In a 4-2 split decision July 21, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District board gave its approval for a district plan to market its second-year online school program.

iUniversity Prep, which is a tuition-free virtual school the district started in the 2013-2014 school year, was projected to have 320 students in the 2014-2015 school year beginning in August. The district wants to grow the program, as officials have said it serves as one prong in a multi-faceted effort to offset a slow decline in student population based in the district.

The approval at the July 21 GCISD Board of Trustees meeting grants power to pay BrandEra about $84,000 to market the program through online advertising, print and direct e-mail marketing and paid news advertising, including a paid interview spot on WFAA's "Good Morning Texas." A portion of the funds is already budgeted for iUniversity Prep marketing—about $46,000 is available within the existing budget. The remaining $38,000 necessary for the contract with BrandEra will be pulled from money for the LEAD 2021 strategic plan program.

Superintendent Robin Ryan called the marketing effort "the next logical step" in growing the iUniversity Prep program.

Board member Kimberly Davis said she loved the idea of marketing the program, but had suggestions on messaging.

"I think it's important because our competitors are spending a whole lot more money on it than we are," Davis said. "I know we don't [all] want to spend money on it. Are [BrandEra] also going to be helping with the messaging piece?"

She took issue with a Facebook ad that promoted the program without any obvious mention that it is free to enroll.

"Free wasn't anywhere in that ad," Davis said. "Is that a strategic decision?"

Board members Lisa Pardo and Leon Leal voted against the proposal on objections about cost. Pardo said she was frustrated that the timing of the proposal would result in marketing efforts after the beginning of the new school year.

Ryan said BrandEra had been the standout candidate in an "extensive" process of vetting proposals and qualifications from companies that had shown interest in providing marketing services.

"We can go back in with BrandEra to talk about the best use of dollars to get the best return on the investment," Ryan said. "We feel comfortable they can provide what we're asking them to provide."