student and Staff Wellness Support.
The review examines progress, accomplishments, challenges, and alignment with the strategy's original intent. Areas considered include social-emotional learning, wellness, mental health, extracurricular opportunities, learning environments, and technology use.
The district intends to use the review to inform possible refinements to action plans as implementation of the Strategic Plan continues through 2030. No action is recommended at this meeting; the Board is being asked to discuss the findings and share perspectives.
Consent Agenda and Routine Business
In addition to the major financial and technology items, the consent agenda includes:
- Draft minutes from the July 13 work session and regular meeting and July 21 work session.
- Monthly personnel recommendations covering proposed employment actions, resignations and retirements, assignment changes, overloads, leaves of absence, and Community Education staffing.
- The amended 2026-2027 Board meeting calendar.
Personnel recommendations are presented as conditional where applicable, including completion of required background checks, employment eligibility verification, and licensing requirements.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The proposed ERP contract is the largest operational and technology decision on the agenda, with a six-year transition affecting finance, payroll, human resources, data migration, cybersecurity, and other administrative systems. The proposed implementation would extend well into the 2027-2028 school year.
The Board's annual goals also point toward several issues likely to remain prominent throughout 2026-2027: review of the district's long-range Strategic Plan, financial sustainability, planning for a possible future bond referendum, and development of governance-level expectations for technology and artificial intelligence.
The meeting also moves several matters from earlier discussion toward potential action. The six policies reviewed in July are scheduled for approval, while the School Board and superintendent goals are presented for adoption after prior development and discussion.
