Chico Unified School District Board of Education Board Workshop 2/4/2026

The Chico Unified School District Board of Education held a special board workshop on February 4, 2026. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the discussion and public concerns regarding a proposed $2 million contract with Riverside Technologies to refresh the district's camera and video surveillance system using Verata technology, which includes AI facial recognition capabilities. Board members agreed to agendaize a detailed discussion on this contract for the upcoming February 18 meeting, with a request to have a company representative present to address questions. Public speakers, including students, teachers, and community members, expressed concerns about privacy, transparency, the ethical implications of facial recognition technology, and the vendor's past controversies and security breaches. The board also briefly discussed the consent calendar process and planned future conversations about what items should be placed on consent versus discussion agendas. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to an informational presentation on student achievement data, including academic progress, assessment strategies, and curriculum adoption plans, with no procurement actions taken at that time.