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Tullahoma Virtual Academy reports enrollment shifts, expands middle-school supports and student enterprises
Summary
District leaders told the school board that full‑time virtual enrollment fell from 76 at the start of the year to 64 this semester, while high‑school “flex” participation rose into the hundreds; officials described attendance rules, middle‑school synchronous days, plans to add sixth grade and new student enterprise efforts.
Tullahoma City Schools officials updated the board on enrollment and program changes at the Tullahoma Virtual Academy (TVA), reporting declines in full‑time enrollment but rapid growth in high‑school students using TVA for part of their coursework.
At the start of the school year TVA had 76 full‑time students; administrators said that number was 64 this semester. Dr. Sam Stevens, director of schools, and Dr. Treadway, TVA director, attributed the drop largely to middle‑school students and the difficulty of matching some students to a virtual setting.
TVA’s flex enrollment at the high‑school level is growing. Tonight the board heard that 230 high‑school students were flexing into TVA for courses during the current term, representing about 292 class enrollments in that snapshot; the presenters also said that for the school year to date TVA counted 308 high‑school flex students taking a total of 603 courses. Dr. Stevens described the flexibility as a key attraction for students who want both virtual and in‑person programs, and he noted bidirectional participation with Tullahoma High School (THS) — some THS students take TVA classes while some TVA students participate in THS programs including the Nissan career program.
Board members and staff described different delivery models by grade. Dr. Treadway said high‑school instruction is asynchronous — recorded lessons students complete at their own pace — and the district tracks grades, credits and deadlines used to determine attendance and progress. Jordan Dilley, TVA’s middle‑school educator, said middle school is a hybrid model with synchronous instruction two days a week for English language arts and math, plus optional Friday events such as science labs and “escape room” activities that reinforce social studies and science concepts.
Administrators described TVA’s attendance and academic monitoring rules. Dr. Stevens and Dilley said TVA records attendance by work completion: students who complete at least 80.1% of weekly work are counted present five days; the presenters said attendance credit then drops in 10 percentage‑point increments as completion falls. Board materials presented tonight treat attendance tracking and tiered intervention in TVA the same as in brick‑and‑mortar schools. For high‑school students, staff said TVA monitors grades and credit accumulation; Dr. Stevens and staff discussed a live‑hours requirement but gave two different figures during the update (one reference to 11 live hours per semester and another reference to 18 live hours per semester) while promising the board they would provide clarified numbers after the meeting.
Staff also described nascent electives and student enterprise opportunities at TVA and across the district. Dr. Treadway and Dilley introduced a new recording arts studio called “Last Lab,” described as a developing course attracting high‑school flex students, and they discussed a coffee trailer intended as a student business. At the meeting representatives of the Tullahoma Educational Foundation said the foundation has provided grant support to district projects and noted recent donations; at one point speakers corrected the record about who provided funding for the coffee trailer, saying the foundation had provided funds rather than the district purchasing it directly.
Looking ahead, TVA staff said the program will add sixth grade next year and expand work‑based learning opportunities. Jordan Dilley told the board she is pursuing a work‑based‑learning endorsement to grow that pathway, and administrators signaled plans to continue adjusting supports so middle‑school students fit the virtual environment.
Board members asked no formal questions that changed policy tonight; staff said they would follow up with detailed attendance‑hours and credit‑tracking figures requested during the presentation.
