[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6187594,"mediaKeyId","5067280-2af6869fbc698ce7539ba009192a63c9","parentId",5067280,"title","Board member asks whether volunteers can receive coach stipends amid shortages at some schools","audioSeconds",84,"startMs",728000,"endMs",812000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5067280-2af6869fbc698ce7539ba009192a63c9&start=728&end=812","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5067280-2af6869fbc698ce7539ba009192a63c9/thumbnail_728000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6187594/Alabama/Board-member-asks-whether-volunteers-can-receive-coach-stipends-amid-shortages-at-some-schools","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187594-5a5b371fe748c88b84b3d8692f864205/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164118&Signature=X1YqSrvCZ1BkagIRU6rAWtIhsJ32CRHp302i5Sd08pfKWaX~LRBVVCcj1W6kSWIlbHv7vrLvAtDuK2o5t8dk2PfmUc-8wyV~zrzrD7xnpyRJ4qdZw-4mWGteS~8z4pCCRcexcBxkZraFDQNZi1hGaRtP7zHYIXsJ-Zn59Du8KTeqi6QEhyB~Rl3SStGlw8WhCKbDcXaV-A4M5Q~LLMngueKNr0Fgn29rKZA31VAgeRqfpHwKbUWeL4FxGa0VwiS05WTym0qHHOoe92lE7ps6qA7WtA~csIwlVltrAwPhwaQC4EMJY9OqObF8tQF9-6~7xN~KaMI24m~eNl6nPHv2sQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mobile County Public Schools","date","2025-06-25T16:43:54.497Z","article","A Mobile County Public Schools board member asked whether vetted volunteers could be paid stipends to cover coaching shortages at some schools, and district staff said converting volunteers to paid stipends would reclassify them as employees.

During the meeting a board member said some schools are having trouble filling coach stipends and noted “one school has 17” vacancies. The board member asked whether volunteers who already help with sports could be vetted and paid to fill gaps. The superintendent and staff discussed options and the limits of volunteer versus paid status.

Mr. Souvatay (staff) said, “That would classify them not as a volunteer. They would be getting paid. Right.” He added, “Some of them prefer to be volunteers,” indicating not all volunteers want pay. The superintendent said some volunteers do have an option to be paid and asked athletic directors to contact him to address specific shortages.

Board members requested that staff explore whether the district can expand stipend eligibility or better publicize existing options for volunteers to receive stipends in schools with recruitment challenges. No formal policy change or vote was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MCPSS Board Work Session - June 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A board member said some schools struggle to fill coaching stipends and asked whether vetted volunteers could receive pay; staff said paying volunteers would change their status and asked athletic directors to follow up.","taxTitle","Mobile County Public Schools, School Districts, Alabama","taxId",13591,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6187599,"Mobile County school leaders review dozens of vendor contracts as superintendent cites 50% drop in truancy",173,137000,310000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5067280-2af6869fbc698ce7539ba009192a63c9&start=137&end=310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5067280-2af6869fbc698ce7539ba009192a63c9/thumbnail_137000.jpg","/articles/6187599/Alabama/Mobile-County-school-leaders-review-dozens-of-vendor-contracts-as-superintendent-cites-50-drop-in-truancy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187599-e092b2c776692752e406ca5de7bfce72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164118&Signature=KX2OdZk2ZPhLTyGFp7jcpD~KwPfeheqe7QQQjlkEZQMskpsXV8K8LRfRPqC22jXWY21ouRMEVWJCUrwjl~VFgXHxMj5sXqSQ9eSu4eoDutw3h1S2mkhlN5A-YAhxwQGBbH-FC2mNgfNvxCqZ6cPrKlqPtQXARIh5evtPJiSdO452mR6B65~8FNrSH6WJ1ReKrP9X7Wf1S6FQrGnA7C-rSJ5lUFN4bTfrkvNpCxaDZOXpNJBWqk7B~D-T8BGXZOGtbJpD1eNp5Cg3Qe7-PBqFX2YN3RFX4XfWaKDyYM5EK~GgK7PGiK5WLAx2iqUvOb4iTL5AOePi-jjbIY5O8sVwQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mobile County Public Schools leaders reviewed dozens of proposed contracts and purchases during a board meeting, and Superintendent said the district’s partnership with District Attorney Keith Blackwood helped cut truancy “by 50%.”

The spending items discussed include a $773,373.34 Greenwood Publishing purchase for K–5 math materials using local and Title I funds, a $123,000 state-funded subscription to Forefront Education for early numeracy screening, an $80,000 Title I agreement with Goodwill of the Gulf Coast for an Alabama home‑visiting pre‑K program, a $12,000 first‑year website chatbot with annual increases in years two and three, and a $10,000 contract with Blue Search for real‑time threat identification (potentially Title IV). Several smaller professional‑development and curriculum site‑licenses were listed, with amounts ranging from $665 to more than $700,000.

“C2 is a revision of our board policy 6.631,” the superintendent said when introducing items tied to recent state legislation, and later described the district’s work with the district attorney: “We will have that press conference on June 30,” and “it reduced our truancy by 50%.” The superintendent said the district has worked with the DA’s office for years, and that the district and the DA “tweaked it a little bit” under DA Blackwood’s tenure.

Board members asked how the district vets recurring vendors and programs. A board member asked, “are we still vetting the effectiveness of each of these before…?” The superintendent replied, “Yes, every day,” and added that “We have a team. Dr. Brackens leads that team that assess those contracts.”

The superintendent also identified a flow‑through contract: a site license with Saatchi Tech for Lighthouse Baptist, funded by Title IV. The board was told a sidewalk easement adjacent to Centro Nail High School was proposed with “no financial impact.”

District staff listed other routine items on the agenda, including supplements for department heads, counselors, athletic coaches and band directors; contract renewals (UKG); and a revision that decreased a video board change order by $10,000 to a total of $339,200 from local funds.

Board members were told expulsions are listed under separate cover and that the board will consider six employment matters in attorney–client session the following Wednesday. The meeting record shows the business items were presented for consent and discussion; the transcript does not record individual roll‑call votes on the listed contracts during the segment provided.

The board packet ties several purchases to federal and state funding streams: Title I, Title IV, governor’s turnaround funds and local school funds. Several board members asked staff to follow up with more outcome data on recurring vendors and with athletic directors where volunteer roles might be converted to paid stipends.

The agenda note about policy revisions named “the Alabama Paid Parent Lead Act” and cited a board policy number (6.631) as the district revision tied to that legislation.","District administrators reviewed multiple curriculum, technology and service contracts and said a partnership with the district attorney helped cut truancy roughly in half; board members pressed staff on vetting and oversight.","actionData","errors"]

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Board member asks whether volunteers can receive coach stipends amid shortages at some schools

Mobile County school leaders review dozens of vendor contracts as superintendent cites 50% drop in truancy