White County Board approves consent agenda, budget amendments and school calendar; moves voucher resolution to new business

The White County Board of Education on Feb. 13 approved its meeting agenda and a consent package that included several budget amendments, overnight student field trips, the 2025–26 school calendar and other routine reports.

The approvals came at a regularly scheduled meeting held at Finley Elementary. Board members first approved the agenda (motion by Mister Smith; second by Miss Fowler) and then approved the consent agenda after moving one item — the Education Freedom Scholarship Act resolution — into new business for separate discussion.

The nut graf: The consent package consolidates routine administrative actions and required annual reviews so the district can process federal/state allocations, finalize the school calendar and clear standard personnel and program items.

Among the budget changes in the packet were multiple small federal- and state-driven adjustments: a $5,014.85 transfer reallocating unused funds to materials and supplies; a state allocation reduction of $30.26 to Title I; a $3,500 transfer in Title II to pay tuition for hard-to-fill positions; a $10,027.08 Title V revenue entry; a $189 increase for SPED preschool revenue; and $12,741 extra revenue for IDEA Part B, largely for wages and benefits. Miss Felton explained that many of the adjustments arrived after final allocations were issued by federal and state programs, requiring line-item shifts in the district budget.

Board members also approved overnight out-of-county trips for the district’s high school clubs and teams — including the TISA national conference in Nashville, FFA’s state convention in Gatlinburg, an Interact Club trip to Pigeon Forge and a Junior ROTC rifle competition in Anniston, Alabama — and a White County High School boys soccer fundraising request using a McMinnville-based online platform. The board approved the calendar for the 2025–26 school year, which sets an Aug. 1 start, a spring break in March 9–13 and a proposed last day of May 22 to meet the 180-school-day requirement.

“We have teacher in-service dates and administrative days noted,” the superintendent’s budget presenter noted while describing the calendar-development process led by teacher advisory groups. The board also recorded its annual review of the district textbook policy with no recommended changes.

Ending: Board members said they will review any pulled items in new business later in the meeting. The consent approvals allow staff to update accounts and begin planning for next school year activities and procurement.