Ashe County Board reviews capital and program requests; approves one‑year pilot of high‑school personalized program

The Ashe County Board of Education on March 6 approved a one‑year pilot of a personalized “school‑within‑a‑school” program at Ashe County High School and approved several related staffing and equipment requests while asking administrators to return with more detailed cost and enrollment information for larger items.

Board members debated the high‑school proposal — described by staff as a personalized learning space to support students who struggle in traditional settings — before voting to fund the program for one academic year and to authorize an 11‑month instructional coach position tied to the initiative. "They need somebody to champion them differently," a board member said in support of giving the program a year to operate and be evaluated. Another board member asked for a formal enrollment estimate and verification of the program’s staffing before final budget submission to county commissioners.

The pilot, presented as a blend of credit recovery, personalized scheduling and targeted experiential opportunities, was described by district staff as serving students in grades 9–12 who are behind on credits, have attendance or anxiety issues, or otherwise do not fit the traditional classroom model. Administrators told the board the recommended model would serve up to 15 students in a cohort but that some students might rotate in and out as they complete credit recovery. Staff also said the program would use online credit‑recovery platforms in combination with targeted, in‑person instruction and local field experiences.

The board…