Franklin County Schools: Third Grade Retention ‘Concerning’
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
“It’s very concerning,” said Resources Supervisor Linda Foster at the Sept. 6 Franklin County School Board meeting, asking the board to review recommended changes to the Promotion and Retention policy which stipulate “Third grade students shall not be promoted to the next grade unless they are determined to be proficient in English language arts based on the most recent TCAP test.” The Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) recommended the policy change to comply with recent action by the state legislature.
If adopted, the policy calls for parental notification a child will be retained and provides for methods to avoid retention including summer school Bridge Camp and fourth grade tutoring. Foster pointed out the school district did “not have to use TSBA’s recommendation… [we need to decide] what we would like to keep and what we would like to adjust.” Director of Schools Stanley Bean said there was “a lot of discussion” about the recommended policy, and there would likely be changes. “The state legislature requires it, and they will have to amend it,” Foster said. “I don’t think they meet again until January. In the meantime, we will have to have a policy.”
Board member Sarah Liechty asked how many new third grade teachers would be needed. “We’re talking about a significant number of kids we’ll have to provide summer school or mediation for,” Liechty said. Jenny Crabtree, Supervisor of Elementary Education and Federal Projects, suggested, “We can look at our certified ELA [results] from this past spring and that will give us a ballpark number.” “We may not need as many fourth grade teachers,” Bean said.
The board will take up the recommended policy changes at the Sept. 29 workshop.
The board will also use the workshop to discuss how to repurpose ESSER III funds removed from the budget, freeing up $4.4 million originally budgeted to be used for an Activity Center. At Crabtree’s recommendation the board approved the ESSER III application to the state which takes into account the change in funding allocation. “We have now put that funding into another line … basically as carry over funds that will be repurposed,” Crabtree explained. “If you can approve this broadly, once you have a work session, we can go back in and amend as you request.”
A third item at the workshop will be the Extended School Program. Vice Chair Lance Williams noted the self-supporting program was “$43,000 in the red.” Williams asked if the program was still operating. “It closed this past week,” Bean said.
The school district will be seeking bids on extensive roof repairs at Broadview, Cowan, Decherd and Sewanee elementary schools in conjunction with an approved ESSER II project. County Finance Director Andrea Smith said contractors could bid on the jobs separately or bid on all four jobs.
Huntland High School received a “collaborative robot” valued at $12,500 from Nissan Regional Training Center. Previously the two county high schools shared one robot. The technology will aid students in earning 80 hours toward Industrial Maintenance certification at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology.
Sheri Smith, North Middle School counselor, and Eric Vanzant, Director of the Campora Family Resource Center, highlighted progress of the Advancement Committee tasked with supporting county teachers and schools. Teachers recently participated in training on how to deal with student mental health issues, the district has hired four new counselors as well as a social worker, and the committee has applied for grants to bring “Trauma Informed” discipline practices into all schools. At the student level, student of the month recognition was underway with the district wide honoree receiving a $250 cash award, high school students had begun mentoring elementary and middle school students to “get them excited about the next level of education,” and school principals were working to identify a “brand” for their school. Listening tours for district supervisors and school board members were being planned for all the county schools. School board member Linda Jones, who recently visited a school said, “I heard over and over again, our schools want us in their buildings.”