Board approves consent agenda, grants and funding for teacher rank-change programs

The Nelson County Board of Education voted on several procedural and funding items at its Jan. 14 meeting. Voting items included a routine consent agenda, acceptance of awarded CTE showcase mini-grants, authorization to apply for three grants, and approval to fund certain teacher rank-change (CEO) program costs for staff who are currently or previously enrolled.

Consent agenda: Board members moved and seconded a motion to approve the consent agenda; the chair called for voice approval and the motion passed. The consent agenda included routine business and a late addition recognizing the Nelson County girls varsity basketball team’s sectional win.

CTE showcase mini-grants: The board accepted two awarded CTE showcase mini-grants, each for $5,000. The grants were presented to district CTE programs to enable teams to showcase work at ASBA (the presenter described one award to the education collaborative and another to the information-technology pathway). Board members voted to bundle the two awards; the motion carried on voice vote.

Grant-application authorizations: The board authorized staff to submit applications for three grants: (1) an AED replacement grant to replace automated external defibrillators older than eight years, (2) a Kentucky Adult Education grant to continue a referral program operated through the district’s adult-education center, and (3) an FAA grant to support the Bluegrass Aerospace Experience collaboration and expand dual-credit aerospace coursework in partnership with the University of Kentucky. The board voted to authorize those applications.

CEO rank-change funding: After discussion the board voted to approve funding for teachers previously or currently enrolled in continuing-education rank-change programs offered through regional cooperatives and BloomBoard. Superintendent Bradley said the district currently has teachers enrolled in programs run by regional cooperatives (CKEC, GREC and WKEC) and BloomBoard; the board’s motion covers past and current enrollments and will fund annual program costs as invoiced rather than providing upfront tuition for participants. The superintendent described program costs typically near $5,000 and said the long-term budgetary effect would include teachers who, after completion, would have an approximate $4,000–$5,000 annual salary increase tied to rank change. The board motion to fund previously/currently enrolled teachers was moved by Dr. Lee and seconded by Board Member Deaton; the motion passed on a voice vote.

The board did not record a roll-call tally for those voice votes during the meeting; minutes reflect that each motion passed with no opposition called at the time of the vote.