WHY?

• Conflict of Interest — Documented ties between the interim superintendent and Magma Math raise questions under Florida Statutes §§1006.32 and 112.313, as well as SBAC Policy 0141.2.
• Failure to Follow Policy — Instructional materials were adopted without compliance with SBAC Policy 2520, which requires committee review and public notice.
• Lack of Transparency — Multi-million-dollar contracts were bundled into consent agendas without adequate description or discussion, contrary to the spirit of Florida’s Sunshine Law (§286.011).
• Fiscal Mismanagement — At a time of budget shortfalls and staff layoffs, the District committed over $1.3 million in discretionary funds to programs with limited evidence of effectiveness, while rejecting established evidence-based alternatives.

We should ALL be concerned regarding the mismanagement of federal and state funds by the interim superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS). Specifically, whether the interim superintendent has exercised proper fiscal controls, adhered to statutory requirements, and fulfilled the fiduciary duty owed to the District, county, and community. 

At the June 3, 2025, budget workshop, the School Board acknowledged a projected 2025–2026 budget deficit of approximately $10.7 million. Despite these fiscal challenges, the interim superintendent recommended—and the Board approved—the bundling of 33 items on the Consent Agenda without adequate public description. This action raised significant transparency concerns, as noted during the meeting by Board Member Thomas Vu.

Florida Statute §286.011, Florida’s “Sunshine Law,” requires that public boards conduct business in an open and transparent manner. Bundling major multi-million-dollar instructional contracts into a consent agenda without clear public description is arguably inconsistent with this statute’s intent.

Specifically, the Magma Math contract ($273,360) and Instructional Empowerment ($1,255,080) were approved without robust discussion or stakeholder review. By July 31, 2025, these totals had been further increased to $336,360 and $1,315,608.41 respectively, again through consent agenda approval. These expenditures occurred while staff faced layoffs, hiring freezes, and hour reductions.

SBAC Policy 2520 requires that instructional materials be reviewed by a properly convened committee that includes curriculum specialists and parents, and that such meetings comply with the Sunshine Law (F.S. 286.011).

No evidence has been provided that such a committee was convened for Magma Math. The District Secondary Math Curriculum Specialist, who would have opposed this adoption, was excluded. Further, the interim superintendent unilaterally ended the District’s subscription to IXL Math (an ESSA Tier 1 evidence-based program) and prevented schools from purchasing it with Title I funds, despite its proven student outcomes. This action is inconsistent with ESSA requirements for evidence-based interventions in federally funded programs.

SBAC Policy 0141.2 prohibits officials from obtaining a “disproportionate benefit” through their position. Similarly, F.S. §112.313(6) (Code of Ethics for Public Officers) prohibits public officers from corruptly using their positions to secure special benefits. Moreover, F.S. §1006.32(1) explicitly prohibits district officials from soliciting or accepting anything of value to influence the adoption of instructional materials.

The interim superintendent’s documented relationship with Magma Math—including serving as a featured speaker at their 2024 “Power Trip” event in Austin, Texas, and reportedly being listed as an advisory board member—creates at minimum the appearance of a conflict of interest. This relationship should have been disclosed under Florida’s ethics statutes. Failure to disclose a conflict may constitute a violation of both state law and School Board policy.

It is critical that the governance of public funds and instructional decisions for ACPS remain transparent, ethical, and in full compliance with Florida law.