[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6458756,"mediaKeyId","5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c","parentId",5810410,"title","Votes at a glance: officer elections, consent agenda, personnel and capital items","audioSeconds",3747,"startMs",927000,"endMs",4674000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c&start=927&end=4674","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c/thumbnail_927000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6458756/Tennessee/Votes-at-a-glance-officer-elections-consent-agenda-personnel-and-capital-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458756-4b49dad43e8fbddb3839b1941b2def91/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512569&Signature=XDQ0SVVs8Ae-6Hy72uN3PwgI7Zdg0KB9b4Laqco0kTwA6VA1aTiB4Qq~OQEoSPM0zc4pVMBXrL7MM6eoWb1rczn~0-jk3MSxLPTy5d9ZJJXH-pgGmxZBauhXPpksIR8eHFf8KB7h4jsFRaB3R5vk9V5jKM0LdSjx7pSozTG~OKrJf9KFY3-BubagHRpAXycD11ehYb9AvRX1LvytWGkYTcLph01LwVDY7Pg~8qcnk8mUP8nctugCaA~NDnYc7Am0mep-6uQUkxj-GwMQio5Zc7HmZhccIUgcYlBM6xegUgU8Iuki1uLgywgrjNSQ7Hh0P4b4iJ86kinVZ1Gr6lyauA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hamilton County Schools","date","2025-09-18T00:00:00Z","article","At its meeting, the Hamilton County School Board completed officer elections, approved consent and administrative items and took formal votes on several budget and personnel matters.

Elections and officer votes
- Board chair: Joe Smith was elected board chair. Vote recorded in meeting: 7 in favor, 4 opposed.
- Vice chair: Gary King was elected vice chair (roll call produced a majority in favor; individual tallies recorded during roll call).
- Legislative chair: Jody Schaefer was elected legislative chair (roll call recorded in meeting; outcome in favor of Schaefer).

Consent and administrative items
- Consent agenda: The board approved the consent agenda, which included routine items and a late red‑flagged item about a CCA property encroachment (the board discussed and later approved sale of a small parcel at market rate).
- Personnel/tenure: The board reinstated tenure for two educators after staff verification of eligibility.
- 2026 benefits premiums and salary adjustments: The board approved employee benefits premium information to support open enrollment and approved a state‑mandated adjustment to the master's salary scale to meet Tennessee minimums; these items were presented to enable administrative processes such as open enrollment starting Oct. 1.

Capital and budget
- Bond fund for capital projects FY‑2026: The board approved the bond fund list; a high‑cost $4.5 million CSAS project was discussed and briefly considered for referral to committee before that referral was withdrawn and the bond fund was approved.
- CCA property encroachment: The board approved the sale of a roughly 348‑square‑foot encroaching porch area for a nominal sum (the buyer offered $895, calculated at a market rate of $112,000 per acre, as presented by staff), citing the parcel's limited utility to the district.

Contested item
- MOU to reinstate Centerstone mental‑health services: A motion to approve the MOU was made and seconded, but a subsequent motion to table the item succeeded. The board voted 7‑4 to table the MOU; because of the table, the MOU did not take effect and staff were asked to return with further information.

The board recorded roll calls for these decisions during the public session; several items will return to committee or to the board with additional staff documentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HCS Board Meeting 9/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Hamilton County School Board completed officer elections and approved routine and budget items. Key outcomes: Joe Smith elected board chair, Gary King elected vice chair, Jody Schaefer elected legislative chair; consent agenda approved; MOU on Centerstone was tabled (7‑4); bond fund approved.","taxTitle","Hamilton County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",12943,"location","Tennessee","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},6458760,"Board approves bond fund for capital projects; $4.5 million CSAS field drew questions over scope and cost",201,4034000,4235000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c&start=4034&end=4235","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c/thumbnail_4034000.jpg","/articles/6458760/Tennessee/Board-approves-bond-fund-for-capital-projects-45-million-CSAS-field-drew-questions-over-scope-and-cost","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458760-3e09649748c22711264654f9afba181c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512569&Signature=P4t0YqvVxDvNGfNX-C0Oxgb6qcEkojuwOwPMKwjiyeK~n1tQfZiLHGpjXsNv0h0RFiP7PdL8yCIiHf4LuPUo73LLoQLZijei427RTG4tyOmzyetf~a71sxPKNNOV1ZgGkJvQ7mWeqT1QxL6NqhgJDzbiI4kfo3QgXbu5rJc8OJvue~sBNTOKA6cL207jsb6SYCdnjx4RDqsuftyYov6Xs7sQzlECoo0ct97lqj6GkeI3NnY8KGNMVAMuIfioSFqcFyKhtiOU2EnzHwgIEutDZ1KzNh2VArInbOzcrotXHXZkrSOqEDs~0UmhuqSfAoheXCUcb8Z9PRDyuiIfI~ERAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hamilton County School Board approved the district's bond fund for capital projects for fiscal year 2026 after a discussion about a large field and stadium project at CSAS.

Board members and staff described the CSAS project as more than a turf replacement. A district staff member said the campus has an aging stadium structure with condemned bleachers and a substantial retaining wall that must be removed or rebuilt before a new turf surface can be installed. \"The retaining wall is probably a 30‑foot drop from the parking lot to the ground level,\" a district staff member said, adding that demolition and site work contribute heavily to the estimate.

The line item for CSAS was listed at $4.5 million. Board member Jody Schaefer sought to pull that CSAS item from the capital list and refer it to a committee for more discussion; she said the project's large price and limited project documentation merited a closer review. The motion to pull and refer was seconded but the maker later withdrew the motion, and the main bond fund motion proceeded to a vote and passed.

Staff noted the project includes a $500,000 contribution from hotel‑motel tax revenue designated by the county mayor for community athletic facility use. Administrators also said the site would serve multiple sports and community use, and that fencing and removable pitching mounds are part of the conversion plan to allow baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and other activities.

Board members said the facilities committee had previously reviewed the item and a plan map was available at that meeting. With the CSAS amendment withdrawn, the board approved the capital projects list and several other capital funding items during the meeting.

Board members said further details on scope, contingencies and timeline can be provided in facilities committee meetings and in future board materials.","The Hamilton County School Board approved the fiscal‑year 2026 bond fund for capital projects. A planned $4.5 million project at CSAS — covering bleacher removal, retaining‑wall work and a new multipurpose turf field — prompted questions and a brief attempt to refer the item for committee review.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6458765,"Teachers and parents warn of special‑education staffing crisis; district cites license shortage and plans follow‑up",583,4818000,5401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c&start=4818&end=5401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c/thumbnail_4818000.jpg","/articles/6458765/Tennessee/Teachers-and-parents-warn-of-specialeducation-staffing-crisis-district-cites-license-shortage-and-plans-followup","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458765-4f88e3f76039f11c436c5ed1a7048749/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512569&Signature=UwXjQ23~hisMlEpQSBIW9YLz6ny6o-uCRGeXNn3G4z4sWRjhOa4qEptCzghDkJ9FU1kLnWcnIPbdMXZ53E~h~jjINpTXdB8sznBNJA2bBaGsMhK0kldJJF07UlwqrU4XCZIBZrB59A7hozAe4vjrm12OU6UuCPoexo~Sj3Sr8XoGc3VpVCU872e2IOEo~PvcbwFhzqhKUbQYRPUs5cwaOjC5ZyQnVZViEkwMOcwotQR0NFqqEjbeIFlQImPG7241mEeqrBK24mzuQuMDs-lCOUoSJfc~t90nTsVtnovG5Yaw5~Wa5RZXPAHA2530XRANajwBrI8J-pe~mejtsc~Zxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Hamilton County community urged the school board to address what they called a staffing crisis in exceptional education during Thursday's meeting.

\"Hamilton County's decision to allocate exceptional education staffing based on head count rather than student needs has created a crisis,\" said Felice Haddon, who identified herself as a former exceptional‑education teacher. Haddon said case loads are \"at record highs,\" that teachers and teacher assistants are leaving shortly after the school year began and that students with the most significant needs are losing legally required services.

District staff told the board that staffing formulas had, in fact, moved to a model based on student needs rather than raw head count in a decision made last spring. The staff presentation said the district is now confronting a shortage of teachers holding the state '4‑61' special‑education license; administrators said vacancies for positions that require that license are a primary driver of the problem.

A district staff member said the district currently has roughly 15 exceptional‑education teacher vacancies that are especially hard to fill because they require the 4‑61 endorsement. The district has offered incentives and is using available Title II federal funds where allowable to recruit and encourage staff to obtain the endorsement, the presenter said.

Board members asked for more detailed, district‑wide data. A staff member told the board the administration would provide a follow‑up report early next week that will include counts of positions, class sizes by program type (for example IDS, multiple exceptionalities, DCC), and the district's placement and staffing expectations for various categories of special‑education classrooms.

Board members also raised broader budget and organizational questions tied to staffing and position creation; some asked for a dedicated finance‑committee workday to review organizational charts and reconcile positions against the approved budget.

The district emphasized it is pursuing both short‑term recruitment and longer‑term training strategies to address the license shortage, and staff asked the public for patience while the additional data are prepared.","At the Hamilton County School Board meeting, a former special‑education teacher and other speakers said large class sizes and staff departures are harming students; district officials said the shortfall stems from a statewide shortage of a required \"4‑61\" license and promised detailed data next week.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6458769,"School board tables MOU to restore Centerstone school mental‑health services after heated debate",601,4109000,4710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c&start=4109&end=4710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810410-ae800ead6f150484a4ac3d8c4ff3f98c/thumbnail_4109000.jpg","/articles/6458769/Tennessee/School-board-tables-MOU-to-restore-Centerstone-school-mentalhealth-services-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458769-bf115596ddab7a81e9ff0d72169c7298/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512569&Signature=ebWO4taNH4GgZB-WZ~PfXkRaXGqCSs0myehoUB7IuNE6qo6H9m4GHqfXlh~rbGnICDGROcPdmShOl7tAHy9v9PzQu6WLxGz2dnZ1Qazch2lI~9N16bdtIJ4BdpUVYJ5x3nM25oDO1n5gNmfNNWPMPdyzaA0DX2ixujy4WabV2lhGc7qVO5Ux4hfleg-0L6u5Ly1acGveMGpyi7cTZeHuh8UCEY0HWSSjnkRhVkcxyWgOB~fuSSo4zzFHK9fOdijx-Cn~sI9RXx95oq4tzMNPcUw6je7S1-KoSdHwBws2YFEe0h2q7sipUjkIGGaRP5~9CiNGhZKrp9br2R7PDLzefQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hamilton County School Board on Thursday voted 7‑4 to table a proposed memorandum of understanding that would have reinstated Centerstone mental‑health services in schools while the district issues a request for qualifications for longer‑term providers.

Board member Ben Conners, who presented the MOU to the board, framed the proposal as an effort to restore services for students and families. \"Caring for our kids is not partisan. It is our moral obligation,\" Conners said, adding that the district had received \"over 500 emails supporting Centerstone and their work\" and that many students have Centerstone services written into their 504 plans or individualized education programs.

The MOU language presented to the board included a requirement that \"all centers and employees will be background checked with Hamilton County Schools or Hamilton County Schools approved methods\" and said reinstated services would continue \"until such time as an RFQ can be fulfilled concerning student mental health services.\" Conners urged the board to approve the agreement as an interim step.

Board member Jody Schaefer moved to table the MOU; another member seconded. \"With all respect to my fellow board member, this board has already spoken on this matter,\" Schaefer said when making the motion to table. After a roll call, the motion to table passed 7‑4.

Board discussion leading up to the vote included assertions about competing public sentiment and references to state policy. Conners said state leaders, including the governor, had directed additional funding for school mental‑health partnerships and argued the MOU aligned with those priorities. Opponents on the dais cited procedural and policy concerns in urging delay and further review.

Because the motion to table passed, the proposed MOU did not receive final approval and no immediate change to service contracts was ordered. Board members and district staff said the tabled item will return for future consideration; the board directed staff to provide follow‑up materials and next steps through the superintendent's office.

The matter drew sustained public and board attention, including references to legal protections for students' 504 plans and IEPs and to the volume of community correspondence. The board did not vote on an alternative interim arrangement during the meeting.

The tabling vote was 7 in favor of tabling and 4 opposed.","Hamilton County School Board paused a proposed memorandum of understanding to immediately reinstate Centerstone mental‑health services in schools, voting 7‑4 to table the measure after hours of testimony and board discussion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: officer elections, consent agenda, personnel and capital items

Board approves bond fund for capital projects; $4.5 million CSAS field drew questions over scope and cost

Teachers and parents warn of special‑education staffing crisis; district cites license shortage and plans follow‑up

School board tables MOU to restore Centerstone school mental‑health services after heated debate