Tangipahoa committee approves federally funded college-and-career coach job description

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board Personnel Committee on June 3 approved a job description for a federally funded college-and-career coach position intended to coordinate dual enrollment, apprenticeships and ACT support for the district's seven high schools and career center.

The position, described by Dr. Lisa Fussell, will be a 10-month, flexible role paid on the teacher pay scale with a bachelor’s degree required and a master’s preferred. "This position would be a 10 month flexible," Fussell said, adding the role will cover summer apprenticeship activity and may require evening or periodic weekend hours.

Committee members said the description now clearly identifies the funding source as federal grant money, which members said reduces risk to the district general fund if the post is later discontinued. "When we have something that's grant or federally funded, I love that on the bottom, we now have started to put in here that this position is federally funded," said Mr. Piazza.

Why it matters: committee members said the district's dual enrollment and apprenticeship programs have grown quickly and need a dedicated staffer to coordinate paperwork, credentialing and follow-up. Fussell said the coach will work directly with the district's college-and-career coordinator, currently Michelle Gaitos, the career center and the seven high schools to make sure students have access to apprenticeships, dual enrollment and ACT resources.

Key details from the meeting: the job is federally funded (Thrive-related funding was referenced during discussion); it is a 10-month position with flexible scheduling to cover summer and nonstandard hours; the salary will follow the teacher pay scale with bachelor’s degree minimum. Fussell described several administrative tasks the new coach would perform, including managing the additional work permits and paperwork required for students to receive paid-internship credit and advanced credentials under the Thrive/work-based learning structure. "For us to get the credit under the Thrive and for it to be in paid internship, they have to have two work permits," Fussell said, noting district staff currently handle registrations and paperwork for summer programs.

Committee members also discussed how the role will ease pressure on existing dual-enrollment teachers and school-based coordinators. Fussell said each school has a dual-enrollment coordinator who receives a $250 stipend from Southeastern for paperwork; the new coach would handle paperwork for the career center and follow up districtwide so teachers and coordinators can focus on instruction. "This person will do that dual enrollment paperwork," Fussell said.

Questions from members clarified pay and months: Dr. Purcell noted the draft had said 11 months; Fussell confirmed the final description specifies 10 months and that Mr. Matthews would add the salary range to the shared document. The committee moved to approve the job description; Miss Richards moved and Miss Rose Dominguez seconded the motion, which passed with four yays.

The committee did not take additional action beyond approving the job description; there was no public input at the meeting. The personnel committee adjourned following the vote.