The Chicago Board of Education’s Agenda Review Committee considered a dense set of business items on Dec. 3 ahead of the Dec. 18 regular meeting, including funding agreements, policy postings, vendor renewals, property dispositions and a preliminary bond authorization.

Major contracts and financial items: the Office of Early Childhood asked the board to approve new intergovernmental agreements to distribute early‑childhood block‑grant funding through six Head Start grantees with not‑to‑exceed amounts of roughly $49.7 million and $49.1 million starting July 1, 2026; a connected $2.5 million IGA with City Colleges would fund early‑learning workforce scholarships. The Talent Office recommended a three‑year renewal of healthcare administrative services with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (Healthcare Service Corporation) and HSA administrative services (total not‑to‑exceed ~$1.82 billion for benefits administration as described in the presentation). The Talent Office also recommended renewal of third‑party claims administration (CCMSI, ~$7.9 million).

Policies and operations: procurement staff sought authority to post amendments to the debarment and indebtedness policies for public comment; Information and Technology Services proposed an updated information‑security policy and presented a single‑source data‑center services contract (not‑to‑exceed ~$1.1 million for the year) to ensure continuity while ITS evaluates migration to cloud services. The Office of Student Health and Wellness sought public comment on an amended AED policy to align with recent state law requiring cardiac emergency response planning and hands‑only CPR information.

Property sales and community engagement: Capital recommended accepting bids or offers for three vacant school sites (Bontemps Elementary at 1241 W. 58th St., Matthew A. Henson at 1326 S. Avers Ave., and former Shedd Elementary at 200 E. 99th St.) with redevelopment proposals ranging from affordable multifamily and senior housing to community‑service uses. Presenters described community meetings and letters of support from local aldermen; board members asked for clear documentation of community engagement and for needs‑assessment materials to accompany sales.

Procedural actions and votes: Member Pope moved and the board approved a 30‑minute recess (roll call: 17 ayes, 0 nays). Later the board voted to commence a closed session (roll call: 18 ayes, 0 nays). The board also approved, by roll call, a proposed settlement in Jane Doe v. Board of Education and Brian Crowder, case no. 2024L004023 (motion carried with 14 ayes, 0 nays recorded at that roll call). District treasurer Wally Stock presented a request to authorize up to $1.8 billion in alternate general‑obligation bond authority as a three‑year authorization to provide capacity for future capital sales; he described the statutory public‑notice and petition process that follows.

Next steps: items presented for public comment or board authorization will return to the Dec. 18 board meeting for final votes; several board members requested clearer documentation of vendor MWBE participation, community‑meeting minutes for property sales, and explanations for unfunded state mandates such as AED certification costs.

Ending: no final contract awards were executed during the Agenda Review Committee; the meeting put major items before the full board for consideration and created follow‑up assignments for staff regarding documentation and community engagement.