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Parents, FFA supporters ask White County to restore 12‑month contracts for agriculture teachers under state code
Summary
Community speakers urged the White County Board to approve 12‑month contracts for the district’s agricultural teachers and cited Tennessee Code Annotated 49‑5‑416 as authorizing such contracts. Speakers presented hours worked and asked the board to consider using Carl Perkins funds to cover much of the cost.
Two community members asked the White County Board of Education on May 8 to reinstate 12‑month contracts for the district’s two agricultural teachers, saying the teachers perform year‑round duties and asserting state law permits such contracts.
Why it matters: Agriculture teachers often supervise supervised agricultural experiences (SAE), manage school greenhouses and animals, and run FFA chapter activities outside the regular school day. Those duties can extend across summer months. The speakers argued that a 12‑month contract better matches the workload and supports sustained program quality.
What was said: Community member Selena Bradley gave the board a packet showing out‑of‑contract hours worked by Ms. Kimberly Eller and Mr. Kyler Moore from June 1, 2024 through March 8, 2025 (April and May were not included). Bradley read from Tennessee Code Annotated 49‑5‑416, subsection (a), which allows a local board to employ a person in public high school agricultural education on a 12‑month contract if recommended by the local agriculture advisory committee and subject to board approval.
Bradley also pointed to federal Carl Perkins funding as a likely source to cover much of the local cost of extending contracts. She noted White County’s FFA chapter achievements, including high participation at the state convention and national recognitions.
Community member Luke Tipple added that ag teachers work during summers to tend animals and maintain facilities and urged the board to avoid a small ‘loophole’ pay fix that he said would shortchange the teachers.
Board response and next steps: The board acknowledged the request and asked the director to include relevant budget numbers in the upcoming budget work sessions. Director Drombarger said he would ensure the board received the material and that budget discussions will occur later in May as part of the fiscal‑year planning process.
The board did not make a decision on contracts during the May 8 meeting; trustees said they would review the documentation and consider the request as part of budget deliberations.
