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Residents urge board to preserve student-support coaches as budget debate begins
Summary
At a public hearing on the fiscal 2026 budget, residents and employees urged the Warren County School Board to make roughly 20 grant-funded student-support coach positions permanent and addressed staffing inequities including sick‑leave payout rules and underfunding at Resi Jeffries Elementary.
At a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, residents and school employees urged the Warren County School Board to keep more than 20 student‑support coaches funded after temporary grant dollars run out.
Michael Williams, introduced himself as a longtime Warren County resident and taxpayer and told the board the student‑support program begun in 2020 was “vital to student success,” urging officials to find a way to make the positions permanent when the initial grant expires. He said the positions were created to help students most affected by school shutdowns and the academic and behavioral effects that followed.
School staff and community members raised other personnel and funding concerns during the hearing. Kristen Frankel, who identified herself as a school counselor, criticized a one‑time sick‑leave payout incentive that she said benefited only “select employees” and created pay disparities among staff on the same pay grade. She urged the board to consider alternative approaches — for example, adjusting the eligibility threshold — or expanding stipends or pay‑grade changes for roles such as counselors and deans.
Several speakers asked the board to address uneven non‑labor funding and staffing at particular schools. A parent and teacher delegation pointed to Resi Jeffries Elementary as the district’s largest elementary by enrollment but the lowest funded per pupil for non‑labor costs; speakers said Resi needs another specials teacher and additional resources. Substitute teachers and a parent representative reported shortages of instructional assistants and special‑education‑trained staff at some schools.
Other public comments touched on related topics the board will weigh during budget deliberations: requests to explore JROTC options, calls for clearer calendar/makeup‑day rules, and appeals from a teacher who described safety and transfer concerns after a prolonged conflict with a parent. Board members said they were listening and reiterated that budget decisions will be tied to strategic priorities and to revenue the division receives from state, federal and local sources.
The board opened the fiscal 2026 budget public hearing to receive comments and indicated it will consider the community input as staff and the superintendent finalize a proposal to present to the board and the Board of Supervisors.
